The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 23, 2017
THE TACKLE: HOW did Melbourne get it so wrong? Plus, no one knew what to expect from Essendon this season and here’s why the Tigers can win it all. ROBBO’S LIKES AND DISLIKES
Mark Robinson
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WOW. What a season. What a final round.
In a weekend worthy of 2017, there were fairytales from the Bombers, Tigers and Eagles — but heartbreak for the Demons.
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Buddy was simply brilliant but there were some unexpected heroes in Round 23. And some players and teams who will be doing a lot of soul-searching over the next few months, including last year’s premier.
Scroll down to see all Robbo’s likes and dislikes — and tune in to the SuperFooty podcast on Monday to hear him dissect all the big finals issues.
1. Zach Merrett
Finals beckon for the Bombers but they wouldn’t be there if not for Zach Merrett. He sometimes misses out on the accolades dished upon Josh Kelly, Marcus Bontempelli, Christian Petracca and Jake Lever, but his numbers and impact are elite. This was finals or bust for the Bombers and Merrett delivered 32 disposals and four goals. It was a stirring game because Fremantle was up for the fight, although the romance for retiring greats Jobe Watson and James Kelly wasn’t the same as it was on Friday night. Still, the cheers were loud when Watson was carried from the ground at the final siren.
2. From so-called drug cheats to playing September
No one outside Essendon probably cares, but it is a sensational effort for the Bombers to play finals. The return of the suspended players, mixed with the remnants of last season’s patched-up senior team, put John Worsfold and his team in an unprecedented position. Would they gel? Could the returning group pick up the pieces? They were patchy at times, unlucky at other times, but they play football with real verve. Whether they stand up defensively is another issue, but for Bomber folk, finals is reward for four years of darkness.
3. So it begins
The Tigers’ season has been extraordinary, capped by a professional performance against St Kilda which earned them the double chance. Now they need to confront the bogeyman which haunts them in September. The double chance helps, but they still yet to win a final under Damien Hardwick. So much works for the Tigers. Intensity is high, forward 50m pressure is outstanding, Prestia is delivering, Townsend is a threat, they kick goals, Martin is a freak and, you know, Damien Hardwick could just be a genius depending on how you judge coaching. They can win it, the Tigers, because if they beat Geelong at the G, they get a home preliminary final at the G. Can’t wait.
4. Lewis Jetta and the Eagles
Sounds like a rock band and Jetta played like a rock star in the final quarter. His two run-down chases were outstanding, as were the Eagles who beat the top side to win a place in September. Talk about suspense. Eagles fans were delirious, Melbourne fans were heartbroken and the rest of us sat on the edge of the couch watching the percentage ladder move narrowly but decisively. Boy of boy, Jetta was superb, as was Jack Darling, and it was a fitting end to one of the best home-and-away seasons of all time.
5. Buddy Franklin
The footy world goes bananas when Buddy goes off, as he did with his 10 goals against Carlton. He is Exhibit A for what the game should strive to be, or at least regain. Bottleneck forward lines are what coaches want, yet everyone else wants to see big key forwards taking marks and kicking goals. Ablett, Dunstall, Lockett and Modra and, before them, Coleman, Coventry, Pratt and Wade, once did what Franklin did on Saturday every second or third week. Five goals now gets a best on ground. The AFL must introduce rules to help save full-forwards and if it’s starting positions at stoppages, then so be it. Games like Buddy’s are worth saving.
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6. Sam Menegola
Not often you’d follow Buddy with Sam Menegola, but the Cats’ forward-sometime-midfielder has had a brilliant season. Against the might of the GWS midfield and defence, he had a career-high 34 disposals. He’s been one of the successful quiet changes in positions Chris Scott has made. Menegola played 57 per cent forward and 43 per cent midfielder against the Giants and created a record 17 inside-50s.
7. Emotional times
Wasn’t much to get excited about on Friday night — until the siren sounded. The Hawks and Dogs sent off Luke Hodge, Bob Murphy and Matthew Boyd perfectly. It was hard not to have a lump in the throat. They were beautiful scenes. First Chris Judd and Luke Ball on the ground to interview Hodge. Then Bob and Boydy going to the cheer squad and both of them hugging the club doctors in the rooms and Bob with his daughter. It was magic. In the Hawks rooms after Hodge’s a lap of honor he took the kids into circle to sing the song and then to his presser. Everybody loved it, save for probably Sam Newman who would’ve thought it was too self-absorbing.
8. Can’t forget Jarryd Roughead
There’s no so such thing as the story of the season, but if there was, Roughead wins it. Kicked five goals and took 10 marks in Hodgey’s final game — and he would love that. Despite the Hawks not making the finals, naming Roughead as skipper was an inspired choice by Alastair Clarkson. Twelve months ago, Roughy was recovering from chemotherapy and then he played 22 games in 2017. What a lovely story. And best part? He got better as the season progressed.
