[AFL-Preview] Round 17

AFL PREVIEW ROUND 17
Last Week 6 from 8 = 97 / 128 =78.1%
 
Are you following the previews this season? Even the greatest skeptic will admit that they are going swimmingly well this year and even in the round 16 previews there was a last second change of the mind in the Collingwood Hawthorn game costing us a point and then just a lack of bravery in actually selecting a draw on the tipping sheet for the North Melbourne Richmond game was another point gone. Most tipping comps gave us the draw so we have picked 7 point results 5 weeks in a row. Consistency!
This week will be a test as we have 6 of the 8 teams in the top half of the ladder playing each other, a phenomenon best described as blocks of busters. This is such a mouth-watering event that my sons have booked a wicked weekend of footy and are flying to Melbourne on Thursday to see the Pies take on the Blues at the MCG on the Friday night, back to the G the following day to watch a replay of last year's grand final between Geelong and Hawthorn, then taking some respite at a local pub before gathering their strength to amble down to the Dome and watch St Kilda try to break more records in consecutive wins when they take on the Western Bulldogs and then on the Sunday easing down a bit to see just how long the Tigers can last against the Bombers at the MCG! As the weekend will contain no WAGs, something the Australian cricket team should consider, their concentration level will not be disrupted. One can only hope that a Collingwood victory in the first game will keep their spirits up. Other games in the round this week will see the state derbies in South and Western Australia. Far be it for me that I dare make comment on the Crows and their supporters this week and raise their ire about being starry eyed although I am tempted to clarify to them that pre-season Adelaide did not figure in top four calculations amongst the 'experts' and their 7 wins in the past 8 weeks has worked towards applying a bit of glaze to the oculars, a fact that most should admit.
Last word on tanking? It's basically a crock. If anyone can verify that a team of players, in an elite competition, can go out and try to lose a game, or not try hard enough to win, then I will give up my support of Aussie rules. If a coach's future and that of each player depends on their weekly performance why would you jeopardize any of that with a deliberate strategy of trying to lose a game? And when you get two teams playing each other and who are trying to lose a game would anybody turn up? Would you support that team in the future? Utter rubbish is tanking and the whole concept. In ful agreement with Harvey at the Dockers, it's an insult.
I am in Perth this week and the weather is almost as bad as what we are experiencing in Kal. However, the traffic is mind boggling and a great reminder why stress is less in country towns. Let's go with our preview and good luck.
 
Carlton V Collingwood MCG Friday Night
 
Traditional rivalry doesn't come much stronger than this game at the MCG to open the 17^th round on Friday night. Carlton had an impressive last quarter win against the Swans last week while the Pies were killed in the second half against the Hawks. Can Collingwood come back and play with the form they showed in the previous 7 weeks? Although the Blues have won they haven't done it convincingly and not against higher placed opposition. Fraser remains a big loss to the Pies and the continuing uncertainty in the coaching may be a destabilizing factor as well. But really, if Collingwood are to be considered as genuine final 4 contenders then these are the games they need to win. Carlton has not been as consistent over the season which has been a great cause of frustration to their supporters and to us tipsters as well. I hate starting the tipping off with a loss but it's a possibility because for reasons that go back a hundred years Carlton always seem to put on their party dress for the game against traditional rivals Collingwood. Expect a close, hard fought game but I'm tipping the Pies to get back into the winning circle and there's NO way I could sit there and barrack for the Blues!!
 
Collingwood by 19
 
Geelong V Hawthorn at MCG Saturday
 
There is a lot of similarity in this game and the grand final last September…. apart from the fact that it's the same two teams. Hawthorn will need to play at their very best to beat the Cats who, while not in scintillating form, are still a yardstick for other teams in terms of winning games. The Pussycats must have recovered from their shock loss to the Saints by now and all the sore kittens have been rested adequately, the team had an easy one quarter win against the Demons last week after a pathetic loss to the Lions the week before. All is ready for a knock 'em out drag 'em out tussle against the Hawks. Hawthorn has a lot more to play for – like an appearance in the finals this year – while the Cats are basically guaranteed second spot on the ladder come season end. But if I was a Geelong player the agony of the loss to Hawthorn last year would take a few years to get over and knocking them off this week to make their job even harder to get into the finals would be enough incentive. Here's hoping.
 
Geelong by 21
 
Fremantle V West Coast Subiaco Saturday
 
There are a lot of smiling faces in the west this week because supporters of the Dockers and the Eagles just know that their team has a great chance of winning a game!! Dork supporters will be out in force in a blaze of purple to be there to see the end of a 9 game losing streak while West Coast supporters just know that their team is the better of the two if they could just drop their handball count by about 190 per game. Which team will make the least mistakes? Bill this game as the battle of the clangers!! The team who clangs least will win. The weather will not help this contest to be a spectacle of first class, skilful footy but the relative positions of both teams on the ladder will ensure a close game. With Pavlich and Sandilands returning for Freo and Cox and Kerr still out for the Eagles I am inclined to pick the Dorks to break through for a much needed win. Another consideration is the Eagles played away last week and the Dockers are playing their second in a row at home. Can we score another draw in the AFL two weeks in a row? It's possible. For no sane reason I'm picking West Coast.
 
West Coast Eagles by 6
 
Brisbane Lions V North Melbourne Gabba Saturday Night
 
My heart goes out to North last week who almost stole the game from the Tigers after being down by 7 goals at one stage. No it doesn't – just joking. While I tip my hat to the continued efforts of North week after week I would find it hard to tip them to win this game against the Lions playing at the Gabba. It's just this sort of back against the wall scenario that brings the fight out of North Melbourne but I don't think Vossy would be happy to see Brisbane drop such an important game in their quest to play finals this year. If you are desperate to make up a point in the tipping comp you might be tempted to tick the box next to North. Don't.
 
Brisbane by 29
 
St Kilda V Western Bulldogs Telstra Dome Saturday Night
 
Another week and another would- be contender about to ask the question of the Saints. Can they continue this winning streak right through the season? The Bulldogs lost a close one to Collingwood a couple of weeks ago and they pushed Geelong to the limit a few weeks before that so we know they have the talent. Will they have what it takes though on Saturday night at Etihad to take it right up to the Saints? Aren't all we tipsters just waiting for the moment to pick against the Saints because we KNOW that they will lose a game at least once in the season? Is it worth the chance to pick this game as the one? They were far too good for the Crows last week and I even read the tips from experts who thought Adelaide would beat the Saints, inflicting their first defeat. But we knew better. Will the suspensions of Koschitzke and Dawson throw the St Kilda team balance out enough to help the Bulldogs pip them at the post? Eade knows he has to get the Bulldogs up for this game because there are 3 teams just below them that are vying for their position and those 3 teams have every chance of winning this weekend. Have I talked this up enough? Can the Saints drop a game after 16 wins in a row? Is their motivation to remain undefeated enough to keep the success hungry Doggies at bay? With the game being played in perfect conditions expect a game of high skill and ferocious tackling to titivate (cross between titillate and captivate) your senses. In the face of sane judgment I am tipping the Bulldogs to pull a killer game out of the hat. Don't miss it.
 
Western Bulldogs by 7
 
Melbourne V Sydney Manuka Oval Sunday
 
Swans' fans don't want to see them lose any more games and Melbourne fans are also sick of watching their team get beaten every week, hence the game is scheduled for Manuka where nobody really cares either way as long as AFL gets some exposure in Canberra. Everybody agrees that Sydney will not make the finals this year for the first time in 6 or 7 seasons but winning this game will put them in a mathematically possible position to still make the top 8. There is a strong possibility that Melbourne just might embarrass them but picking the Demons is not a safe bet any week.
 
Sydney Swans by 11
 
Essendon V Richmond MCG Sunday
 
For reasons best known only to my dog I picked the Tigers last week and while they didn't let me down they didn't get me up either. If Richmond adopts the tactic of stopping completely in a quarter and a half of football then Essendon will beat them by 50 points. Well, I'm reckoning the Bombers will beat them anyway. Bring back Richo, bring back Cousins, bring back Wallace.
 
Essendon by 29
 
Adelaide V Port Adelaide Sunday
 
The Crows were really brought back to earth with a thud last week when they dared to challenge the might of the Saints. This week it will be a totally different story. Adelaide is a far better team than the Power could hope to be and I expect to see the Crows to get back to the winning table with a resounding victory over their home state enemy. Watching Port last week touch up the Eagles did nothing to make me enthusiastic about their chances of going into the finals this year with much confidence. When a team like the Crows applies defensive pressure to the Power forwards the scoreboard will show about 10 goals less than they kicked, or were allowed to kick, against West Coast. Tipsters, no reason to spend any more time on this one as Port will be powerless against the Crows.
 
Adelaide by 42

 ---------------------------------------------------------------

The AFL Preview is sent via an automatic email list. To join or leave the list is easy.

Please visit our website at http://www.footy.com.au/fts/newsletters.htm

OR

If you have difficulty with the above please email lists@footy.com.au

Soccer is growing, are you on the ball?

Dear List Subscriber,

If you've been wondering what to do once the footy season is over why not join in the fun and run a soccer tipping competition over summer?

We've sent you this email to let you know about the release of our Soccer 2009 editions.

We have released both an A-League edition and an English Premier League edition.

The 2009/10 English Premier League starts on 15th August and has a 38 round season ending in May 2010.

The 2009/10 A-League starts on 6th August and has a 26 round season ending in February 2010.

If you are already using our software this year then either of our soccer edition attracts a 33% discount.

As usual, there is no obligation to pay 'up front' - you can download the program and use it for the first 5 rounds before it requires registration/payment if you wish to continue using it.

More information is available on our website - http://www.footy.com.au/

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

Regards

The team @ Footy Tipping Software
orders@footy.com.au
ph 03 9533 0444
fax 03 9533 0777

[AFL-Review] AFL Round 16

AFL Round 16

 

At Docklands:

Essendon   3.1   6.2    8.2    11.4.70

Footscray  3.5   4.6   10.9   15.13.103

 

The Dogs reinforced their top-four credentials, overcoming a slow start to beat off (!) the Dons, pretty easily in the end. Squeaky-Bummer time for Essadun as wins for Port and Horforn tightened the race for the eight, the Dons have a tough run home with two trips to Perth and home games against Sinkilda, Brisbane and the Hawks in round 22. That last one could be decisive. No change to either side from last week. And we're into it.

 

Doggy ruckman Ben Hudson leaped too early at the opening bounce and the Sherrin plopped into Don counterpart Paddy Ryder's arms, he punted forward where Kyle Reimers, again starting at full-forward, trapped it and, following some scrap, Heath Hocking snapped a goal. The Dogs had a coupla chances quickly, but Brad Johnson and Callan Ward missed. In the build-up Puppy coach Eade reckoned there'd be fifty goals scored, but the first half was pretty tight as both sides flooded back, wary of the others' running power. Ryder's good pass to Sam Lonergan opened a crack, Lonergan chipped ahead for Brent Prismall to take a with-the-flight grab and convert. The Bommers led by 11 points. The Puppies got going, Mitch Hahn bombed a long kick forward, it went over Rob Murphy and Don Henry Slattery and as they turned and chased Slattery pulled Murphy's guernsey. The green goose spotted it and Murphy free-kicked a goal. A bit later there was a scrap for possession in the Dogs' attacking 50 and Adam Cooney was tackled by Don Adam McPhee, Cooney had a lucky free for in-the-back which he punted for a goal. The Bullies led by a point. Reimers replied for the Dons after a while, under the almost-forgotten rule where being slung to ground after a tackle brings a free-plus-50. Reimers still had to punt it the best part of 50m, and he drove it through. Johnson, then Ward added more behinds for the wayward Bullies but they had a goal late, McPhee's poor clearing pass 'yorked' Tayte Pears and he over-ran the ball, Bully Matthew Boyd gathered and handballed to Johnson, he to Josh Hill and Hill booted a noice goal from the flank. The Bullpups led by 4 points at korter-time. The Dons did well in the second term, opening a bit of a lead with disciplined tackling and strong rebound footy. The Pups were also good defensively, but over-used the ball. Essadun scored three goals over about ten minutes, for the first a good switch in defence got the ball to Hocking in plenty of space, he kicked long to the wing where Andrew Lovett was also in a paddock, he handballed to running Jason Winderlich who steamed inside 50 and drilled it through. Prismall roved a ball-up on the attacking wing and wobbled a punt forward, it spilled from Scott Lucas's contest and Alwyn Davey raced on through to gather and dribbly-kick a major. Then Ricky Dyson soccered the ball forward from a good battle with Ryan Hargrave, Brent Stanton collected it and walloped a terrific kick for full points. The Bombouts led by 14 points. Tight for the next ten minutes, a point from Lovett the only score. Late in the term Cooney's pass picked out Johnson 60m from the sticks, he kicked quickly for Hahn to clutch a decent grab behind Pears - hint of a push-out, too. Hahn converted. Doggy spearhead Scott Welsh missed a late shot and the Bomma lead was cut to 8 points at the long break.

