The intangible factors that give Sydney the advantage in this year's Grand Final

Are we overlooking the fact that Brisbane has had to play three games and travel twice in this finals series? David King wonders whether the Lions’ tough road through finals could be the difference on Saturday.

Brisbane has played in New South Wales and Victoria before qualifying for the Grand Final, while Sydney has had an easier path, winning two home games.

King feels the advantage of a top four finish is spoken about all season and will truly be tested when these two teams meet in the Grand Final.

“If you do your own review and look at the Grand Final and think about what could happen, all we’ve done all year is talk about how you can’t win it from outside the top four, you need home finals, you’ve got to have the extra week off, the travel for Brisbane three weeks in a row – I just feel it will be a factor,” King told SEN Breakfast.

“It’s almost impossible to predict lethargy in terms of their physical capabilities, no one can predict that and Brisbane wouldn’t even be referencing that, but I feel we will be.”

Cornes agreed, saying it feels like everything has lined up nicely for the Swans.

“I think that’s part of the reason it looks perfectly set up for Sydney,” Cornes said.

“And who knows the amount of wear and tear. I keep hearing that Neale isn’t training and Payne isn’t training and Hipwood isn’t training – will that get them halfway through the last quarter?

“Is Logan Morris going to run out the game? Can Darcy Fort? I think there’s more questions on Brisbane than on Sydney who are just rock solid.

“They’ve had a great finals series, they’ve had the rest, they’re on a charted flight – there’s almost a business-like attitude heading into this game.

“Brisbane has taken a real relaxed attitude and they’ve done a bunch of media which is great and that may work, but Sydney to me look like they really mean business. It’s almost old-school.”

King agreed with the description of the Swans’ approach.

“It is. They’re here to complete a mission. They’ve got five days to go. They’ve narrowed the focus, they’re not saying anything stupid, they’re not giving the media anything, they’ve been humble when they’ve had to speak,” he said.