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Catch up on 10 things you may have missed during a massive Round 21

WE’VE seen some very tight goal reviews in recent weeks, some of which have had a major impact on the outcomes of games. However, when it comes to downright bizarre, you won’t ever see a stranger review than this.

Liam TwomeyLiam Twomey
6 min read
August 14, 2018 - 8:21AM
Jaidyn Stephenson eats a LOT of Weet-Bix. Picture: AAP Images
Jaidyn Stephenson eats a LOT of Weet-Bix. Picture: AAP Images

JUST how observant were you during Round 21?

We all watched Jack Riewoldt’s incredible bag of 10 goals, the Western Bulldogs pull off a thrilling win for Dale Morris and Geelong’s season potentially come to an end.

But did you also catch a few of the off-Broadway highlights from the weekend?

From a goal review shocker to Roaming Brian up to no good and a Magpie’s interesting eating habits, here are the 10 things you may have missed in Round 21.

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SHAW’S STUNNING WHACK FOR CARLISLE

AFL great Tony Shaw didn’t miss St Kilda defender Jake Carlisle after the Saints’ loss to Essendon on Friday night.

Carlisle played 85 games for the Bombers before joining the Saints and was chatting to some of his former teammates following the final siren.

Shaw was less than impressed with the defender’s demeanour and didn’t hide his frustration on 3AW.

“I tell you what, Jake Carlisle and Tom Bellchambers, it looked like he probably just said, ‘I’ll meet you back at your place for a few beers after the game’,” Shaw said.

“They were talking for, I would think five minutes and hugging. I’m thinking, this isn’t what football is about.

Jake Carlisle had a tough night against the Bombers. Picture: Getty Images
Jake Carlisle had a tough night against the Bombers. Picture: Getty Images

“Your team has just been belittled, it’s been embarrassed and, I don’t know if it hurts enough.

“He’s a senior player at that club now. He has been a senior player for a long time. He’s had eight possessions for the game and had 10 minutes off in that last quarter, whether it was injury or not I don’t know but (he) did not touch the ball in that last quarter. That’s not good enough.

“I’d be filthy, one, on myself for not having an impact but two, for being involved in a group like that which is playing the poorest football you’d ever want to see.”

CYRIL RIOLI OR JOSH THURGOOD?

The AFL world went into meltdown late last week after Ronnie Burns said on the Marngrook Footy Show that Brisbane could be trying to recruit Cyril Rioli, with his Hawthorn teammate Luke Hodge leading the charge.

Unfortunately for Lions fans, Hodge shut down the talk pretty quickly.

“I’m tipping Cyril’s back home enjoying some family time back in Darwin,” he said on Saturday.

“Mind you, I’d love to see Cryil up there, but I can’t see it happening.”

It didn’t stop a few of Hodge’s teammates having some fun on social media though.

Josh Walker asked the Lions veteran:

Ben Keays was then quick to join the party.

ARE YOU USING THE LADDER PREDICTOR?

It would be fair to say Brad and Chris Scott have rather differing views when it comes to the ladder predictor.

And with just two weeks left in the season, and both coaches out of the top eight, they are taking different approaches to running the numbers.

“I would imagine that there’s a mathematical equation that might make it difficult for us (to play finals) and I can talk to you about it for ages because I’ve probably done the ladder predictor 500 times,” Chris said after the Cats’ loss to Hawthorn.

“You guys (the media) I promise you, you spend so much more time on that (the ladder predictor) than I do. I don’t even look at it. I’m aware because it gets through from osmosis but I don’t sit down with a ladder predictor,” Brad said after the Roos’ loss to the Bulldogs.

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THINKING OF YOU!

The West Coast Eagles are doing their best to let Andrew Gaff know he is still part of the playing group.

After the club’s thrilling win against Port Adelaide on Saturday night, the entire side got together and posed for a photo to send to the suspended midfielder.

The Eagles later released it on their Twitter account with a message from coach Adam Simpson reading, “We took this photo and sent it to Gaffy right after the game, I think our supporters would like to see it.”