 

At half time 'Rocket' Eade had told his leads to 'execute' better and they did, with some umpirin' help. Hahn also became fairly important, he had a hand in an early goal in the third by sending the ball wide to Brad Johnson, Johnno punted a centering pass towards leading Scott Welsh who was apparently well-spoiled by junior Bomma Michael Hurley - but the ump decided it was illegal, a tough call. Welsh free-kicked a goal. No score for a while, the Dons did some attacking but the Dogs' defence, led by the excellent Brian Lake, continued to hold firm. The Bummers broke through eventually, Davey dropped a mark on-the-lead but some bullocking from Matty Lloyd helped Davey regain the ball with a decent second-effort, Davey lobbed a kick to the 'square where Ryder was in position to out-mark Hudson. Ryder majored and the Dons led by 7 points. The Bullies' running game was clicking in though, a typically classy move ended with Ryan Griffen passing towards leading Will Minson who had a free for Dustin Fletcher's alleged arm-chopping. It looked an iffy decision live and even worse on the replay, but Minson free-kicked a goal. The Bullies won the ball from the next centre-bounce and Ward wobbled a kick forward, of which Hahn clutched a strong grab in front of Pears. Hahn majored and the Pups led, by 5 points. A bit later Eagleton's snap hit the post and the Dons streamed downfield from the kick-in, Andrew Welsh handballed to running Lovett who weighted a kick for Lonergan to take a with-the-flight mark about 40m out, Lonergan played-on  and speared a major to level the scores. The Bulldogs scored two goals in rapid succession though, as the Dons tried to run the ball outta defence Slattery's hospital handpass allowed lumbering Hooker to be tackled by Griffen and the loosed ball went to Doggy Tom Williams, he passed for leading Hahn to mark and convert. Three very good marks led to the next, the first from Johnson on-the-lead, he passed for leading Rob Murphy to also hold a good grab under pressure and finally Hahn clunked a strong mark in front of Pears again. Hahn booted his third straight Doggy sausage (mmm . . . ) and the Bullys led by 12 points. Late in the stanza Jason Akermanis marked on the point of the centre-square and jabbed a short pass to Shaun Higgins who was spoiled front-on by Andrew Welsh. Higgins free-kicked a goal and the Bullpups led by 19 points at the last sports-drink break. Bomma hopes were raised when Matty Lloyd booted a goal in the first minute of the final term, leading for a rare mark in front of Lake. But the Dogs answered very quickly, Eagleton shoveled a loose ball to Hill whose high, wobbly kick went towards Hahn, he was dragged back by new opponent McPhee. Hahn free-kicked another Doggy goal and the Bullies led by 19 points again. The Dons hung in there for a while before two rapid goals from Scott Welsh decided the game, for the first Minson led out to mark on the 50m line, barreling through Stanton afterwards, then passed to leading Welsh for the mark and major. A minute later Welsh shoved off the hapless Pears to mark 20m out and bag another, the Dawgs led by 33 points. Bomer coach Knights had given junior Hurley a run in attack, Hurley booted a goal after marking Stanton's good pass. Boyd hacked the Doggies into attack from the restart, Hahn collected the ball and handballed to Johnson, he gave one to Daniel Cross who booted a rare, running goal. Higgins soon added a major, a free-kick after Fletcher slung him to the ground by the head. Dusty was Mr. Angry. The Dogs led by 38 points after that, but Lloyd booted the final goal of the game from Winderlich's pass - classic baulk-around-no-one from Winderlich in the lead-up.

 

Bulldog full-back Brian Lake (18 disposals, 11 marks) is a commanding presence, not only holding Lloyd to two late, fairly irrelevant goals but also stopping many a Don thrust. Mitch Hahn (19 touches, 6 marks, 5 goals) was a great performer at the other end. Brad Johnson (30 disposals, 14 marks, 0.3) hunted the ball far-and-wide and Rob Murphy (18 possies, 8 marks, a goal) was good too. Daniel Cross (28 disposals, 10 marks, a goal) worked hard on-the-ball and Tom Williams (11 possies, 2 marks) did a great job on Lucas. Shaun Higgins (24 touches, 8 marks, 2 goals) is a handy type. Scott Welsh bagged 3 goals. For the Bommers Andrew Lovett (27 disposals, 5 marks) and Brent Prismall (21 touches, 9 marks, a goal) were pretty good midfield and Paddy Ryder (14 possies, 7 marks, 18 hit-outs, a goal) made some handy interventions. Andrew Welsh (24 disposals) worked hard and Brent Stanton (25 touches, 7 marks, a goal) is a tremendous kick of the ball. Dustin Fletcher (25 possies, 5 marks) was angry. Matty Lloyd kicked 2 goals. "It was an exciting contest albeit not many goals were getting scored. I think we went back into our shell a little bit ourselves when we had the ball in the third quarter we stopped and propped a little bit," Knights said. "We didn't move the ball as quickly as I would have liked. The Bulldogs kept up their intensity and I really think their foot skills really come to the fore over the journey of the game. I thought there wasn't much difference in the first half but I thought their disposal in the second half was a standout and we couldn't maintain that effectiveness with our disposal. We got a bit tired and fatigued and couldn't hit our targets as well as they could. That's a learning thing from this game that we've got to keep having high standards with that skill execution . . . It was up and down the ground there weren't a lot of stoppages and it was quite taxing on both groups. It is fair to say we didn't capitalise on our entries as well as we could in the first half. In the second half you give a lot of credit to Lake and Williams. They just marked the ball a lot (eh? Williams took two grabs)." Rocket Eade reckoned "The message to the players at half time was more about (being) positive. I thought our effort was good, I thought we were working hard, but just not executing well . . . We weren't that far behind at half time. It was just a matter of maintaining that work rate. Even though it wasn't high scoring it was a fairly frenetic first half and I think both teams were fairly fatigued . . . I thought our defensive side of the game was good but we were missing easy targets with hands and missing some basic goals . . . We sent the message out halfway through the first quarter. Once we started to attack them deep, Welsh and Hahn were able to mark the ball. I thought all our back six were terrific. Lake was good,  Tommy (Williams) was terrific, Morris was good , I thought Harbrow did well . . ." Saints next week, Rocket? "We've got a full list and obviously players are in form but it's pleasing we are playing some hard, tough footy. Against the team that's on top of the ladder that is what we need to produce next week," he said.

     

At Docklands:

Carlton  3.4   4.6   10.8   19.10.124  

Sydney   3.1   6.1    9.5     9.9.63

 

More signs of eras ending. Carton's victory broke a twelve-game losing streak against the Swans, Bluie coach Brett Ratten was still playing last time the Bluesers' bowel-loosening theme song was played after a game against Syddey. About the same amount of time has elapsed between finals appearances for the Blooze, while the Swans haven't missed September since. Both those streaks'll be broken too. Tough first half for the Bluies, they couldn't get hold of the ball, but the Swans did nothing with it. Once the Bloozers won some possession, they raced away. Despite consecutive wins the Blooze made three changes to their side, defender Paul 'Panic Room' Bower returned from injury and Heath Scotland was recalled along with rookie forward Chris Yarran. Out, dropped, went Jeff Garlett and Dennis Armfield while Michael Jamison (groin) was a late pullout. Three changes for Siddey too, veteran Jared Crouch was dropped along with Mike Pyke and Nick Malceski again. Jarrad McVeigh returned along with ruckman-forward Jesse White and first-gamer Daniel Hannebery, a hard-running teenaged midfielder from Xavier College who'd taken advantage of the school holidays to have run with the seniors.

 

In the first half the Swans won pack-clearances and tackled furiously, but they did nowhere near enough with the possession they won. Too obsessed with defence maybe, but they didn't take enough risks when attacking - lack of speed is a problem. Jesse White, who'd kicked a total 20 goals in the last two weeks in the quite ordinary, local Sydney league, started at full-forward for the Swans but most eyes were on Bloo Brendan Fevola, coming off a bag o' nine. The Bloods opened the scoring, Ryan O'Keefe passed for leading Michael O'Loughlin to mark on the 50m line, as he'd do all day O'Loughlin looked for a pass, in this case square and back to O'Keefe who booted the long major. At the restart Swan Craig Bird coughed up the ball when tackled and Bluie Ryan Houlihan spurted clear with it, he passed for leading Fevola to mark and convert. But that was rare early room for Fev, the Swans double-teamed him with a man in the 'hole'. Fevola had the game's next two shots but both were from marks way out wide, he missed one, the other didn't make the distance. So Fevola did some team-work and led right up into the centre for a grab, he played-on quickly and lobbed a kick into the path of running Matthew Kreuzer, who gathered smartly, weaved onto his left boot and snapped it through. It took a coupla bounces to restart the game, Swans Bevan and Barlow were forced into aimless backwards handballs until Bloo skipper Chris Judd pounced on the loose ball and drilled it through. Carton led by 14 points but the Swans cleared the next centre-bounce and Luke Ablett passed for leading Jesse White to mark and boot a 45m goal. A bit later McVeigh won the pill from a throw-in on the wing and banana-ed a kick forward, Adam Goodes took a noice grab on the flank, played-on and sent a kick across the face of goal where White marked over a flapping Adam Hartlett. White majored again. Barry Who? A poor handball from Marc Murphy soon led to White marking again, but we learned 50m is his limit as a low, wobbly kick went on-the-full. Fevola sent a running shot into the post but the Swans exerted heavy forward pressure, without a goal, to the end of the stanza where the Bluesers led by 3 points. Kreuzer booted a major early in the second term, following an excellent mark between Swans Craig Bolton and Roberts-Thomson. The Blooze led by 9 points but soon Fevola was leading up to the wings to get a kick as the Siddey pressure choked off supply. Swan White led up to mark on the 50m line but his shot dropped short, handily O'Loughlin soccered the pack-spillage for a goal. There were a lot of ball-ups and throw-ins as the Swans forced the game to be played their way, Bluie fans became frustrated as tackles weren't rewarded with 'bawl'. After a bit Goodes forced the ball free from a pack to O'Loughlin in space and he jabbed a kick towards leading White, who collected on-the-bounce, wheeled about and snapped a very good goal off the right boot to put the Swans in front, by 3 points. Judd raced clear of the subsequent centre-bounce, weaved past tacklers and kicked a captain's point. A farcically laborious, handball-heavy move soon created another chance for the impressive White, his kick hit the post. Late in the term McVeigh passed for leading White to mark 50m out, White kicked the ball back to McVeigh who then passed to Darren Jolly, who'd led into the space behind White. Clever stuff and Jolly booted a very good goal, the Swans led by 9 points at half-time - not enough, based on the possession they'd had.

