Round Seven is in the books, and Gab Rossi has been hitting the books hard. Here’s what he learnt following this weekend.
- Dusty looks pretty much over it
I’ve met Dustin Martin a couple of times. This is a guy who is not comfortable in the limelight and tries to avoid being the centre of attention. At a function I attended a few years ago where he was a guest speaker, almost immediately after he fulfilled his duties he had quietly slipped out the back entrance and left. Not all of us are cut out to be public figures I guess, so when a genuinely shy guy like Martin happens to have been the best player in the competition, it often meant he ended up places he didn’t want to be.
Now that he’s getting towards the end of what was a stellar career, he is looking more and more like he isn’t necessarily all that keen to be out there. He’s still putting in some pretty solid performances, but against the Dees on Wednesday, he had 18 touches for 1 goal and didn’t hugely impact the contest. Is he trying to get through to his 300th, or is the rumour that the Suns are trying to lure him north true? Either way, as much as an indifferent Martin is probably still better than a lot of players, and with Richmond now struggling to compete in most games, I can’t help but think Dusty’s probably had enough.
Richmond tried to stay with the Demons and managed to do so for the first half. However, after half time Melbourne broke the game open with a five goal to one third term and the Tigers’ scoring opportunities dried up. Marlion Pickett did a good job quelling the influence of Petracca on the game. Tagging might still be a thing after all. You can almost put a line through Richmond’s final aspirations now and it might come down to a year of blooding more kids and wins might be few and far between, especially considering their high number of injured stars. You have to feel for new coach Adem Yze. He has a huge job to do.
The Demons class in the end was too much for the Tigers to contend with. Max Gawn was at his brilliant best. Pickett, Fritsch and Laurie were all busy kicking 2 goals, but in just his fourth game it was Daniel Turner who provided the spark with his three goals. The Demons may have found another much needed forward option in Turner, and he’ll need to bring that again next week as the Demons face the undefeated Cats next week in what will be a competition for match of the round honours with Carlton v Collingwood.
- Kyle Langford would’ve kicked that goal nine times out of ten
You do have to feel for Langford. He would’ve been fairly confident when lining up for that goal with a little over a minute remaining. He’d had a great night kicking four goals, including two in the final term. He went through his routine and did everything he would normally do, only to see it sail wide for a behind which tied up the scores. It was probably the easiest of his shots for the night. He’ll be ruing his mistake, but he’ll have to move on.
The Bombers have found something in 2024. Langford is a big part of that. He knows he should’ve kicked that goal, and given his time over again he’ll nail it. Football can be cruel at times. Zach Merrett continued his stellar year winning the Anzac Day medal for the best player on the ground. You won’t see a more influential captain this season. It’s obvious that he’s leading his team out of the doldrums. Nic Martin is really becoming a player. He had 30 touches and kicked a goal. McGrath had 31 touches and is one of the more consistent Bombers. Dyson Heppell has found his best form in a while in what many thought could be his final year. His 27 touches suggest he has a role to play for a little while longer. The Bombers head to Perth to take on West Coast next week. That certainly no longer looks like an easy win.
Similarly for the Pies, Jamie Elliott had his moment to win the game during the final minute when he dropped a mark he might normally grab which would’ve resulted in a shot for goal where any score would win the game. It wasn’t to be and the draw was the result. Pendlebury had 23 possessions which included the remarkable feat of his 10,000th career disposal. A crazy statistic in anyone’s language, and so far he’s playing well enough to consider 2025 and maybe hitting the magical 400 game mark. All in all, the Magpies are working their way back into the season after a poor start, but a loss next week to Carlton would make things difficult for them to defend their title. The Blues have a few issues of their own so it’s anybody’s guess which way that game goes.
- Brisbane have completely lost their way
The Lions played their best footy of this season in the opening round for around a quarter and a half. It was against Carlton. Midway through the second term, they lead by 46 points and were playing a style of football that left their opponents in a daze. The fact they went on to lose that game has become the story of the year. Since then they’ve beaten the winless Kangaroos and they also beat Melbourne at the MCG back in Round Five, which many thought signified a welcome return to form. However, their last fortnight has produced two sub-standard performances against two top teams which suggest the problems are deep and not going away any time soon.
In the last two weeks, both Hipwood and Daniher have failed to kick any goals between them. In fact the team has returned scores of just 37 and 59 during this period. Charlie Cameron kicked two against the Giants this week, but his form has been indifferent. Cam Rayner has been good all year. Even though he kicked two goals this week, his nine touches for this game are well below his average. Lachie Neale didn’t have a huge impact either. All in all they seem destined to miss finals this year when many thought they’d be a premiership contender.
The Q clash next week takes on a huge significance.
