Dale Thomas celebrates with Luke Ball as he kicked the winning goal for the second time this finals series which gets them into the Grand Final

Collingwood sneaked over the line by playing one quarter of AFL in a Preliminary

I am unsure on what qualifies for game of the season but this will come close if it is not and after seeing the All Australian team and the results of goal and mark of the year I am sure the so called ‘experts’ will disagree with us.

I have questioned over and over Hawthorns football style and whether they could handle the tough finals atmosphere and in the first two weeks I was unsure but my questions were answered in the first three quarters. However in the peoples weekend, it clicked well sort off… It worked for the first three quarters but then they stopped and it all fell apart and ended their year. I am unsure why they stopped and maybe it was they got tired or failed to capitilise on their opportunities when they arose or maybe just maybe they ran into a team that has only lost to one team all year and has been the dominate team all year.

Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury were quiet early but they lifted when needed along with Luke Ball who kicked the winning goal after the decision to continue the third man up in the ruck contest. I understand the reason to go third man up but in every contest and against Leigh Brown and Darren Jolly, they are hardly world beaters. While we are on the discussion of Darren Jolly, will and can he play? Is it wise to play an unfit Jolly against an inform Ottens and West?

Big men win games in finals and Travis Cloke showed us why they are worth their weight in gold. He took 11 marks, had 17 kicks and 6 shots at goals – his last quarter was amazing and while Buddy kicked an amazing last quarter goal the fact is he did not have the same influence as Cloke.

Geelong had the general bye against a disappointing West Coast

West Coast finished last with four wins in 2010 as we all know and much has been said about their rise but it all meant nothing as they came up against a hot Geelong who have planned all year to seek revenge on their Preliminary fall out against Collingwood. Geelong started the game on fire while West Coast started flat and if it was not for Geelongs inaccurate kicking it would have been game over at quarter time.

It was chalk and cheese comparing the two Prelims – the Hawks/ Magpies game was tight with almost no run and carry just contested possession but Geelong exposed West Coasts press and ran the ball throughout the middle. The biggest issue for Geelong is not their game plan, form worry but Steve Johnson… While he was walking after the incident can he do a Buddy and play next week?

Preliminary Week Pub Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday or as some of our readers prefer the pub talk. Whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. Does anyone believe Mike Malthouse that this will be his last game as senior coach?
2. Will Steve Johnson play? Is it wise to play someone who will be half fit or is Steve Johnson someone you would risk it with his natural x-factor?
3. Was the Friday night game between Collingwood and Hawthorn the best game of the year?
4. Was it a surprise that West Coast got flogged against Geelong?
5. Was it a cheap shot when James Kelly crudely kneed Daniel Kerr in the back? Does he have anything to worry about come match review time?
6. Who will win the Brownlow?

Hawthorn defeated Sydney by 36 points

Last week Adam Goodes and Shane Mumford were influential while Gibson, Mitchell and Hodge were quite last week – in the Semi Final it was reversed. For example last week Gibson was unable to crash and spoil any marking contests against Geelong but this week he totally blanketed Sam Reid out of the game and dominated Sydneys forward line.

Josh Gibson had an indifferent game against Geelong but he monstered the Swans forwards with important devestating spoils

During the third quarter the lead got out to 8 goals and Sydney were playing boring boring football and I was this close to turning the game off but something changed and for the good of the game I was happy it happened. Instead of this dour game style they decided to take risks and kick the next four goals to finish the quarter only 18 points behind. This ensured that the last term at least had a contest however it didn’t last long with the Hawks kicking 7 goals in the final term to an easy win.

Buddy Franklin had the most watched knee in Australia and while normally playing injured or half fit players does not pay off (note to Longmuire regarding Hannebery) his knee withstood the rigorous of a final and came out fine. What ever he and the Hawthorn fitness staff did to get Buddy ready for the game deserves a fat pay rise. Last week Hawthorn had no chance to play off in a Grand Final but now with Buddy fit just maybe they are a smoky.

West Coast defeated Carlton by 3 points

This game was a cracker with Carlton getting out to a match winning lead half way through the first quarter and it took a soft free kick for Priddas before West Coast could kick a goal in the opening term. However something happened during the quarter time break as West Coast kicked 8 goals straight and only once in the last quarter did the margin get passed 20 points.

The last quarter was amazing as the game and momentum flowed from one side to the other. The best thing was that after half time the umpires swallowed the whistles after realising that a cashed up grand final position was slipping away with some of the worst umpiring I have seen by idiots thinking they are reason why 40 odd thousand people go to eat cold pies.

Jack Darling had a great last quarter with two goals, a few great hip and shoulders and some crucial disposals however the winner of the last quarter has to be Daniel Kerr. In one of the last quarter clashes he dove head first at the ball beat three or four others grabbed it and then dished of a handball at the rate of a Simon Black or Diesel Williams and then West Coast kicked a goal. I could go on and on about some of his other important disposals but this is a generic football blog and not a Daniel Kerr love blog.

Chris Judd had a quiet game as he was double teamed by Kerr and Scott Selwood in the contests thanks to a Hawk idea few weeks ago which works wonders. In this Murphy and others have to learn to lift and so far they have not learn how to do this on a regular basis.

2011 Semi Finals Pub Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday or as some of our readers prefer the pub talk. Whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. What did you think of the Fremantle and St Kilda saga? Personally I think its a great thing, while Mark Harvey was great at helping Fremantle grow out from West Coasts shadow with his persona his coaching ability is arguable. This is the best Football decision this club has made EVER!
2. Is Mark Neeld the answer at Melbourne or would they have been better going for an experience coach like Lyon, Craig or Eade? They have NEVER had an experienced coach coaching them since Norm Smith and since then they have been a basket case. Mark Neeld has the highest and best reference in Mike Malthouse but if he fails it will put the club back another five years.
3. Have you seen a better finals game in recent history than the West Coast v Carlton game? While the Collingwood v St Kilda Grand Final last year was close did it have the same amount of intensity, high scoring and individual flashes of brilliance? IMO it was only the result that made it a good game, this game however was a cracker…
4. What did you think of the umpiring in the West Coast/ Carlton game? The first half was pathetic umpiring, they paid numerous soft free kicks and then missed other touchy touch kicks.
5. Was it a free kick to Andrew Walker in the last 1 minute? That free kick would have been paid maybe once in a hundred times and it would have been a tragedy if it was paid. Thankfully Razor Ray like his two stooges kept the whistle away from their mouths.

Buddy Franklin lands ackwardly and sends a scare through the Hawthorn side - while he probably will miss the Sydney game its good to see he could still play in 2011

Geelong booked their fifth straight Preliminary Final

I really enjoyed watching this game, while the Collingwood/ West Coast was closer its hard watching a game when your emotionally involved.

The big news is Buddy Franklins knee, it is good for the AFL public that it is just bruising and he will still likely play in 2011. His injury was the final straw in a disappointing night for Hawthorn and to me it will even gloss over the questions that must be asked. In 2008 they played a finals style of football of winning the ball and if needed do it unsocially, however since then they have played this chip chip short game and again it has been founded out in finals time.

All throughout the weekend we have seen the benefit of ruckmen and Brad Ottens was amazing, some of his ruck taps to advantage were golden and it allowed his midfield important center clearances to pump the ball long into inside 50. Tom Hawkins was another big man to impress and pre game everyone was surprise to see him in the side instead of the Hairy Cat Mooney but post game it was a master stroke by the coach.

Collingwood saw off Courageous Eagles

Many thought this was going to be the sided match of the weekend but at the end of the day, even though West Coast had lost and their midfield was out classed they won the respect of the AFL public. The same cannot be said about the minority of the Collingwood supporters who decided to racial slur Nic Naitanui.

Collingwood had over 100 possessions than West Coast based on their midfield of Dane Swan, Luke Ball and Scott Pendlebury who was amazing in the first half. However in all that dominance, they struggled to put away West Coast who had a simpler game plan of kicking it long and at times it worked.

To me the difference was Collingwood had class and were able to soak up the pressure were several West Coast players were unable to, they had 12 players who were playing their first final while Collingwood only had one. Luke Shuey was a classic example where he was caught holding the ball four times.

To get a full game into Maxwell and Heath Shaw is worth its weight in gold – Ben Reid should also be back in two weeks.