 

The Bloods' leaders combined to create a major early in the third, at half-back O'Loughlin intercepted a telegraphed Chris Johnson pass, the ball went forward and Goodes clutched a strong grab in front of Paul Bower, Goodes passed into the pocket where O'Keefe led out to mark. O'Keefe jabbed a short, centering pass to Ablett, 'NOG' booted a goal. The Swans led by 15 points and the large Bluie contingent in the crowd were tensely silent. The Swans soon gave the Blooze a hand, though. Just inside the centre-square Carton's Marc Murphy dropped a mark, but Swan Kieren Jack tripped Murphy in a subsequent tackling attempt, then pushed Murphy over in frustration after the free was paid, adding a 50m penalty. Easy goal for Murphy. Great defensive tackles from Bloods Mattner and Grundy saved potential Bluie goals and Ted Richards took a coupla grabs in the 'hole' in front of Fevola, but the Blooze were starting to get some running footy going and nervous mistakes crept in from the Swans. Kreuzer missed following a good grab over Grundy, but a bit later Siddey's Ed Barlow dithered in the centre allowing Eddie Betts to smother his eventual kick, Betts gathered and passed to Fevola, allowed space as the Bloods'd cleared out. Fevola converted. A bit later Richards marked just outside his defensive goal-square as Grundy shepherded Fevola away, but like an idiot Richards played-on unaware of his surrounds and was tackled almost immediately by Bloo man Brad Fisher. 'Baawwwrrl' and Fisher popped it through, the Bluies had a 4-point lead. Soon some good work from Fevola and Chris Yarran allowed Yarran to pass to Fisher again, Fisher converted from 45m. From a ball-up in the centre Judd burst clear to roaring from the enraptured Bluie fans, he kicked long to the 'square where Fisher again ended up with the ball, a free-kick for being wrestled out of the contest by Barlow. Third goal in-a-row from Fisher followed. A bit later Swan Lewis Roberts-Thomson did well to out-body the bigger Shaun Hampson and win the ball, but then LRT stood about uncertainly allowing Hampson to tackle him. 'Bawl' again and Hampson's free-kick dropped into the goal-square where Fevola roved the pack-spillage to jab a close-range goal. Six straight from the Bloozers and they led by 21 points, Fisher should've made it 27 but stubbed his toe on an attempted dribbly-kick with the goal gaping. Kick a freakin' drop-punt. The Bloods were struggling but stayed alive with two goals in the last minute of the korter, O'Loughlin gathered an under-hit pass on-the-bounce and handballed to running Patrick Veszpremi, the young Blood ran right into the goal-mouth to draw Thornton away from White and handball over-the-top for White to jab it through. McVeigh won the ball from the next centre-bounce, O'Loughlin led to mark 45m out but Mick's badly-judged dish-off handball gave Goodes a 60m shot, which bounced out-of-bounds. A throw-in, then a ball-up which Jolly tapped to O'Keefe and O'Keefe snapped it through, Siddey were 9 points down at the final change.

 

But that proved to be a dead-Swan bounce. The Blooze cleared the opening bounce of the final Costanza, Fisher's marking attempt was spoiled but he regained possession and handballed to running Bryce Gibbs, who drilled it through. Murphy tumbled a kick forward from the next restart and Fevola rumbled out to gather on the half-volley, he handballed to Betts and his handpass allowed Andrew Carrazzo to steer a major. The Bluies led by 21 points. Goodes spearheaded a brief Siddey fight-back but he mis-kicked a set-shot and scored a point only, Jack snapped inaccurately from a throw-in and then Goodes missed again with a quick snap from the pocket. The Swans soon had another half-chance to attack but lost a battle for possession on the wing and handballs from ?? and ?? released Murphy to run inside 50 with a bounce and boot a sausage roll. A bit later Kreuzer soccered ahead from a ball-up and Yarran gathered the pill, he sped away from plodding Bevan, even adding a cheeky weavy-bit before snapping a major. Yarran was touted as 'the new Cyril Rioli' and that was the first time he's shown any such ability. Very early days, though. After that six-pointer the Bluies led by 30 points and the floodgates opened as the Bloods stopped to a walk. At half-back Houlihan stretched to intercept a Roberts-Thomson kick and the turnover sent the ball forward where Kreuzer passed for leading Fevola to mark and boot a majer. Carrazzo's smart tap-on led to a running goal for Kade Simpson, a minute later Simpson turned provider (or is it 'providore'?) as he kicked long to the 'square and Fevola pouched a one-armed mark as he held off Craig Bolton with the other. Fev popped it through. Soon the Bluies raced downfield from a kick-in, Fevola led out to mark 60m from the posts and kick long, quickly, where Betts spilled a with-the-flight marking attempt but had time to collect the ball and snap it through. Richards was adhering to his role in occupying Fevola's leading-space and it soon cost him as he copped a knee in the ribs from full-tilt Fev. Richards suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung, he coughed up a lot of blood as he staggered off. Poor bloke. Late in the piece Mattner's weak clearing kick was picked off by Gibbs, who booted the final goal after the siren.  

 

Once again Chris Judd (26 disposals, 4 marks, a goal) led the way for the Bluies with Ryan Houlihan (22 touches, 5 marks) using the ball quite well. Brendan Fevola (16 possies, 10 marks, 5 goals) cashed in late with the majors but did some team things. Kade Simpson (30 disposals, 8 marks, a goal) got moving in the second half and Marc Murphy (21 touches, 2 goals) was the same, Andrew Carrazzo (21 handlings, 5 marks, a goal) played decently again. Brad Fisher (14 possessions, 6 marks, 3 goals) is a useful Bloozer, sometimes. Matthew Kreuzer and Bryce Gibbs bagged 2 goals each. On the Sidderney side Ryan O'Keefe (33 possies, 9 marks, 14 tackles, 2 goals) continued his fine year and Rhyce Shaw (31 disposals) did a power of running off half-back. Jesse White (14 touches, 8 marks, 4 goals) performed well at full-forward and Adam Goodes (25 touches, 10 marks) worked hard again. Reasonable efforts came from Jarrad McVeigh (30 disposals, 6 marks) and Brett Kirk (18 possessions). Roosy has separation (from success) issues. "I'd say it would have to be one of the most disappointing games in the last seven years, no question," he said. "Generally, we really fight hard and can swing the momentum back, and probably did in the third quarter. In the last quarter, we dropped off significantly and they were able to run . . . I think the expectation of everyone going into the season was that Carlton was going to play in the finals. The nature of the draft is, if you're down there for so long . . . you can now see the talent level [Carlton] has now been able to assemble." And now the Swans'll have a chance to do the same. Brett Ratten rubbed it in. "We gave up about 700 games [of experience] today and roughly two and a half years of age per player on the ground," Ratten said. "To beat a mature team that's been in the finals for so long and get the monkey off our back with how long it's been since we've beaten them - I just think it was really pleasing to get that contribution across the board from a young team . . . There were warning signs (in the first half) that we just had to work harder and get on our bikes a bit better. I think we did that right across the board. We turned it around and we pretty much did a 180 in all aspects of the game and it all started with just getting our hands on the ball. I thought our pressure to win the ball back was fairly good [in the first half], but I think there were some soft goals. I think the momentum changed when we manned up that spare [defender], or tried to, and they just kept swinging numbers back. They were going to play every man they had down there and leave the [front half] open for them - until we could get that balance right."

 

At Kardinia Park:

Geelong    7.4   9.9   14.13   17.12.117

Melbourne  0.2   3.2    7.3     11.5.71

 

The amazing restorative powers of the Corio Bay water saw Catters Gary Ablett, Travis Varcoe, Cameron Ling, Andrew Mackie, Darren Milburn and Matty Scarlett all ready for action again, and the Pu55ies cruised to an easy-enough victory over the Deez. Melbun weren't disgraced though, the Cats burst clear in the first quarter but the Deez more-or-less stayed level after that. They boxed on. The Pu55ies still weren't full-strength though as Jimmy Bartel (corked hip) and Tom Harley (knee soreness) were rested, er, 'injured' this week out along with Nathan Djerrkura (cork thigh). Mark Blake being dropped was a tough but good call, along with the more expected Ryan Gamble and Jeremy Laidler. The Demuns replaced injured Paul Wheatley (thigh strain) and Daniel Bell (shoulder) with Jamie Bennell and tagger Clint Bartram.

 

Geelong were wearing a special guernsey to mark the club's 150^th birthday, the blue hoops were a light grey-blue apart from one normal, navy one across the chest. Each member of the crowd was given a white plastic garbage bag, or 'commemorative waterproof poncho'. Channel Ten's coverage featured a female commentator, former ABC reporter Kelli Underwood - a first for AFL TV coverage and for any sport calling itself football, I'd say, at least in Australia. The Catters opened up with a stiff breeze at their backs, an unusual one at Kardinia Park as it blew towards the Hickey Stand end. The Pu55ies took full advantage, a goal in the first minute as Joel Selwood roved a ball-up 70m from goal and the wind carried his punt over TomaHawkins and Dee James Frawley and bouncing through. Melbun managed a rushed point but they found it very difficult to move forward into the breeze. And the Cats were fairly keen, following two consecutive losses. Matty Scarlett ran out of defence, something he'd do a lot, and stabbed  a pass to Cameron Mooney in the centre-square, Mooney kicked long where Stokes dropped a with-the-flight mark but had a free for Cameron Bruces's holding, Stokes free-kicked truly. Soon Stokes had another, after marking Travis Varcoe's speared pass in front of Jack Grimes. The Cats led by 20 points. Kane Tenace displayed his VFL credentials with an awful pass to Milburn, but Milburn tidied it up and lobbed a handball ahead to running backman Harry Taylor who steered a great goal from the boundary. A minute later Dee Brad Green's clearing hoof held up in the wind and Corey Enright marked it for the Katz, Enright's lovely long switching-pass found Andrew Mackie marking just inside the 50 and the wind carried Mackie's shot home. Russ Robertson kicked Melbun's second point before Enright's long, looping handball released Paul Chapman to run to the 50 and thump a long sausage. A bit later Kitten Simon Hogan collected the pill from a throw-in and his low shot from the boundary bounced through for a major, the Cats led by 44 points at the break. The Deez turn with the wind in the second term and they used it. Early on Liam Jurrah scooped up a loose ball and executed a superb pass to Ricky Petterd 20m out from the sticks. Petterd converted. Jurrah's got three nicknames already; Cougar, the Jurrahcane, the Walpirri Wizard. A bit later Green mopped up his own mistake and passed to Neville Jetta on the flank, Jetta stabbed a low pass to Matthew Bate who marked and booted a long goal. Then Cat man Gary Ablett was tackled at a throw-in at half-back and fired a wild handpass which Petterd gathered, he hooked a kick to the goal-square where ruckman Mark Jamar was wrestled to the ground but Jurrah arrived to gather and slam it through. Three straight goals for the Deez (as Underwood noted) and they trailed by 29 points - the Catters had scored three straight behinds. Tight for a while before the Cats scored a goal just before time-on, Selwood lobbed a pass towards Ablett behind Grimes, the Dee man fell over and Ablett gathered the ball, ran clear, ignored calls for a pass from Mooney and Tom Lonergan and stabbed it through from a tight angle. Ablett does miss a few, including a shot a moment later. But Chapman recovered the Demun kick-in and handballed to Hawkins, he passed to Mackie 45m out. Assuming Mackie wouldn't make the distance with the breeze in his face, the Dee defenders spread out to cover passing options, so Mackie had a quick shot which bounced through an empty 'square for the goal - smart. The Cats led by 43 at half-time.    

