The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 11

Collingwood was unlucky with the score review, and the general assessment was the Pies were flat against Fremantle. The numbers say they were poor. Did they think they had the game won before it was played? See all Robbo’s likes and dislikes from Round 11.

Carlton’s loss to Essendon could be devastating for Brendan Bolton. Picture: Michael Klein

Essendon heaped more pressure on Carlton coach Brendon Bolton after more was expected of the Blues.

It was a joy to watch Scott Pendlebury and Nat Fyfe duel it out at the MCG, but it was a shame Fremantle’s win over Collingwood was overshadowed by a score review failure.

Check out Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 11.

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BAROMETER: INJURY NEWS AND SELECTION ANALYSIS

WHAT I DISLIKE

1. SCREWS TURN

It was a winnable game for the Blues, but they never looked like it and Carlton decision-makers surely left the MCG perplexed about what to do next.

This wasn’t a coach-killer of a game on its own, but it desperately hurts Brendon Bolton because winnable games don’t come around that often for Carlton.

The Blues said Bolton would coach out the season, but with every loss the likelihood of Bolton coaching next year diminished.

It wasn’t about effort, it was about skill and impact. Why so many simple mistakes with the pill?

What we do know is no other club will ever cut its list and rebuild like Carlton has.

The result has been devastating for the Blues and the fans who had high hopes.

Brendan Bolton makes a point to Sam Petrevski-Seton. Picture: Michael Klein

2. SICKLY SAINTS

Fly to China and deliver that rubbish, and perhaps lose Jarryn Geary because of a potential fractured leg, is a nightmare result. And it was a Saints home game.

We can accuse the club of putting money ahead of a potential home win in Melbourne, but that’s a cop-out for the players.

The final margin was 70 points, which is embarrassing.

The 9.15 on the scoreboard was shambolic, the lack of workrate against a slick Port Adelaide after quarter-time even more so.

The Saints’ pressure rating of 152 was the fourth worst of any team this year, and clearly their worst of the season.

This result needs an extensive review before next year’s China game. The fear is such a jolt, on the scoreboard and to the bodies, could derail the season.

Their next game against the Suns (away) looms as pivotal.

3. DARWIN DEMONS

So much to like and so much to lament.

They won most of the key stats except the one that counted — the scoreboard.

“We’re obviously frustrated,” coach Simon Goodwin said.

The fact is the Demons choked. Not just Max Gawn and Sam Weideman in the final minutes when they kicked two behinds when a goal probably would have won the game. But the whole team.

The Dees led by five goals midway through the third quarter and kicked 1.11 from that point.

This season is done.

It’s all about the future, which means a decision on a player such as Jordan Lewis will be made soon. The champ might have to make way to give the kids experience.

Max Gawn missed a shot at goal that probably would have won the game for the Demons. Picture: Getty Images

4. IT’S NOT UNSOCIABLE HAWKS, IT’S THE ANNOYING HAWKS

Be it Conor Glass rubbing an opponent’s hair, or Ben Stratton continually punching and pushing Charlie Cameron, or James Sicily belting Lincoln McCarthy in the guts behind the play, the Hawks are annoying.

Sicily is looking at a suspension and his undisciplined acts continue to hurt him as a footballer and his footy team.

The Stratton interaction with Cameron was weird. As he manhandled Cameron, the field umpire was laughing.

Didn’t the league say it was clamping down on that rubbish off the ball and would pay free kicks? What is Cameron supposed to do, just stand there and take it as the umpire laughed?

5. COME ON, TOM

Tom Hawkins won’t be suspended and likely will be fined.

But why does he keep putting himself in the spotlight because of clumsy contact? He raised his arm and collected Jordan Dawson in the head after the Swan took the mark.

And then he did a Gazza and raised his arms as if to say he didn’t really mean it. He did, it was instinctive and he was lucky Dawson wasn’t hurt. Maybe the Cats want to be unsociable.

6. BIG-HEAD PIES?

The general assessment was they were flat. The numbers say their work ethic was poor.

I’d argue they were big heads, thinking they have got this covered before the ball had been bounced.

Play this game on a Friday night at the MCG and I doubt the Magpies would be so lacklustre. The much-heralded midfield was poor.

The Dockers won 77-48 in midfield ground balls and scored 52 of their 79 points from their defensive half.

The most the Magpies had conceded from their defensive half this season was 38. Nathan Buckley was calm after the match, but wonder if he was as calm with his players behind closed doors.

7. DON’T YOU HATE IT WHEN A PLAN FALLS APART

The score review at the MCG failed and, while it was a mistake, plenty of others were made that contributed to Collingwood’s loss.

Kudos to Buckley for keeping his cool in the post-match press conference and saying the Dockers deserved to win.

That doesn’t forgive the unacceptable loss of vision for the review umpire. How can we see it on replays, but not the review ump at the game?

Technical issues, as the AFL explained, were to blame. And there was another one in the Eagles-Bulldogs game. What a mess in a professional sport.

8. THE GREEN MAGGOT

The AFL says it was Richmond’s decision to suspend the fan for calling an umpire a green maggot.

“It was referred back to the club,’’ AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said from China.

“As I understand it, the club cheer squad itself dealt with the issue internally.’’

Well, that’s not quite right. The Tackle understands the AFL told Richmond it had better sanction the person and, if it wasn’t heavy enough, the AFL would come over the top.

The wider issue is: Where does it stop? Does any supporter abuse or swearing lead to bans? What a strange world we live in.

