Well there we have it! No real big surprise there, but whilst he is my tip to win, it certainly isn't going to be as breezey as what the bookies make it out to be. As you'll see with my leaderboard below only 3 votes seperate the Top 3 - a virtual BOG game. Something else of note, which I reflected on once the season ended was Goodes' ability to virtually poll whilst sitting in the stands. Factoring this in I expect him to nab 1-2 more votes and finish in the Top 3. If there's any real surprise that is majorly different to where my leaderboard stands currently, I predict it'll be that.
So without further ado, here is my much anticipated Top 10 and Team Leaders...
C. Judd - 30 S. Pendlebury - 28 S. Mitchell* - 27 M. Murphy - 26 G. Ablett - 26 M. Boyd - 26 A. Goodes - 25 D. Swan - 20 J. Selwood* - 20 N. Dal Santo - 20
Adelaide
Thompson - 16
Van Berlo - 7
Brisbane
Black - 18
Rockliff - 5
Carlton
Judd - 30
Murphy - 26
Collingwood
Pendlebury - 28
Swan - 20
Essendon
Watson - 14
Stanton - 9
Fremantle
Fyfe - 15
Pavich - 14
Geelong
Selwood - 20
Bartel - 12
Gold Coast
Ablett - 26
Hawthorn
Mitchell - 27
Franklin - 19
Melbourne
Moloney - 16
Sylvia - 9
North Melbourne
Swallow - 17
Harvey - 12
Port Adelaide
Boak - 6
Westhoff - 6
Gray - 6
Richmond
Martin - 18
Cotchin - 13
St. Kilda
Dal Santo - 20
Goddard - 11
Sydney
Goodes - 25
Bolton - 13
West Coast
Priddis - 17
Kerr - 16
Cox - 15
Western Bulldogs
Boyd - 26
Griffen - 15
As I like to say in celebration of tonight's illustrious count:
"Ladies and Gentleman please be upstanding, charge your glasses to
celebrate the winner of the 2011 Brownlow Medal... or just neck the
damned bottle if it's the bloke you've got money on to win."
Well, there we have it! The Home and Away season has officially drawn to a close for 2011. So what now?
The Brownlow that's what!!
Judd is outright favourite at odds <$2, but all of the fast money is coming for Goodes who has tightened up drastically. Others in contention are Pendlebury and Murphy. So it's the 2 proven champion pollers vs the new kids on the block. The winner isn't has assured as what the bookies make it out to be, and it's going to be a very close and tight count that's for sure!
It's been kept under wraps for the whole season. You've been kept in the dark as to the order i've given out votes for each of the games. Now comes the moment you've all been waiting for...
WTS' Winner, Top 10, & Club leaders!
Stay tuned for my much anticipated unveiling!
Carlton vs St Kilda Possible Votes: Simpson, Montagna, Murphy
Collingwood vs Geelong
Possible Votes: Kelly, Menzel, Selwood
Gold Coast vs Hawthorn
Possible Votes: Ablett, Bennell, Breust
Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: Cross, Boyd, Griffen
Sydney vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: Goodes, Rohan, Kennedy
West Coast vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: Embley, Cox, Shuey
Pt Adelaide vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Westhoff, Gray, Moloney
Richmond vs North Melbourne
Possible Votes: Petrie, Harvey, Martin
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does
not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be
treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at
the conclusion of the season*
The top 8 may finally be set in stone, but that doesn't mean we won't see any surprises pulled in a couple of matches. The first came in the form of Geelong losing it's first home match at Skilled Stadium since 2007, at the hands of Sydney. Whilst the defeat doesn't mean too much for Geelong, it does however guarantee Sydney a finals spot and a shot at the top 4.
The other surprise was Dale Thomas ruining his Brownlow chances after being rubbed out for 2 matches by the Match Review Panel for a late bump on Freo's Ibbotson.
Fremantle vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: Beams, Pendlebury, Swan
Hawthorn vs Western Bulldogs
Possible Votes: Hodge, Franklin, Sewell
Geelong vs Sydney
Possible Votes: Mumford, Goodes, Ling
St Kilda vs North Melbourne
Possible Votes: Goddard, Riewoldt, Dal Santo
Brisbane vs West Coast
Possible Votes: Masten, Rockliff, Shuey
Adelaide vs Richmond
Possible Votes: Martin, Cotchin, Van Berlo
Melbourne vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: Blease, Ablett, Garland
Essendon vs Pt Adelaide
Possible Votes: Rodan, Gray, Watson
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does
not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be
treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at
the conclusion of the season*
Adelaide have well and truly turned around their early season slump to record their 3rd win in the past 4 weeks. They came out breathing fire against the hapless Suns, kicking 9 goals in the first quarter, but it was Scott Thompson who set the match alight. The Crows midfielder raised his bat as it were, gathering a staggering club record 51 disposals - a feat surpassed only by Greg Williams in VFL/AFL stats history.
Carlton vs Hawthorn
Possible Votes: Hodge, Lewis, Simpson
Gold Coast vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: Thompson, Ablett, Van Berlo
West Coast vs Essendon
Possible Votes: Priddis, Kerr, Shuey
North Melbourne vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: Swallow, Harvey, Wells
Collingwood vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: Swan, Cloke, Beams
Sydney vs St Kilda
Possible Votes: Goodes, Mumford, Hannebery
Port Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs
Possible Votes: Hall, Boyd, Tutt
Melbourne vs Richmond
Possible Votes: Sylvia, Jones, Martin
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does
not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be
treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at
the conclusion of the season*
After being smashed by Collingwood in the previous week, Port have been dealt another massive defeat, this time at the hands of Hawthorn who dished out a 165 point drubbing. It was a very one sided affair, mirroring the Geelong vs Melbourne match 2 weeks prior, with Port unable to put a major on the board until the second term.
Franklin booted a handy bag of 8, whilst Rioli was as 'delicioussss' as ever, kicking 4 of his own - all in what was a fast starting first quarter.
St Kilda vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: Davis, Thomas, Swan
Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide
Possible Votes: Rioli, Franklin, Mitchell
Fremantle vs Carlton
Possible Votes: Gibbs, Murphy, Judd, Betts
Western Bulldogs vs Essendon
Possible Votes: Hurley, Stanton, Boyd
Brisbane vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: Black, Redden, Leuenberger
Melbourne vs West Coast
Possible Votes: Embley, Priddis, Gaff
Richmond vs Sydney
Possible Votes: Houli, Kennedy, Cotchin
Adelaide vs Geelong Possible Votes: Sloane, Kelly, Corey
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does
not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be
treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at
the conclusion of the season*
It was a case of close but no cigar for Adam Goodes, who had the chance at stealing victory from the clutches of Essendon with a kick for goal after the siren.
In one of the closest and most intense matches of the year, the lead to-and-frod on numerous occasions, before the Swans broke clear by 12 points with just
minutes left on the clock. But of course the Bombers were not done with yet, and lived up to the spirit of the match by snatching the lead in the closing stages. With seconds left, the Swans bombed the ball forward, finding the chest of the best man on the ground in Adam Goodes, with the siren sounding shortly after. But what could have been a fairytale ending soon turned into heartbreak, with the kick swinging late to sail through for a behind, giving Essendon a 1 point victory.
St Kilda vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: Jones, Dal Santo, Mzung
Carlton vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Judd, Gibbs, Scotland
Geelong vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: Johnson, Selwood, Podsiadly
Essendon vs Sydney
Possible Votes:Goodes, Watson, Ryder
Port Adelaide vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: Swan, Blair, Beams
Brisbane vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: Thompson, Rockliff, Van Berlo
Hawthorn vs North Melbourne
Possible Votes: Sewell, Mitchell, Campbell
West Coast vs Richmond
Possible Votes: Shuey, Kerr, Ebert
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does
not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be
treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at
the conclusion of the season*
Well, if a 100 point loss is traditionally thought to be a 'flogging', what then would you call a 186 point loss? I'm sure that's one of the many questions the Demons would be asking themselves - all of which I assume they have no answer for given the swift sacking of Dean Bailey. The 31 goal margin was the second biggest winning margin in the history of the VFL/AFL.