9. Bucks in post-match
Singing by himself behind the players, hugging family and officials and once again being expansive and respectful to any question asked at the press conference, Nathan Buckley was all class. What did it all mean? Some of it felt like it was the end of the road, most of it felt like a coach completely in sync with his team and his future at the club. He’s become quite spiritual in the second half of the season. “We care for each other more than we have in the past,’’ he said. It sounded like a coach who has changed and who likes the change.
10. Drew Morphett
Terribly sad Saturday in the MCG radio boxes where Drew was widely acknowledged as a giant of broadcasting. Close friends such as Mark Maclure, Sandy Roberts and Tim Lane were solemn yet superb with their words. The feeling of utter sadness, however, was replaced with story after story of Drew’s warm-hearted character, his love of life and his love of a red wine. His wife, Kaz, wants a roast-type funeral ceremony which, according to Sandy, is just how Drew would like it.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
1. Oh Melbourne, what have you done?
Round 23 will burn in the soul until the Demons can play finals again. Won respect this year, but not enough games, and in the end, they simply weren’t good enough. They were to decide if they played finals this year and Collingwood, and then West Coast, decided for them. Had injury, suspension and consistency problems throughout the season but, still, all they had to do was beat a young Collingwood team. They couldn’t. The only positive is Simon Goodwin can use it as a teaching tool and the players use it as a motivation tool. Their mantra this year was “fearless football’’, but there was nothing fearless about their footy on Saturday.
2. That first quarter will haunt them
Let’s try to imagine the pre-match. Goodwin finalises the strategy, how they want to play, how Collingwood will play and, probably, stresses the need to start with menace and authority. It was anything but. The Demons were emotionally feeble and while we all saw it, the numbers told the tale. They lost the lost contested footy by 11, laid just nine tackles and recorded a pressure factor of 164 when they rank No.1 for the season with an average of 185. At the death, 30 minutes of footy cost them a potential month of September.
3. St Kilda
As Alan Richardson noted recently, his team is not good enough or consistent enough and we saw that again in the final round. Deplorable early, worse in the second quarter, the better team in the third quarter, and the fourth quarter meant nothing. The Saints are average to good but not great in most areas other than their pressure. Need to work on their defensive game — they allowed eight 100-plus scores against this season — and need more class forward of centre. The pressure next year to play in September will be fierce.
4. Gazza debacle
A week ago it was getting ugly and a week later Gaz hides behind a van and gallops away from the cameras at his final training session at the Suns. It’s not an ideal time for him because he wants out and back to Geelong, but a few quiet words with the media instead of bolting would have taken some of the heat out of the commentary. What a mess.
5. My Kingdom for a forward line
The review at the Bulldogs will uncover many areas in need of improvement, particularly personnel. There are questions for Tom Liberatore and Jake Stringer and where they think their football is heading, and little things like why Luke Dahlhaus goes to ground so often. There’s one area of the ground, however, which needs urgent attention. The Bulldogs generated a goal from just 21.6 per cent of their inside-50s the season (ranked 18th). It was a stunning return and the question is: Is it delivery into the forward 50m or the personnel which roams the forward 50m? The answer is probably both.
6. Tanking discussions
North Melbourne was supposed to be tanking and was supposed to lose to Brisbane to gain the No.1 pick. Well, that debate is over. Clearly no one told Trent Dumont. This has been his breakout season. Has played 19 games and has improved his output in disposals, contested possessions, clearances and pressure acts. He’s almost the perfect run-with player. Played on Dayne Beams for 36 minutes, according to Champion Data, and the Brisbane skipper had just six disposals to Dumont’s eight. Finished with 26 touches and a game-high 15 contested possessions. He will be a mainstay in the Kangas’ midfield next year, if he isn’t already.
7. GWS midfield
The midfield pack wouldn’t be able to look the alpha male (Callan Ward) in the eye after the game. Dylan Shiel (24 disposals), Josh Kelly (23), Lachie Whitfield (18), Steve Coniglio (18) and Tom Scully (13), were embarrassed against Patrick Dangerfield and his lower-profile teammates in Menegola, Mitch Duncan and Scott Selwood. The Giants didn’t want it enough. If not for Ward, the margin would have been five goals. Add that Shane Mumford was beaten by Zac Smith and concerns at the back about the impact of Heath Shaw and the urgency of Adam Tomlinson, and no wonder the Cats were too strong.
