The Tackle: Mark Robinson names his likes and dislikes after round 7

Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra has come under fire for his output considering what the Blues gave up for him. Now, he’s repaying the faith in spades. See all Robbo’s likes and dislikes.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan. Picture: Michael Klein

Round 7 delivered another Collingwood miracle, some huge blowouts, a Toby Greene masterclass and some big bags from key forwards.

It might have also been the end of one era, and the start of another.

After Richmond was humbled by Gold Coast to all but end the Tigers’ top eight chances, the green light has been given for a 19th AFL team.

What does it mean for the potential departure of CEO Gillon McLachlan?

Mark Robinson is back to deliver his likes and dislikes from a historic weekend in footy.

DISLIKES

1. Bye, bye Tigers

And that, ladies and gentlemen, means Richmond won’t play finals this year. Mathematically it’s possible, but the Tigers are in 16th position with one win and a draw from seven games. They have to win at least 12 from the next 15 games to play finals and they haven’t got the team, or the form, or the hunger to trouble the scorers. Sunday’s loss was the season killer. You know what they were? They were boring and unthreatening, which is not the Richmond of the past six years. The first half was a snore-fest, so much so you’d think it was a different sport watching Richmond and Gold Coast play at Marvel Stadium after watching Geelong and Essendon kick monster scores at the MCG. The Suns kicked 4.2 from 31 entries in the first half and Richmond 2.9 from 20 entries. By the end, it was 11.6 to 6.12, with both teams having 53 entries. The Tigers have fallen apart. The top-ups have played their role, especially Tim Taranto, but the fact is Richmond doesn’t have the depth to threaten, they have given up draft picks and we’ve seen the best of the veterans. They are a below average team without Lynch, Nankervis, Tarrant and Gibcus, but pretty sure their return can’t rescue the season.

Dustin Martin won’t be playing finals this year barring a miracle. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

2. Crows killed themselves

At the 10th minute of the second quarter the Crows led 3.10 to 0.2. And they lost. They butchered this, the Crows. They controlled the game, but couldn’t control the scoreboard. Was it a choke? Or just bad football? Probably a mix of both, but they aren’t the first team to be stressed by Collingwood in final quarters. In the final quarter on Sunday, they collapsed like other teams have collapsed Collingwood up against the will of the Magpies. They got belted around the stoppage, absolutely overwhelmed, which meant they lost the territory game, and they couldn’t get it back. Simply, if they kicked goals in the first quarter and a half, not even the Pies could’ve saved this game. But they didn’t, and the four points were surrendered.

3. Essendon is already missing Jayden Laverde

Geelong kicked the first six goals on Sunday, four of them coming from Tom Hawkins, who was too strong and smart for Brandon Zerk-Thatcher. He’s a promising defender, Zerk-Thatcher, but he does not have the strength of the injured Laverde, who although undersized as a key defender, plays every contest to the death. Zerk-Thatcher is 195cm and 86kg. Hawkins is 198cm and 103kg. Surely, the Bombers have to be in the mix for North Melbourne’s Ben McKay, who is a free agent at the end of the season. Essendon is still building its list and although they have the injured Nik Cox (199cm and 82kg) and Zach Reid (202cm and 82kg) to possibly play defence, the Bombers need a big bull like McKay (201cm and 96kg). They will also be in the mix for Ben King if King decides he wants out of Gold Coast. They would be welcome bookend additions to a team which is developing under Brad Scott. On Sunday, the Bombers trailed by 27 points at quarter-time and the margin was 28 at full-time. They are up for the fight, the Bombers, but just need a couple more key players.

Essendon should make a play for Ben McKay. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/Getty Images

4. What does West Coast do?

At the final siren, coach Adam Simpson sat in the coaches box with thoughts only he can elaborate on. His team had been demolished by Carlton at home, demoralising a group which had made small steps of advancement in recent weeks. But this was diabolical in terms of competitiveness and spirit. Simpson has never been a quitter, and is one of the calmer heads among the coaching ranks, but even he must be considering if he’s the man to take West Coast forward. It’s the logical human reaction for a coach after such a defeat. There are excuses. The injury list is crippling, and his leaders, like Andrew Gaff on Saturday, are not having a big enough influence when so many kids are around them. The road ahead is long and lumpy for the Eagles, and Simpson right now is the person in charge of leading the Eagles out of the darkness. It’s the toughest gig in football, ahead of the rebuilding North Melbourne and Hawthorn, because the Eagles do not have bundles of young talent coming through. More defeats like what happened on Saturday night would test the fortitude of any coach, and if they occur, conversations will be held between the coach and the club’s decision makers. We’re not death-riding Simpson, but gee whiz, that loss would’ve cut to the core.