Stevie J was phenomenal all day, with a clear best on ground performance consisting of 34 possessions, 7 goals and 9 marks. Fair to say front row tickets will already be sold out for his next showing of the 'Stevie J Show' on that back of that performance.
North Melbourne vs Carlton
Possible Votes: Gibbs, Scotland, Swallow, Yarran
Western Bulldogs vs West Coast
Possible Votes: Cox, Priddis, Boyd
Geelong vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Johnson, Selwood, Corey
Gold Coast vs St Kilda
Possible Votes: Dal Santo, Ablett, Goddard
Fremantle vs Hawthorn
Possible Votes: Sewell, Mitchell, Broughton
Collingwood vs Essendon
Possible Votes: Pendlebury, Swan, Fasolo
Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
Possible Votes: Sloane, Van Berlo, Vince
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does
not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be
treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at
the conclusion of the season*
Every clash fought out between raditional rivals Carlton and Essendonalways promises to deliver in some form or another. Whilst it didn't so much in terms of it being a close encounter, we were however treated to quite possibly both the goal and mark of the year in the same match, thanks to Betts and Walker!
Betts' solo effort in the forward pocket was an amazing sight. He danced and skipped around 3-4 Essendon players, all of who tried to run him over the boundary, only for Betts to slide through traffic and snap truly.
Betts' goal was only then to be overshadowed by Walker's screamer. What made his mark even more spectacular was that it was taken on the shoulders of Essendon's Carlisle who stands a touch under 200cm! Hard to believe he had the spring to catapult up so high. If the nickname of 'Skywalker' didn't stick before, well it sure will now!
St Kilda vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: Milne, Riewoldt, Dal Santo,
North Melbourne vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: Bastinac, Swallow, Black
Sydney vs Western Bulldogs
Possible Votes: Goodes, Bird, Jack
Gold Coast vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: Johnson, Pendlebury, Ablett
Essendon vs Carlton
Possible Votes: Judd, Murphy, Betts
Geelong vs Richmond
Possible Votes: Bartel, Christensen, Corey
Melbourne vs Hawthorn
Possible Votes: Mitchell, Sewell, Franklin, Rioli
Fremantle vs West Coast
Possible Votes: Shuey, Cox, Broughton
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does
not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be
treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at
the conclusion of the season*
Gold Coast has secured their 3rd win of the season, narrowly beating Richmond by 15 points. It was a gallant effort by the young Suns, who trailed by as much as 36 points at the first change only to peg back the Tigers and finish over the top.
Gary Ablett again featured among the best for the Suns, and is beginning to loom as a smokey for the Brownlow, whilst Swallow and Stanley were prominent.
Adelaide vs Essendon
Possible Votes: Monfries, Zaharakis, Thompson, Sloane
Richmond vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: Stanley, Rischitelli, Ablett, Swallow
Carlton vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: Pendlebury, Thomas, Judd
St Kilda vs West Coast
Possible Votes: Montagna, Gaff, Naitanui
Melbourne vs Port Adelaide
Possible Votes: Pettard, Sylvia, Cassisi
Sydney vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: Lower, Fyfe, Broughton
Brisbane vs Geelong
Possible Votes: Bartel, Podsiadly, Christensen
North Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs Possible Votes: Petrie, Wells, Ziebell
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does
not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be
treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at
the conclusion of the season*
In a surprise follow up to last week's unexpected loss to Essendon, Geelong have gone down to the Eagles at Subiaco by 8 points. After the Eagles led by a whopping 40 points mid-way through the game, the Cats clawed their way back only to fall agonizingly short.
To rub salt into the wound, Collingwood have taken advantage of Geelong's recent vulnerability and now sit top of the ladder. I guess the Cats will be left to lick their wounds... I hope they don't mind the taste of salt!
West Coast vs Geelong
Possible Votes: Embley, Ling, Kerr, Priddis
Hawthorn vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: Mitchell, Hodge, Franklin
Essendon vs Richmond
Possible Votes: Zaharakis, Stanton, Cotchin, Heppell
Gold Coast vs Sydney
Possible Votes: O'Keefe, Reid, McVeigh, Goodes
Collingwood vs North Melbourne
Possible Votes: Swan, Pendlebury, Thomas
Port Adelaide vs St Kilda
Possible Votes: Goddard, Dal Santo, Steven
Western Bulldogs vs Carlton Possible Votes: Boyd, Murphy, Cooney
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at the conclusion of the season*
In what will be one of the biggest upsets of the season, Essendon have stunned the undefeated Cats, ending Chris Scott's dream run, to hang on by 4 points. You'd have been called a lunatic if you floated the idea that this was the first defeat Geelong was to sustain in Season 2011, particularly given Essendon's form over the past month!
We've seen some weird phenomenons this year, none more crazy than the amount of draws we've had this year. But this right here takes the cake! Speaking of crazy one must feel for the guy that had 1 Mill on Geelong to win. Just goes to show that nothing in sports betting is a certainty, and even the most unlikeliest of results can come to fruition.
Western Bulldogs vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Ward, Griffen, Cooney
Richmond vs Carlton
Possible Votes: Judd, Robinson, Murphy, Warnock
Fremantle vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: Pavlich, Griffin, Ablett
Essendon vs Geelong
Possible Votes: Howlett, Heppell, Melksham, Hocking
Adelaide vs Sydney
Possible Votes: Johncock, Bolton, Vince
Brisbane vs Port Adelaide
Possible Votes: Black, Schultz, Power, Brown
Collingwood vs Hawthorn
Possible Votes: Pendlebury, Hodge, Thomas
North Melbourne vs St Kilda
Possible Votes: Dal Santo, Goldstein, Goddard
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at the conclusion of the season*
West Coast continued their remarkable turnaround in form with a compelling victory over Carlton at Etihad Stadium. The win was even more significant given it shows the Eagles have the ability to win away from home, in Melbourne, when in previous seasons they have struggled to come to grips with the travelling factor.
With the Eagles having to play only one side in the top six teams prior to the finals, it looks likely they will successfully complete their transformation from being cellar dwellers to becoming a top four team - all in the space of twelve months.
Hawthorn vs Essendon
Possible Votes: Mitchell, Savage, Shiels, Hodge
Richmond vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Moloney, Watts, Jones, Foley
Gold Coast vs Western Bulldogs
Possible Votes: Boyd, Griffen, Ablett
Fremantle vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: Broughton, Pavlich, , Black
Sydney vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: Cloke, Ball, O'Keefe, Goodes, Swan
Geelong vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: Enright, Ling, Chistensen, Varcoe, Corey
Carlton vs West Coast
Possible Votes: Priddis, Lynch, Scotland
Port Adelaide vs North Melbourne
Possible Votes: Goldstein, Petrie, Wells
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at the conclusion of the season*
Last year we witnessed one of the up and coming superstars of the competition take his game to the next level, and lay claim to the fact that he deserves to be recognised as one of the elite of the competition. That man of course is Scott Pendlebury, who went on to poll 21 votes on the back of 13 in the previous season, and finish equal 4th in the Brownlow. Quite an impressive effort!
Another player who has had a similar rise in his game this year, and one who coincidentally was selected in the same draft as Pendlebury, is Marc Murphy. And just like Pendles, Murph has a similar polling performance when he polled15 votes in 2009. As a Carlton supporter having watched nearly all of the sides matches, it wasn't all that surprising that Murphy then went on to poll only 5 votes in 2010 given he looked underdone for much of the season due to an injury interrupted pre-season.
But now that he's fit and firing, and playing arguably his best season to date, you'd be silly not to think Murphy isn't a chance at taking home the Charlie. So too Pendles, for that matter, who has followed on with form into this season and is right up there in contention. The only thing standing in their way of glory is of course the polling machine that is Chris Judd. Come the end of the season we could very well be in a situation where the 'new lads' come up against the might of the established superstar in Judd.
Will it be a three-peat for Judd, or will his reign come to an end with one of the up-and-comers dethroning him?
Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: Ward, Griffen, Murphy, Giansiracusa
Hawthorn vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: Savage, Bruest, Mitchell, Ablett
Essendon vs North Melbourne
Possible Votes: Harvey, Swallow, Petrie, Wells
Brisbane vs Richmond
Possible Votes: Vickery, Martin, Cotchin, Redden
St Kilda vs Geelong
Possible Votes: Corey, Stokes, Menzel, Ling
Melbourne vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: Scully, Green, Martin, Watts
Carlton vs Sydney
Possible Votes: Kruezer, Gibbs, Murphy, Walker
West Coast vs Port Adelaide
Possible Votes: Hurn, Priddis, LeCras, Kerr, Boak
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at the conclusion of the season*
It appears we have an overwhelming consensus with regards to who we all think will finish among the top 2 tiers of the Brownlow leaderboard come the conclusion of Round 12. Distinguishing the winner is the much harder task, with Judd only skipping 5 votes clear of Murphy over the last couple of days of voting in the poll. Hopefully the fact that I mistakenly wrote Round 14 - instead of Round 12 - in the heading of the poll didn't skew the votes. That'll teach me for setting up polls/writing blog entries @ 1AM. I mean, um... it wasn't a mistake, no... erm, it was a test... YES! ...you've passed the test!
Possible Votes: Podsiadly, Sewell, Mitchell, Bartel, Rioli
Carlton vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: Murphy, Walker, Robinson, Judd
Sydney vs Richmond
Possible Votes: O'Keefe, Seaby, Martin, Cotchin
Fremantle vs Essendon
Possible Votes: Pavlich, Ballantyne, Ibbotson, Fyfe
Melbourne vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: Cloke, Wellingham, Ball, Davis
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at the conclusion of the season*
It only feels like yesterday when Essendon handed the new AFL franchise in the Gold Coast a footballing lesson. But 5 weeks on and you wouldn't believe the Bombers form could stoop so low, having now lost to fledging sides Richmond and Melbourne in recent weeks.
With a loud chorus of media commentators talking up their chances of a Top 4 finish having all but sounded out to a whisper, one must ponder the question; where to now for the Bombers? If the popular opinion is that Judd is central to the success of the Carlton side, I guess you could say in relative terms that the same applies to Watson for Essendon.
For Hirdy, it appears the honeymoon is over, and the reality of a long and difficult marriage is only starting to sink in. Poor bloke.
Essendon vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Moloney, McKenzie, Trengove, Gysberts
Geelong vs Western Bulldogs
Possible Votes: Johnson, Ottens, Bartel, Corey
West Coast vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: Cox, LeCras, Priddis, Ablett
Brisbane vs Sydney
Possible Votes: Bird, Bolton, O'Keefe, Goodes
Collingwood vs St Kilda
Possible Votes: Cloke, Thomas, Pendlebury
Hawthorn vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: Rioli, Hill, Broughton, Mitchell
North Melbourne vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: Petrie, Swallow, Goldstein, Ziebell
Port Adelaide vs Carlton
Possible Votes: Robinson, Walker, Murphy
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at the conclusion of the season*
Explaining how she asked me
for 6", and I gave her a footlong...
The results are in!
"But hold on", I hear you say. "Why is there a gratuitous
picture of some random chick accompanying this blog post?" That folks is female goal umpire Chelsea Roffey... who I may or may not have a little thing for. If anything she distracts me from wanting to punch in the face of that smirking guy that always sits behind the goals at Subiaco games waving those stupid 'Messages on Hold' hand-shaped signs.
But I digress...
So for the poll which asked all of you fellow Brownlow devotees, as of Round 10 "Which 3 players listed below do you think would feature in the Top 3 of the count at this stage of the season?", you voted...
1. C. Judd (67%)
2. J. Watson (62%)
3. S. Pendlebury (34%)
4. M. Murphy (25%)
5. J. Selwood (20%)
6. Other (20%)
7. D. Swan (16%)
8. M. Boyd (11%)
9. A. Sandilands (2%)
TOTAL VOTES: 42.
The results haven't sprung any surprises, although with Watson on the sidelines, i'd say he'll fall back off the pace given he isn't expected to return until Round 12 against Freo. There's still a long way to go, but can Judd sustain his lead coming into the half-way mark of the season, or will the likes of Pendles/Murphy/Selwood attain the upper hand? We’ll pose that question to you very soon, so keep an eye out!
Also, you may have noticed this blog hasn't been as quite up to date. The trouble is, I have been quite busy over the past few weeks and have had little time to dedicate to the write ups of this blog compared to last season. A few of you have even shot me emails in anticipation of my write-ups asking when the next is going to be posted, and i'm humbled to see there are still those out there who actually read this blog on a weekly basis. Kudos to you, good sir!
As a result of my busy schedule, from now on i'll be sacrificing my game-by-game write ups, as I just don't have time to do one for each game. I will, of course, continue to post up the top players from each game who I think are a chance at votes. Of course, if you want to discuss votes for any particular game feel free to reply to the blog entry located at the bottom and i'll be happy to share my thoughts. Hope that keeps you keen punters at bay!
All in all never fear though, folks, as this blog is still alive and well, it's just been in hibernation mode for a few weeks... much like Essendon's early season form of late! Anyway, on with the show...
Melbourne vs Carlton
Possible Votes: Murphy, Judd, Robinson, Walker
North Melbourne vs Sydney
Possible Votes: Swallow, Bird, McGlynn, Wells
Fremantle vs St Kilda
Possible Votes: Schneider, Dal Santo, Gilbert, Peake
Gold Coast vs Geelong
Possible Votes: Johnson, Selwood, Kelly, Podsiadly
Richmond vs Port Adelaide
Possible Votes: Gray, Boak, Foley, Thomas
Adelaide vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: Clarke, Thompson, Black
Collingwood vs West Coast
Possible Votes: Thomas, Ball, Pendlebury, Didak
West Bulldogs vs Hawthorn
Possible Votes: Guerra, Mitchell, Hodge, Sewell
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above does not reflect the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide. My own actual votes will be revealed at the conclusion of the season*
With Cyril Rioli, Leigh Montagna and Sam Mitchell ruling themselves out of the Brownlow race after being found guilty by the match review panel in recent weeks, the competition for the illustrious medal was almost thinned of one more player with Adam Goodes escaping with a reprimand for tripping Hawthorn's Brent 'The Rug' Guerra.
As a result, the dual Brownlow Medallist remains eligible for this year's award after accepting a reprimand and 66 points towards his future record.
But I guess this outcome was only inevitable given it involved the AFL's love-child, and ump favourite in Goodesy. Hahaaaa! Just kidding folks... well, half kidding. But i'm surprised that Guerra wasn't cited for running into the leg of Goodes. How dare he make it look as though Goodes tripped him! In fact I reckon the AFL would've done this back in the day just to preserve the clean image of the one Adam Goodes. No need to nowadays, though, as the match review panel gets it wrong 90% of the time now, so they can rely on him getting off without any further intervention needed. I can hear the champagne being uncorked at AFL House as we speak. Time to put on your birthday suit AD!
Carlton vs Geelong
Possible Votes: Scotland, Selwood, Murphy, Varcoe
Scotland really stood up and assumed the role of the general commanding his troops, particularly in the last when Judd was restricted with a sore foot. His possessions were flawless along the wing, and through the middle. Selwood was headed for a blinder up until 3QT, when he barely touched it and faded out of the game. Murphy continued his run of good form in recent weeks and was again dominant in the middle. Varcoe was quiet somewhat, but had a very influential say in the result of the game in the latter stages of the game, with a dominant 3rd Q.
St Kilda vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Goddard, Montagna, Riewoldt, N. Jones
Goddard was quite the accumulator, earning 37 possessions. Montagna hit back well, after having a weeks break through suspension, and was a solid contributor. Riewoldt prowess up forward proved lethal to the Dees, kicking 3 important goals. Nathan Jones was the best for the Dees, gathering 31 possies and setting up his side with quite a few scoring opportunities with 7 inside 50s.
Lower played one of his best games for Freo, amassing 28 possies and kicking a nice goal. Fyfe and Pav were the other standouts through the middle, and Sandi was very noticable up until he came off with injury. Duffield got plenty of quality touches off half back, and was also good.
