Friday Focus – Grand Final

THE GRAND final will be contested by the two highest scoring teams of the 2007 Home and Away season – the first time this has happened since 2001. The Cats ranked No. 1 in the AFL, scoring 228 more points than the Power during the regular season.

Testament to Geelong's dominance this season, their defence was also ranked the best in the competition as they conceded the fewest points of any side. Port Adelaide's defence was not as tight throughout the season, conceding the seventh-most in the competition.

The Cats dominated through the midfield and gave their forwards plenty of opportunities during the season, pumping the ball inside 50 on average 57 times per game – the most in the AFL.

Their defence was also helped out by the fact that the midfield allowed the opposition just 48 entries per game – the fourth fewest in the competition.

Gary Ablett led the competition for inside 50s with 130 during the H&A season, Joel Corey ranked fourth with 103 and Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel had 78 for the season.

The Power entered their forward 50 on 53 occasions per game during the H&A season – ranking them equal seventh. They were the most efficient side once inside 50, scoring a goal from 29.7 per cent of their entries – ranked No. 1 in the competition.

Chad Cornes (99), Danyle Pearce (89) and Shaun Burgoyne (74) were Port Adelaide's leading inside 50 players during the H&A season.   

The Cats were the next best performed side once inside 50, scoring a goal from 29.6 per cent of their entries during the H&A season. They grabbed more marks than any other side inside 50 during the season, grabbing 17 per game.

Cameron Mooney has been Geelong's main focal point all year, grabbing 82 marks inside 50 during the H&A season and another eight during this final series. 

The Power took the eighth-most marks inside 50 during the season. Brett Ebert was their leader during the H&A season grabbing 54 marks inside 50 – 12 more than any other teammate.

Daniel Motlop has taken six marks inside 50 during the finals series – the most at Port Adelaide, while Ebert has grabbed the second most at the club with five.

Port Adelaide has averaged 55 inside 50s per game in this season's finals series. They have out-pointed their opposition with 27 more forward 50 entries during this time and have scored a goal 9.5 per cent more often once inside 50.

Peter Burgoyne has had 10 entries for them in that time, leading the club with Cornes, Pearce and Warren Tredrea all ranked equal second with nine.

Geelong has averaged 62 forward 50 entries per game during the finals series, blitzing its opposition by having a combined 45 more inside 50s than the Roos and the Magpies in the past two games.

It has scored 14 per cent more often once inside 50 but accuracy has let the Cats down, with the side scoring a goal only 2.4 per cent more often than their opposition once inside 50.