Saturday it is maggot duty time. First up I am umpiring the Adelaide University FC team in C 5 called the bastards where the bastards got up 22 goals to one only a shocking error by Tyro saving every one from the old pants down horror show. The bastards immediately were backed in heavily for the flag (that’s worth some clicks and comments). After sampling the sensational Rosewater canteen, it is off to Glenunga to umpire The Scum during the travels the Crows game commences and its during this time unable to watch and also a pessimist at heart that when the Crows are struggling big time early in the game.
I sledge them in the game post on the Crows forum Facebook page. A very funny thread by Dustin Finch after the game results in myself being bagged mercilessly. I take my dose of well deserved medicine and admit I got what I deserved (well done, Dustin) now umpiring at Glenunga where the combined age of the umpires was 138 years old (yep, you read correctly.) Boy (yes, that is his name) is still going strong at 84 years of age and as the Ad Uni Scum coach, Tony Lawrence remarked, “Hey Book, you can’t keep up with a 84 year old.” Harsh but fair.
The Scum also home easily made for a easy day of maggot duties. A highlight for SDA readers was Alex Chimp Martinson going down with cramp like he had been shot. I am able to get the odd score update and am overjoyed to find the Crows have got home convincingly in the end.
How good is listening to the radio summary while driving home to watch the replay so you can watch the replay relaxed knowing the good guys have won and broken the hoodoo against the Hawks? Which seems to have been from when Adam and Eve were sharing apples. (Seriously while it is disappointing the game wasn’t on free to air TV, the fact is the obscene amount of money Foxtel pays back rolls the game. The people I feel for are in nursing homes or unable to get to a pub or a mate’s house to watch.)
Hawthorn are sharp early using the footy by precision with their small forwards in Breust and Paupolo providing the problems; as they have done in so many other Crows v Hawks encounters. At quarter time it is the Hawks by 4 goals.
The Crows regrouped after quarter time and despite losing Josh Jenkins to a rib injury where he was forced to spend the night in hospital, we wait and see how long the important and mobile big man will be out for. In his absence, Sauce Jacobs stepped up and played a blinder with his pack marking a feature. While Alistair Clarkson has been a brilliant coach, I find it bizarre re: Sam Mitchell and recruiting Tyrone Vickery. The latter has some natural ability but just has no footy smarts whatsoever and does things which players have normally worked out by under 12s. That’s not the way to go I think he is uncoachable and Clarkson’s ego got in the way re the decision to recruit him, Sauce towelled Vickery and big boy McEvoy up.
The returning Andy Otten forced by the injury to Jenkins to move forward helped Sauce. Otten is the success story so far of season 2017 returning after 2 knee recos having played SANFL in 2016, it is a remarkable display of resilience to fight back after 3 odd years from not playing an AFL game. I thought the pace may have passed him by but he has been pleasantly surprising and highlights how important a footy brain is.
At half time the Crows are down by 13 pts but have got the game back on there terms denying the Hawks the space to get there foot precision game flowing again and again yet for some missed goals would be closer.
A highlight of the 1st half was Poppy’s hanger (I preferred his hangers in the redleg colours!). I have enormous respect for Paul Puopolo his work ethic, determination and want to improve. He deserves all the success which has come his way well apart from the BIZARRE free kick which he was granted in the 3 quarter, just wow! As a umpire, I am consistently bedazzled by there positioning, coaching and instructions and idiocy by the rules committee this decision was horrendous as was Leigh Mathews agreeing with it. Leigh, to quote Mark Williams you were WRONG.
The game was enriched as always by some Eddie Betts magic, first by his dummy round Frawley on the mark. It was just like Eddy Hocking in the old days and then some sublime magic, Andy Otten marks on a acute angle and gives off to Betts on the boundary line and the master duly delivers with a outrageous right foot checkside.
At lemons time, the Crows are up by 4 points. The Crows runners in Rory Atkins, Riley Knight and David MacKay light up in the last quarter, where the Crow supporters wipping boy D Mac threw gut running kicks his 2nd goal of the quarter and 3rd of the game and the hoodoo is finally over!