Brisbane vs North Melbourne
Potential Votes: Brown, Adcock, Black, Swallow
Brown was the difference in the end, snatching 11 marks and 4 goals. Adcock thrived on the hard contested ball, and Black's ball use was superb given the tough conditions. Swallow was by far the best for North.
Richmond vs Essendon
Potential Votes: Deledio, Cotchin, Jetta, Heppell
Deledio played a bit part superbly both in the middle and mopping up down back, whilst Cotchin was again superb, with his extraction skills the stand out. Jetta's electrifying speed and 3 goals were a rare highlight in what was a grim match for the Dons. Heppell contested the packs at every opportunity and can walk away with his head held high.
Collingwood vs Adelaide
Thomas was electrifying all day, and Thompson had 33 possessions in a dominant display for the Crows who dropped the bundle in the last Q. Ball worked tirelessly all day with his in and under work, and Pendles was crucial with his penetrating kicking.
Franklin played a blinder kicking 6.6, and could've had 10+ had he kicked straight. Shiels had a lot around stoppages and Roughead played a great game pinch hitting in the ruck and going forward at stages throughout the game. Sewell did well to give his team mates first use of the ball around the stoppages, and Hodge was overly solid throughout.
West Coast vs Westerm Bulldogs
Potential Votes: Kennedy, Shuey, Embley, Le Cras, Cox
Kennedy kicked 10, so his game speaks for itself. Shuey kicked his own bag, converting 5 goals and was involved in heaps of midfield work. Embley dominated with his usual ran and dash, and Le Cras gathered 29 possessions to go with 3.3 along the way. Cox was a beast in the ruck, and smashed the Bulldogs at the stoppages.
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above is not indicative of the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide.*
In an encounter that was touted the match of the round, it sure lived up to expectations with the clash between the two undefeated titans - Geelong and Collingwood - going right down to the wire. Coming away victorious were the Cats who fought bravely against the reigning premiers, and very much had the ascendancy all night.
One player that stood out and set the tone early for the Catters was Selwood, who capped off his 100th game in style with a 28 possession performance, which included 7 clearances, 8 inside 50's and a whopping 17 contested possessions.
Selwood has gone under the radar up until now, with many bookies writing him off. Could this be the beginning of a run of promising performances to come that will thrust his name back into the Brownlow spotlight? He has the runs on the board in previous seasons, particularly in the latter half of last year when he polled a total of 14 votes in a run of 8 consecutive games. Almost Judd-esque is our resident 'Wood Seller'!
Geelong vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: Selwood, Thomas, Swan, Bartel, Ottens.
Selwood purely awesome in his milestone game, and Thomas' stoppage work was a feature of his game that stood out and kicked a late goal to bring the Pies within striking distance. Swan played a solid game with 30 possessions, whilst Bartel was very quiet early on in the match, but kicked 2 crucial goals.Ottens dominated the ruck and could figure.
North Melbourne vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Goldstein, Wells, Edwards, Adams.
Goldstein dominated all day against Melbourne's depleated and non-existant ruck setup. Wells' run, carry and precise movement of the ball was invaluable, and Edwards' performance speaks for itself with 6 goals 10 marks. Adams tried his heart out and was very damaging. Adelaide vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: Dangerfield, Van Berlo, Thompson, Ablett.
Dangerfield kicked 6 and smashed the GC. Van Berlo played a very nice captains game, leading from the front and gathering 36 possies. Thompson's in and under work was flawless. Gazza was showing glimpses of his Brownlow medal form in the first quarter and a bit, kicking 4 goals and amassing 41 possessions in a dominant display, but slowed just as his side did as the game wore on.
Brisbane vs Essendon
Possible Votes: Myers, Zaharakis, Rockliff, Hocking.
Myers was quiet up until the last half when he was racking up possessions off half-back in a rebound role that went some way to negating Brisbane's forward entries. Zaharakis played a starring role in the Bomber's win, with 4 goals. Rockliff was among the best stoppage players on the night, along with Hocking who had 11 contested possessions.
Sydney vs Port Adelaide
Possible Votes: Bolton, Kennedy, Goodes, O'Keefe.
Bolton was courageous as always, laying 13 tackles to go with his 33 touches. Kennedy had a day out as well, kicking 2 goals whilst smashing out 17 contested possessions among his 31 possessions. Goodes had a very servicable game kicking a couple of nice goals, and O'Keefe played a crucial role in the Swans win.
Hawthorn vs St Kilda
Possible Votes: Savage, Franklin, Hodge, Lewis.
This is a very hard game for votes! Savage really grew into the match and was a dominant force down the wings, whilst Franklin was his influential self kicking 5. Hodge worked his way into form with arguably his best game for the year, and likewise Lewis was an accumulator. Western Bulldogs vs Richmond
Possible Votes: Gilbee, Ward, Boyd, Minson.
Gilbee booted 5 goals in a very dominant display. Ward was outstanding in the midfield, likewise Boyd who played a solid game. Minson should come into calculations, smashing it not only in the ruck, but up forward as well.
West Coast vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: Priddis, Naitanui, Fyfe, Mundy.
Priddis was BOG, winning the match day medal. NicNat played a great ruckmans game, working in tandem with Cox to get the better of Sandilands. Fyfe was among the best for Freo, and kicked a classy goal that put him in contention for goal of the year. Mundy is another that tried hard for the Dockers.
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above is not indicative of the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide.*
When I first heard news that Melbourne's Jack Trengove had been cited and suspended for 3 matches, I thought he must've whacked someone behind play or something of that nature, but having watched the Melbourne vs Adelaide match in its entirety I didn't recall him being involved in any malicious acts, nor did I remember him being reported or hear any of the commentators mentioning any particular incident during the game. What could he have done I thought?
Well, when I saw a replay of the incident in question I had no words... at first. I was too shocked to see what he had been reported for, and more specifically in utter disbelief at what our game, the game I follow almost religiously, the game I know and love dearly, had decended to. The profanity laden reponse that followed was a combination of frustration, anger, and disbelief. A small part of my passion for the game had wilted at that very moment.
Here we have a second year rookie; with no tribunal history; not renowned for being violent or malicious on the field; who was not reported during play; had laid a hard, fair tackle in play; didn't catch Dangerfield high; didn't irresponsibly sling him, or let him fall to the ground after the tackle; didn't intend on hurting him; and was even defended by Adelaide themselves who gave evidence to support his case. Heck, even Dangerfield was fit enough to play in Round 8! And yet, the end result is he gets 3 weeks.
To put this in greater perspective as to how ridiculous this is, compare this to the Campbell Brown case who deliberately elbowed Callan Ward IN THE FACE. His actions were high; it was behind play; had the deliberate intent of hurting his opponent; and biggest of all - has a long history of malicious reports. But somehow for this incident alone (he was also reported for another incident), he recieved 2 weeks. How I hear you ask, well the all conquering MRP ruled that the contact he made was reckless (not intentional), and medium impact (not high). WTF?!
Errr... care to elaborate here AFL? I would seriously love to hear justifications behind both rulings.
Let me end my rant by giving you a look at an old AFL advertisement that ran during the 90s, promoting our wonderful game for what it was - hard, tough, passionate, skillfull, entertaining, among other things. Does anyone else find it rather ironic that a large majority of the particular aspects of the game which feature in the video, are now either absent from the game or being fazed out thanks largely to the rules committee and the tribunal.
"Rules? What rules?" Dean Richards asks - Haha, well good sir that'd be the very thing that is slowly ruining the game, and what has made it almost a different sport entirely compared to that put on display in that advertisement. In essence its stolen away the games indentity.
It's the very reason that passionate supporters like myself could very well lose interest over time and be turned away. Because if the AFL don't overall their MRP process, ruling system, interpretations and the like, i'm sad to say this is a very real realization. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that.
"I'd like to see that" I hear them say. In response I say so would I...
So would I...
Port Adelaide vs Hawthorn
Possible Votes: Sewell, Mitchell, Chaplin, Pearce
Sewell was the hardest working midfielder, and his in and under work is sublime. Mitchell had a TON of the ball, but was scrappy at times. Chaplin was a rock in defence, and Pearce solid.
