The Tackle: Mark Robinson reviews week one of the AFL Finals
When asked in the pre-season who could challenge for the Hawks’ B&F, coach Sam Mitchell suggested some young guns – but also a 26-year-old swingman who’s now looking every bit a world-beater.
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There’s five games left in 2024, and six teams standing after a pulsating first week of the finals.
While the Swans and Cats stole the plaudits with very different, but equally impressive wins to move on to home prelim finals, the pressure is ramping up on Port Adelaide, and the two latest vanquished teams.
And how about those high-flying Hawks?
Mark Robinson gives his main takeaways from the first week of finals.
LEGEND GROWS
1. PATRICK DANGERFIELD
It’s boring but it’s true, finals are strongly influenced by contest and pressure. The Geelong-Port Adelaide match was done at halftime, and in the first two quarters, it was Max Holmes and Dangerfield who blunted the opposition. At the main break, Dangerfield had nine contested possessions which was No. 1 on the ground. He’s a big-time player who, when someone says fight, throws the first punch. Geelong people might know best, but here’s a stab at Geelong’s top 10 this century.
2. JAI NEWCOMBE
Opposed to Adam Treloar and Tom Liberatore, he had more influence than Treloar and was even with Libba. He had 35 disposals, 12 contested, and kicked a stoppage goal just before halftime. A reputation born from stoppage and contest, it was his third straight game of 10 or more score involvements, which highlights his better balanced output. There’s not many better stories than this bloke. He was a mid-year rookie draftee – is that the bottom of the draft barrel? – has been runner-up twice in the B&F and has missed one game in three years.
3. ISAAC HEENEY
Matty Richardson was spot on when he said Heeney can’t win the Brownlow Medal, he can’t win the mark of the year, but he can win the premiership. Certainly, two more games similar to how he played on Saturday and the premiership beckons. He had 30 and three and his top-end running was elite. If the pundits say Tom Papley is the fire starter, then Heeney is the inferno. The match-up of Peatling in the third quarter was pivotal. In the time they were matched, Heeney had eight touches and kicked a goal opposed to Peatling’s one touch.
4. DAYNE ZORKO
Life’s easy with hindsight, but you’d think the Blues would’ve put more time into the All Australian. They did in the second half when Ollie Hollands went to him, but the game was shot by then. In the first half, Zorko had Motlop and Fantasia and they did not blunt his offensive ways. He had 19 disposals, 12 uncontested and five score involvements. The Giants won’t make the same mistake.
THE COOLER
1. MARK BLICAVS ON CHARLIE DIXON
Blicavs is the next best ‘utility’ player since Carlton great Anthony Koutoufides, and when Blicavs eventually retires, it will be fun to determine where exactly he played his best footy. As a winger, a second ruck, as a midfielder, as a midfielder stopper, or as a defender? You suspect it will be around the ball, as it was with Kouta. But on Friday, he was a key defender. It was the perfect match-up. He had 15 disposals, seven marks and four score involvements opposed to Dixon’s three, one and two. Dixon could not get detachment which made him redundant in attack and he was too slow in the ruck. Dixon is white-knuckling his spot in the team. His replacement possibly is Todd Marshall, but it must be noted Marshall’s kicked only 20 goals in 18 games this year, so unless he’s found more talent, confidence and authority while he’s being injured, you’d probably have to go with Dixon again. There’s the dilemma. Old, slow Dixon v underwhelming Marshall.
2. JAMES WORPEL
It was unfairly reported that Luke Beveridge fired up when he was asked post-match if Marcus Bontempelli was injured. Beveridge didn’t and Bont wasn’t. The fact is the skipper was insignificant in the second and third quarters. He played 72 per cent midfield and 28 per cent forward – why so long forward? – and had Worpel as his opponent in the middle and Weddle when in attack. Just four disposals, zero clearances and zero score involvements during that time was the return, which reminded us of our pre-season concern: No Bont, meant no Dogs.
3. HARRY CUNNINGHAM
Brent Daniels would hate him. That’s three time this year Cunningham has quelled the Giants’ playmaker. In Round 8, Daniels had 15 and kicked two goals. In Round 15, the match-up was only 40 minutes and in that time, Cunningham had three touches and Daniels five. And on Saturday., Daniels had 10 disposals and didn’t kick a goal. Cunningham is an unsung Swan who’s now played 200 games, and this year has kept the likes of Gresham, Weightman, Cameron and now Daniels goalless. He is the glove.