What does the future hold for Adam Simpson? Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

5. As for North Melbourne

Let’s be honest, and it’s always going to be a reference point, but Sam Mitchell is doing a better job with Hawthorn than what Clarkson is doing with North Melbourne. Hawthorn was supposed to be uncompetitive and tanking, but the Hawks are playing with tremendous spirit and impact. Tanking? They are a better team without Mitchell and O’Meara in the middle. North Melbourne is the opposite. It goes to show that great coaches don’t automatically make great teams. North Melbourne has sunk to lows experienced under former coaches Rhyce Shaw and David Noble, which is further evidence that great coaches can’t simply sprinkle their magic dust over the group and get success. The Kangas have been building longer than the Hawks and right now they are behind the Hawks on every level of performance. If it wasn’t Clarkson, you’d think the coach has lost the players, such was the lacklustre performance against Melbourne on Saturday night. The road ahead for the Kangas is also lumpy and even this far out, the round 20 match between North and the Eagles looms large. The loser of that game might win the Tongala Cup, and the prize there is wonder kid Harley Reid. The Hawks are not out of that race either, but win for them looks like it’s coming sooner rather than later.

Alastair Clarkson faces a huge task at North Melbourne. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

6. What’s the young man doing?

Some look at Matt Johnson’s dangerous tackle on Dayne Zorko and say we don’t want that in the game. We should look at that tackle and ask: How stupid are you, young man? Zorko was upended and driven into the ground head-first by Johnson, who clearly has not been watching or listening to the discussion about dangerous tackling which has dominated the football landscape over the past month. Players, people say, can adapt quickly to changes, but all you can do is shake your head in disbelief at what Johnson executed on Zorko. Yes, he wants to be competitive and wants to be aggressive, and he is a young talent with a big future, but he has to be better and smarter than that. One day, a player will get seriously injured – and we already have players suffering with long-term concussion problems – and a simple apology for dumb acts doesn’t cut it any more.

7. Where’s the sense of the occasion?

Firstly, Carlton’s Charlie Curnow was taken from the ground late on Saturday night for a rest and with 10 goals to his name beckon. He returned, but wasn’t allowed to be a threat because Tom Barrass gave up watching the footy to watch Curnow’s every step. Then on Sunday, Tom Hawkins had eight goals and left the field late in the game for a rest. He also returned and was unable to add to his tally. They are minor gripes in what were two magnificent individual performances. The fact is, we had a return of big bags of goals from key forwards and that’s great for the game.

8. Players acting

Hate it when players are tackled and throw themselves back and to the deck with arms spread, trying to win a free kick. For years it worked. Umpires would pay holding the man or penalise the tackler for holding on too long. That’s changed and it’s a positive for the game. The flailing players are largely being ignored and for that, the umpires need to be congratulated.

LIKES

1. On his bike

With the Tasmanian deal done, Gillon McLachlan will now leave the AFL. Contrary to reports that he is considering remaining as the AFL’s chief executive, the league will soon announce McLachlan will serve a transition period, with his replacement – believed to be Andrew Dillon – to be announced shortly. The belief at headquarters is that there’s too many balls in the air for McLachlan to simply walk out the door and leave them for the incoming CEO. Make no mistake though, McLachlan is leaving. He will depart this season leaving two significant legacy pieces, one being the formation of the AFLW competition and, on Saturday, securing the deal to build a stadium in Hobart, which paves the way for a Tassie team. They are just not significant pillars of McLachlan’s reign as CEO, they are two of the most important investments in the history of the game. The Tasmanian team was a labour of love for McLachlan. A deal-maker extraordinaire, McLachlan has always had a love for the game which has been often overlooked because of the business of running this sport. Arguably, he has saved football in the Apple Isle and has already told people he can’t wait for the first game at the new stadium, where he will sit in the crowd – and not with the corporates – with beer in one hand and a feeling of pride in the other. In the meantime, his Johnny Farnham–type tour continues, but not for much longer.

Gillon McLachlan is set to walk away from AFL headquarters. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

2. Breaking records

Tom Hawkins kicked eight goals, which was his most in a game – and it was game 334 for him – and Patrick Dangerfield had 15 inside-50s, which was the second-most in his career in game 310. A couple of country boys – from Finley and from Moggs Creek – it was a nice touch in the Country game which is played between these two teams. Collectively, the Cats might be even better with their forward ball movement – and scoring – than what they were last year when they won the premiership. Last year, they kicked 20 or more goals three times. This year, they have kicked 20 or more goals in three of their past four matches, and 19 goals in the other game. Coach Chris Scott wouldn’t like that Essendon kicked 100 points, but Scott has proved over many years that his defensive mechanisms are as good as any team in the competition. Maybe he’s looking at different set-ups and positioning in this early part of the season. It’s usually about round 10 when the good teams start to settle. Dangerfield is warming up, too. He plays about 70 per cent game time, and in the past three weeks has had 32 score involvement, is dominating the contest and cominating clearance. If he continues to play like that, the Cats will once again be a formidable team.

Essendon had no answer to Tom Hawkins. Picture: Michael Klein

3. The unstoppable Magpies

You’ve got to giggle at the magnificence of it all. When the whips needed cracking, the Pies cracked them the most. In the final quarter, they won clearance 16-4, inside-50s 15-5, contested ball +9, and all three final-quarter goals came from clearances. Numbers tell the story but watching it unfold is something to behold. Collectively, they go to a place in their heads which they own. They think nothing is beyond them. They believe they can win by will and then action. It’s ridiculous what they can achieve. Under coach Craig McRae, they have won nine games by under a goal. That’s nine wins from 32 games. It’s unheard of, and it’s absolutely brilliant by the Pies. On Sunday, they played catch-up from the first quarter and only hit the front via a Steele Sidebottom behind with 30 seconds to play. Just brilliant.

