The Tackle: Essendon’s midfield finally erupts but we’ve been sucked in by the Dockers
THE TACKLE: LYNDEN Dunn’s courage, Essendon’s rampant midfield, a resurgent Blues and St Kilda’s slump. Mark Robinson has revealed his likes and dislikes. TELL HIM WHAT YOU THINK
Mark Robinson
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MARK Robinson has seen enough of Robbie Gray’s staging for free kicks and says we’ve been sucked in by the Dockers.
But he’s a big fan of the Bombers and Brisbane skipper Dayne Beams.
SCROLL DOWN TO REPLAY ROBBO’S LIVE Q&A
Read all the Round 12 likes and dislikes here.
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WHAT I LIKE
1. LYNDEN DUNN’S COURAGE
What a courageous act from Magpie Lynden Dunn to knowingly put his body on the line in the final quarter. He was crunched by Mitch Hannan and left the ground to applause from both sets of supporters. Footy at its best.
2. MELKSHAM’S JOB ON PENDLEBURY
Tagging is back, with Melksham influential for the Dees. The Pies’ skipper was better than average but didn’t have his usual impact. The Dees always have a plan for Pendles. Usually it is Bernie Vince with the job on him and Monday it was Melksham. It paid off.
3. FINALLY THE MIDFIELD ERUPTS.
It has dominated the ‘‘dislikes’’ this season and the Bombers midfield is still ranked 17th for inside-50 differential and 17th for clearance differential, but from what we saw on Saturday night it is capable of being ranked No.1. Where has it been all season? Jobe Watson played his best game of the year and had terrific support from Zach Merrett, David Zaharakis, Dyson Heppell, Brendon Goddard and Travis Colyer. It’s a positive also, that all bar Zaharakis kicked a goal. Everything clicked. They won the contested possession count by 11 and won the inside-50 count by 16, just the second time they have won the count this year. Two monster stats stood out. The Bombers scored 117 points from turnovers, their fourth most ever in a game, and they generated 12 shots at goal from chains starting in the defensive 50, their most in a game since 2007 when Kevin Sheedy was coaching.
3. SO, WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE?
To borrow a word from Ross Lyon, the Bombers midfield has been obliterated this season. It has had too many inconsequential disposals and has not threatened with the ball. Against Port Adelaide, five midfielders had double-digit score involvements — Merrett, Goddard, Heppell, Zaharakis and Colyer — and they didn’t give their opponents time to breathe. The use of Heppell was a change up as well. According to Champion Data, the skipper played 51 per cent midfield, 43 per cent forward, six per cent defence and still managed 34 disposals. It looked like Port had no idea where he was playing and who was accountable for him.
4. BOY OH BOY, THE BLUES.
The big blokes led the way and the small blokes were relentless with their intent. Matty Kreuzer was superb in the ruck in his 150th match and Liam Jones was superb in his renaissance match at full-back. They are building the Blues and Sunday night’s win might just be the best under Brendon Bolton. Best or not, it builds belief internally and within the fans who see a team able to stop the opposition and getting better at scoring. Be a nice day to be a Blues supporter. By the way, any danger an opposition team can put time into Sam Docherty?
5. IT’S A MIDFIELD LOVE-IN.
The opposition was pitiful, but like Essendon, Brisbane finally dominated. The Lions won contested footy by 28 — their biggest differential since 2015 — and won time in forward half by 14 minutes, just the second time they have won that stat this season. Captain Dayne Beams is a superstar and as always happens in a poor-performing team, he is underrated. He is one of five midfielders to average 25-plus disposals and one goal per game. The other four are Patrick Dangerfield, Dustin Martin, Dayne Zorko and Nathan Jones.
6. RICHARD DOUGLAS.
Probably the fifth wheel behind Rory Sloane, the Crouch brothers and Sammy Jacobs in the Adelaide midfield but he remains important for the Crows. It was line-up for the pill on Friday night against St Kilda and Douglas was the ideal link-man. He finished with 28 disposals (he is averaging 22 a game this season) and six inside-50s. Reckon that will get him coaches votes behind Jacobs, Rory Laird and Jake Lever, who has been likened to Alex Rance at the same age.
7. STEVEN MAY.
Strong word is the co-captain will re-commit to Gold Coast and his post-match interview with Fox Footy’s Ben Dixon gave every indication he is invested in educating his young team, in particular his young defenders. Gazza was dominant — and is a smoky for the Brownlow — but it was May who was commanding at the back. He had 24 disposals, took 13 marks and is worth every cent of $800,000, if that’s his asking price. It was said May wanted to see how the team performed this season and after consecutive wins over West Coast and Hawthorn, finals are not beyond the Suns.
8. SYDNEY DISMANTLES THE BULLDOGS.
A powerhouse display that leaves the Swans a chance to play finals and leaves the Bulldogs scrapping for answers. It was the mids again — Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery, Jake Lloyd and best afield Isaac Heeney — who helped keep the Bulldogs to 39 inside-50s. There are issues at the Dogs revolving around form and injuries. But most damning is that for the first time in memory the Dogs didn’t want the contested ball or outnumber their opponents. Next week’s clash with Melbourne looms as season-defining.
