As Geoff Toovey would say, “there’s got to be an investigation into this”.
There’s got to be an investigation into how the GWS Giants could meekly capitulate against Richmond in a match many believe they were a good chance of winning. They had the week off and had players coming back.
But what unfolded on a bright Saturday afternoon in front of just over 8,000 fans at Spotless Stadium would turn out to be the most uncompetitive effort of the year by any team, anywhere, anytime.
Never in the modern history of AFL football has any team put in such an uncompetitive four-quarter effort of football like the Giants in their 113-point mauling against an equally-under-fire Richmond side on Saturday afternoon at Spotless Stadium.
Although it was 73 points less, it rates even worse than the 186-point thrashing Melbourne copped from Geelong 34 months ago.
The club has acknowledged that they were uncompetitive and let their fans down in an open letter that was written by their CEO, Dave Matthews. The club deserves credit for ‘fessing up, but that’s all the Giants deserve credit for.
Coach Leon Cameron could also come under fire. Although this is only his first season coaching the youngest side in the competition, it’s clear his time at the club may not last very long.
The coach must be feeling the heat as to why he chose Jeremy Cameron, last year’s All-Australian forward, to start in defence.
Clearly it was a wrong move. Cameron had little impact coming back from a perforated eardrum which prevented him from making the long flight to Perth two rounds ago.
Shane Mumford also had little impact.
The loss in Perth was the Giants’ first real uncompetitive effort of the season, and was the culmination of a tough road trip around the country which also included playing two matches at their secondary home in Canberra on either side of back-to-back trips to Adelaide and the Gold Coast.
It could get worse on Sunday when the Giants play Hawthorn at the MCG.
The Giants have not yet won a match outside the borders of New South Wales. They don’t look like breaking that drought soon.
Their last meeting with the Hawks at the home of football was an ugly one, too. The eventual minor premiers spanked the eventual wooden spooners to the tune of 162 points. The Giants kicked just 4.7 (31).
Many thought the Giants would improve in 2014. They already have two wins for the year, doubling their one-win effort from 2013 and matching their 2012 tally.
The Giants must be lucky that the Brisbane Lions did not play on the weekend. The triple premiers from 2001-3 are the only club that are keeping the Giants off the foot of the ladder, with only one victory for the season.
If this is anything to go by, their June 14 showdown at the Gabba could decide who claims the wooden spoon for the year. Two decades after the Sydney Swans finished last three times between 1992 and 1994, the Giants are staring down the barrel of becoming three-peat wooden spooners.
If anything, the Giants must learn from how the Swans emerged from the dark days of 1992-4, though most of the squad will be too young to even remember what happened then. They must also learn from what the Suns, who entered the AFL twelve months before they did, are currently achieving this year.
They currently sit third on the ladder, one place ahead of last year’s premiers, Hawthorn, who are the most recent club to beat the Suns (by 99 points in Round 4). If they can keep up their excellent form this season, then finals will be a formality for the fourth-year club.
But for now, it will be a long way away before the Giants start experiencing long-term success, and if the big losses continue to head their way, then the AFL’s latest expansion project will be doomed to fail.
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Last, year in the second showdown, Adelaide destroyed Port by 47 points with a staggering 20 marks inside 50 with Tex Walker the main star.
There’s no disputing that Cam Guthrie will be important against Melbourne, given Patrick Dangerfield is set to miss due to injury.
Collingwood led by a point with minutes to go, Kyle Langford had the chance to be the hero with a set shot, however, he missed, and we saw the first draw of the season.
We’re taking a look at one player from each team that needs to make a difference this week, starting with the ANZAC Day games.
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