FEARLESS 2021: Rounds 5 and 6 double-header

Hi all, been crazy with things at present and have fallen behind with this but slowly the wheel is turning back in the right direction.

 

Round 5: Cups of varying merit

 

Maddies Match saw the Dan Butler/Jack Higgins Cup played between a Richmond side who are reigning Premiers and a St Kilda side who, after making finals 2020, could be assumed to be drinking their collective bathwater. It was as Rex Hunt used to say, ‘a destroyification’! 86 points can’t be used as anything other than Saints’ coach Brett Ratten’s rationale to bring mouthguards to training. Shit just got real at Linton Street!

 

Collingwood’s trip west to play the Eagles soon came unstuck when Lord Jordan de Goey Voldemort and Jeremy Howe went down injured. Actually, at that point, most assumed that the Pies would’ve fallen in a screaming heap. Didn’t happen and, fortunately for Bucks, the Pies fought the game out valiantly. No miracle wins, mind you, Eagles home by 27 points. Oscar Allen and Jack Darling 5, Eagle ballwinners on top.

 

The Hugh Greenwood ‘Looks like Andy Serkis Cup’ took place at Marvel when the travelling Suns got shut out by the undefeated Bulldogs and the roof. A 10 goal lead at the main break indicated that the Suns weren’t on and you  can win the second half but frankly that’s little comfort to Suns Coach Dew, who hopefully didn’t hit the buffet afterwards at the club accommodation. Dogs easy by 56 points, led by Bont, 33, 3 goals.

 

The Shane Mumford ‘Sausage eating record cup’ saw Mummy’s two NSW teams square off and forgotten Giant Josh Kelly stamped his papers as Back In Town after kicking the winner in the dying minutes. The Mango and Charcoal army went off, as did Buddy with another injury, but the Swans’ control of the game was not completed with a win. Good sides win when the chips are down. Leon’s Ferrari roared to the line.

 

The Kane Cornes ‘Everyone’s entitled to my opinion’ Cup took place at the MCG where Port managed to outclass Carlton by 28 points. Or was it Carlton managed to shoot themselves in the foot with turnovers and poor skills galore? Georgiades 3, Gray 3, Dixon, Port’s functioning forward line, Carlton’s led by the often wayward Casboult with 2. The Blues have gotta stop relying on Patty Cripps to be the answer. Kane right!

 

Everything that Essendon lost in the Joe Daniher trade to Brisbane was on display again on ‘Saturday Night at Lake Gabbatoir’. 25 touches and 2.1 in the slush was not a bad return for the Lion Daniher. Nik Cox, picked with the reward for losing their star, looks like he’ll be a good pickup too and so on it goes. The Lions mastered the slush better to record a 57 point win. Lachie Neale 38 and 2.0 back to his best. Hooker 4.

 

Adelaide hosted Freo in the McLeod/Groom Cup. History shows that the Crows got McLeod, a champion, and Freo got Groom for 7 games in 1995. Lopsided, yes, but Freo had the last laugh at the Adelaide Oval when the visitors took control of the arm wrestle with 4.5 to 3.0 in the last to record a 12 point win. Andy Brayshaw 33 and the evergreen Mundy got 28 and kicked 1. Docker Matt Taberner 4, a fine 2021 to date.

 

The Don Scott Cup at the MCG on Sunday is not an intraclub Cup. Hawks and Demons went head-to-head with the Hawks impressive in the first half, before running out of puff after that. The Dees fortunately didn’t need much after the last break just to get the job done. 8.4 to 2.0 took the winning Dees to the finish line by 50 points. The young Hawks couldn’t keep pace. The Dees’ belief grows. Langdon, Melksham 3. Lid On Please.

 

Last years Grand Finalists returned to the Cattery to host the Joeys. A fair start for the Roos and a 2.6 second quarter for the Cats took a 10 point deficit and turned it into a 6 point lead at the half. Whilst not looking convincing, the Cats managed to hold off a Roos team capable of 2.5 quarters at present. Kyron Hayden’s cannon into Danger brought the star unstuck. Roo defender McKay did well on Tomahawk but Cats prevailed by 30 points.

