Collingwood’s third quarter, Will Minson and the Adam Goodes reaction are among Round 9 likes and dislikes

MARK Robinson runs his eyes over Round 9. The Magpies and Dogs are back in favour but what of the Roos and Bombers? RECAP ROBBO’S CHAT

MARK Robinson runs his eyes over Round 9. The Magpies and Bulldogs are back in favour but what of the Kangaroos and Bombers?

RECAP ROBBO’S CHAT BELOW

LIKES

1. Premiership quarters: We’ll say Lou Richards invented the saying and Collingwood played like a premiership contender in the third quarter on Sunday. They kicked 9.2 to 0.3 against North Melbourne. How does that happen? North fought back, but there isn’t points for fight backs.

2. Will Minson: Took on the form ruckman of the competition in Shane Mumford and beat him. It was the Minson at his crazy best. Bullocking and fighting for the ruck position and then the stuff which he wasn’t doing before he was dropped, like tackle and follow-up and be involved. He had seven clearances, second behind best Mitch Wallis’ eight. For a Bulldogs trifecta.

3. Brandon Ellis: Has gone 33, 24, 29, 31 and 33 disposals in his past four games and was judged best afield on Saturday night. Some people say he has no tricks. Try tremendous nous and a tank that keeps driving him when others are collapsing around him.

Brandon Ellis won the award for best on ground in the Dreamtime at the ‘G game. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

4. I’m going with another Bulldog: Easton Wood has always had the talent, but his hamstrings didn’t match the talent. Since 2010, he’s played 11, 15, 14, five, 18 and eight from nine this year. For many years, it seemed every time Wood looked like becoming a dashing half-back his hamstrings would pop. He probably played his best game on Saturday and clearly his confidence is at a high. He took eight marks, four of them contested and backed himself in every one of them. It’s a fair running-defender brigade: Johannisen, Wood and Captain Bob.

THE TACKLE: Danger-Fyfe battle a modern day epic

5. David Armitage: Leading the B&F by a long way and more top votes at the weekend. Has had a phenomenal season. His disposals in nine games have been 25, 36, 33, 27, 35, 45, 31, 32 and 31 against the Lions. He’s averaging seven clearances a game and five tackles a game. All-Australian is a lock if keeps that going and the obvious choice as next St Kilda captain after Riewoldt.

6. Jack Crisp: Please, if one more person describes this kid as the “steak knives’’, he will be blocked on twitter. He is more than steak knives. He is a legitimate hardworking, hard tackling midfielder who the Pies identified to go with the Beams deal. Gets the run-with job most weeks and hasn’t let the team down. On Sunday, he laid 11 tackles and won nine clearances, to go with five inside 50s. About a goal a game makes him extremely valuable.

Jack Crisp kicks a long goal against the Roos. Picture: Colleen Petch.

7. Eddie Betts: Spent several days in Perth at a family funeral and was thrown under the bus by Mick Malthouse and then played a cracker against the Dockers. Right-foot banana from a pocket where goals are rare was special but nothing on his left-foot torp from the boundary line. There’s an argument Jamie Elliott is the best small forward in the game, but there’s a stronger argument it is Betts. Second on the Coleman table does that.

8. Josh Kennedy: Been accused of being a flat-track bully, but when he does it against very decent opposition in Harry Taylor, then Kennedy deserves all he can get. Kicked 6.4, albeit not all on Taylor, and took 11 marks. Gee he works hard. He leads, doubles back, works hard on the ground and laid three tackles against the Cats.

9. Liam Shiels: Is one of those players who seems to play like his life depends on it every week. And I suppose he has to with the competition for positions at the Hawks. Laid 14 tackles against the Suns when the Hawks were in control after quarter-time. He did the same against Melbourne in Round 7 when the Hawks won by 105 points. That day it was 13 tackles to go with 26 disposals. Last year, he laid 129 tackles in 21 games. This year already it’s 49 tackles in six games.

