Oh Yes!
Cyril Rioli kicked the winning goal – on his 27th birthday! Hawthorn won by 5 points in a Thursday night thriller!
Port Adelaide’s $20,000 fine for allowing Hamish Hartlett back on the field after a sickening head knock proves the AFL are taking concussion rules seriously. Protecting the players is a must. The annual injury report, released by the AFL last week, noted that players missed 75 games because of concussion last year.
Dustin Martin with 43 disposals (including 35 kicks), 14 clearances and two goals, including one goal when it really mattered in the dying minutes of the final quarter, he’s hot on the heels of snatching Patrick Dangerfield’s Brownlow away. It was a hard-fought 19-point win to Richmond in the end. Once again, Essendon were good all day. It was another game they could have won. The Bombers are knocking on the door. Their next win is coming, and they’ll get it before the season is done.
The Crows have won eight in a row! Collingwood were gallant in defeat and kept the Crows to 97-points at home. Eddie Betts was the difference for Adelaide, booting 3-goals, the most of any player on either team. His tireless work around the ground created priceless opportunities, ensuring the four points, which gives the Crows their chance to secure the coveted top two spot on the ladder.
This round told us a lot. The top eight is a technicality. There are only five teams who can challenge for the premiership. Namely, Hawthorn, GWS, Western Bulldogs, Adelaide and Sydney.
North Melbourne lost. St. Kilda and Port Adelaide won. The latter two teams can still make the eight. The Roos’ face the Pies on Friday night, the Saints face the Dogs at Etihad on Saturday night and Port face GWS at Adelaide Oval on Sunday (twilight). The pressure is well and truly on North to win at least one more game to secure eighth spot. Both St. Kilda and Port have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Game on!
Oh No!
Geelong’s Lachie Henderson knocked out cold in a marking contest on Friday night. Fremantle’s Michael Barlow, in his first game back from a finger injury, copped a shoulder injury that will put him out of action for at least a month. Hayden Ballantyne played out the game after a heavy marking contest left him with an eye that swelled and blackened a shade darker as the match progressed. He has a fractured cheekbone to go along with it. Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield literally won the game off his own boot, with four goals and 31 disposals, it ended up being an ugly 17-point win to Geelong. Tom Hawkins just not good enough – again! With only 8 disposals (6 kicks and 2 handballs), 3 marks, and one goal in the second half, he ended the game with the lowest amount of disposals for the entire team. He’s lost. I said it weeks ago. The Cats need to think about a trade for ol’ Tomahawk! When he was suspended for two weeks, the team played a much better style of football than they are now. Geelong may be locked into the top eight because of a solid start to the season, but they’ll be pushovers when the finals arrive. They’re nowhere near good enough to match it with the top teams. Without Dangerfield putting his body on the line to push the ball forward when it mattered, Fremantle would have won that game. Few teammates seem to want to help Dangerfield get the hard ball. He was the difference in getting the win. His four goals didn’t go astray either. Another three Brownlow votes banked for Paddy. Has he won it yet? He’s the $1.85 outright favourite.
North Melbourne’s 28-point loss to Port Adelaide on Saturday afternoon has confirmed everyone’s worst fears. A goalless first quarter by the Roos’ meant it was a game of catch up from that point on. Port went in to the second quarter with a massive 34-point lead! The final margin of 28-points was not reflective of Port’s dominance. North Melbourne is in big trouble. The teams outside the eight smell blood, and they may just get their kill.
Jake Stringer’s shoulder injury (a possibly AC joint) overshadowed a solid 48-point win over the Suns in Cairns.
The Eagles allowed Carlton to come within 7 points at the MCG. They needed the win, but they needed the percentage boost of a big win even more. They’re nowhere near good enough in Melbourne to be finals threats. The decision is made, both North Melbourne and the West Coast Eagles are merely making up the numbers in the final eight. Neither will go close to winning the grand prize. The bigger story is Carlton. Even with a handful of their best players out, they pushed the Eagles all day, and almost snatched the game.
Commentators constantly using the terms “good hands” and “fortune favours the brave.” Stop it!
Wayne Carey writing an article about out-of-form forward, Drew Petrie possibly being dropped by North Melbourne. Where’s he been for the last month or so? This isn’t a revelation, Wayne!
St Kilda is officially Melbourne’s version of Kryptonite. They’ve now clocked up 14 straight wins over the Demons. They just can’t beat them. Melbourne’s Jesse Hogan has been reported for a swinging elbow. He’ll likely sit next week out.
Just under 10,000 people through the gates at the Gabba for the last game of the round. It was Brisbane’s smallest home crowd – ever! The supporters who stayed at home crystal-balled the result and avoided the inevitable pain of a massive loss. The Giants belted the Lions by 79 points. What now? Could the pressure get any worse for Leppa? Next up is a Round 18 game against Essendon (at Etihad) on Sunday afternoon. It’s the wooden spoon decider. Not surprisingly, Essendon are favourites to win the game. They will.
