The Tackle: Mark Robinson looks at the highlights and lowlights of Round 10
THE free-wheeling Cats are gone. The new Geelong is almost impossible to score against, but is it a recipe for long-term success? It certainly isn’t great to watch, writes Mark Robinson. See all Robbo’s likes and dislikes from Round 10.
Mark Robinson
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IT WAS a big weekend for several teams.
West Coast remained a game clear on top of the ladder, Melbourne cemented its place in the top two and North Melbourne surged to fifth.
WANTED: CLARKO COULD BE NEXT $2 MILLION MAN
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DANGER: WHY CLUBS HAVE TO LIE TO THEIR FANS
Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson looks at all the highlights and lowlights from Round 10.
The Eagles, Demons, Magpies and Mitch Robinson are in the good books while the Dogs, Cats and Giants have some soul searching to do.
SUPERFOOTY PODCAST
WHAT I LIKE
1. THE TRAVELLING COASTERS
Only four trips to Melbourne this year for three wins (Western Bulldogs, Carlton and Hawthorn) and Collingwood to come at the MCG in Round 17. If that’s the test for any non-Victorian team, then the Eagles are travelling just fine. They beat Hawthorn, not with a burst of goals as they do at home, but with a four-quarter slog against a team which regrouped after the loss to Brisbane last week. In the box seat for a home final and if they win, another home final, and if they win, a spot in the Grand Final. It sounds simple, and we have four months before we get there, but that Magpies game looms as significant.
2. ANDREW GAFF
Equal season-high 35 disposals and underscored his enormous value as an uncontested ball winner and a stoppage-ball winner (seven). Who knows if he will re-sign with the Eagles, but if he does decide to leave, he will join Gold Coast’s Tommy Lynch as the two most sought after free agents at the end of the season. What’s the 25-year-old worth? 800k? He’s a beautiful footballer, all poise and class, who should have 12 clubs chasing his services, with St Kilda at the top of the heap.
3. RUTHLESS MELBOURNE
It’s a brand it has been aspiring to and for one day only in Alice Springs it all came together. The 91-point win showed what Melbourne is capable of when a) it blitzes the opposition and the ball and b) the opposition is not up for the fight. This was a caning on all levels and resulted in a fifth successive win. No surprise there was step up in contested ball differential - it was 162-119 - with Jack Viney back in the team, Clayton Oliver doing his thing and Angus Brayshaw having a career-best game. Former coach Paul Roos always said Brayshaw would be a star and we’re seeing why.
4. DO WE BELIEVE IN COLLINGWOOD YET?
Not totally, but the confidence is growing. You can only beat the teams you are playing and Collingwood’s major challenges will come. On Friday night it was beaten up by pressure early and turned the pressure on its head in the second half to beat the Bulldogs who have won just four matches against 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th placed teams. Collingwood has beaten Adelaide and pushed Richmond for three quarters and its other wins have come against 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th placed teams. Can’t wait for Rounds 16-20 when they play Essendon, West Coast, North Melbourne, Richmond and Sydney.
5. A LOT TO LIKE AT THE PIES
In 20 games the Pies have reshaped their back half with Jack Crisp, Tom Langdon and Matthew Scharenberg joining Lynden Dunn, Jeremy Howe and a floater and it’s been a success. Crisp has become a prolific ball-winner and Scharenberg’s calmness and decision-making is sound for an inexperienced senior player. The other player flourishing is Phillips whose recognition and reputation is quickly growing. He should be a priority for after-match interviews as well, having blitzed it on Friday night.
6. JOSH CADDY
I didn’t think Caddy has this sort of football in him, mainly because he was originally slated as a midfielder where he didn’t win enough ball. It’s his role as a second key forward where he has flourished. He still gets a run in the Tigers midfield, but was needed as a key forward when Jack Riewoldt was concussed against the Saints. Kicked a career-high six goals to bring his tally to 23 for the season, which is ranked No.1 in the mid-forward bracket.
