History on our side...........

[floppinab]

I heard this on the tele last night, history is very much with us.

http://sydneyswans.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=119976

[Go Swannies]

from afl.com.au

Collingwood and Sydney are in pole position to advance to next weekend?s 2003 AFL grand final if recent history is anything to go by.

One of the key questions heading into this weekend?s two AFL preliminary finals is what significance will the week?s rest for the Swans and the Magpies last weekend have on the results of this weekend?s two matches.

Since changing to a final eight in 1994 ? the week?s rest during the finals series for those two teams lucky enough to earn it has come during semi-final week, ahead of the two preliminary finals.

So, during the past nine years the two preliminary finals each season have been contested between one team that has enjoyed the benefit of a weekend off and another which has had to qualify the hard way by coming through a winning semi-final.

And the results of these matches prove that having semi-final week off ? as Collingwood and Sydney have done this year ? is an enormous advantage compared to having had to win a semi-final to qualify for the preliminary finals, as Brisbane and Port Adelaide have had to do this time around.

In fact in the 18 preliminary finals played under this system ? since the final eight began in 1994 ? the teams which have enjoyed the week off have won on 14 occasions for a winning percentage of 78 percent.