Five things we learnt from round two’s AFL action

 
David Wiseman Roar Guru

By , 6 Apr 2009 David Wiseman is a Roar Guru

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Jared Petrenko of the Crows handballs past Andrew McQualter of the Saints during the AFL Round 02 match between the Adelaide Crows and the St Kilda Saints at AAMI Stadium. Slattery Images

Jared Petrenko of the Crows handballs past Andrew McQualter of the Saints during the AFL Round 02 match between the Adelaide Crows and the St Kilda Saints at AAMI Stadium. Slattery Images

First up, St Kilda has a great defence. Last week we thought the Swans were hopeless in not scoring a goal in a half of football. But give credit to St Kilda.

In restricting the high-scoring Crows to just ten goals, they showed that they have a watertight back-six. Neil Craig went as far to compare the Saints pressurized style of football to September finals footy.

If they can keep this up, they are going to go far in 2009.

2. Reports of the Swans’ death are greatly exaggerated – again
Everyone likes to get stuck into the Swans and often it is deserved. When they are bad, they are incredibly ordinary, as was the case last week against St Kilda.

Who would have thought the team who struggled to score nine goals in a game last week would kick 22 against the reigning premiers?

Truth be told, the Hawks have struggled against Sydney in recent years, and had quite a few players out. The Swans can be an exciting free-flowing side when they let loose. Again they show they you are free to write them off, but only at your own peril.

3. The Blues are back?
The spring will be back in the step of all Blues supporters. They are 2-0, sit on top of the ladder, and are looking good. They haven’t yet played anyone who played in finals last year, but that is neither here nor there. They can only defeat who they are scheduled to face, and with Essendon this week, they are a real chance to go 3-0.

They were sensational against the Lions, particularly in the second quarter when they kicked eight goals to one. The long season has only just begun, but Carlton has started it brilliantly.

4. 0-2 teams should begin to worry
While 0-2 is in itself not the end of the world, you don’t want it to turn into 0-3. There are four win-less teams in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Fremantle and Richmond.

Hawthorn have had a tough draw and will bounce back, while nothing more was expected of Melbourne. The Dockers would want to turn it around quickly before it is another wasted season.

Essendon are nothing special. And the Dockers showed that they might be even less than that.

This was the year of deliverance for the Punt Road faithful. They now face the undefeated Western Bulldogs in what is going to be a very tough match. Fan and media pressure is only going to build.

The Tigers’ board are in a no-win situation as the noose around Terry Wallace’s neck continues to tighten. Playing the only game on Easter Monday, all eyes will again be on them.

5. Possessions don’t always mean anything
In the statistics-based day and age we live in, everyone is obsessed by numbers. The most basic of which is that more disposals are better, but this isn’t always the case.

In the opening quarter of the Port-Eagles match, Port had 86 touches to the Eagles’ 56. Yet, the Eagles kicked four goals to one. By full time, the Eagles had 19 goals to Ports’ ten, and just two more disposals.

Like everything else, moderation is important and too many disposals is counter-productive.

The Swans had 131 disposals against Hawthorn in the second quarter and kicked five goals. But in the third quarter, they had 86 and kicked eight.

Ultimately, the only thing which matters is the scoreboard. Unless you’re into fantasy football, in which case it doesn’t matter at all!

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