A simple solution for the recent bickering about last minute bad decisions costing Sydney 2 points and Fremantle 4 points - don't let it end up that way!
Sydney's Tadhg Kennelly became the second AFL player in as many weeks to call for an end to the draw in the AFL, the first being outspoken Bulldog Jason Akermanis. It followed a week of controversy in which Sydney and North Melbourne drew due to a last gasp disallowed goal, when the goal umpire (perhaps incorrectly) ruled that Brett Kirk's kick had been touched before the line by North defender Michael Firrito. Only two days earlier, Fremantle lost to Geelong by a solitary point, a match which was also marred by controversy when the umpire called back a kick in (after Joel Selwood kicked the ball out on the full) in the dying moments and lost several crucial seconds from the clock. This of course had Dockers fans up in arms over the result.
Now far be it for me to question the efforts of a professional AFL side, but when you've had 80 minutes to decide a match, and you can't get in front, why should you get another 10 to do so? And what if you lose? The losers would feel cheated, and rightly so. One of Kennelly's more interesting points was that North was down an injured player, and that the Swans were coming back, which underlines the very point that Sydney had 4 quarters to work its way in front, and could only start to do so when North had a player down, but could not even complete such an act. Does that sound like a team that deserves another 10 minutes to do so?
Akermanis' point was that football was a game of results, and that it was more fitting to end the game in with one team winning and the other losing. Football is also a game of four quarters however, and it's one where surely the most fitting result is the one where the game ends when the final siren rings? Draws are part of almost every sport. Only knockout matches need a result and rules are modified as such. The dejection that players feel after a draw is natural, but that's the way that both sides played the game. If you want to blame it on the umpires, fine, but just remember to magnify every single incorrect decision throughout the match, and see if you were as robbed as you thought you once were.
The same applies to the Fremantle match. The Dockers squandered a 39 point lead late in the second quarter to find themselves 2 in front at half time. They then messed up another comfortable buffer after a good third quarter, to lose by a solitary point. One might think that in an entire match they'd find something other than the timekeeper to blame. Even that ignores the fact that Harry Taylor had marked the ball when the siren rang, would have held the ball for the full allowed time, then proceeded to kick it as long as he could towards a large pack. The chances of a Fremantle player then getting clean possession, booting it not only as long as Taylor but getting it further and through the goals, in less time, are all incredibly unlikely. This all must happen in 9 seconds by the way.
The fact is, the draw is part of the game, and so are incorrect umpiring decisions (going both ways) and if Sydney, Freo and the Dogs don't like it, well how about not letting it happen or come down to that in the first place?
Monday, 28 April 2008
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Hawthorn are the Challengers
Experts generally want to shy away from making bold predictions after Round 5 (such as writing off Geelong twelve months ago before they won the premiership in dominant fashion), but already there seems to be two major contenders for the premiership this year. The first is obvious, the undefeated Geelong outfit that has lost 1 game since round 5 a year ago this week (in football terms). The second is another undefeated team, whose disappointing finish last year in 6th position has done nothing to douse its young guns' spirits - Hawthorn.
The Hawks are looking like a real challenger to the cats this year, as the only team not to lose to Geelong last year (they played them once in round 4 and won a thriller at Launceston) and 'Buddy mania' has swept the fan base, and indeed the football community, as their young centre half forward Lance 'Buddy' Franklin leads the goalkicking table after 7 goals against Brisbane on the weekend.
Buddy looms as a future superstar of the AFL, and Hawthorn fans will be salivating at the prospect that he may get even better - his kicking, despite 7 goals last week, can still improve, as he also kicked 4 behinds. One of the most intriguing parts of a clash that we will all have to wait until round 17 to see (when Geelong finally plays Hawthorn at the MCG on Friday Night) will be who takes Franklin, and if they can stop him. Matthew Scarlett is the Cats' number 1 stopper, and he is in form, but his lack of height may prove to be an impairment when coming up against the Hawks' 196cm goal machine, plus Scarlett spends most of his time at Full Back, so is more likely to line up on Jarryd Roughead. One thought for the cats is that All Australian centre half back Matthew Egan may return in time for the all important clash, though his fitness may not be up to standard at that stage, which could prove a major disadvantage against Franklin whose athleticism and coverage of the forward line is top notch for a man his size.