Sydney ended the Saints Era

Is Nick Riewoldt the most over rated forward/ player in todays competition? Yes his never ending run is amazing but athletic ability is not what wins games – kicking goals is. If you cannot kick bags in big finals games you are not a star and Nick has failed to do it in all of his finals he has played to date and after coach Lyon admitting the Saints era is finished, will he get another chance?

The first half Adam Goodes was amazing and then was quiet in the third while Brendon Goddard lifted and got his side back into the game. It set up a brilliant final quarter between the two flexible players and whoever lifted would see his team over the line. I cannot remember if I saw Goddard but I know I saw Goodes with several important center clearances.

Carlton smashed a woeful Essendon

There is always a dud final as some clubs struggle after a long season and hopefully this will be the only dud final for 2011. While Essendon have been courageous and promising for 2011, playing half fit players in Hurley and Pears did not work and it very rarely does, it is one of the reasons why Carlton did not play Waite and Kreuzer.

Warnock lifted in Kreuzers absence and probably played his most impressive game of his career as he out rucked Hille and Ryder which meant the one ‘advantage’ Essendon had coming into the game was not there. The worry Carltons supporters had was if they could get enough marks in their forward 50 but after an early scare in the first quarter it was game over half way through the second quarter.

Eddie Betts, Jeff Garlett, Andrew Walker, Bryce Gibbs and Bret Thornton all kicked multiple goals and 15 between them. I also loved Mitch Robinsons game on Dustin Fletcher who showed every part of his 36 years.

What it Means

Geelong: Apart from Menzels injury they have nothing to worry about in form or injury worries – unsure if the week off will be a big bonus though.
Collingwood: A week off is always good for a side at this time of the year.
Hawthorn: Buddy’s injury is a worry but we all know that. For me their biggest issue is can their game plan outdo the Swans?
West Coast: Kennedy, LeCras and Nicoski had quietish games up forward and others got an important lesson on how to play finals. To loose to Carlton would be a bitter end of a successful year.
Sydney: A sneaky chance against Hawthorn as Goodes and Mumford are in devastating form.
Carlton: Even if they loose to West Coast, to win a final sees the year as a success.
St Kilda: Its time for Lyon to be harsh and get rid of the ‘role/ bit players’ and build for the future.
Essendon: A disappointing end to a successful year – also its time for Hird to trade and build his midfield.

Pub Discussion from the first week of finals

1. Have center clearances and ruckmen been so important as they have this weekend? Is it because of finals or the intensity that the games were played at?
2. Can Hawthorn win without Buddy Franklin? Can West Coast win without Dean Cox? Which injury will hurt their team the most? I think it will hurt Hawthorn more as they do not have a backup forward were West Coast have Nic and Lynch can still dominate the ruck.
3. What do Hawthorn do with no Buddy? Who will play there? Does Luke Hodge play CHF or will he follow Adam Goodes around?
4. Were you surprised to see Tom Hawkins playing instead of Cameron Mooney?
5. Are Collingwood still premiership favourites?
6. Were you surprised to see West Coast be that good against Collingwood?
7. Pendlebury said Nic Natainui could be the best player in the AFL in 2-3 years. Do you agree with him?
8. Is Nick Riewoldt the most over rated forward/ player in todays competition?
9. Are Carlton a realistic chance against West Coast?

Adam Goodes is on fire lately and he did not disappoint with 29 possessions, 4 goals and a big hanger

Geelong gave everyone hope

No one expected this and I am unsure if anyone still believes it, you expect a let down by a club that has been up all year at some stage but a 96 point loss? Possible worries is that Collingwood where unable to kick 10 goals (the first time for years), unable to get the ball into their forward 50m, they have injury worries to several stars and have under performing players. So are Collingwood in danger or are they still the favourites for the 2011 premiership?

Collingwood started the game on fire with four quick goals but the second quarter was simply amazing and the stats also showed just how dominate Geelong were with 18 inside 50s to four, they laid 27 tackles to 15, had 32 more disposals and 15 more contested possessions.

Box Hill Hawks fell over the line against Gold Coast

When Harley Bennell intercepted the ball on the wing and ran like the wind to kick a goal it was game on and every one (except Hawthorn supporters) was hoping Gold Coast could pull of an upset win. Thankfully for them they settled and resting their players paid off for the time been, I think the proof will be in the pudding.

Gary Ablett finished off a great season with 43 possessions following his big purchase of his mansion – he really is happy at the moment, wonder how he will go as he watches his ex-teammates play in September. Is it worth it Garry?

Bulldogs gave Hall and Hudson a far well game

Fremantle have now played football in September for two years in a row for their first time ever in their history – too bad it is not finals football but after a poor end to the season with 7 straight losses, they would grasp at anything.

Barry Hall had a great tussle with Alex Silvagni and he was beginning to loose his cool with slaps, headlocks and several free kicks against him- maybe it was due to the screamer Alex took. However Alex took himself off with yet another Fremantle injury and with no one else to man the angry beast, Barry cut loose and kicked four last quarter goals to end up with 40 in his last 8 games – he went out on top.

Fremantle have some serious issues, we will go into more details with their end of season review done by us but they need to improve their squad in the off season.

Sydney warmed up for finals with a comfortable win

Brisbane started well but when Sydney warmed up in the second it was game over – they did the right thing with a big win and then they had to wait for the Saints-Blues result. I am unsure if Sydney really deserved a home final as they have been up and down but at the end of the day (or season) they got there and I am sure Geelong will not want to meet them comes finals.

Adam Goodes had another best on ground performance with 29 possessions, four goals and a big mark, he and Scott Pendlebury are IMO the only ones who could challenge Chris Judd for the 2011 Brownlow. Gary Rohan has strung some great games together and he could be an asset come finals time with his X-factor and pace, if he can get stay fit, he could be the new Goodes for a side that needs a bit of magic.

St Kilda gave Carlton something to worry about

Carlton like Collingwood will be in the news all week as injuries and form rob them of confidence as finals is here and everything is magnified. Matthew Kruzuers ‘numb foot’ is a coaching killer injury and with him potentially out and Waite still struggling can Setanta O’hAilpin lift? He has been almost uncited for the whole year but he is now their hope. Gartlett, Betts and Walker all failed to kick a goal which will also raises questions on the team.

St Kilda had a quiet first half with Nick Riewoldt well held by Lachlan Henderson but Milne, Steven and Koschitzke chipped in to kick a winning score including eight of the last 10 goals of the match. Judd had another quiet game but Kade Simpson is one player who does not need to coast on his expensive coat tails, he had 40+ possessions for the night.

West Coast ended Adelaide’s worst Season

Adelaide have never had less than 8 wins in a season since their inception in 1991 – it is no wonder they sacked Neil Craig in statistically their worse season ever. In the game it was obvious they all knew how to defend with the ball continually being pumped into West Coasts forward 50m arc, however they did not have the ability to spread and run when needed. For example while Andrew Embley is a good runner he is not quicker than Tony Armstrong and he outrun him to get to the ball.

The ruck duel was fascinating to watch as Sam Jacobs took on Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui, while Nic is already an Eagles fan favourite but he is also becoming an AFL favourite and the Foxtel broadcasters are in love with him. In watching some of his tap work in the second half it is no wonder. We keep stats on taps but what about taps to advantage?

Port Adelaide have hope while Melbourne have none

Port have hope but I cannot see any for Melbourne. Melbourne should have everything going for them but they have some serious culture issues! This is why they should be focusing on Mick Malthouse as he can turn culture around – look at what he did with West Coast and Collingwood who were both basketcases and are now powerful clubs.

I loved the atmosphere at Adelaide oval and to get over 29,000 supporters was a huge win and must raise the question, why cannot they play more at the ground? Even if Port lost, it would have been considered a win, stuff their agreement with AAMI.

North Melbourne did Richmond some good by finishing 9th instead

North did Richmond a favour by not allowing Richmond to win and yet again finish 9th, could their supporters handle it again? However while its good to win a game in the last round in a disappointing year for North, would it have been better if they could gain an earlier draft pick by finishing lower on the ladder?

This was a great see-sawing match with the lead changing up to 12 odd times, it saw North kicking 5 goals in the first quarter, Richmond then kicked 6 in the second to Norths two. Then a match winning five goals to one in the third quarter saw North gain the advantage they needed. Brent Harvey with 31 disposals and 4 shots at goals was the match winner after a dismal last week game were he spent more time whinging to the umpire than getting his hands on the ball.

