The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 17 of the 2020 AFL season
Shane Mumford took a physical approach to his battle with Max Gawn on Saturday, leading one critic to label him a sniper. But Mark Robinson says those questioning the tactics applied by the Giants ruckman need to move on.
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To be a Carlton supporter! They dish up another dismal performance against Adelaide when the Blues needed some sort of confirmation that they wanted to remain an outside finals hope.
Then they pull out a wonderful gesture with two of their club stalwarts chairing former Blue and outgoing Crow Bryce Gibbs from the ground.
Pretty certain fans would prefer they were holding something else aloft.
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SEE ALL MARK ROBINSON’S LIKES AND DISLIKES BELOW
LIKES
1. GOTTA LOVE FOOTY
Warm hearts at Metricon on Sunday after Adelaide won its third consecutive game –— after losing its first 13 matches — and Bryce Gibbs was treated with utmost respect by his two clubs, the Crows and Carlton. He was chaired off by Marc Murphy and Kade Simpson, both of whom were reportedly in Gibbs’ wedding party. It’s been 14 years for Gibbs and the past couple have been challenging, but what football does best is respect those who have respected the game. He arrived at the Blues as their No. 1 draft pick in 2007 and played 22, 21, 23, 23, 23, 22, 21, 22, 10, 21 and 22 games across 11 years before opting to leave for Adelaide. He was durable, skilful, available for the media and fans and clearly held in high acclaim by his teammates, evident by the moving scenes in the post-match on Sunday. Wonder if similar scenes will be had for Taylor Walker this week who, with everyone on Sunday, watched a young Crows team turn another page in its young and exciting development.
2. IT’S IN THE DOGS’ HANDS
That’s what any team wants. The Blues and Giants blew it, but the Western Bulldogs were comfortable winners over Hawthorn. The disappointment was the suspected ACL injury to Toby McLean. Outside of that, the prime players are in form: Macrae, Bontempelli, Naughton, Daniel, Johannisen, Dunkley, Hunter, Smith, Wallis, Libba and English. They need to be. A tantalising match-up against Fremantle on Sunday awaits. If the Dogs win they play finals. Their opponent has had a look at Cairns. They played there two games back, they train there, they live there and they know the conditions and nuances. And they keep winning football games. “This is no push over for the Doggies,’’ Dermott Brereton said on Fox Footy last night. Who would have thought, a blockbuster final round on a Sunday night at Cazaly Stadium.
3. ROZEE-TINTED GLASSES
Dynamic half-forward Connor Rozee is firing at the ideal time and, let’s be frank, it’s been a long time coming this season. From Rounds 3-14, Rozee averaged 50 ranking points, 11.4 disposals and kicked just three goals, which is disappointing after his standout first season. The past two weeks have seen those numbers grow to 102 ranking points, 16 disposals and five score involvements. Rozee might not be the X-factor because the timeless Robbie Gray has injected his genius into the Port Adelaide team in recent weeks, but an involved and revitalised Rozee makes Port’s forward half a much better team. Port wants for nothing as it prepares for Collingwood in the final round and the finals series ahead.
4. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU GET WITH MUMMY
Giants big man Shane Mumford came under MRO scrutiny and social media angst after a typically robust performance against Melbourne. He was even called a sniper by a caller on 3AW on Sunday. Have to disagree. When he crosses the line the AFL takes care of it with a fine or suspension, and when he plays within the boundaries, there’s not a team in the competition who wouldn’t love him as part of their ruck division. It’s a tough sport and Mumford supplies that tough edge. Deal with it.
5. HOW MANY TIGERS CAN WE BACK?
It’s always a torrid selection and this year will be no different, and the Tigers have three candidates — Jayden Short, Nick Vlastuin and Dylan Grimes. Too many you say? Don’t you remember 2007 when Geelong had a record nine players in the All-Australian team including three defenders — Matthew Scarlett, Darren Milburn and Matthew Egan. The other six were Jimmy Bartel, Gary Ablett, Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Joel Corey and Cameron Ling. So, three Tigers isn’t a stretch. Short has averaged 465m gained (ranked No. 3 in the AFL), Vlastuin has averaged 7.4 intercept possessions (ranked No. 2) and Grimes, well, Grimes is a mighty defender on smalls and talls.
6. DEMON MAY BE IN THE FRAME
He was symbolic of the tenacity — as were others — required to beat the Giants on Saturday night and will be surprised if he doesn’t feature highly in the coaches’ votes. Steven May will likely miss the All-Australian team but a squad spot would be reward for a player who has redeemed his reputation after an ordinary 2019 season. He has conceded 19 goals to his direct opponents this season. He kept Jeremy Cameron to one goal at the weekend. In Round 16 he kept Matt Taberner goalless. In Round 15, he kept Sam Reid goalless, In Round 14 he kept Max King to one goal and in Round 13 he kept Aaron Naughton goalless. Outside of probably Christian Petracca, May has been the most prominent performer in this stuttering run to potential final.
