AFL Early Tackle round 23: Glenn McFarlane names his likes and dislikes

The Cats will be finals onlookers for only the second time under Chris Scott, and with question marks over some veterans, where do they go from here? Check out all the latest in the Early Tackle.

Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn.

Goal-review controversy, Collingwood concerns, Brodie Grundy’s future, Brisbane’s top-four case and farewelling the greats.

It’s been a huge weekend of talking points as we build towards finals with the top-eight far from settled.

Glenn McFarlane names his likes and dislikes in this week’s Early Tackle.

DISLIKES

TIME TO OVERHAUL GOAL REVIEW SYSTEM

The AFL must look at overhauling its contentious score review system next season - no matter the cost.

In a second controversial goal umpiring decision in as many weeks, a Ben Keays kick for goal - which would have put the Crows in front with just over a minute remaining - was adjudged to have grazed the goal post by the goal umpire underneath it.

Extraordinarily there was no goal review called, much to the ire of the Crows and their fans who were shattered by the adjudication.

The loss has ended the Crows’ season, with Channel 7’s Jobe Watson saying: “I don’t think that hit the post at all ... I think that’s a goal.”

Adelaide were robbed of a late goal to keep their finals hopes alive. Picture: Getty Images

Keays had been celebrating what he thought was a match-winning goal as he saluted the crowd, oblivious to the decision that the goal umpire had made.

The Swans played on and swept the ball away, and ended up holding on by the barest of margins.

The one-point loss ended Adelaide’s season and even after the siren Keays was spotted talking to the officials, trying to get an explanation about why the decision wasn’t reviewed.

It was later explained on Fox Footy that a spike review of the ball hitting the post would not have helped, given a few Sydney defenders hit the post and padding at the same time as the ball.

The decision will only heighten pressure on the AFL to review its ARC goal review system, following last week’s decision to stick with the goal umpire’s adjudication that Christian Petracca’s late shot had been touched.

Geelong’s season is over.

WHERE TO NOW FOR THE CATS?

The sign on the wall in the Geelong coaches’ room on Saturday night read: “Untameable”, but the reigning premiers have been anything but in 2023.

The Cats will be onlookers during the finals this year for only the second time since Chris Scott took over as coach in late 2010.

It begs the question of where to next for a club that goes into every season expecting to reach September and expecting to compete for the flag.

Isaac Smith will play his last game next week against the Bulldogs, Tom Hawkins will play on for another season and Zach Tuohy is out of contract but looking for a new deal.

Esava Ratugolea might be on the move with several clubs looking at the defender.

Chris Scott is by his own admission an optimist and will be buoyed by the fact that a decent break for his battle-weary side might be the best thing for them ahead of 2024.

Can they inject some more speed into the midfield; can they attract a ruckman which has been an issue all season; and can the injury issues to key players be resolved?

No club is more aggressive in its list management than the Cats, and you can expect them to be active participants in the off-season.

Watch this space!

BOMBED OUT

The Giants’ cheer-squad took the mickey out of the Bombers even before the first bounce on Saturday; and Adam Kingsley’s team compounded the red and black misery to the tune of 127 points.

Essendon still had a very, very slim mathematical chance of playing finals before travelling to Giants Stadium on Saturday. By game’s end, they had shown just how far off the mark they are from the teams slightly above them or around them on the ladder.

Brad Scott has urged patience in any assessment of the Bombers’ 2023 season, but the tired Bombers have hit the wall at the tail end of the season which would surely have frustrated the club’s long-suffering fans.

Essendon defenders react as the Giants pile on the pain. Picture: Getty Images

The Giants’ pre-game banner read: “It’s been a long time/The Bombers have waited/Last time they won a final/We weren’t even created.”

It’s true that the Giants did not come into the AFL until 2012, which was eight years after the Bombers won their last final.

That Essendon drought will now push into another season with the Bombers losing six of their last nine games (including narrow wins over North Melbourne and West Coast), with a final round against Collingwood to come before some end of season soul-searching.

Yes, they have won four more games in 2023 under Scott, but the gulf between their best and worst remains a chasm.

While Jake Stringer was originally named in the starting 22, he started as the sub before being brought in during the second term when the game was already gone.