4. The ballad of Charlie

When Gold Coast selected its team of its first decade in 2021, there was plenty of debate about who would be the sixth defender named alongside Jarrod Harbrow, Steven May, Adam Saad, Sam Collins and Trent McKenzie. The spot went to Charlie Ballard. He had played 60-odd games by then, but the Suns people argued that Ballard was a terrific clubman, popular with teammates and one of the club’s most underrated players. He’s played 94 games and his game on Sunday was one of his best. He played on Jack Riewoldt, who kicked one goal and had four disposals. Ballard had 24 disposals and took 12 marks. Yes, some were junk, but most were not, and with Noah Anderson, he was best afield. It makes two in a row for the Suns and although we’re not predicting a storming run to September, they stood up and were counted against the Tigers on the road. Put it this way, they’re more of a chance to play finals than Richmond, which nobody would’ve said at the start of the season.

5. Welcome back Mitch Lewis

Dare we say it, Lewis’s aerial supremacy on Saturday was Carey, Brereton and Kernahan-like, and clearly Lewis didn’t get the memo pushed by some in the media that his Hawks were tanking. Lewis was superb in his first game of the season, frightening in fact when you consider he was up against one of the best one-on-one defenders in Liam Jones. In the first half, he took nine marks, several in pack situations where his athleticism and footy nous destroyed the opposition. He finished with 11 marks and a wayward 1.4 in front of goal, and although that was costly in the four-goal loss, the overwhelming positive was Lewis being back on the park and giving Hawthorn a legitimate tall forward target. He is an emerging star of the game. He’s 24, has played 52 games, and looks like he’s ready to expand on his breakout season last year, where he kicked 37.15 goals in his 15 games.

Mitch Lewis dominated in the air. Picture: Michael Wilson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

6. The Cerra ripe

Charlie Curnow was the pin-up boy with nine goals, but in the middle, Adam Cerra continued his emergence as a legitimate presence. Criticised for being a player without great impact, Cerra over the past three games has averaged 31 disposals, 534 metres gained, five clearances and seven score involvements. Carlton has lost two of those three games, but they are huge midfield numbers. Having just ticked over 100 games, Cerra clearly is having more penetration with his possessions and the so-called narrative about him being a dud trade with Fremantle is losing momentum. True, the acid test for Cerra and for Carlton will come over the next two months. They play Brisbane (Marvel), Bulldogs (Marvel), Collingwood (MCG), Sydney (SCG), Melbourne (MCG) and Essendon (MCG). They are prime time games where reputations will be made and lost, not least about whether Cerra is having a purple patch or if he’s ready to consistently mix it with the powerhouse midfields.

Adam Cerra is showing why Carlton was keen to get him in a trade. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

7. The fifth musketeer

He is Miles Bergman, Port Adelaide’s under the radar 21-year-old. The focus on Port centres on Rozee, Butters, Horne-Francis and Duursma, the four young guns, but Bergman is emerging as a critical component in the transition of this team. Old timers will remember North Melbourne’s Keith Greig who had aerial presence, dash and superb balance. Bergman is not unlike the Kangaroos champ, but that said, we’re not expecting Bergman to win two Brownlow medals like Greig did. But he has those same qualities. He has power and touch with his kicking, and his rebounding was crucial against St Kilda on Friday night. He started the season on the wing but went back to cover for Ryan Burton when Burton was suspended, and coach Ken Hinkley has left him there. He had Mitch Owens mainly on Friday night and Owens in that time touched the ball twice. Before that he kept Ugle-Hagan quiet, and before that Will Hayward quiet. He played only 10 games last year because of injury and illness, and his return bolsters an under-23 group which is as good as any in the competition. It’s funny that Hinkley’s future is suddenly off the table. The fact is, if Port goes deep into the finals, it would be a foolish board which replace a coach simply because he’s been there for a long time. The players love him, and Hinkley is coaching as well as ever.

Brent Daniels and Toby Greene after one of the Giants’ best wins. Picture: Phil Hillyard

8. Big week for the Giants

The club had its first life members’ function last Wednesday in a private dining room at Rockpool on the water, where footy stalwart Alan McConnell was given life membership. Kevin Sheedy addressed the group of about 16, which included the “originals’’ such as Phil Davis, Heath Shaw, Toby Greene, Stephen Coniglio and Nick Haynes, as well as former coach Leon Cameron. Coniglio said it was the best speech he had heard from Sheedy and, at the end, Sheedy asked every person in attendance to tell their favourite Giants memory. Greene might now have a different story after Saturday’s magical moment, but on the day he said his favourite memory was the hours after the Giants’ preliminary final win against Collingwood in 2019. Greene didn’t play that game because of suspension, but he said the feeling in the club and among its fans – and the plane trip home – was incredible. Better than Saturday? Probably, but Greene’s matchwinning goal secured the Giants their best ever home and away win and cemented Greene’s standing as the club’s greatest player.