The Crows had more consistent contributors overall. Returning skipper Tex Walker, the connector Tom Lynch again influential with 31 touches. Matt Crouch important in the clinches, Rory Sloane for his kamitaze attack on the footy and his remarkable 16 tackles. Daniel Talia leading the defence while Rory Laird was important. It was close to all played well although I maintain Jake Lever should have played. He hasn’t got an issue of consistent soft tissue injuries, he is very good now and poised to enter the elite players of the game. He is a must for next week.
The key stat and most influential re: the result was the Crows taking 22 contested marks to 6. The pack marks were huge; it was almost a return to a bygone era. For Hawthorn 4 quarter contributors are harder to find recruit. Tom Mitchell was very good, Breust and Poppy always looked dangerous, Shiels was reasonable. While O’Meara was better; his stats flattered him. He didn’t hurt the Crows enough. Ryan Burton showed class and composure, geez I wish he was a Crow.
So the good guys win the opening 2 games of the season and are looking a force to be reckoned with in 2017.
Footnote I wish to record my disgust with Channel 7 coverage of the game between Brisbane and Essendon Saturday night this garbage that the Essendon returning players are heroes is a DISGRACE. Roughhead, Raminauskas, McCartney: they are football HEROES. NOT players returning from a drug suspension, that is is insulting and disgraceful!
Go The Crows!
Adelaide 16-17-113 def Hawthorn 13-11-89
Goal Kickers
Adelaide: Betts 3, MacKay 3, Walker 2, Lynch, Cameron, Atkins, McGovern, Otten, Jacobs, Sloane, Brown 1.
Hawthorn: Breust 4,Puopolo 3, Roughhead 2, Shiels, Rioli, Vickery, Mitchell.
BPs
Adelaide: Jacobs, Sloane, Lynch, MacKay, Smith, M Crouch, Betts, Cameron, Walker, Talia.
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Puopolo, Shiels, O Meara.
Malarkey Medal Votes
Jacobs (Ad) 3, Sloane (Ad) 2, Mitchell (H) 1.
Crowd 37,420.
Umpires: Margetts, Nicholls, Mitchell.
Love it when you write angry, Rulebook. But at the same time, it makes me hope I never get on your wrong side!
I can’t help but feel a little bit of love for the Bombers at the moment, and that’s pretty bizarre, seeing that I hate them as much as anything. I reckon some of them boys were caught up in peer pressure and that makes part of the sordid saga, tragic.
Outstanding Malcolm – your best yet. This one has everything. Love the Blacks’ references of course, and agree re: Poppy – what a star in so many ways. His last GF for Norwood (a narrow loss) showed his class and courage; and although I didn’t hear the commentary, to refer to these guys as ‘heroes’ indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the issues. Resilient yes, dedicated certainly, but not heroes.
Enjoyed the read Malcolm.
However it seems very wrong that a team called the bastards would be playing at a sweet sounding rose petal oval.
Clarkson out coached Pike in the first half. Hawthorn used the breeze well with an open forward line and glogged the Crows forward line up with extra numbers. Hawthorn pressured the Crows well, contributing to a lot of errors by foot, especially from out backmen.
The turning point in the game though was the corky to Hawthorn’s best run and carry man Isaac Smith. Until injured he had advanced the ball 341m. Without his run and carry and no more Brad Hill Hawthorn became reactive rather than proactive. The Crows did beat Hawthorn for the first time in a while but it was a depleted Hawthorn (no Sam Mitchell or Lewis, an underdone Hodge and a shaky Burgone). Hawthorn is now in a re-building phase. Nothing to get too carried away about.
The Crows backline is still very fragile. The kicking skills of Talia, Hartigan and Kelly need to sharpen up. Nevertheless a confidence winning boost away from home.
Stabbed first and now shot while with AUFC. Dangerous footy club.