As David King said on Fox Footy, “they’ve (Essendon) just broken down everywhere … and it’s their leaders who have let them down.”

DIMMA MUST ADD RUTHLESS EDGE TO THE SUNS

Damien Hardwick would have been excused for having a smile on his dial early on Saturday afternoon as he watched his former greats Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt farewell the game in style at the MCG.

Sitting in the stands, fresh from his European summer sojourn, Dimma might have even caught a glimpse at the early ‘around the ground’ scores from up north which were appearing on the MCG scoreboard.

Hardwick, who will be appointed as the Suns’ senior coach potentially as early as Monday, might have been a bit excited to see his future team go 40 points in front of Carlton.

In fairness, it could have been more, as the Suns blew a gilt-edged chance to deliver a blow to the Blues.

Some ill-discipline, some missed shots at goal (which the Blues replicated in the third term) and a bizarre 100m penalty left the door ajar for Carlton and Charlie Curnow.

This was a game the Suns should have - and could have - won with some composure. Instead, it was an ‘almost game’ and a tough missed shot from Noah Anderson in the dying moments meant the Blues were able to hold on.

Hardwick has plenty to work with when he starts his new gig. The Suns have a plethora of talent, and they will have three exciting Academy kids coming through the door next season.

But the one thing he has to add to the Suns - and it has been missing for their entire existence - is a sense of mongrel, a real ruthless edge.

Dimma’s the right man for it, and if the Suns can embrace that, they can be a force soon.

Damien Hardwick was at the MCG to farewell some Tiger greats. Picture: Getty Images

THE STATS THAT MUST BE CONCERNING COLLINGWOOD

Collingwood is missing a handful of its best players and coach Craig McRae is confident his team’s recent form dip can be overcome, but there are some concerning signs.

And it isn’t solely about personnel.

A team that was the best defensive side in the competition at stages of this season is now being scored against too easily.

It’s almost been almost one month in a leaky boat, and they need to start plugging the holes as soon as possible.

That won’t be easy, with Darcy Moore out until the qualifying final, with Nathan Murphy nursing a back injury, and a clear preference to play Jeremy Howe in attack. The latter might need to be overturned out of necessity against the Bombers on Friday night.

Here are a few stats that should concern the Magpies ahead of their Round 24 clash, and the finals.

The Magpies conceded 100 points only twice in the first 20 rounds of this season; they have now done so in three weeks in a row.

That’s the first time that Collingwood has given up 100 points in three consecutive weeks since Rounds 16-18, 2008.

Issues are mounting at Collingwood heading toward September. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The last time that happened was when Nick Daicos was five, Scott Pendlebury was in his third AFL season and Mason Cox was a beanpole US high school soccer defender who had never heard of Australian football.

The reality is that Collingwood has conceded 50 goals across the past three weeks, and if you add the Carlton loss from the week before, that figure is 64 goals conceded in a month.

McRae said: “We’re not happy with the way we’re defending the ground. Opposition are certainly trying to keep the ball off us at times. We’ll get to work on this and find out exactly why. We’ve got time to work on it, we’re not finished yet.”

He’s right, of course. The Magpies have played themselves into a position of ladder strength across the season. But just as much as they need to get quality players back on the field again, they also must find a way to start defending the ground better again – and fast!

Port Adelaide appears a strong fit for Brodie Grundy. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

WHY GRUNDY MUST FIND A NEW HOME

Simon Goodwin gave Collingwood a none-too-subtle dig earlier this year when he said Brodie Grundy was now at a club that “values” his skills set.

Grundy had been traded to the Demons last October after being sold a plan that he and Max Gawn could create a two-ruck ascendancy over the competition.

As good as it might have sounded in theory, it hasn’t worked.

Grundy was dropped back to the VFL after only one week back in the AFL team when the teams lobbed on Friday, after a nine-possession, no score game last week.

His first stint with Casey Demons — where he was told to work on his forward craft — lasted more than a month.

If that happens again, he won’t be playing any part in the AFL finals series unless Gawn or someone else is injured.

While Melbourne has been firm in its public messaging that Grundy isn’t going anywhere next season, surely the man himself must have got to the point where he realises a trade to a third club next season is his best chance of playing AFL footy each and every week.

