The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes for Round 3
Everyone’s heard the hype around Hawthorn recruits Chad Wingard and Tom Scully, but Mark Robinson says there’s an unsung hero the Hawks signed for nothing who is quietly tearing it up. ROBBO’S LIKES AND DISLIKES
Mark Robinson
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Brisbane’s star recruit Lachie Neale must be racking up the Brownlow Medal votes after another destructive performance, and footy is starting to look bright for the Queensland clubs.
The Bombers found redemption against the Demons, who stunk it up again, while Dustin Martin let his team down.
MARK ROBINSON reveals his likes and dislikes for Round 3.
BEST ON GROUND: VOTE FOR YOUR BEST FROM ROUND 3
SUPERLADDER: WHERE DOES YOUR CLUB SIT?
BAROMETER: INJURY NEWS AT EVERY CLUB AFTER ROUND 3
SUPERCOACH: EVERY ROUND 3 SCORE, HEROES AND VILLAINS
LIVE FACEBOOK STREAM: ROBBO RESPONDS TO YOUR COMMENTS ON THE BIG ISSUES FROM MIDDAY
LIKES
1. LACHIE NEALE
After three rounds, he could have nine votes in the Brownlow Medal. He will certainly get the full complement of votes after his 43 disposals, 16 clearances and 10 score involvements against Port Adelaide on Saturday night. I always knew he could win the football, but often wondered if he was as damaging with the pill as other elite ball-getters. It’s the reason I left him out of my Top 50 published at the start of the season. That was a mistake.
At Fremantle, he was to Nathan Fyfe what Kyrie Irving was to LeBron James at Cavaliers, before Irving switched to Boston and was widely recognised for his talents. Anyway, got that wrong. I am now expecting the Giants to call and remind me Jeremy Cameron (seven goals and 30 disposals) was also stiff to miss.
2. SPEAKING OF JEZZA
He said in the pre-season he played with a broken big toe for much of last year, and this summer was probably the best of his career. He is often named as one of the million-dollar players, and on Saturday played like it. What a ridiculously good game from a 196cm key forward. His 163 ranking points were second best of his career, he had career highs in disposals (30), score involvements (16) and goals (seven), and his seven marks inside 50m were the third most of his 133-game career.
3. SAM COLLINS AND THE SUNS
That’s not a 1960s rock band, it’s a player and team gaining plenty of respect. Unquestionably, coach Stuart Dew has instilled belief and effort, and with that comes defence and hard-running. In three games this seasons, the Suns have lost to St Kilda (one point), beaten Fremantle (three points), and upset the Western Bulldogs (five points).
The recruitment of Collins and Jack Hombsch as their two key position players is a huge tick thus far. Collins had a game-high 11 intercept possessions, and Hombsch seven intercept possessions plus five spoils. Best of all, the Suns were never headed on the scoreboard, and when the Dogs kept coming, they didn’t panic and didn’t shrink from the challenge.
4. JACK BOWES
He’s an academy kid and plays the kind football that earmarks him for a leadership role, if not as a future captain. Don’t know enough about him to suggest he’s the total package off-field, but he’s looming as a beast on it. His 13 contested possessions yesterday — he had 25 disposals overall — was the sixth consecutive game he has recorded double-digit contested numbers. Deep in the final quarter yesterday he continually put himself in front of packs and took the pain in a bid to stop the Bulldogs scoring. The Suns have a 250-gamer here.
5. RICKY HENDERSON
Amid the hype at the MCG on Sunday for Chad Wingard (three goals) and the steady improvement in Tom Scully — and, yes, commentators we already know he’s the king of the gut-busting runners — Ricky Henderson is quietly going about his business on the wing. Another 29 disposals yesterday to follow his 20 in Round 1, and 29 in Round 2, and he gives the Hawks three genuine wingmen in Isaac Smith, Scully and himself. Against the Kangas, Henderson played three quarters on the wing, a little forward, and as an inside mid. All this after being picked up as a delisted free agent. The Hawks continue to nail their recruiting.
