The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from round seven of the 2022 AFL season
Nick Daicos is a $1.70 favourite to win the AFL’s rising star award but it’s the form of his brother who should be turning heads, writes MARK ROBINSON.
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The blowtorch is getting hotter for a number of coaches.
But there are also a number of mentors — under the pump at the start of the season — who have turned things around.
And after another defeat for the Bombers, he’s officially drawing a line through it all.
Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from round seven.
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Was the Isak Rankine criticism justified? There’s a new Hawk star in town. And don’t forget the other Daicos brother — he’s good, too.
All Robbo’s likes and dislikes from round seven below.
DISLIKES
1. Dons in the gun
Make no mistake, Essendon can lean on its excuse the list is young, but does that excuse the overuse of the ball? The Bombers had effort on Sunday, but by gingoes they muck around with the ball. The Bulldogs had 380 disposals and 66 inside 50s. The Bombers had 393 disposals and 39 inside 50s. They conceded eight goals from back half turnovers, which means they coughed up the ball and the Bulldogs scored goals. It’s seven weeks now and the Bombers are 1-6. It’s funny, because the Bombers like to say they are young, but they’re not so young that they can’t get their hands on the ball. It’s now a disaster season and nobody could argue with that.
2. Have we seen the best Dane Rampe?
Not so long ago, Rampe could play lockdown, intercept, play on talls and smalls and still find the ball 20 times. This season, he’s more lockdown than anything else. On Sunday, his opponents were McStay and Rayner. Last week, it was Koschitzke and Gunston. The week before Jack Darling and Liam Ryan. As a consequence, his numbers have dipped dramatically. He’s averaging a career-low 11 disposals and a career-low four intercepts. It’s not all about numbers but, when you consider Rampe has conceded the fifth most goals of any defender this year, the signs are worrying.
3. A Sun out of sorts
Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew this week went into bat for his high draft pick small forward, urging observers to ease up on their negativity about Izak Rankine. Dew thought the media commentary on his player was unfair and asked people to compare goals kicked by other small forwards at the same time as Rankine’s career. Dew had a good point. But, on Sunday, Dew would be disappointed for Rankine. He had three ranking points which equates to eight disposals and two score involvements. He didn’t have a shot at goal, didn’t have a tackle and his eight disposals yielded just 24m gained. It’s games like Sunday’s which prompts the question: How can a player with this much talent deliver so little? Maybe more time as a midfielder is needed. To be fair, the Suns lost by only 25 points but had too many players down. They are 2-5 and, as we said last week, it’s all starting to look familiar for the Suns.
4. On the road to Cairns
The Saints flew out to Cairns at some ungodly hour last Wednesday morning. About 5.30am it’s believed. When told this – and the fact the Saints would be undertaking several days of community engagements – Fox Footy’s Jordan Lewis said: “Get on Port Adelaide.’’ His reasoning being the Saints might be dishevelled and tired after the three-day pre-playing extravaganza and the heat can zap a team over several days. He wasn’t wrong. It was a terrific game in regards to spirit and attitude from Port Adelaide because St Kilda dominated so much of the contest. But, if you don’t kick goals, how do you expect to win? Combined scores, it was the second-lowest match accuracy recorded this century. And why are we playing night footy in Cairns in late April anyway? As a spectacle, it was an arduous watch.
5. Beware the total demolition of the list
North Melbourne stripped its list over the past two off-seasons and the unanswerable question for them now is how long is the road back to contention? AFL great Leigh Matthews believes stripping the list like North did poses a problem because it’s so difficult to get out of the bottom part of the ladder when you do it. So, how will West Coast play it? Channel 7’s Adam Cooney had a bold plan which is akin to stripping a list via trading out and bringing in draft picks. He suggested Essendon go after Elliot Yeo, Collingwood target Jack Darling, Jeremy McGovern to the Western Bulldogs and Andrew Gaff to Fremantle, and he’d offload Nic Nat too, but says no club would pick up his salary. It’s food for thought from Cooney. Clearly, the Eagles would get a bunch of first and second-round draft picks for their best players, which would seriously aid the rebuild. But would the Eagles treat their champs with such disdain at the back-end of their careers? And does culture count? The practicalities are sound – move them out and bring in kids – but footy remains more than a business. Or does it?
6. Luck of the draw
Every team plays each other once and then it’s a lucky dip, somewhat, to which teams you double up. The advantage of playing lowly West Coast and North Melbourne twice this year could be the difference in playing finals or missing them — or finishing in our out of the top four. West Coast’s double-up teams are Adelaide, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast and Richmond. North Melbourne’s double ups are Adelaide, Geelong, Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Sydney. That’s arguably an eight-point handout to the Cats and, in a tight season, that’s a hell of a leg up.
