We call ‘em as we see ‘em here, at The Mongrel Punt.
And with that, here are the Winners and Losers of Round Four.
THE WINNERS
SCOTT PENDLEBURY
Remember last year, when Pendles had a slow start to the season and people were speculating that the game had gone past him?
Pepperidge Farm remembers.
Fast-forward 12 months, and here he is, still doing what he does in the wet – clean hands, creative handballs, and racking up disposals to once again lead the team to victory.
I said it as part of the game review – there was a time when I hoped that nobody would surpass Boomer Harvey’s games record, because I definitely though Harvs had good footy left in him, but the longer I watch Pendles play, the more I think that if someone is to break it, nobody is more deserving than the Collingwood champion.
PATRICK DANGERFIELD
First, we rate one old bloke, now another.
Moved forward this season, Danger was a huge presence inside fifty for the Cats, and at times, made the big three Demon defenders look second rate.
Kicked three, could have had five, and with eight of his 20 touches coming inside 50, was a constant threat. That’s the difference between throwing Dangerfield forward, and throwing Nat Fyfe forward – one has those forward’s instincts, and one simply doesn’t.
HUGH MCCLUGGAGE
Could this be the year he finally makes the AA team?
Was the best wingman in the game at a time the selectors refused to pick wingmen and moved into the midfield when they did. Has taken things into his own hands this season and continued on his merry way against the Tigers with 26 touches, two goals, and 12 tackles.
Love the Clug.
DANIEL RIOLI
Jumped off the sinking ship at Richmond after experiencing the highest of highs, and now he finds himself in a new team that is well and truly on the rise, right alongside the bloke that took his Tigers to the top of the mountain.
Rioli’s run and carry in the pulsating last quarter was pivotal to the Suns’ getting over the top of the Crows in the best game of the season, thus far, and he would be thrilled at how things have worked out to date at his new club.
MARCUS ASHCROFT
Yep, a pretty proud old man, watching two his two sons, with a combined 39 games tear a game apart.
Will and Levi Ashcroft are going to be the engine room of the Brisbane Lions for the next dozen years, and with 46 disposals and three goals between them, they had a field day against the Tigers.
Plus, one of them looks increasingly like Prince Charming from the Shrek movies. Cut it out, mate… Fiona likes Shrek!
MARCUS WINDHAGER
Tagging is back in a big way, and Windhager is one of the best in the caper.
Luckily, one of the best targets for a tagger is the Port Adelaide captain, who is yet to truly break a tag and HATES the physical attention. Windhager was all over him, limiting Connor Rozee and playing a huge role in his team’s success on the road. I am a believer that every team needs a good run-with player, and the Saints have a ripper in Marcus Windhager.
RILEY BICE
Much has been made of the Swans who are missing – Mills, Gulden, Papley, Adams, Fox… but what we often forget is that there are so many players just waiting an opportunity, and Riley Bice has grasped his with both hands.
Against a North Melbourne team that could barely hit the ocean from the beach, Bice carved through the North mids and defence to provide his forwards with some silver service after streaming out of defence.
The Swans have found a keeper. Again.
JESSE HOGAN
There were many choices from GWS to add to this section, and I kind of wanted to buck the trend and throw Connor Idun in here, but how could I?
How could ignore the colossus in the goal square, who finished with nine goals to his name?
Hogan missed the first couple of games of the year, and has now jumped to second in the Coleman race after two outings. He monstered the undermanned West Coast defence and could have had ten if he weren’t so unselfish.
CALEB SERONG
Got a few bucks on Caleb for the Brownlow?
It might be wise.
Serong recorded his third career game of at least 30 disposals, 20 contested possessions,a nd ten or more clearances, with a brilliant 37-24-15 line. He was everything the Dockers needed, exactly when they needed it, as he powered them home in the absence of Luke Jackson late in the game.
THE LOSERS
MICHAEL VOSS
With his Blues at 0-4, I cannot believe I am saying this, but Carlton now head into a season-shaping clash against… West Coast, as part of Gather Round. Yes, the same West Coast that barely has a backline.
Seriously, if the Blues get overrun again in this one, Voss had better pack his bags and make plans for life after coaching for a second time. Carlton capitulated too easily to the Pies in the third quarter, and every team that fronts up against them would be full of belief if they’re within a couple of goals at the main break.
