1. Josh Daicos is just as good as Nick
The moment Nick Daicos went down in their shock loss to Hawthorn, Collingwood supporters felt a sense of dread. Nick has been the standout player of the AFL this season and was seemingly cruising to Brownlow victory. Now that could be in doubt as he’ll miss the remaining games of the home and away season leaving the door open for the likes of Bontempelli and Neale to reel him in.
Coming up against the Cats without their young star was also cause for concern, especially when the Cats shot out to a four goal lead early in the game. But that’s when older brother Josh stepped into the role of the injured Nick to have his best game for the year to date helping his side to a meritorious eight point win to once and for all ensure the Pies a Top 2 finish. He finished the match with 38 touches in a dominant display and was clearly Collingwood’s best on the night. Brody Mihocek will also breathe a little easier after booting five goals following on from a lean period. Collingwood’s remaining two games are against the Lions at home, followed by the Bombers. It will be interesting to see how they approach these matches with the knowledge they could lose both and more than likely retain a home final.
The Cats simply had to win this game in order to play finals this season. It looked so good early in the game with Jeremy Cameron booting three first quarter goals on his way to a bag of seven, but when the Collingwood machine got going, the Cats just couldn’t go with them and looked off the pace as they have for most of this season. They are still a chance to sneak into the eight, but they’ll probably need to win both games which will include two other finals aspirants in St Kilda and the Bulldogs.
Patty Dangerfield did his best to drag his team across the line gathering 26 touches and winning clearances with regularity, but the Pies had all the answers. It’s a bit of a fall from grace for last year’s premiers as it’s never a great thing when you fail to make it into September in a year following a premiership win. Perhaps the age of their list is finally catching up with them. They have a large group of players on the wrong side of 30 on their list, most of which are still playing pretty good football, but it does beg the question as to where they go from here if they’re missing finals.
2. The Bombers have struggled to beat the bottom two sides
Essendon went into the bye in Round 14 with an 8-5 record and were firmly entrenched in the eight at that stage. Their season then fell into a hole when they won just one from their next six games. Coming into Round 20, the bombers had a fortnight which included the two bottom teams in West Coast and North Melbourne which could not only provide some much needed wins, but also could come with a healthy boost in percentage.
Whilst the Bombers did get the wins, they were both very narrow leaving the Bombers still outside the top eight on percentage at the time of writing this. Whilst it could be argued as a missed opportunity, it also begs the question as to whether or not it’s a reflection of a downturn of form for Essendon as well. With just three wins from their last eight including two narrow wins against the bottom teams, it’s fair to say they have fallen away after their strong start to the season.
The likelihood now is that they’ll need to win their next two games to make the eight, and those games include another finals contender in GWS as well as the ladder leaders in Collingwood. If they can eke out a win against the Giants in Sydney, it will make the final game very interesting, especially considering that the Pies might rest a few big names on the eve of the finals if they are in a position where they can’t be shifted from the top two. So there’s a mountain to climb, but there’s still a pulse for now.
It was interesting to see the Kangaroos put in a competitive effort with the return of Alistair Clarkson. I think most of us still believe they will be better for having acquired his services, but this year’s drama probably derailed any significant improvement that he may have brought to the table. Moving forward, getting Nick Larkey to commit to the club for a long term period is a plus. For a player in a side that has won just two games and having lost 18 in a row to have kicked 56 goals for the year is a brilliant return. This week he managed a bag of five goals and looked dangerous throughout the match.
Harry Sheezel has never missed a beat since debuting in Round 1 and would have to be a sneaky chance to take out the Rising Star award, especially since Will Ashcroft will have missed the last 5 games of the season. Davies-Uniaxke was very good once again finishing with 28 touches and a goal, and even Ben Cunnington will remember his farewell game fondly after finishing with 24 touches and 2 goals. It’s been another long season for the North Melbourne Football Club and for its long suffering fans, but can they pinch another win to give them hope for the next year and beyond? They have two sides who won’t be playing finals in the Tigers and the Suns still to come. They could consider another victory is a chance.
3. Sydney back in the eight for the first time since Round 6
Sydney’s start to the year wasn’t all bad. They started the season with two comfortable wins and were sitting on top of the ladder. But things got a little harder from there. It was a combination of injuries to some key players and some indifferent form. At their lowest point, the Swans were sitting in 15th place with just six wins and a draw from the 16 games they had played. They’ve now jumped back into the top eight on the back of a five-game winning streak, but can they stay there is the question.
They finish with two difficult games taking on the Crows in Adelaide, followed by the Demons at home. It may be a case of only needing one win from those two to make it. In Saturday’s game against the Suns, Chad Warner was one of the best for Sydney finishing with 28 touches and two great goals when it counted. Hayward also had a strong game booting 4 goals. Sydney seem to have found some great winning form in the past month or so, although many were saying their back half of the season would see some improvement with players returning from injury. The next fortnight will be huge for the club.
