Grinners:
North Melbourne
Wow. The emphatic nature of that was apparent. Not simply for the victory by North over the reigning premiers. Geelong attempted to come at the Kangas, just as they overran Hawthorn last week. But they rallied, returned and kicked themselves clear. That’s the kind of digging that is seen in champion sides.
Gold Coast
If there is such a thing as a moral victory, that was it.
Gary Ablett
Someone get the author his Brownlow odds?
Karmichael Hunt
Speaking of Brownlow votes, could Andrew Demetriou end up in the awkward position of reading out Hunt’s name?
McKenna appears to have found the role for him as the pack-smasher. Hunt is relishing it and is genuinely getting better, to the point where he’s becoming a threat.
Carlton
The arrival of something big? Carlton still have holes, but the power of their midfield and the skill of their small runners seems to be papering over these holes. The fitness of Michael Jamison is still important, but only against the type of power forward line that Collingwood can deliver.
Richmond
They honestly needed to win that one to have a crack at finals. The Tigers’ draw is extremely tough early, and defeating the Demons was important for both their own and their supporters’ morale.
Port Adelaide
Quickly becoming the tipsters’ nightmare, Port are giving everyone a crack. While they’re not winning, they’re certainly competitive as hell, and with that the wins will come.
The AFL
The whole thing has turned just a bit at the top, and it’s for the better. Sydney are becoming a reasonable talking point for the top 4, questions rise over Geelong, St Kilda give a sense that they aren’t done just yet and North seem to be arriving. Exciting times.
Moaners:
Collingwood
Injury-plagued, key men out of form, being exposed defensively with too many front runners. The bad luck factor is there, but watching Luke Ball return to the field after tweaking something in his knee smacked of desperation from Collingwood, and watching him go down again was simply terrible.
The problems for the Pies are marked. In some ways, they are beginning to resemble St Kilda.
Their top-end players, of the likes of Swan, Thomas, Pendlebury and Cloke are fantastic. However, questions can and must be asked about some players. Darren Jolly’s leap has left him. Cameron Wood seems to be simply not good enough. Harry O’Brien gets exposed defensively. Importantly though, their depth is what is worst. Although they’ve found a beauty in Lachlan Keeffe, he is only one in a makeshift defence that won’t be stable anytime soon.
Nathan Buckley
Mick sticks the boot in. One gets the feeling he was just waiting to do so. And Mick deserved to.
Melbourne
The Koo Wee Rup 2nds would give them a run for their money.
Western Bulldogs
Those two big sticks, seriously. Ball goes through ’em, guys.
Fremantle and Brisbane
Your author was at the MCG Saturday afternoon, and got better entertainment out of watching Richmond’s run and spread as compared to what he saw of the snoozefest out West.