HERE’S LOOKING AT YA KID
1. HAWTHORN’S JOSH WARD
Replaced the unlucky Cam Mackenzie and played his best game of the season. The No. 7 draft pick from 2021 has seen a bunch of young teammates forge ahead, and when he got his opportunity in his 11th game this year, he didn’t let it pass. He had 22 and his five clearances was the equal most for the Hawks with Worpel and D’Ambrosio. Mackenize will get back in if he’s fit which means one of Ward, Maginness or Morrison will make way. It won’t be Ward.
2. SHANNON NEALE
Nine touches, nine marks and 2.2 in his first final means that Tom Hawkins won’t get a gig in the preliminary final. Hawkins kicked 1.3 from 10 disposals in the VFL and the further issue for Hawkins is the VFL team was beaten so he can’t get another game of footy. Neale has played nine of the last 10 games and kicked a goal in every game. He’s a roaming tall, too, which allows Jezza to work closer to goal. No, he stays in.
3. BRAEDEN CAMPBELL
Is that the perfect sub’s game? Come on late in the third quarter and used speed to break down a high pressuring opposition. He had nine disposals and 244m gained and kicked a goal. In his previous eight games he gathered 14, 13, 11, 12, 13, 13, 13 and 13 disposals. At least he’s consistent. Pop would’ve loved it.
4. WILL ASHCROFT
It’s been 10 games since he returned from his ACL and while the footy world has looked on at Sam Docherty with amazement, the young Lion has quietly reminded everyone why he was second to Harry Sheezel in last year’s rising star award. He is a classy, uncomplicated footballer who certainly doesn’t exude the ‘look at me’ attitude which some youngsters have. Today’s kids like to taunt the opposition, which is an American thing, whereas Ashcroft simply torments.
REALLY, COACH?
1. JASON HORNE-FRANCIS
You’d have to think the Port coaching box outsmarted itself by starting Jason Horne-Francis on the bench in the first two quarters. He came on at the 7th minute of the first quarter and at the 7th minute of the second quarter. In that period, Geelong kicked 3.1 to zip. Surely you have your best ball-winners trying to dictate from the start, as opposed to temporarily muddling possible Chris Scott match-ups. You reckon Kenny will do the same this week? Not on your life.
2. JAMES SICILY
Among the top of the checklists when playing Hawthorn is not to let James Sicily dictate in the back half. That failed. He was best afield at halftime, having had 16 disposals and four intercept marks. It appeared Lachie McNeil and Harvey Gallagher had the role of trying to quell him, but that plan was scrapped in the second half. Hinkley best introduce McEntee to him this week.
3. MICHAEL VOSS
He took a punt on six changes, which was probably too many, because the desperate attitude developed in the last two games was lost in a team which may have been body ready, but certainly wasn’t mentally ready. Just why were Carlton so timid? It’s the question that does not have an obvious answer. No Cincotta dispatched to Zorko, TDK as the sub, Kennedy off second quarter, playing too many flighty small forwards … the Blues will stew on them for a while.
REPUTATION ENHANCED
1. MAX HOLMES
He’s an elite player who had the added responsibility of playing more midfield time when Tom Stewart was out. When the game was to be won in the first half, he had 16 disposals and 485m gained. Please, no more describing Holmes as a ‘tremendous runner’, he’s much better than that. He should be the B&F winner.
2. JACK SCRIMSHAW
Asked at the end of the season who would be leading the Hawthorn best and fairest, coach Sam Mitchell kept listing names. He agreed that they included Worpel, Newcombe, D’Ambrosio, Meek, Impey and Moore and he added Jack Scrimshaw. The 26-year-old kept Aaron Naughton to two goals – one in the third quarter and one in junk time. Scrimshaw had season-high 26 disposals and a season-high 12 intercepts. He’s as important to Hawthorn as Nick Vlastuin was to Richmond.
3. WILL HAYWARD
Couldn’t believe it when the mid-season offer to Hayward from Carlton was estimated to be 800K over six years. For a bloke has kicked 197 goals in 160 games? Well, De Goey has 201 from 171 games, so there’s not much difference. His two goals against the Giants, both snaps across the body, were crucial. He only had 11 touches and five of them were scores involvements, which makes him worth every dollar.