8. What happens with Stevie J?
Another poor game, this time on the ground he knew so well. Coach Leon Cameron has a huge selection dilemma. Just as it is at Collingwood with coach Nathan Buckley, it will be a leap of faith at the Giants. Johnson can’t find the ball, can’t kick goals and the defensive side of his game — and he’s not alone there — is under scrutiny. Who would have thought it might be between the defensive Matt De Boer and the legendary Johnson for a forward flank in a final.
9. Gold Coast Suns
This was not cue in the rack stuff, this was a club on its knees. Devoid of confidence, young and the end of season in touching distance, the Suns had no edge or spirit in their performance. They created records — they kicked just 3.2 — and it’s a worry. If the same thing happens in 12 months under the new coach, the worry is a full-blown crisis. Why should Tommy Lynch stay? He was drafted to the new franchise and, if he stays, could play his whole career in a team which rebuilds after rebuilds.
10. Blues and Lions
Belted at the end and there’s accusations they haven’t improved. Don’t agree with that assessment. Both teams continue to blood youngsters. The Blues will have to improve their ball movement and goal kicking, but they do have Charlie Curnow. The Lions won the spoon, but they have to be the best 18th-ranked team we’ve seen for a long while. Bring on 2018 for both teams.
ROBBO’S FAVOURITE TWEETS
@LMac_92: Like: Jacob Townsend the Tigers secret weapon for finals. Dislike: Whinging Cats fans.
@kurto1988: Still pissed off at our gutless effort yesterday, got exactly what we deserved today. Time to cull 6-8 who aren’t up to the big moments
@csb9090: Melbourne membership cut up and flushed. Disgusting effort. Goes back to the brosbane game when we could have kicked on. Ended up costing
@EssendonBomber: Love!! :- Dons in the finals
@lozzaaaa: LIKE: Footy in general. When has the deciding finals matches come down to the final seconds of the last game in a home and away season??
@finn_devlin: Dislike: Tanking claims. Rubbished on the weekend by both sides.
@GiveMeASpell: LIKE - Jobe Watson - form prob didn’t warrant a game, but he shone for Ess. Champion. DISLIKE - losing so many champions this weekend.
@Beastiano: I like Damien Hardwick having the balls to play small ball #gotiges
@PeterMed4: Bucks. A professional all the way.
@Alfonse74: Dislikes. Horribly conflicted competition that allows a team to qualify for a home final but not receive one.
@KateVictoria93: LOVE Richmond with the double chance!! Maybe that will be what we need to win a final?! Also like: Jacob Townsend. what a time to find form!
@natalie_m5: Dislike: Bontempelli picking on a first year player who is half his size. Grow a spine mate. Luckily Dimma didn’t back down.
@Tim_symons23: Sammy Gray!! Has busted his arse to stay in the @PAFC team.. now looks a lock. Dislike (feel for) Melbourne supporters
@BigFella26: #tackle L: The Pies players playing for Bucks! D: Suns players not playing for their club!
@MattTurfie: Like: Footy!! Pies playing for Bucks. Dislike: Anti-NM biased media/reporting at the prospect of Dustin Martin going to a smaller club #fear
@sloppers: Like - Tom Lonergan checking on the welfare of Greene & telling him to check his urine #willbemissed #beatallthebestforwards
@ToddCoulla: Fully expected us to blow it this weekend. Typical gutless effort on Saturday. Deserve everything we get.And I’ll still turn up next year...
@jordanpascoe8: Like: James Stewart stepping up in Hookers absence. Dislike: Melbournes premeditated email to fans.. “finals time”
@Roogirl4eva: Like- Ben Brown’s 7 goal haul to finish off a remarkable year in a developing side.
@Strictas: Like: Rooey- classy to the end. Went out on top. Thanks for the memories.
@djoreilly2805: Like every journalist to door stop Simon Goodwin to find out his thoughts. All season he has said it’s where we are at end of Rnd 23
@Ashtaty26: Dislikes Melbourne FC - club continually finds ways to torture us the supporters
@crispy4875: Wondering where that heart was for 22 rounds. If they’d played like that every round we’d be top 4. Bring on Port.
@tigerpops69: Big winner - Mt Hotham next weekend
@SharkShark05: Like Drew Petries game. Never gave up. Bled for the team & played his role
@livewire61073: Like: Swans finish 14-8 after 0-6; dislike - bottom 2 teams in comp both in QLD. Need to wind up GC and put 18th team in Tassie
@FanMagpie: I *hated* the bombers. I don’t know if it’s Tippa love or what, but I’ve got a lot of respect for Essendon after this year. Good luck!
@kathrynkernohan: Like: Tom Stewart, the best first-year defender in the comp. Toughness of Scarlett with the composure of Enright.
@PwlPhil: How can a 5 goal win have so much suspence and excitement, simply brilliant
@janey3putt: Like Pops letting Jobe have his own send off pure class dislike Melb not making it
Originally published as The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 23, 2017
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