Luke Beveridge looks set to deliver a winter blockbuster. The new footy romance is here.
New on the captaincy scene, Robert Murphy has become a star, while Liam Picken looks like he could be something special.
The last time the AFL saw an enthralling romance was when Ken Hinkley unearthed talent at Port Adelaide, especially (at the time) in Chad Wingard and Travis Boak.
Port Adelaide was in crisis at the end of 2012, John McCarthy passed away, Matthew Primus’ contract was not renewed and president Brett Duncanson had resigned. They looked set to be cellar dwellers for years to come.
Footscray also painted a picture of a basket case post the 2014 season. Brendan McCartney resigned while captain Ryan Griffen left to join Greater Western Sydney in exchange for budding forward Tom Boyd. Experienced Brownlow medalist Adam Cooney also left the club. Even before Round 1, reigning Charles Sutton medalist Tom Libatore went down with a season ending knee injury.
After six rounds in 2013 Port Adelaide were 5-1, disposing of Melbourne, GWS, Adelaide, Gold Coast and West Coast. North Melbourne were the only side to defeat them.
The Western Bulldogs are 4-2 after six rounds of the 2015 season. Beveridge’s men have taken down opponents held in higher regard compared to the clubs Port Adelaide defeated in 2013. The Bulldogs have had the better of West Coast, Richmond, Adelaide and Sydney. Hawthorn and St Kilda are the two teams which have been able to collect four points against the Bulldogs thus far.
The Western Bulldogs have gone from a contested possession-based team to a fast and blitzing side. When the Dogs break lines, it is thrilling and epitomises what ‘champagne footy’ is when their ball movement results in a goal.
Ken Hinkley’s team’s electrifying ball movement has become standard ever since they have made back-to-back finals series. Their style of play is still exciting to watch even though Hinkley has rarely tinkered with his game plan in the last two years.
‘Bob’ Murphy has replicated Travis Boak when it comes to stepping up to the leadership plate. In 2013, once Boak had taken the reigns of captaincy, his disposals per game average went up by two from his 2012 average. So far this season, Murphy’s disposals average has improved too.
Marcus Bontempelli is currently a carbon copy of the 2013 version of Chad Wingard, form wise. Bontempelli is averaging All-Australian numbers and if he retains his current lofty standards he may end up where Wingard was at the end of 2013, in the forward-line of the All Australian team.
With a young winning team, Luke Beveridge has the correct attitude when addressing his side’s current form. “We just want to take it as far as we can,” Beveridge stated after his team’s four-point win over premiership favourites Sydney Swans last weekend.
It was reminiscent of Ken Hinkley’s mantra in 2013 of “no limits” when his team defeated West Coast by five points after being 41 points down. At the time, the Eagles were tipped to go deep into September. The 46-point turn around made Power’s record five wins from five rounds in 2013.
It will be a litmus test for the Western Bulldogs to see how far from the best they are when they meet Port Adelaide in Round 10 at Adelaide Oval under lights.
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