7. MITCH ROBINSON
Most times when players are listed as departing Carlton, Mitch Robinson’s name is overlooked. You know the drill, it goes Eddie Betts, Sam Jacobs, Jarrod Garlett, Zach Tuohy, Lachie Henderson, Jarrad Waite, Bryce Gibbs, Shaun Grigg and even the trade of Josh Kennedy for Chris Judd is now lamented to add weight to the argument. It is Robinson, though, who the Blues would love to have support Patrick Cripps and Ed Curnow in the midfield. He was unbelievable against the hard-nut Swans, finishing with 35 disposals and a career-high 26 contested possessions and 13 clearances. Don’t know if there’s a more kamikaze-style player in the competition.
8. DYSON HEPPELL
The captain was enormous, as were his teammates, on the back of serious heat put on the opposition. That has been Essendon’s trademark these past couple of weeks. The Bombers lost to Carlton because they were inaccurate front of goal, but their pressure factor has been 203, 208 and 211 in those three games when the AFL average is 182. Their post clearance pressure factor has been 184, 191, 198 when the AFL average is 166. Heppell was worn the criticism and responded and played probably his best game of the year against the Giants. He had 28 disposals, team-high 14 contested possessions, game-high 12 clearances and a critical stat, a game-high 626m gained.
9. GUTSY KANGAROOS
We look for legitimacy by the week and North Melbourne over the past four weeks have beaten Sydney, GWS, Fremantle and pushed Richmond to 10 points. That’s legitimate. Make no mistake, beating the Dockers away is a significant victory. So much to like about North. Kayne Turner’s toughness, Shaun Atley’s clean hands in the slop, Jarrad Waites brilliance, Jamie Macmillan at the back, Jack Ziebell at the front and Ben Jacobs was solid on Nat Fyfe. On the road, in the wet, ran away with it in the final quarter ... this was massive for the Kangaroos.
10. WET WEATHER CHAMP
He’s damn good in the dry as well, Josh Kennedy, but when the rain appeared at the Gabba pre-game on Saturday night, it was the kind of conditions which you knew Kennedy would thrive in. It was a battle, and there were many heroic efforts from Sydney and Brisbane players, namely Kennedy, Mitch Robinson and Dayne Beams. Kennedy is a marvel. He had 34 disposals and 23 contested disposals in the Swans win, although the two best players on the ground arguably were the two Lions players. Beams was amazing after a traumatic week.
WHAT I DON’T LIKE
1. WESTERN BULLDOGS
It was painful to watch that second half and even more painful when you consider the records being made. The Bulldogs’ scoring has been a major problem, underlined by their miserable four points in the second half on Friday night. It was their third lowest score in a second half and their lowest score in a second half since Round 10, 1968. Amazingly, they had 21 inside-50s in the second half, which begs the question — again — what has happened to this team? Never thought this would be said of a Luke Beveridge team, but that was soft football after a solid 60 minutes.
2. GEELONG: BORING OR BATTLE-HARDENED?
It was a frustrating game against Carlton, and Geelong has become a frustrating team to watch in recent weeks. Slow-ish ball movement, diligent defence and numbers at the contest has zapped its scoring power. Geelong’s past six scores are 84, 69, 93, 66, 50, 73, averaging just 72.5 points in those six matches. That said, they lost to Sydney and Essendon and managed to keep Port Adelaide to 50 points, GWS 32, Collingwood 45 and Carlton to 45 on Saturday night. They are strangling teams defensively, but in doing so are strangling themselves offensively. They are ranked 15th for generating a score once inside-50 and their combined average match score since Round 5 is 131 points per game, the lowest in the competition.
3. FRUSTRATING SAINTS
St Kilda was in this game for so long and led Richmond during the third quarter. But, again, is not getting bang for buck. Had 440 disposals, which was 75 more than the Tigers and had 80 more uncontested possessions. Also had six players with 27-plus disposals as opposed to Richmond’s one. It was Jade Gresham or bust in the forward 50m, although there were sighs of relief when Tim Membrey finally hit the scoreboard after missing his first shot at goal, again slicing the ball to the right which has come a real issue. Gresham kicked six goals and was involved in nine of their 17 scores.
