A round of footy with less than the full quota of games always means that the scrutiny will be extra intense on the biggest losers of the weekend. Which only leads to more and more big questions.
While one coach and club avoided the spotlight for another week, another coach fell deeper and deeper into a hole. How much is a star worth? What has happened to a grand finalist? And what are the parts that ultimately make footy good?
1. How many zeros, Ollie?
“One day I will wake up and feel like signing a contract,” was the pivotal line in a post-match interview. The Port Adelaide superstar continued to drive up his price with another masterful performance against the Bulldogs in tricky conditions.
Ollie Wines, much like the likes of Lance Franklin, Patrick Dangerfield, Dustin Martin and Josh Kelly before him, is not letting the talk and speculation about his future hinder him and is playing some career-best football in 2018.
While he has openly said he intends to stay, as the weeks go on and there still isn’t a signature, one must think that he is only driving his price up and up, just as a star of the calibre of the ones mentioned above should.
2. Will Round 17 be their biggest test?
The Eagles have proved many people wrong this year. While the Swans etched themselves as one of the teams to beat in the race towards September, West Coast didn’t necessarily lower their colours but they did leave us with a few questions, the main one again still being travel.
While they have made good use of their previous trips in 2018, gaining wins at Spotless, Etihad twice and even one at the MCG against Carlton in Round 5, the test comes against Collingwood in Round 17 at the ground where, should they get there, the grand final will be played.
It also helps that then they will come up against an opposition that will be close to the same ballpark as they are.
So while they can and will continue to bank wins and cement their credentials as the team to beat at home, the test comes in four weeks’ time when they have to show that they can on the ground that will deliver them their ultimate glory.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
3. Where is the effort?
We keep hearing of this young Carlton side who are rebuilding, have changed their age profile dramatically and reset the football club and all of those clichés that Brendon Bolton likes to reel out whenever he speaks publicly. There were countless problems with the way they played on Saturday, but the most damning question was where was the effort?
You can’t use youth as an excuse because Fremantle were younger than the Blues yesterday. It was the efforts (or lack thereof) from their senior players that set the tone for the rest of the team – especially coming off the bye – and they were non-existent. Another horrible, horrible day for Carlton which will only lead to more heat and scrutiny on everyone involved at the club.
4. Same question, different club – only this time with an answer
While one under-fire coach didn’t get it at Etihad Stadium, it was a different story up on the Gold Coast. At three-quarter time, the headlines were written and it looked to be the same old story for St Kilda, only before producing the comeback victory of the year.
While it was another capitulation and horrific last quarter for the Gold Coast, the Saints’ heart and effort saw them play the way their supporters had been craving all season. It was the win for their coach that their players simply had to produce, and did they rise to the occasion. It’s the type of fight you would come to expect from a lower-ladder side in a winnable game. Let’s hope another Victorian club in the same predicament as them takes notice.
5. What’s happening at the Crows?
If Carlton hadn’t played the way that they did, this would almost certainly be the biggest story in football. The runners-up from last year, a team who most people had tipped to go one better this time around, have lost five in a row and their chances of making the finals continue to take hits with every passing week. But there is more to it than that.
Reports of players wanting out, their injury crisis, along with the lingering effects of their well-publicised pre-season camp and all its fallout, serious questions are being asked of and about this club… there’s lots going on in Adelaide.
While they pray to get their players back as quickly as possible, their run after the bye could prove to be the most crucial period of their season yet. Who knows how big the damage would be if they do indeed miss the finals?
(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
6. Can low-scoring footy be good footy?
In short, yes. The only problem is the game has to be contested by two very, very good teams – of which it seems there aren’t that many of this current season.
Before the Tigers did what they do to most teams and put them away in their trademark 20-minute burst, it was a low scoring, pressurised slog which at times was congested because that is what the conditions allowed the game to be, but at times it was free-flowing, end-to-end football against the Cats. It was great to watch.
Eventually, someone will come up with a gameplan to counter Richmond’s highly pressurized approach – which some clubs are on their way to doing. But the AFL don’t need to go overboard changing the rules because the game will continually evolve.
Oh and just by the way, good luck going with the Tigers for four quarters at the MCG. That’s what you’re going to have to do to win it this year.
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At least one of these was surely worth a second look!
The star forward hit his head on the ground after a heavy fall, but was allowed to stay on the field.
Doesn't sound like they were overly happy!
The old hand to the ear from Kenny!