JACOB VAN ROOYEN
I’m a fan of this bloke, but I am definitely not a fan of the way he played in Round Four.
Consistently caught behind and struggling to get position against Sam De Koning, JvR looked far from being the answer to Melbourne’s forward line woes. As a matter of fact, he looked like he was making them worse.
He is a bg, strong, young man who looks like he needs to realise he is a big, strong, young man. He used his body at the wrong times, often disadvantaging himself, and when he opted not to, those were the times he had SDK off balance and ripe for the picking.
Just a poor overall performance, and hopefully one he can learn from. Maybe he should watch some tape of Josh Treacy.
THE UMPIRE THAT ALLOWED TACKLING IN A MARKING CONTEST
That umpire froze. Flat out froze. Shit himself.
Look, I would have preferred Rankine held the mark and taken all the guesswork out of the equation, but the umps got so much wrong in this game… yet, this one was the worst.
Sam Collins barrelled into Rankine a split second after the ball arrived. The pill spilled out, as Collins wrapped both arms around Izak, and the ump… he just called play on.
Weak decision. Weak umpire. The AFL issued a statement admitting the fault… and it changes bugger all.
Question though – why does this always happen to Adelaide? Time for them to start putting the hurt on teams and avoid these close finishes.
TYLER SONSIE
Come on, mate. You were a frustrated VFL player who thought he was not getting chances in the big league.
Now, in a struggling team, you’re getting those chances. Time to start making the most of them. 12 touches, with just six effective, and two missed shots for goal is not the return Tiger fans want to see from Tyler Sonsie. My guess is he knows it, too.
THE HALF-BACK KICK-TO-KICK
Hi North fans… this one is for you.
Harry Sheezel moved back into defence this week. Yay, right?
Then him, Caleb Daniel, Dylan Stephens, and Colby McKercher spent most of the game meandering about in the back half, using their elite skills to kick the footy to each other.
And going nowhere.
Credit the Swans, as they continually boxed North in, but there was no dare, no creativity, and none of the necessary runs from the North defence.
Nine inside 50s from the four players mentioned. Zero goal assists.
OSCAR ALLEN
Oscar had a shocking week, and then had to front up against one of the most star-studded defences in the game.
Matched up against Sam Taylor, he was starved of opportunity, picking up nine touches, four marks, and was thrown into defence late in the game to prevent Jesse Hogan from slotting his tenth.
Oscar finished with no goals to his name – a fitting end to one of the poorer weeks of his career.
UNCLE KEN
Ohm, Uncle Ken… what has happened now.
Many thought the Saints were bottom-four material this season. Right Kane?
Far out, if you ever needed any proof that you know as much as these blokes, check out their history of pre-season tips – it’s guesswork.
Anyway, the Saints rolled into town and gave Port a first-half lesson, kicking nine goals to setup their win. Port fought back, but it was too little, too late.
Just as anything that occurs from here on is for Uncle Ken.
AARON NAUGHTON
The missing piece to the Bulldogs at the moment. He got his reprieve last week, kicking the late goal to snatch the win, but this week… nine touches, one goal, and no contested grabs… I am not sure what is going on with him, but he is playing the game like a first or second-year man player.
And the Dogs need him to stand up inside fifty and become the partner in crime to Sam Darcy. They should be Batman and Robin, ut right now, they’re more like Superman and Jimmy Olsen.
ANDREW MCQUALTER
Oh what? Two from West Coast?
Yep, I sat through that whacking.
I like to give new coaches a chance. I also like to give people the benefit of the doubt.
That said, what I like even more is when you have a debutante, you don’t leave them one-out against the reigning Coleman Medallist.
I don’t know if it was tough love, viewed as a learning experience, or if he genuinely had no other options, but after Jesse Hogan had five or six, do you reckon McQualter may have thrown someone in the hole in front of him for the remainder of the game and make GWS attempt something other than kicking to the big bloke?
Sandy Brock had nine kicked on him on debut, and once the trigger was finally pulled, and McQualter sent Oscar Allen into defence (with a couple of minutes to go in the fourth), he actually broke up a play that would have seen Jesse kicking for his tenth.
Yes, new coach. Yes, benefit of the doubt. No, not a good idea to throw your new defender to the wolves like that.
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
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