Murray MiddletonRound Five
April 20th 2008 11:00
1. Buddy Leading The Coleman
On Saturday Lance Franklin kicked eight goals to take his season tally to 29. Hawthorn's narrow win over the Brisbane Lions helped keep their undefeated record in tact. Franklin is in his fourth season as a player and is already one of the most damaging players in the competition. This week there will be countless debate about whether or not Franklin is the best player in the competition. He plays primarily as a tall forward but has the speed and agility of a midfielder. He can kick goals from anywhere within 55 metres of goal and has become almost impossible to mach up. Hawthorn have a potent weapon at their disposal. Such has been the opposition's focus on Franklin in recent weeks, that talented players like Roughead and Williams have been forced to play peripheral roles in the Hawks forward structure. Currently Mitch Thorp and Tim Boyle are not even in the side. It is testament to how well both the Hawks and Franklin are travelling.
Last season St. Kilda matched Franklin up with the athletic Jason Gram. The move had varied success (Frankling kicked a bag in the last quarter when the sting was out of the match). Most importantly, the move acknowledged the need for Franklin's opponent to be suitably speedy. Tough, disciplined defenders such as Glass, Rutten and even Matthew Scarlett simply do not have the motor to run with Franklin for four quarters. The only option is to play a talented athlete on Franklin. But do most sides have one? Alternatively, the oppositon can double or triple man the Hawks star. The Kangaroos used the move successfully in last season's elimination final. The only problem is that it enables the Hawks second tier of forwards too much space. At this point Hawthorn are the team most likely to challenge Geelong. It is a pity that football supporters will have to wait until round 17 to see the contest. The game might boil down to one question: can Lance Franklin be stopped?
2. Blues Make It Two In A Row
Carlton beat Melbourne comfortably on Sunday afternoon to record their second successive victory. Considering Carlton's output in recent times, it is worth asking: how bad are Melbourne? The Demons briefly challenged in the second quarter before allowing Carlton to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Melbourne's insipid performance was summed up when both Brad Green and Cameron Bruce kicked the ball out of bounds on the full from thirty metres out. It seems the sickness has spread to Melbourne's 'good' players. Life will not get any easier for Dean Bailey. The likes of White, Green, Robertson and Bruce are too old to trade. The Demons are stuck with their underperforming stars. Perhaps if they understood the extent of the damage to their list, they might have traded more than Travis Johnstone at the end of last season? At present the club is bleeding.
Melbourne continually broke down across the half forward line against the Blues. They are a team low on confidence; the lowest, in fact, since Fitzroy in 1996. Carlton are no great team, but they made the Demons look second rate. Melbourne rarely fill more than a quarter of the MCG on match days. The AFL were correct to question the worth of the football club last week. Their list management in recent seasons has shown no understanding of the reality of their stocks. Jarrod Rivers is one of the most disappointing footballers of his generation. His performances since winning the 'Rising Star' have made a mockery of the award. Nathan Carroll should get a hair cut. Colin Sylvia must repay the club for their persistence with him. It might even be time for Dean Bailey to play Aaron Davey off a half back flank. Bailey must keep trying different moves. At present his coaching has been unimaginative. Malcolm Blight would be ashamed.
Captain David Neitz appeared to seriously injure his shoulder against the Blues. His form this season has been below par and has resulted in calls for his immediate retirement. The argument against such drastic action is that no forward has any chance of having a good season with the delivery on offer at Melbourne. Neitz is likely to spend an extended spell on the sidelines. It is an unfortunate way for a player of his calibre to end his career. Dean Bailey deserves time...but not too much.
3. Didak Misses The Unmissable
Alan Didak could have won Collingwood the game on Saturday night against the Kangaroos. He missed a shot on the run from twenty-five metres out. The miss was uncharacteristic of the Magpies champ. Perhaps he might have benefited from having a right foot? However Didak has kicked enough crucial goals for the club to be spared any harsh criticism. The game took an amazing turn half way through the last quarter. Collingwood had controlled the tempo of the contest all night and seemed destined to gain the four points. Paul Medhurst produced his best display for the Pies to further underline the discrepancy in the 2006 Chris Tarrant trade. Despite losing the match and now having a 2-3 record, Collingwood remain contenders for their love of the tough contest. In the coming weeks they must show that Saturday's fade out was an aberration.