As with you Ruley, my commitments with the mighty Scum precluded me from watching the Crows live but it was enjoyable to watch the replay later in a relaxed manner. Whilst the Hawks were good for a quarter,certainly the change in game plan by the Crows to simplify their game, go long to the tall targets quickly to get them one out where possible was an absolute winner. The extra speed of Cameron, Milera and Mackay certainly helped to get the four points. Disagree with Steve about the backline being fragile, with Talia, Laird and Brown very consistent, Hardigan improving every week and the young Kelly learning the game to probably be replaced by Lever, I think makes them very solid without being spectacular. I’ll take solid every week.
Overall, a great start to the year Crows, almost as good as the Scum!!
Good write up Mal.
The crows look mentally stronger and fitter the way are finishing games so far.
A few chinks to fix, but they are looking good.
Forget the last paragraph mate, totally different subject..
Love it book! could be the year of the double! the crows and the bastards!!
loved Mackay’s games in the last too weeks, with him, the rat and jets cameron we look fast on the outside for the first time in a long time
First I want to wish Josh Jenkins all the best and glad it doesn`t appear to be as bad as first thought although they haven`t come out and said exactly what happened.
Crows please start better next week. Coach wake em up earlier because they certainly were asleep in the 1st quarter.
At first I felt sorry for the Essendon players that they had to do as the club said but then found some refused the injections until they were given what was in it to see if it was OK with other stuff they were talking. I do still feel a little sorry for the new fellows as I`m sure they didn`t want to upset their start into footy.
Thanks mate another great report and boy were you ever busy yesterday.
A good win, a good write up, and I will repeat two of my comments from last week. Mackay still has a lot to give, not the star of the show, but just keeps on keeping on . Like you , I also said that Andy Ottens was a the come back kid, and hats off to him , and the club for persevering with him and his injury, they are going to be be glad they did. I think he is just going to get better and better .
What more can I say about Sauce than you already have, he was Mr Everywhere , and at the right times, and he made it seem effortless, just love that man .
As for that “in the back” that absolutely everyone except a one eyed Hawthorn supporter knows was so WRONG, thats one field umpire I hope gets to sit on the bench until he understands that rule. These are the heartbreak decisions that can cost a team a game , bad enough in the midfield, but in the 50 metre square , its an outrage .
I’m also wondering if , given that you haven’t talked about it, that maybe I’m the only person who cannot get their head around the true interpretation of holding the ball, I know its the discretion of the umpire , but pretty sure the variety of interpretations are so varied , I surely can’t be the only confused spectator .
Great to break that Hawthorn voodoo, and after a rather shaky start, great to see that turn into self belief which always brings out the best , and more than anything , I really liked that the boys turned the game away from the Hawthorns style and game plan , into their own game, and their own way .
I’ll forgive you for pinching my Eddie Hocking line ‘Book, even if yours was published first. Spot on as always.
Is the Showdown on Ch 7 next week in Adelaide? We’ve got Freo v Footscray on this side of Kaniva.
Bloody brilliant start. Looked flat in the 1st but looked awesome after that. Same love Poppy when he played for the Legs and was a specky mark that’s for sure. Well done to the Redlegs girls too
Good stuff mate, Sloane is in hot form and will go very close to winning the Brownlow. If he doesn’t cop another rigculous report that is
G’day Rulebook,
Nice read mate.
I understand how supporters who can’t get the game on free to air TV as I am in Japan and have no watch AFL account this year so I only rely on radio coverage.
It’s good to hear former Saint Lynch played well in the game. He would be a better player if Ross Lyon bloodied young kids at St Kilda. Many footy fans realise how important training young kids is. Footy Memes on Facebook are mostly towards Lyon and Freo.
Footy world seems to change. Hawthorn seems not to have power anymore.
