The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 5 of the AFL season
Shaun Burgoyne played as a deep forward against GWS and it didn’t work. Is he being played out of position or is there a much harder question facing the 37-year-old Hawthorn champ? Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes.
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It’s been a tough week for Collingwood.
Struggles on the field and serious injuries to key players have been compounded by indiscretions and unwanted headlines off it.
Mark Robinson looks at the Pies’ struggles and the mid-season jackpot Essendon scored among his likes and dislikes for Round 5.
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DISLIKES
1 FAMILIAR FEELING FOR WOODS
You’ve got to feel for Nathan Buckley.
He has issues on the field, compounded by issues off it, being Heritier Lumumba’s insatiable anti-racism campaign, Steele Sidebottom’s four-week suspension, Jordan De Goey’s sex-abuse charge, and president Eddie McGuire’s ability to attract unwanted headlines and discussion.
All are outside the coach’s jurisdiction. Somehow, Buckley has to rescue a football team that is about to hit the road.
Buckley has had challenges before, but I can’t remember him being bombarded from so many directions.
Mick Malthouse wrote on Sunday that Collingwood would finish top four. The cynic in me wonders if Malthouse is piling more pressure on Buckley, as if to say “this is not a crisis, Nathan, so get on with it”.
The former coach might be correct. He might also be taking a shot when Buckley and his men are floundering. What a glorious premiership it would be from this position.
2 ED HITS SOME HEAD WINDS
Eddie McGuire’s long-time conflict of interest as club president and media performer is compounded by his elevation to the AFL’s war cabinet.
It has given him an even greater platform to wield his power and opinions — and brought more spotlight on Collingwood.
McGuire defends his club and players to the hilt and he probably took heat off Sidebottom last week when he said he was proud of the player and made excuses for him.
McGuire’s revival as a footy show host further illustrates his conflict. The Footy Show was largely fun and games. His new gig, Footy Classified, centres on deep discussion of football politics in a pandemic.
His leadership at Collingwood has been advantageous, but at the same time detrimental.
Would anyone at Collingwood suggest in the best interests of the club he relinquish his new TV role?
Or is it the position he loves most that he has to let go?
3 HOWE MUCH DEPTH DO PIES HAVE?
Jeremy Howe is injured (knee), Sidebottom is out for three more games, and the team is underperforming.
What to do with Mason Cox — although, to be fair, it was wet on Friday night.
How to fix the midfield connection despite the dominance of Brodie Grundy?
The De Goey situation is curious. Clearly, the AFL knows everything about this case, and has given De Goey the green light to play.
Has the world changed since 2018 when this incident was first comprehensively investigated by the AFL and police and apparently closed?
Yes, it has. And, most of all, there’s an alleged victim here.
4 FADING CHAMP?
Are we allowed to talk about Shaun Burgoyne? The champ had six touches playing deep forward. This year he’s played mainly forward and is averaging 10 disposals and six goals for the year, three of them coming in Round 1 against Brisbane. No doubt, he’s been a superstar behind the ball and in the centre bounce. Maybe it’s time he goes back to that role because, on the surface, it’s not productive. Maybe he’s playing a role for coach Alastair Clarkson, or maybe Clarkson doesn’t want him in the middle. For a time against the Giants, Burgoyne’s smarts would’ve come in handy across half-back.
5 GOOD PLAN, TEETHING ISSUES
The new holding-the-ball rule is getting bashed for its lack of protection of the creative ball winner. Yes, some decisions at the weekend were harsh, but the new rule was positive. There’s one key component: if you have the ball and are tackled, you must try hard to get rid of it.
None of this fake handballing, which Melbourne’s Christian Petracca tried on Sunday.
This will be a winner. We have to trust that the umpires will look after the ball players. At the same time, the ball winners can’t simply hold on when tackled and hope for a ball-up.
6 FIX DEE RADAR, GOODWIN
The biggest mystery in football continues. Why can’t Melbourne kick goals?
