St Kilda, Essendon and Richmond v Collingwood among Mark Robinson’s Round 15 likes, dislikes
RICHMOND’S Mr Unassuming must surely be in All-Australian discussion while Leon Cameron, Marc Murphy, Melbourne and Lance Franklin are also among Mark Robinson’s Round 15 likes and dislikes.
Mark Robinson
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ROUND 15 proved to be the round of upsets as St Kilda, Essendon and Western Bulldogs were among teams to pull off unlikely wins.
But while there were upsets, teams including Richmond and Collingwood continued on their merry way as the two powerhouse clubs now occupy the top two positions on the ladder.
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And what about individual performances? Marc Murphy, Kane Lambert and Mitch Wallis have earned praise but the same can’t be said for the little master, Gary Ablett.
MARK ROBINSON reviews Round 15 and names his likes and dislikes.
WHAT I LIKE
1. St Kilda
Talk about dare to play. Coach Alan Richardson must be wondering where that’s been all season. Brave coaching pushing Seb Ross to defence and good coaching getting the best out of David Armitage in the type of match Armitage made himself as a footballer — tight and tough. The leaders were instrumental — Jake Carlisle, Jack Steven, Jarryn Geary, Jack Billings, Jack Sinclair and Shane Savage — and the youngsters such as Daniel McKenzie, Jade Gresham, Paddy McCartin, Josh Battle and Bailey Rice contributed. Richardson is an attitude-driven coach and his team had heaps of attitude on Sunday. The Saints will be a tough opponent on the run home.
2. Let’s not forget the Bombers
They dare to play every minute and it’s breathtaking football. Bombers coach John Worsfold has rescued a team drowning in its own ineptitude and built a team with character and spirit which has won five of the past six, four of them against teams in the top eight. It’s an extraordinary recovery guided by Worsfold and led by Dyson Heppell, Zach Merrett, Brendon Goddard and Michael Hurley. Faith in Jake Stringer, Shaun McKernan, Kyle Langford, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Matt Dea has also been rewarded. The Kangas couldn’t catch them on Sunday, which is not a sledge on them because, in that sort of form, not many teams will.
3. Book your tickets
Not for the Grand Final — but for Richmond and Collingwood in Round 19. With these teams the top two on the ladder, the July 28 clash arguably could be the biggest match between them since the 1980 Grand Final. That day 113,461 fans attended. In Round 19, and if the MCC members turn up, there could be close to 100,000 in attendance. Plaudits go the Magpies. Since Round 17 last season, Nathan Buckley’s team has played 21 matches for 14 wins, six defeats and a draw. If it is to hang on to second at Round 19, the Pies will be firmly second favourites for the flag. They play Essendon (MCG), West Coast (MCG) and North Melbourne (MCG) before meeting the Tigers. Get a ticket now.
4. Marc Murphy
When Stephen Silvagni sat down with the Herald Sun 10 days ago, he was asked if free-agent skipper Marc Murphy would be at the Blues next year. “I would think he would stay,’’ Silvagni said, with a knowing look on his face. “He’s our captain, he’s a wanted player.’’ You can see why. In his second game since Round 3, Murphy had 124 SuperCoach points, the second-most on the ground, and a game-high 12 contested possessions. Suspect he felt the power and honour of being a one-club player when he presented Kade Simpson with a gift in the rooms after the game.
5. Kane Lambert
The AFL’s Mr Unassuming is barrelling towards All-Australian consideration. Third in last year’s best-and-fairest, the Tiger has probably taken his game to a higher level as a forward-flanker and occasional onballer. He is categorised as a general forward, having played only 30 per cent in the midfield this year. He is ranked the second-highest general forward behind Hawk Luke Breust, who will be All-Australian if his form continues, and too often is bunched in Richmond’s brigade of small forwards. He’s better than that. He’s a star in the best team in the competition.
6. Leon Cameron
That’s four in a row for GWS after most commentators dismissed them as a car crash. The Giants have beaten Adelaide and Hawthorn, along with bottom sides Brisbane and Gold Coast, and now are in sixth spot. Amid the injury toll, they were accused of lacking attitude. That has been rectified. Since Round 9, the Giants rank second for pressure applied (pressure factor 189) and in this period they are third for time in forward half; second for turnovers created in the forward half; and first for points scored from stoppages. The coach deserves recognition. Cameron has salvaged an unlucky season and, as he said on Sunday on 3AW, talk to him in two weeks after they play West Coast and Richmond to see how salvageable it could be.
7. Mitch Wallis
Speaking after the match was a man who wants to stay a Bulldog. “You know my history at this club,’’ he said. Trades and free agency tend to treat players like cattle, and Wallis’s name has been thrown up as a possible departure from the Dogs. Hope it doesn’t happen. He is a heart and soul player and is starting to get his groove back. He was terrific against North Melbourne, save for the kick out of bounds at the end, and responded to that hardship with another terrific, hard-nosed game against Geelong. He had a team-high 11 contested possessions, 10 ground ball gets, six score involvements and 24 disposals.
8. Adelaide
Despite stories still being spread about what certain players had to endure on the pre-season camp, the Crows got it together where it was needed most — on the field. Shot at three-quarter time, they stormed home over the hapless Eagles. In these situations it’s always the leaders. Sam Jacobs beat Nic Nat, Tex Walker was huge in the forward 50m, and it was Bryce Gibbs, Matt Crouch and Rory Laird in the other parts of the ground. It could be a season-shaping victory.
