The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from round 2 of the 2022 AFL season
The cheap takedown of Mick Malthouse, who tipped Essendon to win this year’s premiership, by an online betting agency deserves a whack, writes Mark Robinson. LIKES AND DISLIKES
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Round 2 is in the books and the talking points are coming thick and fast.
The excitement of Buddy, the bad Bombers and everything in between.
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Chief Football writer Mark Robinson’s had his eye on the footy and has plenty of likes and dislikes from the weekend’s action.
Read Robbo’s Tackle below.
DISLIKES
1. That stunk
The score flattered the Giants at the MCG. It was pitiful from the midfield against a team without Prestia and Martin, and generally pathetic overall. The Giants’ pressure was 159, when the league average is 180, and the disappointment is it came after a vigorous performance against the Swans the week before. They have personnel issues as well, the Giants. They had one ruck, Matthew Flynn, against Nankervis and Soldo, and, in the F50, they simply didn’t compete hard enough against a group which didn’t have Dylan Grimes and Nick Vlastuin, while Noah Balta played forward. The Giants are renowned for their hardness and competitive footy and, even without a second ruckman, they were miles from that. Seriously, 159?
2. It’s not real footy
It produced pride from the decimated Eagles and a large sigh of relief from the Kangaroos. All the while, we have to accept that this is how footy is in 2022. After being forced to make 14 changes from last week’s team to this week’s, the Eagles had to make do. In 2020, the AFL launched its festival of footy, where 20 games were played in 20 days to combat Covid in a format which was hurried but fair. In 2022, it’s luck of the draw, and the Eagles were unlucky. It’s farcical enough when 14 changes are needed because of injury and Covid, but how far does integrity plummet if/when a club is hit by injury and Covid to 25 players? Postponed games are surely less compromised and less affected by integrity of competition. Luckily for the Kangaroos, they took the four points, although they were far from commanding.
3. Port in a storm
It was a bizarre game for many reasons. Much was made of the fact Port was missing bookends Charlie Dixon and Aliir Aliir and gun small forward Robbie Gray, but that is no excuse for not defending ball movement. Ken Hinkley’s team allowed the youthful, clinical and efficient Hawks to kick 11 goals from chains of play starting in the back half, including four from kick-ins. Port’s 24 points conceded from kick-ins was their worst score round 19, 2010, when Matty Primus was coach. Did they not want to defend? I never thought the preliminary final shellacking would leave scars, as others in the media believed, but, even with total domination in most of the stats, Port was defensively haphazard. It’s worrying for the Power because, last season, they were ranked No.2 defensively behind only premier Melbourne.
4. What to do with Andy McGrath?
The pre-season was about how the No.1 draft pick might potentially be played across halfback, as the Bombers contemplated faster rebound. It hasn’t happened thus far. McGrath has had a smattering of time in defence, the majority of his time in the midfield and a third as a forward. It’s not working for McGrath. He had 29 disposals and no real impact in round one and, on Saturday, he had 17 disposals and, again, made little impression. What do they do with him or what does McGrath do about it himself? Maybe a back flank is the answer.
5. Where was the security?
When Tony Lockett broke the all-time goal-kicking record — back in June, 1999 — the SCG and the AFL ensured a bevy of security guards in yellow-shirts got to Lockett and kept the masses at bay. So, to the question about what the security could’ve done to protect Lance Franklin on Friday night? The answer is simple: Do your job. It was poorly managed by the SCG/AFL. There should’ve been 50 security guards in yellow jackets surrounding Franklin, or at least working through the crowd to surround Franklin. The Swans have ‘no d***head policy’ and all it took was one dickhead among 25,000 fans to turn a celebration into a tragedy. What would the SCG/AFL have said then? It was a glorious sight, no doubt, but boy it became more uncomfortable viewing the longer it went on.
#NewProfilePicpic.twitter.com/j4jyMQKCMm
— Lenny Phillips (@lenphil29) March 25, 2022
5. A face in the crowd
The hunt has begun to find the person who owned the ‘head’ which interrupted the money shot as Lance Franklin booted his 1000th goal on Friday night. That story will be part of the unearthing of weird and wonderful tales on the night. My fave to date was the scattering of nan’s ashes on the centre square. Then there was the strange decision made in the Channel 7 control room to go to the money shot when the ‘head’ was already in the frame? And then to keep with that angle when Franklin kicked the goal? It’s hardly the moon landing for historical significance but, in that moment, when such an AFL landmark was being reached, clarity of viewing was paramount.
6. Please, where’s the tag?
Chris Judd, Gary Ablett and Greg Williams, to name a couple of champions, would have had 60 touches every week if they played midfield in modern football. Christian Petracca is not in the league of those three (yet), but his past three games have produced 39, 38 and 40 disposals without a recognisable hard or soft clamp. We accept the game has changed and it’s system-based football, but why can’t a tagger exist within that system?
7. Kicking Mick
As we know, legendary coach Mick Malthouse picked Essendon to win the flag. After a 0-2 start, the pre-season tip is getting several mentions on social media, but nothing as disrespectful as the offering from the mob at Sportsbet, who pat themselves on their back about core values on their own website. Under the question — still backing the Bombers for the flag, Mick? The kid on the night shift added the scene from Wedding Crashers, where Will Ferrell laughs and says, ‘what an idiot, what a loser’. Chill out Sportsbet, it was only a tip.
