The Tackle Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 16 of 2021 season
Jack Silvagni is rewarding the Blues with his fierce work at ground level but, against the Dockers, he had to stand up in a new position: key forward.
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It might be the end of an era for West Coast after a horror loss to Sydney at Kardinia Park.
At the same venue on Friday night, Essendon players were caught dishing out friendly banter with the opposition after a big loss.
Collingwood was flat until the final stanza, while St Kilda has a valuable swingman at its disposal.
Jack Silvagni is standing tall for the Blues, and is it time for the Demons to play their prized recruit to help solve their forward woes?
Check out Mark Robinson’s Round 16 likes and dislikes below.
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DISLIKES
1. PUT A FORK IN THE EAGLES
We called West Coast overrated last week, but it is not that any more. No one can rate the Eagles at all.
This looms as the end of an era – one that has delivered one flag.
Of course, premierships are difficult to win, but with a group as talented and a system as methodical as West Coast has had, it is disappointing to note it has finished top four only once in six years.
You could argue, outside of 2018, the Eagles struggled to give themselves the chance to contend, which is not good enough for a list many people annually say is one of the best in the competition.
The fact is, outside of 2018, they have managed two finals matches in five seasons.
Under-performed? Yes, they have.
Sunday’s loss to Sydney was one of their worst under Adam Simpson. They looked old, bereft of young talent, and to have lost command of their game style.
They gave up plenty to Geelong for Tim Kelly to remain in the premiership window, and that’s OK, but it hasn’t worked in terms of wins and nor has it helped their draft position.
2. PIES’ FLAT FOOTBALL
For three quarters on Sunday, Collingwood’s game was lacklustre, before a change in attitude gave it a whisper of hope on a cold afternoon at the MCG.
The Pies kicked three goals in the first three quarters, then 5.6 in the last.
The commentary said it was all about Collingwood’s lack of “play on” in the first three quarters, but the numbers don’t support that.
The fact is the Pies improved at the contests. At three-quarter time, they were minus 22 for contested possession and in the final quarter they were plus-12.
It also helped that they scored 11 times from 15 entries compared to 10 times from
32 entries in the first three quarters.
Bring that attitude in the middle and efficiency in the forward line for all of the game and the Pies probably don’t lose to St Kilda.
3. DEES CAN GO TO BROWN
Melbourne’s scoring has hit a wall in the past three weeks.
It was 63 points versus Collingwood, 68 against Essendon and last Saturday only 55 against the Giants. It’s a watch on a team that is 12-3.
Coach Simon Goodwin continues to say he is looking at different options forward, and perhaps it’s time to look again at its big-money signing Brown.
Melbourne has been a free-scoring team across the whole year, but as we speak Kysaiah Pickett, Charlie Spargo and Alex Neal-Bullen have kicked a combined four goals in three games. And though they may be celebrated for their defensive efforts, that scoring has dried up.
Tom McDonald was good again, and plays high, Bayley Fritsch kicked three goals, and Sam Weideman didn’t play.
Clearly the Demons don’t want to play Brown, because if they did he would be there already. But even with his defensive limitations, maybe it’s time for a second look.
4. BOMBER FORWARDS NEED A ROCKET
What to do with Cale Hooker?
In the past three matches the Essendon tall has returned one goal, one contested mark and four marks overall.
Prior to that, it was 29 goals in 12 matches.
The veteran was not the only problem in a well-beaten F50 against the Cats.
The problem is Hooker is old, Harrison Jones is young, Peter Wright has been a positive but does not get to enough contests, and Jake Stringer rarely flies for marks.
One solution would be to move James Stewart from defence to attack and bring back Aaron Francis (if he returns) or play Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, who is developing.
Stewart looked suspect against the Cats, and the Bombers urgently need a player who can mark the ball in the forward line.
They took five inside-50 marks last Friday night, while the Cats took 14.
Perhaps out-of-favour Magpie Mason Cox could be a stopgap solution next year.