Round 24 Pub Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday or as some of our readers prefer the pub talk. Whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. The Kick2Kick team will be starting their team reviews this week so if you want to help, please let us know. We will be starting from the 17th team, Gold Coast to the premiership team.
2. Does the Friday night result change anything?
3. The guys who do the Fantasy Freako have Scott Pendlebury equal on votes with Chris Judd, could he and Adam Goodes challenge him?
4. With Matthew Kreuzer’s injury, can Carlton defeat Essendon and if not, will this mean the end of Rattens coaching career? Remember pre season Eade had to make a Grand Final and Ratten had to win a final. Eade is gone, will Ratten follow?

Collingwood smashed Fremantle

While the final margin sees Fremantle loosing by 80 points it could have been worse and it raises a question: Did Collingwood take the foot off the pedal after kicking 13 unanswered goals or was it because of Fremantle not giving up? While its safe to say Collingwood did ease off, Fremantle can take something by kicking six of the last 10 goals to win the final quarter and avoid what looked at times like being a record-breaking loss.

Richmond has stormed home with 3 wins in a row to finish the year off with style - Will the AFL public fall for their hype in season 2012 like in the past?

Fremantle really needs to settle on a forward line, they have recruited Tarrent and Anthony in the last few years but have been unable to find anyone to help out Pavlich – Johnson is flaky and unreliable while Chris Mayne is a third tall at best. Is Brendon Fevola a chance with maybe Pavlich also likely spending more time up forward in 2012?

Dayne Beams was on the outer half way through the year playing in the VFL but some solid late season form has seen him hungry and he has repaid the faith by gathering another 30+ possessions along with their usual suspects of Swan and Pendlebury.

Hawthorn cruised past Western Bulldogs

This game went to script with the Doggies providing some nuisance for parts of the game but apart from individual bits of brilliance by Hodge, Franklin and Hall it was not a game anyone will be re-watching in a hurry. I do like caretaker coach Williams idea of playing his players in different positions and giving his young kids a go and playing them on the big names of the inform sides.

Matthew Boyd gathered the ball almost at will but his efficiency was way down while surely Tom Liberatore will gather a much overdue NAB Rising Star Award with 19 possessions including a bunch of hard earned clearances.

Sydney upset Geelong

This became the game of the round which saw Geelongs fortress of Skilled Stadium sacked and pillaged and IMO raises serious questions about Geelong and if they are capable of challenging Collingwood come finals time. Sydney had the edge with one of the best ruckmen in Shane Mumford, he took Ben McEvoy to the cleaners last week and also took the trio of West, Ottens and Hawkins to the cleaners this week which helped his side win the clearance count – 56 to 34.

Joel Selwood and James Kelly (in All Australian form) tried hard but were unable to lift a disappointing Geelong side. What I and others did like was that Sydney played ‘man on man’ and the typical Sydney pressure IMO was what won the game.

St Kilda exposed North Melbourne as pretenders

One of our twitter followers exposed a nice stat that North before this match had only won 1 from 9 games against a current top 8 side. Post game I slapped my head for being sucked into Norths pre game spin about being ready to be considered as a top side and like all year flopped when it was counted – something needs to change down at this struggling club.

St Kilda however is also finding some form with the right players including captain Nick Riewoldt with 5 goals, 20 possessions and 10 marks after another big week in the newspapers – I wonder how many Dreamteamers benched him after several sub par games?

Brisbane just feel short to West Coast

Brisbane were wonderful – they may have only won four games so far in 2011 but they have not been blown away and that is without their key position players in Brown, Clarke, Merrett, Staker etc for most of the year. I think they can do a West Coast and play finals next year.

Brisbane started the game like a house on fire by kicking two goals before West Coast entered their forward 50. An after the siren goal to Josh Kennedy saw West Coast lead at quarter time and then it was another 45-50m before they kicked another goal while Brisbane kicked five and opened up a 29 point lead. Carlton were licking their lips for a second chance at fourth spot, however a brilliant 6-7 minutes saw the lead cut down to 2 points at three quarter time and it was game on.

The midfield battle between the young guns in Luke Shuey, Chris Masten and Andrew Gaff for the Eagles against Jack Redden, Tom Rockliff and Daniel Rich was awesome to watch which allowed the old timers in Black and Priddas to play bit roles. Chris Masten has been a much maligned high draft pick and he played probably his best polished overall game with 31 possessions and three goals.

Richmond spoiled the Bickley Bubble

Hardwick at the start of the season made headlines by claiming that Jack Riewoldt needed to kick less goals for season 2011 for them to go forward and we all scoffed at it but he sure has found other goal scorers in Vickery, Nehas, Martin and also Miller.

Adelaide started the game better and got out to a handy four lead but this Richmond side is a new refreshed side with a new attitude and they did not give up like seasons past. While it was a disappointing loss for Adelaide they still showed enough for their supporters and the clubs hierarchy to be pleased and they unearthed another promising key forward in Jack Gunston.

Melbourne cruised past Gold Coast

When Gold Coast gets a run on they are impressive with their run and dare however with any young team when the opposition gets a run on, they cannot close the game up and try and wrestle the momentum back of them. In the third quarter the Demons blew the game open with 6 goals to only one.

After ‘green-gate’ last weekend, Melbourne’s captain played one of his better captain games with an important last quarter goal to help ease the pressure of a fast finishing Gold Coast who got within 3 goals after being 6 goals down. I watched with interest the now famous dubbed ‘Viney’s Vacuum’ I liked the idea, it works and I like to see coaches trying new things instead of copying trends.

Gold Coast have tried a handful of key forwards in Lynch, Gorrenge, Ablett, Thompson, Day etc but they need one of them to take a step forward for 2012 for the team to improve.

Essendon crawled over the line against Port Adelaide

This game was better than what most excepted – including me and some goose’s claiming it was going to be a 100 point loss. Essendon looked to get away in the second term by opening up a four goal lead yet Port found something along with their new wonder kid Butcher. In a worrying trend Essendons defense struggled against Ports mid sized forwards of Grey, Pearce and Motlop – they need to look at that come their Elimination Final in two weeks against Carlton and their pint sized forward line.

Then it got even more worrying as Port got out to a 30+ lead 10 minutes into the final quarter – However Essendon kicked the next 7 goals in 15 minutes to snatch the lead as Port failed to save the game. I cannot understand why sides try and save the game only 10 minutes into the final quarter, it was their dare and run that got them the lead – hopefully Matthew Primus and the side learns from that.

Race for the Top 8 Ladder after Round 23

I was so hoping that the ladder would have been still in contest for round 24 but there are only two games that will determine the ladder and that is the St Kilda/ Carlton game and Sydney/ Brisbane game. However wins will get the home final against each other…

Round 23 Pub Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday or as some of our readers prefer the pub talk. Whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. What is the bigger news? Sydney defeating Geelong or that the Wallabies finally defeated the All Blacks?
2. Should the umpires be telling the players not to go off their line when kicking for goal after the siren? Ironically Buddy can actually kick goals when running straight.
3. Which team is the most impressive outside the top 8? Is it one of the ‘so-so’ teams like Melbourne, North, Freo or a slider like the Dogs or a team that is purely based on potential like the Queensland sides of Brisbane and the Gold Coast or Richmond?
4. Is everyone going to go for Richmond next week against North Melbourne? If they win they can again finish in their favourite position – 9th.
5. After defeating St Kilda and Geelong in the last two weeks and being the only team to defeat West Coast in Perth are they the form side of the bottom four of the top 8?
6. Fremantle was the West Coast of 2010 rising dramatically up the ladder – however have they gone backwards in 2011 and have injuries and the years finally caught up on Matthew Pavlich? Can they bounce back in 2012 or was 2010 a blimp on the radar in a team struggling with mediocrity?
7. Will Dale Thomas be cited for his late clumsy bump on Garrick Ibbotson? Remember he does have 68 odd carry over points and he did jump to bump him which collected him half high.
8. We raised the issue a few weeks ago but should umpires really be reporting players? In the WCE/ Lions game Josh Kennedy was reported for a head high hit and it looked very soft and I would suggest it will get thrown away – so it raises the question, why do umpires report players and do they not leave it for the Match Review Panel.
9. Was this lost a blip on the radar for Geelong or are they just making up the numbers come finals? Is it down to Hawthorn to challenge the reigning premiers?
10. Which Geelong defeat is the biggest upset of the year? Essendons or Sydneys? To me Sydney is the biggest upset, to loose at Skilled and with Sydney missing their captain McVeigh with the tragedy of his daughter.
11. Will Tom Liberatore finally get a NAB Rising Star nomination or will someone else pinch it from him yet again?

