Early Tackle: Sam Landsberger’s Likes and Dislikes from round 3

You never write off an All-Australian and best-and-fairest winner, but Dyson Heppell is set to come under the blowtorch. See all the hot talking points from round 3 here.

Alastair Clarkson.

St Kilda is on top of the ladder and the Crows scored a huge Showdown upset as round 3 continues to throw up huge storylines.

Brisbane’s poor performance, Hawthorn’s tensions with Clarko and Collingwood’s brilliant list management are also on the agenda.

Here are Sam Landsberger’s likes and dislikes from round 3 so far.

DISLIKES

DYSON DOWN

Dyson Heppell had six kicks and some of them sailed straight back over his head. The former captain was subbed off last week. Heppell turns 31 next month and you wonder whether he will remain a lock in the best 23 as the season evolves. Heppell has been an incredible servant – an All-Australian and Crichton Medallist in 2014 – and you never write off a star, but the early signs are that Heppell might be a watch in 2023. Harry Jones, too, might be another Bomber under some heat this week.

Dyson Heppell (right) flies for a mark on Saturday night. Picture: Michael Klein

SPOTLIGHT ON KEN

Ken Hinkley knows the blowtorch is coming. This was a Showdown the Power simply had to win. They beat up on a Brisbane Lions outfit that admitted it had believed its own pre-season hype in round 1 and have conceded a disastrous 39 goals in two disappointing losses since. They simply couldn’t move the ball against the Crows. From 59 defensive-half chains they generated only 13 inside-50s (22 per cent) and scored just two goals from those surges. The talent is there – Connor Rozee, Zak Butters, Jason Horne-Francis, Lachie Jones, Todd Marshall and Junior Rioli – but the system isn’t working. Coach and club have committed to parking contract talks until August. That seems a long way off.

DISSENT DEBACLE

Imagine if a grand final was decided by a player with outstretched arms asking: “How was that not a free kick?” Umpire Craig Fleer’s decision to award Jesse Motlop a shot from the top of the goalsquare for the go-ahead goal in the last quarter was preposterous. Maybe there was more to it. Maybe Stephen Coniglio had been warned repeatedly. But on face value it was embarrassing for the game. This was a dog fight and the Giants had kept Carlton goalless in the second half until that whistle. The AFL needs to clarify dissent rules, which were softened to near invisibility midway through last year. Not sure how Jake Riccardi wasn’t given a free kick in front of goal when Lewis Young collided with him with his back to the ball in the forward pocket in the last quarter, either.

Stephen Coniglio gave away a free kick for dissent in a match-turning moment. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

COACH KILLERS

Not sure Lachie Whitfield – one of the Giants’ $1 million men – has used the ball so poorly by foot before. Whitfield was almost a liability when he should be one of the most reliable ball users at the Giants. He recorded six turnovers and didn’t make the distance from a running shot at goal in the last quarter. Lochie O’Brien’s turnover after being awarded a 50m penalty in the third term cost the Blues a goal while Jesse Hogan’s decision to kick around the body from 35m was bizarre. Hogan didn’t make the distance as Jacob Weitering took a goalkeeper mark in the square. Young Dog Riley Garcia had a nervous last quarter on Thursday night, too. He coughed up two 50m penalties (the second cost a goal) and had a crucial fumble in what should be a sharp learning experience.

HEAD BUMPS

Commentators Dermott Brereton and Nick Dal Santo, and the umpire, had no problem with Griffin Logue bumping Will Day in the head. Will be interesting to see if Match Review Officer Michael Christian agrees. The young Hawk bounced to his feet and propelled Hawthorn to victory, but the potential to cause concussion was as clear as day.

Brisbane have put in two disappointing performances in 2023. Picture: Getty Images

LAME LIONS

Joe Daniher must be the frustrating player in the competition and Thursday night’s return of 0.4 – the last coming when he blazed away with Charlie Cameron screaming for it in the goalsquare – was the poster of what was an exasperating night. But Daniher was far from alone. Sidekick Eric Hipwood has 2.1 from three games while game-breaker Zac Bailey looks like he could be one of the best players in the competition when he’s on, but is nowhere near that form. Last year the Lions’ ball movement was No.1 in the AFL (moving the ball from defensive 50 to inside 50). This year they are 18th. On Thursday night the Dogs chopped it off with ease, recording 25 forward-half intercepts after averaging 16.5 in the first two weeks. They scored 37 points from those intercepts, up from their average of 17. The Lions were also smacked in groundballs by 28.

Alastair Clarkson.

CLARKO’S FAREWELL GIFT

Alastair Clarkson was paid close to $1 million not to coach the Hawks last year. Former president Jeff Kennett revealed in Saturday’s Herald Sun that it was a cheque the club didn’t need to write. “We were very generous. He resigned, there was no need for us to pay, but we did out of recognition to him,” Kennett said. In the post-Covid soft cap era where countless good footy people have lost their jobs or have been overworked and underpaid, that seems like a grossly unnecessary gesture. You wonder whether that restricted new coach Sam Mitchell’s resources last year. Luke Breust appeared to be the only Hawk to engage Clarkson after Saturday’s loss and Clarkson didn’t feel comfortable sharing the charter flight home owing to the racism saga. Footy is business and Clarkson was surely remunerated fairly for his mighty contribution over 390 games.