There is no doubt Gaff, who is a free agent at the end of the season, would have been feeling the love from everyone, except maybe ruckman Scott Lycett.

WAS THIS THE WORST REVIEW OF THE YEAR?

The goal review system has made headlines throughout the AFL season, no more so than in last week’s Showdown after Josh Jenkins’ winning kick appeared to brush the post.

But as far as reviews go, we probably could have got by without this one in the Greater Western Sydney v Adelaide clash.

On Saturday night, the goal umpire asked for a review to confirm Aiden Bonar’s kick had gone through the behinds and not out on the full.

Not only did the kick not go out on the full, it was closer to a goal than the boundary.

At least we got the right decision!

A ROAMING BRIAN SITCH UP

Plenty was made of St Kilda’s kicking in Friday night’s horror loss to the Bombers.

And in the post-match from the Essendon rooms, Brian Taylor didn’t mind having some fun with the man in charge at the Saints.

BT ensured St Kilda goal kicking coach Ben Dixon, who was part of the Fox Footy broadcast, got some air time on his popular segment, Roaming Brian.

During the match, Taylor showed his frustration when Jack Billings played on to snap a kick around the corner rather than take a traditional set shot.

“Oh no. This has got to stop,” Taylor said on Channel 7.

BT also took some time out to chat to Essendon running machine Conor McKenna.

Unfortunately, Taylor had a little bit of trouble picking up the thick Irish accent.

IS THIS THE SECRET TO STEVO’S SUCCESS?

When football players treat themselves, it might be with a nice dinner, a couple of beers or maybe some junk food.

But for Collingwood young gun Jaidyn Stephenson, it is something slightly different.

The Rising Star favourite explained his love of Weet-Bix on Channel 7 on Sunday, saying he smashes down a whopping 18 per day over three separate meals.

“I’ll have six for breakie, six for lunch and six for a little snack after dinner,” he said.

“Not in one sitting, no. I just love them. I think they’re like a nice treat.”

Australian cricket great Brett Lee got a Weet-Bix sponsorship for eating seven per day.

Having topped that by 11, Stephenson’s manager should have been on the phone first thing this morning.

Jaidyn Stephenson can join these greats to have Weet-Bix sponsorships.
Jaidyn Stephenson can join these greats to have Weet-Bix sponsorships.

Stephenson went on to explain his unique goal kicking action and why he spins the ball on his way in.

“I like to fiddle the ball which is a little bit funny. I just try and find the skinny end. I like to kick on the skinny end of the ball so I feel it in my right hand,” he said.

“It probably started last year, the start of the under 18s. My coach wasn’t too happy with it … but if it works, it works.”

WAS THIS REALLY A HOME GAME?

It doesn’t matter if it’s a home game or a road game, the Tiger Army travels.

Plenty of the yellow and black brigade headed to the Gold Coast on Saturday to watch club favourite Jack Riewoldt kick a bag of 10 against the Suns.

However, the scoreboard wasn’t the only issue for the home team.

It would be fair to say there was a general lack of buzz about Gold Coast merchandise, if these two lines are anything to go by.

Hint: The Tigers’ stand is on the left and the Suns’ is on the right.

W HICH NIC NAT CELEBRATION WAS BETTER?

West Coast’s stunning win over Port Adelaide on Saturday night was a case of history repeating.

In last year’s finals series, Luke Shuey ended Port’s season with a goal after the siren, much to the delight of injured ruckman Nic Naitanui who posted this celebration video.

While the stakes weren’t as big this time around, Nic Nat didn’t let his fans down, posting another video of his live reaction to the big win.

SHAW’S GRAND PLAN FOR 2018 RETURN

Heath Shaw isn’t known for taking things too seriously.

So we should have expected him to be joking only moments after a likely season-ending knee injury.

Shaw injured his PCL on Saturday night, which is normally a six-week recovery time.

However, he is already planning a way back in 2018.

“If we get to the Grand Final and draw it, I might be right for the week after,” he said post-match.

Given Shaw has played in a Grand Final replay before, you can forgive him for the wishful thinking.

Unfortunately for the star Giant, the AFL has since changed the rules so that extra time will be played on the big day.

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