 

Round 6: Formlines can now be established after 6 rounds – that’s a good sample.

 

And don’t these two teams like each other!  GWS hosted the Western Bulldogs on a Friday Night in Caberra in yet another stellar piece of fixturing when Canberrans have dug their way out of the hoe to escape for the weekend. And it was actually pretty even between the two sides until the Dogies actually showed their hosts who was undefeated. BANG! 9.3 to 3.3 in the last…Dogs by 39 points. Macrae 40, Captain Toby G kicked 4.

 

And speaking of showing them who’s boss, not only did the Victorian Government not allow travelling Eagles fans into the Cattery, but the locals kicked 10.1 to 0.1 in the second. Whatever flock of Eagles supporters were sent packing to the pubs as the Cats headed to a 97 point thumping, whilst unveiling recruit Jeremy Cameron. Eagles returneth to Perth and the safety of Optus. Duncan 4 (1a Blightesque torp), Cameron 3.

 

Sydney headed to Metricon for a nice trip to all the theme parks and a LESSON in how to play hard footy by the Sunnyboys. Coach Stewie Dew was a happy man as his Suns showed him some discipline and torched the Swans. Touk Miller continued his impressive year for the Suns as did young gun Anderson and other King with 5. Journeymen Suns Holman and Corbett also starred. Josh Kennedy 42, Swan flew solo.

 

Carlton’s crime so far in 2021 is that it seems to be unable to beat sides that were Preliminary Finalists. OK, same here. Brisbane was too good, too clean with disposal and too potent up forward. Carlton lost by 18 points, not great but equally not a hanging offence. Tidy up skills, disposals and hesitancy and the Blues are then on a par perhaps. Harry McKay 6 on Harris Andrews a good start. Lion cub Robertson finds his AFL feet.

 

Richmond was supposed to tear Melbourne a new one and bring their MCG co-tenants back to earth with a thud. Only problem being that the Demons are winning last quarters and playing with confidence and belief that might’ve shrivelled in previous years. Not 2021. A 17 point half-time lead became a 34 point win over the reigning Premiers. A solid statement but the lid stays on. Tom McDonald kicks 3. Salem 39 stats.

 

Fremantle hosted the winless Roos at a crowd-free Optus Stadium. A promising start by the Roos, maybe used to the crowd noise, became a 4.5 to 1.3 second quarter. Slowly it further unravelled from there for the visitors. The home side’s class illustrated by the veteran Mundy and a potent forward setup of Taberner and Schulz led the home side to a 51 point win. Fortunately, skipper Fyfe 0.4 was wayward. Ziebell defending/leading well.

 

Launceston hosted its first game in a while when the Hawks hosted the Crows at UTas Stadium. And what an entertainer it was. High scoring and free wheeling as the Crows kicked 10.0 to take an 8 point deficit and convert it into a 25 point lead at the half. Debutant Crow Riley Thilthorpe was able to kick truly with 5 to help out Tex and big Himmelberg. That the Hawks mounted the comeback to win by 3 points. Great. Koschitzke 5.

 

Essendon wore the Anzac Day jumper and Collingwood the charcoal print as the Anzac Day game took place at the ‘G’ on Sunday. The Pies stared well, but the Bombers led at every change and won by 24 points in front of 85000 screaming nutbags. Walla 5, but Pies found Cameron and McCreery 3. Darcy Parish 42 and 2 goals a worthy BOG. The analogy between footy and war does get worn out though…Zero Comparison!

 

The Saints had potentially started the year by drinking their own bathwater, reading their own press and generally thinking that ’21 was going to be a repeat of 2020 finals appearance. Nothing like a trip to Adelaide to face Port to deflate a few egos! A 9 goal Port win illustrated the difference between being good and thinking you’re good. Ollie Wines and Karl Amon led the Power surge. O-o-o-razio and Motlop 3 goals.

 

Cheers,
PT

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