“If you don’t tag Gulden, he’ll win the Norm Smith”: Craig McRae previews the big GF matchups

Collingwood coach Craig McRae has previewed the big matchups in Saturday’s AFL Grand Final between Sydney and Brisbane.

With both sides having some standout superstars, McRae expects a raft of them on either side to either be tagged or have some close attention sent their way.

He went through three players on either side – who don’t play up forward - that he expects the opposition to put a lot of work in.

Sydney

Errol Gulden (likely opponent – Jarrod Berry)

“We tag Gulden because we know that as a winger, he quite often just loses his width and just runs on the other side of the ground, while most wingers stay on their side,” McRae told SEN The Run Home.

“We tagged him, and Steele Sidebottom did a great job, but you’ve got to be prepared to go in at centre bounce and sometimes elsewhere – Steele went with him everywhere.

“I'd be fascinated whether Berry does that … if you don't tag Gulden, he'll win the Norm Smith Medal.

“He’s that guy that can just generate so much for them.”

Isaac Heeney & Chad Warner (likely opponent – Josh Dunkley)

“I think it'll be interesting with Warner and Heeney, it’ll be fascinating what they do with Josh Dunkley.

“Dunkley generally goes to a player, he goes to Jordy (De Goey) for us, so whether he goes to Heeney as a centre bounce player, but Heeney does roll forward a bit more (than De Goey).

“Dunkley could then go to Warner (if Heeney is forward) because again Warner can get off the chain, he's a scary player.

“I think he'll take one of those (at stoppages).

“The guy that can get off the chain could be Warner.”

Brisbane

Dayne Zorko (likely opponent – James Jordon)

“I think you can bank on that Dayne Zorko will be tagged by James Jordon.

“Lock it away because they won't let Zorko off the chain, Sydney does that mostly anyway (tag half backs).”

Lachie Neale (likely opponent – James Rowbottom)

“I think Hugh McCluggage will get off the chain as he did last week because they'll put some attention into Lachie Neale around stoppage with James Rowbottom or someone like that.”

Harris Andrews (likely opponents – Luke Parker or Will Hayward)

“For us, it was Andrews. We didn't want him intercept marking (so we put Billy Frampton to him).

“Luke Parker's been doing a little bit of that, but I reckon Will Hayward could be a good person to go to for Andrews.”