Cheers
Yoshi
Thanks Rick yes no doubt re peer pressure I will never understand re the senior players not sensing the alarm bells and saying no.Daddsy I reckon umpiring with a 84 year old is the most remarkable aspect of the weekend and yep v well put re the hero part.Charlie I would love to see the look on the face of non ad uni folk on your comment well played.Blandy must be remembered the Crows were without,Jenkins as well and they have Lever to come back who is v good and imo will become elite that helps the disposal aspect out and in that regard,Talia is normally fine and yep the hawks are in a building ( rebuilding ? ) phase.Chimp superb comment just brilliant.Tony totally agree with every word.Steve yes promising start and re re the last paragraph I feel v strongly about it.Holsty bastards are overwhelming favourites with your recruiting being the talk of the town and yep re pace on the outside yes may actually be the best in the Crows history.Thanks Jill yes hope we start better this week and yes it was a busy day.Barb rapt both,Dmac and Otten have both been v good ( Ottens job on Rory Lobb last week was excellent ) Sauce best game ever imo with a showdown game where he got the medal the main competition it was a disgraceful decision and when in pre season it was said the tackler would be supported more I shook my head in disbelief the holding the ball against Laird is effectively a team holding the ball penalising,Laird re the ball being hand balled to him again totally wrong,love your last paragraph yep that was the most pleasing aspect.Thanks Swish great minds think alike and yep showdown on here getting the shockers you have been wripped off! MS yes go the lady legs I was going to mention that but I hope.s article is being written about the game in its own right thanks folks
Thanks Book.
I too wish Burton was a Crow!
McKay was good,, he is one of the few players going around that actually straighten up when goal kicking on the run.
Sauce was BIG.
Sloane works tirelessly from contest to contest.
Betts IS the best small forward in the game and he’s worth the entry fee every week.
Poppy’s mark. .
More than just bragging rights are up for grabs next Saturday night.
We won’t be training cones!
What a win , I loved all the the goal kickers , it’s great to see so many putting in , I thought McKay looked a bit like Ben hart , working really well in defence, 2 games in , a long season a head , the boys will get better , big game this weekend with the power, come on crows
Cheers
Great read, great win, and I’m a big poppy fan even though he plays for the hawks, always exciting to watch, but not not as exciting as the crowboys…
84 year old umpire. You have still got at least 30 years of maggot duty in front of you. Still you may not be doing 2 games in one day then.
Only saw the game on replay too. Much more relaxing watching that first quarter when you knew they were going to win. Poor start but a good comeback only 6 days after playing in 35 degree heat and being one player down for most of the game.
Hawks could be in for a tough year. What a shame. Maybe time for Puopolo to move back to a winning environment at The Parade.
Time to move on from the Bombers saga which includes Channel 7 not calling them heroes. Just let everyone watch and play footy.
Some big wins by the Blacks on the weekend. Good luck to the And B grade sides for their first game next weekend.
Set up for a cracker of a game this Saturday night
Good to hear that the Blacks have opened their season well in the lower divisions and let’s hope the senior sides follow suit. When was the last time that 8 sides were undefeated after the first two rounds of AFL? Showdown should be a cracker if you follow either of the SA teams.
Nice one Rulebook. I felt the crucial turning point was when Roughy missed 2 set shots in a row when he really needed to set the example as captain. The Haws were still in the game at that stage but I felt those two misses deflated the team and the Crows took advantage of it.
I also agree with you that Ottens played a great game considering the circumstances. I see no reason to bring back a doubtful Jenkins into the Showdown and leave Ottens as the back up ruckman and see what he can do in the full forward position. That will allow room for Lever to get back into the side and should result in a pretty strong team to take on the Dark Side.
A great start to the season by the Crows. Beating the Hawks in Melbourne should give the team some self-belief. The Power will provide another test this week, with the winner being undefeated after three rounds. I love Sloaney and am very pleased to see David McKay regain some form.
Good read Book! I eagerly await the showdown
Onya Rulebook. Missed the game as I was heading over to Unley to watch the magisterial Redlegs women grab the premiership (and was sufficiently annoyed about the delay to make a point of not watching). It was a brilliant afternoon (and you would not believe how quickly the local dog walkers got out there after the final siren).
We are in uncharted territory – two good Mackay games in a row. Perhaps Pyke has finally unlocked his code (also a fair amount to do with the focus on run through the midfield creating the perfect scenario for players like him and Douglas who can get on the end of the chain). Sat down during the Port game to count the number of tackles that would be in the back according to Matthews’ logic – stopped at 15 in the first half (also the match was unwatchable). At least a dodgy in the back to Poppy didn’t cost the Crows the match this year.