The Suns started well in this game, but, as we’ve seen many times this season, a sustained four quarter effort eluded them yet again. It was the third term in particular when the Swans put on six goals to just two that more or less decided the outcome. During the week the interim coach Steven King said that if they were to win two of their last three games and finish on 11 wins for the season it would go down as the best result for the club in their short history. It’s still possible if they beat Carlton at home next week and then head to Melbourne to take on the struggling Kangaroos, but that would require a huge effort against a team with 8 wins in a row in arguably the best form of anyone in the competition currently.
Matt Rowell was one of the Suns’ best finishing with 25 touches. Up forward, Rosas was dangerous finishing with three goals. Gold Coast appear to be making some strides as they’re definitely no longer easybeats, but being a finals contender is another leap forward. Maybe appointing Damien Hardwick might be the missing piece.
4. The Crows have lost four games by a goal or less
This year’s Adelaide Crows are a vastly improved side from 2022. Their best is formidable, and they can clearly compete with the top teams, but AFL football is a game with an endless amount of fine lines. Some teams who usually occupy the higher spots on the ladder have the uncanny knack of prevailing in tight contests. Adelaide have lost four games this year by a kick or less, and as a young and developing team, one gets the impression that with a bit more maturity they will win a lot more of those.
Those four games would’ve had them sitting in 5th position right now, but as it stands, they’re sitting way down in 12th spot on ten wins. There is also the issue of not winning away from home anywhere nearly enough, but that will also change as this group matures. This year will go down as a year of what-ifs for the club, but the signs are there for a promising 2024. They almost did the unthinkable which is beating the Lions in Brisbane thanks in part to Rory Laird’s 34 touches and Shane McAdam’s 4 goal effort, but, once more they’ve fallen short in a tight one.
Brisbane’s past fortnight has seen them win by a goal or less on both occasions against sides who were finishing fast. As the good sides do, they held their nerve and took the points. And just like that, when things seemed to be going off track after their shock loss to the Suns just two weeks ago, they’re now in the prized second spot on the ladder and a chance to win a home final. It won’t be easy to remain there as they have to travel to Melbourne to take on Collingwood next week, followed by a home game against the Saints to end their home and away season. Hugh McCluggage continued his strong season finishing with 28 touches and two goals. Charlie Cameron booted three goals for the Lions.
Overall, many of the stats did favour Adelaide except the one that counts on the scoreboard. As I said, good sides win close games even when they’re not at their best. Brisbane will need a lot to go right for them to stay in the Top 2. Their game against the Pies next week will give us all a glimpse into their prospects of winning this year’s premiership. They may be pleased that it’s not being played at the MCG.
5. Melbourne fans aren’t happy with the score review system
With just 40 seconds left on the clock, Christian Petracca’s 50m shot on goal looked as though it had sunk the Blues after they’d led the game for most of the night. The cheers and celebration from Dees fans around the G quickly turned to silence and looks of consternation as the umpire called for a review after he had deemed it touched by a Carlton defender.
The video didn’t show any clear evidence either way, and thus the umpire’s call stood, and the rest, as they say, is history. I’m guessing Carlton supporters are more than pleased with the outcome, but I’m curious to know what a neutral supporter would’ve thought. Common sense suggests the right call was made. The umpire was in the right spot and he thought it was touched. The video failed to prove otherwise. I guess the only person who really knows is Caleb Marchbank, but whatever the case, we witnessed a great game that truly went down to the wire, and the fact that the Blues prevailed in this one suggests they’ve matured as a group in comparison to last year.
It was a low scoring affair not helped by slippery conditions. The Blues wasted countless inside 50’s in the first term which could’ve proven costly. The battle between Steven May and Charlie Curnow was a highlight. Curnow finished the night with two goals in a contest you could say was fairly even. Nic Newman is enjoying a purple patch playing in defence while accumulating midfield numbers. George Hewitt and Patrick Cripps were also prolific in the middle with 33 touches and 29 respectively. It was also good to see Cripps impose himself on the game in the dying minutes, something that seemed missing from his leadership in 2022.
The Blues look set to play finals for the first time in a decade, and if they were able to maintain this form into September, there’s no telling how far they might go. However, Blues fans are scarred from the dark times of the club’s poor recent history, and most of those reading this would be saying to just focus on Gold Coast and the Giants in the next two weeks and then we can go from there.