10. Travis Boak: Captain’s game after Melbourne had pushed them for a quarter and a half. Took a poke in the eye but that was just a flesh wound. Thirty-one disposals, 18 contested possessions and eight clearances probably will get him the coaches votes. Port dominated the midfield and what a difference Ollie Wines is. And any complaints about his use of ‘’girlie’’ in a half-time interview can be ignored.

BRAD SCOTT, GOODES FALLOUT, THE HOUSE OF PAIN AND MORE IN THIS WEEK’S SUPERFOOTY PODCAST - LISTEN BELOW!

DISLIKES

1. Adam Goodes reaction: There are racists — and obviously not everyone is a racist — but clearly Goodes is disliked by a lot of football fans. Goodes playing any game is now an event and let’s hope the uneducated people out there can ease up. It’s ridiculous.

2. Re-writing history: For all of Eddie McGuire’s protestation on SEN Radio on Saturday, he clearly wasn’t impressed with Goodes’ war dance at half-time on Friday night. “We’ve never seen that before and I don’t think we ever want to see it again to be perfectly honest, no matter what it is,” McGuire said on Fox Footy. “It’s quite aggressive, let’s be honest.” After the game he was less critical and on Saturday downright rejecting that he was critical of the Goodes dance at all. People are allowed to change their mind. That’s fine. But you can’t rewrite history.

3. Umpiring bashing: Goal review aside, the umpires have been brilliant at the weekend. Crows v Dockers and Pies v Kangas were allowed to play without the umpires paying frees for minor infringements in wet, slippery conditions. They were tough games and umpires had a feel for the game.

4. GWS: Was caught up in the hype and was not alone. Still picking and choosing which games to put their head over the ball. The Bulldogs are less talented, but this wasn’t about talent. This was about total team commitment with and without the ball and GWS failed miserably. They should’ve lost by 80 points.

GWS were smashed by the Bulldogs. Picture: Alex Coppel

5. North Melbourne: Led by 39 points at the half and was pulverised in the third quarter and overran again in the final minutes. Coach Brad Scott called it disgusting. One of the worst of his coaching career. Mentally they are weak. The Pies raised the tempo in the third, winning clearances, winning the contested ball and North’s defence was a walk-through. And North Melbourne couldn’t respond. They looked as insipid as Gold Coast and Carlton. Anyway, Scott has flagged changes.

6. So what will they be? Let’s guess. Atley has had a so-so year, Firrito is all heart but too slow for the smalls he’s forced to play on. You still don’t know what you’re going to get from Sam Wright. The same with Bastinac. And Luke McDonald keeps getting subbed. There’s five players and I doubt North has five ready-made players to replace them with. Still, 13.7 to 4.5 after half-time demands change.

7. Essendon: Slick at Etihad Stadium, too slow on a slippery surface at the MCG. There were plenty of poor performances. Chappy wasn’t dangerous, neither was Cooney, Watson was slow (and injured), Bellchambers taps the ball and does little else, Ambrose defends strongly, but has kicked just five goals in nine games as a forward and Carlisle is a poor kick. Essendon won all major stats categories — disposals, contested ball, tackles, clearances — but laboured for their goals. The fact is Essendon’s leaders didn’t have the same impact as Richmond’s leaders with the same amount of ball.

8. Nic Nat bashers: He takes mark of the year and he’s criticised. He plays his best game of the year, he’s criticised. Yes, he has his limitations, but there’s no denying his ruck work, which is exactly what defined Aaron Sandilands throughout his career. Commentator Tony Shaw didn’t miss him. “Nic Naitanui is one of the most overrated players I’ve seen for years” he said. You know what, every one of the other 17 teams would take him in a heartbeat.

9. Kurt Tippett: If Nic Nat is the most overrated player in the league, then Tippett is right up there in that regard. Has taken 28 marks in nine games as a key forward/ruckman and kicked 16 goals. Has got only 10 or more touches in three games. Nic Nat sells merchandise to help justify his salary, while Tippett is paid, what, $700,00 to $800,000, and am betting the merchandise has Buddy’s name all over it.