6. BOMBERS’ FRONT SIX
Kudos to the Essendon leaders, in particular to Dyson Heppell and David Zaharakis, but what a difference an operating front six can make to a team. The Bombers were dysfunctional for six of the first eight quarters this season, and then put it together against Melbourne (which has problems everywhere). In Round 1, the Bombers had 52 inside-50s and 10 per cent of them returned goals. In Round 2, they had 54 inside-50s and 17 per cent of them returned goals. Against Melbourne, it was 53 inside-50s with 38 per cent producing goals. All these numbers can be complex, but simply put they were efficient, selfless and hungry.
7. JAMIE CRIPPS
It’s a throwaway line to emphasise the importance of a single player, but Jamie Cripps is one of the first picked for West Coast every week. Coach Adam Simpson loves him. Cripps won’t fly like Liam Ryan, or mark like Josh Kennedy, or run like Lewis Jetta, but he’ll do all the dirty work required of a permanent mid-sized forward, like apply the pressure, get to the right spots, and make as many contests as he can.
He had 18 disposals against the Pies, and his nine contested disposals were second only to returning midfielder Andrew Gaff (13). Opposed mainly to Jack Crisp and James Aish, his four goals and team-high eight score involvements were the cream on top. Betcha Simpson has Cripps in his top three in his coaches’ votes delivered on Monday.
8. ZAK JONES
John Longmire’s bid to inject speed into the centre square has delivered Jones as a surprising beneficiary. The 24-year-old has played mainly wing and halfback in his 76-game career, but that is changing rapidly. In Round 1, he played 20 per cent in the middle. In Round 2, it was 49 per cent. On Saturday against Carlton, he spent 76 per cent of his game time in the centre square, attending a career-high 15 centre bounces.
He finished with a career-high 31 disposals, and his seven clearances were the equal of Josh Kennedy. If Jones can keep his frustrations in check — he’s quite familiar with the MRO — his football is set to flourish.
9. CALL IT SMART … FOR NOW
Cracking game in the west on Sunday night, full of drama — and a knockout for Freo skipper Nat Fyfe. The end was nearing controversial. With 10 seconds to play, the Saints had seven players in the forward 50. Was it a genuine mistake or a tactic knowing they had a warning up their sleeve? Pies skipper Scott Pendlebury put the issue on the agenda last week. The umpire was aware of what was happening and sent the spare Saint to the wing, so it worked out OK. But what if it wasn’t picked up and the Saints won the clearance and kicked the winner? Hell to pay. It’s time to scrap the warning before this “tactic” is confused for cheating.
DISLIKES
1. DUSTIN MARTIN
Forget the finger and the snort gestures because players torment each other in every game. The real talking points are Damien Hardwick’s plea with umpires to protect the ball players, and Martin’s errant elbow. Hardwick has a point. If the AFL is serious about clamping down on prohibited contact (cue Port’s Scott Lycett last week), then the ball winners should be paid 15 free kicks a game for the treatment they get off the ball. The checks, the elbows in the back, and the scragging all take place.
That said, Martin can’t be elbowing players off the ball. The Tigers are reeling with injuries, and Martin now faces suspension. Despite Hardwick’s defence of Martin’s elbow — “Why do you reckon he might give away that free kick?” he asked in the post-match — the coach should also be frustrated by Martin’s lack of discipline and leadership in a time of turmoil. Hardwick’s whinge should be noted, but so, too, should GWS coach Leon Cameron’s remark. “I thought Matty de Boer played a really good, fair game,’’ he said.
2. WHAT HAPPENS TO DUSTY?
The finger always attracts a fine, but that’s mostly when it’s directed at the fans. At another player is a rarity. It’s touch and go there. As for the snort gesture, surely that won’t be punished. If it was directed at Shane Mumford then remember Mumford got two weeks suspension and a $25,000 fine for snorting what is now known as a ‘’white substance’’.