The Kangaroos owed their victory to the cleverness of small forwards Lindsay Thomas and Matthew Campbell. Both players were unsighted in the opening three quarters of the match. All night Collingwood appeared to have the measure of the Kangaroos forward line. However suddenly Campbell and Thomas exploded. Both players have showed flashes of brilliance in their short AFL careers but have struggled for consistency. It remains to be seen whether the one forward line can facilitate the two players. The Kangaross are a hard-working club who generally get the most out of their ability. The sight of two flashy indigenous footballers bursting the game open was reminiscent of the days of Jim and Phil Krakour. But can Thomas and Campbell sustain their form?
4. Tempo Football
The RIchmond - Bulldogs game was an extroardinary contest. Quite fittingly, it ended in a draw. The game was characterised by the frequent shifts in momentum. The Bulldogs dominated the play early, but failed to capitalise. Richmond stormed into contention in the second quarter and carried their momentum into the last quarter. The Bulldogs then broke the game open once more and clinched a draw in the last minute. Richmond had only itself to blame for the outcome. With five minutes to play they were three goals up. Just like last year (when they led the Bombers by the same margin in the Dreamtime match), they opted to slow the game down. It produced a series of ineffective kicks which resulted in three quick Bulldogs goals. While Adelaide used the tactic to halt Fremantle's run on Saturday, it cannot be practised by teams, such as RIchmond, who are lacking in skill.
The shifts in momentum were by no means confined to the Tigers - Bulldogs contest. Friday night's St. Kilda - Essendon game was initially dominated by the Saints. They outmuscled the Bombers in the first half and could have been further in front than 44 points. In the third term the Bombers kicked six unanswered goals and threatened to blow the game open. The third quarter was similar to the Bombers third quarter against the Bulldogs the week before. If the current trend continues - no game is ever safe. The emphasis on running and rotation can bring about unexpected runs of six or seven goals. However the energy exerted while going on such a run can also mean that the opposition can experience a run of their own once they seize control of the contest. This was definately the case when the Kangaroos managed to overhaul Collingwood on Saturday night.
On Saturday Lance Franklin kicked eight goals to take his season tally to 29. Hawthorn's narrow win over the Brisbane Lions helped keep their undefeated record in tact. Franklin is in his fourth season as a player and is already one of the most damaging players in the competition. This week there will be countless debate about whether or not Franklin is the best player in the competition. He plays primarily as a tall forward but has the speed and agility of a midfielder. He can kick goals from anywhere within 55 metres of goal and has become almost impossible to mach up. Hawthorn have a potent weapon at their disposal. Such has been the opposition's focus on Franklin in recent weeks, that talented players like Roughead and Williams have been forced to play peripheral roles in the Hawks forward structure. Currently Mitch Thorp and Tim Boyle are not even in the side. It is testament to how well both the Hawks and Franklin are travelling.
Last season St. Kilda matched Franklin up with the athletic Jason Gram. The move had varied success (Frankling kicked a bag in the last quarter when the sting was out of the match). Most importantly, the move acknowledged the need for Franklin's opponent to be suitably speedy. Tough, disciplined defenders such as Glass, Rutten and even Matthew Scarlett simply do not have the motor to run with Franklin for four quarters. The only option is to play a talented athlete on Franklin. But do most sides have one? Alternatively, the oppositon can double or triple man the Hawks star. The Kangaroos used the move successfully in last season's elimination final. The only problem is that it enables the Hawks second tier of forwards too much space. At this point Hawthorn are the team most likely to challenge Geelong. It is a pity that football supporters will have to wait until round 17 to see the contest. The game might boil down to one question: can Lance Franklin be stopped?
2. Blues Make It Two In A Row
Carlton beat Melbourne comfortably on Sunday afternoon to record their second successive victory. Considering Carlton's output in recent times, it is worth asking: how bad are Melbourne? The Demons briefly challenged in the second quarter before allowing Carlton to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Melbourne's insipid performance was summed up when both Brad Green and Cameron Bruce kicked the ball out of bounds on the full from thirty metres out. It seems the sickness has spread to Melbourne's 'good' players. Life will not get any easier for Dean Bailey. The likes of White, Green, Robertson and Bruce are too old to trade. The Demons are stuck with their underperforming stars. Perhaps if they understood the extent of the damage to their list, they might have traded more than Travis Johnstone at the end of last season? At present the club is bleeding.