Pre game this was talked up as the match of the round – afterwards it still debatable but it was a game of two half’s which is where every expert will be focusing on post match. Who is the real Carlton and is Hawthorns second half fade out an issue or just because they have played two games in the wet in the last month?

Shane Mumford & Ryan O'Keefe celebrate a goal in their upset win against St Kilda which sees them still alive for a home final

Carlton really needs Jarred Wait who will struggle to get fit for the rest of the year and come finals you cannot always rely on your spread and smalls to get your goals. I did question Rattens wisdom in Michael Jamison playing forward but he took several marks which will give them flexibility in times of need.

Pre game everyone was commenting about both sides midfields and how it would be a battle between the two but they kinder blanketed out each other with Hodge, Judd, Shiels, Mitchell, Gibbs & Murphy all having quiet matches. Jordan Lewis was probably the most influential player blanketing Judd to 15 possessions while gathering 30 of his own.

Next Games
Hawthorn: Western Bulldogs (MCG), Gold Coast (AM)
Carlton: bye, St Kilda (MCG)

Adelaide defeated Gold Coast by 61 points

Gold Coast have had a tendency to start the game behind the eight ball – its like they struggle to stay awake with all that sun up on the sunshine coast! In the last 12 games they have only won one first quarter… Scott Thompson was a hair breathe away from a record as he gathered 51 possessions including 19 in the first quarter.

West Coast defeated Essendon by 57 points

Essendon and West Coast are the feel good stories of the year as they were basket cases in 2011 and both will play finals and will be more than nuisance comes September.

Essendon like Fremantle are riddled with injuries but that does not stop their renewed energy and ability to never give up. They took it up to West Coast for well over half a game and even lead at half time, however after half time it was all West Coast as they kicked 14 goals to Essendons 4.

Heath Hocking, Beau Waters, Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey and Dyson Heppell will be the talk early this week. Heath and Beau will talked about their incidents and whether they should be suspended or not, I think Heath will be in the most trouble based on Trengrove’s sling tackle suspension. Nic kicked one of the goals of the year and the battle of the rising star award will just continue to heat up as both had outstanding games.

Next Games
West Coast: Brisbane (GABBA), Adelaide (PS)
Essendon: Port Adelaide (ES), bye

North Melbourne defeated Fremantle by 98 points

This was suppose to be one of the game of the rounds but Fremantle forgot about the script and while the first quarter and a half was a real highlight with fast plat, good skills and lots of forward running. The forward running style suited Kangaroos and not Fremantle as they faulted as the game wore on with half fit players struggling to keep up with North Melbourne’s midfield.

Matthew Pavlich was subbed before half time which would have ruined a lot of Dreamteams (mine included) and Ziebel likewise was subbed early after a strong clash in the opening minutes. I think its safe to say injuries have ruined Fremantle’s year – which imo will likely see Pavlich and Sandilands never see a grand final.

Next Games
North Melbourne: St Kilda (ES), Richmond (ES)

Collingwood defeated Brisbane by 18 points

Collingwood were suppose to spank Brisbane but I am impressed with the way that the Lions won the first and last quarters and put holes in their premiership winning defensive press. For both sides their usual suspects gathered plenty of the ball – Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams, Luke Ball and Alan Didak all finishing with 30+ touches. For Brisbane Matthew Leuenberger impressed with 24 disposals and 33 hit-outs while Tom Rockliff (30 touches), Jack Redden (29) and Simon Black (26) were also important.

Brisbane will give West Coast and Sydney a useful hit out in the last three weeks which will be good for those teams as they get ready for the finals – Michael Voss will be looking for at least one win against those two.

Next Games
Collingwood: Brisbane (MCG), Fremantle (PS), Geelong (MCG)

Sydney defeated St Kilda by 15 points

While the Sydney win might see North out of the finals race it makes the fight for spots 6th to 8th very interesting as only percentage separats St Kilda, Sydney and Essendon. However while the final 3 is alive with four teams fighting for them I see worrying signs – the Bloods cannot kick straight and until Nick Riewoldt finds form St Kilda are also just making up the  numbers.

The lead changed five times in a tight tussle where the margin never got out beyond a four goal lead.

Next Games
Sydney: Geelong (Skilled Stadium), Brisbane Lions (SCG)
St Kilda: North Melbourne (ES), Carlton (MCG)

Western Bulldogs defeated Port Adelaide by 60 points

The Doggies bounced out of the blocks and held Port scoreless until an after the siren goal. While the margin was a 10 goal loss, it could have been much worse save for a last quarter fight back where they kicked 6 goals to give their supporters something to smile about.

A big discussion will be the two young kids who in their first and second games could well end up with Brownlow votes in displays that excited supporters and general AFL fans in general. The first kid was Jason Tutt whose first three kicks were goals and at the end of the day he kicked another and had 26 possessions which he had gathered forward and in defense. The second kid was John Butcher (not Butler) who kicked 6 goals including one from the impossible forward pocket at AAMI. Matthew Boyd had another typical game, gathering 39 possessions, kicking 3 goals and a handful of clearances.

Richmond defeated Melbourne by 7 points

Richmond started the game fast which is usually unlike Richmond but 6 goals in a term is not shabby at all and with another four in the second they set up a nice 26 point lead. However Melbourne continued their up and down season by kicking seven goals however they failed to capitalize on their dominance – while Melbourne may have the better promising list of the vacant coach teams I would not touch that team as they have serious issues.

Aaron Davey had another quiet day (yes he played) however Colin Sylvia had one of his better games for the year – it will help drive up his contract he is penning at the moment. I am also surprised to see Brad Green substitute I know he sucks as a captain but if he was only half fit why play him? Surely it looks bad when your captain turns up in a vest!

Race for the Top 8 Ladder after Round 22

I have gotten rid of Fremantle on the list as they will struggle to field a team next week let alone challenge for finals.

Round 22 Pub Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday or as some of our readers prefer the pub talk. Whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. What side was the biggest winner from round 21? My opinion is Sydney as they were on the back of two big losses and to beat St Kilda and to only be percentage from 6th spot and a home final is a big outcome.
2. What is the real Carlton side? The first half side that struggled to find a goal and space in finals like atmosphere or the side that kicked 7.10 in the second half? For Carlton not to struggle, Judd cannot have bad games like that every again in his career.
3. Will Scott Thompson get All Australian? While he plays in the AFL graveyard of South Australia he has had a great year and continues to get the ball. I think he will most likely get a spot on the bench maybe fighting it out with Gary Ablett jnr. Nathan Bock is another who we could take the CHB position from Josh Gibson and Ben Reid.
4. Will Beau Waters and Heath Hocking get suspended for their incidents on the weekend?
5. Did Matthew Pavlich let his team done? Personally I agree with him that he did but it was not just against the Kangaroos but for the last month he has been well under his normal output.
6. Is Collingwoods form a worry? Or just a white hope for the rest of us who are hoping that the finals will be worth watching?
7. I love Todd Vineys comment telling his players to toughen up. To bad Dean Bailey could not say it or he may still be in a job…
8. Is it time for Video reply with the almost farcical situation which saw a lengthy display between umpires in the St Kilda and Sydney game?

St Kilda took it up to Collingwood but is it enough? Can anyone match it with the reigning premiers or are injuries starting to take their toll?

Collingwood defeated St Kilda by 19 points

How do we see this game? St Kilda a serious chance at 6th come finals or Collingwood taking it easy? Personally I think its a bit of both but injuries are becoming to be an issue however Nick Maxwells thumb could be a blessing in disguise as they faced the dilemma of dropping their captain due to year long bad form.

For Collingwood, Dane Swan, Cloke, Pendlebury and the usual suspects were good without being sensational and you get the feeling they are just waiting for finals to come along so they can show the AFL public that they are a great side.

I am still undecided about St Kilda… I have questioned our followers if they are the most dangerous side outside the top four or would that be Essendon?

