While the starting 18 always throw up a few curveballs when teams walk to position, we did some digging, and think these are three match ups you can expect to see at some stage during the night.
WAAFL forward line
Jordan Williamson vs. Fletcher McIvor
This will probably be the battle to watch across the whole ground, and will go a long way to setting the tone of the evening.
Jordan Williamson is an enigmatic forward who can take the game by the scruff of the neck. He is quick on his feet, knows how to find the footy, skilled on both sides, and even when having a bad day, can pop up and inspire a team with a bit of magic.
McIvor is a ball winner in his own right though. He is quick, uses the ball superbly, and kick starts a lot of run from the backline. He will be used as a link-up man if he can find space.
It’s going to be fascinating to watch to battle between shutting each other down and winning the footy.
Midfield
Brendan Chen vs. Josh Woolley
This could be the most complete match up of the game.
Chen, who was runner up in the WAAFL best and fairest at 19, and then won it as a 20 year old, is a tough in-and-under midfielder that is quick across the ground. He is a prolific ball winner, and has a great outside game to go with it
Woolley is cut from the same cloth. Can play that inside role, spreads across the ground, shows his opponent a clean set of heels, and has a giant leap on him.
Both players are going to b-line the footy, and both will then look to attack at every opportunity. Hope they pack their running boots.
Queensland forward line
Danny Green vs. Lachlan Hall
Who doesn’t love a key forward against a key back?
This one might look a little differently when they line up next to each other though. Green isn’t the tallest of forwards, but is exceptional one-on-one. His strength, and ability to protect the ball drop means he is rarely beaten.
But he comes up against the best key defender the WAAFL has to offer. Vice-Captain, Lachlan Hall, is the general down back. He is an elite one-one-one player, directs traffic, and sets them up by foot.
This one is going to be physical.
The coaching box
John Blair vs. Clint Testa
This one is the veteran up against the new kid on the block.
John Blair is an icon of Queensland footy. He has played or coached in 15 grand finals since moving to Brisbane in 1981.
The 33-game VFL player for South Melbourne, Fitzroy and St Kilda won the 1982 Gorgan Medal with Morningside and represented Queensland a staggering 19 times through the 1980’s.
Blair returned to coach Morningside in 2002, where the Panthers reached the Preliminary Final or higher in a staggering nine consecutive years, including seven grand finals for four premierships.
He left Morningside at the end of 2011 and joined Aspley in 2013, taking the Hornets to a NEAFL Grand Final berth in his first season before tasting premiership success against the Sydney Swans in 2015, and finishing runner up in 2016.
Testa, a current teacher at Christian Brothers College in Fremantle, has been a member of the Fremantle CBC Football Club for 20 years. He had a 16 year playing career with the club from 1996 to 2011, but also worked double duties, coaching the colts side in his final six years.
Once he hung up the boots, he took over as the senior coach in 2012, a position he still holds. This will be his first rep side he as at the helm of.
The battle in the coaching box will be just as fascinating as what is happening on field.
By Andrew Wiles
Follow @andrewjwiles