Early in the game, the Blues were entering their forward zone with impunity. The Melbourne defence responded brilliantly with rebound after rebound, some of which ended with a goal at the other end. Most defences in the competition would’ve crumbled under that amount of pressure, but the Demon defence showed why they’re one of the best. May and Lever intercepted everything it seemed, and once they got it out the mids moved the ball quickly and looked damaging. Christian Petracca had a top game that could’ve been made even better but for a contentious goal umpire call. There are none better with ball in hand, and you know something will happen when he is in the play. Max Gawn dominated the ruck and made it look easy at times.
Anybody could’ve won or lost this game. The Demons look pretty safe in the top four right now, but should the unthinkable happen, and the new giant killers of the AFL in Hawthorn could somehow knock them off next week, it will make their Round 24 clash a thing of interest, particularly if the Blues beat the Suns next week. But perish the thought. I saw enough in Saturday night’s game to know that shouldn’t happen.
6. It was a demolition derby in the west
The most disappointing thing about the Fremantle and West Coast game was the fact that the Eagles had come off a fortnight which had included a win, as well as a one-point loss to the Bombers on the road. Fans could’ve gone into this game thinking the Eagles may be some sort of chance on the back of this recent lift in form, but sadly it wasn’t to be. After kicking the first two goals of the game, it was all Dockers after that.
The final margin of 101 points would have to be their biggest loss in history to their cross-town rivals, a fact that would no doubt be a huge source of embarrassment for the proud club and supporters. You can only imagine the talk at the office water-cooler in Perth this week. Another horror year almost over for the Eagles. How they can get back up the ladder in the coming years is a question that seems hard to answer for now. Some tough decisions will be made in the coming months.
It was a strong win for the Dockers, but the reality is they are sitting in 14th place after playing finals last season. They’ll be disappointed with their lacklustre start to the year and will be very keen not to do the same in 2024. Lachie Schultz enjoyed this game finishing with five goals while Amiss and Sturt both finished with four goals each. Serong and Brayshaw continued to accumulate possessions in the midfield, and Luke Jackson enjoyed being the number one ruckman in Darcy’s absence, but they played against a team that didn’t show up. The Dockers’ final two games for the season are the Power in Perth followed by the Hawks at the MCG in Round 24. They’ll want to finish the season positively, and could conceivably win those games. Their best has been very good at times, and they have won some games that nobody thought they would. But there’s been too great a gap between their best and worst, so now they’ll have to look to next year.
7. It seems to be coming together nicely for the Hawks
Sam Mitchell is slowly but surely starting to look like a potential genius. He was responsible for some very tough calls and was arguably dismantling the list in the eyes of some. Some of his team’s early season form had fans questioning the club’s direction, but Hawk fans have cause for excitement on the back of these last few weeks where they’ve notched up three wins in five rounds including two teams in the eight.
Jai Newcombe’s currency continues to rise. He had a massive 40 possessions and a goal to go with that and is fast becoming a top-notch midfielder. Karl Amon had one of his best games for the club since coming across from Port Adelaide. The Hawthorn forward set-up looks sound with Mitch Lewis and Jacob Koschitzke in there. James Sicily has grown as a leader and is part of a defensive unit that is improving every week. All in all there seems to be a bright future for the Hawks.
The most impressive thing was that they beat an opponent with everything to play for trying to cement their spot in the eight. They were also challenged late in the game and managed to hold on. Beware the Hawks in 2024.
For the Western Bulldogs, this is a disaster. They would’ve gone down to Tasmania expecting to win this one. They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but with a finals spot on the line, and the ladder position of their opponent, they wouldn’t have thought losing was an option. However, the numbers are telling.
Hawthorn had well over one hundred more possessions than the Bulldogs. Only two of the Dogs’ players had in excess of 20 touches while the Hawks had an astonishing eleven. It just seems they couldn’t get their hands on the ball. Losing Tom Liberatore to concussion proved to be a big blow for the Western Bulldogs. He is the engine room of their midfield and starts a lot of plays. We all talk about Marcus Bontempelli, but Libba shows time and again that he’s the most important player on their list.
Next week the Bulldogs take on the West Coast Eagles in a match they should surely win. They’ll enter Round 24 inside the eight but will have to beat Geelong at GMHBA to guarantee a finals spot. It could go down to the wire, especially if the Cats beat St Kilda next week.
8. The Saints have killed off the Tigers
St Kilda have spent the entire season in the Top 8 with 7th being their lowest position after their loss to Carlton last week. The Saints had a strong first half against the Blues before the Blues stepped it up a gear and the Saints couldn’t maintain the high standard of pressure they brought in the first half. This week against the Tigers, they kept it going for the entire game. Nothing seemed to come easy for Richmond. Their avenues to goal were clunky while the Saints seemed to score with more flow, especially for Max King who booted six goals in his best game for the season. Jade Gresham also chimed in for three goals, while Jack Sinclair was once again the top possession winner with 33 touches for the game. It seems those running half-backs are matching the midfield numbers these days.