Next Games
St Kilda: Sydney Swans (ANZ), North Melbourne (ES), Carlton (MCG)
Collingwood: Brisbane (MCG), Fremantle (PS), Geelong (MCG)

Hawthorn smashed Port Adelaide by 165 points

This is a real drain writing this review and lets not focus on Port who imo are a worse rabble than Fitzroy, ironic they are the team that replaced them. However Hawthorn…

Are they the real deal? Well I think that depends on two – Rioli and Franklin if they chip in and kick over 8 goals in a game, of course they are the real deal, however if Rioli pings another hamstring (touch wood) or Franklin bumps another opposition player? Well lets not go there for the Hawks case. I must admit I am sorry Sam Mitchell is illegible for the 2011 Brownlow as its a lot better when watching a Brownlow medal count on a knife edge.

Next Games
Hawthorn: Carlton (ES), Western Bulldogs (MCG), Gold Coast (AM)

Carlton ruined Fremantles Final 8 Chance for 2011

Fremantle have lost their last 3 games and have struggled to play consistent four quarters and they have tried hard but with too many injuries to key players the side has finally run out puff. Matthew Pavlich has been the barometer for the under performing club and he is playing very average inconsistent footy like his side.

Chris Judd played the type of game Fremantle have seen way too many times at Subiaco, he run, won the contested ball and provided the spark that no one at Fremantle could provide. Fremantle had too many players to try and keep quiet with them tagging Heath Scotland and Marc Murphy. They tried Chris Mayne and he was unable to quell his influence which is no surprise seeing he is a natural forward and NOT a midfielder.

Next Games
Carlton: Hawthorn (ES), bye, St Kilda (MCG)
Fremantle: Kangaroos (ES), Collingwood (PS), Western Bulldogs (ES)

Brisbane got their revenge on Gold Coast

Watching Channel Tens ‘Fifth Quarter’ they showed a passage of 5 minutes where it was one fumble after another and it was really scrappy and resembled a rugby match. Ten made the right decision unlike last week when they made us watch the Port-Magpie game.

Simon Black is like few players that actually get better with age, Dustin Fletcher and Brent Harvey are others but being able to play like he has is amazing – however seeing Redden and Rockliff take the next step would please the Brisbane fans more as they are the keys for Brisbanes next finals assault.

Essendon kept their final 8 chances alive

While its hard to play a game when your not going to make the finals while the other team is and I can understand myself as I played myself for a sucky club in my junior days. However the Dogs are struggling and while they had some bad injuries to key personal at the end of the day they had the majority of their playing list available and its time to stop making excuses.

Essendon have spunk, they have had as many key injuries as the next club including during this game with Fletcher and Pears struggling with leg injuries however James does what he did so often in his playing days and that is move another player to fill the hole.

I must admit I am no Essendon fan in fact I hate them as most West Coast supporters do but with what I do see of them I have respect for the way they play and Essendon may hate me saying this but I still think they have to thank Matthew Knights for the way they play. They run at all costs and when troubled by the Dogs in the third quarter their run was what saw off the trouble – I would prefer to watch an Essendon game than a St Kilda game any day.

Next Games
Essendon: West Coast (PS), Port Adelaide (ES), bye

West Coast keep their top 4 chance alive

West Coast are keeping Carlton honest with the fight for the top four as both teams keep on winning. We all know about the turn around from their last few years til now and it is nothing short of amazing and being injury free helps. Against the Demons they missed Matthew Rosa’s running ability and Darren Glass’ stability down back – Luke Shuey’s hamstring and Dean Cox’s ribs will also be a concern come finals time.

Melbourne on the other hand showed something that has been missing for a while and that was heart and the ability to win a contested ball. Sylvia and Moloney both out of form and questioned about their hardness answered some of their critics, Watts was again quiet but continued to ran hard even when it was not his day which is a good sign. Jeremy Howe however was the highlight for Melbourne with 10 marks and three goals. It was still a disappointing loss but it was a good advertisement on what they could be with a good coach.

Next Games
West Coast: Essendon (PS), Brisbane (GABBA), Adelaide (PS)

Sydney blows another game & Richmond finally win a game

Sydney likes the tough, in and under contested ball where Richmond does not as apart from Dustin Martin there midfield is not built to play that game. Richmond did well to play the game on their terms and with their better running players and more potent forward line, they run away with a comfortable win.

It is amazing that if Sydney won last week, they probably would have won this and be a game ahead of the log jam towards the bottom of the top 8. In fact their two losses will ensure that Fremantle and North have a slight chance to sneak into 8th spot.

Next Games
Sydney: St Kilda (ANZ), Geelong (Skilled Stadium), Brisbane Lions (SCG)

Geelong Hold on Against Adelaide

Would you peed off if you were Neil Craig? How can they play so poorly when under Craig yet play so inspired under new coach Mark Bickley? Do players really get that stale when playing under the same coach? Whatever Bickley has done it seems to be working as they took the game to Geelong. I wonder if coach Scott is happy they got a slog and had to fight for a victory or disappointed they only just held on against the Crows?

Rory Sloane is a player and he was outstanding, as he amassing a career-high 36 possessions (17 contested), eight clearances and seven inside 50s. Sloane led the charge for his side as they dominated aspects of the game including the total possessions by 60. Geelong also lost the clearance count 39-20 and had fewer inside 50s (49-54) than the Crows. However top sides find ways to win games and this is what they did somehow.

Next Games
Geelong: Bye, Sydney Swans (Skilled), Collingwood (MCG)

Race for the Top 8 Ladder after Round 21

I have kept North and Fremantle on the list thanks to Sydney.

Round 21 Pub Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday or as some of our readers prefer the pub talk. Whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. This weekend all the talk has been about whether we should have a relegation and two leagues to ensure we do not see the Port Adelaide smashings anymore. To me its a load of crap! West Coast and the Bulldogs are the perfect example of how much a teams chances can change from one season to another. Mick Malthouse should just focus on his side and after his coaching career he worry about the politics of the game.
2. Injuries are starting to take their tole. Collingwood, Hawthorn and West Coast have used between 32 and 34 players each but other teams like Fremantle and Essendon only are able to choose a 22 side from 24-26 – Is it due to the sub rule or just the fastness of the game?
3. I get the feeling I should change the pub talk discussion to the Weekly Umpire Rant as they again screw up several decisions… Even Robert Walls blasted them in a moment of sanity from his normal ramblings and should I even mention the decision to report Chris Tarrent for his perfect legal bump on Kosi?
4. If Nick Maxwell wasn’t captain would he still be in the side? While he is a great on field leader can Collingwood afford to carry him?
5. Where does Adam Goodes hanger count compared to this year?
6. Is Sydney loosing a good thing for AFL? Their shock loss sees Fremantle and North Melbourne still within a small chance of making the finals at their expense.
7. Do players really get that stale when playing under the same coach? Bailey and Craig looked to have lost their players and while not world beaters under their new coaches they look competitive against top sides.

AFL maybe these new teams are NOT a good idea as are floggings really going to draw people to the game?

Adam McPhee ate his angry pills as he smacked Gilbert in the jaw with an erate elbow but his energy was welcoming in a struggling Fremantle side

St Kilda defeated Fremantle by 41 points

Fremantle had the pace and St Kilda had the experience and hard bodied bodies, St Kilda won the first quarter but were wasteful – this allowed Fremantle to get back into the game by opening the game up to use their pace. However with the game to be won, Fremantle lost it and maybe the injuries have finally caught up but Matthew Pavlich is struggling for any impact when his team needs him.

While Adam McPhee will get at least three weeks for his elbow I liked how he throw his body (and elbow) around to provide a useful forward target something Keplar Bradley and Jack Anthony has not managed to do. Chris Mayne playing on Brendon Goddard was nearly a match winning move, too often he plays free and while he is talented I doubt he will become a true A grader until he learns how to play defense properly – Defend first and attack second!

While Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo and Brendon Goddard are back in form it is the form of Ben McEvoy, David Armitage, Jack Steven, Dean Polo and Brett Peake that are the reason why they are back in the top 8.

