Well, our Multi-Bet #1 got up – Geelong 1-39/Hawthorn over 15.5/GWS over 15.5/North Melbourne vs. St Kilda either under 39.5/Sydney H2H/Adelaide 40+ = $4.87 – Did you get on? Hope so!
There were some massive margins this week…I predicted it would be a topsy-turvy round, and it was! There was some much-needed percentage boosting wins for four finals-bound teams. We knew going in that some almighty records would be broken, but as the matches played out, they weren’t all good ones. Find out what they were, along with all the rest of the Round 19 highlights below…
Oh Yes!
I’ve said this for the past six weeks, but Patrick Dangerfield can’t possibly lose the Brownlow Medal now. With 33 disposals, 5 marks, 3 goals, at least 3 goals assists, and 144 Supercoach points, the three Brownlow votes were all his – again! He was the clear $1.90 favourite pre-game and he came in further to $1.70 post-game. By Brownlow night, he’ll likely be showing $1.40.
The myriad of milestone games over the course of the weekend and the hoopla and celebrations that surrounded them. Lindsay Thomas passed off a sure goal to 427 gamer, Brent Harvey, giving him a gift-goal in his record-breaking game.
A solid win over St.Kilda means North Melbourne have all but assured their spot in the top eight. It also means St. Kilda’s chances are now done.
Player/crowd interaction. Jarrad Waite celebrating a goal with high fives amongst excited North Melbourne fans along the fence line.
Port Adelaide kick 25:23:173 – a demoralizing 94-point win over the Lions at The Gabba. It’s a much-needed percentage booster for the Power, but they have to keep winning and they have to hope that North Melbourne start losing if they’re any chance of playing finals this year.
Melbourne hung on against the Gold Coast Suns to win a thriller at the MCG. In what was a frustrating, sloppy game, loaded with unforced errors (by both teams), it was up to Tom Lynch to kick a set shot from a tight angle, after the siren, to clinch the win for the Suns. He failed to make the distance and the Demons won a heart stopper by just 2 points. On a side note, Danny Frawley’s commentary was made up of two words, “basic fundamentals.” If there was a drinking game and I was taking a shot every time he said those two words, I would have been drunk as a skunk by the final quarter.
Port Adelaide, Sydney, GWS and Adelaide all had massive 80+ point wins!
Oh No!
The Bulldogs keep trying, no matter what, and that’s what they did on Friday night against the Cats’ at Simmonds Stadium. Despite going into the game as underdogs (excuse the pun), they took it right up to Geelong and it was apparent the home team were going to have a battle on their hands to get the win…until Tom Liberatore’s ankle injury! Mid-way through the second quarter, he was iced-up and done for the night. After a quarter and a half of footy, he’d already clocked up 16 disposals (playing on Patrick Dangerfield) and he was the main influence in the mid-field run for the Dogs. Jackson Macrae also left the ground with a hamstring strain. Is there a connection to these legs injuries corresponding with all the games the Dogs have played at Etihad Stadium? Many players complain about the hard service. Yes, it’s the Dogs’ home ground and they play it better than anyone, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that niggling impact injuries could very well be weakening their legs and feet during the course of the season, and we’re now seeing the fallout of that fast track. The Bulldogs are now seventh on the ladder and their injury list grows each and every week.
Richmond were goalless and a whopping 50 points down at quarter time against GWS on Saturday afternoon. Their long-suffering coach, Damien Hardwick looked fidgety, forlorn and frustrated, as he knowingly dreaded another three quarters of torture! However, he conceded in the post-match press conference that his team may not win another game this season and it’s “more about next year and how we go about it.” The final scores – GWS 111 – Richmond 23 – An 88-point loss for Richmond! Jack Riewoldt kicked 2 of the 3 goals, and once again, the usual suspects, Dustin Martin and Alex Rance were Richmond’s best players. With just 23 points scored for the entire match, it was Richmond’s lowest score since Round 3, 1958!
The Eagles lose (19 points) to the Pies at the MCG! Travis Cloke still can’t kick for goal. Directly in front of the big sticks and he clearly swings his leg across his body. Darcy Moore kicked three goals early, but he left the ground with a hamstring injury and took no further part in the game. He only played a quarter and a half, but Moore’s early dominance was crucial to Collingwood winning the game. That said, Darcy Moore should get the Rising Star nod this week. He’s been consistent all year and deserves to be nominated.
The Brisbane Lions now have an average losing margin of 71 points. A 94 point mauling by Port Adelaide on their own ground (the Gabba) on Saturday night, and if Port kicked straight, they would have easily kicked over 200 points against the Lions. As it was, they kicked a total of 173! The excuses from the Lions keep coming. They’re a young side. Boys playing against men, etc…the excuses are no longer cutting it. There are young players on all teams. Jacob Weitering and Patrick Cripps (Carlton), Jesse Hogan and Christian Petracca (Melbourne), Peter Wright (Gold Coast), Darcy Moore (Collingwood), Lachie Weller (Fremantle), Ben Brown (North Melbourne), Callum Mills and Isaac Heeney (Sydney), Caleb Daniel (Western Bulldogs), Darcy Parish (Essendon), James Sicily (Hawthorn), Darcy Byrne-Jones (Port Adelaide), the Crouch brothers (Adelaide). These examples are just a sampling of young players, equivalent in age and experience to many of Brisbane’s youngsters. The difference is the tier of talent. Those aforementioned players from various clubs are elite, future stars. The majority of Brisbane’s young players are better than the average local footballer, but they are not up to AFL standard. That’s the truth of it. Welfare Manager, Craig Lambert is hanging his hat on the fact that 19 players have resigned. The next question to be asked is, “what other clubs were interested in those 19 players?” Why wouldn’t they resign if Brisbane was the only club sliding a contract under their noses and there’s nowhere else to go? No other option. No rival club sniffing around. It’s sign with the Lions or walk away. So, you sign and stay. Additionally, the leadership team at the Lions is failing. Namely, Captain, Tom Rockliff, Dayne Zorko, Mitch Robinson, Daniel Merrett, Pearce Hanley and Daniel Rich. A third of the “young” Brisbane team are senior players. This means that each senior player has two rookies to mentor on game day. It’s not too much to ask. At the end of the game on Saturday night, the Lions’ players gathered together on the ground. There was no talking. None! Heads were hanging in shame, despair and defeat., leaders included. The morale is clearly at its lowest ebb, and with a trip to Adelaide Oval up next to face the Adelaide Crows, what scoring records will be broken? The Lions did not afford Michael Voss the same concessions as they do Justin Leppitsch. Voss was sacked in a manner that was horrendously disrespectful, before season’s end, and a little dose of karma is now coming back to bite the Lions. Given the fact that Michael Voss is now the Midfield Manager at Port Adelaide, that win, that slaughter, was Voss’ middle finger to a club that did him wrong. Voss coached 109 games for the Lions. He achieved 43 wins, 1 draw and 65 losses. On the other hand, Leppitsch has coached 62 games, “achieving” 13 wins and 49 losses. Yet he still has his job? Go figure!
Matthew Pavlich’s 350th milestone game was ruined by an abysmal Fremantle performance. The only personal highlight will be the beginning and the end, including the last goal of the game, fittingly kicked by the milestone man himself. Pav now sits on 695 career goals. He has four more games to get to the magic 700 mark. The entire game can be erased from his memory…and Ross Lyon’s memory too. The massive 90-point loss was Lyon’s biggest ever loss as a coach. To rub more salt into the wound, live coverage ended right after the final siren. There was no footage of Pav being chaired off the ground. Stuff running over broadcast time by five minutes. Where’s the respect?
