Righto, a bit of a rant before I get this show started.
Remember last weekend, when the AFL made a big song and dance about promoting the game in the non-traditional footy states of New South Wales and Queensland?
Come on, I know Patrick Dangerfield thinks we’re goldfish, but surely our attention spans cover a week! Of course you remember.
Anyway, last week, we sat there and were lectured to about important the growth market in NWS and Qld are. The brass at the AFL defended their decision to stage opening round and committed to continue it.
Well done, right?
Not really.
What would be more impressive, and probably more effective, is if you… if WE… had two fantastic teams – perhaps even the previous season’s Grand Finalists, playing in a marquee game in the first full round of the season.
You could heavily promote it, have some pre-game analysis, and really work into the contest, highlighting these teams.
If only there were two teams like this…
The AFL plonked their Grand Final rematch at 4.15 on a Saturday arvo, with pre-game coverage consisting of the players walking to their positions, as the coverage switched from the Geelong versus Fremantle game, which had just concluded.
No bells. No whistles. No talk about potential matchups. No strategies. No interviews. No effort. And no live TV coverage that is not paid for!
How’s that for supporting the Northern states and their development? How’s that for completely shitcanning something you were so big on just seven days earlier?
Yep, once again, the league talked a big game, but when they had the Grand Final rematch to promote, and so many stories to play out within it, they dropped the ball. They had their opening round, they banged their drum, and then they rolled out the Lions and Swans in a non-prime time TV spot.
In short, they proved they’re full of shit. Again.
This was THE game of the round, irrespective what supporters of other teams thought, and the league treated it like it was a battle between two mid-tier teams. A garbage effort.
Now, onto the review.
Heading into this game, the stories were many.
The Swans were coming off their second Grand Final smacking in three seasons, and with a “will he/won’t he” situation surrounding Chad Warner, the potential of a “hangover”, and a new coach at the helm, they were looking to claim back some pride against the team that vanquished them last year.
Meanwhile, the Lions entered this game with a very disrupted training schedule, in the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which also cancelled their season opening game last week. It meant that Brisbane had to head to Sydney early to get some meaningful training completed. Hardly the ideal preparation.
At one point in this game, Dwayne Russell called it a “classic”.
No, it really wasn’t. It was a great finish to a frantic, pulsating end to a game that was, at times, very messy, but it was not a classic.
Still, what it demonstrated was that Brisbane, despite losing Charlie Cameron before the game, and Kai Lohmann five minutes into it, have the type of heart and soul of a champion. The Swans threw everything at them, and they stood up.
Lots to get through in this one, so let’s jump into The Mongrel’s Good, Bad, and Ugly.
And apologies for the rant to open up… if you think I’m wrong on that, by all means let me know.
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Most of HB’s game reviews remain behind The Mongrel Paywall. He owns the place… these are the articles that keep the lights on. As such, nobody dives as deep. Nobody puts in as much effort. And nobody will do it each and every week. 7-8 members columns every week – that’s the deal. Jump on board now and grab a mongrel membership.
