Nick Vlastuin, Alan Richardson and Carlton among Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 13
THE question about Buddy Franklin’s so-called diving on Friday night came about because of the hysterical reaction to Alex Rance’s incident the week before. Why the character assassination? ROBBO’S LIKES AND DISLIKES
Mark Robinson
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ROUND 13 produced two of the best games of the season as finals contenders Sydney and West and Geelong and Richmond did battle in cracking contests.
Senior players like Nick Vlastuin stood up and young players like Oliver Florent starred in finals-like games.
But while we saw the best of some teams, the depth of issues at other clubs were laid bare.
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Western Bulldogs and Adelaide have been left searching for answers, again, after their dramatic falls from grace were underlined by heavy losses.
And what about Carlton? At least their dismal half of football against Fremantle wasn’t the only poor showing of the round.
MARK ROBINSON reviews Round 13 and names his likes and dislikes.
WHAT I LIKE
1. Speed always kills
Immense game at the MCG and the Tigers won again with speed and pressure. In the last quarter, Jason Castagna kicked the penultimate goal after winning a sprint from centre half-forward. Daniel Rioli then chased Mitch Duncan and pinned him in a tackle before kicking the final goal. They were huge moments in a high-pressure game. It was typical Tigers — Alex Rance dominated at the back, the leaders stood up in the final term, the smalls tackled ferociously (Jack Graham 13, Rioli eight) and Jack Riewoldt competed in the air, which brought the crumbers into the contest. It’s a game plan ideal for the MCG.
2. Not everyone has to be fast
Nick Vlastuin is a player of heart and substance and when he is allowed to play loose at the back, as he did at times on Sunday, he imposed himself in manner similar to Luke Hodge. We’re not suggesting he’s a better player than Hodge, but his influence at halfback cannot be denied. Took a game-high 11 marks and had 21 disposals and is tough. Won’t be surprised if he tops the coaches’ votes.
3. Seb Ross
Ross was one of St Kilda’s leaders under scrutiny and his response had to come on the field. His final quarter was a masterclass in determination. As the spirit was sucked from Gold Coast, Ross and Jack Steven grabbed the moment for the Saints. Ross had eight touches plus five contested possessions, three clearances and two inside-50s in the final quarter.
4. Alan Richardson
The criticism of Richo was scathing at three-quarter time because his team was five goals behind and, if there was a blowout in the final quarter, Saints officials would have burned the midnight oil this week. But while he coached his team into trouble, Richardson also coached his team out of it, which was brilliant. He needed it. The win might cover some cracks, but it also shows Richo and his team have the spirit to compete. Now they have to fix the attack, where too many times Paddy McCartin and Tim Membrey were competing against each other in the air.
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5. Chad Wingard
Like it when players don’t make excuses for their poor form. “I’ve been struggling,” Wingard said on June 6. “You can have a lot of excuses, but I’m not going to chuck any up there. It’s really on myself, I’ve got to play at a better level.’’ In the two weeks since, against Richmond and last Thursday against the Western Bulldogs, Wingard has moved full-time into the midfield and improved Port Adelaide. He has averaged 30.5 disposals, 582m gained and almost seven clearances. Not coincidentally, Port has announced itself as a flag contender.
6. Jack Gunston
Alastair Clarkson never stops searching for answers and on the weekend it was moving Taylor Duryea forward and, for the second week in a row, anchoring Jack Gunston in defence. The Gunston move has been intriguing. In Rounds 8 and 9, he booted nine goals before a quiet game against West Coast in Round 10. In the past two weeks he has spent 83 per cent of match time in defence and has averaged 26 disposals, 20 uncontested possessions, 411m gained, nine marks and four intercept possessions. With Gunston and James Sicily in defence, the Hawks have two smart, athletic rebounders who can deliver the ball.
7. Oliver Florent
Before the weekend, Brisbane’s Alex Witherden, Adelaide’s Tom Doedee and Collingwood’s Jaidyn Stephenson were the equal favourites for the AFL Rising Star award. Swan Florent was fourth in betting. He might be favourite soon. On Friday night he had a career-high 29 disposals and a career-high 23 uncontested possessions, which is evidence of his hard-running in a tightly-contested game. In his past six matches, Florent has averaged 24 disposals, 16 uncontested possessions, 376m gained and five score involvements and, if that form continues, he will give Rising Star selectors something to consider.
8. The mini-mes
Fremantle has its two midfield stars, Lachie Neale (177cm) and Nathan Fyfe (190cm), who will share the three and two votes awarded on Saturday afternoon. Underneath them are two up-and-coming players — Adam Cerra (186cm) and Andrew Brayshaw (184cm) — who one day will join them in the engine room to form one of the best midfields in the competition. Brayshaw is calm and Cerra looks to have freakish talent. The raw fruit at Fremantle — Cerra, Brayshaw, Connor Blakeley, Luke Ryan, Brennan Cox, Stefan Giro, Ed Langdon, Alex Pearce and Michael Apeness — is ripening before our eyes.
