Five talking points from AFL Round 15

We’ve made it through the bye rounds, and us footy fans are thankful to have a full weekend of footy to devour.

Josh has taken a couple of weeks off and trusted me with his popular talking points column for the next three rounds.

With nine games, there is plenty to talk about. So, let’s get into it.

Score review strikes again
Apologies for bringing it up for the umpteenth time this year. The score review system was again in the news in Round 15, with some controversial decisions – and non-decisions – being made by the anonymous officials.

On Thursday night, in the dying minutes of a tight clash at Marvel Stadium, Essendon Bomber Cale Hooker hand-balled to Shaun McKernan, who ran inside 50 to boot a goal.

Or was it a goal?

GWS Giant Adam Kennedy came across to smother and appeared to get a touch on the footy, he appealed to the umpire immediately, however it was let go without a review.

It’s said every goal is looked at on the way back to the middle, regardless. I wonder how closely they looked at this one?

GWS coach Leon Cameron refused to blame the score review system in his post-match press conference, but you can’t help but wonder if Adam Kennedy is so adamant he has touched the ball, why can’t the central umpire say “let’s check it, just in case”.

In Fox Footy’s coverage after the match, Jonathon Brown called the score review system “the biggest embarrassment to the game since Meatloaf.”

As expected, Steve Hocking and Gill McLaughlin came out in support of the score review system, saying they were comfortable with the decision made at the time.

On Friday night, the score review system remained in the spotlight. Crow Elliott Himmelberg’s goal, which appeared to change direction as it brushed the post, was allowed.

Later, a left-foot snap by Geelong’s Tim Kelly was initially called a goal by goal-umpire David Rodan, however the ‘snicko’ technology in action at GMHBA Stadium said otherwise. On the way back to the centre, the call was overturned by the officials, deemed to have touched the post.

In a commentary on Friday night, Matthew Richardson said he would “love them to talk through the review,” and I have to agree. I would like to hear the officials, from their bunker, talk us through the process, as they do in the cricket. At least then us fans can appreciate what the score reviewers are looking for and how they reach their decision.

(AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Sydney ruck stocks bare
Sydney are sweating on scans of ruckman Callum Sinclair’s right shoulder, after he dislocated it a couple of times in the opening term of Saturday’s match against the Suns.

Sinclair went down very early in the piece with the initial dislocation and had the injury strapped up before heading back onto the ground to continue in the ruck for his side. It was an even start to the match and the Swans big man would have felt he had an important role to play as Sydney looked for a third win in-a-row.

At the end of the opening quarter though, Sinclair was in visible pain as trainers attempted to put the shoulder back in place for the second time. He was unable to continue and Sydney will wait for scans to confirm the extent of the injury.

Aliir Aliir went into the ruck for Sydney, but the match-up was absolutely dominated by Jarrod Witts for Gold Coast. He went on to win the hit-outs 66-26.

If the ruck stocks were already low at Sydney, they are now all but bare.

Injuries to Sam Naismith and Darcy Cameron are unfortunate for the individuals and the team, it means the Swans have few options but to go mobile with Aliir Aliir and Sam Reid taking turns in the ruck.

Naismith did not play AFL at all in 2018 after suffering a torn ACL, and had a setback requiring an arthroscopy earlier this year. The medical team say he is training well, but not match ready yet. Cameron started the year with a PCL strain and now has a quad injury.

The last man standing in the “tall” department at Sydney is mid-season draftee Michael Knoll, picked up by the Swans just a few weeks ago. John Longmire admits giving the former SANFL ruckman his debut would be a “big ask”; developing well at NEAFL level, Longmire is not convinced Knoll is ready for AFL action.

Sydney face the Essendon Bombers next, a team who will also be without their best ruck option. Tom Bellchambers suffered a calf strain in the win on Thursday night and will miss six weeks of footy.

The Swans might be okay, for next week at least.

(AAP Image/Rob Blakers)

North’s pressure punishes Pies
Brutal and ruthless. These are the words that have been used to describe North Melbourne’s effort against Collingwood on Saturday night.

It was a finals like pressure performance from the Kangaroos, but don’t mention the F-word to the interim coach (or is he?).

More scoring shots, more inside 50s and North won both clearances and contested football. It was a masterclass by North Melbourne in areas Magpies’ pride themselves on.

The only thing they didn’t win was the free kick count, an astonishing 27 to 11 the Magpies way. It was as if the Roos were playing against 21, although some have suggested there were a few witches hats dressed in Collingwood jumpers on the field.

While they won by 44 points, North Melbourne would have been disappointed with their inaccurate goal kicking and potentially should have absolutely thumped the Pies.

Ben Brown had one of his most inaccurate game, and it’s the first time North Melbourne have won a game without Ben Brown kicking a goal since round three, 2016.

Now only a game and percentage outside the top-eight, finals are a real chance, if the Kangaroos can keep up that intensity in the rounds to come!

(Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Raining Dogs’ in Adelaide
It was an old-school wet weather slog on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval and the Western Bulldogs played the conditions best for their first interstate win of the season.

Marcus Bontempelli set the benchmark early in the piece with five opening term clearances and 12 disposals, and his team followed.

Dan Houston initially started on Jack Macrae but was moved elsewhere and the Bulldogs ran riot. Macrae finished with 36 disposals and a goal and was influential in his side’s dominance in the middle.

Kicking 10 goals to Port’s five, the Bulldogs were accurate despite the wind and rain. Kicking snaps from all pockets of the ground, bombs from just inside 50, it seemed they could not miss.