Western Bulldogs vs Sydney
Possible Votes: Goodes, Boyd, O'Keefe, Griffen
Goodesy played a very solid game, and Boyd likewise. O'Keefe was a standout and was a linkman across the ground, whilst Griffen's clean disposal stood out like a beacon. Geelong vs North Melbourne
Possible Votes: Podsiadly, Kelly, Selwood, Corey
Pods was marking all and sundry, and kicking goals to boot (ha!). Kelly was seemingly everywhere, and was great in tight as usual, whilst Selwood also excelled in the middle. Corey also stood out and had a very workmanlike game.
Richmond vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: Nahas, Cotchin, Sandilands
Nahas has been in ripping form over the past few weeks, and backed it up with another great game. Cotchin broke lines, and kicked goals in an impressive overall game, and Sandilands dominated in the ruck as per usual.
Gold Coast vs Brisbane Possible Votes: Brennan, Rischitelli, Krakouer, McGrath, Black, Rich
Brennan was clear BOG and recieved the match day medal. Rischitelli played a great game, and Krakouer helped lock in the win for the Suns with 5 goals. McGrath went one better, kicking 6 goals in a dominant display. Black was consistent, and Rich's raking kick was a feature.
Essendon vs West Coast
Possible Votes: Kerr, Watson, Hocking, Jetta
Kerr was simply awesome in the first half, but faded. Watson contributed well with 2 goals, and had a stack of possessions. Hocking was solid throughout, and Jetta was damaging with his run through the middle late in the game.
Melbourne vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: Sylvia, Moloney, Trengove, Davey
Sylvia stood out with his 4 goals, and Moloney was a beast at the stoppages as he has been in recent weeks. Trengove was silky smooth as usual, and Davey's evasiveness and run and carry was impeccable on the day.
St Kilda vs Carlton
Possible Votes: Gibbs, Fisher, Nick Dal Santo, Yarran, Judd
Was the hardest game of the week to try and narrow down votes. Gibbs nullified Goddard for the entire match, and kicked a couple of very classy goals. Fisher was the rock for St. Kilda and ensured St Kilda had a steady ship. Dal Santo was quiet early, but worked into it, especially in the last Q. Yarran was a wizard down back, sweeping the ball up and disposing of the ball with both feet, with his usual charm. Judd was held quite well by Gilbert, but came into his own in the last 2 Q's to help secure a win for his side.
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above is not indicative of the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide.*
A week after the Suns recorded their first win in emphatic style, the elation soon came to a crashing halt this round when Essendon absolutely pantsed them... and I don't mean just any regular shelacking, I mean record breaking.
Can you believe the score at quarter time was Essendon 94, Suns 1?! Wow! Of course that horror start set the tone for the rest of the match, and Essendon were ruthless up until the final siren. Among the records that were smashed included; the highest score kicked in a first quarter, and not surprisingly; the biggest deficit at quarter time. It's one thing to be beaten by 139 points, but to have Kyle Reimers kick 8 goals against you is definitely more embarrassing!
But chin up to any Suns supporters out there. With such a young team, you'll find that the Suns will be the Jekyl and Hyde throughout much of the year, similar to Port Adelaide (whom they only beat last week - ironic much?). No doubt there will be weeks when they put in a solid competitive effort or even come up with a win, and then there will be those instances where they are humiliated - akin to the poor bloke on his bucks night when he is bound and tied naked to a lamppost by his mates. Just the nature of the business I suppose... except in his case the poor sod goes on to get married and faces a life of misery, whereas the Suns' future looks much brighter in comparison.
Not so bleak afterall, eh? Huzzah for crazy, random analogies! Winning!
West Coast vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: Embley, Priddis, Cox, Kerr
Embley played well, particularly in the first half and kicked 3 goals in a dominant display by the Eagles. Priddis was the cog in the Eagles' midfield, and Cox monstered his opponent Jamar all night. Kerr put in a fantastic effort and showed flashes of his brilliance circa his premiership days playing alongside Juddy and Cousins.
Sydney vs Carlton
Possible Votes: Judd, McGlynn, Kennedy, Bett, Curnow
No jokes about it really, Judd was a clear BOG and played quite possibly his best game in the Navy Blue. McGlynn had a great game, kicking 4 goals, which is very solid when you factour in the rain. Kennedy impressed me a lot and worked tirelessly for Sydney in what were horrid conditions, and little Eddie played a very nice game to work his way back into form. Curnow thrived on the contested ball, and did well you clear the ball from congestion on numerous occasions.
North Melbourne vs Pt Adelaide
Possible Votes: Goldstein, Swallow, Harvey, Hartlett
Was a pretty ordinary game, let be honest.
Goldstein was very dominant in the ruck for the Kangas, and played a Sandi type game, even roving his own ruckwork and dishing out clearances. Swallow played a very solid game, and his skill and composure shone through in patches. Harvey was impressive, and stood out with his running goal. Hartlett was the best for Port, which was a fair effort when your team is on the receiving end of a thumping. Richmond vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: Nahas, Martin, Foley, Black
Nahas was everywhere! Probably played his best game for Richmond over the journey. Martin was terrific and put in another outstanding performance on the back of last week, and Foley had a tonne of the ball. Black's silky disposal and nouse to know exactly where his teammates are in congestion and have to the ability to dish it out to advantage is superb.
Adelaide vs St Kilda
Possible Votes: Tippett, Thompson, Douglas, Knights, Dal Santo
Tippet and Thompson were both as equally damaging as each other, with the former marking everything that came his way and the latter carving the Saints midfield to shreds, seemingly always having first opportunity at the ball. Douglas played a decent bit-part alongside Thompson at stages, kicking 2 very nice goals, and Knights was the steadying hand up forward, kicking 2 crucial goals when the Saints came within 3 points. Dal Santo had a nice day out by his own accounts, gathering 29 touches and laying 6 tackles in what was another glum day for the Saints. Essendon vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: ANYONE!
Quite seriously, anyone could potentially poll in the votes given the whopping margin... well... anyone that wore an Essendon guernsey. Reimers is obviously one that should figure with his career high 8 goals. Collingwood vs Western Bulldogs
Possible Votes: Krakouer, Shaw, Sidebottom, Brown
Krakouer showed the footballing world his bag of tricks, when on a couple of occasions he dodged and weaved around numerous opponents to snap around his body and goal. Very flashy! Shaw played his usual ran and carry gamestyle, much to the advantage of the Pies. He also won the Rose/Sutton medal for best afield, as voted by a selection of Fox Sports panellists. Sidebottom was ruthless all day, and kicked 3 goals, whilst Brown slotted 4 crucial goals in the last to put some space between the reigning premiers and the Bulldogs, when it looked as though the latter were pressing.
Only a few minutes out from 3/4 time in the Port Adelaide vs Gold Coast match, the visitors were trailing by a lengthy 40 points and were headed for another certain defeat. But what transpired over the next quarter can be described as both quite hilarious, and quite remarkable! It really can only be seen to be believed - Gold Coast, a new side, down and out, and much renowned as the whipping boys of the AFL, rose from the ashes against all the odds to come back and overcome the much fancied home side to record their first win in it's short history.
I don't think i've ever barracked for another team as hard as what I did for the Suns against Port - but how couldn't you, for the lulz alone it was worth it. Poor Port...
Oh, and on another note, I was very close to publicly declaring that the AFL were taking the piss when it looked as though Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs were headed for a draw late in the last quarter. On the back of my blog post last week, I was half expecting the football gods to dish up another LOL at my expense but thankfully it wasn't to be! But I somehow have the feeling that this won't be the last we'll see of the draws.
Brisbane v St Kilda
Possible Votes: A. Schneider, L. Montagna, J. Adcock, S. Black, J. Redden.
Montagna, I felt, was among the Saint's best with 10 clearances. Adcock was solid across the whole game and really commanded the game for Brisbane, whilst Schneider kicked 2 very important goals in the last to tip the game in the Saints' favour. Others of note; Black/Redden. Pt Adelaide v Gold Coast
Possible Votes: M. Rischitelli, B. Matera, G. Ablett, D. Swallow, H. Hartlett.
