This is good or evil; fairytale or nightmare.Thats how the AFL grand final appears to the average punter.In the good corner, the Western Bulldogs: downtrodden, blue-collar battlers from suburban Melbourne, seeking just their second premiership, and first since 1954.In the evil corner, Sydney: the silver-tail Swans, perennial finalists who steal star players from rivals, chasing a sixth flag - and third in 11 years.Every sport needs heroes and villains. And the AFL showpiece delivers them.Its not Sydneys fault that everyone - bar their own supporters - want them to lose.The same fate would have befallen any club who played the Bulldogs in the decider.The underDogs are in their first grand final since 1961. The Swans are contesting their fifth since 2005.And the Swans, with Hawthorn and Geelong, have shared nine of the past 11 premierships - neutral fans cherish a break.The outsiders, the underDogs, have come from seventh in this finals series. The favourites, the Swans, finished top.The underDogs play with dash and dare, attacking in a style which captivates the neutral supporter.The Swans strangle opponents with an often dour defensive-first mantra. Respected? For sure. Loved? Nup.Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge gives his underDogs licence to get off the leash. Swans coach John Longmire tightens the chains.But thats the off-field narrative. Of course, this premiership will be decided on the field.In the Sydney corner, there are shining stars everywhere.Theres Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett - two players Sydney pinched from rivals on multi-million dollars deals.Do the underDogs have players capable of controlling them? Particularly Franklin. He has been there, done that with Hawthorn, and looms as the ace in the grand final pack.Theres Dan Hannebery and Josh Kennedy - Sydneys premier midfielders who are prolific ball-winners who rarely have their colours lowered.Theres renowned Swan defenders Nick Smith and Dane Rampe; theres the brilliance of Isaac Heeney and Gary Rohan, who can run like the wind and swing a game in the blink of an eye.Just how can the underDogs contain them?By doing what they have done all through this finals series.Play on the edge. Attack the ball and opponents with the ferociousness of, well, a starving Bulldog eyeing its next meal.Stick to their system. Its a system which Beveridges Bulldogs have deployed with magnificent effect in these finals with stunning triumphs - on the road against West Coast; ending Hawthorns reign; pipping Greater Western Sydneys upstarts, again on the road.The underDogs will turn to their game-busters who, in number, fall well below Sydneys.But top Dog Marcus Bontempelli has risen to every challenge - is there a better 20-year-old footballer in the land?Also emerging are terrier midfielders Luke Dalhaus and Tom Liberatore. Then theres Jake Stringer.Hes no Franklin just yet. But if he gets on fire, theres no stopping the devastation.Much depends on how the underDogs handle the early heat - Sydneys past two finals have been won by quarter-time.The opening looms as decisive. Can the good hold sway against the villains? Or will the fairytale rapidly turn into a nightmare?Cheap Pistons Jerseys .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Fake Pistons Jerseys . 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The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season.PITTSBURGH -- Ivan Nova is doing his part to improve baseballs pace of play.The right-hander threw a six-hitter to stay unbeaten with Pittsburgh and Jung Ho Kang hit a two-run double to key a three-run first inning as the Pirates defeated Cincinnati 4-1 on Thursday night, extending the Reds losing streak to five games.Nova (12-6) pitched his second complete game in seven starts since being acquired from the New York Yankees in a trade on Aug. 1. He struck out four, walked none, got 15 of his outs on ground balls and retired the first 12 batters while throwing 94 pitches.The game lasted 2 hours, 28 minutes during a season in which Commissioner Rob Manfred has fretted about the average time of major league games.I think my wife and everybody likes it when I get home early, so I try to make it as quick as possible, Nova said with a grin.Nova improved to 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA in seven starts with the Pirates. He has issued just two walks in 46 2/3 innings.Its just more of what weve been seeing from him, said Clint Hurdle, who became the sixth manager in Pirates history with 500 wins. It was a really nice mix of pitches and pitching. No walks again. Its the manual there of how you want to get it done in a quick and efficient way.Kangs double opened the scoring and he came home on a single by Francisco Cervelli as the Pirates took an early 3-0 lead against Dan Straily (11-8).Kang is 7 for 13 with seven RBI in four games since being activated from the disabled list on Monday after missing 15 days with a sore left shoulder.Hes in a good place, Hurdle said. Hes seeing the ball well, looking really good in the field.The Pirates, still on the fringe of the National League wild card race, won their second straight following an eight-game losing streak. They began a stretch of 15 consecutive games against teams with losing records.The Reds dropped to 57-82, clinching their third consecutive losing season and 14th in the last 17 years.Josh Harrison hit two doubles for the Pirates. David Freese and Cervelli had two hitss each.ddddddddddddZack Cozart singled in the Reds lone run in the sixth. Andrew McCutchen countered with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.Straily gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked three.I wasnt exactly where I wanted to be -- but they had three hits (in the first) inning that were probably a foot away from a glove. Total, Straily said. So thats just kind of the way it happened.TRAINERS ROOMReds: CF Billy Hamilton (strained oblique) missed his fourth straight game with a strained oblique and stayed behind in Cincinnati to receive treatment. ... RHP Homer Bailey (biceps tendinitis) has not started since Aug. 28 but the Reds hold out hope he will be able to return this season.Pirates: CF Starling Marte (back spasms) missed his third straight game. ... RHP A.J. Schugel (sore shoulder) hasnt pitched since Aug. 30 and there is no timetable for the relievers return.PIRATES SHUFFLE ROTATIONRHP Drew Hutchison will make his Pirates debut Saturday night when he starts in place of RHP Chad Kuhl against the Reds. The Pirates acquired Hutchison from the Toronto Blue Jays in a trade on Aug. 1 and he was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in seven games, including six starts, for Triple-A Indianapolis before being recalled TuesdayFrom 2012-15, Hutchison had a 30-21 record with a 4.92 ERA in 76 games, 73 of which were starts, over four seasons with the Blue Jays.Kuhl and fellow rookie RHP Jameson Taillon are having their next turns in the starting rotation skipped as the Pirates attempt to manage their innings pitched. Taillon has worked 149 1/3 innings between the major and minor leagues and Kuhls total is 134 1/3.UP NEXTReds: RHP Tim Adleman (2-3, 4.02 ERA) will start Friday night and the rookie is 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in his last three starts.Pirates: LHP Steven Brault (0-2, 3.32), also a rookie, will look for his first win in his fifth career start. ' ' '