Round 17
St Kilda hosted Essendon on Friday night and it was a chance to reinforce the gains of last week, but alas Saints turned sinners. The Bombers continued on from the week before…confirming the possibility of finals for 2017. Is Don Is Good… Is Back!
Geelong hosted Hawthorn – a classic it was… Hawks wanted to do it for Hodgey’s 300th…Cats wanted to do it for the recently deceased Dangerfield (taken out Blazing Sadles-style!) That a dead man could kick 5.6 was actually a champion’s effort, if even on one leg. Tom Mitchell proving a recruit worthy of a Brownlow, 43 stats. Menzel 3. Cats by 3. Smith’s last gasp shot went wide for a point…déjà vu.
Port Powered away from the Roadkill Roos in the 1st qtr at Adelaide Oval, continuing North’s poor form there. Port racked the cue in the 2nd qtr whilst many Joeys got game time and endeavoured to make amends for the 2 goals to 8 1st qtr. It mattered nought. After the main break Ryder, Wingard and cohorts proved too good winning by 70pts. Port’s Sam Gray 4, Roo Brown 3 and a one-handed speccy!
Collingwood travelled to Club Metricon to play in the Glenn Frey Cup cos the heat is (boom boom boom)… ON. Coach Bucks walks away with a smile. Coach Eade walks into the changeroom to give his Suns’ charges another rocket yeah! A 1pt Pies lead converted into a 15pt Pies win, impressive for the fact that the Suns had Ablett at peak, 41 stats, but Collingwood was more of a team when it mattered.
The Westies hosted the Easties and the Sydways got a good collective workout as the Swans reclaimed bragging rights over the GWS. (Duly noted on p80 in the SMH somewhere between arts and crosswords.) Be fair to say that the Giants’ beanstalk is about to come crashing down to earth, GWS were given a lesson in contested finals footy at the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Buddy 4, Papley 3.
Meanwhile in the Top End, Melbourne played Adelaide in a home game at TIO Stadium in Darwin. The only highlight for the Dees was Jaidyn Hunt’s torpedo on the 3/ 4 time siren… BLIGHTESQUE! The Crows maiden visit to Marrara led to a 46pt win and affirmation of their finals’ potential. Sponsorship $$ yes, but no joy for the Dees, despite a late 3rd qtr charge. Tex 4, Melksham, Lynch 3, Laird 34, Lewis 33.
Richmond and Brisbane butted heads at Etihad on Sunday resulting in a report of young Lion Robertson for venting frustrations on any Tiger nearby. Dusty got off the leash as the Tigers stamped an early authority before being reeled in by the Lion Cubs near 1 /2 time. 2nd half confirmed Richmond are finals bound but the Lions thru Witherden, Keays and Hipwood stuck to the task. Tigers 31pts.
Carlton hosted the Dogs and got off to a promising start on Sunday at the G before the ‘string ripped off the Package. A 5 goal 2nd qtr set up a Doggies’ return to the winners list on a cold and blustery day. A scrappy game at best saw the Bont-led Bulldogs make less errors and master the erratic conditions better. Long sleeved Lewis Young debuted in for suspended defender Easton Western. Blue Wright 3.
The last derby ever at Subiaco was on Sunday as the stands were a sea of purple, allowing a sprinkling of Eagles supporters to pierce the purple haze. Freo’s players had troubles piercing anything else, except for piercing off their fans with errant goalkicking, gifting an opportunity for their crosstown rivals to win. Freo 5.14 never enough to win. Eagles captain Hurn BOG. New Perth stadium in 2018.
Round 18
Yet again Adelaide flexed their finals-bound will in a match of the round outing against the Cats at Adelaide Oval. Geelong’s good recent record in SA came unstuck, despite Danger’s midweek resurrection. Rory Sloane, Crows new Danger, got off the chain with 3 goals and 28 stats and was ably assisted by the Crouch brothers before Brad copped a nasty facial. Harry Taylor 5, Crows home by 21.
Essendon took three qtrs to shrug off the Jumping Joeys in a game of surprising quality at Etihad on Saturday. Hooker showed how to dent the opposition with 4 goals in the last, assisted by Zach Merrett, Fantasia and Watson. At the other end, Ben Brown kicked 6, ably assisted by 4 goals from the veteran Waite. Bombers finals-bound, Roos 7 players under 10 games, all eyes to 2018. Bombers by 27pts.
Melbourne has produced some cracking footy in 2017 to show why they should make the finals. Port likewise. It was a different Dees task to curtail Port’s quality in blustery conditions, helped by Power not arriving at the G until early in the 2nd…After the 1 /2, the Dees had to go dour and defensive to suppress Port’s urgency. Ex-Dons Hibberd and Melksham is good. Boak lone hand for Port. Dees 23pts.
Up there Cazaly… that’s where the Dogs hosted the Suns at Cairns’ Cazaly Stadium. An even match for 3 qtrs saw the Dogs’ find some Premiership magic with a 6 goal last qtr to bury the Suns by 54pts. Led by Liam Picken who matched dad Billy’s best with 6, the Dogs gelled their best in a while, despite losing fave son Morris with 2 arm breaks. Ow!! Suns’ resilience shot in the last; Gotta do it without Gazza.
The boy from dog-free park in the shadows of the Caulfield Racecourse had a day out on Saturday night as the Swans took the Saints to town. Ex-Old Caulfield-Port Melb-WC Eagle, now Swan Callum Sinclair kicked 5 and gave Buddy a front row seat. He still kicked 3.4, but his teammates showed the Saints how to play finals footy. Lewis Pelican held St Nick, but Joey’s hammy went pop. Swans 42pts.
Hawthorn flew to WA knowing they had good form, even with ex-Hawks Hale and Guerra in the Freo coaches’ box. An even game saw the Hawks own it from the outset in Clarko’s 300th as a coach. A blinder from Jack Gunston saw 35 stats but redheaded Irish debutant Glass relished the night conditions. Freo listless, then gun Walters does PCL!! Not a good night for the locals. Hawks by 52pts.
The MCG’s drainage got a good workout as the Tigers battled the GWS on Sunday. What it says about both teams on the eve of the finals is interesting. The Tigers can get off to a slow start and then still catch-up and win in the rain. That’s a massive plus, Tigers by 19pts. GWS led by 20pts at qtr time and then stuttered to the end. That and Toby Greene’s temper will concern coach Leon Cameron no end.
Collingwood’s dramatic 8pt win over West Coast at Etihad says much about both teams. The Pies lose Varcoe and Moore and thereby have rotations altered and the rejuvenation of De Goey continued with the youngster kicking 4 in Moore’s absence. Maybe the Pies are better than expected and Bucks can coach. The Eagles, on the other hand, fade like flowers in the last. Finals beckon? For whom?
Carlton trekked to the Gabbatoir to take on Brisbane. Woolloongabba traffic must’ve been bad as the Lions had a 33pt lead at qtr time. This ballooned to 56pts in the 3rd before Bolton’s Baby Blues started their comeback. Leaders Zorko and Beams led the Lion charge, countered by Murphy and Docherty and young Kouta Curnow with 2. Energy spent catching up to be within 11pts faded. Lions by 30pts.
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