He’s a dual All-Australian ruckman, he’s never been a forward and most likely will never be one, so he has to consider his options.

Gawn turns 32 in December, but is playing almost as well as ever. He still has plenty of ruck minutes left in what has been a stellar AFL career.

Grundy will be 30 next year and can’t afford to spend the next year or so waiting in the VFL, or trying to fashion himself into a part-time forward.

Port Adelaide needs a quality ruckman. Geelong has been crying out for a ruckman, too.

His salary may be an impediment for some clubs, though Collingwood would still be paying a fair slice, but surely Grundy has to find a new home next season — for his own sake, as much as anyone else’s.

LIKES

SWANS GET LUCKY

Sydney should be thanking their lucky stars and not just because of the controversial late goal umpiring decision.

The Swans banked its sixth successive win to set up a big clash with Melbourne next Sunday, but only after coughing up a 44-point lead against the Crows before clinging to a one-point lead at the end.

They went defensive in the last term as the Crows staged a big fightback, and even lost Tom Papley to what looked like a thigh injury, before holding on by the barest of margins.

SAINTS TANTALISINGLY CLOSE TO SEPTEMBER

St Kilda tried to justify its brutal sacking of Brett Ratten late last year on the premise that its playing list should be playing finals.

It took a giant one step closer towards locking in a place in September in what is Ross Lyon’s first season back at the club by defeating Geelong on Saturday night.

They are so tantalisingly close they almost taste it.

Win against Brisbane at the Gabba next week and they are guaranteed a spot. Lose against the Lions, and they can still be tipped out if all other results go against them, which would be unlikely but still possible.

Lyon has taken this unheralded and underrated team significant steps forward, even if no one thinks they are yet the finished product.

In each of the first 23 rounds they have been inside the top eight, and while they threatened to kick themselves out of it at stages of the Cats’ win, they had the poise and pressure to get the job done.

Time and again, they were challenged, yet they responded each time to end up winning by 33 points complete with a 38-disposal Jack Sinclair masterclass.

Lyon and the Saints back in the finals? We’ve seen this story before.

THE LOSS THAT INSPIRED THE LIONS TO BE BETTER

If Brisbane goes all the way this season – as they clearly can after knocking off Collingwood on Friday night – we might look back to one of their most embarrassing moments of the 2023 season – the Round 18 loss to Melbourne – as the catalyst for their success.

The Lions lost what looked like the ‘unlosable’ match that night against the Demons at their unhappy MCG hunting ground.

But as Chris Fagan detailed on Friday night, the pain of that loss and the lessons learnt from it has made his team better, mentally and physically.

“We, and I, botched the last five or six minutes of that game,” a candid Fagan said, owing some of the blame for the Demons’ come-from-behind win.

“It was a hard lesson to learn, but a good lesson. When we have found ourselves in that situation the last four times, since that game funnily enough, it has worked out OK for us.”

Friday’s four-goal win over Collingwood was a big win for the Lions in more ways than one. Not only did it go a long way to securing a top two spot – a win over St Kilda in Round 24 will lock that in – which would guarantee two home finals at the Gabba, it also saw their midfield taking risks and firing again, and a forward line looking as imposing as ever.

Jaspa Fletcher enjoys a goal during Brisbane’s victory over Collingwood. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

Lachie Neale threw off soreness and sickness as well as an average month to return to his best form. Fagan offered him the chance to rest against the Pies. He didn’t take up the offer and then tore the Magpies’ midfield apart.

Josh Dunkley wasn’t far behind and the Lions mids sliced their way through the middle, despite a third term Pies’ fightback they managed to quell.

The Charlie and Cam show that helped to dismantle Collingwood at the Gabba earlier this season was back again, and every bit as dangerous.

Charlie Cameron kicked four goals, which took his past four game tally against Collingwood to 17.1 He proved too good for one the best small defenders this season in Isaac Quaynor.

Cam Raynor (two goals) looks ready to take a finals series apart – we’ve actually said this before – and the sharing of the load from forwards in Eric Hipwood (three goals), Joe Daniher (three goals), Zac Bailey (two goals) and Callum Ah Chee (two goals) was a telling factor in the 24-point win.

