The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 6 of the 2021 AFL season
Peter Wright played his best game for his new club in a rousing ANZAC Day win, but a forward turned defender has been the real surprise packet. THE TACKLE
Mark Robinson
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Another massive weekend of footy is in the books.
And there are plenty of big stories from Round 6. Where does another loss leave Nathan Buckley? Which highly paid Tiger is posting average numbers? Have the Bombers found a good one up forward?
In this week’s The Tackle, Mark Robinson looks at these big issues and plenty more.
Check out his likes and dislikes below.
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DISLIKES
1 COACH NOT OUT OF THE WOODS
IT’S all seemingly calm and fuzzy on the inside at Collingwood as coach Nathan Buckley and president Mark Korda talk about process and next year, and how everyone is friends. The fan base isn’t so cordial.
The Pies are 1-5 and lost on Sunday to a young Bombers outfit. The Pies are young as well, but 1-5 is nowhere near the expectation this season.
Who knows if Buckley wants to coach next year or if the Pies will want him, but on the field his men are battling.
They won’t play finals, so what else does Collingwood need to learn about Buckley ahead of a decision on his future?
It can only be whether he maintains the support of the players. They weren’t beaten by work ethic and commitment on Sunday, but because they lacked personnel and connection going forward. Still, the coaching situation looks delicate and at 1-5, it’s unlikely Buckley will get another crack.
2 PIES IN A BLUE FUNK
BALL use destroys teams. Essendon went at 68 per cent by foot on Sunday and Collingwood at 56 per cent. One team gave up 53 points from turnovers, the other gave up 33.
The final margin was virtually the difference in turnover scores. The Pies’ mids let them down. Steele Sidebottom went at 39 per cent by foot, Josh Daicos 33 per cent, Brodie Grundy 33 per cent, while Brayden Maynard was only 50 per cent.
It’s Carlton all over: Poor disposal kills opportunity.
And just like Carlton, the Pies just aren’t good enough. But, remember, Carlton has been in rebuild mode since 2015, while Collingwood started only six weeks ago.
3 SAINTS NEED A MIRACLE
They are 2-4 and play Hawthorn and Gold Coast (away) in the next two weeks. Drop either of those games and finals are kaput.
The concern after Sunday night’s drubbing to Port Adelaide is: Where does coach Brett Ratten go from here?
It will be the third time in six games he will have to try to pick up a team wallowing in self-doubt and lacking the necessary class.
The theme in the lead up to Sunday night was work rate and defense. But they lost by 54 points and had kicked 25 points to three-quarter time. Clearly, they’ve circled the chairs this season to try to mentally burrow into why the mechanics are not matching the intentions and Sunday night will only further confuse and frustrate them.
If the pre-match was about work rate, how could Port Adelaide win uncontested possessions by 141 and uncontested marks 138-74? The majority of Saints players are kidding themselves. They buy in on the easy part - the discussion - and don’t deliver where it matters, which is on the field.
4 TACTIC WIDE OF THE MARK
MAKE the move, Steve Hocking. The AFL must change its stance on pegging the man on the mark when there’s a shot for goal.
On Sunday, Hawthorn’s Jarman Impey had a shot for goal, he walked up to Rory Laird on the mark, stopped 2m in front of Laird, then scooted to his right and kicked the goal, leaving Laird helpless.
This will become the norm as players exploit the new rule.
As Fox Footy commentator David King noted, this is not what the rule was brought in for.
Hocking might argue the rule can’t be changed because the season has started, but he might also agree that while excellent around the ground, the rule is a blight on the game when used in front of goal in this way.
5 SET UP FOR A LYNCHING
SATURDAY was not a night for overhead marking, but this isn’t about this game alone. Nor is it a take-down of the Richmond forward.
The Tigers lost to Melbourne because they were out-hunted, then Christian Salem and his teammates were outstanding behind the ball.
The Lynch issue is a slight worry.
He’s kicked 10 goals and taken 10 contested marks in six games. They are average numbers for a key forward.
He’s getting paid in the vicinity of $800,000 to be average.
With Lynch out of form, Dustin Martin concussed and Richmond’s small forwards virtual nonentities against Melbourne, the Tigers were made to be an average team.
Forget the past four years, the Tigers have concerns and won’t be favourites against the Bulldogs on Friday night. Nor should they be.
6 TIGERS’ FORM A WORRY
ARE we seeing the baton change? The Tigers have either slipped or the opposition has got better in 2021. It’s probably both.
The champs are 3-3 and are in the eight, and the refrain from Richmond fans is to wait until September. Premierships bring that confidence.
Not sure the inner-sanctum at Richmond would be so supremely sure. Sydney, Port Adelaide and Melbourne have beaten the Tigers and they play the Western Bulldogs this week. Those four teams are above them on the ladder.