 

Catters with the wind again in the third and Ablett lined-up at full-forward, with Nathan Jones as his opponent in place of Grimes. Dee veteran Robertson started the half on the bench, Bailey unhappy with Robbo allowing Scarlett to run around picking up easy kicks. Ablett bagged an early goal, holding off Jones to take a good mark in the goal-square a moment before Frawley crashed into him. Ablett held on to the ball throughout and popped it through, then engaged in handbags with Jones. Ablett followed up with another miss and the Dees transferred the kick-in smartly downfield, Petterd kicked towards leading Jurrah who couldn't mark but roving Lynden Dunn collected the agget and slotted a major. Soon the Deez had consecutive into-the-wind goals, Jurrah marked on a long lead and stabbed a short kick ahead to Jones, he dished off to Bartram who kicked long and as the ball bounced into the goal-square Dee skipper McDonald dragged Chapman down so Brent Moloney could soccer a sausage. Catters by 38 points. They were experimenting, with Hawkins in the ruck and Lonergan in attack again. A bit later Mooney led out for a mark in the pocket and lobbed a kick to the top o' the 'square where Hawkins would've marked if not shoved aside by Warnock. Hawkins free-kicked a goal. Demun Jones's kick-in was intercepted by Tenace, he goaled and the Catters led by 51 points. Bate responded for the Deez with a great kick from the flank, off a step from a pack after Joel Corey coughed up the ball in a tackle. The Pu55ies surged a little, Demun Bennell played-on from a kick-in and tried, unsuccessfully, to dummy around Stokes. Bennell dropped the ball and Varcoe swooped in to bag a sausage. Then Ablett gathered Tom Gillies's grubber and handballed to running Varcoe who drilled another. Catterers by 58 points. The Dees got one late as Aaron Davey won the pill from a ball-up 35m out and Bartram poked a clever pass for Morton to mark close-in, he majored. Cats by 52 at the last rest. Melbun fought it out, the Cats didn't have much incentive I 'spose although a few individuals did. Seven minutes into the final stanza Lonergan led out for a grab and then lobbed a mad kick to out-numbered Chapman in the pocket, but Chappy did well to win the ball and Shannon Byrnes snapped a goal. Pu55y Cats led by 59 points but the Dees controlled the next fifteen minutes. Selwood punted a frankly arrogant pass towards Ablett who was behind Bennell, Ablett tried to mark it but Bennell did, played-on and passed to Bate, Bate played-on and the wind carried his shot all the way for a major. A minute later Jetta went long with the wind and Morton clutched a good back-pedalling mark before steering a major from a tight angle. Morton soon bagged another as he intercepted Mackie's switching-kick in defence. The Dees cleared the restart and Jared Rivers kicked wide to Brock McLean, he wobbled a punt forward and Jurrah produced one of his astounding leaps to take a big pack-mark and boot a long goal. The Jurrahcane Wizard! The Pu55ies' lead was down to 34 points but Chapman had a free at the next centre-bounce, he dished off to Milburn who jabbed a pass to Hogan on the 50m line, Hogan played-on and booted a noice goal. He enjoyed it. Stokes free-kicked the final major after being clattered by McDonald.      

 

Young Catter rover Joel Selwood (31 disposals, 9 tackles, a goal) bounced back from his battle in Brisbun and Matty Scarlett (30 touches) did indeed run off poor ol' Robbo a lot. Gary Ablett (40 possessions, 3 marks, 2 goals) did a bit as did Paul Chapman (31 touches, 5 marks, a goal); he needs to stay fit, if anyone needs a rest . . . Cameron Ling (24 handlings, 9 marks) tagged McLean effectively and Corey Enright (24 touches, 6 marks) was good. Tom Hawkins (16 disposals, 8 marks, 7 hit-outs, a goal) showed a bit as a ruckman. Mathew Stokes bagged 3 goals while Simon Hogan, Andrew Mackie and Travis Varcoe bagged 2 each. Former Cat (it was a while ago now) Brent Moloney (27 touches, a goal) was probably Melbun's best and Matthew Bate (13 disposals, 5 marks, 3 goals) was handy in attack again although he's not really a forward, or a key forward anyway. Jared Rivers (10 disposals, 4 marks) did a good job on Mooney and Nathan Jones (22 touches, 5 marks) gave Ablett some cheek, Liam Jurrah (10 disposals, 4 marks, 2 goals) is an exciting type. Ricky Petterd (22 possies, 4 marks, a goal) is in good form. Cale Morton kicked 3 goals. Dean Bailey said "We were still trying to make things happen, which you've got to do that against the top clubs - you just have to do it and if you don't do it, then you just set yourself up for playing a really slow type of game. So at least the boys had a crack in the first quarter, but I thought the next three quarters, at least we hung in there and we played some more competitive footy . . . the young guys showed a few signs, which I think is important and we're going to keep putting them in positions and keep challenging them, like we did with Nathan Jones on Gary Ablett. Nathan was really keen for the opportunity. Cale Morton went forward and kicked a couple of goals. We really need to generate more goalkickers and obviously Cale did that today. Liam Jurrah showed again today he's a pretty exciting player and he doesn't need to get a lot of possessions to make a real impact in the game, and Bate kicked three." Thompson let the truth slip out. "It's an interesting concept what a rest does to a player," Thompson said, before catching himself. "[Actually] no one had a rest, but they all had a small injury, which they would not get through a game," Thompson said. Ha, of course. "Bartel has got a little injury, Steve Johnson has got an injury and Harley. In other years, maybe you'd try to get them back to play every game and we're just not taking that risk this year," Bomber continued. "It's hard, it is difficult [with making changes] and we'll probably get more than a good chance to get Steve Johnson back next week and more than a good chance to get Bartel and same with Tom. There will be possibly another three or four changes next week."

 

At the MCG:

Collingwood  2.3   7.5    7.7   11.10.76  

Hawthorn     3.4   5.6   12.9   18.13.121

 

If you're one of the sizeable group of people who reckon thuggery was a significant component (or the significant component) of the Orcs' success last year, you'll be interested to know it's back. The Horks' 'unsociable football' was to the fore here as they worried Collywood out of it, shredding the Poise forward and midfield structures with some tough, tight and yes, thuggy footy. The relaxing of the tackling rules which occurred about eight weeks ago helped the Hawkers too. The Poise wilted alarmingly under the pressure, although you could argue this was Horforn's Grand Final and the Pies were due a loss following seven straight wins. The Maggies had other excuses as they came in without ruckman Josh Fraser (sore knee) along with Tyson Goldsack, replacements were ruckman Cameron Wood and tall backman Nathan Brown. Paul 'Steak Knives' Medhurst played his 150^th game. The Hawks also swapped ruckmen, Brent Renouf in for Robert Campbell (calf strain) while Ryan Schoenmakers replaced Rick Ladson (knee).

 

Good start from the Hawks as they put on some tackling and running pressure, although it didn't tell on the scoreboard immediately. Chief target of the unsociable footy was Pie Alan Didak. Tagged and frequently scragged by Ben McGlynn, Didak was also knocked over at regular intervals by any passing Hork. Horforn had an early goal as Pie skipper Nick Maxwell fumbled midfield and Awc Michael Osborne collected the ball, he sent it wide to Cyril Rioli in space and Rioli accelerated quickly to slot a goal. The Pies replied soon enough with a good move, involving 'Neon' Leon Davis a coupla times, before Dale Thomas led wide to mark Davis's pass, Thomas kicked quickly to the top o' the 'square where Tarkyn Lockyer shoved off Sam Mitchell to mark and dob one. Mitchell spent a fair bit of this game in defence, maybe nursing the shoulder he hurt last week. He also kicked 3 goals, though. Then the Horks, a good effort from Rioli won possession in the centre and he handballed to Josh Kennedy, he kicked long where Lance 'Buddy' Franklin was awarded a free-kick for Simon Prestigiacomo's holding. Didn't appear to be much in it but guest commentator Matty Lloyd was in "no doubt" it was a free as "Prestigiacomo gets away with a lot of holding." It sounded as bitter as that, too. Franklin converted the free and the Awks led by 6 points. The Pies replied again, Davis was cool on the wing and sent the ball inwards to Travis Cloke, Cloke hacked an awful kick forward but Shane O'Bree turned around in time to mark it and boot truly. Scores level and they stayed there-abouts for while, Poi spearhead John Anthony's goal-shooting yips continued as he missed a sitter, Franklin dished-off after marking on a lead but Luke Hodge sprayed wide. A Thomas dribbly-snap bounced into the post. After a while Jordan Lewis won the pill off Lockyer and passed for leading Franklin to mark, Buddy steered a goal and the Orcs led by it. A bit later big Orc Brent Renouf showed surprising speed to mow down Pie Heath Shaw and collect the ball, leading to a dribbly-point for Franklin. The kick-in went to Prestigiacomo who marked and copped late-arriving Franklin's unsociable knee right in the back. The stoic Pie full-back had a 50m penalty, punted long and Cloke juggled a mark behind the pack, but the ump didn't pay it. Much booin' as the Orcs led by 7 points at the first break. Prestigiacomo started the second term in the rooms and Harry O'Brien took over on Franklin. Didak became embroiled in handbags with McGlynn and Franklin. After a bit, Hawk  Brad Sewell kicked long towards Franklin, O'Brien, Jarryd Roughead and Nathan Brown, Roughead roved the spilled ball and handpassed to peeling Franklin who spurted clear and dribbly-kicked a goal from close range. Horforn led by 12 points. Dane Swan answered for Collywood, Orc ruckman Simon Taylor marked deep in defence and handballed sideways to Grant Birchall, Birchall's attempted handball was intercepted brilliantly by Swan who snapped a goal. A minute later Pie O'Bree was done for 'bawl' at a ball-up and Kennedy took the resulting free quickly, finding Hodge lurking alone 30m from goal. Hodge converted and the Hawkers led by 13 points. The Maggies won the following centre-clearance and Lockyer kicked to the goal-square, Paul 'Steak Knives' Medhurst wrestled off Thomas Murphy to collect the bouncing ball and poke a sausage. This preceded a good spell for the Poise, but they burned a few chances initially - their forward-line was very poor here. They did well from a kick-in eventually, Cameron Wood marked on the attacking side of the centre and sent a pass to Scott Pendlebury wide on the flank, Pendlebury handballed inboard to Lockyer who snapped a noice goal. A bit later Dayne Beams and Ben Johnson gang-tackled McGlynn on the attacking wing, 'bawl' and Johnson took the free quickly to find Lockyer marking alone 30m out. Lockyer's six-pointer put the Poise in front, by 5 points. Johnson ran off the back of the centre-square to win the agate from the restart, he handballed to Beams who gave one in turn to O'Bree, and O'Bree chipped a kick for Wood to mark 25m out. Smart work from Wood to run ahead from the bounce, he converted and the Maggies led by 11 points at half-time.

 

The Hawks stamped, or rather branded their authority on the game from the start of the third Mario. The key move of last week, Hodge onto the ball, was repeated and paid off immediately. Hodge helped win the opening clearance of the tird for Horforn and Chance Bateman won a free-kick from a throw-in, he jabbed a short pass to Mitchell in traffic and the Awk skipper booted a long goal. Within a minute Hodge launched a torpedo-punt from inside the centre-square, it sailed over Franklin and Presti and bounced and rolled through for a major. The Orcs cleared the next centre-bounce and the ball went for a forward-pocket throw-in, from it Poi Alan Toovey won possession but handballed bizarrely straight to Franklin, who snapped a left-footed sausage roll. We got a camera-shot of Franklin which accentuated his nascent beer gut. A bit later Mitchell sent a wobbly pass towards leading Roughead, Nathan Brown spoiled but Hork Kennedy dived in bravely to win a hard ball and get a great handpass away to running Beau Dowler, who drilled a major. Franklin postered following a good move but shortly the Pies helped 'em out. Pendlebury marked in the last line of defence but his short pass didn't reach Davis on-the-full, Davis paddled the ball back into the path of Pendlebury who shoveled it straight out-of-bounds. A very obvious 'deliberate' and Roughead took the free quickly, he sliced the shot across-the-face but McGlynn arrived to mark and boot a goal. Five straight in the korter from the Orcs and they led by 19 points. McGlynn's scoring of that last one led to more altercation between he, Didak and other Awks and the Poise had a free at the next centre-bounce because of it, but Shaw's kick went straight to Roughead, who'd dropped back. Sarcastic cheering from Orc fans. Roughead kicked to the wing where Didak crashed into Chance Bateman well before the ball arrived, Sharrod Wellingham soccered the ball away adding a 50m penalty to Bateman's free. Bateman's shot was rushed through for a point, Shaw received the kick-in and sent a switching-kick over Pendlebury's head and out on-the-full, Roughead's free hit the post. No Hawk goals in that little sequence but as an indicator of how rattled and demoralized the Poise were, it was very instructive. Horforn scored another goal soon enough, Swan was caught in possession by Hodge and a quick sequence of handballs, involving Hodge a couple of times, sent Xavier Ellis running inside 50 for a long major. A bit later Bateman wobbled an attacking pass towards Mitchell, Shaw marked over the Hawk skipper. But he'd also placed his hands on Mitchell's back as the ball arrived and Shaw stared in disbelief as the ump awarded Mitchell the free-kick, which Mitchell sent for a goal. It's not the rule so much as the ridiculous inconsistency with which it's applied. The Hawks led by 32 points at the final break, the Pies had scored two points from 12 inside-fifties in the quarter.