Still backing them for the flag, Mick?…😬 pic.twitter.com/sHyMy7pMqN
— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) March 26, 2022
8. Footy in the west
The Eagles were gallant but have their list challenges and the Dockers were disappointing. They, too, had injuries, but they were too pedestrian in too many areas: Pressure, wasted opportunities and wasteful disposal. At three-quarter-time, the Saints led inside 50s easily before the Dockers made a run in the final term. The Dockers were lucky last week (away) and average on Sunday (at home). At 1-1 they appear to be just paddling. This weekend’s game between Fremante and West Coast will be telling for both teams.
LIKES
1. Nank the Tank
That’s why the Tigers opted for Toby Nankervis as co-captain. There were better players against the Giants, namely defenders Jayden Short and Nathan Broad, but Nankervis wasn’t far behind. He was affected by Covid protocols against Carlton in round one and looked like he needed the run. Yesterday, he enjoyed the run. He had a team-high 10 contested possessions and had the third-most pressure points (50) of any player on the ground, which is just a phenomenal effort from a ruckman. Nankervis is captain because he sets the environment, which is to compete hard, an element missing from the Giants on Sunday.
2. Nick of time for Roos
It was the best game of Nick Larkey’s career. The Roo booted 6.3 and took seven marks, three contested. He played on first-gamer Callum Jamieson, then champion-defender Jeremy McGoverm and then top-up player Angus Dewar. Two of those six goals came on the veteran star McGovern. He was the highlight in a mediocre team performance and, if push came to shove, the Roos would’ve probably lost the match without him. Little wonder coach David Noble wasn’t overly ecstatic in the box at the final siren.
3. Jake out of the box
Nick Daicos is the favourite for the rising star. Before the weekend’s footy, Melbourne’s Jake Bowey was listed at $21. Overnight, he came into $13. If he keeps playing like he is, he will be favourite by round five. Against the Suns, he had 34 disposals in dewy conditions off a back flank. Sixteen of those were intercept possessions, which means he has a tremendous ability to read the play, take the ball off the opposition and kickstart offence. He’s only 19, is a premiership player and is yet to play in a losing AFL match. With Christian Salem out for eight weeks, get ready to hear even more about this emerging teenager.
4. Unsung Hawks really are elite
Champion Data took a kicking in the pre-season when it determined Moore as a general forward and Scrimshaw as a general defender were both rated in the ‘elite’ category. As a consequence, fans scoffed because they believed Moore and Scrimshaw were listed in the same category as Petracca, Oliver, Bontempelli and Neale. It’s about the position they play as well as their abilities. Moore is a beauty. Against Port, he had a game-high nine score involvements and was third for forward-half pressure behind the ageing Luke Bruest and second-gamer Josh Ward. So, Moore wins the ball and he creates and applies pressure at a high level, which is why he is elite in his position. Up the other end, Scrimshaw not only looks like Grant Birchall with the pill, he’s starting to play like Birchall. He’s a good ball-using, rebounding defender who, on Saturday night, took the second-most intercept marks (three) behind James Sicily.
5. Zorko the Great (defender)
The jury is still out, but Dayne Zorko’s switch to halfback might prove to be a master stroke. It’s only six quarters old, this move, and, if he could have Devon Smith as an opponent every week, then Zorko will have little to no complaints. The Lions’ skipper had 33 disposals, 611m gained and 16 uncontested marks, which tells us the Lions want to get the ball in his hands as much as they can. And, funnily enough, he’s another Grant Birchall replacement. Against the Bombers, his main opponent (for half the game) was Smith, who had four disposals and a goal but did not touch the ball in the second half. That’s an issue in itself, but the major issue was Zorko had 21 disposals when matched against Smith and we’re guessing Essendon coach Ben Rutten might find that unacceptable when it comes to selection this week.
6. Jack looking Crisp-y
He is now Collingwood’s best all-round midfielder. He’s not the most dynamic (Jordan De Goey) or hard-nosed (Taylor Adams) or a champion (Scott Pendlebury), but Crisp ticks plenty of boxes. He won the Copeland Trophy last season as a defender/mid but, this year, he is predominantly playing in the midfield. He’s dependable, he runs and carries, he’s sure-handed and has improved his kicking. After a quiet game in round one, he responded with a near BOG performance against Adelaide. Internally, Crisp is feted as being a strong leader of this group and, although Darcy Moore and Adams are favourites to be the next captain when Pendlebury eventually hands over, this bloke is making his case.
7. One-motion Heeney dazzles
There are peculiar traits in this sport and Sydney’s Isaac Heeney might lead the competition in this one category. I’m not sure there’s another player who gets the ball quicker from the hand to foot and to goal than Heeney. He is a one-motion player, which means he’s mostly always thinking quicker than his opponent. What makes it amazing footy is that he’s kicking goals with that signature play. I thought his irst goal last week, when he gathered without fumbling a ball spinning on its belly and kicked the goal with his left foot, was outrageously good. He beat it on Friday night. In the second quarter, he gathered a spillage off the pack, took it first time and in the next step balanced and snapped the goal on his left foot. The difficult level was extreme and yet he made it look like classical dancing. He kicked 8.0 across two games, five of them being snap goals, and pre-season thoughts to make him more a permanent midfielder might require a rethink.
8. King of the kids
St Kilda’s Max King was hardly sighted in the first half against Fremantle and then kicked four goals in the decisive second half. That reads simple enough but, with the Saints on the road and under pressure, King’s three goals in the third term and goal with four minutes to play in the final quarter were huge. “Under the circumstances … This is the coming of age of this kid,’’ Jonathon Brown said on Fox Footy. Others were pivotal, including emerging backman Josh Battle and forward Jack Higgins (four goals). It was King and Higgins who separated the teams in the third term. “I thought we worked really well as a forward line,” King said.
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Originally published as The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from round 2 of the 2022 AFL season
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