Rischitelli was an absolute beast all day and recieved the match-day medal, ajudged the best man afield. Matera had the x-factor and the goals he kicked were pure class for such a young player, and really stepped it up a cog in the last Q. Ablett kicked a nice captains goal to kick start the Suns resurgence. Swallow was quiet early, but stood up in unison with the rest of his team to lift the side to victory in the last half. Hartlett was Port's best in what was a close loss in a side that dominated play all day until the final 30 minutes of the match Carlton v Adelaide
Possible Votes: M. Murphy, P. Dangerfield, A. Walker, C. Judd.
Murphy was pure class all night and had a well rounded game. Danger was fantastic for the Crows and was by far their best in the engine room. His ability and strength to shrug tackles and break open into space astounds me. Walker came out firing in the first quarter, and even took a very nice grab, whilst kicking 4 very nice goals. Judd was looking to break the game apart in the first few minutes, but finished with what was a solid game.
North Melbourne v Richmond
Possible Votes: J. Riewoldt, D. Petrie, D. Martin, A. Swallow.
JRoo kicked another bag and was the shining light for the Tiges up forward leading his side to victory. Petrie marked everything that came his way and kicked 6 in a very dominant display. Martin played a huge game for a bloke who's only in his 2nd season, and has all the hallmarks of a future Richmond captain. Swallow played a solid game also. Essendon v Collingwood
Possible Votes: S. Pendlebury, H. Shaw, D. Heppell, T. Cloke.
Pendles was simply awesome, not much else can be said about his performance. A clear BOG, winning the Anzac Day Medal. Shaw was everywhere, and in top form demonstrating his famous run and carry throughout the match. Heppell was awesome across half back, and at times running through the centre with great composure. Cloke kicked 2 crucial goals in the space of a few minutes to snuff out any hope of Essendon winning in the last.
Fremantle v Western Bulldogs
Possible Votes: D. Mundy, M. Boyd, A. Sandilands.
Mundy kicked 2 impressive goals and was unsighted early until he was thrown into the centre and started to dominate. Boyd played like a man possessed, and stood out, but with 40 odd touches how can you not? Sandilands owned the ruck, but the Bulldogs roved his taps for most the night.
Hawthorn v Geelong
Possible Votes: H. Taylor, P.Chapman, B. Sewell, J. Bartel, J. Selwood
Taylor took a ton of contested marks, dropping back into space, while Franklin didnt get near it. Chapman was a dominant force up forward for the Cats, and swining through the middle to apply fantastic pressure. Sewell, I felt, was one of the best performing Hawks midfielders. Bartel was a standout, and whilst Selwood wasn't at his best that's for sure, but with 32 possies/14 CP/6 CL, he's hard to ignore.
*DISCLAIMER: The deliberate random order of the players above is not indicative of the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide.*
Ok, ok. You know when I said in Round 2 that I hope there aren't many more draws... well, I wasn't expecting we'd again be witnessing one only 2 weeks later.
It's as if the football gods are reading my weekly blog and thought they'd take the piss out of me by delivering another draw. Thanks alot guys, yeah laugh it up, enjoy your night! Well, in saying that, these draws are getting mighty ridiculous. Let's hope there aren't any more... within 2 weeks... football gods, you listening?
Richmond vs Collingwood
Possible Votes: D. Swan, T. Cloke, T. Cotchin, D. Martin, B. Deledio, D. Thomas
Swan again had his usual bivvy of touches, but kicked 4 goals which is sure to shift the umps' spotlight onto him. Cloke lead well and had a respectable night out, kicking 3. Cotchin impressed me with his run and silky kicking, whilst Martin was just as effective for the Tiges in the middle. Deledio poise and skill stood out, and Thomas' running goal through the centre was a highlight. Hawthorn vs West Coast
Possible Votes: L. Franklin, S. Mitchell, C. Rioli, M. Priddis
Franklin's performance speaks for itself, kicking 6 goals in a dominant display. Mitchell got a shiteload of football, winning 37 possessions in total and having a phenomenal impact on the game. Rioli was influential in patches and Priddis was a standout for the Eagles with 14 tackles.
Carlton vs Essendon
Possible Votes: M. Murphy, D. Fletcher, J. Watson, K. Simpson, C. Yarran
Murphy was a clear standout for Carlton, and Fletcher was the saving grace for the Dons, who had two pieces of play - the saving tackle and long range goal - which summed up his brilliant day out. Watson was clearly Essendon's best midfielder, whilst Simpson and Yarran were dominant for Carlton.
Sydney vs Geelong
Possible Votes: D. Wojcinksi, P. Chapman, S. Johnson, J. Kennedy, K. Jack
Wojo's legspeed was scintillating and was what enabled Geelong to run into space, also laying an impressive 12 tackles. Chappy was everywhere and kicked 2 nice goals, whilst Johnson took a spectacular mark and was dominant up forward. Kennedy and Jack were a couple of standouts for the Swans.
Port Adelaide vs Adelaide
Possible Votes: D. Rodan, J. Westhoff, T. Boak, S. Thompson, T. Chaplin
Rodan was quiet in patches, but his goals were the spark to ignite the Power in turning it on after the first Q. Westhoff was marking everything that was coming his way and stood out like a beacon, justifying him winning the game medal. Boak played a solid game, and S. Thompson was among the best for the Crows. As a defender, Chaplin played a near flawless game, gathering a lazy 30 odd possessions as well.
Gold Coast vs Melbourne
Possible Votes: B. Moloney, A. Davey, J. Trengove, C. Sylvia
Moloney's clearance work was a feature all day and his work in close was superb. Davey's uncanny ability to run, carry, and dodge around opponents still amazes me. Trengove's disposal was pure silk, and tore Gold Coast apart with his precise kicking. Sylvia took a little while to get into the game, but was very dominant in the last quarter when Melbourne kicked it into top gear.
Fremantle vs North Melbourne
Possible Votes: M. Pavlich, H. Ballantyne, N. Fyfe, A. Swallow
Pav lit up the ground with his clearance work and solid marking around the ground. Superb all round game! Balla ran riot, pushing up the ground and then sprinting back in time to run into space and goal on numerous occasions. He probably worked the hardest out of anyone I saw. Fyfe was very solid and kicked some classy goals, whilst for the visitors, Swallow played well gathering 31 touches (12 clearances).
*DISCLAIMER: The order of the players above is not indicative of the order I think they will poll in, and should be treated/used only as a guide.*
Essendon again proved to both St. Kilda and the football world that they aren't to be treated so lightly in season 2011, with a convincing victory over last years grand finalist - mind you, who they've had the wood over for the past 2 and a half seasons.
One man to stand out was again Jobe Watson who I only spoke of in Round 1, and after another scintillating game the bookies have slashed his odds and installed him as third favourite overall to take home the Charlie in 2011. I probably wouldn't act as hastily as what they have just yet, but the signs are promising. Whether he can push the likes of Judd, Swan, Pendles et. al. right up until the finish remains to be seen.
Collingwood vs Carlton
Possible Votes: J. Blair, H. Shaw, T. Cloke, C Yarran, C. Judd
Blair had a few goals gifted to him, and some of which were uncontested. But that's not to discount the fact that kicking 5 goals is an awesome achievement in itself. Shaw's rebounding run, carry and drive from half back was invaluable. T. Cloke was a focal point up forward for the Pies, and was their best forward all day. Yarran's run and drive from half back was important, and Judd played a solid, but not spectacular game like he can, however he was thereabouts.
Western Bulldogs vs Gold Coast
Possible Votes: D. Cross, S. Higgins, M. Boyd
All 3 of these players were the standouts, and shadowed everyone else.Will be interesting to see in what order they will be given votes.
Adelaide vs Fremantle
Possible Votes: D. Mundy, S. Thompson, P. Dangerfield, N. Fyfe
Thompson had a ripper game, and Mundy was up there for the Dockers. Dangerfield and Fyfe were others who I thought was equally as damaging for their respective sides.
Richmond vs Hawthorn
Possible Votes: L. Franklin, S. Burgoyne, L. Hodge, B. Sewell, J. Lewis.
Franklin was the clear 3 without a doubt. Burgoyne lit up the stadium with his dashing plays down the wings and was eye-catching through the centre. Hodge was ruthless as always, leading from the front, and likewise Sewell and Lewis were solid.
