AFL Round 13 musings
Roar Guru
By David Wiseman, 29 Jun 2009 David Wiseman is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- AFL, Paul Roos, Sydney Swans
Darren Jolly, Adam Goodes, Barry Hall and Michael O’Loughlin of the Swans after the loss in the AFL Round 13 match between the Adelaide Crows and the Sydney Swans at AAMI Stadium. Slattery Images
Sydney continue to unravel. To borrow a line from Paul Keating, this could be the slump that the Swans have to have. The successful era which began with Paul Roos’ appointment, looks just about dead and buried.
All the gloom and doom merchants should move on – this is a time of celebration. This was one of the Swans’ most successful periods and the glass should be viewed as 95% full. No club in any sport (except Scottish football) perennially stays at the top – not even the New York Yankees. It will be back
Carlton Get the Blues
Carlton is at a different stage to the Swans in its life cycle. It is supposed to be on an upwards climb, although this wouldn’t have been evident by Friday night’s drubbing from the hands of Essendon. On a night in which it was meant to stand firm – it fell in a heap. 13.5 to 2.6 in the second half didn’t give Blues’ fans much to be happy about. It is still in the top 8 but something has to give in the second half of the season if the Blues are going to be the contenders they deem themselves to be.
Hawks Wings Clipped
At 6-7 Hawthorn are not where it would like to be. Its Premiership defence isn’t on the sturdiest of ground. It plays the Western Bulldogs, Collingwood and Geelong in three of its next four matches and could lose all three of those. In 1999, the Crows finished in 13th spot after back to back flags the two previous years. Hawthorn isn’t there yet, but anything short of making it to the finals would be considered to be a debacle.
Tank you Very Much
Sydney currently sit in 11th spot on five wins. Will it and everyone else underneath it begin the yearly ritual of tanking? For the uninitiated, what typically happens is that the clubs and the AFL vehemently denies this takes place despite all indications to the contrary. The only club who is immune from the allegations is Fremantle – who really knows if the Dockers tank? It’s hard to tell, given how they play the whole year round.
It’s On
Ever wondered what a Grand Final in July would feel like? Wonder no more…the undefeated St Kilda and Geelong finally meet in this 2009 season. Should be quite a week!
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Redb said | June 29th 2009 @ 6:32am | Report comment
Highlights from Round 13.
Essendon’s emphatic win over Carlton has brought much joy to this Bomber fan. Sitting amongst the 83,000 fans at the G was fantastic. The Bombers broke open the game in the 3rd qtr with fast attacking relentless football – Essendon’s pressure was fantastic, literally had the Blues jumping, hurding them deep back into their defence. Some of Essendon’s goals were simply ‘special’.
An enjoyable game in the west with Nick Natinaui starring in the last qtr for West Coast against the Hawks. When Nick was at the AIS he was considered one of the fastest in terms of reflexes to have ever been tested. His quick hands saw several smothers which turned into goals, the way he swooped the ball off the round at full speed at 190+cm was amazing. – what an athlete!
Swannies downed by a resurgent Adelaide. i like the Crows forward structure some young guns emerging.
Cats and Saints game looms – both teams undefeateds after 13 rounds – this has never happened in 110 years of VFL/AFL seasons. 3pm next Sunday I wont be anywhere else but in front of the TV.
just as vital for Dons or pies fans is Fridays blockbuster at the G, crowd will be 80,000 plus, this game will be awesome.
Final note: Blues fans – suffer in ya jocks.
Redb
Pippinu said | June 29th 2009 @ 11:17am | Report comment
David
no special mention for Nic Naitanui’s effort in winning a tight one off his own boot against the reigning premiers in only his 2nd game?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rgrjbpukzI
WA said | June 29th 2009 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
Note on Cats v Saints being undefeated: It’s a compromised draw this year which is one reason it hasn’t happened before.
Nick Nat: Keep your feet on the ground. Don’t listen to the fans. You only had 3 kicks for the match.
Redb – *cough* 1999 *cough*
ren said | June 29th 2009 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
natanui is without doubt a freakish talent as evident on saturday night, however he has only produced one qtr of brilliance in his two games. prehaps i am (and others) are expecting to much of him. however he has been the same at swan districts where he plays patchy football. until he develops a real football brain (which can only come from more experience) he will continue to have problems staying in the game. all that said he is still an exciting player to watch. he had one of my housemates running around the house screaming natanuiiiiiiiii natanuiiiiii, all this from a 21yr old albeit one under the influence (my housemate, not natanui) so no doubt he has the skill, talent and athleticism to excite, all that is needed now is a better football brain, and also a haircut
Michael C said | June 29th 2009 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
He’s only a kid!!!