CHARLIE COULD BE MR SEPTEMBER AS BLUES FINALS BOUND

Is there anything Carlton’s Charlie Curnow can’t do?

Kick four goals in a quarter to turn the game and drag his team out of the mire; kick another vital major when it was needed late in the contest; set up the goal for teammate Harry McKay to put the Blues in front; and take the match-saving mark in the dying seconds.

Curnow is so versatile that he’s probably working on plans for Carlton’s end of season trip.

The difference is that for the first time in a decade that end of season trip has had to be delayed until most likely the end of September.

For this Blues’ team is playing finals for the first time since 2013, and given their form, they can potentially go deep into the last month.

This was some sort of performance from the game’s most electric player, who was seemingly born for the big stage, and it was also a sign that the 2023 Blues are a much more mature outfit.

That’s nine consecutive wins for Michael Voss’ team. That streak of wins started when they pulled themselves off the canvas in a stunning second term against the Suns in Round 14 and in a similarly important second term on Saturday, they came back from a 40-point deficit.

Curnow’s five goals against the Suns took his yearly tally to 75 for the season. With one home-and-away game to come, and the prospect of a few finals, he could push himself into the 80s and potentially even the 90s.

Voss deserves credit for making a few alterations on the run after the Blues’ season looked all but over a few months ago.

Now it sets up a classic final round contest against a hugely competitive Greater Western Sydney on Sunday night, with the Blues at least locked into September.

Charlie Curnow dragged Carlton to victory against Gold Coast. Picture: Getty Images

ONE GIANT LEAP

If a burnt-out Damien Hardwick had stepped away from coaching a year earlier than he did, Adam Kingsley might well be the coach of the Richmond Football Club right now.

Instead, the Tigers are on the hunt for a new coach and their former assistant Kingsley could be one win away (albeit against Carlton) from taking the Giants to an unlikely finals berth in his first season in charge.

If that happens, Jason Dunstall reckons that would put Kingsley into the nominations for AFL coach of the year, given few people gave them any hope of contesting for a finals spot.

Kingsley brought back the ‘Orange Tsunami’ and the wave swept over and eclipsed Essendon’s finals hopes with a stunning performance.

Tom Green was outstanding, Jesse Hogan turned back the goalkicking clock, Kieren Briggs turned on another big performance, and the Giants led the way from start to finish.

Richmond won’t play finals and their search for a new coach goes on with differing opinions on who they should chase as the ‘next Dimma’.

Has caretaker coach Andrew McQualter done enough to win the job? Are the likes of Chris Newman and Troy Chaplin a chance?

The Tigers have said they are likely to look for a first-time coach to try, but as unlikely as it sounds, would they even put in a late phone call to Adam Simpson if, and when, he parts company with the Eagles?

It’s going to be a fascinating next few weeks as the Tigers look to make an appointment during the finals.

The Giants did as they pleased against Essendon. Picture: Getty Images

FAREWELL TO THE GREATS

Every year we get a rude reminder around this time of the season that footy is a transient game as we say goodbye to some of our most cherished players.

Some get fitting farewells in the cauldron of the finals; many bow out in the final few rounds and some are cut after the season is over without the benefit of an emotional wave-off.

This year, it seems, we are farewelling an incredible crop of players.

One is considered a walk-up start to become a legend of the Australian Football Hall of Fame in Buddy Franklin, and thankfully he has finally agreed to do a lap of honour at the SCG at halftime of next week’s Swans-Melbourne clash.

Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt head out for their last game. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Others such as Richmond’s Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt, who farewelled the MCG on Saturday after brilliant careers in yellow and black, will almost certainly be inducted into the hall of fame at some stage.

The two Tigers greats shared the stage with North Melbourne’s much loved Jack Ziebell in what was his final game. Another heart and soul Kangaroo Ben Cunnington has already stepped aside.

Others who have already announced 2023 will be last season included Isaac Smith, Shannon Hurn, Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey, and there will be more.

Then, there are the players such as Paddy McCartin, who are forced to retire before their time, for their own sake after serious concussion issues.

Good on the Swans for included McCartin as part of Franklin’s farewell at the SCG next week.

Originally published as AFL Early Tackle round 23: Glenn McFarlane names his likes and dislikes