Essendon heads Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes for Round 4 of the AFL season
MELBOURNE’S capitulation after quarter-time yesterday sent a clear message to 17 other teams, writes MARK ROBINSON. Meawhile, Essendon, Hawthorn and Collingwood are in the positive for Round 4. PLUS BEST TWEETS
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A WEEK after playing like pretenders, Essendon hit back in style in Round 4.
The Bombers and Hawks were among the teams to make big statements at the weekend, but some clubs are in for tough weeks.
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Herald Sun chief football writer MARK ROBINSON gives his likes and dislikes from the weekend’s nine matches.
LIKES
1. ESSENDON
This was more than moving Cale Hooker back and playing Jake Stringer forward, two positional moves the football community has been screaming for. Both were outstanding in their familiar roles and coach John Worsfold must be applauded for pulling the trigger. No, this was also about attitude. Stung by critics for a lack of defence and intent last week, the Bombers hunted the ball and man from the outset. They also controlled the ball far better, taking 96 marks to 69. Stringer kicked four goals and Hooker was the ideal interceptor — fancy that. But it was the intensity which stood out, as it does in most victories every weekend.
2. HAWTHORN
Ran over Melbourne with Paul Puopolo and Cyril Rioli on the bench and the run-over started in the second quarter. It was a powerful Hawthorn win. The defence was strong and together, led by James Sicily, the midfield dominant — led by Jaeger O’Meara who is a smart, tough footballer more than a accumulator — and the forwards filled their boots, led by Luke Breust and Jack Gunstan. Teams ask for patience, ask for time and understanding but Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson asks for nothing and has turned this team around inside 12 months. This time last year they were 0-4, this year they are 3-1 and playing no-excuse football.
3. HELLO BRANDAN PARFITT
The talk has been wild about this bloke for a year and he delivered in breathtaking fashion against St Kilda. Career-high 28 disposals, career-high 16 contested disposals, career-high 14 score involvements, three goals and tackled like a bear on heat. Clearly the best player on the ground and led a bunch of kids like Cunico and Fogarty, who were solid contributors. Coach Chris Scott would be rapt with his youth. Not so counterpart Alan Richardson.
4. BRETT DELEDIO
The saddest man in footy after the Tigers won the flag — outside Crows people — Deledio has returned to where it all started for him, which is on a wing. Questions hounded him in pre-season. Will his body hold up? Has the game passed him? On Saturday he played his best game since Round 8, 2016. He had 28 disposals and 12 contested disposals, which was the second most for the Giants behind emerging gun young midfielder Tim Taranto.
5. JED ANDERSON
At the end of 2015 North Melbourne gave up pick No.15 and change to Hawthorn for the injury-prone midfielder and for so long it looked a trade bust. Just 15 games in two seasons and little impact in those games added to the criticism. Quiet last week against Melbourne, Anderson was among the best against Carlton. Always believed he was an outside mid, but have been proven wrong. Anderson had a career-high 23 disposals, of which 12 were contested. If he keeps improving it will allow coach Brad Scott to keep Jack Ziebell inside 50m, where he is imposing beside Ben Brown and Jarrad Waite.
6. REECE CONCA
The comebacks continue. Conca has played three, six and six games in the previous three seasons because of injury and form. He has played all four games this season. Against Brisbane it was his most ranking points (112) and disposals (26) in a game since Round 7, 2014. He has become a centre-square player for the Tigers in the past two weeks. Conca has attended 36 centre bounces the past two weeks against Hawthorn and Brisbane, equal second most with Dusty Martin and behind skipper Trent Cotchin.
7. STEELE SIDEBOTTOM
In the best form of his career and on Friday night had career highs in disposals (43), contested possessions (26), ground balls (21) and clearances (12). He simply has to have a run-with player going forward, although their next opponent, Essendon, don’t really play a tag. The Bombers will have to consider maybe Darcy Parish or David Myers. Much was made of Sidebottom sitting on an injured Rory Sloane on Friday night, but it has been overplayed. They went with each other for about a quarter all up.
8. RAMPE, MCVEIGH AND SMITH
In one of the games of the season, in terms of intensity and decision-making under pressure, these three veterans were superb in Sydney’s defence. Has there been a better trio of mid-sized defenders in the past 10 years? Maybe Luke Hodge, Josh Gibson and Shaun Burgoyne. But you get my point. The Sydney gang is tight and tough. Jarrad McVeigh’s hands in traffic are still working even though there was talk he would finish his career last year, Dane Rampe is a one-on-one beast and Nick Smith is rarely beaten and forever saving goals on the last line of defence.
9. CHRIS MASTEN
The long, slow return to good level football from the tattooed midfielder is taking shape. Not saying he’s back to being a consistent mid, but his disposals against a disappointing Gold Coast is a start. He started the season with 15, 20, 18 and now 30 and 12 marks show he’s enjoying his footy again. In fact, the Eagles are enjoying their footy. “At the moment they’re events. We’ve had a couple of events. We’re still establishing our brand. We’re playing with spirit and we’ve got as much unity as I’ve ever seen,’’ Simpson said after the match. Pre-season critics of the Eagles are eating their words.