Next Four
St Kilda: Collingwood (ES), Sydney Swans (ANZ), North Melbourne (ES), Carlton (MCG)
Fremantle: Carlton (PS), Kangaroos (ES), Collingwood (PS), Western Bulldogs (ES)

Geelong defeated Gold Coast by 150 points

Man four general bye’s in a row is a bonus for this years challenger, last week they sacked Melbourne’s coach, this week they did not get out of second gear to wipe the floor with the new kids and then next week they travel to AAMI to get Adelaide back to what their used to – a loss!

Stevie J was back to his normal self for the second week in a row – Gary Ablett who?

Next Four
Geelong: Adelaide (AAMI), Bye, Sydney Swans (Skilled), Collingwood (MCG)

Carlton defeated Melbourne by 76 points

Melbourne are struggling, while they put up a fight for a quarter and could have even had the lead if they kicked straight. After that it was all downhill from there with injuries and Carlton kicking 11 straight goals to open up a huge lead. It is no wonder Todd Viney does not want to coach!

When this game comes around in Brownlow medal time – you will again hear those words from Andrew Demetriou “3 Votes C Judd”.

Next Four
Carlton: Fremantle (PS), Hawthorn (ES), bye, St Kilda (MCG)

Essendon defeated Sydney by 1 point

Some call it the game of the round which is fair enough seeing the rest of the games were washouts but game of the season? That is an extreme over exaggeration… If Adam Goodes had kicked his two goals which he would do 9 out of ten times and if that stupid umpire decision for a rushed behind was not payed, it would be a different story. Yes in all close games we look at the ifs and buts but why oh why do umpires keep making 50/50 decisions when it matters?

Adam Goodes miss kicks aside, was the best player of the game but the inclusions of Watson and Fletcher were very influential to see Essendons up and down year continue.

Next Four
Essendon: Western Bulldogs (ES), West Coast (PS), Port Adelaide (ES), bye
Sydney: Richmond (MCG), St Kilda (ANZ), Geelong (Skilled Stadium), Brisbane Lions (SCG)

Collingwood defeated Port Adelaide by 138 points

Port Adelaide is a basket case and while you can see promise with West Coast in 2010 and Brisbane/ Adelaide this year – I cannot see it with Port. Yes Ben Jacobs and Jasper Pittard are promising but apart from Hamish Hartlett and to a lesser extent Travis Boak what else is there?

I am loving the battle between the small forwards Jarryd Blair and Alex Fasolo down at Collingwood – is there enough room for both of them and Andrew Krakeour come finals time? Especially with Alan Didak back after his calf complaint – guess only time will tell!

Next Four
Collingwood: St Kilda (PS), Brisbane (MCG), Fremantle (PS), Geelong (MCG)

Adelaide defeated Brisbane by 5 points

I was watching this game while having a date with my wife (yes I was focusing on her & the footy second) and left the restaurant at 3/4 time with Brisbane well ahead and then getting to a further 22 point lead midway through the fourth quarter, I thought it was game over. Imagine my surprise when the Crows kicked the final four goals of the match to steal the win. A few things caught my attention in this game: 1) Why did Neil Craig not play Taylor Walker? 2) Where did their heart suddenly come from? and 3) See what happens when you throw things around? Johncock forward – you get results…

The battle between Scott Thompson and Tom Rockliff was the highlight of the game with both of them gathering 30+ possessions, plenty of clearances and quality disposals to their team mates. These guys are quality and A grader midfielders, if they played for a Victorian team they would be super stars.

Hawthorn defeated North Melbourne by 17 points

Lance Franklin was well held by Scott Thompson for three quarters and it meant North was in the game for all but the last 5 minutes of the game and in fact after four consecutive goals from Kangaroos small forward Matt Campbell, the Kangaroos were in front. However some Franklin magic including a check side kick and a 65m bomb saw them sneak away for a win. This loss hurts North Melbourne as they are running out of games to sneak into the top four.

Todd Goldstein is definitely the second best and arguably the best ruckmen for 2011 however when it started to rain his dominate display waned a little which did  not help the Kangaroos midfield. Sam Mitchell was the other influential player with another 30+ possession game – I think he will join Chris Grant and others as players who loose the Brownlow medal because of a crap tribunal suspension.

Next Four
Hawthorn: Port Adelaide (MCG), Carlton (ES), Western Bulldogs (MCG), Gold Coast (AM)
North Melbourne: bye, Fremantle (ES), St Kilda (ES), Richmond (ES)

West Coast defeated Richmond by 57 points

Richmond had a good first quarter but apart from that and a mini Riewoldt show case in the last 5 minutes of the third term it was all West Coast. Last week Dean Cox was the match winner in the ruck but with some dodgy ribs it was left up to Nic Naitanui and Quinten Lynch. They lead the ruck and gave their midfield of Daniel Kerr (34 possessions), Luke Shuey (30 possessions and 7 clearances) and Andrew Gaff (29 possessions) an armchair ride. Richmond is correct, they do need a descent ruck.

Jack Riewoldt was well beaten by Darren Glass however after his third quarter, he looks to now be over his ‘form/ injury slump’. Even with Dean Cox struggling and Josh Kennedy out with his eye, West Cost got 14 goals out of Mark Nicoski, Brad Ebert and Jack Darling.

Next Four
West Coast: Melbourne (ES), Essendon (PS), Brisbane (GABBA), Adelaide (PS)

Race for the Top 8 Ladder after Round 20

Fair to remove Melbourne from the list of having a chance to reach the finals?

Round 20 Pub Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday or as some of our readers prefer the pub talk. Whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. Who will win the NAB Rising Star Award for 2011? My pre season prediction was Luke Shuey and I think its fair enough to say its between him and Dyson Heppell so who wins it? Dyson will win his clubs B&F and Luke will also be in the top three for WCE. However Dyson is in his first year while Luke is in his 3rd, however Luke is playing in the middle of the ground while Dyson is playing loose in defense, for me its Luke Shuey but I am bias… Who do you think?
2. Daisy Thomas has not signed and from reports is not close to signing – is this a worry for Collingwood? For the sake of all non-Collingwood supporters I hope he does move!
3. Where will Neil Craig be in 2012? Back at Adelaide or some other club like Brisbane? Brisbane would be an awesome choice for Michael Voss…
4. Is there reason to be concerned with the margins of the games and the difference between the top teams and the others?
5. Ok Melbourne have a culture problem so how do we fix it? Why do their tough nuts Tapscot, Sylvia and Moloney struggle in tough games? Also why are top five picks Morton and Sylvia and the exciting Jurrah playing in the seconds?
6. Are Fremantle cooked? Have the injuries finally caught up with them? Can they or even North sneak into the final 8?
7. Are Sydney the biggest danger of missing out of the top 8? They have five losses in seven games, ahead of Essendon by percentage only and have tough games against St Kilda and Geelong in their last month of footy.
8. Was the rushed behind decision the right decision in the Sydney/ Essendon game?
9. I really like Mick Malthouse’s strategy of not leaving his players in the VFL, I wonder why no other club does the same or is it just because they are that ahead of everyone else?
10. Have the two wins by Mark Bickley seen him given first option at the Adelaide coaching gig or would someone like Mark Neeld (Mick Malthouses right hand man) be the best option or would him not being an Adelaide man count against him?
11. Who is the best ruckmen for 2011? Dean Cox or Todd Goldstein?

Carlton made North Melbourne’s Finals Hopes Harder

North Melbourne are not far away from being a realistic finals hope – they have one of the top five ruckmen in the competition, a midfield stocked with in and unders and with Wells and Bastinac they have some much needed run and polish. Their defense and forward line is ok and have enough promise to build on. In today’s AFL you only need to be down 5% and you will struggle which Carlton did with some inaccurate kicking – it was like the finger in the dyke story we all heard as a kid, the dam wall finally broke down in the last quarter.

Bryce Gibbs again played forward (which continues to surprise me) but he was the difference so maybe Ratten knows something I do not (which is more than likely). What ever was the reason he has made some brilliant moves in 2011 (Walker forward, Yarren back etc) and this Gibbs forward move paid off as he was BOG with 20 possessions and four goals.

Hawthorn defeated Fremantle in the so called match of the round which became a good old fashion water polo battle

Next four
Carlton: Melbourne (MCG), Fremantle (PS), Hawthorn (ES), bye
North Melbourne: Hawthorn (AU), bye, Fremantle (ES), St Kilda (ES)

Geelong ended Bailey’s Coaching Career

Lets face it, Dean Bailey is gone – he outlasted Neil Craig by one week but a 186 point loss surely will see see an end to his career as a coach at Melbourne. However lets face it, Bailey is not the only one that should be blamed. Recruiting is poor, development of the players is poor and the so called leaders cannot lead a dog out of a plastic bag.