(Heck, so too Lance Franklin is not much more than a kid.)Even Wayne Carey didn’t really start to produce week in week out until ’93 when he was 22 going on 23 (although he’d already done his shoulder a couple of times by then….ah, if only Carey had been able to mark overhead,….how good would he have been??).
For now, let the kid show glimpses and just hope that Cox can stand up so Naitanui can just come along gradually.
That said, his closing speed as a tall forward was amazing, and that reach that he then had to get a hand on a couple of attempted disposals that he was able to mop up……amazing capacity for 2nd and 3rd efforts (i.e. the chase, the smother, the pick up and the disposal – goal). For a 6ft6 – it’s ‘scary’. Obviously for now though, his endurance isn’t there.
And look at G.Ablett (jnr) as an example of a ‘great’ now, who spent his first 2 years mostly as a small forward as he built up his fitness base over a couple of seasons (inclusive of pre-seasons).
Pippinu said | June 29th 2009 @ 2:10pm | Report comment
Yes – agree with MC – he’s just a kid (albeit, a very tall one with a good turn of pace).
It’s easy to dismiss him on the basis of just one quarter out of eight, or just three kicks (one off the ground), or the fact that all three goals bordered on arsey (no doubt about it); but:
1. the game was there to be won against the Premier, who were fighting for their season, and he’s the one who put his hand up when there were plenty more around him much more experienced;
2. that a 201 cm bloke could handle the ball and turn like that in sogging wet conditions was pretty damn good;
3. the pace he showed for that 3rd goal when he foolishly tried to bounce it was quite incredible; and
4. he just looks the goods, pure and simple.
Redb said | June 29th 2009 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
WA,
demons of ’99 exorcised on Friday night. 10 goal wins are great therapy – especially when you read, hear and see the obvious pain all Carlton fans feel after that game.
Our work here is done, Carlton are officially Essendon’s bitch – we own the Blues.
Redb
Michael C said | June 29th 2009 @ 9:12pm | Report comment
Redb -
and once again, the value of beating the hated rival can make a season all worthwhile irrespective of making finals or not…..
btw – are you going on Friday night??
- – - -
btw – went to the ‘G on Sunday, and the Roos were actually not too bad – - really only lost because of A. inaccuaracy and B. gifting the doggies about 3 or 4 goals by doing pi$$ant little hand balls and chip kicks across the defensive goal instead of just roosting it down the line…….eventually someone will teach his players to pump a 60m torp down the line to a contest rather than creating one in the defensive goal square………..Pip – - – you gotta admit, the Doggies were lucky, they played crap.
ps – loving Grima and Thompson up back – - I love it, sub 10 game players in key defensive posts who look like they were born to defend rather than being failed forwards.
hazey.the.bear said | June 30th 2009 @ 6:58am | Report comment
I think that there’s a lot of common sense needed with Nic Natanui. I agree he did some freakish things, but he is still a kid trying to develop, and it was only one quarter of football. Well done to the boy and I hope he continues to show this kind of promise, but I think the fans need to be very careful. West Coast fans have a rep for making cult heroes where they probably shouldn’t (Quentin Lynch, anyone?), and I think he needs to develop both physically and with experience before we start granting him superstar status.
Having said that, what a win by the Eagles (I don’t think West Coast are tanking, at least not yet)!!! I also think that the younger Selwood boy played out of his skin – an aspect of the game that was overshadowed by Nic’s heroics…
Redb said | June 30th 2009 @ 7:52am | Report comment
MC,
Can’t make Friday night due to prior commitments, will be a cracker for sure. I think we’ll need to be on our game to beat the Pies and must stop Didak and Davis. Our best option is let the Pies have a 2-3 goal lead well into the final quarter and then run over the top of them in the last 5 minutes.
The Carlton win was hugely satisfying on many level not at least of which to recognise that Essendon is not that far behind the Blues in our quest for 17. We may now be level pegging to get the holy grail.
Hazey the Bear,
Really enjoyed the Hawks v Eagles game and wanted the Eagles to win. your ae correct in pioting out Nic Nat’s inexperience and the pressure that will be applied. Congrats to Woosha for trying him up forward, I think he surprised in a forward role. Naitinui doesn’t have to find the ball as much so his football smarts (probably the biggest area for development) are not as mandatory, but his height combined with his athleticism and obvious ball handling skills he will be a handful for any defender to cover.
Cult hero for sure, If I was a West Coast fan I’d own one of those dreadlock footy hats already.
Redb