Melbourne continually broke down across the half forward line against the Blues. They are a team low on confidence; the lowest, in fact, since Fitzroy in 1996. Carlton are no great team, but they made the Demons look second rate. Melbourne rarely fill more than a quarter of the MCG on match days. The AFL were correct to question the worth of the football club last week. Their list management in recent seasons has shown no understanding of the reality of their stocks. Jarrod Rivers is one of the most disappointing footballers of his generation. His performances since winning the 'Rising Star' have made a mockery of the award. Nathan Carroll should get a hair cut. Colin Sylvia must repay the club for their persistence with him. It might even be time for Dean Bailey to play Aaron Davey off a half back flank. Bailey must keep trying different moves. At present his coaching has been unimaginative. Malcolm Blight would be ashamed.
Captain David Neitz appeared to seriously injure his shoulder against the Blues. His form this season has been below par and has resulted in calls for his immediate retirement. The argument against such drastic action is that no forward has any chance of having a good season with the delivery on offer at Melbourne. Neitz is likely to spend an extended spell on the sidelines. It is an unfortunate way for a player of his calibre to end his career. Dean Bailey deserves time...but not too much.
3. Didak Misses The Unmissable
Alan Didak could have won Collingwood the game on Saturday night against the Kangaroos. He missed a shot on the run from twenty-five metres out. The miss was uncharacteristic of the Magpies champ. Perhaps he might have benefited from having a right foot? However Didak has kicked enough crucial goals for the club to be spared any harsh criticism. The game took an amazing turn half way through the last quarter. Collingwood had controlled the tempo of the contest all night and seemed destined to gain the four points. Paul Medhurst produced his best display for the Pies to further underline the discrepancy in the 2006 Chris Tarrant trade. Despite losing the match and now having a 2-3 record, Collingwood remain contenders for their love of the tough contest. In the coming weeks they must show that Saturday's fade out was an aberration.
The Kangaroos owed their victory to the cleverness of small forwards Lindsay Thomas and Matthew Campbell. Both players were unsighted in the opening three quarters of the match. All night Collingwood appeared to have the measure of the Kangaroos forward line. However suddenly Campbell and Thomas exploded. Both players have showed flashes of brilliance in their short AFL careers but have struggled for consistency. It remains to be seen whether the one forward line can facilitate the two players. The Kangaross are a hard-working club who generally get the most out of their ability. The sight of two flashy indigenous footballers bursting the game open was reminiscent of the days of Jim and Phil Krakour. But can Thomas and Campbell sustain their form?
4. Tempo Football
The RIchmond - Bulldogs game was an extroardinary contest. Quite fittingly, it ended in a draw. The game was characterised by the frequent shifts in momentum. The Bulldogs dominated the play early, but failed to capitalise. Richmond stormed into contention in the second quarter and carried their momentum into the last quarter. The Bulldogs then broke the game open once more and clinched a draw in the last minute. Richmond had only itself to blame for the outcome. With five minutes to play they were three goals up. Just like last year (when they led the Bombers by the same margin in the Dreamtime match), they opted to slow the game down. It produced a series of ineffective kicks which resulted in three quick Bulldogs goals. While Adelaide used the tactic to halt Fremantle's run on Saturday, it cannot be practised by teams, such as RIchmond, who are lacking in skill.
The shifts in momentum were by no means confined to the Tigers - Bulldogs contest. Friday night's St. Kilda - Essendon game was initially dominated by the Saints. They outmuscled the Bombers in the first half and could have been further in front than 44 points. In the third term the Bombers kicked six unanswered goals and threatened to blow the game open. The third quarter was similar to the Bombers third quarter against the Bulldogs the week before. If the current trend continues - no game is ever safe. The emphasis on running and rotation can bring about unexpected runs of six or seven goals. However the energy exerted while going on such a run can also mean that the opposition can experience a run of their own once they seize control of the contest. This was definately the case when the Kangaroos managed to overhaul Collingwood on Saturday night.
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Comment by Anonymous
There was a correlation between the North/Collingwood and the Tigers/Dogs game.
All 4 teams attempted to play a style of football they do not have the skills to implement. While both games were entertaining the skills errors were appalling.
Grant Thomas said over the weekend that uncontested possessions are just as important as contested possessions. His point was verified with the amount of unnecessary turnovers of all 4 teams.
The Dogs probably still have a way to go but the fact that they could get out of jail shows they have what it takes to play finals footy.
Collingwood supporters who are going to whinge like a pack of bitches about the 'unfair bounce' need to remember that Brent Harvey was being held at the centre bounce that resulted in Collingwood delivering the ball to Didak for the near-miss. If only he was as accurate as his good pal Christopher Wayne Hudson. How could the umpires miss that decision?