4. WHERE DOES IT LEAVE RICHO?
There’s that word again — frustrated. The unflattering numbers of one win and a draw from 10 matches would suggest the team is a shambles. It isn’t. The players are playing for the coach and each other and despite the mounting losses, all indications from senior club officials are that Richardson will be coaching in 2019. Starting to think Rory Sloane is on the move — he hasn’t signed as it’s nearing the halfway point of the season. A hard nut like Sloane in the Saints midfield would help ease problems. As would finding another consistent goalkicker.
5. WHERE HAS THAT BEEN, CARLTON?
Blues coach Brendon Bolton said bring on Geelong in the post-match after the Melbourne shellacking. It was a bold and optimistic comment, but one which his players lived up to. Far from the greatest spectacle, the Blues could’ve pinched it if not for inaccurate kicking for goal. Clearly, the effort was 100 per cent. But they kicked five goals from 20 shots at goal and created 15 shots at goal from Geelong’s turnovers. But could only kick three goals. That’s the effort Carlton fans want, win or lose.
6. ESAVA RATUGOLEA
Talk about disappointing. The emergence of Ratugolea has been one of the stories of the season. Horrible scenes at the Cattery when he was carted off the ground on a stretcher with fears he had broken bones in his leg. Patrick Dangerfield said the injury may not be as bad as first feared and that Ratugolea’s season might not be over. Not huge numbers, but he is huge in the structure, playing second key forward to Tom Hawkins and relief ruckman to Zac Smith or Rhys Stanley depending on which one is the flavour of the week for coach Chris Scott. Injuries this season, some collision, mostly soft tissue, is a real issue across the league.
7. GWS.
Heath Shaw, Callan Ward, Josh Kelly, Stephen Coniglio and Lachie Whitfield were among the chief ball-winners - GWS had 30 more disposals than Essendon - but when the game had to be won in the final quarter the leaders couldn’t get the team to respond. It’s not helped by a dysfunctional forward line. Just three goals after half-time and eight all up from 56 entries is not a team destined to play finals football. Put it this way, they are equal on points with Essendon who were a basket case for six weeks and play Adelaide in Adelaide next week. That’s a September game in June.
8. ADELAIDE
Eventually the empire was going to crumble with so many injuries, but 91 points was embarrassing. Beaten up at the contest, run off their feet on the outside, lost the clearances and smashed at inside-50s, 62-38. The kids didn’t handle the heat and the leaders - Eddie Betts, Sam Jacobs, Josh Jenkins, Bryce Gibbs and Tom Lynch - didn’t like it either. It’s not the end of the world for the Crows, but they must beat GWS and then get to the break, get players back, and reset for the second half. Still, it was the kind of defeat to inflict demons when they pay the Demons again in Round 19.
9. DON’T FRET ABOUT RIOLI
Willie Rioli won’t and shouldn’t be suspended for tapping the bum of umpire Razor Ray Chamberlain, but won’t be surprised if he gets a fine. Rioli’s action wasn’t malicious or careless, it was an acknowledgment to Chamberlain that he had made a mistake and Chamberlain had made the right decision. It doesn’t need a fine, that’s the sort of the activity Chamberlain is also guilty of towards players.
10. FIGHTS AT ETIHAD
There’s an issue at AFL games and it involves violence in the crowd, this time at Etihad Stadium at the end of the Collingwood-Bulldogs match on Friday night. It would seem ratbags are everywhere, in the crowd and in the posh seats in the Medallion Club. Stadium chief executive Michael Green was on the front foot and said if any of the men involved were Medallion Club members, they would be banned for life. One man has been arrested and hopefully more are to come.
BEST TWEETS
@North_donny: Likes: Ben Jacobs, 29 touches and a goal. Not just a tagger. North in general
@SC_Insider_: Matt Scharenberg - Definitely in career best form and nice to see him actually showing why everyone rated him so highly after years of crippling injuries
@jamiejanides: Superhero theme for a super captain . Trent Cotchin is a superhero
@jim_petrop32: Likes Josh Caddy 2018 All Australian forward and Trent Cotchin 2018 All Australian captain. Dislikes yet another goal review cock up
@FTank: I like the @WestCoastEagles away form. Got the job done against a team that has made them their bunnies and haven’t beaten in Melbourne since 2006.