It seems as unlikely as it is likely, but the job may very well go to first year player Harry Taylor, a taller option who has been playing off half back for his first few games. Taylor appears to be readymade for the AFL, and was very unlucky to miss out against Sydney this week, a move that may very well have been motivated by Sydney full forward Barry Hall's suspension/injury forcing him out of the game.
If the cats can stop Buddy, it's likely that their midfield will be able to run over the top of the younger and more inexperienced Hawks centre men, and with Gary Ablett playing seemingly even better than his incredible 2007 season, Cameron Ling the man to stop either Luke Hodge or Sam Mitchell, it appears that if the cats can get the ball down to their forward line, their plentiful options will kick enough goals on the Hawks' less impressive (than their other players) back line.
Overall the clash will likely end up as the most anticipated of the season, with both teams firing with their free flowing and exciting game plans working wonders, and if they continue this way, we may very well see a rematch of the 1989 Grand Final in this year's edition. One thing's for sure, it would be a titanic struggle, as Victoria appears to be heading into a better era than its premiership drought between 2000 and 2007. At the very least, Buddy mania isn't going anywhere, and the star looks certain to break another drought, in the players to kick 100+ goals in a season, which some thought was gone forever.
The Hawks are looking like a real challenger to the cats this year, as the only team not to lose to Geelong last year (they played them once in round 4 and won a thriller at Launceston) and 'Buddy mania' has swept the fan base, and indeed the football community, as their young centre half forward Lance 'Buddy' Franklin leads the goalkicking table after 7 goals against Brisbane on the weekend.
Buddy looms as a future superstar of the AFL, and Hawthorn fans will be salivating at the prospect that he may get even better - his kicking, despite 7 goals last week, can still improve, as he also kicked 4 behinds. One of the most intriguing parts of a clash that we will all have to wait until round 17 to see (when Geelong finally plays Hawthorn at the MCG on Friday Night) will be who takes Franklin, and if they can stop him. Matthew Scarlett is the Cats' number 1 stopper, and he is in form, but his lack of height may prove to be an impairment when coming up against the Hawks' 196cm goal machine, plus Scarlett spends most of his time at Full Back, so is more likely to line up on Jarryd Roughead. One thought for the cats is that All Australian centre half back Matthew Egan may return in time for the all important clash, though his fitness may not be up to standard at that stage, which could prove a major disadvantage against Franklin whose athleticism and coverage of the forward line is top notch for a man his size.
It seems as unlikely as it is likely, but the job may very well go to first year player Harry Taylor, a taller option who has been playing off half back for his first few games. Taylor appears to be readymade for the AFL, and was very unlucky to miss out against Sydney this week, a move that may very well have been motivated by Sydney full forward Barry Hall's suspension/injury forcing him out of the game.
If the cats can stop Buddy, it's likely that their midfield will be able to run over the top of the younger and more inexperienced Hawks centre men, and with Gary Ablett playing seemingly even better than his incredible 2007 season, Cameron Ling the man to stop either Luke Hodge or Sam Mitchell, it appears that if the cats can get the ball down to their forward line, their plentiful options will kick enough goals on the Hawks' less impressive (than their other players) back line.
Overall the clash will likely end up as the most anticipated of the season, with both teams firing with their free flowing and exciting game plans working wonders, and if they continue this way, we may very well see a rematch of the 1989 Grand Final in this year's edition. One thing's for sure, it would be a titanic struggle, as Victoria appears to be heading into a better era than its premiership drought between 2000 and 2007. At the very least, Buddy mania isn't going anywhere, and the star looks certain to break another drought, in the players to kick 100+ goals in a season, which some thought was gone forever.
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Why Premierships aren't won in April
There are few situations teams find themselves in April that don't change before September. Top of the ladder, for example. On a winning streak perhaps? Or just hot favourites. Geelong was awesome in defeating Essendon by 99 points on Sunday at the Telstra Dome. Every time Essendon coughed the ball up, the Cats punished them immediately. The Bombers weren't necessarily playing so badly; it's just that Geelong was that good.
Indeed, the Cats are awesome, and this week are at unprecedented odds to beat bottom of the ladder Melbourne. Geelong is almost literally unbackable, at $1.01. For those who aren't adept at maths, that means that for every $100 you put in, you get $101 back out. One hundred to make just one, doesn't sound too tantalising, does it?