 

The Hawkers coasted to the line. A great handballing move brought a goal early in the final quarter, Mitchell to Hodge, to Franklin, backwards to Hodge, ahead again to Franklin who weaved onto his favoured left boot and walloped it home from 40m. A bit later Poi backman Nathan Brown spoiled Roughead, collected the ball and was ploughed into the ground by Roughead's ragged tackle. But the ump gave Roughead a free, for 'bawl'. Not that it affected the result, but that was an awful decision. Roughead free-kicked a goal, Horks by 44 points. At the following centre-bounce Taylor slam-tackled Wood, and gave the Pie ruckman some verbals afterwards. Yes, the b1tches are back. Anthony missed another easy shot for the Poise but shortly he broke the Maggie goal-drought, Anthony took a very good mark between Orcs Guerra and Gilham, played-on to open the angle and drove a kick for full points. Orforn replied, a Sewell pass missed target Franklin but Mitchell scooped up the ball and snapped a noice goal. Beams did a coupla things for the Pise, his clever pass to O'Bree led to a major for Pendlebury, a bit later Beams took a tough contested mark in the centre and handballed to Swan, he passed for leading Anthony to mark and bang a long sausage. But soon Anthony was off with hamstring cramp, apparently, while Nathan Brown departed with a hyper-extended knee. Hodge snapped a goal from ball-up, then Beams did the same at the other end (with assistance from Swan and Leigh Brown). The Hawkers scored the last two goals, Franklin roved a throw-in, was allowed a long time to handball while being tackled and Lewis snapped truly. Hodge punted forward from the restart and Roughead bullocked Maxwell aside to mark and convert. 

  

Hawk leader and talisman Luke Hodge (34 disposals, 5 marks, 3 goals) was back to his best, as was Lance 'Nightclub Buddy' Franklin (24 touches, 5 marks, 5 goals (5.4)). Rover Sam Mitchell (25 possies, 4 marks, 3 goals) played very well and Ben McGlynn (18 touches, 6 marks, a goal) sucked-in Didak. Jordan Lewis (29 disposals, 6 marks, a goal) put himself about and a coupla youngsters impressed, Ryan Schoenmakers (17 disposals, 5 marks) gave Travis Cloke a hiding and Josh Kennedy (19 disposals with 17 handballs) did some tough work. Jarryd Roughead kicked 2 goals. Best Pie was Scott Pendlebury (24 disposals, 9 marks, a goal) who hunted the ball while Heath Shaw (32 touches, 5 marks) worked hard at the back, 'Neon' Leon Davis (23 disposals) tried hard about the ground but didn't get forward to bag a goal. Nathan Brown (8 touches, 3 marks) had the better of Roughead until he (Brown) went off injured late. Tarkyn Lockyer (17 possies, 4 marks, 9 tackles, 3 goals) featured during that good second-quarter spell for the Poise and Dayne Beams (25 touches, a goal) was alright. John Anthony was the Maggies' only multiple goal-kicker with 2. Cloke, Medhurst and Thomas did nothin'. Malthouse went with the 'we were due' theory. "I thought we were not anywhere near the intensity we've played in the past. You just don't get away with that in today's football," Malthouse said. "It doesn't matter who you are or what you are. You have to be able to maintain a very good standard right throughout the year otherwise you lose games of footy . . . I thought we dominated at stoppages for a start. They ran the ball far better than us. They played like a side that was outside the eight and wanted to get in. We played like a side that had won seven games and had too many blokes that were not satisfactory." It was put to Mick that the Pies need to finish in the top four to avoid a potential meeting with their bogey-Hawks in the first week of the finals. "It's not about who you run into in the finals. We don't go out of the way to finish fourth because we don't want to run into Hawthorn," he said. "You try to finish in the top eight first then you try to finish in the top four. Clearly it is an advantage over finishing fifth or eighth. The first step is to make the eight and we are not in the eight yet. We're currently occupying the position but I've always said the one time you have to worry about the ladder is round 22. It's the work you have to do in between. And we're far short of what we need so far." Alistair Clarkson said "We had a tremendous application to the contest right across the game - for our guys to kick seven (in the third quarter) it really set the game up. From the first bounce tonight there were Hawthorn jumpers attacking the footy and putting enormous pressure on the Collingwood side. I thought our attack on the footy and the pressure we applied to the Collingwood side was as good as I've seen from our guys this season . . . They really led from the front, both Hodge and Mitchell did not want to lose tonight, their attitude to their training and their approach to tonight and their leadership has been first class. We probably lacked midfield goals during the year and for those guys to kick three each was really important to our goal scoring potency." Cats next week? "We will be around the mark with any team in the competition if we retain that type of competiveness," Clarko said. "We are looking forward to next week against the Cats - we can't afford to look any further. We are going to be chasing them pretty hard next Saturday."

 

At Subiaco:

Fremantle  2.2   4.4   6.5   7.5.47

Brisbane   1.1   3.3   7.7   9.8.62

 

A very handy win for Brisbun in absolutely atrocious conditions at Sooby. Torrential rain was complemented by steady wind and these are the sorts of games that can go either way, regardless of form coming in. But it's probably no surprise to learn that the Lyin's captain Jonathan Brown had a big hand in the outcome, once his opponent Chris Tarrant limped off injured. Brisbun ended up suffering more in the injury department though, with trouble for Bradshaw and Brennan. It was the ideal outcome for the Dockers, a brave effort following the embarrassment of last week but not a win, so they can maintain pole possie for the draft. Amazingly the Dokkers' only goal-scorer in Adderlayed, Ryan Murphy, was dropped along with junior Clay Hinkley while Byron Schammer (calf strain) missed injured. Shocker replacements were Andrew Foster, Adam Campbell and Clancee Pearce. The Brians had Jared Brennan return from suspension and Bradd Dalziell from a long-term ankle injury, if I recall correctly. Jed Adcock's knee injury isn't as bad as first thought, he doesn't require a reconstruction but is still unlikely to play again this season. Matt Austin missed with a back problem.

 

It was very wet and windy at Sooby, weather so bad even the hardy Dokka supporters had turned out in small numbers. Freo calmed jitters with a relatively early goal, Kepler Bradley managed a clean catch of a throw-in and smacked a wind-assisted punt between the big sticks. Soon Lyin' spearhead Daniel Bradshaw booted a goal from a throw-in in a similar spot at the other end, the stand sheltering the players from the wind. Bradshaw's was from a free-kick though. Brisbun led by a point as Bradshaw had already free-kicked a behind. It wasn't raining (at least not much) when the game had started but now a heavy shower lashed the ground and nothing happened for a while save lots of splash-about, and Dokker man Foster departing with a rolled ankle, his night was over early. Just before time-on Dokker Hayden Ballantyne scored a behind and the Lyin's kick-in was gathered by Dockerator Clancee Pearce, his wind-driven punt cleared the pack and dropped onto the chest of Scot Thornton, 15m out. Thornton converted, Pearce and Luke McPharlin added behinds to have the Shockers 8 points up at the first break. Late in the term the Lyin's lost Bradshaw who damaged a hamstring as he chased a loose ball. Ow. The rain had eased for the start of the second term and after Lyin' Brennan scored an early behind the Dokkers put together something of a move from the kick-in, Brett Peake ran along the boundary and, possessing no left foot, banana-ed a kick inside 50 which Brisbun's Ash McGrath dropped, Ballantyne collected the ball, spurted clear and stabbed a low kick to the goal-square where Adam Campbell lurked alone for the easy poke-through. Freo led by 13 points. Rain presaged another scoring lull, although Campbell and Jonathan Brown missed shots for their respective sides. In time-on Lyin' Luke Power marked 50m out and passed towards ruckman Mitch Clark, slipping forward into the pocket. Clark was dragged down as he backed into Antoni Grover, a free-kick and Clark kicked a goal. Freo replied with a great goal from Nick Suban, clearly a mudlark. Suban collected the ball skillfully inside the centre-square, went on a weaving run and had a shot from 55m into the wind which went through on-the-full, with some shepherding from Thornton. Freo led by 13 points again. Brisbun answered, Dalziell drove a long kick forward and Brown took a very good, diving grab after using his considerable ar5e to hold Tarrant behind him. Brown was only 15m out but on a bit of an angle, he steered it through and the Dockulaters led by 7 points at half-time. Anuge dump of rain entertained the 'crowd' during the break.    

 

It was dry again (well, not raining much) for the start of the third Mario and Brisbun made a bit of a move in the first few minutes. They went forward from the opening bounce and scored a rushed behind, the Freo kick-in ended up with McGrath on the boundary 55m out and McGrath hooked a kick forward which slipped off Dokker Broughton's chest, after some fierce, slippery battle for the ball it squirted free to Brown who snapped a sausage. Scores level. A minute later Brennan kicked a point and the Dokkers tried to run the kick-in out, but Steven Dodd stabbed a kick straight to Lyin' Michael Rischitelli. Rischitelli punted long to the goal-square where Tarrant fisted the ball away from Brown, but roving Jack Redden handballed for Justin 'The Shermanator' Sherman to snap a major. The Lyin's led by 7 points. A Sherman point a few minutes later made it 8, but the Freo men were given a break when Power marked on the back-flank and shanked an awful kick straight on-the-full. Bradley played-on from the resulting free-kick and drove a very good kick for a major. The Lyin's led by 2 points then as more rain arrived, and more injuries. Brennan went down in a heap after rolling his ankle during a marking attempt, and a bit later Tarrant hurt his knee when having a fresh-air soccer kick. It looked comical but I've done that before, you strain the cartilage below the kneecap. Hopefully Taz's is only strained, but his night was over as was Brennan's. In time-on Lyin' Cheynee Stiller executed a good cross-field pass to Dalziell, who took a sliding mark 40m out. Dalziell dished off a handpass to Daniel Rich, who booted a very good, long goal. Local boy Rich was having a great game and showing up draft-rival Stephen Hill, although the conditions very much favoured the stocky Rich over the whippet-framed Hill. Brown missed following a strong grab, Dokker Paul Duffield's kick-in was gathered from the pack by Brisbun's Tim Notting and he handballed inboard to Joel Macdonald, who punted long. Brown leaped to take a very grab over Duffield and boot a close-range goal, two marks in as many minutes for Brown, with Tarrant off, and the Lyin's led by 14 points. Freo managed a late goal though as Stiller hacked a clearing punt directly to Freo's Broughton, he handballed to David Mundy whose punt from 50m bounced through for a goal, after apparently going straight through Campbell's hands as he tried to mark it in the goal-square. I believe it. Brisbun led by 8 points at three-korter time. The first twelve minutes of the final korter saw one point scored only, from Brown. Freo had very little happening up forward and generally struggled to clear their own half. Again Freo's running dropped away and when James Polkinghorne marked Proud's kick on the 50m line, he had three loose men ahead of him. Polkinghorne kicked to Dalziell who marked 25m out and popped it through. A bit later Joel Patfull marked in the centre circle and lobbed a high kick forward, Brown used his big frame again to back into new opponent McPharlin, then jump forward at the last second and take a diving grab. Brown booted truly and it was over, the Lyin's ahead by 21 points. The Shockers managed a consolation sausage, Lyin' Tom Collier lost the ball in a tackle and Paul Hasleby gathered and chipped a pass to Grover, given a late run up forward. Grover steered it through from the pocket.        