Against the Tigers, the Demons had 43 inside-50s for 52 points. Richmond had 39 inside-50s for 79 points.
Why is it happening and how can it be fixed?
Is it the talent, the delivery, the coaching?
The heat is coming on everyone, including best-and-fairest winner Clayton Oliver, who’s potency with the ball is being questioned.
The Demons are equal with Gold Coast with a 6-21 win-loss record since the start of the 2019 season.
Staggeringly, they won the inside-50 count in 15 of those games, for only six victories.
The big question gaining momentum with fans is: can coach Simon Goodwin fix it?
7 ROZEE LOSING HIS GLOW
What’s happened to the shooting star? In rounds 1 and 2, Connor Rozee averaged 135 ranking points, 19 disposals, 11 contested possessions, eight score involvements and five clearances.
In his past three matches, he has averaged 46 ranking points — a drop of 89.
His form was ignored in Port’s previous two wins, but stood out in the heavy defeat at the hands of Brisbane on Saturday night.
8 HALL NOT WELL AT NORTH
After beating Greater Western Sydney in Round 2, the Kangas are swimming in mud with defeats to Sydney, Hawthorn and the Bulldogs.
Players will be in the gun, especially Aaron Hall. He’s talented, but he coasts, and gets exposed defensively in the midfield because his instinctive mode is attack.
That may be OK when Ben Cunnington and the lads are busting their heads to win the ball, but when they’re not, Hall can look like a shag on a rock.
Hall was moved forward against the Dogs on Saturday and his return was three kicks and two handballs — and two behinds. It’s decision time for coach Rhyce Shaw.
9 EVERYONE’S FLAT ABOUT MATT
A terrible weekend for serious injuries, headlined by the shoulder injury to gun Suns youngster Matt Rowell.
Everyone is disappointed with that outcome, including former Geelong and Essendon coach Mark Thompson.
“Bomber’’ hasn’t watched a footy game for more than two years, but promised in a Herald Sun interview on Saturday that he’d watch Joel Selwood in his 300th, Gazza in his 350th and young Rowell, who Bomber had never heard of. People doubted if Bomber would tune in, but he did.
“I’m watching the game,’’ he texted. “I saw him hurt himself, poor kid, no fairytales for him this year.’’
The fairytale, of course, was a possible Brownlow Medal in his first season.
10 KEEP CALLING IT OUT
It started with Collingwood’s Travis Varcoe on Friday night and continued on Saturday night and Sunday morning with popular sports commentator Shelley Ware.
Both were racially vilified on social media. Enough! If you know these brainless cowards, please report them to the police.
MORE AFL:
AFL hubs: Families arrive at last minute to join AFL players in interstate hubs
Eddie McGuire gives lengthy eight-minute defence over hypocrisy claims
LIKES
1 TIGERS COME ROARING BACK
They’re baaaaack! Some familiar names — Kane Lambert, Tom Lynch, Dustin Martin and Josh Caddy — and familiar football from the premiers put them back on course at the MCG on Sunday.
But at a cost. Trent Cotchin (yet another hamstring), Dion Prestia (ankle) and Toby Nankervis (leg) will miss games while Shane Edwards and Bachar Houli are not going into the hub.
Add David Astbury (knee) to that injury list, too.
Let’s be honest, if the Tigers can win the premiership from here, it will be arguably their greatest flag. They are hurt, they are travelling for a month or more, and have two wins and a draw after five rounds.
2 MAKE HIM AN OFFER, MELBOURNE
Former Demon Brad Miller is the Giants’ forwards coach. Against the Hawks, the Giants kicked 13 goals from 26 inside 50s. On going rate, that would take Melbourne 100 entries to kick 13 goals. So, why is Melbourne so pathetic at scoring and the Giants, at least on Sunday night, so efficient? It’s got to be synergy and selflessness. Anyway, that was the staggering stat from the match, and one of the reasons why the Giants won the game. The other was the dominance at half-back. There’s no better all-round defender than Nick Haynes. He had 21 and took 10 marks and he and the veterans, Heath Shaw and Phil Davis, annoyed the Hawks all night.
