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Five things we learned from Round 3

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Roar Rookie
22nd June, 2020
43

What a weekend of football. Carlton and Gold Coast secured impressive wins, Collingwood stifled another opposition, while we again were reminded that teams underestimate Alastair Clarkson and the Hawks at their peril.

The West Coast and Richmond continue to splutter along, Adelaide are on the verge of imploding and their cross-town rivals Port Adelaide are sitting pretty at the summit.

There are plenty of storylines this week. Here is what we learnt from Round 3.

1. Carlton and Teague showed what they are about
The Blues have played only three bad quarters of football this season, both opening quarters in Round 1 and 2 and the last quarter on Saturday night.

Aside from those mishaps the Blues have played some exciting football this season. Mitch McGovern showed the ability we all know he has; big Levi Casboult has one of the best sets of hands in the competition and they played with confidence against the Cats, who simply could not handle what Carlton threw at them for three quarters. A great result for the Blues but it is one they must now build upon.

2. The hype surrounding Gold Coast is real
If we thought last week’s result against the West Coast was impressive, then what the Suns did to Adelaide was simply disrespectful.

Holding the Crows to a single goal through three quarters and hunted them at every opportunity. Touk Miller led the way for the Suns with 26 disposals and young gun Matt Rowell continued to impress with two goals and 20 touches while Ben King showed he is going to be a future star with three on Daniel Talia.

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It is hard not to like the Suns now, but I will be holding my judgement until they can do this away from Metricon.

Matthew Rowell of Gold Coast Suns celebrates

(Photo by Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

3. Collingwood’s defence is elite
This has possibly flown under the radar giving what is happening to Adelaide and the Suns but make no mistake, the Pies’ defence is the real deal.

In the opening three rounds Collingwood have held the Western Bulldogs (34) Richmond (36) and St Kilda (37) all to seriously low scores and only allowing five goals a match. Led my Jeremy Howe, Darcy Moore, and Jordan Roughead this Pies back six is seriously talented.

4. Adelaide are an absolute shambles
Stating the obvious here, but what they dished up on Sunday afternoon on at Metricon was nothing short of embarrassing.

After the week they had off the field, with all the shots the club had taken, Matthew Nicks needed his players to make a statement and they did, just the wrong one. They did not give a yelp at all, their so-called senior players were taught a lesson in effort and endeavour by kids and when the physical pressure came, they crumbled.

It was a horror day for the club and their issues need fixing and quickly.

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5. Richmond and West Coast are stuttering
The last two weeks the Tigers have been kept under 40 points, something that with the firepower up forward would be deemed impossible, but that is what has happened. Richmond do not look like themselves, stagnate ball movement and low scoring, something is up at Punt Road.

Is the lack of crowd a reason? Or have teams finally figured out a way to play them? This is the Tigers remember so do not write them off yet.

For the West Coast, the Queensland hub cannot end soon enough. A beating at the hands of the youthful Suns and then a five-goal loss to Brisbane who in fairness kicked away in the final minutes of the game, so the score line is somewhat unfair to them.

With the 3-0 Power up next its time to knuckle down get back on the winners list for Adam Simpson’s men or risk falling behind on the finals race.

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