The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 18
THE TACKLE: ESSENDON was insipid and tanking would be an excuse but it doesn’t exist so it was their worst performance of the season. Robbo reveals his likes and dislikes from Round 18.
Bulldogs
Don't miss out on the headlines from Bulldogs. Followed categories will be added to My News.
GEELONG star Tom Hawkins made a welcome return to form with four goals as the Cats come good with a big win against Adelaide.
Mitch Wallis breaking his leg was a shocking sight and what followed in the rooms was heart-wrenching, while Marley Williams’ misplaced aggression against Lindsay Thomas backfired on him.
MARK ROBINSON reveals his likes and dislikes from Round 18.
LIKES
1. Cats on song
Why oh why do you pick against Geelong at Geelong? Been a struggle for a while for Geelong, but a lot fell into place against the Crows, who don’t handle the Cats at all well. No surprises that when the Geelong midfield plays well, the chances of victory rocket. The midfield group had plus-18 contested possessions (Adelaide’s second-worst result of the year) and plus-9 inside 50s (Adelaide’s worst result since Round 8 when they last played Geelong).
CHAT LIVE WITH ROBBO AT 11.45am
2. And who was happy with that?
Tommy Hawkins. Talk about struggle, but Hawkins did it Saturday night against elite opposition in Daniel Talia. Kicked four goals, took five marks and looked powerful and aggressive. Coach Chris Scott has supported Hawkins for an extended period and has been pretty open about his discussions with Hawkins and he would be rapt with the result.
3. Tom II
To borrow a line from iconic TV commentator Peter Landy, Brisbane skipper Tom Rockliff was in more trouble than the early explorers heading into yesterday’s game against Essendon. Said to be drinking too much, expanding the waistline and the problem child at the Lions, claims which Rockliff and the Lions rejected, the skipper yesterday was supreme. Had 38 disposals, 12 marks, nine tackles, seven clearances, six inside 50s and two fingers for everyone who has questioned him.
4. Intensity v intensity
Be nice to be a St Kilda supporter today because more than any time this season, the belief in where this club is heading is strong. When they’re mentally right, when they’re playing with intensity, they’re a formidable outfit.
To beat the Bulldogs, you have to make a stand in the midfield and that’s exactly what the Saints did. They were plus-19 disposals, plus-three contested possessions, plus-14 uncontested possessions and minus-1 clearances.
Getting tired of typing Jack Steven every second weekend, but there’s no denying his standing in the game. His 39 disposals follow two 40-disposal games this season (Round 9 and 16) and you could make an argument he is now a top 10 player of the competition.
5. North Melbourne
The football world was watching and they responded on the back of a Hawthorn-like front-half swarm of pressure. The Kangaroos recorded a forward-half pressure factor of 181 against Collingwood which was their second highest pressure reading since Round 5. They laid 15 tackles inside 50m after laying just five tackles inside 50 against Port Adelaide the week before and forced 36 forward-half turnovers, their third most ever. Rapt for Drew Petrie as well. He was front and centre in the swarm and finished with seven marks, seven tackles and two goals.
6. Patrick Cripps
Just 21 and in his 39th game, Cripps has reeled off three of his finest games in the navy blue. In Round 16, it was 27 disposals and 12 clearances. In Round 17, it was 29 and 12 clearances and on Saturday, against the most bruising midfield in the competition in Sydney, it was 32, 11 clearances and 12 tackles.
The Blues lost, but won more admirers, led by Cripps and Bryce Gibbs in the midfield. Off the top of the head, can’t think of a more accomplished 21-year-old in the game and can’t think of a young midfielder in the past 40 years who has had as much an impact in his first 39 games as Cripps — and that includes Chris Judd.
7. Alex Sexton
He’s 22, just played his 51st game and is one of those young players the Suns are hoping to be the next wave of leaders. In a nondescript affair, Sexton had his breakout game. He spent a period of the match on Stephen Hill and along with that conquest, he managed career-highs in ranking points (111), disposals (26), metres gained (715), clearances (eight) and inside 50s (14). It is a slog for the Suns with so many injuries, but the positive is players such as Sexton see high-level action.
8. Brad Hill
Might be a genius, Clarko — yet again — after Brad Hill played with a freedom that we haven’t see too much of this season. Last week against Sydney was the start and on Sunday Hill put together his first 30-possession game for the season. With Clarkson putting on record Hill’s desire to play at Fremantle next season, just maybe an took a heap of pressure off the 23-year-old. More games like that one and it will be a first-round selection trade or Hill won’t be going anywhere.
