AFL Round 11 musings

 
David Wiseman Roar Guru

By , 8 Jun 2009 David Wiseman is a Roar Guru

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St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke celebrate a goal during the AFL Women's Round 11 match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the St Kilda Saints at the Docklands Stadium. Slattery Images

St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke celebrate a goal during the AFL Women's Round 11 match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the St Kilda Saints at the Docklands Stadium. Slattery Images

Usually, I write a list of Top 5 things learnt from the latest AFL round. With St Kilda and Geelong virtually lapping the field, there is becoming less and less to write about. They both have won 11 on the trot and share a four game lead over the third-placed Western Bulldogs.

Sure anything can happen, but it would be one of the biggest upsets in history if come the last Saturday in September, these two aren’t contesting the Grand Final.

Yes, if Rafael Nadal can get eliminated from the French Open in the fourth round anything is impossible, but it would require something special for the Cats and Saints not to be contesting the Premiership decider they both seem destined to be heading towards.

Up until this point there is a distinct lack of drama with the season; sure there have been some fantastic matches but what is winning a Round 8 thriller worth? We struggled to remember these types of games in the days before we had Facebook and Twitter.

There is a certain monotony regarding the outcomes of the Cats, Saints, Tigers and Demons. If they are all playing different teams, they only leaves four other matches in the round where the outcome isn’t a foregone conclusion.

Throw in the interstate sides who notwithstanding the Crows are consistently inconsistent as far their form goes in regards to playing at home and playing away and you have a recipe for predictability.

The Bulldogs deserve their place in the top four. Two of their four losses were to St Kilda and Geelong. Carlton, Hawthorn and Lions all deserve their place in the top eight. Of all the other sides, they have clearly shown they have something. As for the rest, they are good one week and woeful the next. They just don’t have the ability to play quality football consistently.

Contrast this to the Saints and Cats who make it all look so simple. They can’t do anything but keep winning and with their confidence as high as it is, the few times they have been challenged, they were able to kick it into an extra gear and shake them off.

There is still plenty of time in the season for a team to surge or flounder, but history has showed us that by this time of year, the premiership team has already displayed its true colours. Given that, you would think only one Grand Final combination is possible.

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