'I'd like to see that!' - Round 7, 2011 Wrap

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.*

'Night is Darkest Just Before the Dawn' - Round 6, 2011 Wrap

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.

"Rising Suns" - Round 5, 2011 Wrap

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.*

Another draw?! C'mon guys this isn't funny anymore! - Round 4, 2011 Wrap

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.*
 

"Elementary, my dear Watson." - Round 3, 2011 Wrap

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.*

Drawn Together - Round 2, 2011 Wrap

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.

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St Kilda v Richmond

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.

Flying Start! - Round 1, 2011 Wrap

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...

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ROUND 1

Carlton vs Richmond

Wow, what a game to kick off 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.