Swine flu almost stopped the NRL game on Friday night and the AFL almost had their first confirmed player in Adelaides Douglas but like the flu, it was just a scare which cannot be said about the Hawks premiership defense.

St Kilda defeated Carlton by 9 points

St Kilda opened up the game with 5 goals before Carlton scored and by the end of the first quarter they where 24 points up. Carlton on the back of their 2nd tier players (Grigg, Simpson, Browne, O’hAilpin &  Jamison) managed to get within 3 points at half time and never gave up.

The silly interchange rule (one day a game will be decided by this rule) saw Fevola get into the game while Judd almost spent more time throwing up blood than on the ground. Carlton exposed the Saints in the pace department but the difference was Riewoldt.

Eagles looked weak in the packs against the Tigers but they loved having a tackle against Cousins

Richmond defeated West Coast by 15 points

This game had many sub plots with Rawlings first game as coach, Cousins against his old club and the debuts of exciting ruckmen Vickery & Naitanui and the game needed it as it was a very average game in highlights and skills.

Again the Eagles were asleep and disgraceful for the first quarter and if coach Worsfold wants an extension he needs to make smarter calls than putting Stenglein on Morton. Rawlings impressed but the next four weeks will be a real test.

Bulldogs defeated Port Adelaide by 93 points

This game taught us that Port are too inconsistent and need a new coach or attitude (or maybe both) and the Bulldogs continue to try and prove me wrong about their need for a power forward (13 individual goal kickers). Cooney was back to his brownlow best along with Cross & Ward who all had over 30 possessions.

Port will need to do a Lazaras to get back into finals contention as they look too incosistent and surely something needs to be done at the club as they seem to be going nowhere at the moment.

Brisbane Lions defeated Hawthorn by 42 points

Another game where the loser can kiss his top four chances away, last week it was Brown who misfired but not this week with 5 goals while Buddy and Roughead struggled. With the much improved Lions pressure and game style they outscored the Hawks 10.6 to 1.7 after half time.

Most ‘experts’ thought it would be the Lions defense that would struggle but it was the Hawks defense that struggled down back with Hodge forced to try and limit Browns effectivness.

Simpson did not get the result he would have liked for his 300th game

Adelaide defeated North Melbourne by 44 points

North Melbourne surely are under manned at the moment with several players out, loosing several more during the match (Ziebell & Thomas) & others struggling to make an impact. Something needs to give down at the Roos as the club cannot afford to struggle towards the bottom of the ladder.

Adelaide had their own injury worries and while where kept under check by the close checking Roos, they never seemed in trouble especially with the Roos only kicking 3 goals in a game. This win puts Adelaide up to 5th at the end of the first part of round 12 which is better than where most would have had them a few weeks ago.

Top 8 After Round 12 pt1

1. St Kilda
2. Geelong
3. Bulldogs
4. Brisbane
5. Adelaide
6. Carlton
7. Collingwood
8. Hawthorn

Round 12 pt1 Talking Points

Please give us your thoughts in the comments section below or add your own round 12 talking points. The questions will asked in bold and my response will be un-bolded under them.

Your input and comments help us make Kick2Kick a better website..

1. Are we just being too picky with this stupid Interchange Rule?
   • Yes and the penalty is way to much, it should just be a free kick where the ball is at the time of the mistake.
2. From the one game, did the Eagles make the right choice about picking Naitanui at pick 2?
   • He sure showed enough (taking into account, ruckman take 2-3 years to get to AFL standard) with his leaping and ability to get the ball with 7 contested disposals. We did not see any of his running tackles and he looked a bit over awed but he will only improve.
3. Last week we saw Wallace go as coach & going on from this year so far would you think Worsfold, Williams & Laidley will not be far behind?
   • I think its mad to give Worsfold an extension at the moment, at least make him work for it, favourite son or not! I think Williams at Port is a foregone thought as the players simply do not play for each other or the club/ coach. Laidley could use the injuries as excuse but their feared ‘shinboners’ spirit seems to have gone.
4. Are you surprised at North demise and what about Adelaide’s turn of fortune to be 5th?
   • Im surprised at Adelaide, I wrote them off a month or so ago but not North especially when their best players are either over 30 or a ruckman who they tried to shaft in the trade last year and a first year bloke who has now broken his leg.