5. POST-MATCH LOVE-IN
I’m old school on this one. When victorious Geelong skipper Joel Selwood was interviewed by Channel 7 after the siren, he did not smile once.
Meanwhile, some defeated Essendon players could be seen virtually frolicking with their opponents. Dyson Heppell, Devon Smith and Stringer were the most noticeable.
I might be wrong in this thinking, but I thought the friendly banter came too easily after a big loss – and when finals were beckoning.
Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt was questioned for complaining to the umpires after the Tigers lost last Thursday night. And while some said it was whingeing, I thought it showed Riewoldt’s competitiveness in not accepting defeat without a fight.
6. NO LOVE FOR CLASSY DARCY
This bloke doesn’t get the credit.
I am preaching to converted Dockers fans, but Sean Darcy continues to explode as the game’s best young ruckman.
Against the Blues, he delivered the best ruck performance of the season.
Agreed, it was against rookie ruck Tom De Koning and veteran Levi Casboult, but you can only beat who you’re up against.
He had 40 hit-outs, 23 of them to advantage.
He took eight marks and had nine score involvements – a team high, rare for a ruckman.
His 193 ranking points were the most by a ruckman this season, and second overall behind Clayton Oliver’s 203.
7. HAWK CONISTENCY JUST MIDDLING
Footy is almost always won and lost in the midfield.
Last week the Hawks dominated in the middle and beat Greater Western Sydney, who last Saturday put Melbourne to the sword at
the MCG on clearance and stoppage scores.
The Hawks, however, could not repeat at Marvel Stadium last Saturday night against Port Adelaide.
They lost contested ball by 23 and were outscored by five goals from stoppages.
It was a high-pressure game – the Hawks went at 191 and Port 204 – and the margin at the end was the scores from stoppages.
Once they find that midfield consistency, and a couple of forwards, the Hawks’ rebuild will be tracking very positively.
LIKES
1. RATTS HAS A LONG MEMBREY
The old switcheroo. When John Worsfold was coaching West Coast through the mid-2000s, he had a signature move when the Eagles were in trouble: Adam Hunter from defence to forward.
At St Kilda, coach Brett Ratten is the other way around: he swings forward Tim Membrey to defence.
It’s not a move that signifies the Saints are in strife; it’s a more safe move.
It’s now close to a month-long experiment that started against the Suns when Membrey went to defence late in the game.
It’s evolved from there to several times a game and it’s worked – save for the final quarter on Sunday.
For the past five games, the Saints outscored their opposition in time-on in every game. In the six weeks before then, they were outscored in time-on in every game.
Membrey is making it work. So much so, in his past four games he has taken five marks in the forward 50 and six marks in defensive 50, making him important in this Saints resurgence.
2. NORTH’S FIGHT AND IMPROVEMENT
They lost on Sunday night, yet the improvement in the Kangaroos is obvious.
In Round 3, they lost to the Bulldogs by 128 points at the same venue without Robbie Tarrant and Luke McDonald. On Sunday, with those in the team and a clearly improving all-round game, the margin was 29 points.
With a bit more luck and talent, it could’ve been much closer. Yes, the Dogs won and they took top spot and young Cody Weightman was electric early, but for North Melbourne, you can win in defeat.
In the past five games, they’ve lost three matches by an average of 24 points, beat Gold Coast and drawn with GWS. Kangas fans shouldn’t stress over the win-loss this season, it is all about improvement and there’s clear improvement.
3. MILLS THE NO-FRILLS SUCCESS
Outside Essendon’s Darcy Parish, Sydney’s Callum Mills has been the midfield find of the season.
Switched from halfback into the middle, he has brought his calm head to the madness of the midfield.
He had 30 and 33 possessions in Sydney’s previous two games, and on Sunday he delivered a career-high 35 disposals.
He does not have incredible speed, nor is he a contested-ball freak, nor even a brilliant mark.
He is smart in terms of being where the ball is, and makes smart decisions.