Nice one Rulebook, but careful with the footnotes, Rulebook – mine used to cause me a little grief, particularly the Essendon ones.
Crows again great. But I’m thinking we like to win from behind as we have a knack if doing that. Umpires need to be held accountable for blatant unreasonable errors that should not be at that level and supporters should be allowed to hear what the umpires punishment is so that we are aware that they have been dealt with. Too much is done behind closed doors.
Great read. Funny to read that Chimp went down down like a wounded soldier too.
I thought the Crows regrouped well after quarter time, and in particular, MacKay’s game was one of his best for the club in a long time (his efforts and goals in the second half were huge.) Big game this week!
Coke thank you yes stunned common sense prevailed unlike last year and ironically under the guidelines you can well and truly mount a case he was more guilty,Saturday ! Yoshi spot on Lyon is atrocious re youth and yep the footy world is a changing.Chris while I understand why Burton is not a Crow geez I wish we had taken the risk.D Mac has been very good this year re straightening up totally agree with every other point you have made to.thanks Sherree and KDE huge game this week great grab by Poppy.
Milts Boy is a remarkable man incredible for 84 ! yep diabolical by Channel 7 and other media.
The blacks would have been happy with there results on Saturday.Raj huge game Saturday night !
Jags yes remarkable results so far geez a few sides season is walking a tightrope already..Big Jim totally agree the missed set shots from Roughhead could have changed the momentum of the game they were vital yes I will be stunned if Jenkins plays Sat night and yes re selection that is the way I would go
thanks,Martin good point re self belief huge game,Sat night and yes Sloaney gives 110 per cent all the time he is a gun thanks,Lawrie.Davd a fantastic result from dog poo park are you writing a article on the gf ? The additions and the outside run and pace has been a fantastic surprise for all of us and to say I am stunned by Lethals comment and thoughts is a understatement and well exposed.Litza yes don’t some bomber followers hate the truth.Debbie agreed and I do think the Poppy free kick is the worst decision I have ever seen not sure if Sturt supporters would agree ? Thanks folks greatly appreciated
‘Loving the first 2 weeks of the footy. Especially the umpires putting into practice what their department emphasized during the Off Season that they were going to focus more this year on the incorrect disposal decisions. The tackling in our Sport is what makes it so unique. From other contact Sports. Because it can come from 360’. Over the last couple of years. I’ve noticed a lot of great tackles going unrewarded. But the focus on this Rule this year so far has made the game more exciting. What do people think?
Really enjoyable game apart for the start. Hawks fans leaving early was priceless. Best win by the Crows in Melbourne in ages. Round 2 delivered some quality games and for most of us – 9/9 in tips.
Ch 7 should be shot. All Crows and Power away games should be broadcast LIVE in SA, not when the game is finished. Port vs Freo was live. Twilight AO games other than Showdowns are always on delay.
Showdown is huge. Grand Final preview? Oh the Melbourne locals would love that lol.
Paul I can see the Chimp featuring in more match reports,Dmac has made a great start to the year made very significant contributions to both wins huge game this week v much 50 50 game.Simon interesting thought I am the other way in general yep reward the tackle when the player has a chance to get rid of the ball not the horrendous holding the ball,Laird copped the ball player must still have time to dispose of the footy.Cameron we have been v lucky re all our games being shown live purely the fact that the money foxtel puts in to the game effectively bank rolls it this day was always coming.Cameron how many Crows supporters do you reckon we’re at the g the support was certainly v loud. Thank you
Nice one RB. The Crows have a very good balance at the moment. Contested marking players and quality crumbers inside 50. They will be hard to beat, especially over there. This week’s derby with Port will be a ripper.
The slow start was worrying but the crows got there in the end. Didnt enjoy the game being shown on such a large delay on FTA, very difficult to avoid finding out the final scores before watching the game
All the way with the SDA
First 2 games have been missing walker or jenkins in the forward line and yet it seems to be functioning even better than last year. Maybe with more pace is the way to go? Liked the way Pyke had a good talk to Hampton at 1/4 time break he started to take the game on since then. He could be a real player.
