Macca’s week: Buddy v Hawthorn, the bump that shook the world, and the Hawks’ scoring prowess

BUDDY Franklin v Hawthorn, the bump that shook the world, and the Hawks’ scoring prowess. It’s all in Macca’s Week.

Macca’s view on the Jack Viney suspension

HOW Herald Sun cartoonist David McArthur saw the week in sport ...

HAWTHORN COACH ALASTAIR CLARKSON CASTS DOUBT OVER SYDNEY’S NEW-LOOK FORWARD LINE

Macca’s view on Lance Franklin’s first game against Hawthorn.

By GLENN McFARLANE

ALASTAIR Clarkson has questioned whether the chemistry between former Hawk star Lance Franklin and fellow mega-bucks recruit Kurt Tippett can work for Sydney in Friday night’s SCG blockbuster.

While Hawthorn coach Clarkson acknowledged the pair will prove formidable in time, he said not even the Swans knew if it would be a success immediately.

“They have never played together before, so that could mean what we get (on Friday night) is unbelievable or it could be that they really battle with it,” Clarkson said.

“That is probably going to be the intriguing part of the contest if they (both) play.

“It is going to be groundbreaking ... no matter which way it unfolds. We are hoping that it will unfold in favour of Hawthorn.”

The Swans on Thursday night confirmed Franklin and Tippett had recovered from injury and would play together for the first time.

Hawthorn brought in Kyle Cheney, Ben Stratton and Will Langford for injured stars Brian Lake and Sam Mitchell and the omitted Angus Litherland.

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GAME IS WORSE OFF FOR JACK VINEY SUSPENSION

Macca’s view on the Jack Viney suspension

By MARK ROBINSON

IT’S best not to overreact to tribunal decisions.

But Tuesday night’s decision by the AFL Tribunal to suspend Jack Viney for two weeks has to be one of the most stunning and staggering and, if you could be so blunt, the most wrongly assessed incidents in recent memory.

You can’t totally blame the tribunal, either.

The bump rules forced their finding. The tribunal had to find if it was a bump or a collision, and after they decided it was a bump, the penalty was coming.

Still, given the tribunal members were Wayne Schimmelbusch, Wayne Henwood and Emmett Dunne, you would think their versions of a bump were nowhere near what Viney’s was last night.

It’s a strange, strange world, football.

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VINEY WINS BUMP APPEAL

HAWTHORN’S ATTACKING ARSENAL HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER

Macca’s view on Hawthorn’s scoring prowess.

By SAM EDMUND

HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson stood in front of the media on a warm February day and answered the same questions he had faced all summer.

“Who is going to replace Buddy?” “How big a hole does Franklin leave?” “Can you fill the void?”

Clarkson indulged them, speculating on whether it would be a “taller player” or a “smaller type” or “a combination of both”.

What the premiership coach didn’t confess was that a system — as much as an individual — was set to ensure his Hawks seamlessly absorbed the loss of one of the game’s brightest offensive talents.

Seven matches into LAB (Life After Buddy) the Hawks are the greatest attacking power since the rampant Essendon side of 2000, averaging a whopping 127.7 points per game.

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Originally published as Macca’s week: Buddy v Hawthorn, the bump that shook the world, and the Hawks’ scoring prowess