Other positives on Sunday were the returns of Nick Blakey and Errol Gulden, while 21-year-old Joel Amartey’s contribution as a forward makes him a certain starter in future.
4. JACK TAKES UP THE SLACK
He’s 194cm and plays as a hybrid tall, yet the Blues needed Jack Silvagni to play as a key tall last Saturday night, when he was the most-targeted Blue after Harry McKay.
More than that, Silvagni is a fierce worker at ground level, and if not for injury this year he would have established himself in the Blues’ forward line.
He had 19 disposals, took eight marks, kicked 2.1 and had nine score involvements – equal most on the ground with Patrick Cripps.
Jack has now played 73 games, and is part of Carlton’s best drafting class of 2015, when it secured Jacob Weitering, Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow, David Cuningham, and Silvagni at pick 53 as a father-son.
5. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Among a host of reasons why the Lions are a better outfit this year than last is the continued emergence of Zac Bailey as a game-breaker and Marcus Adams in defence.
Adams is a grizzly bear – big, strong and ferocious.
Last week he nullified Tom Hawkins and last Saturday it was Taylor Walker, before Tex was injured.
He’s also kept Harry Himmelberg and Mitch Georgiades goalless, Aaron Naughton to two goals, and Brody Mihocek to one.
Last Saturday, he had career-high ranking points (135), took six intercept marks and had 14 intercept possessions.
Of the top 50 players to defend one-on-one contests this year, he is No. 3 for neutralising contests. (No. 1 is teammate Brandon Starcevich and No. 2 is Dylan Grimes).
As for Bailey, he reminds me of former Essendon half-forward Mark Mercuri – all smoothness and class and with a side-step that leaves opponents wondering what just happened.
6. RISING STAR DOWN TO TWO
With Essendon’s Nik Cox now probably needing a rest, two players can win the Rising Star award: Giant Tom Green and Demon Luke Jackson.
Green was axed last week, prompting observers with a view to end-of-year trading
to put him in the “gettable” category, but I’m not sure Green is going anywhere.
Against the Demons last Saturday, he helped the Giants to a handy plus-15 clearance differential, which prompted Phil Davis to sing his praises on Fox Footy.
Green had 25 disposals, the third-most at the club, and while he is average by foot, he is dominant by hand and his clear strength is at stoppages.
He’s a bigger version of Ben Cunnington, without the dance steps, in that he wins the hard ball and has good hands when collared.
7. THE TOMMYS AT THE CATS
Tom Hawkins is again in line for All-Australian honours, but that’s no surprise.
The surprise at Geelong continues to be Tom Atkins, who against Essendon consolidated his position at halfback.
In his 50th game, Atkins had a career-high 29 disposals with eight intercept possessions.
He has elevated himself to be one of the best pressure defenders this year. He’s been a real find.
Yes, he will butcher the ball sometimes and make the occasional wrong decision, but he will always fly into contests, which is what you need from your smallish defender.
Atkins started as a pressure forward, and though Luke Dahlhaus is in a rut and will
be lucky to keep his spot in the team, Atkins won’t be returning to the forward 50 any time soon, if ever.
8. A NIGHT OF PURE SILK
Other than the Hawthorn loss and Shaun Burgoyne not kicking a late goal when playing at full-forward, this was a warm celebration for the latest – and perhaps even the last – of the 400-gamers.
Loved the 400 group photo with Brent Harvey, Michael Tuck, Kevin Bartlett and Dustin Fletcher last week, liked former Port skipper Travis Boak’s words after
the game, and the Burgoyne family celebration throughout was also great to see.
A near-perfect night.
9. THE RICH LIST
The interest in player salaries will never leave the game.
I like the AFL rich list. And it’s a stretch by Eddie McGuire to suggest our publication of players’ salaries might prompt kidnappers to go after players, presumably for ransoms.
Guess what? Players are paid a lot of money, as they should be, and not a single footballer has been kidnapped.
Let’s not be too dramatic.
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