7. GREEN ACRES AT THE DOCKERS
Blake Acres looked like the walking dead towards the end of his final season at St Kilda but has a new lease on life at Fremantle. The rangy wingman has averaged 86 ranking points in 2020, which is his second-highest average in a season. He looks to have found his niche on the wing and his past two matches have returned 27 and 24 disposals, his tally at the weekend the equal of David Mundy and Nathan Fyfe. He’s only played five game, but in those games he has produced career-high tackle numbers, pressure ratings and kicking efficiency. The soon-to-be 25 year-old might be ready elevate was has been a so-so career thus far.
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DISLIKES
1. SAME OLD BLUE BOYS
Carlton’s finals aspirations are kaput and once again they allowed the opposition to kick a swag of unanswered goals to kill the game. The score was 8.5 to 1.3 at halftime which was humiliating for a team — and exasperating for fans — with a finals possibility still alive. The Blues have lost three of their past four games, so when the whips were cracking, they simply weren’t good enough. The Blues won seven games from 22 last year and have won seven from 16 so far this year, so progression is evident. That’s little consolation for an electorate who rightfully expected more urgency from the outset on Sunday. Note: Pre-season plan 1A: How to stop opposition momentum.
2. GROUP STANDS OUT AS A GIANT FLOP
The tag for the most disappointing team this year goes to the GWS Giants. The Giants have gone from grand finalist to possibly missing the eight. They simply had to beat Melbourne on Saturday, but the Demons had more heart and run in the tense final quarter. It’s not the first time this season the Giants couldn’t get it done when it mattered. They’ve had issues everywhere — run, ball use, individual form, low inside-50s — but not sure any team has suffered more from the frightening demise of the impact of key forwards, which as an aside has to be of concern to the AFL. Jeremy Cameron is a Hall of Fame dislike this season and his comrades, Harry Himmelberg and Jeremy Finlayson, have fallen off the truck. That trio has played 14 matches together this season and combined for a total of 52 goals. Against the Demons they combined for just two goals — from a healthy 52 inside-50s. A lot hasn’t worked at the Giants and that forward group is on the podium.
3. WHERE’S THE TRUTH?
The Adelaide camp doesn’t stop giving and the revelations at the weekend from the directors of Collective Mind, who ran the camp, about what happened and the explosive fallout raises even more questions. The directors denied to Graham Cornes the many and often sensationalist claims made by media folk and they said they have started legal action against two journalists. In some ways, let’s hope it gets to court so everyone involved can reveal, under oath, what took place. Then let’s move on.
4. CATS MUST BE THINKING BIG
Coach Chris Scott won’t be devastated by the result against Richmond because in this game you either win or you learn and Scott will make adjustments. The intrigue, however, centres on his talls. There’s Tom Hawkins (198cm). Do they keep Mark Blicavs (198cm) as wing/ruck? Do they play Esava Ratugolea (198cm) forward? Do they play Ratugolea when Gary Rohan (189cm) and Rhys Stanley (200cm) return? Does Blicavs sidle back to defence to allow Stanley and Ratugolea to pay forward/ruck? Blicavs is the most intriguing player in that group. We know the direction Scott took with Blicavs in last year’s finals (wing/ruck) and since Round 8 this year Blicavs has spent just eight per cent of game time in defence, 45 per cent on the wing, 44 per cent in the ruck and three per cent up forward. If that’s the continued plan, then Ratugolea, who sparked the Cats in the final quarter against Richmond, might find himself out of the team. Either that or Scott’s goes all-in on his talls.
5. MORE ALARM BELLS AT BOMBERLAND
There are worries galore at the Bombers and one of them is that dashing halfback Adam Saad has yet to re-sign a contract for next season. The Bombers are slightly concerned and are pushing Saad’s manager for urgent talks. A player exodus at the under-siege Bombers would compound the on-field issues and they simply can’t afford to let 26-year-old Saad out the door. Imagine that, first Conor McKenna and then Saad, the two explosive running backs departing the club within weeks. Not sure if it’s money or reluctance holding up the contract talks. If it’s money, Saad has a strong hand. He is averaging career-highs of 97 ranking points, 18.9 disposals, 12.3 uncontested possessions and 397m gained this season.
6. SHAW THING BUT NOT CERTAIN ON OTHERS
Accountability sits heavily on everyone at the 3-13 Kangas and soon enough, if it hasn’t already, the question will be asked: Is Rhyce Shaw the man to coach the club? Don’t bother going there because Shaw is absolutely certain to be at the club next year. The same can’t be said of a vast group of players. The playing group is paid roughly $14 million a season and the group which took the field on Saturday should be embarrassed to look at their bank accounts this week. They should be embarrassed to look at what Adelaide has salvaged and at the level of competitiveness Sydney produces every week. That’s called consistent effort. Against Fremantle, North applied its second-lowest amount of pressure in a match this season and lost the contested possession count by 28, their worst differential recorded in a match this season. Some of the players should face the media after the match and explain their performance rather than Shaw, who is clearly gutted by the lack of spirit.
7. PROTECTED AREA IS A FARCE
Wish the AFL umpires’ department would decide if the protected area around the player with the ball is in play or not. Because from the whistle-happy first half of the season to now, it’s been relaxed. Geelong coach Chris Scott deservedly was angry on Friday night when Mark Blicavs had the ball and Tiger Liam Baker entered the area and a 50m penalty was not paid. The inconsistency is evident in each match.
Originally published as The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 17 of the 2020 AFL season