Magpies crash Mick’s party
It’s not every day that the game’s fiercest rivals, Carlton and Collingwood, join forces for the common good. Which made Friday night’s pre-match celebrations for Mick Malthouse all the more special. Malthouse, in case you’ve been living under a rock, broke Jock McHale’s coaching record when he chalked up his 715th VFL/AFL game, against the side he led to the 2010 premiership. Both teams paid respect to the coach on their banners, and Malthouse and his extended clan walked onto the hallowed turf of the ‘G before the teams entered the arena. The visibly emotional coach soaked up the atmosphere, cradling his newborn granddaughter in his arms, before being interviewed by daughter Christi. As fans we’re accustomed to gruff, abrasive Malthouse, but this was an insight into the man who many of his players refer to as a father figure.
It’s a shame Carlton’s players didn’t get the memo that the football world was expecting a spirited contest. They kicked the first goal through the unlikely source of Cameron Wood, and then did a passable impression of an under-9s team for the rest of the match. Collingwood were excellent all night, extending their lead at each break to earn a 75-point thumping over the old enemy. Save for last week when they overran the wooden spooners, Carlton hasn’t shown any fight all season. And without the strong marking and wayward boot of Levi Casboult, omitted last week, their forward line was insipid. Lachie Henderson didn’t register a possession before he was subbed out in the third quarter. Bryce Gibbs, after a breakout 2014, has gone backwards and the Blues still haven’t found a crumber to replace Eddie Betts. In some ways it was appropriate that it was the Pies who took the points in Mick’s big game. After all, Malthouse took the Pies to the promised land while he will likely be remembered as little more than a footnote in Carlton history. And the way the Blues are going, that footnote may be inked sooner rather than later.
Cats extend Tigers’ misery
Heading into Saturday afternoon’s clash at the MCG, Richmond hadn’t beaten Geelong since 2006, on a day when forgotten men Chris Hyde and Kayne Pettifer ran rampant at Kardinia Park. Just two current-day Tigers – Brett Deledio and Chris Newman – played that day, while the Cats’ team contained the nucleus of their triple premiership sides. But Richmond fans had reason to approach this game with as much optimism as they had against Geelong in almost a decade. The Cats were languishing in unfamiliar territory near the bottom of the ladder and had lost key big men Mitch Clark and Rhys Stanley at the selection table.
Coming off a demoralising loss last week, the Tigers were desperate for a fast start, but a couple of early coaching moves didn’t help their chances. First, Damien Hardwick inexplicably started David Astbury, not All-Australian Alex Rance, on Tom Hawkins. By quarter-time, the big Cat had his confidence up and had kicked the game’s only two goals. At the other end, the one man opposition coaches don’t want playing as a loose man – Harry Taylor – was doing just that. He and Jared Rivers had a picnic, hauling in 27 marks between them. Geelong led by almost five goals at the main break and while Richmond’s emphasis on run-and-gun football in the second half gave fans some excitement, the nine-point final margin was as close as they looked like getting.
The Cats weren’t brilliant, but there were some positive signs. Mitch Duncan and Josh Caddy played their best games of the season, Mark Blicavs continued his meteoric rise from a steeplechaser into a more than handy AFL footballer and 19-game forward Josh Walker was a threat all afternoon. As for the Tigers, just five weeks into the season, they yet again find themselves facing a line in the sand game against North Melbourne this weekend. Last year, they pulled off a miracle to turn a disappointing season into an unlikely finals berth. You’d have to be a brave punter to suggest lightning will strike twice.
Bulldogs’ bite is for real
If last week’s trouncing of the highly fancied Adelaide by the Western Bulldogs was the upset of the round, the Dogs’ win over Sydney on a soggy SCG was the biggest surprise of the season so far. Not even the most ardent Bulldogs fan could have seen this coming. Sydney was coming off its first loss of the season, and the conditions – wet, cold, miserable – were the type that Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery and Jarrad McVeigh usually thrive in.