10. THE FOOTY FAMILY
Horrible news for Gary Rohan and his family and Sydney and the Western Bulldogs rallied around them. You’d expect that from the Swans and coach John Longmire for one of their boys. But Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge started his post-match press conference with a message for Gary and Amie. It was classy and heartfelt at a time when he was disappointed and frustrated, and it says plenty about his perspective on life and footy.
DISLIKES
1. MELBOURNE
Twelve goals to one in almost three quarters of football in sloppy conditions once again raises questions about Melbourne’s personnel and mental capacity. Kicked 5.5 to 3.5 in the first quarter but when the Hawks lifted their contested work, the Demons players were found wanting. Tackles got them. Poor disposal killed them. Poor defence inside 50m hurt them. It was an embarrassment after quarter-time. The message for opposition clubs when they play Melbourne is clear: Go at them because they can be brittle, as we saw against the Hawks. That was dog ugly from the Demons.
2. PORT ADELAIDE
Squibbed it in the first half, giving up 9.4 to its 4.7. Although they expected it, discussed it and planned for it, they couldn’t handle a swarming Essendon in that first half. Challenged in the second half and would have been closer if it turned half chances into goals. Hamish Hartlett and Charlie Dixon didn’t travel well and recruit Tom Rockliff isn’t travelling well at all. Surely he needs a spell to get the body right. After four rounds, questions hover over most teams, some more than others, and Port Adelaide, for all its additions in the off-season, certainly aren’t world beaters.
3. CARLTON GO BACK-TO-BACK
Three bad defeats in a row and Saturday night’s loss to North Melbourne was reminiscent of Carlton in its darkest years. That’s a pretty general description because the darkness has hovered over Carlton for too many years. The Blues are in a world of pain. Have said before there is no shame in getting beaten, but there is when you get beaten like that. It was 42 inside-50s for four goals. It was -30 in contested ball. It was poor skills. It was lethargic defence. It was no accountability. It was a pathetic display even for a team in a rebuild. Still, patience is asked for. Which is fine. But if this kind of footy continues the Carlton board will want explanations on trading, drafting, recruiting and development and game-day performance. Yep, it was that bad of a loss.
4. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LIONS?
They were as lifeless as Carlton. It’s odd because the numbers don’t display an overwhelming dominance by Richmond other than the inside-50 count. The Tigers had 30 scores from 53 entries. The Lions had seven from 39. The confidence they found against Port Adelaide was dismantled by the best defensive team in the competition. It looked like whenever Brisbane got the ball, the Tigers had already set up defensively and also had numbers swarming around the ball-carrier. It was the Double Deluxe Defence which led to mistakes and turnovers and frustration from the Lions. Amid the shellacking there were a few positives, one of them being No.1 pick Cameron Rayner.
5. ST KILDA AGAIN
The breakdown once again in the Saints’ front half is now at crisis time. Kicked 7.12 to continue a horror conversion rate over the past two years and, in the third quarter, completely broke down in the forward 50m. You can’t blame Paddy McCartin when he’s continually competing in the air against two or three opponents. Saints great Nick Riewoldt was exasperated in the commentary box as the Saints won the ball, but constantly kicked it to the outnumber down the line. The Saints won contested ball and won clearances but gave it back too easily. The pressure mounts at St Kilda and on players such as Newnes and Billings, who were absent again.
6. DAN HANNEBERY
Perennially a top-15 player in the competition, Hannebery isn’t in the top 50. Jack Dyer used to say “it’s no good being where the ball ain’t’’, and Hannebery isn’t finding anywhere near the amount of ball he used to. In 2018 he has played 83 per cent midfield and 17 per cent forward (32 per cent of his midfield time has been on the wing). He is more in the middle than he was last year, but his numbers are suffering. He’s averaging 21 disposals this year. Last year it was 24.7. In 2016 it was 30.8. in 2015, it was 30. Have the shoulder and knee injuries taken a toll?
7. TEX WALKER
It must be a key forward thing because some former greats hopped into the Adelaide captain on Friday night. They — Matthew Loyd, Garry Lyon, Dermott Brereton and Jonathon Brown — were correct in their commentary. Walker didn’t handle well the moment when he took his eyes off the ball as he went for a ground ball. He missed the ball and avoided all contact. “It was a dreadful moment,’’ Brereton said on SEN. “The effort was bad as I’ve seen from an AFL footballer for a long time,’’ Lloyd said on 3AW. Ouch. Questions are being asked of the Crows, but it seems bigger questions are being asked of the captain.
8. AND WHAT ABOUT THE CROWS?
As a collective, they didn’t handle Collingwood’s pressure and when Collingwood had the ball they looked listless and lacking leadership in their endeavours to get the ball back. The Crouch boys are missing with injury, Rory Sloane played with a crook ankle and Walker is scratchy, but still it was a pretty insipid performance from last year’s Grand Finalists. They play Sydney in Sydney on Friday night and if they wimp it again, they will be shamed again.
