THIS afternoon is set to be quiet in the streets and loud in homes in the Southern Grampians, with the AFL Grand Final between the Geelong Cats and Sydney Swans set to start at 2.30pm today on TV.

Team rivalry can be especially amplified in the smaller rural towns, as a population that knows each other well also knows who everyone barracks for.

Coleraine is no different, with some well-known locals letting their colours be known throughout the last few days, as Cats and Swans supporters trade friendly jibes at each other - both groups, of course, expect their team to claim this year’s premiership.

Cambo’s Milk Bar and Take Away owner, Heng ‘Cambo’ Ly, said he would be shutting his shop to watch the game and expected his beloved red and white team to win by “three to four goals” and thought Tom Papley would get the Norm Smith Medal.

“I reckon he’s too quick for everyone,” he said.

However, Geelong fan, Brad Rhook, who works down the street at Vickery Bros as maintenance manager, strongly disagreed – “don’t listen to Cambo, I’m going to ring him up and order a pork roll” – and thought the margin would be 14 points – “Joel Selwood’s number” – in their favour, with Paddy Dangerfield getting best on ground.

Dangerfield was also nominated by local, Neville Barnes – “I’d like to see him win it” – who added his tip, “Geelong will win comfortably”.

But local, Noel Munro chimed in, tipping Sydney by 17 and nominating Callum Mills for the Norm Smith.

He also thought Buddy Franklin would kick five goals, a suggestion all the Cats supporters immediately scoffed at and Brad retorted, “Sammy (Sam De Koning) will stop him.”

At his home just out of town, Noel has been decorating next to his driveway with red and white paraphernalia for days to augment the stone swans that keep watch over his Swans number-plated cars, and expressed quiet confidence that Sydney can get the job done.

“We don’t get ahead of ourselves,” he said.

“I was 55 before I got my first premiership (2005), so Geelong can wait a while yet.”

The two teams have never met in a season decider before, although there was a final match on September 4, 1886 at the South Melbourne Cricket Ground in the VFA before the VFL (now the AFL) was formed in 1897; Geelong won that match four goals to one.

They have met three times in a final in the last 17 years, with Sydney winning twice including the 2005 Nick Davis-led semi-final heartbreaker (three points) at the SCG, but Geelong reversed those results at the MCG most recently in a 2017 semi-final by a convincing 59 points.

Geelong are strong favourites after finishing on top, winning 15 games in a row and trouncing the Brisbane Lions by almost 12 goals last week, while Sydney have won their last nine and narrowly beat Collingwood by one point in their preliminary final.