10 things we learnt from West Coast’s demolition of Fremantle
ROSS doesn’t care, X marks the spot, smaller Cox and the convicted Eagle hoping to make amends. The 10 things we learnt last night.
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ROSS doesn’t care, X marks the spot, smaller Cox and the convicted Eagle hoping to make amends. The 10 things we learnt last night.
THE 10 THINGS WE LEARNT LAST NIGHT
1. ROSS COULDN’T GIVE A RATS TOSSBAG ABOUT SUMMER FOOTY
WELL, that’s how Malcolm Blight might phrase it. But it rings true — and was obvious early when bookends Matthew Pavlich and Luke McPharlin donned green vests and the Eagles led by 50 points after about 10 minutes. This time last year Carlton crushed the Dockers by 70 points under new coach Mick Malthouse and last night Adam Simpson’s Eagles belted the Grand Finalist by 84. And that was after the margin threatened to get ugly GWS-style when West Coast kicked 104 points clear in the third term. When you throw in the second-string Dockers’ 71-point thumping at the hands of bottom-four outfit St Kilda in the final round last year it’s evident that some games of footy Ross Lyon simply just does not care about. But expect a more switched-on Freo at Etihad Stadium next week, with Chris Mayne, Ryan Crowley, Clancee Pearce and Cam Sutcliffe likely to face the Dogs.
EVERY SUPERCOACH SCORE FROM LAST NIGHT
2. X MARKS HIS SPOT OUT WEST ….
IT might have only been NAB Challenge, but Xavier Ellis’s 21 classy disposals was his best return since way back in 2012 — against the baby Suns. And that was on the back of his blistering first half last night where he set up goals and provided dash off half-back before being subbed early in the third term. Ellis followed Adam Simpson west from the Hawks in a bid to keep his floundering AFL career alive after just eight games in two years and it looks an inspired move early. At $159,100 he could be a SuperCoach special. Lock him in, Ed.
3. … COLIN SYLVIA DOES NOT
ON the flip side, Colin Sylvia could hardly have made a quieter debut in new colours. Although the scoreboard might have looked similar for the former Dee, his return of four kicks wearing the No. 4 was disappointing. Stand-in coach Peter Sumich said Sylvia and fellow recruit Scott Gumbleton (Essendon) had been “outstanding” in training and Lyon said during the match Sylvia, like Danyle Pearce the year before, would add to the midfield-half forward depth. But the classy No. 3 pick doesn’t look a certainty to make the Round 1 side, while Gumby would also want to lift after his one-goal return from six touches.
4. SMALLER COX, SHUEY FIRES
DEAN Cox is about 5kg lighter and looks set to add to his already mammoth running abilities. The big man who roams around Patersons Stadium like a midfielder looks in peak condition despite closing in on his 33rd birthday. As for Shuey? He’s teased for a while with his inconsistency but after 66 games he could be ready for his best season. The clearance specialist collected a game-high 125 SuperCoach points and laid an impressive five tackles last night.
5. LIFE LEFT IN BENNELL, NEWMAN?
JAMIE Bennell as a back pocket specialist? Adam Simpson is hoping the former Demon can reignite a career which has been locked in neutral for two years and the speedster made a promising start last night pitted against Hayden Ballantyne. All hope seemed lost for Bennell, particularly after a fruitless debut season out west after Mark Neeld decided he no longer deserved a place at Melbourne. And Murray Newman looked even less likely to forge an AFL career when John Worsfold was beating him in time trials and he was being convicted of grievous bodily harm after fracturing a man’s jaw at a Northbridge nightclub, but after 15 disposals against the Dockers the rookie remains a chance to add to his four tally of four games. The pair has a long way to go still, but it was a promising first step.
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6. GRAND FINAL DEMONS STILL HAUNTING HAYDEN?
HAYDEN Ballantyne had a shocker. Four kicks and 0.1 — that miss a gimme from close range — was not a good return following his nightmare Grand Final where he mustered a dismal two behinds. And the 26-year-old, who was last month dumped from the leadership group, faces a big season with Michael Walters and Pearce looking to overtake him as the go-to small forward.
7. NO SUCH FEARS FOR FYFEY
ON a day most the dismal Dockers waved the white flag early, Nat Fyfe joined the cluster of supreme talents to waste no time this pre-season underlining their pure class. Scott Pendlebury did so after shedding the green vest for the Pies, Brett Deledio followed suit with a couple of big goals, Gary Ablett was Gary Ablett and Fyfe the clear best Docker. Even in the final term with the margin teetering at 100 points, Fyfe was sprinting hard for the pill and setting up scoring chances. His goal from 26 touches translated to 113 SuperCoach points — 20 more than the next Docker — and this could be the season he confirms his status as a legitimate superstar of the league.
8. MCGINNITY BACK IN BUMP SPOTLIGHT
FIVE years ago Pat McGinnity copped a Nick Maxwell bump which fractured his jaw and led to a watershed tribunal case resulting in an immediate change to the laws of the game. Last night he was back in the spotlight, this time laying a bump which left Docker Danyle Pearce dazed. Will he become the first player in 2014 to cop a suspension? Fox Footy commentators thought he was in strife for the hit. Over to you, MRP …
9. SHARROD STARTS TO REPAY THE FAITH
WHEN Brodie Grundy burst onto the scene last year it seemed the Magpies had struck the deal of the century, effectively gaining the promising ruckman in a swap for Sharrod Wellingham. But after a season plagued by ankle injuries, Wellingham has steered clear of trampolines this summer and looks in super touch. His three classy goals from 14 disposals underlined his supreme skills and damaging ball use across half-forward and he’ll add another dimension to Simpson’s forward and midfield mix in 2014.
10. EAGLES BACKS GO FORWARD
WEST Coast wants some scoring power out of Shannon Hurn and Mitch Brown this season, and Hurn showed early last night he could deliver. The veteran unloaded the biggest super goal seen this pre-season when his bomb from about 75m sailed through easily, albeit with the aid of a healthy wind. And with Beau Waters in real trouble with injury expect Hurn to ramp up his attacking drive this year, while Brown showed last night he could be used as a handy forward. The man St Kilda desperately tried to nab as a lockdown defender played at centre half-forward in the second half against the Dockers, presenting nicely.
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