4. CAM RAYNER
Always with the No. 1 draft pick, it’s about whether he can perform in a final. His last year’s grand final and preliminary final were poor, so he had to shed the tag of finals flake. On Saturday, he only had 12 disposals but the impact was huge: Four contested marks, three goals and eight score involvements. He has 132 goals from 137 games, which puts him behind Hayward.
Cam Rayner takes to the skies ✈ï¸#AFLFinals#AFLLionsBluespic.twitter.com/2VqrwVJV84
— AFL (@AFL) September 7, 2024
REPUTATION DENTED
1. JAMARRA UGLE-HAGAN AND TIM ENGLISH
Both were the big-money signings during the year, and that’s okay, but you have to pay back the ferryman. That comes in finals. They would be disappointed. It was only 39 entries, and from them, Ugle-Hagan had four disposals, two marks and missed a sitter from 20m just before halftime. English got a million-dollar contract and got beaten by the lion-hearted Lloyd Meek, losing the hit-outs 39-18 and hit-outs to advantage 9-2. English is a nice ruckman, Meek is a monster.
2. CONNOR ROZEE
Just 16 touches, four contested and four clearances. People are questioning his status as captain, especially being an outside player, and it’s the obvious, reactionary question to ask. But he’s only 24 and in his first year as skipper. Trent Cotchin wasn’t an ideal captain early either and he grew to become a wonderful leader. Give him a chance.
3. TOBY GREENE
The champs are always marked the hardest and there’s a big fat red circle around Greene. He competed as he always does, but nothing came easy against the veteran Dane Rampe. Two misses, one from 50m and the other from 20m in the first quarter didn’t give the Giants the deserved scoreboard pressure. This week, he’ll get Brandon Starcevich who got him in Round 22.
THE VANQUISHED
1. WESTERN BULLDOGS
You could make a movie about this mob and call it: Lord of The Underachievers: The Middle Earth. That’s where the Dogs find themselves yet again, middle of the ladder, and there’s uncertainty about whether this group can eventually challenge. It was the fifth elimination final loss in 10 years, which makes this club neither coming or going. If Luke Beveridge is their long-term coach, they should reappoint him for another 12 months, so next year is not a continuous dialogue of whether they will sack him or not. Questions need to be asked of several players. Caleb Daniel is 28 and Jack Macrae is 30 and both are contracted. Do they ship them or do they ask to be shipped?
Do they persevere with Lachie McNeil (he’s 23 and played 54 games) and Lathan Vandermeer (25 and played 68 games)? It’s a bag of mixed lollies at the kennel. First-round draftee Jedd Busslinger hasn’t played a game, Bailey Smith will give them a first-round draft pick, Oskar Baker played six games and is contracted next year, James Harmes played nine games and is contracted until the end of 2026 and the third of last summer’s off-field signings, Nick Coffield, played eight games and can’t get the body right. The Dogs would’ve hoped for more from that cache. At the end, Caleb Poulter couldn’t get a game, Buku Khamis was the same, Anthony Scott is 29 and played two games, Jason Johannisen is 31, and Alex Keath and Ryan Gardner look done. Depth is an issue and changes will happen, but you can’t blame the players who didn’t play on Friday night. The midfield stars faltered against Hawthorn, and the forward structure, save for Darcy, couldn’t sniff it. They need more oomph from the wing, flanker types.
2. CARLTON.
A limp end to a season that collapsed at quarter-time of the Giants game in Round 17. The Blues led 8.4 to 3.1 and lost that game, and went 2-6 to close the season. Top-end talent – Cripps, Weitering, Walsh, Curnow and McKay – will again form the nucleus, but there are holes everywhere. A preliminary final finish in 2023 and humbled in the elimination final in 2024 exposed those holes. Small forward area needs a restructure.
Fantasia (15 games), Motlop (seven), Durdin (14), Owies (23), Martin (three) and Williams (19) are not reliable. That group played 81 games and kicked 73 goals. In contrast, Ginnivan (22 games), Macdonald (24), Breust (18), Watson (17) and Moore (24) played 105 games and kicked 131 goals. How many of the Blue smalls would get a game at Hawthorn? Zero. They need another tall defender and if Dan Houston still wants to leave Port Adelaide, the Blues have to be in there swinging. Saad dropped off, the investment in the Hollands boys needed greater return, and the TDK v Pittonet argument will continue. At least we saw some depth players getting a gig, despite them all being dropped for the final.
Originally published as The Tackle: Mark Robinson reviews week one of the AFL Finals
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