Instead, it was the Dogs that got the jump. With the unfashionable but tenacious Liam Picken, Luke Dahlhaus and veteran Matthew Boyd leading the way, the Bulldogs were in front almost all day, but you always had the sneaky sense that the Swans would win the low scoring arm wrestle. Harry Cunningham’s snap put Sydney in front with 11 minutes to play, and it looked for all money like the Bulldogs would end the day with a brave loss. But a mid-air kick on the goal line by Easton Wood restored their lead, and the Bulldogs hung on in the frenetic final minutes full of smothers, bumps and spoils. The scene was one of pure jubilation as the siren sounded, with everybody’s second favourite player Rob Murphy leading the charge.
With the Saints this week, it’s hard to see how the Bulldogs won’t be 5-1, a remarkable record given they’ve already met both of last year’s grand finalists and two teams with finals aspirations (West Coast and Richmond). Ken Hinkley instantly transformed the Power from a basket case into a challenger in 2013 and Luke Beveridge seems to be having the same impact at Whitten Oval. It’s far too early to mention the ‘f’ word, unless that word is ‘future’ – and for Bulldog fans, it couldn’t look any brighter.
The Suns finally shine
For those who find a morbid fascination in watching two struggling teams, Saturday’s twilight Q Clash was a must see. Few could have imagined the Suns or Lions, two of the most hyped teams going into the season, would be winless heading into round five. The Suns were widely expected to take the next step and play finals, while the Lions had nabbed big off-season signings in Dayne Beams and Allen Christensen.
Despite the likes of Gary Ablett, David Swallow, Jaeger O’Meara and Nick Malceski sitting in the grandstand, the Suns made all the running against an incredibly lifeless Lions to give Rodney Eade his first victory as Gold Coast coach. He would have liked what he saw. Charlie Dixon kicked six, Jack Martin was silky and Dion Prestia accumulated possessions at will. It was some light at the end of the tunnel after what had been a horror start to the season.
The Lions’ afternoon was summed up by one piece of play early in the third quarter when Mitch Golby spoiled a Gold Coast forward entry backwards, towards the Suns’ goal line, where an unmarked Harley Bennell gleefully accepted the ball and banged home the six points. Brisbane was sloppy and spiritless in equal measures. It’s hard to fathom how a team with so much talent – not just Beams and Christensen but Daniel Rich, Dayne Zorko, Rising Star winner Lewis Taylor and last year’s breakout ruckman Stef Martin – can be playing so poorly. As for morbid fascination, the Lions take on Carlton this weekend. There are no two teams more devoid of confidence in the league. The fallout will be immense. If you like that sort of thing.
Plenty of spice in the Showdown
The Showdown is always the hottest ticket in South Australia. But this Adelaide Oval encounter held plenty of interest for neutral supporters, with questions being posed of both teams. Was Port Adelaide’s season back on track after hard-fought victories over North Melbourne and Hawthorn? Was the Crows’ flat-footed loss to the Bulldogs last week an indication that their first three weeks was the exception, not the norm?
The Crows settled first, Eddie Betts exploiting a strange match-up with Tom Jonas to kick the game’s first two goals. But in the blink of an eye, Port players began to run in waves and piled on the next seven. Even when Robbie Gray dropped an uncontested mark among three Crows close to goal, he had time to shoot out a handball to an unmarked Travis Boak who snapped truly. Unlike last week though, Adelaide’s intent was great. The Crows dominated many of the key statistics but their execution, in particular their goal kicking, let them down early.
It set the scene for a pulsating second half. Betts, Tom Lynch and then Josh Jenkins goaled to bring the predominately Crows crowd of more than 53,000 to life and narrow the margin to five points and the game was suddenly living up to expectations. Port’s lead heading into the final 30 minutes was 13 points, and the Crows kept coming. Scott Thompson gave the Crows some hope, but Port was just a little better when it mattered. The Power won by 24, the margin not reflective of what was a genuinely exciting contest. Port has found its groove, but the Crows lost no fans… and best of all, there’s only 11 weeks until they meet again.