 

Lyin' junior Daniel Rich (31 disposals, a goal) played very well again and his coach Michael Voss said it'd be robbery if Rich didn't win the Rising Star Award. Jonathan Brown (15 touches, 5 marks, 4 goals) made a key difference and Luke Power (18 possies) did well, as did ruckman Mitch Clark (15 handlings, 3 marks, 37 hit-outs, a goal). Bradd Dalziell (22 disposals, 6 marks, a goal) slotted back in handily and Michael Rischitelli (19 possies) played well. For Freo Nick

Suban (20 disposals, 2 marks, a goal) showed he enjoys the wet and Paul Duffield (26 possies, 7 marks) did well, as did junior Clancee Pearce (21 touches, 6 marks). Dean Solomon (21 handlings, 3 marks) was okay and Steven Dodd (21 possies, 4 marks) alright, along with Paul Hasleby (26 disposals). Kepler Bradley bagged 2 goals. Harvs said "I thought it was a pretty good effort by our guys tonight. But in reality, when you have a look at the inside 50s you can see the class that we're missing. We are lacking class and that would be in the midfield and the forward line at the moment. I think what we're finding, and it's a regular pattern, is that in most games we can be there at half time and then we fall away after half time. But that's a combination of things. A lot of that's got to do with [the fact] we haven't got enough seasoned players at the moment . . . Tonight wasn't a fitness game, it was a repeated effort game. And it wasn't a running game as such, it was a combatant game. It's very hard to be an attacking team when you lack personnel. The younger players are still learning and they fall victim to fatigue quicker. There'll be a big emphasis on us getting bigger and stronger at the end of the year. Right across the board a lot of our blokes need to get bigger." Voss said "Whenever you come to an away venue and you have conditions like that with an opposition that's had that sort of loss the week before, you know it's just going to be a bun-fight. For us to be able to come away with the win like that, I think it was just an enormous win, especially with the circumstances when we had two guys go down . . . We look at the ladder like everybody else, [but] we're not mature enough as a group to be able to start forecasting and start pencilling in this, that and the other. We leave that to the tippers. Hopefully we can participate in what's coming up at the end of the year, but you really are in the grind of the season."

 

At Football Park:

Port Adelaide  6.5   10.8   15.9   17.10.112

West Coast     1.1    3.3    6.5   11.10.76

 

Pordaddle-Aid are the worst of the sides still in contention for the finals but they have the easiest remaining fixture, compared to the Bommers, Orcs and Bluies etc. Port's home record is still very good and they've got three left plus a Showdown this weekend, one of the two away games is against Freo. So it's all ahead of them. The Weegs don't want to win at this point but they put in a reasonable second half after being seven goals down at half-time. The classic tanking performance. Port made four changes to the side beaten by the Deez, Josh Carr and Peter Burgoyne were high-profile but deserving axings along with Michael Pettigrew, while Tom Logan missed with 'flu. Travis Boak returned along with Nick Lower, forward Nick Salter was in for a game and an AFL debut was given to back-flanker Matthew Broadbent from Woodville-West Torrens. Wiggle ruckman Dean 'Big' Cox was absent with groin trouble and Mark Nicoski with a back injury, Cox probably won't play again this season. Nick Naitanui returned and lanky wingman Tim Houlihan was given a run. 

 

Port ran out in a new guernsey, all-black with a teal-and-white 'vee'. It was designed by a 7-year-old girl and actually looked pretty good, Port plan to have it replace that white-socked abomination that is their current away-jumper. The Eegs scored the opening goal, Matt Spangher's good second-effort forced the ball forward and Patrick McGinnity collected, he managed a 360-degree blind-turn and slotted a very good goal. But mostly the Eegs flooded back and invited the Powder attack. The tactic worked as, when time-on arrived, the Pooer'd managed to score 1.4 to the Eegs' 1.1. Nick Salter had led out to mark and boot Port's only major, benefitting from good work by Alipate Carlile, Dom Cassisi and Robbie Gray. But the pressure told late in the stanza. Weeg full-back Darren Glass tried to run the ball outta defence, he slipped, fumbled and shoveled the ball away. Gray gathered and lobbed a punt to the pocket for Brett Ebert to mark to steer a good kick through from a tough angle. Boak, Rodan and Tredrea combined to clear the next centre-bounce and Jason Davenport potted a running goal from 50m. Davenport was having a big first-quarter, a minute later he produced a good pass for leading Tredrea to mark and convert. Justin Westhoff missed a shot for the Powder, Weeg Shannon Hurn played-on from the kick-in and suddenly found Davenport bearing down on him, Hurn doubled-back across the goals but had run a long way without bouncing when Davenport finally caught him, a 'travel' and Davenport free-kicked a goal from point-blank. A bit later Davenport was trotting to the bench when suddenly Cassisi's kick came his way, Davenport hared forward to gather it and pass for leading Gray to mark and boot a major. The Power led by 34 points at the first break. The margin expanded further early in the second term, following a tough tackling battle Rodan handballed to Kane Cornes who chipped a kick for Westhoff to turn-and-chase, as he did so the stringbean Westhoff was ab-so-loot-lee creamed by a massive hit from Glass. Ebert collected the loose ball and snapped a goal as Westhoff lay motionless for a little while. But he was okay. Port by 40 points then but the Wiggles replied at last with a good, snappy rebound move which sent their Brad Ebert running and kicking long where Mark LeCras out-maneuvered and out-marked Surjan, LeCras booted truly. He'd missed awfully in the first korter. Tight for a little while, Port defender Toby Thurstans wandered forward to have a shot but it was just touched on-the-line. Eventually Andrew Embley found space for a run and long kick and Ashley Hansen took a fantastic with-the-flight mark as he crashed into LeCras and Surjan. Hansen majored and the Weegs were sort-of in it as they trailed by 29 points. The Flowers bagged three late sausage rolls though, Tredrea led for a grab 60m out and kicked to the pocket where new lad Matthew Broadbent held a strong mark as he was clattered by Naitanui, Broadbent converted. Then Pord produced a boundary-line chipping move before Danyle Pearce bombed a kick to the goal-square, Tredrea roved the big pack and snapped a noice one from a tight angle. A bit later Thurstans marked in the centre and dished a handball to running Surjan, he drilled a pass to leading Brett Ebert who marked and majored. Port led by 45 points and misses from Westhoff and Salter made it 47 at half-time.

 

Defeat assured, the Weevils set about the 'plucky effort which promises a bright future' part of tanking. Early in the third Matt Rosa, trapped near the boundary, lobbed a punt to the top o' the 'square and Hansen clutched a decent grab, he popped it through. Some ugly footy preceded the Power reply, their Mean Dean Brogan dropped the ball cold when tackled but the ump allowed play-on, Weeg man Adam Selwood was also patently caught in possession but again no free, finally Kane Cornes dived upon the agate and Naitanui dived on Cornes. Now it was a free for in-the-back and Cornes majored. A bit later we had a 'Rodan special', D-Rod roved Brogan's tap at a ball-up 55m out, weaved through the traffic, had a bounce and slotted. Pearce was tackled high in the centre-circle and passed his free to leading Boak, he in turn jabbed a pass for leading Westhoff to mark and Westhoff booted truly. The Flowers'd jumped to a 59-point lead now. The Weegs copped a break when, as the Powder tried to run the ball from defence, Thurstans gave an awfully telegraphed, hospital handpass to Broadbent who was duly clobbered by Selwood. Quinten Lynch collected the loosed ball and bagged a long sausage. The Powder got the next two goals, Rodan ran into the 50 and swapped handballs with Tredrea before spearing it through, then Gray was awarded a free-kick for holding as he shepherded for Davenport. Gray majored and Port led by 64 points, a hiding looked on the cards but the Weevils managed a late major. Chris Masten drove a long kick forward and LeCras nudged Surjan under the ball, doubled back to gather it and handball to Lynch alone in the goal-square to tap it through. Port by 58 points at the final rest. Masten, who played very well here, set up two rapid final-stanza majors for the Eegs, his smart finessing and kick allowed Josh Kennedy to mark on the 50m line and Kennedy thumped a long punt for full-points, a minute later Masten's long kick forward was marked strongly by Hansen in front of Thurstans, Hansen made to play-on but it wasn't called so when Chad Cornes ran in to stop Hansen a 50m penalty resulted. Hansen popped it through and the Power lead was back to 47 points, Lynch came up with consecutive misses. Port snapped out of it, a smart, slick move finished with Salter slotting a tight-angle running goal, but a bit later Wiggle Rosa's clever kick into the 'hole' 20m from goal allowed LeCras an easy mark and goal. Time winding down now, Broadbent free-kicked a goal for Port but the Weegs completed the day with low-pressure consolation majors from Masten and Rosa.  

 

Former Geelong reserves player Jason Davenport (26 disposals, 8 marks, 2 goals) had a bit of a break-out game for Pord and their skipper Dom Cassisi (25 touches, 15 tackles) was an admirable pack-warrior again. Kane Cornes (27 possessions, 5 marks, a goal) was solid again and Jacob Surjan (14 disposals, 3 marks) did a pretty good job on LeCras. David Rodan (23 handlings, 2 goals) played well again and Brendon Lade (10 touches, 4 marks, 35 hit-outs) did a good job in the ruck against the Weegs' makeshift duo of Lynch and Naitanui. Brett Ebert (10 possies, 4 marks, 3 goals) showed some form. Matthew Broadbent, Nick Salter, Warren Tredrea and Robbie Gray bagged 2 goals each. Young Weeg rover Chris Masten (38 disposals, a goal) had a huge game, also a break-out one which earned him a Rising Star nomination. Ashley Hansen (8 kicks, 4 marks, 3 goals) did well from limited opportunity and wingman Matt Rosa (26 touches, a goal) was quite good and Quinten Lynch (16 disposals, 9 marks, 2 goals) did a bit, along with David Wirrpanda (24 disposals, 5 marks). Mark LeCras bagged 2 goals. "Obviously in the first quarter, we let ourselves down badly, that's the biggest disappointment out of the game," Worsfold reckoned. "Those turnovers cost us heavily today. When we turned the ball over they just kicked it over our head and inside 50, and they were always going to score. Our intensity was maintained throughout the second half so that is a positive but giving a team such a big start in the first quarter made it a little bit irrelevant . . . But we want to address that, we want to be good enough to beat better teams. We're working towards making sure that we become a better side than the teams that we're playing (wow, what an insight). There are a lot of areas that we want to get better at, as a team, not just on the road but in the way we play . . . You've got to have the ball in your hands. To be a good team, that's what it's all about.  And we didn't get anywhere near enough of the football, and we weren't smart enough when we did get it." Port coach Mark 'Choco' Williams said "The club was under a lot of pressure this week, so it was fantastic to win today . . . If we win all the [remaining] games the percentage [we lost in the final quarter] won't worry us at all. In the end, if we'd won by a point I couldn't care. For our club, it was important to stay in the finals mix. At the end of the year, there might be some discussion about whether the last two or three goals cost us something, but it (finals fate) is in our hands and that's the best thing . . . It was Jason's (Davenport's) best game for the club. I think most of the stuff with Jason is that he doesn't really believe in himself, so for him to get little glimpses of this to say, 'wait a minute, maybe, I can lift the bar and I can actually do this stuff' is great for him." He was asked about the new guernsey. "If you polled the players, they'd wear it every week," said Choc. "They love it. Port Adelaide back in black is something that sits nicely with the club. This one looks like Port Adelaide. It looks tough and hard to beat. In the first quarter I was wondering what was going on because we only saw them for 20 minutes during the week. But after a very short time it was fine."