This is not “Richmond won’t win the flag”, but three times in six weeks the Tigers were out-hunted. That’s a worry, notwithstanding the fact the Tigers tend to start playing big boys football after June. Still, all dynasties come to an end at some stage.
7 SPS MUST WORK THE ANGLES
HIS current failings might not be all Sam Petrevski-Seton’s fault.
The game allowed him — because of zone football — to be a pretty footballer, and the coaching staff still allow that.
He has talent, but not urgency or creativity. There’s a nothingness about his disposal. He had 15 kicks against the Lions and all 15 were recorded as short.
For the season, he’s had 77 kicks — 70 of them short. Where’s the creativity and aggression with ball in hand?
He should be Caleb Daniel, creating angles, going at 45 degrees, moving lines, but we see little of that.
He gets the ball and moves it from point A to point B. Either his confidence is shot and he won’t try to peel off a long ball to space or a leading forward, or the coaches instruct him to kick short, because, after all, the Blues are a short-kicking team.
David Teague constantly talks about not making the most of their opportunities. The same could be said of the ball in Petrevski-Seton’s hands.
8 EAGLES’ HARD LANDING
IT’S not only about Saturday’s pitiful display against Geelong, where West Coast left five top-liners at home along with their heart.
Their pressure in the last three quarters was 163, which is diabolic at AFL level.
The accusation they are flat-trackers has merit. After all, some pundits claimed them to be premiership favourites two weeks ago.
We get carried away with the Eagles most years. Under Adam Simpson, they won the flag in 2018 but have won just one final in two years since.
Flags are not easy to win and the Eagles may be fully satisfied with the ’18 triumph, but this talented mob should be in more preliminary finals and Grand Finals. This year, they are 3-3 with a percentage of 90. There’s not a lot of wriggle room left to make the top four.
9 WHAT A GIANT IMPROVEMENT
THE Bulldogs kicked nine fourth-quarter goals on Friday night and although it made the margin drastic, the Giants were enormous for three quarters — and have been for three weeks.
Compare their work rate and diligence to West Coast’s. The Giants are as blue collar as any team and when you have injuries and field a young line-up, it’s a badge of honour to be competitive for so long.
Their problem was they were playing against the best four-quarter team in the competition. This season, the Dogs have outscored their opponents by 20 goals, which is easily the most in the league.
The Dogs grind opponents quarter by quarter. In red-time in quarters, which is time-on, the Dogs are +96 points, which is second only to Sydney.
10 IF YOU DON’T MIND, UMPIRES
AS KB would say, it’s a quirky game. In the third quarter between Carlton and Brisbane, three umpiring decisions bewildered fans and commentators.
The first was a free kick against Jacob Weitering for showing insufficient intent to keep the ball in play. He was tackled as he kicked it and the ball ran out of bounds as Marc Murphy was running to pick it up; the ball beat him over the line by a couple of metres.
Next, Levi Casboult flew for a mark, missed the ball, and crashed Callum Ah Chee into the deck. That’s been a free kick since KB was a kid.
Thirdly — and this is happening every week — the umpire did not pay a 50m penalty after a free kick was paid to Carlton and the Lions continued to play and have a shot at goal. What’s happened to that rule?
LIKES
1 THIS KID WILL BE ALL WRIGHT
TWO-metre Peter! Didn’t know he had that in him.
Wright took 25 ruck contests against Brodie Grundy and Darcy Cameron and played the rest of the game forward. The Bombers recruit kicked two huge goals, his third-quarter goal coming after taking a contested mark on the 50m against Grundy.
He finished with 16 disposals and his 10 marks, four contested, were the second most in his career.
He deserves credit because he has been one of the most criticised players for his lack of impact across his career. He couldn’t get a game for the lowly Suns but on Sunday starred for the Bombers on a day when toughness and resilience is needed.
2 BOMBER FINALLY LAUNCHES
JAYDEN Laverde is the most improved player at Essendon.
Laverde is another example of a failed forward, but that’s OK. He was never going to survive in the system as the third forward, so the Bombers sent him back, probably with hope more than confidence.
On Sunday, he was opposed mainly to Brody Mihocek, who kicked one goal while Laverde had 21 possessions and game highs for intercept possessions (11) and intercept marks (five). He was significant as the Bombers were without Jordan Ridley (concussion) then Aaron Francis (injured).
3 OLLIE WINES
Has started the season with 30, 38, 26, 27, 32 and on Sunday night he had 36 possessions against St Kilda. Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley predicted in the pre-season Wines was ready to storm the competition. Hinkley hasn’t been wrong. Wines was one of many dominant players on Sunday night, one of whom was another African, Martin Frederick, the twin brother of Fremantle’s Michael.
Martin made his debut against the Saints and was opposed to Lonie, Billings and Higgins in the D50.
He had 23 possessions and eight intercept possessions, the second most by a Port player. It tells us one thing, Port has tremendous depth.
4 THIL CAN’T BELIEVE THIS DEBUT
ADELAIDE lost an incredible match of momentum but found an incredible young forward in Riley Thilthorpe.
The 18-year-old is its No. 2 draft pick and on Sunday he kicked five goals on debut. It’s easy to say, but he looks like a threat for the next 12 years. Good hands. Athletic. Can jump.
Up the other end, Jacob Koschitzke took eight marks inside 50, three contested, and also kicked five goals for the Hawks. They were highlights, plus Jaeger O’Meara’s willing second half.
The controversy was Adelaide’s use of Tom Lynch, its medical sub. When called upon, he wasn’t ready to play. He didn’t have boots on, was in the rooms and even when he was on the ground he didn’t move well. What a shemozzle from the Crows.
5 HE’S MAKING NO TRACCS
PLENTY will be written about Christian Petracca and how he’s up for free agency at the end of next year. Save your ink. He’s going nowhere.
His two best mates at Melbourne, Clayton Oliver and Christian Salem, have extended their contracts and Petracca will do the same.
The Demons delivered a statement against Richmond and so did Petracca, Oliver and Salem.
Petracca had 38 disposals and 11 score involvements. Champion Data has never before seen his average of 10 score involvements a game. There’s racking up numbers and there’s impacting the scoreboard. Petracca does both.
6 DEES LIVING SUSTAINABLY
IT’S not who you play, it’s how you play. At 6-0, the Demons are in it up to their ears. Why? Because their style of football is sustainable.
That’s because it’s underpinned by high pressure and high work rate — and offence is mostly always energised by your defence.
The Demons aren’t flaky. Their pressure rated 202 compared with Richmond’s 200 on Saturday night and they blew away the premier by six goals. They succeeded in a chaotic game against a team that has owned chaotic football for five years.
Let’s hope Jack Viney stays injury free. Petracca, Oliver, Salem, Max Gawn, Steven May, Ed Langdon, Tom McDonald, Kysaiah Pickett, Luke Jackson and Jake Lever are at the top of their games, but Viney gives to Melbourne what Tom Liberatore supplies for the Bulldogs.
Oliver is similar. It’s unconditional commitment and it’s why they are admired by teammates and fans.
7 STANLEY DELIVERS
A STANDING ovation for Rhys Stanley. I reckon that was the ruckman’s best game for Geelong considering the opposition.
He had 15 disposals to Nic Naitanui’s 13. He had four clearances to Nic Nat’s seven.
But Stanley’s weapon against Nic Nat was to push forward and make the best tap ruckman of his generation defend, a task Nic Nat failed.
Stanley had nine score involvements, third behind Mitch Duncan (12) and Tom Hawkins (11). Stanley’s count was his second most for the Cats in his 94 games.
8 TOP RANKINE FOR TACKLES
IZAK Rankine played arguably his best game for the Suns, not because it was awash with spellbinding creative moves but because it was a hard-nosed, small-forward performance.
He had 18 touches, kicked two goals and his 101 ranking points was the fourth-most for the Suns. He stuck five of his team’s 21 tackles inside 50, an area of the ground coach Stuart Dew highlighted on 3AW as critical to the win.
It was a freewheeling midfield, where six players had more than 30 touches, but it wasn’t freewheeling out of the back half for the Swans. The Swans were disappointing as again mindset played a huge role in the outcome.
9 A FORWARD LACH?
WHAT to do with Lachie Hunter? He’s been playing more forward than usual for the Bulldogs this season, but with Josh Dunkley seemingly headed for surgery, a spot opens.
I reckon they will keep Hunter mainly forward, bring in Pat Lipinski and shuffle to redeploy an inside mid.
Adam Treloar can play that role — he did at Collingwood. Hunter had seven score assists against the Giants and I’m not sure coach Luke Beveridge would be willing to take that clout away from his forward 50. So, Lipinski in at the coalface might be the move.
10 CARRY ON, McCLUGGAGE
ARE we watching the Lions turn Hugh McCluggage into a centre-forward player, in a role not similar to Petracca, Marcus Bontempelli and Nat Fyfe? It’s a watch-this-space.
But if it is to play out to Brisbane’s advantage, McCluggage has to be more damaging on the scoreboard.
He was best afield against Carlton with 11 score involvements, and his midfield-forward split was 75 per cent and 25 per cent, which is the most time he has played forward in three years.
His problem is goalkicking. He’s kicked 5.7 and had one complete miss in his six games this year. Last season, he kicked eight goals from 34 shots.
It’s an improvement, but if McCluggage could really fix that, All-Australian selectors would come knocking.
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