9. Respect
Richmond did it with class, forming a guard of honour for 300-gamer Sam Mitchell at the MCG. Pity the Pies couldn’t do the same for Adelaide’s Scott Thompson the previous week.
10. A week for the giants
Brent “Boomer” Harvey breaks Michael Tuck’s games record, which will be a monumental moment. By the end of this week, after the media saturation, there won’t be anything you didn’t know about the little champ. At Geelong on Friday night, Jimmy Bartel and Corey Enright celebrate milestones — 300 games for Bartel and 325 for Enright, a club record — which makes the clash against Western Bulldogs a must-see for Cats fans.
DISLIKES
1. Hope they were tanking
Yes, the Bombers were so insipid against Brisbane that tanking would give them an out. But because nobody believes tanking exists, we can then suggest Sunday was one of their worst performances of the year.
On the road and under extreme scrutiny, the Lions embarrassed the Bombers. Zach Merrett and Brendon Goddard aside, and also Darcy Parish who continues to perform in his first season, the Bombers lacked oomph and skill and the decision-making was poor. Anyway, they get pick No.1 in the draft and the pre-season draft and we all move on.
2. Broken bones
Have not watched footage of Mitch Wallis snapping his leg and don’t plan to. Can remember Michael Voss breaking his leg and Nathan Brown and Michael Barlow and still shudder at the thought. Horrible blow for Wallis and the Dogs, for Wallis is one of the young generals in the midfield and a key plank in the premiership campaign. Add Jack Redpath’s ACL injury and Saturday night might be remembered as the season killer.
3. The wailing
Heart-wrenching scenes in the rooms. The players came in after the game and Wallis, still on the cart, was wailing in pain in the middle of the warm-up room. When Luke Beveridge spoke to the players in the players’ room, Wallis could still be heard through the walls, causing several players to cry for their fallen teammate.
“It was horrific,” one Dogs official said. “It was persistent wailing and a number of players were crying.”
When the meeting was over, the players went to Wallis and put a hand on him, just as the ambulance arrived.
“I won’t forget it,” the official said.
4. Jack Redpath
One of the most popular players at the club, Redpath’s injury — which also distressed his teammates — means he will require a third knee reconstruction. Just 25, Redpath required two operations before he was drafted and this latest setback is to his other knee. Let’s hope his strength of character pushes him to continue his career.
“It’s a traumatic night and it will test us,” Beveridge said.
Fair to say, Redpath has been tested before and overcome.
5. Melbourne
We can pat them on the back and talk of gallantry, but that wears thin pretty quick. Fact is, the Demons lost this game when they should’ve won it and you’d think coach Paul Roos would’ve been filthy. The inside 50 count was 66-37, yet the Demons could only muster 8.10 and just two behinds in the final quarter. It’s seems like a “nearly” year for Melbourne.
6. Flighty Eagles
The struggles on the road are well documented, but this was a struggle and a half at home. Their time in forward half differential of -26:50 minutes was its worst ever differential at Subiaco. It’s staggering they won the game and if not for Matt Priddis (24 disposals, 15 tackles), Luke Shuey and a back group who was mighty while under siege, they wouldn’t have won.
7. Ben Sinclair’s head
Big decisions to be made with Sinclair after yet another concussion. Let’s hope he can get a good crack at footy if or when he returns, but it remains to be seen if he makes it back this season. Off the top of the head, it’s about four concussions for him and he just might be wondering if AFL footy is for him. He’s either desperately unlucky or has an issue with head knocks and if it’s the latter it could mean a career is in jeopardy.
8. Marley’s aggression
Marley Williams wouldn’t be the first young player who has struggled balancing aggression at the man and at the ball, but he has to get his head around the fact he doesn’t have to push and shove and knock down players every time he wants to. That was rubbish what he did to Lindsay Thomas, which gave up a goal.
9. One last thing
Just say you’re coaching Essendon, just say you didn’t want to win, just say you had one choice of player to shut down to give your Bombers the best chance of winning. Just saying my mum even knows that Daniel Rich can’t handle a tag and despite him coming off a back flank, the Bombers didn’t put any time into him. It didn’t go unnoticed from the commentariat either. On SEN Radio, former Bomber Scott Lucas joked that he would leave the radio box and tag Rich because no one else was.
Originally published as The Tackle: Mark Robinson’s likes and dislikes from Round 18
‘What can you do?’: Ginni warned after goal taunt almost goes awry
One of Jack Ginnivan’s teammates says he “wasn’t a fan” of the forward taunting Bulldogs players before kicking a last-quarter goal in Thursday night’s 22-point victory.
AFL world says same thing about Ginnivan
Jack Ginnivan was at his antagonising best on Thursday night, producing a cocky act that divided footy fans watching on.