@StephanieAfrica: Like: Baguleys move up forward, and the pressure he brings to the fwd line
@Michael_EJones: Like: Jack Viney - Second game back and gets 35 touches against a pretty good midfield! Love him.
@jrmcaleese: I like: Angus Brayshaw. After such a tough run, he’s reminding people why he was a #3 pick and touted for huge things. One of the rare players equally adept left and right foot, tough on the inside and smart on the outside. Huge today with 37 touches and 3 goals - BOG!
@stuartwatt1: Dislike Ross Lyon. Too negative as a coach. Still played defensively when behind. Must start to play attacking football.
@royslions: Like’s Dayne Beams performance after a difficult week. Dislikes same team getting 2 Friday Nights in a row.
@davidsffs: I like: Dees, Gus Brayshaw, Hogan, Oliver, Lever, Vince, Jetta etc etc. Dislike: Wallace calling for crows to Target Lever... 5 frees for Lever early said it really worked.
@Shadophoenix1: Dislike- Fyfe is an incredible player, but gets some of the softest frees in the league. if the black Rhino got the protection he does, they’d be thriving
@WazzaH46: Like Darcy Gardiner towelling up Buddy. Dislike Rubbish games & teams on Friday night
@pagedowner: Like: Melbourne - missed out on % last year due to not putting the foot down, this year, have really put sides to the sword when on top.
@Gavinwarren14: Dislike - the camera man during Norths song seriously highlighting Billy Hartungs bald spot .
@Shadophoenix1: Dislike- Banfield: throwback to the scummy taggers like Crowley, not a tagger who beats his opponent with skill. Barreled over Higgins at least 4 times behind play, only caught once by the umpires
@Phroosh77: Brodie Grundy. Love watching that guy play, even against my Dogs. I reckon Tom Boyd (who is going alright) would certainly be trying emulate more than just his haircut.
@stickers_bown: Good thing about the Roos is we don’t Need one bloke getting 35 and being bog! We have Higgins cunners Anderson Jacobs hartung and Simpkin who all get mid 20s so hard to stop
@AdamSoufan1: Like- Luke Ryan. Already a gun in only his 2nd season.
@Jameshi86365839: Like Jade Gresham. Didn’t get the saints over the line but first member of that forward line to really hit the scoreboard this year in any game
@GeorgiaLove71: Dislike: Violence at the footy (or anywhere) - it’s quite sickening to see the recent footage and those involved should be utterly ashamed.
@danny643: LIKE: Langdons chase and tackle in the 4th. DISLIKE: umpiring @ Geelong
@nharper021: Like - Andrew Gaff, absolute star who is pushing his price tag up every week. Dislike - The giants, you can’t blame injuries every week, something is really really wrong
@Hann4Russell: Like eagles win. Underrated. Melb the real deal. Dislike incorrect disposal. Doesn’t exist anymore. Dockers are terrible
@dylan7thomass: Likes-North Melbourne’s style of play, Melbourne’s aggression in the contest. Dislikes-Jordan De Goey response after 6 goal game, GWS composure under pressure
@nick_nbl: Brad Scott. Always gets the best out of his players. And @warriors
@natasem150: Like Melbourne white hot. Dislike @AFL need to sort their shit out rule are applied differently every game, video review is 3rd world technology & MRO if Carlisle dosnt get a week will be #shambolic in light of Caddys suspension
@jamessammut91: Like: Tim Smith - 27 year old mature age player who bided his time at Casey before getting a call up last year then going down with injury. Battled back again and taking his chance with both hands in the past fortnight.
@solskjaer025: Just a like- crowd at Alice Springs banging on the fence to cheer. Gone from all other grounds with their electrical fencing!
@sloppers: Dislike 1 - big esava doing his ankle, bloody shame. Dislike 2 - violence at the footy & the lack of coverage about it. If it was A-League your paper would have a double page spread. Families don’t go to the footy to be worried about seeing boneheads blewing
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Originally published as The Tackle: Mark Robinson looks at the highlights and lowlights of Round 10