This won’t be an integrity department issue and it won’t be an MRO decision, it will be one for Steve Hocking in the football department. Could you imagine if the AFL wants Martin to apologise?
3. DON’T BLAME BILLY GOWERS
The Bulldogs forward missed a set shot to tie the scores with under a minute to play and kicked a behind. That the Dogs allowed the Suns to jump them from the outset was the bigger issue as to why they lost Sunday’s game. In fact, every Dogs player would love to have their time again, none more than Tory Dickson in the third quarter. Down 32-49, he won the ball at centre half-forward, ran towards goal and was tackled. He had a free teammate to his right and a simple hand-off was required. And the tackler? Yep, Sam Collins.
4. DEES IN FREE FALL
You can’t win games if you can’t stop the opposition from scoring. Melbourne has Steven May and Jake Lever to come back into the team, and the loss of Jordan Lewis (hamstring) as the defensive organiser cannot be underestimated. They are ranked 17th for points against (114 average), 15th for points against from turnovers (65), 18th for points against from stoppages (47) and 18th for conceding a goal from opposition inside-50s.
Up the other end, they’re not exactly killing it on the scoreboard, either. It doesn’t have to be said that Thursday night’s clash against Sydney (SCG) will decide if they remain in the hunt for finals or not.
5. ADELAIDE
Talkback on 5AA radio was smoking after Thursday night’s loss and although Geelong deserves high praise for its performance, the Crows showed they had the character — but not the mechanics as yet — to be a finals team. Very few goals are being scored out the back, which has been trademark Adelaide. Eddie Betts was played higher to get him into the season and most worrying is the Crows’ struggle to take marks inside 50.
In 2017, they were ranked No.1 at that, with an average of 14.6 marks. This year they are ranked 18th with an average nine per game. There might be excuses, but right now Taylor Walker and Josh Jenkins aren’t getting it done in the air.
6. BELOW THE KNEES
Geelong champ Patrick Dangerfield won’t let it go, and he’s right to air his grievance. It’s an absolute disgrace, Dangerfield said. It would be handy if Dangerfield offered more clarity — which is the disgrace: The rule, the umpires or the players exploiting the rule? As it stands, the ruling requires players to abandon their instincts to go for the ball.
Agreed, there’s a strong argument a player running for the ball and then diving at it, and taking out the legs of an opposition player also running for the ball, should be penalised. But if a player is already on the ground and lunges for the free ball, and an opposition player simply flops over the player and ball, surely then it’s play on. The umpires want players to keep their feet, but that’s impossible when you’re already on the deck.
7. THE UMPIRING
The players and coaches in recent times have admitted confusion over free kick interpretations, so little wonder fans are on the rampage. And when Fox Footy commentator Garry Lyon suggests free kicks are being paid in the forward line to increase scoring, it adds to the confusion.
Former Melbourne player Brad Green took to twitter to express his dismay. “I’m serious, the AFL need a review into the umpires this weekend. It’s seriously turning our great game into a joke. Every umpires interpretations are different to the next. Maybe, they just put the whistle away.” Many people would agree.
8. DON’T GO EARLY CROW
Many observers have already given the Rising Star award to Sam Walsh from Carlton. It’s totally wrong. Walsh has been outstanding in the midfield, but so, too, has Connor Rozee in Port Adelaide’s front six. In his third game, and on the road, he booted five goals against the Lions, which arguably is a lot more challenging for a first-year player than picking up 25 touches in the midfield.
9. AND DON’T FORGET ...
A rising cult figure as well as being a rising star, Geelong’s Grian Miers has been a revelation. Drafted in 2017 to be a small forward, he and Gary Ablett are developing a wonderful connection up forward. Miers has contributed 43 points to the scoreboard this year, which is ranked third at Geelong, while Ablett has contributed 38 points to the scoreboard, which is ranked sixth at Geelong.
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