9. Meshel Laurie
Don’t know her, but her offerings on Barry Hall’s appalling joke on Triple M on Friday night should be read by everyone. It’s about making jokes about rape and the effects it has on people. Meshel — who says on Twitter she is a comedian, Buddhist author and Australian true crime podcaster — started her tweet with: “This is what I’d love to tell Barry Hall … ’’ It ends with: “It’s an opportunity for leadership the likes of which you’ll never find on a footy field. I know you’re up to it.’’ It is worth the read to understand why “rape jokes matter’’.
WHAT I DISLIKE
1. Melbourne
Back in the pack despite the numbers suggesting it was a top-four team. The Demons’ past three weeks have shown they are not yet ready to mix with the best teams. They won six in a row — against Essendon, St Kilda, Gold Coast, Carlton, Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs — and have lost their past three to Collingwood, Port Adelaide and on Sunday St Kilda. The Saints played their best footy for three months and won their third game of the season, but if Melbourne keeps talking about playing ruthless footy and playing finals-like footy, it must win games such as Sunday’s. Just maybe the Dees are not as well equipped as mostly everyone thinks.
2. It was amazing they got close
After kicking the first three goals of the match, the Demons were outplayed by St Kilda. The Saints’ toughness and pressure around the ball and run off halfback was too much for a Melbourne side that prides itself on pressure, toughness and run off halfback. Melbourne kicked 18 goals without getting a strong contribution from Tom McDonald, Jake Melksham, Sam Weideman and Mitch Hannan in the forward 50m, so there’s a positive. But without the four points, the positives aren’t worth much chop this week, anyway.
3. Buddy rules
We must be the only ball sport in the world where you can deliberately strike an opposition player in the throat, forcing that player to fall to the ground grasping his throat and the penalty is only a fine. In this case, $1500 for a bloke earning an average of $1 million a year.
This is not beat-up-on-Buddy weekend, but he is both lucky and clumsy. In Round 9 he elbowed Fremantle’s Joel Hamling in the face, which sent Hamling from the field, and escaped penalty. His actions were “not unreasonable in the circumstances”, it was decided. On Thursday night he struck Richmond’s Alex Rance and was found guilty of misconduct and not striking. As Professor Julius Sumner Miller would say: “Why is it so?”
4. Gazza playing safe
It was either a coaching instruction or player’s decision, but Gary Ablett’s 30-plus disposals on Friday night were ho-hum. Too many short balls on the receiving end and far too many on the attacking side. It’s disrespectful to say Ablett was playing to his own rules against the Dogs, but his possessions didn’t help quick ball movement, which underlined the Bulldogs’ effort. Ablett had 17 kicks against the Dogs and only two of them went long.
5. Where does that leave Geelong?
In danger of missing the eight, which will disappoint all at the Cats as they shopped to win a flag (they did get Gazza cheaply). Even though the big four — Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Ablett and Mitch Duncan — won a huge share of the ball, the Cats couldn’t get the job done. Always in losses, you look at Jake Kolodjashnij, Jordan Cunico, James Parsons, Jordan Murdoch and Lachie Fogarty and wonder if they are good enough or ready to play consistent footy. By the time they finish the run of Sydney (away), Adelaide (away), Melbourne (home), Brisbane Lions (home) and Richmond (MCG), we’ll find out.
6. Daniel Hannebery
After Round 4, we said of Hannebery: “Jack Dyer used to say, ‘It’s no good being where the ball ain’t’, and Hannebery isn’t finding anywhere near the amount of ball he used to.’’ Not much has changed in 10 weeks. You could argue Hannebery is in a two-season form slump. The animalistic attitude at contests and gut-busting running have dissipated and his possessions are run of the mill. In 2016, he had 802 disposals from 26 games. In 2017 it was 569 from 23. This year he averages 19 disposals a game (rated below average); seven contested possessions (poor); 199m gained (poor); two clearances (poor); zero goals (poor); three score involvements (poor); and 31 pressure points (poor). His drop has been astonishing and you have to wonder if the knee injury he suffered in the 2016 Grand Final against the Bulldogs is part of the reason.
7. West Coast
No excuses that Josh Kennedy, Mark LeCras and Jack Darling were missing because this game was lost in the middle in the final quarter. It has been a theme throughout the year, even in the 10-game winning streak. When sides have had good periods against the Eagles in matches, the midfield has been belted. This time it was the final quarter against the Crows. Even if West Coast had the big three up forward, the ball wouldn’t have got to them. The last-quarter numbers were horrid: -21 contested possessions, -12 ground ball gets, -10 clearances, -20 inside-50s and they conceded 26 points on turnover.
8. Lacking spirit of the game
Don’t know what can be done about players who signal they will kick for goal, which gives them 20 seconds to waste, and then pass the ball to a teammate. It’s not illegal and they have control of the ball, which is the name of the game, but they also exploit a rule brought in specifically for goalkickers. It’s frustrating. So is the plethora of 50m free kicks for being in the exclusion zone. Surely it’s got to be paid against players interfering, not against those who have no impact on the opponent who has the ball. At least Steve Hocking admitted on Sunday a mistake was made in the Giants v Hawks game.
9. Tanking discussion
It will happen before Carlton v Brisbane Lions this week, that it’s best not to win this game so you’re better placed to select potential No.1 draft pick Jack Lukosius. We know it’s better not to win, but neither Carlton or Brisbane will be thinking about losing or draft picks. They need a win, these two teams, not talk of tanking.
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