LIKES
1. Wolves at bay
Bulldogs bounce. If Luke Beveridge’s team lost to Essendon on Sunday, the wolves would’ve been at Barkly St at dawn on Monday. As they would’ve been at Alberton if Port Adelaide lost again and at the Giants if Leon Cameron’s team surrendered another win. Blood was in the water at those three clubs, but each put together their best performances of the year. The Bulldogs played a full four quarters, had contributions down the list and dismantled another uninspiring effort from the Bombers. It worked up forward without the reliance on and predictability of going to Aaron Naughton on most occasions. McNeil, Wallis, Dunkley, Weightman and McComb all kicked multiple goals and Naughton was goalless. A topsy-turvy season to date from the Dogs found some solid foundation on Sunday.
2. We have our No.1 contender
Melbourne is the team to be beat — and the Brisbane Lions might be the team to beat them. Fremantle isn’t too far behind, but get the feeling there will be doubts on the Dockers all the way through to September. Beating Geelong in Geelong is the win of the round, but beating the Swans in Sydney when they are 5-1 and confident is not a walk in the park. The Lions are tough, quick, deep in the midfield and have a multidimensional F50. On Sunday, they were able to play Dayne Zorko forward-mid — he has played halfback this season — because Ainsworth and Coleman are getting their opportunities. Two key players are at the top of their game. Lachie Neale is fit and putting up extraordinary numbers and Harris Andrews is over the knee issues of last year. He’s the floating defender, allowing Marcus Adams and Darcy Gardiner to take the opposition’s key forwards, which allows Andrews to mark and spoil and intercept.
3. The forgotten brother
Nick Daicos is in line to win the rising star award and, although he is $1.70 favourite, Melbourne’s Jake Bowey is the best value for money at $15. Anyway, today’s about Josh Daicos and not Nick. Josh is a straight up 20-disposal winner every week. On Sunday, the Magpies had seven players over 20 disposals, yet the accomplished Daicos had 431m gained which was the second most in the team behind Jack Crisp. Daicos has played as a permanent wing all season but coach Craig McRae added him to the forward mix and his two second-half snags shows he knows where the goals are. Nick, in just his seventh game, probably has more media exposure than Josh but, now in his sixth year, the less-heralded brother is putting together his most consistent season. At 23, he is still going to get better.
4. Green Acres
Don’t know if it’s a compliment or a backhander, but who would ever have predicted Fremantle’s Blake Acres to be near best-on-ground against Geelong at Geelong? It says plenty about his maturing as a player. He played permanent wing on Isaac Smith, which is a tough outing at Geelong, and finished with 27 disposals, the second most at the club, and team highs in metres gained (676) and inside 50s (eight). St Kilda off-loaded Acres and exchanged draft picks as part of the Brad Hill trade. He played 75 games at the Saints and now 32 at the Dockers. Late last season, Acres might’ve been wondering where his footy was going. He was dropped for Round 19 and returned in Round 23, and didn’t finish in the top 10 in the best and fairest. This season, he’s played all seven games and is averaging a career 22 disposals. It might prove to be a summer of salvation for him.
5. Sam Powell-Pressure
One of the most inspiring stories in the league, Powell-Pepper will this week play his 100th game. It’s a career – and life – not without hurdles. As a footballer, it was said he was a ready-made player. The truth was he also had flaws, especially his kicking, but it was thought those flaws would be ironed out over time. They won’t be. He will forever be an average kick – this season he’s going at a poor 46 per cent efficiency by foot – but that’s not the point. Powell-Pepper is the kind of player every team needs. He never stops trying, his pressure never wavers and he often throws his body at contests without any fear. And he’s got footy nous. His 100 games will be well recognised by the club. His backstory is one of sadness and abuse and, he revealed in 2017, when he was drafted, his mum was in jail. Now, he is on the verge of ticking off 100 games. Well played, young man.
6. Moore, please, Dylan
It was a slightly different role for Moore against Melbourne on Saturday. He played 60-40 forward-wing and finished with a career-high 33 disposals, 11 marks and a goal. He, too, has a backstory of resilience. From Rowville, he was pick No.67 in the 2017 draft and played 10 games across his first three seasons. In the hubs at the start of 2020, he found himself being asked to play for GWS to help fill numbers and, at the end off 2020, was delisted — but with a promise the Hawks will rookie-list him. He then played 20 games in 2021 and, seven games into 2022, he’s being spoken of as a potential All-Australian small forward. His competition is Isaac Heeney, Zac Bailey, Shai Bolton and Charlie Cameron who all have one thing in common: They were never asked to lay fill-in for the opposition.
7. One of the unwritten stories
It is the rebuilding of Patrick Cripps. The Carlton captain’s body was broken, he played with bandage upon bandage, and limped like he had blisters on his heels. He now is none of that. He’s powerful and menacing, which has aided him in rediscovering his ball-winning ability. And he’s a better player for it. His goalkicking, which has never been a big tick for him, has improved – he’s going at almost two goals a game. Had a discussion with a mate at the MCG on Saturday and the question was: Is Clayton Oliver the best player in the game right now? We both said yes. Three hours later, Cripps rips apart North Melbourne. Arguably, Cripps has been best on ground in four of his five full games played this year. So, who would you take: Cripps or Oliver? It’s Oliver … just
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