West Coast vs Sydney
Possible Votes: J. Bolton, D. Cox, A. Goodes
This game seems pretty self explanatory and should feature the above players.
Melbourne vs Brisbane
Possible Votes: L. Jurrah, B. Moloney, N. Jones, L. Power
Jurrah was the x-factor who sparked the Dees resurgence halfway through the match kicking 5 crucial goals in a purple patch, whilst Moloney was the most consistent for Melbourne across 4Qs. Jones was a tough nut and provided the grunt through the middle, and Power was among the standouts for Brisbane, swinging forward in patches to kick 4 nice goals.
Geelong vs Port Adelaide
Possible Votes: J. Kelly, J. Bartel, J. Selwood
Kelly stood out with an amazing 23 possies in the first half alone.Bartel ran ragged around the ground, and Selwood's in and under work was fantastic.
St. Kilda vs Essendon
Possible Votes: J. Watson, P. Ryder, M. Hurley, T. Bellchambers, Fletcher
Watson should once again feature here, and there were a bivvy of other players who stood out.
*DISCLAIMER: The order of the players above is not indicative of the order I think they will poll in, and should be used only as a guide.*
What is it with the draws over the past two rounds of the season? Don't get me wrong, i'm not a anti-draw nazi ala some of the so called journo's from the Age/Herald, I just think it's quite funny that we've had 2 draws across 16 games - or 3 in 17 if you include last years drawn grand final! Amazing! More amazing was that this weeks drawn game was between St. Kilda and Richmond - both teams on opposite ends of the ladder in 2010. Waaah?
For the sake of the Brownlow, let's just hope there aren't many more given it's quite difficult to ascertain as to who will get the 3 votes in drawn games.
Of other news to come from Round 2, Hawthorn dynamo Cyril Rioli has been rubbed out for a week for striking Melbourne's Nathan Jones and is now ineligible for the medal. I'm sure there aren't many of you out there, but condolences to those of you that already had pre-season money on him for the Brownlow. He sure was ripping it up, and was actually making me a little nervous as a late outside contender, so his suspension gives me some respite in that sense. Humourous that he'll probably poll 3 votes this round to go along with his suspension.
Lids deserves the 3 straight up for his game on Goddard, and plus won the medal. Milne, as much as I despise the little tiprat, played a lone hand up forward for the Saints kicking 4, and should be some chance of seeing votes. Dal Santo was good, but faded as the game progressed. Martin could sneak a vote for his work in the last quarter when the game was on the line, kicking a couple of crucial goals to keep the Tiges in it. Grigg played a fine game and kicked an important goal, to go along with a handful of possessions. My smokey for this game is Cotchin - he really impressed me with his work in tight, and silky disposal.
North Melbourne v Collingwood
Swan was veeery scrappy at times, and hardly touched it in the first quarter, but redeemed himself by gathering 18 odd touches in the 2nd. Pendles was a standout. He glided around the ground, and his disposal was as smooth as silk as per usual. Beams could feature for his 26 possie, 3 goal game, likewise Dawes who I thought played a superb game as the roaming forward.
Port Adelaide v West Coast
As the commentators said throughout the game; Embley owned that side of the ground he was playing on. Great all round game. Cox backed up his game last week with another impressive performance this week, and Shuey stepped it up as the game went on providing run and drive through the middle. For Port, Gray would be the only chance to sneak a 1, if that.
Gold Coast v Carlton
Gibbs racked it up, but I felt he got a ton of possessions in the back half playing as a loose man with no real opponent. Despite this, his kicking was pure silk and a standout. Judd kicked a couple of nice goals and was his usual dominant self against the inexperienced Suns lineup, in what was his milestone game. Garlett was the most potent fowrad all night and kicked truly on numerous occasions to really sting the GC. Murphy got caught once or twice trying to shrug tackles, which may work against him, but was dominant throughout.
Fremantle v Geelong
This is probably the hardest game to distribute votes!
Enright was clearly one of the standouts for Geelong, but with his unfavourable polling history who knows? Another from the Cats that was impressive was Joel Corey. I felt Pav was Freo's best along with Mundy, but went with the former because he was more eye-catching in the middle.
Western Bulldogs v Brisbane
Griff stood out with his composure under pressure, and kicked 3 very nice goals. Silky smooth! Boyd was a little sloppy with his disposal early on, but was probably the most solid performer over 4 quarters. Coondog played a great game, and was much more solid than last week. Higgins impressed me alot, and his tackling pressure was what stood out head and shoulders above anyone else.
Sydney v Essendon
Bolton was sensational. For an old bloke he really stood out and played his usual blinder against the Dons, and how about that game winning tackle and goal. Very impressive! Goodes was... well, goodes all day. His marking really stood out, and along with Bolton, was the man behind the Swans resurgence in the last quarter.
O'Keefe ran ragged around the ground all day, but played his best work in the middle, smashing it with numerous clearances, and precise footwork. Watson was the best for the Dons in what was a tight game throughout.
Hawthorn v Melbourne
Rioli was the clear BOG. His work in the first quarter alone had me mesmerised! Suckling had a MASSIVE 3rd quarter to turn the tide in the Hawks' favour, and Burgoyne followed up on his solid effort last week. Sewell was also in his prime, dominating at the stoppages. The Dees, however, were woeful in the second half, and given the margin i'd say any of their players are little chance of polling any votes.
No, no, i'm not talking about the 'Flying Start' you're thinking of...
Hai guyz!
Thanks for that Ricky, so kind of you to stop by. But no, I'm talking about one of the biggest stories to come out of Round 1; but if you've spoken to any Essendon supporter i'm sure you're already quite familiar with their incessant ramblings about the second coming in the form of Sir. James.
As much as it pains me to say as a Carlton supporter, you can't deny they looked like a completely different outfit to that of 2010, and quite an impressive one at that. They seem to be playing an exciting, play on at all costs, pressurised zoning brand of football vastly different to that boring setup they'd adopted over the previous two seasons. But the most pleasing thing to come from this in Brownlow terms is the form of some of their stars - namely Jobe Watson.
With 35 possessions and 2 goals, he's sure to figure in the votes come Brownlow night, and is an outside roughie one needs to consider if Essendon can maintain their current form. In my opinion I don't believe Essendon can win enough games to warrant Jobe a chance, and in no way am I saying he will win it, but if they can manage to finish in the Top 8 and win their fair share of games he is a shot at polling inside the Top 5 at the very least. I'm usually a critic of his disposal, which can be quite erratic at times, and even though it's still early days i'd say he's eclipsed the 2010 form he was in when he won 'Tool of the Week' and then 'Tool of the Year' on Before the Game when he couldn't resist the charms of an elderly lady. Eyes on the ball Jobey... eyes on the ball.
Also, note i'll be using a different format this year, where i'll be throwing up names of the players who I think will feature in the votes, rather than just naming my 3, 2, 1's outright. The benefit is i'll be going into much more detail for each game, providing more insightful analysis, which will hopefully help to generate discussion and help you pick your own 3, 2 1's. So what of my own votes? Well I'll still be doing them throughout the year, but will instead post my full 24 rounds worth of 3, 2, 1's once the season has concluded and the odds have been released. So without further ado, here is what I made of that first glorious 8 games of the season...
Gibbs was head to head with Murphy for quite some time, but had the tendency of fading off in patches. Although his poise and composure showed in the last to help Carlton steady.
Jumping Jack was clearly the best player for Richmond all night, and with 6 goals it's hard not to be. His marking was a feature and almost won the Tiges the game off his own boot!
Also for the Tiges, Cotchin turned it around after having little influence on the game early. This kid is a star in the making.
Murphy was fantastic all night, and even though I thought he started to slip in the second half, his accurate kicking and awareness was a class above the rest.
Judd was a little rusty throughout the first half, but turned it on in the second - particularly the last quarter where he played mostly a lone hand.
Geelong vs St. Kilda
Up until half-time Dal Santo was ripping the game to shreds, but he then faded away and had very little influence in the second half when Geelong mounted a challenge.