Ok lets focus on the records:

• It was Geelongs 28th consecutive victory at their home ground.
• Second biggest loosing margin (Melbourne also hold the first)
• 14 Geelong players kicked a goal.
• It was Geelongs biggest winning margin.
• The Cats’ score was the fourth-highest in the competition’s history.
• They kicked the equal highest amount of goals in a game.

Tom Hawkins has found form, add Stevie Johnson’s 7 goals and Cam Mooney kicking five the forward line question marks look to be answered. However what I liked was Geelongs killer instinct has been renewed – so often they blow a game out by 10 goals by half time and then coast for the second half.

The next four
Geelong: Gold Coast (Skilled), Adelaide (AAMI), Bye, Sydney Swans (Skilled)
Melbourne: Carlton (MCG), West Coast (ES), Richmond (MCG), Gold Coast (MCG)

West Coast ended Western Bulldogs Final 8 chance

This ended up being the match of the round thanks to West Coast suffering yet another 3rd quarter fade out and the Dogs desperately trying to keep their season alive. I have commented below in the pub talk about the umpiring decisions however I am just thankful that both teams benefited from crap decisions which ended in goals so it did not ‘rob’ a team of the result.

Dean Cox was magnificent – he has been maligned about his contested marking however two great pack contested marks in the last 5 minutes at both ends ensured he made up for his whack on Josh Kennedy. Andrew Gaff had another great game with 31 possessions and two goals – he and Alex Fasolo will be fighting out for this weekends NAB Rising Star Award.

Some of the battles were amazing to watch – Barry Hall and Eric MacKenzie, Matthew Priddis and Matthew Boyd and Daniel Cross and Andrew Embley.

The next four
West Coast: Richmond (PS), Melbourne (ES), Essendon (PS), Brisbane (GABBA)
Western Bulldogs: Bye, Essendon (ES), Port Adelaide (AAMI), Hawthorn (MCG)

St Kilda Cemented their Top 8 spot over an Inaccurate Gold Coast

I am unsure if this win would make coach Ross Lyon happy, yes it was a comfortable win  but only based on Gold Coast inability to kick straight, it has not been the first time either. Gold Coast kicked 2.7 in the second quarter and dominated the inside 50m’s (21-12) yet where still behind the Saints – they can get the ball but with a young forward line they are struggling to kick a winning score.

The next four
St Kilda: Fremantle (ES), Collingwood (ES); Sydney Swans (ANZ); North Melbourne (ES)
Gold Coast: Geelong (Skilled), Brisbane (Gabba), Adelaide (Metricon), Melbourne (MCG)

Hawthorn washed away a woeful Fremantle

With Hodge out and Franklin held goalless you would think this would have been the perfect opportunity for them to shore up a top 8 spot but they were woeful and apart from the last quarter they could not kick a goal to save their lives. Fremantle are really struggling, it is like the one point loss against West Coast in round 18 took the fight out of them for 2011. They need to be careful as they could really bottom out as the long season continues.

Hawthorn on the other hand played wet football much smarter – they moved the ball on at all costs which ensured they kicked regular goals where Fremantle could not even get the ball into their forward 50 for much of the game – let alone kick a goal.

The next four
Fremantle: St Kilda (ES), Carlton (PS), Kangaroos (ES), Collingwood (PS)
Hawthorn: North Melbourne (AU), Port Adelaide (MCG), Carlton (ES), Western Bulldogs (MCG)

Collingwood smashed Essendon after a Head Start

I came in late to watch this game and I was blown away to see the Dons 30 odd points ahead half way through the second quarter, its like Collingwood set themself a challenge and said to them, “you can have a 6 goal head start and lets see if we can catch up”. Loosing Brent Prismall and Travis Colyer before quarter time hurt as Essendons rotations became lower while Collingwoods stayed at their usual high amounts.

Paddy Ryder was started down back at the start of his career and with three ruckmen playing something had to change and James Hird took a leaf out Sheedy’s book and played him on the danger man Travis Cloke. Paddy IMO won the battle and it was not until the match was well won did Travis mark a ball and kick goals.

When Essendon finally got the ball into their forward 50, they scored but the trick is getting it into there – they really need to recruit/ draft/ produce quality midfielders not back/ forward flankers. I suggest they use some of their quality talls as trade bait for the GWS live auction.

The next four
Collingwood: Port Adelaide (AAMI), St Kilda (PS), Brisbane (MCG), Fremantle (PS)
Essendon: Sydney (ES), Western Bulldogs (ES), West Coast (PS), Port Adelaide (ES)

Adelaide defeated Port Adelaide

Yes there was another game on featuring these two cellar dweller teams, I doubt even any Dreamteamers bothered following this game with no league matches on. However while the rest of us may have not cared – it mattered for the Crow eaters of SA and the result saw Mark Bickley win his first match and Port Adelaide almost guaranteed the wooden spoon for 2011.

Interesting to see Taylor Walker and Bernie Vince who were out of favour by Craig play influential games – Now IMO Adelaide can focus on keeping these kids who will be targeted by other clubs. The other move was play Dangerfield in the midfield, about time!

Ports coach said his side is not up to AFL standard, is he on the money or should he just keep the faith and continue to play the kids as in looking at West Coast between 2010 and 2011, things can change quickly.

The fight for the Top 8 after Round 18

I have wiped off the Dogs as finalist chances, tough or do they still have a chance?

Round 19 Pub Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday or as some of our readers prefer the pub talk. Whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. Razor Ray Chamberlain and Stephen McBurney need to go! I have never ever singled out an umpire by name before but I have had it up to here (jumps above my head) with these idiots… Yes I know treat umpires with respect but how can you treat anyone with respect when they make up rules and take it upon themselves to ruin a game? Something needs to change.
2. Which result from the weekend do you think has the biggest outcome for the season? Was it Fremantle getting smashed or North loosing? For me it was Fremantle, they needed that win as they IMO have the toughest draw.
3. Where does Drew Petrie’s mark rate for this years Mark of the Year?
4. Is it bad taste to see milestone players get the vest? Friday night saw Ryan Houlihan start with the vest and a few weeks ago, we saw Mark Nicoski get the red vest in his 100th.
5. Are West Coasts third quarter fade outs an issue? For me it is but at the same time, I know for a fact West Coast do not see themselves as a top four side – yet! So being in a winning situation in every game bar one means they are over achieving at the moment.
6. Who will win the Round 19 NAB Rising Star Award? Andrew Gaff or Alex Fasolo? Last week Jimmy Bartel talked up Christensen and Mark Nicoski has now done it for Gaff – is this the new method to ensure your team mate gets the award seeing no one knows how they vote for the award?
7. In watching the Essendon game, again I am concerned that while the sub rule means if you loose one player you might be ok but if you loose two? Its game over – you might as well blow the whistle then and there.
8. Is Mark Bickley a smoky to take over the Adelaide job with everyone else seemingly not being interested? Is Rodney Eade really interested or is he just up-marketing his price by pretending to be?
9. Ports coach said his side is not up to AFL standard, is he on the money or should he just keep the faith and continue to play the kids?

St Kilda smashed Adelaide by 103 points

We all knew Adelaide were useless but a 100+ point margin to a 8th side? This is Adelaide’s lowest score in 480 games they have played.

Andrew Walker takes a mark to remember which he has been threatening to do for a number of years! It was so good that even the Essendon crowd got excited.

• Should Neil Craig be sacked or at least given to the rest of the year? & if he is to go (which he should) who will replace him? Also how will they handle him being a part of the staff? Can it work with him still in the club? If this was a Victorian club would we be talking about it more?
• St Kilda have run into some great form and if Carlton finish 5th would they like their chances against them?
• St Kilda and Adelaide had similar numbers for the contested ball but the huge difference was the uncontested ball which meant that St Kilda ran harder.
• Adelaide is the only team that has not won an away match.
• St Kilda’s stars are now in form with good weeks behind them.

St Kilda’s next four: Gold Coast (MS), Fremantle (ES), Collingwood (ES), Sydney Swans (ANZ).