9. MAKING BACK FLANKERS ACCOUNTABLE.
On Thursday night Sydney made a mess of Jason Johannisen, prompting former Swans coach Paul Roos to declare Johannisen wasn’t worth $800,000, which is understood to be Johannisen’s asking price for his new contract. Johannisen was tagged by George Hewett for 67 minutes and had just five disposals in that time. On Saturday night the Bombers’ plan to stifle Port’s prolific running defender Jasper Pittard worked a treat. Pittard had Josh Green and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti for 58 minutes as opponents and had just seven disposals. Funny that teams don’t tag midfielders, but will tag dangerous half-back flankers.
WHAT I DON’T LIKE
1. MAGPIE FRUSTRATION
We’ve detailed the turnaround in the midfield, but a good team doesn’t just give up five goals like the Pies did in the third quarter. Melbourne lifted and Collingwood faltered. The Pies responded in the final term, but they didn’t have the match-winners that Melbourne possessed.
2. THE SLOPPINESS OF BOTH TEAMS
Both coaches would have been smacking the desk at different times. The Pies turning it over in the back half would have infuriated Nathan Buckley. Equally, Simon Goodwin would have been furious at the amount of chances his side blew in the first term.
3. ST KILDA
Talked tough again and failed again. The Saints have quickly become pretenders and have lost three in a row to Sydney, Western Bulldogs and Adelaide. They are decent sides, but it’s always how you lose. Not often you can question their pressure and intent, but when it’s below their standard of 186 (it was 172 against the Crows), it’s difficult to see what their next weapon is. If the pressure doesn’t keep the ball inside, they are creamed on the outside. Ball use is an issue (Jack Steven went at 31 per cent kicking efficiency, Seb Ross at 53 per cent) and, really, what is St Kilda’s brand besides pressure. The blue collar Saints desperately need elite ball users.
4. HAWTHORN
Same old story for the Hawks, losing the contested footy by 33 to a team who jumped at shadows against Port Adelaide in China (Round 8) and for a half against Melbourne (Round 10). While most opposition teams put a premium on contested ball, the Hawks’ situation is getting bewildering. Since last season Hawthorn has lost the contested ball count by an average 18.8 per game, six more than the next worst side Brisbane, which has won just five games from its past 33.
4. A BROKEN RECORD
If Ross Lyon has said it once this year, he’s said it five times. “It’s not what we want to stand for.’’ Well, they are standing for it because the Dockers are playing pitiful football. We’ve been sucked in by the Dockers but percentage never lies. At 6-3, and after winning six of their past seven matches, Fremantle had the worst percentage ever by a side with a 6-3 win/loss record. Then came the past three weeks which has seen the team lose to Adelaide (100 points), Collingwood (20 points) and Brisbane (57 points).
5. ROBBIE GRAY ACTING
We accept Ken Hinkley’s explanation that his champion forward is not injured, but it is difficult to accept Gray playing for free kicks. It’s as though the umpire has become equally as important as the football as Gray tries to win the ball. He throws his arms in the air too often and flops forward when tackled. At one stage in the second quarter on Saturday night he chose to appeal to the umpire for a free kick and not chase the ball. Gray played too cute when all he had to do was play the ball. Gray kicked three goals from 14 disposals, but they were junk goals from a junk performance.
6. THE BOOING
Kudos to Ken Hinkley for pouring water on a potentially inflammatory situation when Essendon fans booed Paddy Ryder. Hinkley said it was a part of the game when a player leaves one club for another and the two clubs meet. Those asking what’s the difference between the booing of Adam Goodes and the booing of Ryder need not ask the question. The difference was a combination of race and Goodes’ on-field antics.
7. UMPIRE BASHING
Alastair Clarkson labelled an umpiring decision on Saturday disgraceful and although that lacked leadership, his apology on Sunday helped make amends. The AFL will still send a please explain and will likely follow it with a fine. Clarkson tried to laugh off a question in the post-match about a decision late in the game which might or not might have been there. It didn’t work and maybe has to learn from Geelong coach Chris Scott who, when miffed with the umpires, gets his point across with a lot more subtlety. Clarkson is the most successful coach of his generation, but that doesn’t mean he has a free-for-all to abuse the umpires.
8. NO RESPONSE FROM JOEY
St Kilda veteran Leigh Montagna was harpooned by Dermott Brereton in Friday’s Herald Sun and took it personally. But he botched the opportunity to silence the growing number of critics with a poor performance against Adelaide. It would appear the wheel has turned negatively for Montagna who, after 281 games, might have thought the good would outweigh the bad as his career nears its end. Hate it when champs get smashed near the end.
9. INJURIES
Disappointing for Brett Deledio and Marcus Adams. The Bulldog defender may miss the remainder of the season with Lisfranc injury which a big blow to the club’s premiership defence. Deledio’s injury to the good calf is a major blow and as we stand here today, his recruitment looks a bust for GWS. He will need everything to go right for him to have a run at it. Getting match fitness will require a month at least.
Originally published as The Tackle: Essendon’s midfield finally erupts but we’ve been sucked in by the Dockers
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