The 2016 AFL home and away season is done and dusted and the finals matchups have been set.Sydney claimed the minor premiership in a complete walk-over against a lacklustre Richmond. After three quarters of unrelenting football, the Swans eased off late in the fourth quarter. John Longmires men take on the GWS Giants now after they locked up a finals double chance for the fifth consecutive year.St Kilda finished off their 2016 season in style, defeating Brisbane to register their 12th win of the season. Missing a place in the finals by 9.5 percentage points, the Saints were led by a Nick Riewoldt masterclass as he put the Lions to the sword in a dazzling display.The reigning premiers Hawthorn have now won a record-equaling 5 games by under a goal during the home and away season with their one-point victory over Collingwood. The win secured third spot on the ladder and a meeting with Geelong in the second qualifying final. Jack Fitzpatricks late goal to seal the victory meant the Adelaide Crows dropped out of the Top 4 and host an elimination final versus the Kangaroos.Essendon had a double-win of sorts by beating rivals Carlton on the weekend but still retain the prized number 1 pick in the AFL Draft. It is the Bombers first wooden spoon since 1933.GWS spoiled the North Melbourne farewell party and knocked off the Roos in what was a close first half encounter. The Giants put the result beyond doubt with a dominant third quarter lead by Jonathan Patton who has now bagged 11 goals from his last 2 outings.HEROESEagles team defence: The final rising star nomination is a decision between Gold Coasts Braden Fiorini (32 disposals & 2 goals) and Tom Barrass superb performance at half-back for the West Coast Eagles. In a result that re-shaped the final 8, Barass and his teammates were simply outstanding.The Eagles brought their web and all over ground pressure to stifle the ball movement of the normally rampant Adelaide Crows. The midfield, led by Jonathan Giles, were all over the Crows who sorely missed the hit around the contest from Rory Sloane and the skill execution of Brodie Smith. Josh Kennedy took his tally to a massive 80 goals and secured his second straight Coleman Medal.Stevie Johnson: The Giants have secured a Top 4 finish in an historic first finals berth. It is just rewards for a scintillating season and the fast development of this talented young side but form of Stevie Johnson is something to behold.Forty-three goals at the end of the home and away season is a terrific return for a champion discarded by his former club. It will be, however, his finals experience that will be invaluable during September. He has made this GWS forward line function and players like Devon Smith, Toby Greene and Jonathan Patton are blossoming because of his presence and winning attitude.Nick Riewoldt: What a star he has been! Nick Riewoldt wound back the clock to finish with 9 goals, 21 marks and 200 Champion Data ranking points as he monstered the Brisbane Lions. The second quarter alone produced a gob smacking 12 disposals, 11 marks and three goals highlighting Riewoldts pure work rate and forward smarts and a perfect launchpad for the St Kilda football club for 2017.VILLAINSDrew Petrie: The entire North Melbourne football club endured a tough week after news emerged that Drew Petrie, Nick Dal Santo, Michael Firrito and Boomer Harvey were not going to be contracted in 2017. Unfortunately for Petrie, he then played like he was carrying the weight of the world, failing to register a disposal until deep in the 3rd term. Finishing with 4 touches when the final siren sounded, it will be a long two weeks for Petrie and the selection committee spent mulling over the final lineup for their elimination final versus Adelaide.Damien Hardwick: A completely insipid performance from Richmond and the faithful were calling for Damien Hardwicks head after they were embarrassed by Sydney in the final round.Eight wins for the season is a poor return from a club that chased Chris Yarran because they thought their premiership window was open. The loss highlighted the cavernous gap in both intensity and talent between one of the flag favourites and this Richmond side. Expect wholesale list changes during the aftermath.The Round 23 bye: For the first time in AFL history, the eight sides competing in the AFL finals will get a week off. The thought behind the pre-finals bye was to stop finals bound teams from selecting half-strength sides to close out the home and away season.Unfortunately, the bye completely negates any momentum teams had built up at the end of the season. Teams such as West Coast, Sydney and Geelong who had all won their last 4 games will now need to hope their momentum can carry over the weekend off. The AFL have also given the rival codes a free hit with only one game of football in Melbourne in the next few weeks - talk about a momentum killer! Nike Air Max 90 Black . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Nike Air Max 90 Blue .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. http://www.airmax90outletonline.com/ . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Nike Air Max 90 Shoes Sale .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry. Cheap Nike Air Max 90 Mens . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Both the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Chicago Blackhawks are doing the blue-line shuffle to end the week, with lineup changes almost certain.The winless Blue Jackets (0-2-0) hope to break that streak as they host the Blackhawks (2-2-0) on Friday night at Nationwide Arena, with defenseman Ryan Murray drawing back into the lineup. Chicago, looking to extend its winning streak after dropping the first two games of the season, will have defensemen Brian Campbell and Michal Rozsival taking a seat.After six days without playing a game, the Blue Jackets are itching to drop the puck in search of that elusive first win.Its a big game for us, Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said via the team website. Weve been sitting on 0-2 for a week here. It sucks. We need to have a good start and feel good about ourselves.The teams best period the early season also happened to be the last one against the San Jose Sharks, establishing a stout forecheck and scoring twice before ultimately losing 3-2 at home.Murray was reunited with Seth Jones on the top defensive-pairing in Thursdays practice, with rookie Zach Werenski dropping down to the second-pairing with David Savard. Rounding-out the final pair was Jack Johnson and Markus Nutivaara.Tortorella had a simple answer when asked about the change.I didnt like how the pairs played in the last game, he said.Hes also cognizant of not overworking Werenski after just two NHL games. In the absence of Murray against the Sharks, the 19-year old logged significant ice time (22:53) with one goal and four shots over 27 shifts, while playing primarily with Jones.We have to be careful with (Werenski), Tortorella said. Hes still a young man.Over the last five seasons with the Florida Panthers, Brian Campbell never missed a regular-season game. It appears that hell be sittingg for Fridays game, joining Michal Rozsival, who hasnt played in any of the first four games.ddddddddddddCampbells offseason acquisition was heralded as what was missing on a defense that struggled last season.Trevor van Riemsdyk had a poor game on opening night against the St. Louis Blues, recording 0-0-0, with zero shots and 4 PIM. He rode the pine for the next three games.We dont want the same two guys sitting out all the time, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said to the Chicago Sun-Times. Sometimes you dont want to tinker with a winning lineup, and sometimes... youve got to get them in there to play. Thats what were visiting.Van Riemsdyk played in all 82 games last season for the Blackhawks, but finds himself fighting for ice time on a blue-line crowded with eight defensemen.Columbus announced Thursday that defenseman Cody Goloubef (oblique injury) was placed on waivers, so that he could be assigned to the teams AHL Cleveland Monsters, ostensibly to get him playing time coming off the injury. If he clears at noon on Friday, hell report to Cleveland.For Chicago, its injury situation is a touch longer than the Blue Jackets.Marian Hossa, having scored his 500th goal in Tuesdays win over the Philadelphia Flyers, suffered a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in the latter stages of the game. Hes considered day-to-day and is questionable for Fridays game in Columbus and Saturdays game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Rookie forward Ryan Hartman, having missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, could return to the lineup Friday.The two starting goalies for Fridays game are expected to be Sergei Bobrovsky for Columbus and Corey Crawford for Chicago. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '