The Tackle: Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett moving out of his father's shadow

"LITTLE Gazza" now a Giant, jury still out on Tigers plus diving hits a new low. Mark Robinson tackles the big issues.

Jake King

I CAN'T remember the last time Gary Ablett was called "little Gaz".

If he still is, then it's the greatest misnomer in footy, for Ablett is a giant.

The transformation from the "son of" to cementing his own identity is complete.

Saturday night's performance against Collingwood was not a deal-breaker, more an exclamation point, just as was his goal midway through the final quarter, when he blazed across half-forward and around several Collingwood opponents to kick the game-winner.

Debate will be held this week about who is better: Gary Ablett Sr or Gary Ablett Jr.

That it is the week that Junior equalled Senior's career games mark - 248 games - makes it not so much a necessary debate, but one that is pleasurable.

There are no winners or losers here. Only Junior is emphatic about who is the better player and it's the only time Junior acts the little boy again.


It's always Dad, he says, the greatest player to have ever played the game.

To others, there isn't the same certainty.

One played largely forward, the other plays largely midfield.

One was an aerial highlight reel, the other is a phenomenal ground-ball player who wins the footy like no other.

Both had/have extraordinary ability to work the ball to kick goals.

They know how to drop the ball and connect with it at the very spot that allows the ball to work its way through the air, be it across the body and hitting the fat of the footy; or hitting it closer to the toe of the ball, which allows for movement and greater penetration; or dribbling from the boundary; or being able to lift the ball out of congestion, with enough height and weight that it clears the congestion and then the pack waiting on the goal line.

In that regard, you have to give to Senior. He kicked 1021 goals.

To break it down, he kicked five-plus goals 103 times, six-plus 69 times, seven-plus 45 times, eight-plus 28 times, nine-plus 18 times and 10-plus goals 12 times. His "best of" DVD should be rated MA because a) he murdered the opposition on the scoreboard; and b) he maimed the opposition as he did it.

SuperCoach studs and duds

Junior isn't the same beast. He is as freakish as his old man, but he kills them softly: death by a thousand possessions, if you like.

He has had 30-plus disposals 87 times, 40-plus disposals 17 times and 50-plus disposals the one time.

Still, who's the best cannot be answered.

Top 40: The best photos of AFL Round 17

It's a matter of opinion and it's why the likes of Leigh Matthews, Ron Barassi, John Kennedy, David Parkin and Malcolm Blight are important to debate.

But what we do know is Junior could possibly be the best onballer the game has seen.

It's why I like to have Jack Dyer alive, or John Coleman, or Bobby Rose.

They could tell us about triple Brownlow medallists Dick Reynolds and Haydn Bunton Jr, and their individual dominance on the competition through the 1930s and 1940s.

Comparing players from different eras is impossible, but I find it difficult to accept the aforementioned greats of the game had similar balance and one-touch as Junior, or were as exceptional below their feet; could kick left and right, could accelerate and gut-run, and could swerve and pivot and weave, and do it generally for 120 minutes with an opponent assigned.

If that person existed he clearly was a phenomenal player.

Ablett surely has to win a second Brownlow medal, surely has to win a fifth Leigh Matthews Medal for the AFL Players' Association MVP, and surely win his fifth club best-and-fairest award.

And despite all that, he might not even be the best player in his family.

JURY STILL OUT ON TIGERS

RICHMOND is almost certain to play finals, but hasn't yet convinced the competition it will be a force.

It's a strange comment after 16 rounds, yet it was only yesterday against Fremantle that have beaten team to be reckoned with.

Still, the Dockers were without three of their goal-to-goal line - Matthew Pavlich, Luke McPharlin and Aaron Sandilands - and a handy little goalkicker in Hayden Ballantyne.

The Tigers won by 27 points and arguably they should have.

That would please coach Damien Hardwick the most.

Beating a team they should hasn't been an easy agenda for the Punt Rd crew in recent years and yesterday will give them confidence.

And the most pleasing aspect was the contribution from everyone on the team.

That's the difference between the Tigers this year and in years gone by. They are a better team. They don't rely on individuals to win games, instead it's a collective.

They will need all that and more over the next two weeks when the play Sydney and Hawthorn, two teams incidentally they munched last year on the G, yet still didn't play finals.

Of the 22 players who played yesterday, only three didn't reach double-figure possessions, and two of them, Matthew Arnot and Nathan Foley, swapped sub vests.

The other was Steven Morris, but his contribution is judged by pressure acts, and not how many times he racks up possessions.

Trent Cotchin played a blinder in the middle and Ivan Maric was important in the ruck, but the Tigers won because of their depth.

Jake King

Jake King's magnificent goal in the third quarter, Daniel Jackson' renaissance, Shane Edwards' pressure, Shaun Grigg's seven tackles, Jack Riewoldt's four goals and four tackles, Ricky Petterd on a back flank, and the hardness of Brandon Ellis and Nick Vlastuin were some of the examples of why the Tigers emerged victorious yesterday.

Alex Rance and Alex Chaplin together have added substance to the back half, Dustin Martin is a consistent ball-winner (30 again yesterday) and the Tigers won without Brett Deledio having a huge impact with Ryan Crowley on his ginger all day.

Defensively, the Tigers are much improved.

Their tackling numbers have ballooned and although the Dockers lacked scoring power, having just 17 points on the scoreboard at halftime is testament to Richmond's recent-found attitude.

The second quarter was most impressive.

The Tigers kicked just one goal to Fremantle's three behinds, but it was about substance rather than highlight reels.

Richmond didn't yield to the Dockers' pressure and, in fact, applied the sort of pressure itself that would make the best opposition jittery.

The Tigers landed 68 tackles to Fremantle's 70, yet had almost 60 more possessions.

They beat off several Fremantle challenges, and then kicked away.

It was professional kill from a team on the rise.

But, as always with the Tigers, or any team believing they are finals goods, the biggest tests are yet to come.

10 THINGS I LIKE

1. Gold Coast
This wasn't a fluke, it was a scramble after losing momentum, then levelling the game, and then keeping the Pies at arm's length after taking control in the third term. Led by you-know-who, the Suns were cleaner with the pill and stronger in the mind and legs threw a tense final quarter. Bennell, O'Meara, Thompson, Shaw, Brennan's three goals, McKenzie with a tag, Broughton out of the back half, Nicholls in the ruck, May as a defensive tall ... it was a Gazza three votes and team effort after that.

2. Chaplin & Rance

Sounds like a vaudeville duo, but far from it. Terry Wallace predicted Rance would go to Mayne, leaving Chaplin for Hannath/Clarke/Silvagni, and those two were pivotal to success. Cotchin was back, (34 touches, six tackles, six clearances), so was Maric, but it was Rance who really stamped himself on the game. You can close your eyes sometimes when he has the ball, but 30 touches (83 per cent efficiency) and 16 marks across half-back has to equal best afield. On Saturday, spoke to Wallace about the days Rance would make mistake after mistake, and how Wallace would still keep playing him. He's paying the Tigers back.

3. Ricky Henderson
Not a bad day to put in career-best numbers. Started as a forward in his career but now progressing in defence, and using is athleticism to be a damaging running, marking defender. Has taken 35 marks in his past four games, including nine yesterday against the Cats. Could've mentioned Douglas again, the young man Wright, I'd be repetitive if I write about Sloane's attitude, and Bernie Vince's goal on the left was a momentum starter, but settled on Henderson. Could he be a another potential forward-cum-star defender?

4. Hodge and Riewoldt
Who wins goal of the round? Both put on smothers, both took the ball on the full, both nailed goals from long-range. The tightness of the game at the MCG made Jack's important, but Hodge's courage to put his body on the line made his more admirable. Glad someone else has to pick.

5. Ryan Griffen
Absolutely convinced Griffen is an All-Australian midfielder and, on top of the debate about trading for the No.1 pick, the Dogs can't - and won't - let him go. Another 37 touches makes it nine games he has returned 29 plus and in a losing team, they are great numbers. If anything, the Dogs on the weekend won plenty of respect led by Griffen and Adam Cooney, who is playing the kind of footy which makes us pleased for him. Another thing, does Gia really have to retire this year?

Ryan Griffen

6. A-A debate
Do you go with Jack or Hannebery from Sydney for two of the five spots in the midfield, or go with both? Hannebery had 40 yesterday and Jack 30 and these two seem to swap ''the highest possession winner'' every second week. At the moment, have Gazza, Pendles, Griffen, Jack, Hannebery, Selwood ... maybe Douglas, maybe Barlow, maybe Kennedy, Mitchell and Watson. Reckon the Swans pair might take two spots.

7. Essendon
Just quietly, the Bombers slipped into second spot on the ladder, which adds a little to the build-up of Dons v Hawks this Friday night. It's been an extraordinary performance from Essendon and one that was acknowledged by Wayne Carey at the weekend. He reasoned that James Hird would be coach of the year if it was named right now. A lot has gone right, but most pleasing has to be the depth at the club. Players such as Colyer, Melksham, Dell'Olio, Myers, Baguley, Kommer, Merrett and Carlisle were either in the twos, not heard of, or arguably not up to it. The ''collective'' is the buzz word about this club.

8. Justin Westhoff
What a bender of a player he is. Can miss the beat of a game for a half, and then be the matchwinner in the end. The pack mark was Nic Nat all over, without the pressure of kicking the goal. The second mark at the death could have been avoided if the Saints made him accountable. Like him as a player but, as SuperCoaches would attest, he can do your head in. Brought him in Round 3, persevered through some lean times, dumped him with his suspension and he comes out and peels off 152. Have to add, Travis Boak is an inspiring skipper.

Justin Westhoff

9. Dr Ling
One of my favourites on the boundary line, Cameron Ling turned was required to be commentator and doctor when he tried to interview Dylan Robertson at halftime. Roberton had been cleaned up by Jonas and the break, his mind was elsewhere. Ling knew it and canned the interview. #wellplayed

10. Brenton Sanderson
On the way to the game yesterday, the Crows coach spotted Dorothy, the 100-year-old Crows fan, sitting at bus stop waiting for a rider to AAMI stadium. And what does Sando do? He stops and offers a ride. ''We had a nice chat on the way to the game," he said. What a terrific story.

Honourable mentions: Matthew Lobbe's game of his life, Picken on Rioli, Isaac Smith again, Bulldogs spirit, Brent Staker's resurrection, Colin Sylvia on the road, Trengove's 12 tackles, the champ that is Darren Glass, Jordan Lewis (B&F chance?), Wingard and Broadbent, Leuenberger and Rockliff, Jeremy Cameron again, Beams on the road, Drew Petrie and Carlton pair Kreuzer and Simpson.

10 THINGS I DON'T LIKE

1. Diving
It's becoming a plague and the conversation has to move on from North Melbourne's Lindsay Thomas. If we asked for names, we'd probably get a 100 players, but the angst today is at the Tigers. Tyrone Vickery and Trent Cotchin seemed to milk free kicks just before three-quarter time. Paid free kicks, they both kicked goals, and the margin was 21 at the final break. Some can say it's football, and what comes around, goes around, but in a time where every free kick is scrutinised, the head throw-backs and the diving forward is a very bad look.

2. Geelong
Don't be too perturbed about Bartel and Taylor missing their around-the-body shots at goal because the Cats are plus in that area. Of more concern for coach Chris Scott is how the Cats once again gave up a formidable lead and lost. It happened against Brisbane, and now the Crows. In between those two games, they were monsters in defence, yet yesterday didn't get enough out of their players in the final quarter. From @FoxFootyAnalyst: ''In the past 5 weeks Geelong has lost 52 & 30-point leads. From 2008-2012 the Cats didn't lose any game in which it led by 21+ points.'' Maybe Christmas lunch at the Scott's family home might only be three courses and not four this year.

3. Nick Dal Santo
As I tweeted, the umpire was sucked in by Pittard, but Dal Santo put the umpire in the position to be sucked in. What was he trying to do anyway? Pittard had the free and the ball in hand. That said, it was one moment among hundreds of thousands on the night. The mark not paid to Hickey, the throw on the wing by Gray, the non-calls for incorrect disposal ... still, a cracking game though.

4. One more thing
The free to Travis Cloke in the goalsquare stunk. Putrid. The umpire paid a free against May for turning his back on the ball. But that's where the ball was going. Fair dinkum, one week Cloke can't win a thing, and the next he has gimmes handed to him. Am not the only one perplexed. Dunstall and Co were staggered and an aggressive little backman from Richmond who loves to air his opinion also had a say. "Am I the only one thinking it may be beneficial to pay the AFL a visit regarding free kicks next week?" That was @stevemorris38. Can't disagree.

5. Two more things
The push in the back ignored by the umpire when Jared Brennan pushed Lachie Keeffe was diabolical. It wasn't just hands in the back, it was a full-on push in the back. We accept umpires make mistakes, but that was a howler. Thought about five weeks back the umpires were outstanding, but it was an average weekend just gone.

6. Collingwood on Gaz
Surely someone in the box suggests a lockdown on Gazza as he moved to 25 in the first half. What about when he had 38 in the third? Or when he had 43 in the fourth? Coach Nathan Buckley said he tried run his mids through Ablett, but it didn't work. It seemed Ball had him at stoppages, Beams around the ground, there was a it of Swan in there as well. Whatever the thinking it isn't working. His last four games against the Pies have returned 49, 53, 40 and 36. Before the weekend, the Pies had won all those games, but now that the Suns are more than competitive, Gazza just can't have that much ball.

Gary Ablett

7. Bloody North Melbourne
Difficult to totally condemn because they got off the canvas in the final quarter. Still, they remain unpredictable. The third term was a mare as the players seemed to stop to dare. Still say, Jack Ziebell, with the skipper, is the heart beat of this team. Wiser heads than mine suggest the Roos have an issue in the back half and that Goldstein urgently needs help.

8. Bloody St Kilda
Difficult to totally condemn because they got off the canvas in the final quarter (Groundhog Day), led by Riewoldt, Hayes, Montagna, Dal Santo and the little jet called Jack Steven. But how do you get six goals down in the first place? After quarter-time, the Saints kicked 11.12 to 7.9 and still lost. You could say they were unlucky. Others might say coach Scott Watters would be welcome at the Scott's house for Christmas.

9. Deals
If the story is true, and it's difficult to ignore official documents, then what games have been played between the AFL and ASADA? The whole Essendon situation is complex, and we all wants answers. As for the documents, former head of ASADA Richard Ings tweeted last night: ''I'm speechless.'' If he is speechless, then we're very confused.

10. Cricket.

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