9. Tony Shaw
No playing favourites for the Collingwood premiership skipper when it comes to spectator violence. “C’mon Pies fans dob in the coward who broke the fans jaw after Freeze game. We don’t want him as part of our club!’’ Shaw tweeted at the weekend. Hopefully, this helps find the coward.
WHAT I DON’T LIKE
1. Defensive Carlton
The move to attack this season has weakened the defence and, on Saturday, it led to an appalling first half. Carlton was smashed around the ball (-13 contested possessions, -5 clearances); beaten on the outside (-40 uncontested possessions) and munched by Fremantle’s pressure (194-178). The Blues gave up 58 points from turnovers in a half of footy. Questions can be asked of the players — “I’ve watched a lot of games in my life and that’s probably the worst half of footy I’ve ever seen from Carlton,’’ former captain Mark Maclure said — but also of the coaches. Who was looking after Lachie Neale? He had 22 disposals and kicked three goals in the opening half.
2. Adelaide
A shameful second half from the Crows. It was as pathetic as Carlton’s first half at Etihad earlier in the day. The Blues kicked 0.7 and the Crows 1.3. One club has injuries and is at the bottom of a rebuild, the other club has injuries and was in a Grand Final 14 games ago. The Crows are in disarray. At the 20-minute mark of the second quarter the margin was four points and the Crows lost the next 70 minutes by 52 points. In that time, a heap of them went missing. Rory Atkins had three disposals, Richard Douglas four, Taylor Walker four, Eddie Betts five, Kyle Cheney seven, Sam Jacobs seven, Paul Seedsman seven, Myles Poholke seven and Josh Jenkins seven. The review will be brutal.
3. Inexperience caught out the Cats
Not much to be critical of in a cracking game, but when it had to be won, it was the younger Tigers who were steady and the younger Cats who couldn’t get involved. Jordan Murdoch is not young and needed a better performance, Lincoln McCarthy was hurt, while Zach Guthrie, Cory Gregson, Jack Henry and Lachie Fogarty were among the low possession winners. The Cats will get better with the return of more senior players, but on Sunday they ran out of soldiers when the battle heated up in the final quarter.
4. Gold Coast
Didn’t give a yelp in the final quarter, prompting questions, again, about why Tommy Lynch should stay at the Suns. It’s probably fair after yet another capitulation. But it’s also fair to ask what did the captain do in the final term. His midfield was annihilated and must take the majority of blame, but maybe Lynch should have put himself back as the loose man in defence earlier than the coach instructed. Compare Lynch to his St Kilda opponent Jake Carlisle. Lynch’s last quarter read 13 ranking points, two disposals, two intercept possessions and one tackle. Carlisle had 55 ranking points, eight disposals, three intercept possessions and three score involvements. The finger can be pointed at all Suns players.
5. What happened, Aaron?
Billy Longer won the important and long hitout, Saints players were on the move, Jack Steven put on a block and Jade Gresham gathered the ball and kicked the matchwinner. Plenty of Suns have to take responsibility and Aaron Young was one of them. Young was standing with Gresham at the bounce and allowed him to run around/through the top of the stoppage, where Seb Ross put on another block, and the rest is history. Young will be sick knowing it was his man who won the game.
6. It wasn’t all Young’s fault
The review will be horrid for many Suns players who didn’t offer anything after a solid first three quarters. Here’s a list of those who went missing in the final term: Callum Ah Chee (0 disposals, 1 tackle) Alex Sexton (0 and 1), Sam Day (1 and 0), Rory Thompson (1 and 0), Michael Rischitelli (2 and 0), Sean Lemmens (2 and 1), Lynch (2 and 1) and Jesse Joyce (2 and 1). His team didn’t score in the last 37 minutes which raises questions about whether it’s mental or fitness? Little wonder coach Stuart Dew was shattered after the game.
7. Harrowing for the Bulldogs
An already shot season took more bullets on Thursday night, leaving coach Luke Beveridge with little choice but to expose his young players to senior football for the rest of the season. It’s pointless asking what has happened to the Bulldogs because everyone asks that question every week and no real answer is forthcoming, outside of injuries. Have lost their past four matches by 37, 35, 49 and 57 points and have lost Easton Wood, Jack Macrae, Lukas Webb and Tom Boyd for extended periods. It’s a nightmare season.
8. Diving witch hunt
The question about Buddy Franklin’s so-called diving on Friday night came about because of the hysterical reaction to Alex Rance’s incident the week before. Rance was rightly fined for diving against Essendon in the Dreamtime game, but was unfairly targeted for the incident against Port. Then Buddy felt the click bait wrath. He was bumped off the line, momentum carried him forward, he kept his feet and won the free kick. Why the character assassination?
9. Fake media
The AFLPA boss Paul Marsh does a podcast interview with Nat Fyfe and Fyfe spoke about considering retirement after the 2013 Grand Final loss. “I was in a van, surfing with a mate, and my mind was basically made up that I’d had enough,’’ he said. “I’d played to a high level of footy, I’d been paid well, I’d enjoyed it, but I was pretty keen to get back to the simple life.’’ It was reported as said in the Herald Sun, but Fyfe said he was taken out of context. He called it fake news. It’s fake media if you don’t stand by what was said.
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