9. SUNS HATE THE WEST
The two wins to start the season are just a memory after two substandard performances against Fremantle and now West Coast on Saturday night. Halved their tackle count from their first two games, with just 46 against the Eagles. Gave up 34 scores from 57 entries and butchered their own footy going forward. It was a terrible defeat after staying in the west for a week to prepare. Too many players were non-existent, namely Sam Day, Rory Thompson, Michael Rischitelli, Steven May and Jarrod Witts.
10. HUNTER AND GRAHAM
Michael Christian is heavy on the fines and not suspensions, so it will be interesting to see how he handles 1) Lachie Hunter who banged Tom Papley’s head into the Etihad Stadium turf and 2) Jack Graham who chased Dayne Zorko with his elbow extended and hit Zorko with said elbow in the back of Zorko’s head. Nothing to be proud about with those acts. It’s time to protect the head and not protect the players hitting opposition players in the head. Fines don’t seem a discouragement at present.
BEST TWEETS
@chookie94: dislike: Saints lack of forward structure and the coaches doing nothing about it! You can’t kick a score if no one is in the forward line.
@gailmcc41: Like that Bombers got their heads right and played how they should. Dislike that Bombers are so inconsistent
@BoxHillHawks: Like: David Mirra. That is all. P.S: and our win yesterday.
@jgorza78: Like Brodie Grundy another dominant performance,number one ruck in league,and Jaidyn Stephenson so exciting up forward Dislike Lions,Blues and Demons
@jplunkett21: Dislike: Jake Lever
@marniecohen: Billy Hartung just another footballer making the most of his lifeline at North. Exactly what we needed!! Steal
@LaurenceBradley: Dislike: Average winning margin in round 4? 54 points.
@geordie_cook: Tom Stewart, absolute gun and in the frame for AA selection
@dylwright99_: Dislikes : Bulldogs goal kicking , should of won that game comfortably ... but still youngest team in the comp and heaps of upside from young guns
@peterb007007: Likes: The game of Brandan Parfitt. There is always the talk of who is going to stand up for Geelong from the next level, well Parfitt made a big step forward today. Great game.
@SamMahony_: dislike: Melbourne- overrated, played weak, dumb football. Goodwins forward and defensive structures a disgrace as they have been all year. Pretenders.
@jamessammut91: Dislikes: The use of Kade Simpson for Blues Saturday night. Doch out, Gibbs gone, Murphy injured. Top 3 players from 2017 gone. Cripps tagged hard. So Simpson most experienced and best user. Fit as a bull. So how many centre bounces did he attend? ZERO. Disgusting. #thetackle
@DarrenAndo: Call it for what is it... he might be a mate but Jordan Lewis is spent as an AFL footballer. Melbourne won’t get better with him in the team
@RobbieShenton: Crows coach Don Pyke does not have a Plan B or C. Grand Final and loss this weekend was proof of this
@PhilGardner61: Ben brown. Say no more
@chookie94: We have no one standing in our forward line, or we have one player with 3 opponents. midfields can’t kick it to someone if no one is in there. We started the game with only 4 fwds, while geelong has 6 defenders. cant win like that
@ dylshan7: Likes: Ben Stratton, Sidebottom & Ben Brown. Dislikes: Brisbane’s back up from a great effort last week, Adelaide & handballing when in position for set shots
@Normynolick: Like Nathan Buckley smiling because he’s players starting to listen
@ChickDill: Jack Darling. Another three even with JK back. Highly criticised but has been brilliant so far in 2018. Deserves recognition.
@imbergergary: Here’s a dislike for you. Richardson non existent game plan. Leaves forwards hopelessly outnumbered everytime. Pushes everyone so far into defence that when we get it there’s nothing to go too
@thecheese01: Like: Cam Rayner. Dislike: His 21 teammates.
@flemtek: Dislike: the unbearable heaviness of the Demons’ lack of winning culture. Like: the lightness of the Hawks’ winning culture.
@gskezza: Like : Matt Schraenberg - shocking injury run and wasn’t considered in best side during pre-season. Taken opportunity with both hands in past 3 weeks. Composed, smart and so deserving. Dislike : The impatience with Carlton. Give them time.
@NangasHerman: Dislike: so far this year footy has been shit, especially this round. Skills are dreadful for professional athletes.
@MickfrmAlberton: Dislike players taking the advantage, playing on and kicking points when the player who won the free would have had an easy set shot.
@Reegan1984: Like - @BenSimmons25 and @sixers. Dislike - the entire round of @AFL
@Robertpeirce4: please please ask a.richo this @afl360 why should we trust him to take this team forward when all we see is us going backwards. Just horrendous Footy. Thanks
@paul_plenaghan: Like: buddy’s pat on naughton’s in acknowledgement of his bravery and effort. It’s quick but it’s there 4th quarter 13:35 on the clock. The master appreciating the efforts of a future star
Originally published as Essendon heads Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes for Round 4 of the AFL season
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