AFL Round 8 threw up some interesting results as we begin to get a clearer indication of the ladder.
Well, that may not be true as apart from the bottom four, there are plenty of spots in the top eight and just outside still to be sorted as the weeks progress.
One thing for sure is that Melbourne will not be playing finals football in 2013 but supporters can take heart from the fact that Mark Neeld’s side actually showed some passion on the weekend.
Melbourne’s fight
The Demons have been battered pillar to post thus far (apart from their win over GWS) and looked like they would be flogged by Richmond ahead of Sunday’s meeting at the MCG.
The line was over 70 points and many expected an extremely one-sided affair but the Dees dug in and made life difficult for the Tigers, vastly improving their attack on the ball and showing that they actually care about the current state of the club.
There was a lot of feeling during the match with Melbourne players persisting to take it right up to Richmond and causing plenty of frustration from within the Damien Hardwick camp.
Again led by Nathan Jones, the Demons forced their opponents onto the back foot for almost the first time this season with the likes of Dean Terlich, James Magner, Matt Jones and Aaron Davey all contributing heavily in the 34-point loss.
They may be some way away from a second victory of the 2013 season but one thing is for sure – if Melbourne can continue to play with that type of vigour and appetite – then they will increase morale around the place and make it a lot tougher for other sides to beat them.
Collingwood send a message
The Pies were set to be just another of the sides who gave flag favourites Geelong the chance to come back from a half-time deficit when they conceded eight goals and kicked just two in the third quarter on Saturday night.
It appeared as though the Cats would run away with their eighth straight triumph of the 2013 campaign until Nathan Buckley’s men showed the belief that has been absent in other close matches this year.
Losses to Fremantle (by 27 points last week), Essendon (on ANZAC Day), and Hawthorn (in Round 3) all had the Pies in a winnable position at the main break and on the weekend at the ‘G, it looked as perhaps it may occur again.
But Collingwood managed to apply the brakes to the Cats, negating them to just a single major in the last term whilst snaring four of their own to come away with a six-point win which has them now sitting eighth.
A defeat would have had them down in 12th spot – behind Gold Coast – but they fought hard to earn a deserved victory which will surely give them impetus to kick on and push for a top four finish in 2013.
Port Adelaide’s decline not so bad
We were extremely surprised by the beginning to season 2013 made by Port Adelaide.
The Power won their opening five matches – against Melbourne, GWS, Adelaide, Gold Coast and West Coast – with some questioning the merit of their victories (bar the Eagles win).
Many said they had an easy early draw but a lot of critics countered that by saying ‘you can only beat what’s in front of you’ and suggesting Ken Hinkley had done a wonderful job in having them placed in an unbeaten position.
Three weeks on and things do not look anywhere near as rosy for the Power after three straight defeats. The loss to North Melbourne in Round 6 was admirable and the defeat by 18 points to Carlton on Sunday was positive (as far as losses go).
It doesn’t look like it abates for Port, but at least they have some very winnable outings in the next month meaning they could place themselves in a position where they can have a crack at September action.
They face Geelong at home this week before the Western Bulldogs in Darwin prior to the Round 11 bye. After that it’s the Giants, which should be another lot of four points, but then follows Sydney, Collingwood, Essendon and Hawthorn.
Port might by 7-8 by Round 16, which would be a disaster after starting undefeated, but it could set them up for the final seven fixtures of which they would require about five wins to make the eight.
Nonetheless, there has been remarkable improvement at Alberton and Hinkley must be commended for the way he has turned things around to give hope to what looked like a potentially long year during the pre-season.
Elsewhere
Top-of-the-table Hawthorn did the job against the Giants with a seemingly easy win to assert their authority on the competition whilst third-placed Essendon suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Brisbane who breathed life into their season with a 10-point triumph.
The off-field problems may be starting to take their toll on the Dons who have looked a shell of themselves in the past two weeks and they will certainly be looking for a response in the Dreamtime at the ‘G clash with Richmond on Saturday.
As mentioned prior, the Tigers accounted for a much-improved Melbourne side to secure their fifth win which sees them sitting in the eight and just a win from the top four – and a loss from being outside with the rest of the pack – such is the close nature of the 2013 season.
Sydney and Fremantle were involved in the first draw of the campaign with the reigning premiers squandering a 27-point lead late in the match to a Dockers side who are still proving to be very difficult to beat despite their injury woes.
Adelaide have now strung two wins together to be sitting on the edge of the eight, eventually cruising past St Kilda, who must go on a winning run if they want to get anything out of 2013.
West Coast made it three on the trot with a last-gasp two-point reverse over the mercilessly unlucky North Melbourne who have now dropped four matches by under a goal, which could prove costly later in the season, while Gold Coast grabbed a fourth victory with a strong performance against the Doggies showing how much Guy McKenna’s side has improved in the past two years.
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