North Melbourne keep their final 8 chance alive by defeating Brisbane by 45 points

Brisbane suck but at least they do not loose by huge margins and they fight it out for most of the match. You can build a team on that effort.

• Drew Petrie is back! He runs all day like Nick Riewoldt, takes pack marks like Wayne Carey but kicks like Barry Crocker – if he played for a big named team, he would be a star.
• Andrew Raines played well on Daniel Wells but 2011 is the new Wells where instead of sulking he runs hard and blew Andrew away late in the game.
• It was good to watch the two teams clearance players in Black, Redden and Rockliff against Swallow and Ziebell.
• Bastinac had a late start of the season but he is making up for it at the moment.
• I enjoyed the battle between Goldstein and Leuenberger, Goldstein got the  nod between their battle with his two goals.

North Melbourne’s next four: Carlton (Etihad Stadium), Hawthorn (Aurora Stadium), bye, Fremantle (Etihad Stadium)

Sydney ruined Western Bulldogs final 8 chances by 39 points

Sydney’s midfield totally smashed the Dogs midfield – Adam Cooney is still struggling with fitness and maybe its time he takes the rest of the year off to get his body right for 2012.

• Only the Swans inaccurate kicking and Barry Hall kept the Dogs in the game for so long.
• The Dogs only had two players gather more than 20 possessions while the Swans had nine including their ruckman Mumford.
• The Swans have been in a mini slump with some disappointing losses but this is a big win which sees them back at 6th where a loss would have see them 9th.

Sydney Swans next four: Bye, Essendon (ES), Richmond (MCG), St Kilda (ANZ)

Carlton smashed Essendon by 74 points

Forgot Andrew Krakeour and Pettards mark, it is now between Andrew Walker and Nic Nats… Andrews was one on one which looks so much more classier but is it better than a pack mark?

• It was a case of Essendons tall forward line against the smalls of Carlton. While the game was even at half time you just knew Essendon were only just hanging in there until a blistering third quarter by Carlton.
• Judd resting up forward is the best thing that has come out of the interchange rule.
• Curious that they have played Bryce Gibbs up forward again for the second week in a row.
• We have seen the small men kick goals this weekend and Travis Colyer’s and Eddie Betts boundary line goals were amazing to watch.
• Essendons Carlisle was on the step ladder side of the mark of the year but he himself took some solid marks which sees Gumbleton’s standing slip – surely he is trade bait to GWS.

Essendon’s next four: Collingwood (MCG), Sydney Swans (Etihad), Western Bulldogs (Etihad), West Coast (Patersons)
Carlton’s next four: North Melbourne (Etihad), Melbourne (MCG), Fremantle (Patersons), Hawthorn (Etihad)

Collingwood cruised to a 54 point win over Gold Coast

We all knew it was going to be a cake walk but is a 9 goal victory a win for the Gold Coast?

• The cannon Trent McKenzie continues to shin with his foot – he has been one of the finds of the season.
• Malthouse said the even second half was more due to the Suns’ persistence than his team taking its foot off the pedal but I think its because its hard to keep the foot on the throat all the time.
• I am sure it was a nice mid season break for the magpies where they get to go get some sun in the middle of the cold winter, oh some teams have the life.
• The usual suspects for Collingwood saw Scott Pendlebury (34 disposals), Dane Swan (31) and Luke Ball (27) dominate the midfield.
• Nathan Bock had a great battle with Travis Cloke.

Collingwood’s next four: Essendon (MCG); Port Adelaide (AAMI Stadium); St Kilda (Etihad Stadium); Brisbane Lions (MCG)

Geelong cruised to defeat Richmond by 62 points

Geelong smashed the Tigers in the second quarter after a tight first quarter which saw them goalless and staring down at another luckless Richmond loss we are all accustom to.

• Note to everyone include Steve Johnson in your Dreamteam for next week after withdrawn and tweeting “Sorry to the supercoach or dreamteam managers if u had me!” and “Not allowed to give selection info out. Will make up for it hopefully next week!” – classic!
• While they sucked in the first half Richmond played better in the second half.
• Geelong suffered some injuries with the jPod, Stokes and Byrnes all struggling with niggles.
• Hawkins is slowly getting into some form which could be a good thing if the jPod’s face is injured.
• Richmond had their own concerns with Newman and Batchelor injured which saw Richmond playing one short from quarter time onwards.

Geelong’s next four: Melbourne (Skilled Stadium); Gold Coast (Skilled Stadium); Adelaide (AAMI Stadium); bye

Hawthorn easily accounted for Melbourne by 54 points

Unsure how the AFL website can call it “Heroic Hawks”, Melbourne are a rabble and hardly challenged them all game. Seems that we all are grasping at straws that someone will challenge the Magpies for the 2011 premiership.

• Sam Mitchell has collected 30 or more possessions for 7 times in a row.
• Melbourne had less than 300 possessions which in these days is simply not enough – especially when the other side gathered over 400.
• Lance Franklin kicked five as he takes the lead from Jack Riewoldt, Lance is on 51 and Jack is one behind on 50 and is struggling at the moment.
• I very much doubt Melbourne have a chance to make the finals with three matches against top 5 sides in the next month.

Hawthorn’s next four: Fremantle (Patersons), North Melbourne (Tasmania), Port Adelaide (MCG), Carlton (Eithad)
Melbourne’s next four: Geelong (Skilled Stadium), Carlton (MCG), West Coast (Eithad Stadium), Richmond (MCG)

West Coast defeated Fremantle in a cliff hanger by 1 point

This was a dour match where no one stepped up to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and take it on. West Coasts bad goal kicking (including 10 shots in the third quarter for 7 behinds) and two 50m penalty’s to Zac Clarke (plus another to Nat Fyfe) kept Freo in the game but with 6 more scoring shots the margin should have been larger and WCE can be considered lucky to get away with the win with Ballantyne having the last shot at goal.

• In the third quarter Hayden Ballantyne dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes and was told by the umpire to “stand up” – about time they cottoned on to his antics.
• I called for someone to step up on twitter and Beau Waters must’ve had his phone on as he stepped under a high ball and was cannoned into and he bounced straight up – Worsfold and Jon Brown would be proud.
• Zac Clarke looks, plays and runs like a spud but he played his best game especially when he had to carry the ruck division on his own from half way through the 3rd quarter.
• West Coasts forward line off Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras looked the most dangerous with a combined 5.6 while Ballatyne, McPhee & Mayne only combined for 3.4.
• Matthew Pavlich probably had his quiet-ish and ineffective game for a long time but he was not the only one.

West Coasts next four: Western Bulldogs (Eithad Stadium), Richmond (Patersons), Melbourne (Eithad Stadium), Essendon (Patersons)
Fremantle’s next four: Hawthorn (Patersons), St Kilda (Eithad Stadium), Carlton (Patersons), North Melbourne (Eithad)

The fight for the Top 8 after Round 18

I have wiped off the Dogs as finalist chances, tough or do they still have a chance?

Round 18 Water Cooler Talk

This is the part that everyone loves some may call it the water cooler talk on a Monday but whatever we love the banter, me shouting my big mouth off & pretending I know what I am talking about. So the way this works, is I give you some things I found interesting from the weekend and you tell me what you think.

1. Should Neil Craig be sacked or at least given to the rest of the year? & if he is to go (which he should) who will replace him? Also how will they handle him being a part of the staff? Can it work with him still in the club? If this was a Victorian club would we be talking about it more?
2. Will Carlton get the double with Andrew Walker and Eddie Betts getting the mark and goal of the year?
3. Are the wheels falling off for Collingwood with the coaching saga and now a thigh injury to Dale Thomas? Or like me you get the feeling we are just grasping at straws?
4. Chris Judd for a 3rd Brownlow? Is it a forgone conclusion? Who else could take it off him?
5. Were we all fooled by Essendons form? My money is on them not winning any of their next four games, what about you?
6. Is Gary Ablett jnr a better player after going to Gold Coast?
7. Is Lance Franklin a certainty for the Coleman medal?
8. It is becoming a weekly question after each round but who is out of the top 8 fight after round 18? Who were the big winners from the weekend?
9. Umpires paying deliberate out of bounds 2 seconds left is a bit hard. In the last 5 minutes of the Freo/ WCE game the umpires were red hot and payed lots of free kicks! Umpires let the game flow and go, idiots!