Spot on rulebook, Crows midfielders far more influential than hawks with their ability to run and carry and kick long. Kicking long looks good however when you have the likes of Jacobs taking contested marks
Great write up Malcolm and spot on
Clarko facilitated the Hawks with a ‘Pagan’s paddock’ structure but the players couldn’t follow through on the advantage it gave them due to their flawed execution/decision makin.
The Crows outlasted us, taking our best blows and returning in kind. They are very even throughout their 22 whereas we have an exploitable underbelly
No mention on Cameron, I thought he was so valid in the times he won it and the opportunities he facilitated others
Great write up Malcolm and spot on
Clarko facilitated the Hawks with a ‘Pagan’s paddock’ structure but the players couldn’t follow through on the advantage it gave them due to their flawed execution/decision making.
The Crows outlasted us, taking our best blows and returning in kind. They are very even throughout their 22 whereas we have an exploitable underbelly
No mention on Cameron, I thought he was so valid in the times he won it and the opportunities he facilitated others
The hero here is an 84 yo umpire. Hell Otto playing good footy after 2 recos is far more heroic than Essendon. While we’re on the the subject of drug cheats, tainted premierships I’m glad whoosha never wanted to coach the crows. Bullet dodged although I’m semi confident Pyke would’ve still won the job.
Thanks Dips yes good balance and seemingly far more pace huge game,Sat night.Campbell yes if trying to watch the game re that way it is a bloody nightmare.Love it Plug.Mariusz I do think the extra pace has been vital and after watching,Scott Thompson last fri night wet weather is his only chance of playing afl again.Sam yes the run and carry has been v good and Sauce probably best ever all round game big test for him v Ryder Sat night.Tim agree re the evenness of the crows was v imp and a area I reckon we have a advantage over most sides.Cameron could become elite needs to improve his disposal by foot I predict if the Crows win Sat night he will win the showdown medal.Adrian spot on yes Boy is the hero umpiring still at the age of 84 is remarkable yep Otten and Roughhead not the other garbage agree v happy,Pyke got the gig thanks folks
Charlie Cameron was awesome around half back & the guts. Hampton needs first give, caught holding a few times. Otto a phenomenal story of persistence, credit Crows for not delisting.
For the players to adapt and constrict Hawks great strength of uncontested marks after a mere quarter time speech was remarkable to observe.
The Vickery recruitment quizzed by entire footy public last year. Expectations currently met.
Roosy correct on in the back… “worst decision ever”. Lethal going senile.
Lynch dominates, Crows will win. #mancrush
Love it Jamesey,Vickery is proving if some one has zero footy brain you can’t coach it.Cameron is building he could be something special and it’s out of you and half man half woman to fight over being president of the Tom Lynch appreciation society
An enjoyable read as always Book. I agree with most of your observations, Sauce was BOG by a mile, completed dominated McEvoy in the ruck and marked well around the ground. Interesting to see Otten and even Sloane giving Sauce a chop-out in the ruck.
Last year Crows were criticised for lack of pace, but in the first two weeks it has been a feature, (Cameron, Milera, Knight and McKay) does Scott Thompson have a role or is he interchangeable with Matt Crouch.
Contested marking was a highlight as you pointed out, McGovern has been super impressive so far, such clean hands.
With you, Lever for Kelly this week, and who comes in if Jenkins doesn’t come up?
Love reading how the Blacks are going – good stuff Rulebook!!
Well played Book – I’m sure you’ll give Boy a run for his money in longevity stakes!
Willow I reckon Scott Thompson will only play if it’s v wet and I thought due to the powers number of smalls,Kelly would stay( I would have picked Menzel) thanks Tim.SOL I will be happy to be breathing at 85 let alone still be a maggot ! ( you would still win the medal ) thank you
Fantastic write up Rulebook. The Crows are looking very good.
100% agree with your footnote.