The Tackle: Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson nominates his likes and dislikes from Round 18
HERALD Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson nominates his likes and dislikes from Round 18 + top tweets and live chat from 11.30am.
LIKES
1. All Australian defenders. The Crows have two strong contenders: Daniel Talia and Brodie Smith. Both were exceptional yesterday, although the Pies might not a agree with the manhandling of Travis Cloke. Outside of that, Talia continues to build a reputation as a superstar stopper. Smith is known for his run and excellent use of the ball — he had 24 disposals yesterday at 100 per cent efficiency including seven rebound 50s — and also showed yesterday he is fearless. He ran back with the flight of the ball and marked it, which means he has speed, skill and courage which makes him a star in the making.
The Tackle- Pies, simply not good enough
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2. Hawthorn. Confess to having accused the Hawks of being vulnerable a month ago and now truly amazed at the club’s ability to keep finding. Did it again during the third-quarter when almost four goals down. Call it whatever you like, spirit, self belief, leadership, but the Hawks have an abundance of all of them. It starts with Hodge and Mitchell, Roughead was huge, and it goes all the way through to Puopolo’s ferocity and Langford’s doggedness.
3. Anthony Miles. Interesting question. One is predominantly a runner who doesn’t get it enough and the other is tireless in pursuit of the ball and averages about 25 disposals in his seven games. I’d take Miles. He has more influence on games than Scully. His numbers against the Eagles were 21 touches, a game-high 15 of them were contested, six tackles and nine clearances. He’s given the Tigers more intensity in the middle, which has helped relieve the demands on Cotchin and Martin.
4. Justin Leppitsch. Can wax lyrical about Rockliff and Hanley — they had 92 touches, 15 tackles and 20 clearances between and, Gold Coast, they were wearing No. 38 and No. 11 — but there’s a bigger story growing in Brisbane. We still don’t really know what happened with Michael Voss and the board and the players, but that ain’t Leppitsch’s problem. Since Round 11 the Lions have won four and lost four, and all four wins were against teams higher on the ladder. Leppitsch has played the kids and they have responded in an unpredictable market place, fans need a reason to go the footy. Rockliff, Pearce, Zorko, Lewis, Mayes, Aish, Crisp and Green is reason enough. Now, what to do about the $12.5 million debt ...
5. Staunch Dimma. Has been belted around the ears for his response to the Tyrone Vickery incident, but can understand Hardwick’s position. Vickery would always be criticised, so Hardwick did what a coach should do and club should do: Support your man. Hardwick knows his player will be suspended and he knows it was a nasty hit, yet he doesn’t — and shouldn’t — join the condemnation. As was said on Saturday, he’s a dick, but he’s our dick.
6. Matthew Priddis. Hunts the ball and sometimes cuts teammates out of the play, but he is a warrior on his way to the club B & F. The conditions welcomed Priddis’ attitude and he finished the game with 18 tackles. Had 30 disposals including nine clearances and eight inside 50s which is just a phenomenal all-round game. For a time, there it seemed every time the umpire called for ball-up it was either Miles or Priddis last up with the ball in hand.
7. Richard Douglas. When Travis Cloke kicked a goal midway through the final quarter to give the Pies a six-point lead, the Crows had to respond. Enter Richard Douglas, the ultimate unsung hero. He won the clearance which got the ball, eventually, into the hands of James Podsiadly who goaled, and then from the next centre bounce, Douglas received off Dangerfield and kicked the goal from 50m. In a tight game, it always boils down to moments and those two were significant.
8. Vossy’s thinking. He suggested last week the man on the mark had to actually stand on the spot where the mark was paid, or where the free kick is paid, and not be able to run left or right to thwart any sideways kicking. It would open up the game, Voss said. Watched all four games at the weekend and didn’t see one player remain on the mark. I like Vossy’s idea. I also like that free kicks for “dragging the ball in” has almost disappeared in the last two weeks.
9. Tackling. West Coast lost the game but it wasn’t through effort. Laid 126 tackles in the miserable conditions which has to be a record. Their problem was the contested ball 186-158, which suggests the Tigers were hungrier for the ball and Eagles were hungry for the man.
DISLIKES
1. Tyrone Vickery. Thug act and Vickery has to live with that for the rest of his career. Allowed vengeance to take control and flushing a bloke on the chin is not an acceptable or a tough response to an elbow in the guts. The popular theory is he’s looking at four or five weeks and not many, if any, would disagree.
2. Gold Coast. You had to see this game to believe the insipid performance of the Suns in the first quarter. It was soul-destroying. The numbers tell the story. Disposals: 123-35. Inside 50s: 22-3. Disposal Efficiency: 66%-39%. Clearances: 18-6. Marks: 22-1. Just one mark is mind-boggling. To compare this game to the Collingwood victory, where they had just 18 players in the final quarter, is like comparing two different sports.