 

At the MCG:

Richmond         4.5   10.6   11.9    12.13.85

North Melbourne  1.3    3.6    8.11   12.13.85  

 

Only the Tiges could blow a 7-goal lead in under a half, but Norf could be bitter too as they were runnin' all over the Easter Island statues in Richmun jumpers by the end. Still, as a symbol of two pretty cr@ppy sides who aren't good enough to win, the result was apt. The TV folk (well, Commetti) had dubbed it the 'Nathan Buckley Seduction Cup'. Norf are throwing themselves shamelessly at Bucks for their next coach while the Tiges are playing harder to get - assuming Bucks himself is actually interested in either job. There wasn't a lot here to encourage him. The Tiggers came in without Kel Moore (bruised hip), Ben Cousins and Trent Cotchin ('flu for both), replacements were Jarrod Silvester and 'old men' Mark Coughlan and Jordan McMahon. Brett Deledio played his 100^th game. Norf lost Gavin Urquhart with a calf problem and dropped Daniel Harris again, experienced backman Daniel Pratt returned along with ruckman Todd Goldstein.   

 

Sunny but cool day at the 'G. The teams were playing for the Eureka Cup, an invention of Kevin Sheedy's which reflected the clubs' mutual backgrounds in armed insurrection against the Crown. Or both Richmun and the Kangaruse having working-class origins, or something. Sheeds recently put his hand up for the Richmun coaching job, only to withdraw a fortnight later with much public bitterness, after being told (privately) he had no chance. Anyway, Norf had an early goal as Lindsay Thomas marked 60m out and kicked towards leading David Hale, he was spoiled by Silvester but Roo Leigh Adams collected the spillage, his attempted dribbly-snap bounced over Tige Luke McGuane and into the arms of Lachy Hansen, who poked it through from point-blank. A blue between McGuane and Hansen ensued which resulted in an immediate second shot for Hansen, but he missed the chance for a double-goal. Soon enough the Tiges' relentless and impressive running game clicked into gear, the thing which often builds them an early lead, then disappears mysteriously at half-time. Richmun's forward-line doesn't convert enough of the chances, either. Shane Tuck and Richard Tambling kicked points before Robin Nahas roved a ball-up and snapped accurately. Newman's good kick picked out ruckman Tyrone Vickery in the centre, he handballed to running Shane Edwards who kicked long for Jack Riewoldt to mark behind Scott McMahon, Riewoldt converted. A bit later Riewoldt led out to mark on the 50 and, not for the last time, made a very poor decision to kick towards out-numbered midget Nahas. Luckily, on this occasion, the ball spilled to Dean Polo who snapped a goal. At the following centre-bounce Tigger Matt White was tackled and penalized for 'bawl', but the decision was reversed after Roo Brady Rawlings flattened Nahas off-the-ball. Nahas played-on from his free-kick and booted a long major, the Tiges led by 17 points. But Richmun proceeded to waste subsequent chances as Norf wandered about in a daze, Toig youngster Jayden Post showed he's very good at marking but kicking, not so much, Chris Newman missed a long shot and Riewoldt betrayed his fragile confidence by passing 40m backwards after he marked Roo McMahon's wayward kick-in, just 20m out (on a tight angle). A poor Mitch Morton miss ended the term, the Tiges 20 points ahead. Kanger coach Darren Crocker's quarter-time address featured the words "WAKE UP" yelled at regular intervals. It couldn't have hurt. Rue ruckman Hamish McIntosh's response was to barrel Vickery at the opening bounce of quartier le deuxieme, Vickery dished off his resulting free to running McGuane who drove a long kick in and after some goal-square scramble Riewoldt soccered a major. The Tiges led by 26 points. There followed a tedious spell in which both sides slaughtered the ball going forward, Riewoldt and Hale the butchers-in-chief, respectively. About halfway through the term McAvaney told us "there hasn't been a goal scored this quarter, except for the one Riewoldt scored." Uh, ok. The Kangerz broke the dry spell, good work from Michael Firrito and Brent 'Boomer' Harvey won possession from a throw-in and Pratt punted long where McIntosh won a free for holding against McGuane. McIntosh's goal reduced the Tiges' lead to 18 points. The Toigs won the ball from the following centre-bounce and smart flank-switching kicks from Tambling and Jordan McMahon got the Sherrin to Newman in space, he passed ahead to Mark Coughlan who booted truly. Polo shanked an awful shot on-the-full but a bit later two superb tackles from Jake King won the Tiges possession and led to a goal for Tom Hislop. Richmun led by 29 points. Norf pulled one back, skipper Adam Simpson lobbed a punt from a ball-up to the goal-square and after the pill dropped from Hale's hands Thomas forced it clear and Levi Greenwood poked a point-blank major. The Tiggers powered to the half-time break, Riewoldt kicked accurately following a terrific mark and Vickery won the following centre-clearance with a handpass to Jordan McMahon, his kick forward was fisted a long way clear by Pratt but straight to Toig Daniel Jackson, who passed for White to mark and convert. White had a free-kick at the next restart and advantage was allowed as the Tiges swept downfield with a great runnin', handballin' move before Morton slotted a six-pointer. The Tiges led by 42 points at half-time, and that flattered North. "The Tigers are feeling good about themselves, as am I," offered Commetti. Er, alright then Den.

 

But of course the Big Pu55ies' run vanished after half-time, credit to the Ruse as they lifted too. Harvey was their leader but McIntosh and Leigh Harding also did well. Harding kicked an early goal after Harvey's kick set him up to ride White and mark 20m out. Post missed a running shot but the Tiges answered soon enough, Roo Pratt took a mark deep in defence and maybe he'd played-on as Hislop dived to smother Pratt's kick, Tigger Edwards gathered the ball and snapped a great goal as he was tackled. Richmen led by 43 points after that, but it'd be their last goal for a long while. The Ruse began to exploit the large amount of space and very little pressure through the corridor. Thomas and Firrito kicked points. We heard a lot about Firrito's 'gloot', some sort of injury he was carrying. The only 'gloots' out there were carrying whistles. The Toigs' kick-in from the Firrito miss was collected by Drew Petrie, he passed to Thomas who kicked for Harding to mark alone, 20m out. Harding majored. A bit later the Ruse raced downfield on a quick rebound move and Andrew Swallow kicked long, Hale out-marked junior Tige Alex Rance and booted a goal at last. Brady Rawlings collected the ball from the restart and handpassed to Greenwood, he kicked long where Silvester spoiled Hale, collected the agate and was tackled by Corey Jones. An absolutely red-hot 'bawl' decision was paid against Silvester and Jones free-kicked truly, the Ruse deficit was cut to 22 points. The Tiges began to flood back in numbers and the scoring stopped for a bit. Nahas postered following a good Tigger move, at the other end Hansen sprayed a shot on-the-full. Late in the term Firrito, due to his gloot, shanked a free-kick awfully wide but Thomas worked hard to gather it and pass to Swallow in the pocket, Swallow steered a good kick for a major and the Kangers were 16 points down at the final turnabout. We had a game.

 

The final term started very slowly, as both sides' main method of scoring was from the other's turnovers, no-one wanted to make a mistake. Lots of ball-ups and slow chip-about. North had a chance from an awful free-kick decision against Edwards, but Greenwood missed. Nahas and Harvey sent shots on-the-full for their respective sides, then Harding's clever gather and run allowed him a long shot, it was off-target but Harvey marked on the point-line, eluded Edwards and poked a point-blank goal. Richmun led by 9 points. Petrie missed with a free-kick but the panicky Tiges turned-over from the kick-in, Thomas had a shot which was smothered but the ball rebounded to Harvey who bagged another sausage roll. Tiges by 2 points. The Big Pu55ies woke up a bit, but could only manage three consecutive behinds. A bit of a lull before perhaps the most frustrating moment of the day for Tigger fans, a great move saw the ball travelling towards leading Riewoldt, but the Tige forward dropped the mark hopelessly, under no pressure at all. Firrito swept in, cleared the ball and transferred it downfield where Josh Gibson passed for leading Hale to mark and convert - the Shinboners led by a point, with 4:20 to go. A bit later Tigger Deledio held a very good one-handed mark and kicked towards leading Tambling, who seized an even better grab. But Tambling's shot just shaved the inside of the post, to level the scores. Once again the Kangers raced downfield from the kick-in, under very little pressure, Hale led out wide for a grab, he kicked quickly into the 50 where Harding was flying forward. Harding held the with-the-flight mark and Tige Polo slipped over in the spoiling attempt so Harding could race right in and slam it through. The Ruse led by 6 points at this stage and with the momentum and just over a minute remaining, they appeared certain winners. But Deledio and Jackson combined to win the following centre-clearance for the Toigs, Jackson's long punt spilled from a pack of Riewoldt and three Kangers and roving Morton dribbly-kicked a goal. Level again, with 58 seconds to go. The Toiges survived for 2 points thanks to a bit of umpirin' karma, Silvester awarded a free-kick against Hale, after Hale'd marked 40m out with 6 seconds left.      

 

Tige captain Chris Newman (25 disposals, 7 marks) was damaging from a wing as opposed to his normal back-flank and Richard Tambling's (27 touches, 6 marks) hypnotist should be doing well. Shane Edwards (16 handlings, 3 marks, a goal) did some good things, some of them in defence in the second half. Jack Riewoldt (16 touches, 8 marks, 3 goals) excited and frustrated in equal measure and Brett Deledio (23 disposals) was okay on his milestone, Shane Tuck (24 touches) and Mitch Morton (20 possessions, 6 marks, 2 goals) put in solid efforts. Robin Nahas kicked 2 goals. Kanger skipper Brent 'Boomer' Harvey (31 disposals, 6 marks, 2 goals) won the Eureka Medal for best working-class performance. Hamish McIntosh (20 touches, 3 marks, 31 hit-outs, a goal) was a strong performer and Leigh Harding (17 handlings, 6 marks, 3 goals) was speedy and dangerous. Sam Power (27 disposals, 5 marks) enjoyed the open spaces of the second half and Adam Simpson (18 touches) did a bit. Full-back Scott Thompson (27 possies, 3 marks) played well and junior Levi Greenwood (13 touches, 3 marks, a goal) did some good things. David Hale kicked 2 goals. "I thought we were lucky to end up with a draw, I thought they dominated for most of the third and the last," Tiggre coach Jade Rawlings said. "Youth was probably a factor - once it got tight (young Richmun players) didn't want to be the ones who ran hard or tried to win the game for us because they were worried about making an error. I think they went out after half time thinking the game was going to be played the way it ended at half time. When a team challenges them they are still unable to hang tough enough for long enough to resist that surge. I was really pleased they showed a desperation to fight it out and try to win (but) to be that far up and to come away with a draw you come away pretty hollow. To get in a position to win after three losses against some good opposition and you don't - It's the flattest I've seen the group after the game. (North) were good enough to take their chances. We had our moments to win the game, we just couldn't take it . . . As long as we keep on this path and improving the group and make them understand what's going to give them sustained success, that's our main agenda." Roo stand-in Darren Crocker said "There's not much joy in draws. It's a pretty empty feeling, but when you've been where we've been over the past three weeks with the tight finishes and being in winnable positions at some stage in each of those games, it does feel like a loss. Again, we've let another opportunity slip to win a game we were in a position to win . . . The second half is the type of brand of football that we want to play. That's the perception we want to try and create for our footy club. Winning the contested footy, taking the game on a bit, taking a few risks, running and working hard for one another. That was the second half. But it's inexcusable the way we performed in the first half, which was just playing safe, uncompetitive football. The two lessons we need to take out of that game are the first half and how we performed, and secondly, when we did get our noses in front in the last quarter with a minute and a half to go, we should have been able to hold on as a team. We got numbers behind the football, we pushed our half-forwards up on the side of the square . . . I just thought that from his position (Hale's mark in the dying seconds), it would take a pretty horrible kick to not make a score. Then it flashed across to the umpire, who was pulling his guernsey out for holding on, and that was it. That was where the game was done . . . But, if you're relying on umpires' decisions to decide games of football, they're too close in the first place."

