Round 17 – Sal’s Preview: Is there beauty in symmetry?

Greetings all,

 

It appears all the planets are aligned – there is almost parity in games played save for Gold Coast and Essendon to make up for the Round Zero washout.  We have a distinct set of contenders and also-rans with the top nine now two games clear of the bottom nine and those top nine all playing against the bottom nine.  That gap could easily be three games by Sunday Night.

 

With it we have seen the proponents for 9^th and 10^th to have a Play off against 8^th and 7^threspectively to keep it interesting.  Should not happen!  Gives a prize for mediocrity and 7-10 would be just making up the numbers having to win finals to claim the trophy.  We have only had two teams ever win four on the trot to be premiers.

 

 

Nice One Centurions (1%) v Libbarated (99%)

 

The Roos get to celebrate 100 years in the big league and must thank the League for putting them up for it on a five day break.  Then swamped with injuries and up against one of the better demolishers of lower ranked teams.  That is the Doggies who celebrated the Bont’s 250^th with strong win last week and will celebrate their Heart and Soul reaching that milestone this week.  Libba has been a beauty for the Dogs – tough, combative, a great leader with skills not normally associated with such an in and under player.  The Roos are dragging out dear old Dennis for the rev up – it better be a beauty otherwise the Dogs will spoil this party.

 

 

It’ll be All Wright (5%) v Steele Squared (95%)

 

Excuse the indulgence but the Blues have taken up plenty of inches and airtime so this will be no different.  First of all, a case for the defence.  2025 has been nothing but a mess from the get go.  A number of players with limited pre-seasons, prize draft pick out for the season before it began and having to deal with the external shenanigans of a wayward president.  The injuries have continued with key players missing on a regular basis, we have seen how Sydney have improved with the return of Mills, Gulden and Papley.  Then there is the indefensible.  The skill level, the lack of care for teammates, the lack of effort under duress.  The last two weeks exposed those realities which have been their all year, if fact more than this year.  Even before Voss Carlton could not restrict teams from scoring multiple goals in succession, that clearly has not been sufficiently addressed.  Who takes the lead and decides to slow the game down and stop the rot?  The inaccuracy in front of goal, the Blues are one of 5 teams batting at under 100%.  This problem though in endemic and has been at the club for many years – compare the confidence of the supporters when a Carlton player takes a set shot compared to Collingwood?  The 30 second clock just gives the Blues more time to S*#& themselves.

 

The top heavy list is not a problem if they are all playing, but when they are not the lesser lights need to have the confidence to do more.  The difference between the Pies and Blues is stark here.  They both announce their debutantes with much fanfare but that is it.  For Collingwood they are celebrated and the team goes out of their way to help them succeed, we saw the Blues announce Flynn Young last week and then start him as the sub.  Coaching has to be scrutinised as part of it all, it would appear there is a lack tactical and strategic nous within the group with all of them probably more worried about themselves over the collective (a bit like the players).  Voss should see out the season no matter what – then it needs to be back him or sack him.  Leaving a coach at Carlton with only one year on the contract will be too distracting, even if all is calm internally the media noise will be cacophony before the season begins.  Can Graham Wright be the saviour?  While he has the track record – the Blues have tried plenty of saviours and David Parkin might be the last successful one.  It must be a whole club effort and it might start this week.

 

But probably not as the Pies do bring in another debutante in Roan Steele, to try and make the win ironclad.  It’s not quite that but expect them to be to clean and efficient for Blues.

 

 

Is Dom is Good (10%) v Plugging the Leek (90%)

 

The Sam Taylor injury has given Leek Allir a good run and expose his capability to all.  A handy back up for the Giants to have.  The Giants head west to face the improving Eagles who were so good against the benchmark last week.  Clearly the guard is changing with retirement of Dom Sheed this week.  Goes into folklore with his goal in the 2018 Grand Final, a great player with sublime skills.  GWS are prone to a slip up and if they did it might squeeze the door ajar for the chasing pack – just don’t think they will as they push to get their spot in the eight.

 

 

Bad Bye (9%) v Rowell’s no Lemmens (91%)

 

While lamenting the Blues injury woes the Bombers can’t get a break, even losing players during the bye!  They host the Suns who have a couple of milestones.  Matt Rowell plays his 100^thgame while a lesser light but important cog in Sean Lemmens reaches 150.  The trip to the Loungeroom will be a challenge but one they should overcome given the personnel challenges of the opponent.

 

 

Good Bye (99.8%) v Lynch Pinned (0.02%)

 

Meanwhile the Cats were unscathed with the bye and take on the Tiggers who will be without Tom Lynch.  Not sure the penalty fitted the crime, but it did fit the potential outcome and the stupidity.  Would the umpires have treated him better if it were in the Tiger premiership years?  Cats easily.

 

 

Carrying the McCluggage (94%) v Blue Murderers (6%)

 

Port would have been under similar scrutiny to the Blues before last week’s game and they come out and responded brilliantly – their best is pretty good.  However we don’t see it often enough and will need to be their very best heading to the Gabba.  The Lions have only lost four games but three of them here.  Suspect they will be well refreshed after the bye and Hugh McCluggage and the army of midfielders will be too much for Port’s to match up against.

 

 

The Butler Did It (12%) v Mabi or Mabi Not (88%)

 

The Saints and Hawks both have three game streaks going for losses and wins respectively – will they continue.  St Kilda’s losses have all been to highly rated teams, the challenge here is that the Hawks are looking like that too.  Dan Butler reaches 150 games here, he and Jack Higgins will need to outperform Watson and Ginnivan.  Those two will be at the feet of Mabior Chol who has found his happy place at Hawthorn after not quite fitting in at the Tigers and Suns.  He plays game 100 this week in what should be another Hawk victory.

 

 

Grounds for Concern (71%) v Shainess (29%)

 

The one good thing for the SCG this week is that after the downpour the whole ground should be in poor condition not just one end!  The Swans host the Dockers with Shai Bolton reaching 150.  Sydney were very good against the Dogs but could not put them away, suspect they might get this one.  Longmuir raised concerns about the ground early in the piece.  It almost gives the players an out – nothing like under Ross where they were an “anywhere, anytime” team.

 

 

Pain in the Butts (94%) v Howes Petty (6%)

 

The return of Jordan Butts to the Adelaide defence has been a key to their improvement – being able to take responsibility for the key forward and allow the interceptors to get to work.  Up against the flailing Demons forward line I doubt their will be too much that will go wrong for them.  The Dees will take some heart from the end of their game last week but lose Howes and Petty to concussion protocols.  It removes some of the flexibility Goodwon can use to try and get a functional forward line.  Adelaide has no such issue at that end of the ground and should kick a winning score.

 

Go Blues,

 

Cheers, Sal

 

 

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