Port Adelaide are a genuine contender:
The Power kicked off Round 7 with an excellent win over the Saints, led by their young superstar in Jason Horne-Francis who dominated stoppages early with his power and speed on full display. The way this kid bursts away at stoppages reminds me of a young Patrick Dangerfield at the Crows.
At the end of his career, Travis Boak has to go down as one of the greatest players of the modern era, averaging 24 disposals and 4 tackles per game across 17 seasons is simply remarkable and doesn’t get the credit he deserves outside of the South Australian media.
With their next 5 games against Essendon (home), North (away), Melbourne (home), Richmond (away), Hawthorn (home), the Power have a chance to cement themselves into a top 4 spot.
Fremantle look confused:
One week they’re slow and steady by kicking backwards/sideways, the next week they’re overusing the handball, what are Fremantle doing?!
The Dockers have an extremely talented backline yet look the most uncertain of any side when in possession in the back half of the ground. This Fremantle side are far and away from the exciting slingshot side that looked a top 4 chance last year.
My call – Hayden Young into the midfield as a Jordan Dawson type, Brennan Cox back to the forward lines, Nat Fyfe to ease his way back into football as a half-back flanker where he won’t get attention.
Also, hand Will Ashcroft the money for Goal of the Year now, no one is beating that.
Toby Greene, yep, that’s the headline:
What an absolute jet this bloke is.
When the game is there to be won, there’s few better than Toby Greene. Tough as nails but just as dangerous around goals, how he managed to be on his own at a inside 50 stoppage in the final minute of the game is beyond me. If he doesn’t get reported, I’m calling a top 5 Brownlow finish – already 3 BOG’s in 7 games,
The departure of several of GWS midfield stars has allowed their next generation to step up – Tom Green and Finn Callaghan look to be future stars of the competition.
The Swans wins have only come against Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Richmond – all bottom 6 sides, are they in danger of being afflicted by the Grand Final flogging curse?
The shine is off North, hard work starts now:
Unfortunately for North Melbourne, it was ugly on Saturday night. Big margins were always going to come at some stage this year, however it was the lack of effort that was the hardest part to swallow for North fans.
As good as the Demons are, they were allowed to play that way due to a lack of defensive pressure that unfortunately has become synonymous with the Kangaroos over the past several years.
Last week on The Third Man Up Podcast, Brody named Kade Chandler as the most underrated player currently in the game, the high half-forward role is one of the hardest positions to play, something which ‘chin’ is doing to perfection, kicking goals and providing forward pressure.
Out of contract, from SA, Orazio Fantasia’s last year… Knock Knock…Hello Jason Cripps
Blues make a statement off the back of Charlie CurNINE:
With the week that the Blues had after the St Kilda loss, they simply had to make a statement this week and did so effectively.
The Blues look far more dangerous with Harry McKay up the ground and Charlie Curnow as the deep stay-at-home forward. Adam Cerra is quietly putting together his best season ever, he’s polished up his delivery by foot whilst still maintaining his ability to rack up disposals.
The Blues have a chance this weekend to send a warning to the rest of the competition. Friday night lights, big crowd at home against one of the premiership favourites in the Lions. I’m tipping another BOG performance by Charlie.
How do the Cat’s veterans keep getting better?!
Geelong finished the game early against the Dons, largely on the hulk like back of Tom Hawkins. In blustery conditions, the ‘Tomahawk’ wound back the clock to kick 4 in the first quarter, finishing the game with a career high 8 goals.
Whenever Essendon looked like they were about to threaten, Chris Scott would simply pull the Patrick Dangerfield card out of the pack. The Cats skipper finished with 28 disposals from only 63% time on ground, simply ridiculous.
Jake Stringer was easily the Bombers best player, dominating around the clearances and finishing with 4 goals, 20 contested possessions and 11 clearances…. One can only wonder why he wasn’t deployed into the guts against Collingwood during the final quarter of their ANZAC Day clash?
The Tiger Train isn’t leaving the station this year:
Richmond had to win this game if they wanted to push for a finals spot later in the year. Whilst Damien Hardwick will never write off the Tigers, something must give over the next two months.
A loss at home, against a previously disappointing Gold Coast Suns, creates more questions than ever now that finals are a distant hope at best.
Does Trent Cotchin continue to get games over kids?
Should Jack Riewoldt be playing over future star Jacob Bauer?
Not relevant to this week, but does Jack Riewoldt go into an assistant coaching role next year with the Tigers, now that Tassie look to have a side in 2027? I’m thinking yes.
Collingwood once again gives the opposition the Colliwobbles in the last:
The most powerful thing not only in football, but also in life, is belief.
The Pies believe in their game plan and each other, I don’t care who you follow, this is simply the best team to watch since the Lions in the early 00’s.
Not only do Collingwood believe, but it’s their opponent’s belief in the Pies that play right into their hands, knowing that they will never stop coming makes the opposition nervous. If the Crows were playing any other side in the competition, Izak Rankine slots the open goal and its game over, however, it’s the pressure of knowing that Collingwood won’t roll over that causes mistakes like this.
I can see it now, Pies are 3 goals down at 3-quarter-time in this year’s Grand Final. Collingwood get 2 early goals, a see-sawing defensive battle after. 5 points down, a minute to go, De Goey streams out of a stoppage, sells candy, slots it home from 50, Crowd goes nuts, BT drops another ‘F Bomb’ (ALA Tom Boyd 2016) live on television, Pies win. Write that down.