Kurt Tippett struggled again against the Blues and has had a quiet start to the year. Picture: Phil Hillyard

10. Excuses: Had enough of them, as every fan has. Every team has six-day breaks and has to travel. Every team has injuries. Every team doesn’t take their opportunities. Mostly every team has players not ready for AFL standard. Yet we get the same excuses every week. It’s always funny how the best teams never whinge and the underperforming teams sing like a canary.

BEST TWEETS

@boxie004: @superfooty like tigers tenacity dislike. Goodes overreaction

@TPodge: Likes: A bloke called Easton ‘Superman’ Wood. Dislike: Adam Goodes making the round all about him

@rpbion: Like Fyfe/Dangerfield 2 guns in poor conditions Dislike overreaction to Goodes war dance

@gdore89: Like: Justin Leppitsch has the best angry face of any coach in the league. Dislike: I’m a Lions fan so I see it too often

@TobyBushby: Like: indigenous round guernseys Dislike: Essendon FIFO’s — week on/week off. #thetackle #AskingCanHirdActuallyCoach

@markhamiltonj: L: Nat vs Pat. Who needs taggers? D: how flat I was on Friday when I saw Carlton playing Friday night AGAIN #givemeaspell

@wbr333: dislike, AFL journos lack of knowledge about public dislike of AG. Support him all you like, it won’t stop the booing

@duthie101: Like: indigenous players paying homage to heritage. Dislike: Bombers never being anything more than mediocre.

@SimoPerez33: dislike Essendon’s chances of making the eight, playing an ordinary brand of footy. Would Bomber Thompson be doing better?

@mattgirgolas: Like: Travis Boak. Captain Courageous. Picked Port Adel up off the canvas & rescued their season!

@Jarrodkurpiel: Like: Minson’s return to the line up. Dislike: GWS away from home.

‏@Lorakf: Like Adam Goodes. Dislike those who say are sick of talking about him but keep on criticising, repeatedly!

@timrosen35: Nick Riewoldt’s return. What a captain. What a superstar.

@Jezdog78: like the dogs smashing GWS and Griffen not getting near it.

@mikkithompson93: Like: St Kilda’s resolve when challenged Dislike: Melbourne’s resolve when challenged

@darren_df: like the silk of Corey Ellis and goal in dreamtime. Dislike goodes haters

@TommyGreenaway: #like Goodes doing the war dance #dislike That he didn’t get his team mates involved #wardanceenmasse

@Dmassa147Massa: Easton Wood has to be in line for a All Australian half backline position this year #bemorebulldog

@c_kennedy23: I’ll say it again. Dislike Essendon’s forward 50 entries, horrible once again, happens every week

@adriansal: likes, Gary Rohan’s sportsmanship helping a concussed Carlton player Friday night.

@booty20: L: flying to Brisbane to see a win on the birthday. #bliss

@Trav_Roebuck: JK kicks 10 — flat track bully. Buddy kicks 7 and is a hero? JK kicks 6 vs quality opposition — not a word

@lukemartin83: Likes — Rooey backing into a pack & sending a message to those who retired him off last week. Dislike — Goodes non issue

@wildebeestz: L: Shane Edwards, is there a more underrated player in the AFL? D: North Melbourne, drinking their own bathwater

@p_pappa I hope you put the heat on Brad Scott this weak 3 smashing’s already and this lose was the worst. Team going nowhere

@gusmills79: I’ve had 2 shags in the last 5 years yet I don’t get called a sex symbol!!! Same same. Naitanui is no superstar!

‏@thebrickcleaner: strange? Nah North coughed up a leading margin, ain’t nothing strange about that Robbo! Nic Nat, quality on&off the field!

Originally published as Collingwood’s third quarter, Will Minson and the Adam Goodes reaction are among Round 9 likes and dislikes