WHAT I LIKE

1. FINALLY, THE TAG

Essendon coach John Worsfold deployed Dylan Clarke to Paddy Cripps and the second-gamer kept Cripps to 11 disposals, his lowest disposal count since Round 18, 2017.

It proves two things: Cripps can be shut down, and Clarke might be the player Essendon has needed to go to the opposition’s most dangerous player.

Herald Sun columnist Mick McGuane implored Worsfold to sit on Dustin Martin the week before.

Maybe the Clarke move will sway the coach to continue with the tactic.

The flow-on was Dyson Heppell was best afield hunting the ball, and the Bombers won the contested ball by 16 and clearances by 10 in a game of metreage.

2. THE OLD FIRM

It was a flip of the coin for best afield between Robbie Gray and Travis Boak.

Gray’s move back to the midfield in the past two weeks has been a raging success.

Port has bulls in there, and arguably has missed Gray’s ball use.

Coach Ken Hinkley will need to be convinced to shovel Gray back to a full-time forward role.

He had 28 possessions, a game-high eight clearances and kicked 3.2.

He and Boak set up a pole-axing performance. Port had 85 more disposals than the Saints, 84 more uncontested possessions and took 40 more marks.

What a lurk Port has — a China fortress as the away team.

3. ESAVA RATUGOLEA

Darcy Fort would probably be playing seniors at 10 other clubs.

At Geelong he’s vying for a spot against Ratugolea, who has a stranglehold on the forward/ruck position.

Ratugolea played his best game for the Cats against Sydney on Saturday and it seems with every six-week block there’s a level of improvement in his game.

He had 114 SuperCoach points (previous best was 74) and kicked two goals. Even better, he’s a menacing forward with his attack on the ball.

Esava Ratugolea has the forward-ruck tole sewn up at Geelong. Picture: AAP

4. PENDLEBURY V FYFE

Scott Pendlebury’s role this year has changed.

While he has gone head-to-head previously, it has happened more frequently this year and it is more team oriented in the sense that it’s not just about disposals.

This year he has been assigned to Jade Gresham, Patrick Cripps, Marcus Bontempelli and Patrick Dangerfield. On Saturday it was Nat Fyfe for three quarters. Their contest at stoppages was a treat to watch.

Their numbers were (Pendlebury first) 20-20 in disposals, 10-11 in contested possessions, 3-4 in clearances and 1-0 in goals.

Leigh Matthews on 3AW gave the votes to Pendlebury ahead of Fyfe.

The Herald Sun’s Chris Cavanagh gave it to Fyfe then Pendlebury. Expect the two of them each to get nine votes in the coaches’ votes — a five and a four from Ross Lyon and Nathan Buckley.

Scott Pendlebury and Nat Fyfe go head-to-head. Picture: AAP

5. ANDREW BRAYSHAW

If you looked at Brayshaw’s numbers on Saturday, nothing spectacular jumped out.

He had 21 disposals and four tackles and his 49 pressure points were the second most for the Dockers.

But there was one moment in the gripping final four minutes that helped separate Fremantle and Collingwood.

Brayshaw put pressure on Steele Sidebottom near the boundary line. Sidebottom’s kick to 35m was won by the Dockers, who moved it to half-back. Sidebottom initially walked to that contest, but Brayshaw ran.

When Brayshaw won a bone-jarring contest against Brayden Maynard, Sidebottom was 15m away.

It was symbolic of Freo’s want more than the matchwinning moment. Little wonder Lyon sought out his young player after the siren.

6. HARRIS ANDREWS

The Brisbane backman is Dustin Fletcher reincarnated: Tall, athletic, a marker, a spoiler and with go-go gadget arms.

He’s not as clumsy at giving away the occasional strange free kick as Fletcher did, but the traits that made Fletcher a champion — and surely a walk-up Hall of Fame inductee in 2020 — are evident in Harris.

He had a couple of goals kicked on him against the Hawks, but he stopped another 10.

Andrews has that special quality of getting a fist to the ball just as his opponent is about to mark it. He was the highest-ranked player on the ground with 20 disposals and nine marks. Boy, he is quality.

Harris Andrews spoils Mitchell Lewis. Picture: Getty Images

7. ROBBIE TARRANT

Always believed when the back-six “gang’’ is holding ground, the team breathes easier.

Big boys are generally tough and loved at North Melbourne. In this side it’s Tarrant and Scott Thompson — and Tarrant is the leader of the Kangaroos gang. He takes the best forward every week and, this season anyway, has worn the leader’s stripes with honour.

Despite North conceding big scores, Tarrant has only conceded multiple goals twice — against Port Adelaide’s Patrick Ryder/Justin Westhoff in Round 6 and Geelong’s Tom Hawkins in Round 8.

In the other rounds, it was: Round 1 Matt Taberner/Cam McCarthy zero goals; Round 2 Eric Hipwood zero goals; Round 3 Jack Gunston one goal; Round 4 Taylor Walker one goal; Round 5 Joe Daniher one goal; Round 7 Harry McKay zero goals; Round 9 Sam Reid one goal; Round 10 Aaron Naughton one goal; and on Friday night, Tom Lynch one goal. You’ve got to like him.

8. THE NEW DEAL LOOMING

While we’re talking crazy stuff about what Geelong’s Tim Kelly will earn next year, rest assured Stephen Coniglio deserves more.

Giants coach Leon Cameron told Fox Footy last week he’s hoping an announcement will come within a month, although that’s not stopping the WA clubs’ pursuit. More games like Saturday’s against the Suns and Coniglio’s salary will near the $1 million mark.