From Round 10 last year, the Giants have been super impressive. The continuation of that form into this season shows they are definitely going to be right up there come September. Adam Kingsley has got them playing a style of football that’s awesome to watch at times. The GWS list is loaded with skilful players. Their tall forward line is working. Even if Hogan isn’t firing, Riccardi and Brown will hit the scoreboard. Tom Green bounced back from his quieter week against the Blues with 37 touches in a dominant display. This performance was made all the more impressive without the skipper. The Giants have a big test against the Swans next week. Another massive game in what is looking like being one hell of a round.
- The Saints will not play finals this year
It might be a cruel thing to say after a ten point loss against a strong interstate side, but when you consider that Port Adelaide finished the game with virtually no bench for an entire quarter with a lead of just 13 points at the last break, the game was there for the taking. In the end it was only a ten point loss, but that included ten more scoring shots by an inaccurate Power who had managed 1.8 in the first quarter. The Saints will get their third win next week against North Melbourne, but a finals berth looks fanciful at this stage.
Port Adelaide will bank the win and move on to the big SA Derby against the Crows next week, but this win has come at a hefty cost including injuries to the skipper who has been in top form all year. He’s out with a hamstring, while Powell-Pepper’s strength infield will be sorely missed after he ruptured his ACL. Aliir will also be missing from their defence. The Crows go into this game with a chance. Charlie Dixon will need to repeat his four-goal effort next week. It was a welcome return to form for the big man. Another huge game coming up in a round that will no doubt have a massive bearing on the fortunes of so many clubs this year.
- North Melbourne have not conceded less than 100 points this year
The average points conceded by North Melbourne so far is 123 points. The lowest score was against the Dockers who scored 102 in their win at Marvel Stadium. The Kangaroos defence is bleeding goals profusely and there’s no sign of it letting up. Where is a win going to come from when you have to score over 100 yourself to even be a chance? And how many players on the North Melbourne list get games at other clubs? I can only think of a handful at best.
We were looking to see an improvement this year under the new coach. It seems as though they’ve gone the other way. It’s getting ugly.
The Crows did as expected. Rankine kicked four and continues to prove to be an important part of the Crows outfit for many seasons to come. Looking at the numbers, all the usual suspects are on top of the possession count including Rory Laird who racked up 34 touches. He’s been a consistent performer throughout his time at Adelaide, and at 30 years of age is not showing any signs of slowing down. As I mentioned earlier, the Crows have the big SA Derby next week, and I reckon they’re a sniff in what could be an upset that may revive their season.
- The Blues inefficiency is laid bare for all to see
On paper, purely based on numbers, without knowing the score you’d think Carlton would’ve had a comfortable win. Unfortunately it doesn’t always work that way. The Blues had 35 more disposals, a staggering 21 more inside 50s, 10 more clearances and even 19 more contested possessions, and yet they lost the game by 13 points. At quarter time Carlton had posted an embarrassing 2.8. A lot of their forward entries were rebounded with ease, but the real issues were down back. Geelong went inside 50 45 times for 18 goals.
The Blues’ defenders allowed too much space making every entry dangerous. If Carlton want to contend, it’s an area Voss needs to address, although having McGovern, Saad and Marchbank unavailable does explain the issues to some extent.
Jeremy Cameron was superb. He booted five goals and was a total thorn in the side of Carlton. Something happened every time he went near the ball and there isn’t much most clubs can do about this guy. At 31 he’s as good as ever and could go on another 4-5 years at this rate. Cam Guthrie was super impressive after missing a year. 27 touches in his comeback game suggests he hasn’t missed a beat. The Cats are flying. They just keep finding ways to win. They’ll need to be at their best against Melbourne this week. Anybody who predicted this after seven rounds would’ve been labelled a lunatic.
The injury toll at Carlton, especially in their defensive stocks, is a genuine issue. In fact, Carlton’s injury list overall contains 8 players who played in last year’s preliminary final. So there is every reason to suspect losses here and there. That said, the wastefulness is killing them. Harry McKay has had a great year, but he missed a couple sitters on Saturday finishing the game with 2.2 and one on the full. Charlie always kicks a few behinds. He finished with 3.2. Compare that to Jezza’s 5.1 and there it is. Walsh, Cripps and Acres all won plenty of the ball, but the Blues couldn’t hurt the Cats where it counted. Next week is another do or die game against Collingwood. A loss there will mean three losses in four weeks and a return of the demons of 2023 that saw them lose six in a row might return.
- Brownlow Fyfe is back
Nat Fyfe would be the first to admit his last couple of years have been below his best. Obviously all that time out injured has been the problem, but he hasn’t been able to reach any great heights when he has come back in. That was until Saturday night where we saw the Fyfe of old rack up 37 possessions in a dominant display that helped get the Dockers back on the winners list after three straight losses. This was a great turnaround after their disappointing loss to the Eagles last week. Serong also had 37 touches and Brayshaw had 30. These two on ballers are possibly the most consistent in the AFL.