 

At Docklands:

St. Kilda  4.4   10.6   13.13   15.15.105

Adelaide   4.2    5.2    5.4      7.6.48

 

Geez the Saints are boring. The first half was interesting, Adderlayed gave the Stains some trouble in the first quarter and the Saints played some great high-pressure footy in the second as the Camrys capitulated remarkably. But Stinkilda took the urine in the second half, literally playing keepings-off. At one point Riewoldt marked 50m out and passed 50m backwards. Then again the Camry organization had blown a lot of smoke in the build-up, about how good they were and there were gonna end Sinkilda's winning run. So perhaps the Stains' second-half keepings-off was an answer to that. The most exciting thing the Saints did was in selection, dropping Luke Ball for the first time in his career. Ball had a poor game against the Weegs but he wasn't the only Sainter, the move probably a guard against complacency for the Stains who've had very few injuries this season. Incoming Saints were Steven King, returning from suspension, and Adam Schneider, while Michael Gardiner missed out with an alleged sore calf muscle but was rested most probably. The Corollas welcomed Brett 'Birdman' Burton back from his ankle injury and selected 20-year-old Sturt midfelder Brodie Martin for his AFL debut. They replaced Tyson Edwards (hamstring) and Robert Shirley (gastro).

 

The Camrys started okay, moving the ball quickly as they have done since 'Die Wende'. Scott Thompson was involved a coupla of times in clearing the opening bounce and the ball went wide to Andy Otten, his long kick was almost marked by Scott Stevens but it spilled to Chris Knights who hacked a dribbly-kick from 30m which rolled in a superb arc away from Blake and between the big sticks. It might've been what Knights intended. A minute later Knights missed a shot and the Stainers advanced from the kick-in, Jason Gram drove a long kick to the goal-square and Nick Riewoldt held a terrific grab as direct opponent Nathan Bock and Brent Reilly clattered into him. Riewoldt popped it through. The Stains scored again, Farren Ray's poor pass missed Riewoldt and was collected by Camry full-back Ben Rutten, but Rutten was tackled strongly by Justin Koschitzke and done for 'bawl'. Koschitzke free-kicked truly and the Satiners led by 5 points. The Camrys got the next, Andrew McLeod led for a pass but was spoiled by Blake, the pill spilled to Brodie Martin who sold a classy dummy before bagging a noice left-foot goal. Martin had 8 touches in the first korter in an impressive debut. Junior Sainter ruckman Ben McEvoy missed a shot and the Corollas advanced from the kick-in, Brett Burton found space for a run and long kick, his shot from 50 dropped short but Stevens arrived to mark it ahead of Blake and poke a six-pointer. The Camrys led by 6 points. A bit later Ray missed a running shot and the short Camry kick-in didn't reach Bernie Vince on-the-full, Saint Steven Baker pounced with a fierce tackle and Clint Jones handballed to put Adam Schneider in the clear, Schneider weaved onto his left boot and snapped truly. Behinds from Hayes and Riewoldt had the Sainters 3 points ahead, but a minute later Camry Martin's cool centering pass found Michael Doughty in space and he kicked long where Kurt Tippett held an uncontested (more-or-less) mark 15m out. Tippett sausaged and the Cows led by 3 points. But prior to the break Riewoldt led very wide for a grab and a good switching move involving Ray and McQualter ended up with Stephen Milne leading for an easy mark and goal. The Sainters led by 3 points then and 2 at korter-time.   

 

The Stainers put the hammer down in the second Mario, exerting the famous super-tight pressure which quickly stifled the Camrys' desire to run and take a few risks. The Coronas went back into their shells "like a frightened turtle" to quote Seinfeld; different context, I know. Early on the Saints had retribution for that flukey Knights goal in the first term, trapped in the pocket Farren Ray launched a very high punt to the top of the 'square, it drifted about so Riewoldt and Bock missed it completely and the ball hit the ground, took a very high, right-angle bounce over about 5 players and went through for a goal. Camry players argued someone must've touched it but no, they hadn't. A minute later Schneider's good handpass enabled the Saints to clear the backline, Koschitzke marked on a long lead and flipped a quick handball to Gram whose long kick allowed Milne to mark behind Graham 'Stiffy' Johncock, Johncock looked around accusingly like all defenders do when their direct opponent takes an uncontested grab. Milne slotted. After Brendon Goddard missed a shot, the Saints led by 15 points. The Camrys pulled one back, Stevens marked at half-back and this time the Camrys did construct a good running, handballing move until Knights passed for leading Pat Dangerfield to mark 35m out, the often wayward Dangerfield kicked truly and the Cressidas trailed by 9 points. But three goals followed for the Satiners, Jones's risky centering kick was made good by Zac Dawson and he handballed to Baker, Baker's kick forward saw four panicky Camry defenders fly for the same grab and Riewoldt stayed down to collect the spilled agate and dob a major. It didn't look good. Then leading Riewoldt dropped Leigh Montagna's pass but Bock'd over-committed, allowing Riewoldt to gather the Sherrin and boot another goal. A bit later some strong tackling forced the Cows to cough up the ball and Jones handballed for Milne to punt a long goal, the Saints led by 27 points. Riewoldt missed a shot but the Camrys messed up the kick-in, Robert Eddy jabbed a short kick to McQualter whose attempted banana-snap sprayed into the pocket where Milne marked on a tight angle. Milne had a couple of goes at running out and snapping the ball through, the ump called the first back and Milne's second effort was very low and would've been at least touched, probably marked if there'd been a Camry on the goal-line, but there wasn't. They were whipped already and Stinkilda led by 34 points at half-time.

 

The second half was pretty dull although the Camrys reverted to their old style and put men behind the ball to save face and a real hammering. Sinkilda cleared the opening bounce and Riewoldt led, marked and missed. But Adderlayed's Reilly dropped Johncock's pass from the kick-in and handballs from McQualter and Milne set up Schneider for an easy, accurate snap. The Saints led by 41 points and the Cows were all at sea. Not much happened for a while but at one point Camry Vince ran 25m back towards his own goal without bouncing it, as he looked inboard in vain for a passing chance. Yes, he was done for 'traveling'. A bit later Vince marked in defence and jabbed a short pass to Otten, he played on without looking ahead and blundered straight into Gram - 'bawl' and Gram handballed to McQualter, whose snap bounced through for a sausage. Saints by 48. Eleven minutes into the term Addled-aid managed their first inside-50 of the korter, Jason Porplyzia led wide for mark and kicked a point. About the only Saint not enjoying it was Koschitzke, well-held by Rutten he allowed the frustration out when arriving late at a marking contest by punching Otten in the back of the head. Crude and Kosi's done it before. After a while the Stains scored from a throw-in, Camry ruckman Ivan Maric's tap went to Thompson but he failed to collect the ball, Riewoldt did and handballed to Gram whose high snap sailed through for a major. The Saints led by 54 points then. Late in the term Corolla James Sellar kicked backwards to Bock, he kicked backwards to Johncock and 'Stiffy's under-pressure hack in the attacking direction went straight to Goddard. But Goddard could score a point only. The Saints led by 57 points at the last break. Koschitzke started the final term on the bench, he'd hurt his hand punching Ottens's head. Not far into proceedings the Cows scored a goal, Thompson's switching kick found Martin in space and he passed for leading Stevens to mark and convert. Hurrah! Shortly Sinkilda ruckman McEvoy booted goal following a strong grab in front of Otten and Rutten. Saints by 58 points at that stage and now the Saints chipped about a lot as the Cows flooded right back. Finally a Camry handballing move-to-nowhere ended with McLeod hacking an aimless kick and Goddard collected it and passed for Riewoldt to boot a major. Tippett snapped a major from a ball-up seconds before the final siren. 

 

An unexpectedly huge game from Farren Ray (39 disposals, 13 marks, a goal) featured for the Saints. Nick Riewoldt (19 touches, 12 marks, 4 goals (4.5 in fact)) is on a mission apparently and Stephen Milne (14 possies, 7 marks, 4 goals) has had a coupla good weeks, Jason Gram (34 touches, 6 marks, a goal) was also very good in this one. Brendon Goddard (33 disposals, 7 marks) drifted about getting kicks and Lenny Hayes (34 possessions, 10 tackles) was solid as ever on the ball. Nick Dal Santo (30 possessions) played well and Steven Baker (32 touches, 13 marks) was back to his feisty, aggressive best. Adam Schneider bagged 2 goals. In total the Saints had a massive 478 team disposals to Addleaid's  368. Better Camrys included much-touted ruck-rover Scott Thompson (27 dispsoals, 3 marks) and experienced Simon Goodwin (29 possessions). As mentioned Ben Rutten (18 touches, 7 marks) had the better of Koschitzke and Nathan Bock (28 disposals, 12 marks) did some reboundin', even if he didn't stop Riewoldt. Andy Otten (26 possies, 7 marks) tried to stick to the plan and Brodie Martin (16 disposals, 8 marks, a goal) was good on debut. Scott Stevens and Kurt Tippett kicked 2 goals each. Neil Craig said "I think the real issue for us is that we've got to learn to be bolder from an offensive point of view and not get stifled like we did tonight. You don't want to be reckless coming out (of defence), but if you try and do it safely and be precise with that, you're not going to come out often enough. There was a period there where we just couldn't get out (of defence), but they were still scoring; the scoreboard was starting to drift. We made the decision to try and get the ball in our hands for a period of time . . . we were in survival mode there. We just didn't want the scoreboard to blow out really badly . . . (Sinkilda) clearly set a new benchmark for us to aim for offensively and defensively. We were beaten pretty much through the whole game. Sometimes it's good to know how much more you've got to improve. We've got a very coachable group of players who want to be good and are on a mission. They put themselves out there, and I commended them for that. When you put yourself out there to want to be the best, you're going to take some knocks, but our capacity to rebound quickly with the Showdown coming up is going to be important for us." Ross Lyon was kinda relieved. "I thought the Geelong game was really for tough players and tough teams . . . and then to fly to Subiaco was a big ask, on a big ground and against a team that was quite physical and had been tackling quite strongly," he said. "We really worked hard on our ball use (tonight) and our ability to score against that team defence. We scored really efficiently and quickly, and we would've scored a lot more, to be frank, but we took our foot off the pedal in the last quarter . . . We don't see ourselves as a 22-0 team; it'd be nice, as we aim to win, but at some point, you think: 'Are our legs going to keep moving as quickly as they have been, and are they going to keep giving that effort?' . . . We've got a short break (before playing the Bulldogs). They played Friday and we played the last game of the round. Me sitting here objectively, it's going to be a big ask. How are our legs going to be? We're going to be under real pressure in the running stakes, because they're as strong a running team in the competition as there is."

     

Ladder after Round 16

                Pts.       %    Next Week

St. Kilda        64    169.8    Footscray (Docklands, Sat. night)

Geelong          56    139.0    Hawthorn (MCG, Saturday)

Footscray        44    128.7    St. Kilda (Docklands, Sat. night)

Collingwood      40    112.2    Carlton (MCG, Fri. night)

Brisbane         40    109.0    North Melbourne (Gabba, Sat. night)

Adelaide         40    107.2    Port Adelaide (Football Park, Sunday)

Carlton          36    112.5    Collingwood (MCG, Fri. night)

Essendon         32    101.4    Richmond (MCG, Sunday)

------------------------------------------------

Port Adelaide    32     94.6    Adelaide (Football Park, Sunday)

Hawthorn         32     92.7    Geelong (MCG, Saturday)

Sydney           24     89.7    Melbourne (Manuka Oval, Sunday)

North Melbourne  18     79.0    Brisbane (Gabba, Sat. night)

West Coast       16     86.7    Fremantle (Subiaco, Saturday)

Richmond         14     78.9    Essendon (MCG, Sunday)

Melbourne        12     72.9    Sydney (Manuka Oval, Sunday)

Fremantle        12     71.8    West Coast (Subiaco, Saturday)

 

Cheers, Tim.

 

The AFL Review is sent via an automatic email list. To join or leave the list is easy.

Please visit our website at http://www.footy.com.au/fts/newsletters.htm

OR
If you have difficulty with the above please email lists@footy.com.au