3. Let’s name names. Harley Bennell 14 touches and one tackle. Jarrod Harbrow 11 touches. Luke Russell 12 touches. And what of Zac Smith? How will he explain his lack of effort when he allowed Lewis Taylor to kick a goal while he stood two metres away and watched. It was comical to see in a sport which demands absolute application. Indeed, it was comical to watch the Suns play to be honest. Guy McKenna had two weeks to build confidence and a game plan after the Bulldogs defeat, only for he and his players to dish up that rubbish in the first quarter. Finals is now a fantasy.
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4. Nathan Buckley. It was always coming, when the transition from Mick Malthouse to Nathan Buckley, would be the headlines. And it was always going to come when the Pies were freefalling. The facts are Collingwood are ninth, when both Buckley and chief executive Gary Pert enthused about the team challenging for the flag. Can’t deny them trying to convince the players they are good enough, but with public confidence comes expectation. The Pies are flailing when other teams are building and the spotlight will be on Buckley for sometime yet.
5. Crazy crowds. The raw hatred on the faces of the two West Coast fans who went after Vickery was confronting. It was a dog act, but those two spectators had the potential to extend the incident into another galaxy. Clearly it was a hostile environment, but the game doesn’t need fans believing they form a vigilante group. They should’ve been punted. It’s odd that the 13-year-old girl who racially abused Adam Goodes is marched out by security, but two moron supporters threatening a player gets nothing more than a lettuce slap.
6. Pods’ goalkicking. Can understand the screw kick from near the boundary, but can’t get the head around a screw kick from where Podsiadly kicked it yesterday. He was practically in front — or in front enough to see plenty of room between the sticks — and his screw kick went out of bounds. Have confidence only in Steve Johnson with that kick.
7. Creeping. Pods again and this time he was crammed by three Collingwood players who were practically standing on the mark three metres from where Podsiadly was trying to kick the ball. Pods marked near the point post and while lining up, the Magpies players set up a line in attempt to stop him running around to open the angle. They were far too close and Pods kicked a point. The umpire has to be more assertive and push them back.
8. Happily being wrong. Was wary of the split round disrupting the season’s momentum and then we had the best round of the season. It tells us footy is alive and well and tanking is dead.
9. 4.40pm . It just doesn’t work as a Sunday timeslot in the middle of winter.
TOP TWEETS
@OLoughlinSteve: Like: Rockliff channelling his inner Gazza. Dislike: Collingwood have no brand, no fall back, no presence.
@DomFavata: Like- Tigers winning 5 in a row. Dislike- Tigers winning 5 in a row in June/July.
@Brown44Matt: like- when collingwood lose and eddie goes on TV its fantastic
@aperebus: like the fact I only tipped 3 this week ... Lower teams keeping the faith for the supporters!
@Jonesracing82: dislike = Vickery punching Cox, like = his open apology.
@b0ycee: best rd of the year. Too many likes for 140 words so I’m gonna be typically bias LIKE: TEX, B. SMITH and JACOBS
@brady_parke: Like- Sam Jacobs won 12 of the last 16 hit-outs when the game was in the balance. Dislike- Gold Coast 1st quarter
@Tigerz75: dislike = feral eagle supporter should thrown out don’t need members like that ... Like = Crows fighting back to win
@Lennytalk: dislike that Collingwood coached by one of the most skilled players and have become worst skilled side in comp.
@leannedel: like: Hanley finally getting some recognition and pies out if the 8
@JohnathonLevell: Like: Roughy kicking big goals with game up for grabs. Dislike: Lance in the red and white ... no longer Buddy to Hawk fans
@MatFitz1975: Dislike AFL saying the fans like 4.40pm Sunday games. Dislike Video review. Get HD cams and get serious or get rid of it
@MarkAnd76716189: no more piss-weak excuses from bucks the players done like your game plan and your so called ethos to buy into
@HBNadolny: like: Hawthorn, just pure guts. Dislike: collingwood, not good enough
@Lazlow: L: Nic Nat’s ruck domination. D: West Coast being made to wear away strip at home. Insulting.
@BeccaHayne: L: Victorian fans finally getting a clinker between Hawks and Swans (needed it) D: 4:40 timeslots — kill it ...
@pheebsmullo: like: vickery making a good decision to apologise before tribunal dislike: what’s going on with collingwood?!
@jhanra11: Like: Daniel Talia, crows may have played in a GF in ‘12 if he as in the side. Dislike: push-in-the-back interpretation
@djos77: Like Puopolo Breust Goodes Rockliff & Hanley Dislike J Pod kicking round corners from 10m set shot #why?
@thomasmamone: Like: The fact that the premiership race is wide open again Dislike: Ty Vickerys cowardly punch
@SakataHD: like: Hanley 45 touches and over 1000m gained
@pwnolan: Like: Genuine toughness of Hawks v Buddy on field and genuine mateship once final siren sounds.
@il_dave87: who cares about the apology. When Barry Hall hit Staker did anyone say “oh that’s nice that he apologised”? #6 weeks
@benjani05: dislike: hardwick and cotchin failing to condemn a king hit. Almost praising it
@PeteAnthonisz: Likes: Race for Coleman, Rising Star, Brownlow, Premiership, 9th. Dislike: Race for Ty Vickery’s head
Originally published as The Tackle: Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson nominates his likes and dislikes from Round 18