It was a much needed win which could reignite their season after such a promising start. One suspects they might be too good for a undermanned Richmond next week. Being 5-3 would be a good outcome for the Fremantle faithful.
The Bulldogs just can’t seem to string wins together in a continuation of what occurred last year. Going over to Perth is never easy, but if they are to play finals, they simply have to win these games. Trailing by just five points at the final break, they’ll be disappointed with their last quarter kicking just 1.1. Dale was one of their best again finishing with 30 touches and two goals. Sam Darcy continues to impress, finishing with three majors. The Bulldogs should have a win against the Hawks next week. The week after is against the embattled Tigers. Surely they can string together two in a row?
- Gold Coast Academy kids could mean success isn’t far away
Since joining the competition in 2011, the Suns are still yet to have a taste of September action. This may change as a result of the inception of the Gold Coast Suns Academy. On Sunday we saw youngsters such as Jake Rogers, Jed Walter, Will Graham and Sam Clohesy playing roles in their win over the Eagles. It won’t be long before we hear people whining about the unfair advantage the Gold Coast Suns Academy creates. Well, that’s the hope at least.
The Suns of 2024 may play finals, but so far this season we have seen them come up short against the top teams, so it still looks like they have a fair way to go. That said, they go into the Q-clash next week possibly as favourites next week, and a win there gives them an impressive 5-3 record. Noah Anderson had an impressive game finishing with 33 touches and two goals. His mate, Matt Rowell also bagged a couple from 22 touches. King finished with three goals in what is a solid season for the forward with 16 goals so for this season.
The Suns overcame a fast starting Eagles who had three goals on the board before the Suns had got it inside 50. After an even first half it was the third quarter where they blew the Eagles away kicking six goals to one. Waterman continued his impressive run finishing with four goals which sees him currently with 18 goals for the year. The Eagles take on the Bombers at Optus Stadium next round. The Bombers won’t want to take them too lightly. This West Coast team have had a decent four weeks and they’ll recall beating the Bombers when they last met in Perth.
- The Swans don’t seem to be missing Buddy
Lance Franklin attended the game between Hawthorn and Sydney at the MCG. Whilst he had some great years playing for the Swans, since retiring at the end of last season, it seems his old mob now have more scoring options than ever. This week the Swans snagged 18 goals from 12 different players. I’m sure a fit and healthy Lance Franklin would still be a welcome addition to the team, but it’s fair to say that life post-Buddy is looking pretty good.
They’re sitting second on the ladder with just one loss and have the highest percentage in the AFL. Isaac Heeney booted three but might have to compete with Blakey and Gulden for best on ground honours. The clash against the Giants next week is a mouth-watering proposition.
The Hawks are in a world of pain. No doubt their fans are questioning the merits of the Mitchell plan as it looks as though they’ll take a backward step this year with not much certainty of improvement beyond that. Here’s hoping that things work out for Sam, who we know beyond a shadow of doubt that he is doing what he feels is best for the club he has great affection for. Sydney are a very good team, so being beaten soundly by them isn’t the end of the world, but the Hawks just can’t compete with most teams right now.
- How good would it be to follow a side that never needs to rebuild?
As a long-suffering Carlton supporter, it pains me to see other sides like the Hawks and the Kangaroos run out each week to invariably get a spanking, and to see vision of forlorn supporters looking on. Most clubs experience dark periods, but then there are those who always stay competitive and never need to take on the task of rebuilding their lists.
The two teams currently occupying the top two positions on the ladder are two such teams. These teams are perennial finalists and, more importantly, are never the whipping boys of the AFL. As I left the MCG after watching the Cats get the better of my Blues, I looked around at all the Geelong supporters and wondered if they truly appreciate how lucky they are to have a club that has the successful ethos it does. In my opinion, a declaration of a rebuild coming out of a club is an admission of failure that permeates through the entire playing group. It also lets fans know to brace for a few years of pain. How is that a recipe for future success?
And the rebuilding process really isn’t that different to what every club does during the drafting and trade periods. Each club gets a certain number of picks while each club will trade its heart out to secure the best available ready-made players to bolster their list. Arguably, every year, each club is rebuilding. But the clubs at the bottom know their list is below the standard required to attain success, so they call it a rebuild. If you don’t agree with what I’m saying, or don’t truly follow what I’m getting at, I’ll use Carlton as a prime example.
They started rebuilding way back in the Pagan era. Admittedly there were draft restrictions placed upon them back then, but some 14 years later in 2018, they won two games for the season and were wooden spooners for the fifth time in 16 seasons. And they were still “rebuilding”.
Hopefully North Melbourne won’t suffer the same fate, but they haven’t finished above 17th on the AFL ladder since 2019. Hawthorn look like being down there for another year or two as well. Maybe they should change the terminology to suggest they’re just going to learn to recruit better and identify what their needs are as opposed to saying they’re going to gut the joint. Rebuilds often turn into decades in the wilderness. Sydney and Geelong know better.