Bartel was inspirational in the last quarter, and his goal on the boundary was a ripper! Steadied the ship for Geelong, and played with a cool head when the Saints put on the pressure.
Enright played a very solid game in what happened to be, coincidently, his milestone game. Broke the lines, ran and carried the ball, and provided the drive that Geelong was seeking after a lack-lustre first 2 1/2 quarters.
Lenny Hayes really stepped it up in the second half and was everywhere in the clinches. His poise, composure, and ability to side step players is a feature of his game that I love and this game was no exception.
Collingwood vs Port Adelaide
Johnson was solid throughout the entire match, and didn't falter at any point. Broke the lines, and kicked a couple of classy goals as well.
Swan was his usual self, gathering a shiteload of possessions at will. Played his usual link-man role outside the packs, and killed it in the first 2 quarters kicking 3 goals, kick starting the Pies' into shellacking Port.
Dawes had a ripper of a game, and it appears as though he's going to take his game to the next level in 2011. I'm predicting he'll take bigger strides than Cloke this year, in terms of development.
Pendles played a classy game and tried hard all day. His stoppage work stood out and shone through.
For Port there weren't many to speak of given the margin, although Matt Thomas was impressive.
Adelaide vs Hawthorn
Danger was no where to be seen in the first half, with only 2 possies up until half time if my memory serves correct. But from then on, when he was finally thrown into the midfield by Craig he was an absolute jet! Kicked 3 goals at a crucial stage of the match when the game was there to be won. People compare him to Mark Ricciuto, and now I see why, as that was a Ricciuto type game right there.
Also for the Crows, Thompson was his usual tough-nut self and Reilly did very well to simultaneously curb Burgoyne's influence in the second half as well as lift a notch when the game was on the line.
Sewell was among the best for the Hawks up until he was subbed off. He was simply everywhere and thrived on the contested ball.
Mitchell was an absolute ball magnet for the entire match. He work in close was a feature that stoof out. Leather poisoning at it's very finest.
Brisbane vs Fremantle
Sandi looked rather rusty in the first two quarters, but thereafter worked his way into the game and was much better. From there he dominated the ruck, and once he finally got his hands on the pill he started to really have an effect on the game.
Fyfe was the other Docker that caught my eye. He played a superb game and thrived on the contested ball, which is sure to stand out to the umpires.
Black was outstanding all night. His work in close was superb, and was at his hardworking, tireless best for the entire game.
Pav played a different game, lining up in the middle, but to his credit he stood up to the challenge and had quite a few clearances. Good game.
Essendon vs Western Bulldogs
Watson was a clear BOG. Not much can be added to what I wrote about him above - as it's quite clear he has a penchant for the older woman.
Hille was also among the best, with his big-body work around the ground and crucial marking the most impressive aspect of his game.
Stanton, whilst rusty early on - with a kick into the man on the mark resulting in a turnover goal the lowlight - he soon turned it around, swinging from defence to running goalkicker throughout the match.
Ryder was very solid. It's a joy to watch him play, as it seems he glides along as an extra midfielder despite his size. Kicked some nice goals.
Hocking was a clearance king and enjoyed the work in close.
For the Bulldogs there weren't many positives, apart from maybe Boyd who tried hard.
Melbourne vs Sydney
O'Keefe was the everywhere man. Played around the ground and was unstoppable throughout.
Moloney swung the game back in Melbourne's favour when it looked as though the Swans were going to run away with the game. His clearance work was some of the best I saw all weekend.
Goodes looked as though he was going to single handedly win the game for Sydney early on, but his influence waned as the match went on.
Trengove and Davey were of the others that were most impressive for the Dees.
West Coast vs North Melbourne
Cox smashed it, and I guess that was always a given considering North Melbourne went into the match with no real ruckmen.
Swallow was among the best for North, and carried on his form from that of last season which caught my eye.
Embley impressed me, particularly with his work up forward. Solid throughout.
Priddis played one of his best games to rival last year. Worked his way into the game and even snuck forward to do some nice work.
Joel Selwood. This is a bloke that has polled 58 votes out of a possible 82 games, or an average 0.71 votes a game - which happens to be the 2nd highest votes per game average behind Chris Judd. But the similarities between these two don't stop there, with some even comparing his ability to turn a game with that of a young Judd at West Coast when he won his first Brownlow at just the tender age of 21 in 2004.
So is 2011 the year Selwood justifies these comparisons by winning the Brownlow Medal in a similar vein to Judd, at 23 years of age? Well, at that sort of votes per game average I guess it's only a matter of time! So what lies in store for the season ahead?
The notable absence in Geelong's lineup this year is of course Gary Ablett, who moved to Gold Coast over the summer. Whilst devastating for Geelong as a whole, this however could be a godsend for the likes of Selwood, Bartel et. al. in that they will be the players that will be netting all of those votes that would otherwise be handed to Ablett if he were still playing down at the Cattery.
Last year Selwood had only two 3 vote games - one of which was in Round 6, which is of particular note, as this was the same game that Ablett missed through injury. Very interesting! Could this be a slight indicator of what's in store for the 'wood seller' in 2011 now that Ablett is no longer there?
It's quite a (albeit unwanted) feat to have polled in 12 games, and only finish with 21 votes - particularly when you consider that Judd also polled in 12 games and yet finished with 30 votes. That alone highlights how much of a detrimental influence Ablett was having on the polling ability of Selwood. For this reason I believe Selwood has the ability to poll much more than he did in 2010.
Let's play devils advocate for a moment and say the Gold Coast were to enter the competition a year earlier than anticipated, and Ablett up and left a year earlier. Had this happened i'd say Selwood's polling performance at the 2010 Brownlow would've been much different to what actually transpired in reality. Without Ablett there's a fair chance a vast majority of those 2 vote games Selwood polled in would've likely been 3 vote games, and likewise those 1 vote games would've been 2.
Having said that i'd say Selwood would've come much closer to winning the medal than what he did, which gives me more reason to think that he is a major chance at taking out the Charlie in 2011. Without Ablett to hold him back anything is possible, and with both the uncanny polling ability and history to rival that of Chris Judd, i'd say he's one of the major contenders for Season 2011.
Boyd proved to many pundits last year that he deserves to identified alongside the likes of Ablett, and Judd in being one of the premier midfielders in the game. But can he take it a step further and match their feats by winning his first Brownlow Medal in 2011?
Approaching the 2010 Brownlow Medal many were unsure as to whether or not Boyd was good enough to take out the most votes for the Western Bulldogs, particularly because he needed to outpoll that of a previous Brownlow Medallist in Adam Cooney. But as we all know, he blew everyones expectations out of the water, amassing a surprising 20 votes to finish top dog... at, well, the doggies. Ok, that was a pretty terrible attempt at a pun - i'll grab my coat...
But before I do, let me give you a run down of his performance at the 2010 Brownlow and have a look into what possibly lies ahead for Boydy in Season 2011. So just how did he topple Coondog?
Ever since Cooney won the Brownlow in 2008, the umpires have rated his performances with more critical eyes, hence the reason he has only polled a total of 11 votes over the past 2 seasons. For Boyd, on the other hand, this has meant his polling ability over the 2009-10 seasons has improved; amassing a whopping 34 votes in that time.
This vast improvement is more evident by tracing his polling performances over the past 3 seasons, where his total votes have risen from 12 (2008) to 14 (2009), and 20 (2010). Is it conceivable that he has the ability to poll more than 20 votes in 2011? That remains to be seen, but one thing that will help his cause is the fact that he is now captaining the Western Bulldogs; meaning that he will demand more attention from the umpires during games.
The only worrying sign with Boyd is that he polled in a meagre 9 out of 20 games; which equates to an average of 0.45 votes a game. However, one sole factor one must remember in regards to his polling frequency is that over the past 3 seasons this figure has improved from 6 to 9. Thus, it is quite possible that with the increased exposure - both on-field and off-field - that comes with being a club captain, one can only assume that it is more than likely he'll poll in a greater number of games for 2011.
Can he win it? I believe he can. As long as he can keep polling more 3 vote games than he does 2 and 1 vote games - as he did last year - then he'll be in with a big shot. He is definitely one to watch!