LIKES

COLLINGWOOD LIST MANAGEMENT 1

Collingwood ranked 17th for contested ball and clearances in 2022. In 2023 the Magpies are +85 in contested ball, which is the third-best differential after round 3. Half of that differential can be attributed to a Brownlow Medallist they recruited by the name of Tom Mitchell, who insiders say is the hardest trainer at the club. Their biggest flaw has transformed into a key strength. Last year they spent the summer rehearsing close finishes and the scenario play helped them score 11 nailbiting victories. This summer they went to work on contested ball, practicing specific types of inside drills in their lines. It’s produced instant results.

COLLINGWOOD LIST MANAGEMENT 2

No Darcy Cameron (knee) for 6-8 weeks compounded by no Mason Cox (hematoma), no Aiden Begg (back) and no Brodie Grundy (Melbourne). There should be a ruck crisis at Collingwood. But in free agent Dan McStay they have a man who stood up in the centre in finals wins against Richmond and Melbourne last year, when teammate Oscar McInerney was concussed. Between McStay, the high-leaping Ash Johnson and even Billy Frampton there are creative solutions to wallpaper a potential crack.

Billy Frampton. Picture: Michael Klein

COLLINGWOOD LIST MANAGEMENT 3

Tom Lynch booted 6.1 on Darcy Moore last year. On Thursday night Billy Frampton beat him convincingly. Port Adelaide traded Frampton for a future fourth-round pick in 2019 and Adelaide traded him for a future third-round pick last year. Jade Rawlings coached against Frampton in two SANFL finals last year and loved what he saw. “He was too good for the level. Anyone who can intercept mark at 201cm – and he kicks it well – is always going to be a thorn. I think Collingwood will be proven to have made a great decision with the recruitment of Billy, because he’s got a lot of AFL footy ahead of him. He’s quick, he’s rangy, his marking is his weapon and he probably felt he was a bit maligned in Adelaide in the end”. Frampton had nine spoils and three intercept marks against the Tigers and has lost just one of his six one-on-one contests in two games.

THILTHORPE THRIVES

RILEY Thilthorpe mightn’t have got a game if Darcy Fogarty wasn’t injured. He should never play SANFL again. The No.2 draft pick’s bag of five goals didn’t tell the full story. There were deft handballs, like the one to set up Luke Pedlar, and towering marks. With Izak Rankine and Josh Rachele roaming and there is so much potency in front of the ball. The Crows are seriously well-coached by Matthew Nicks and have suddenly assembled a hot batch of young talent. It’s early, but they appear to be the most improved outfit in the AFL.

TOUCH WOOD HE’S OK

Essendon coach Brad Scott helped revive Mason Wood’s career when he was one of 11 Kangaroos delisted with a thud in 2020. Scott put in a good word to Simon Lethlean to get Wood a lifeline at St Kilda, and it was a shrewd signing. On Saturday night Wood set up a famous victory for the Saints, against Scott’s Bombers. His three intercept marks in the last quarter were followed by a remarkable moment where he wore a bruising bump from Sam Durham, spun away and set up Marcus Windhager for a long goal. The Bombers drew level and then it was Wood who stood tallest. It was game No.96 in 10 seasons and perhaps his finest. Wood, 29, recorded 592m gained (No.1 on the ground), 27 disposals, seven score involvements and nine intercepts. He rolls back from the wing to help his defenders and sets up scores running the other way.

Mason Wood starred in the Saints’ stirring win. Picture: Michael Klein

BASSAT JUSTIFIED

The callous sacking of Brett Ratten only 97 days after he was re-signed was unsavoury. But president Andrew Bassat and chief executive Simon Lethlean would’ve gone to sleep on Saturday night satisfied that they made the right call. The Saints are on top of the ladder and 3-0 for the third time since 2005 – the other two were also both under Ross Lyon, and both in grand final years. Here’s a reminder of who they are missing – captain Jack Steele, Max King, Jack Billings, Tim Membrey, Dan McKenzie and Zak Jones. They drew 69,255 to the MCG and they bounce off half-back with a sense of adventure that is intoxicating.

SMALL HAWKS ATTACK

The Hawks dropped Jacob Koschitzke and backed the high-leaping Tyler Brockman and Fergus Greene to lead an undersized attack. It worked. Brockman, who played 10 seconds of footy in 2022, is a beauty. Wearing Cyril Rioli’s No.33 jumper the 20-year-old with twin girls stepped up to snap the sealer when so many teammates couldn’t split the middle. Will Day would comfortably be leading the Peter Crimmins Medal after three rounds, perhaps ahead of Dylan Moore, Karl Amon and Jarman Impey, and might already be the club’s best player. Clarko reckons Hawthorn’s rebuild started when they kept their first-round pick to draft Day in 2019. Out of contract, the Hawks should offer him whatever he wants because he is seriously tough and his tenacious tackling when the game was on the line was as impressive as his brilliant ball use.

Tyler Brockman.

NEWMAN GLOVE

Toby Greene’s five disposals was the fewest he’s ever had in an AFL match outside of injury. That was down to Nic Newman, who played Greene exceptionally. Everywhere Greene went the Blues’ hardman was there. Toby took a contested mark and kicked a crucial goal in the last quarter … but that was it. It was a brilliant stopping job on one of the form players of the AFL. At the other end there was an enthralling duel between James Buckley and Charlie Curnow (2.3). Buckley did so much right, but Curnow’s majestical goal in the second quarter and sealer in the fourth showed superstar forwards only need a moment or two to make their mark.

Originally published as Early Tackle: Sam Landsberger’s Likes and Dislikes from round 3