Not only did the Bulldogs use the ball better, they played smart footy. Always in front of their opponents, any hack kicks landed in the Dogs’ laps and they had the cleaner disposal on a tough night for quick ball movement.

Port had no plan B for the weather, they stuck with their running game and struggled to execute the switches on half-back they love so much.

The 25,623 at the Adelaide Oval surely included the staff, security, camera crew. I was there and I can honestly say 25,000 seems a stretch, still it’s probably a decent tally given the conditions and crowd averages for Port so far this season.

You have to admire the small Bulldogs cheer squad, who sat in their red ponchos in awful conditions at the North end of Adelaide Oval. Completely open to all the wind and heavy rain, at least their side gave them plenty to cheer about.

(AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Curnow’s Blues get up
In the absence of both co-captains – Sam Docherty and Patrick Cripps – Ed Curnow stepped up and won the first battle of the day, the coin toss, in pouring rain.

A slow start for the Blues had us all fearing a blow out in the west, but they stood up in the second term and put a brilliant pressure game together, as the rain began to clear.

Dominating centre clearances and peppering their forward 50, the Blues boys kept pulling the margin in every time Fremantle would stretch it out.

Without Cripps, Marc Murphy and Sam Walsh stepped up in the midfield, pressing their side forward with every clearance.

In the second-half, Jack Silvagni moved into the midfield and matched up with Nat Fyfe at every stoppage. While he didn’t stop the Fremantle captain, he certainly put Fyfe under pressure and slowed his impact around the ground. Silvagni would have also learnt some valuable lessons from the strong midfielder.

After Charlie Curnow went down in the opening term, it was feared the Blues would struggle to bring the ball to ground inside forward 50. The young side found other ways to score and they kept hitting the scoreboard when they needed to.

Most importantly with less than 30 seconds to go in the game.

Murphy put the footy on his boot and stole the win for his side in the west. This Carlton side have life in them after the bye and could take another scalp or few before the season is out.

They also move off the bottom of the ladder!

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Everybody gets a turn

Adelaide Crows (8-6)
The Geelong hoodoo continues, but gee Adelaide should feel confident going into this next run of games. Inconsistent Port Adelaide, Gold Coast (away), Essendon, Carlton (away) and St Kilda, the Crows could almost secure a position in the top-eight with wins in all five.

Brisbane Lions (9-5)
Eric Hipwood’s five goal haul so important to Brisbane breaking this game open. Huge presence up forward in the third term, must keep it up.

Carlton Blues (3-11)
Charlie Curnow going down the only thing to sour this victory in the west, thankfully it seems only a low-grade medial strain.

Collingwood Magpies (10-4)
A couple of ugly wins and we said good work, it’s important to keep getting the four points on the board even when you don’t play well. Now an ugly loss, how much do we read into the poor form and work-rate of the Magpies to start the second half of the season?

Essendon Bombers (7-7)
Tom Bellchambers out for six weeks, but the season and John Worsfold’s coaching career are still alive thanks to Shaun McKernan and Cale Hooker, who stole the win!

Fremantle Dockers (7-6)
Cam McCarthy is a beautiful kick for goal; three today, one just touched on the line.

Geelong Cats (12-2)
Back on track at home. Surely Jordan Clark gets the Rising Star nomination this week? He does not look out of place in the classy Geelong midfield, 23 disposals and a goal on Friday night.

Gold Coast Suns (3-11)
Good news for the Suns is that prized draftee Izak Rankine got through his return NEAFL game on Saturday. Limited minutes, but a goal in the third quarter got Rankine and his teammates up and about. Might be a chance for a debut late this season.

GWS Giants (9-5) – Top four spot in jeopardy for the Giants now. Tough run to come, they need to finish off the close ones in preparation for finals.

Hawthorn Hawks (5-9) – Tough loss, but a fine effort from the younger Hawks. When do you give up on finals and play more of the kids?

Melbourne Demons (4-10) – Frustrating second-half in defence for the Demons and things got tense between Steven May and Sam Frost, who exchanged words at three-quarter-time.

North Melbourne Kangaroos (6-8)
North Melbourne have had a tough time getting big name recruits in recent years, so if they can’t pick up John Longmire or Adam Simpson, Rhyce Shaw seems worth a shot permanently. He has the support of players and is building a strong case after Saturday night’s win.

Port Adelaide Power (7-7)
Tom Rockliff had 57 touches, 14 clearances and eight inside 50s in the SANFL for the Magpies. Coming off a problematic hamstring strain, the cautious approach was perhaps best, but Port really could have used his wet-weather footy skills in on Saturday night.

Richmond Tigers (8-6)
They’ve set themselves up well for a solid run into the finals. Seven inclusions and the team gelled well, blew the margin out as well. Percentage will be a factor and they need to improve it.

St Kilda Saints (6-8)
In his third AFL game, mature-age recruit Nick Hind booted two first-half goals for the Saints. His fake and snap in the goal square put the Saints in front, early in the second term.

Sydney Swans (6-8)
You have to go back to the early rounds of this year to find a game the Swans came with a clean bill of health. Tough run with injuries hasn’t helped their cause this year.

West Coast Eagles (10-4)
After 349 days out of the game, you can’t help but smile seeing Nic Naitanui back out there and getting through unscathed. Limited game time, but 41 hit-outs and a few clearances matched his opponent Ben McEvoy.

Western Bulldogs (6-8)
He is unlikely to win the NAB Rising Star, but 23 disposals, five clearances and a whopping 14 tackles from Bailey Smith is some sort of game. The number seven draft pick is proving a powerful prospect for the Dogs, despite interrupted preparation for his first season in the AFL.