Now sure, Melbourne have just lost two games by an average of around 100 points, have no leadership, a fan base that seems about as interested in the club as Sunil Gavaskar is in not looking like an idiot and keeping his job, and it is playing the reigning premiers Geelong at their home ground for the first time this year, when the cats will unveil their flag for the first time in 44 years. So on face value, it does appear that Melbourne will be given a bit of a thrashing, to understate it. However, it's the confidence that has any Geelong supporter who can remember their performances before the incredible season of 2007 starting to worry.
Geelong must treat its opponents with respect, no matter how little they deserve. Time and time again we have seen upsets of high magnitude come right in the middle of a high period for one side, and a low one for the other. The cats are already hot favourites for the premiership this year, and though they deserve to be after last year's triumph, and their early season form, it must be remembered that premierships aren't won in April. You only need to ask St. Kilda fans what happened in 2004, or Port Adelaide fans what happened in 2002 and 2003, or Essendon fans what happened in 2001.
The 2000 Bombers had been even more dominant than the 2007 cats, losing one game all season, winning the preseason, minor and major premierships and annihilating all that came near them. They then lost the Grand Final to Brisbane in a huge upset the following year, despite being favourites that year to go back to back. Port on the other hand won two minor premierships in a row, but failed to even make the final hurdle, bowing out in the preliminary finals two years in a row. As for St. Kilda, who once again seem to be overrated this year after a solid preseason that sees them second favourite for the flag despite their pathetic and frankly boring game plan of slugging it out and ignoring their great forward line and midfield and the fact that they've only beaten Carlton and Sydney so far for premiership points, they won the first 10 games of 2004, released a victory pack of every single win and announced the ushering in of a new era in the club's long, proud history (which in reality is made up of a lot of wooden spoons and a single premiership by a solitary point). In less important matters, they finished 3rd that year.
A few weeks ago, Paul Roos suggested that we ban betting during the NAB Cup so he could continue to joke to his players about dropping the games. What would really help football is if we banned the whole thing until at least round 8, so that we can stop hearing the favourite tag until it is somewhat warranted.
Indeed, the Cats are awesome, and this week are at unprecedented odds to beat bottom of the ladder Melbourne. Geelong is almost literally unbackable, at $1.01. For those who aren't adept at maths, that means that for every $100 you put in, you get $101 back out. One hundred to make just one, doesn't sound too tantalising, does it?
Now sure, Melbourne have just lost two games by an average of around 100 points, have no leadership, a fan base that seems about as interested in the club as Sunil Gavaskar is in not looking like an idiot and keeping his job, and it is playing the reigning premiers Geelong at their home ground for the first time this year, when the cats will unveil their flag for the first time in 44 years. So on face value, it does appear that Melbourne will be given a bit of a thrashing, to understate it. However, it's the confidence that has any Geelong supporter who can remember their performances before the incredible season of 2007 starting to worry.
Geelong must treat its opponents with respect, no matter how little they deserve. Time and time again we have seen upsets of high magnitude come right in the middle of a high period for one side, and a low one for the other. The cats are already hot favourites for the premiership this year, and though they deserve to be after last year's triumph, and their early season form, it must be remembered that premierships aren't won in April. You only need to ask St. Kilda fans what happened in 2004, or Port Adelaide fans what happened in 2002 and 2003, or Essendon fans what happened in 2001.
The 2000 Bombers had been even more dominant than the 2007 cats, losing one game all season, winning the preseason, minor and major premierships and annihilating all that came near them. They then lost the Grand Final to Brisbane in a huge upset the following year, despite being favourites that year to go back to back. Port on the other hand won two minor premierships in a row, but failed to even make the final hurdle, bowing out in the preliminary finals two years in a row. As for St. Kilda, who once again seem to be overrated this year after a solid preseason that sees them second favourite for the flag despite their pathetic and frankly boring game plan of slugging it out and ignoring their great forward line and midfield and the fact that they've only beaten Carlton and Sydney so far for premiership points, they won the first 10 games of 2004, released a victory pack of every single win and announced the ushering in of a new era in the club's long, proud history (which in reality is made up of a lot of wooden spoons and a single premiership by a solitary point). In less important matters, they finished 3rd that year.
A few weeks ago, Paul Roos suggested that we ban betting during the NAB Cup so he could continue to joke to his players about dropping the games. What would really help football is if we banned the whole thing until at least round 8, so that we can stop hearing the favourite tag until it is somewhat warranted.
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