3 KIDS IN THE KITCHEN
Former coach Ross Lyon last week demanded Fremantle’s youngsters take responsibility and on Sunday they responded, not so much to Lyon but to the situation.
Missing Nathan Fyfe and with Michael Walters being tagged by Ben Keays, Adam Cerra and Andrew Brayshaw had to stand up. They did.
Brayshaw had 145 ranking points, which was the second time he has passed 100 in his 44 games, and Cerra had a career-high 133 points.
4 YEO BEAUTY, EAGLES BACK
A quietish season from Yeo erupted with aggression and attitude on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Yeo might be the most influential player in the competition, so it’s not out of the question to say he is the most important man at the Eagles.
He gave away free kicks, but his intensity was contagious.
Fox Footy commentator Jordan Lewis was impressed: “Those tackles were ferocious to the point they gave away free kicks, but it brought him back to playing good football.’’
Attitude is everything, but especially in 2020.
5 TOMAHAWK SHARPENS UP
The death of key forwards maybe have been exaggerated, but there was a concern after a month of footy that team defence was devouring the big boys.
Not this weekend.
Josh Bruce kicked six, Daniel McStay played like he was Jonathan Brown, Oscar Allen was huge in the air, and Tom Hawkins was best afield at the Cattery.
Would like to think this was extra special for Hawkins, one of Joel Selwood’s best mates.
Hawkins kicked only three goals, but he took eight marks and had 12 score involvements.
Only four players have recorded 12 in a game this year: Lions Lachie Neale and Hugh McCluggage, Port Adelaide’s Charlie Dixon (all in Round 4) and Hawkins.
6 LION’S SHARE OF THE VOTES?
Brisbane’s midfield racked up the possessions again, but I’m not sure any of them should get votes ahead of Harris Andrews.
Will be curious to see who coaches Chris Fagan and Ken Hinkley plump for.
The most important match-up was Andrews vs Port’s powerhouse forward Charlie Dixon. Andrews held Dixon goalless.
Overall, Andrews and Dixon were in nine contests — Andrews neutralised eight of these and won the other.
If he doesn’t get BOG this week, he never will.
7 THE SAINTS’ UNSUNG HERO
Callum Wilkie largely played on Carlton’s Mitch McGovern on Thursday night and the Blues forwards didn’t have a memorable night. Wilkie did.
Much has been written about St Kilda’s bevy of recruits this year but not enough about the rookie from North Adelaide. While he played 22 games last year, he has emerged this year and may already be the Saints’ most important defender.
Against the Blues he had 18 disposals, five intercept possessions, and went at 83 per cent kicking efficiency. The week before he took Dustin Martin when he went forward. Martin didn’t kick a goal.
8 GETTING A KICK OUT OF DOG
If he’s not the best kick in the competition, he’s the most inventive. Caleb Daniel’s ability to rebound from defensive 50, run in straight lines and deliver via the outside of his right boot is unique.
He changes lanes without having to kick across the ground, he rarely misses targets and almost always makes the right decision.
From rounds 1 to 4, Daniel had a kicking efficiency of 83 per cent. He must be in the All-Australian conversation.
9 MID-SEASON GOLD
Richmond’s Marlion Pickett will forever be the story of the 2019 Grand Final.
Essendon’s Will Snelling, however, at pick No.7, just might end up being the better player from last year’s mid-season draft.
He’s a hard-nosed player, not flashy, who does his job. Overall he ranks second at the club for pressure acts.
He was crucial on Friday night as the Bombers swarmed Collingwood.
10 BUYING WHAT HE’S SEL-LING
He’s taken flak for his ability to slide opponents’ arms up to his neck when tackled, but that’s been overblown.
Joel Selwood is an enormous footballer whose talent, toughness and leadership has set Geelong’s identity.
It was terrific to see Selwood and Gazza go to the injured Rowell post match.
The kid would’ve loved it.
Originally published as The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 5 of the AFL season