Kerry native Tadhg Kennelly will play in his second AFL Grand Final next Saturday after helping the Sydney Swans to a 127-92 win over Fremantle in the early hours of this morning.
Kennelly in is line for his second Premiership medal, and ironically, the West Coast Eagles will once again stand in his way.
Twelve months ago, the Eagles were beaten 58-54 as Sydney claimed the club's first 'flag' since 1933.
Bustling forward Barry Hall, the bald-headed nemesis of Graham Canty and Ireland during the 2003 International Rules series, was the Swans' top performer against Freemantle.
Hall, who is set to be named Australian captain for the upcoming Tests against Sean Boylan's Irish side, took 14 marks and kicked six goals at the Telstra Stadium.
Worryingly for Boylan, Hall has been in excellent form of late - the 6' 5" full-forward has bagged 11 goals in his last two appearances, and a total of 67 during the 22-game regulation season.
Alongside his All-Australian team-mate Craig Bolton, Kennelly helped keep Freemantle's key man Jeff Farmer to just a single goal as well as tallying up seven handballs and nine passes.
The Listowel man has been forced to alter his game this season as opposition coaches have sought to drag him back towards the goal square, putting his defensive skills under the microscope and curtailing his often devastating runs from half-back.
The 25-year-old admitted: 'It had been happening for a while now - people trying to take me back to the goal square - and initially we talked quite a bit about it with Roosy (coach Paul Roos) and what to do. In the end we just came to terms with it, and I came to learn how to defend I suppose.
'It (defence) was something I didn't do as a Gaelic footballer. You don't do a lot of defending, it's a very attacking game, so I had to come to terms with it. I think it's made me a much better footballer. When players start to do it (drag him back) I've got to counter attack it and play the game on my terms.
'The way I play is to run hard and teams are trying to stop that, but every opportunity I get I'm going to try and run the legs off whoever is trying to take me back to the goal square.
'When they've got the football, I'm going to man them up and do my best to stop them getting the ball, but when we have it, best of luck to you.'
Next weekend's decider, which will be played at the 90,000-seater Melbourne Cricket Ground, will be Sydney's first time in successful Grand finals since 1936.