The Saints now sit sixth on the ladder with two games to come. Next week is a must win against the Cats at Marvel. If they lose that, it could mean no finals action as they have to play the Lions at the GABBA in Round 24. They’re not home yet.
So it would seem that the Tigers are not playing finals this year. I was hesitant to write them off earlier for fear of getting egg on my face as they did when I wrote them off last year, but surely they’re done now. I mean, yes they are still a mathematical chance, but so much has to happen for them to make it. It would involve all the sides above them losing while they beat North Melbourne next week before heading over to Adelaide to play Port Adelaide. It would take a minor miracle to win that game alone before you even consider all the other things that need to happen.
I think we can stick the proverbial fork in them. It’s been a season of ups and downs for the Tigers with the departure of the coach and other factors. They definitely brought across a beauty in Taranto, and they’ve sorely missed Tom Lynch. Martin’s late season form tells me he is worth persisting with. He had 26 touches and looked threatening at times. We’re all waiting on announcements from Jack Riewoldt as to whether he’ll join Trent Cotchin in retirement. The Tigers enjoyed a great period with three premiership wins in four years, but it looks as though they have a few holes to fill before eyeing off any similar success. For now at least.
9. The Power get brutal on the eve of the finals
The Giants have been very good while travelling this season. This was a genuine danger game for Port Power. It was obvious pretty early on that the Power weren’t having any of that.
It was an all-out brutal offensive with a seven goal to three opening term. By half time they’d opened up a 41 point lead and it proved to be a bridge too far. Even with the Giants kicking five goals in the final term, Port Adelaide were able to match that to run out winners by 51 points after posting 21 majors for the match. Four players booted three goals each for the Power including Jason Horne-Francis who has proven to be a sensational addition to the side and seems a lot more comfortable back home in Adelaide. Zak Butters is finding his earlier season form, finishing with 34 touches.
Port Adelaide have now sewn up a double-chance, but the aim would be to finish second and secure a home final. That would require a win on the road against the Dockers, followed by a win at home against the Tigers. Both of those could happen, and with the Lions heading down to Marvel to take on the Magpies next week, the door is very much open.
The Giants’ finals hopes have now taken a major blow. After winning seven straight, they’ve now lost their last two and are sitting in 10th position on the ladder before facing the 9th placed Bombers up at Giants Stadium next Saturday. It will be the last chance for both of those teams. My money will be on the Giants in a tight one, but then they have to venture down to Melbourne to take on the in-form Blues.
Toby Greene battled manfully finishing with 27 touches and two goals. Jake Riccardi booted four and is finding some consistency. Interestingly, one of the Giants most important players in Coniglio was kept below 20 possessions. Clearly Ken Hinkley did his homework. He’s had an amazing season and is often the architect of much of the Giants’ good work. Those seven wins in a row brought them back from the dead, but it’s now looking like finals might still be beyond them.
10. The score review system, in its current form, is a failure
Do you remember what they said when they first brought in the score review system? I do. They said it was mainly to eliminate the “howler”. In other words, it was brought in to eliminate obvious mistakes.
Is that what it has really done?
I mean, sure, since Tom Hawkins was awarded a goal for a shot that hit the post with a deflection that would’ve gone to third slip, something had to be done. The problem as I see it was highlighted in that last minute controversy with the Petracca shot at goal. The officiating umpire was within a metre of the play and deemed it to be touched. Under the current system, they feel obliged to check the decision using video footage. More often than not, it’s very difficult to find conclusive evidence of a player touching the ball in flight. So, all that was achieved was some time was wasted, and due to the lack of sufficient evidence to overturn the goal umpire’s call, we had countless Melbourne supporters flooding the radio airwaves claiming they were robbed.
My contention is that if the goal umpire made the call and signalled his decision without heading upstairs for another look, nobody would’ve questioned it. It’s only when the footage gets scrutinised do things become less clear. Whatever you think of the decision being correctly adjudicated in the end or otherwise, the fact remains that there are now more people aggrieved than there probably should’ve been.
I personally believe Caleb Marchbank did make contact with the ball. I wasn’t convinced of that fully by the video footage, although looking at it, it does seem likely that he may have. What convinced me that he probably did get a fingertip on the ball was that the guy whose job it is to judge on when something is a goal or not decided it had been touched. That was enough for me, and, quite frankly, it should be enough for everyone. It’s great we have the technology to see if a ball has nicked the post or fully crossed the line. But I feel the controversy surrounding the Petracca shot could’ve been avoided by not going upstairs. It seems as though everybody sitting in their loungeroom became an expert after that.
