The game between the Crows and the Dees is played in Melbourne weather with four seasons in 1 day. Drizzle, interspersed with sun, followed by consistent rain.
Melbourne start off far cleaner and working harder than Adelaide. Ben Newton recruited from
Port kicks a goal followed by Nathan Jones and Garlett (I was still umpiring at Bob Neil 1 at this stage and knew from the lack of noise that the Dees had got away to a good start). The Crows need a spark – enter Eddie Betts. The super x large shorts man is a gun and sets up Tom Lynch for a goal. His harassing pressure helps Cameron to another and then the impressive Cam Ellis-Yolmen kicks a long bomb and its 3 goals apiece (the noise tells me it is about even).
Umpiring commitments over and after a quick shower I walk over to Bob Neil #1, where a very frustrating 2nd quarter awaits me. A virtual rugby scum awaits and with appalling instruction to the umpires in that the poor player at the bottom of a pack with no chance of getting rid of the ball is being pinged holding the ball. It is really a variation of the last player who touched the ball before it went out of bounds rule. I am disgusted that the AFL Players Association doesn’t seem to be trying to correct this stupidity.
Phil Walsh has also made the point in that how much footy at the elite level has gone away from grassroots footy. I never thought I would say this but I am coming around to the suggestion of a rule making it compulsory for a certain number of players to stay in the 50 metre arc. There is hysteria at the game and later on social media re the tagging job former Crows favourite Bernie Vince is doing on Paddy Dangerfield, with calls that Bernie is a dirty mongrel etc. What a load of crap and lack of footy brain. Vince pushed the boundaries and should have been penalized several times re hanging on and for a sling tackle. That is not Bernie’s fault that poor umpiring allowed it, and it hardly makes him a hit man! Hey folks Bernie did not want to leave the Crows. I think the main question following his tagging job why was he never used in this role at the Crows?
Weeks and Rhodey made a very good point in that AFL footy is easier to watch on the telly than live, with it not being so apparent that all 36 players are in the same half of the ground. The 2nd quarter is an arm wrestle in that the Crows hit the front and then errors from Sloane and Douglas contribute to a goal to Kent. The Crows reply with a clever kick from Douglas to the fat side for Tex to mark and goal. Walker and Mc Donald have an enthralling battle. Tex at times tries to feel for the body too much, resulting in him being outpointed on several occasions.
McDonald is a very good defender now and will continue to develop to be a cornerstone of the Dees defence. Henderson is doing a fantastic job on Watts and showing why Richmond and Collingwood were so keen to get him. Watts has enormous ability but too many times just does not impose himself on a contest. Jeremy Howe the human highlight machine adds another with a spectacular mark. He has become a consistent reliable defender but still wonder whether he should be swung forward at times like the Crows used to do with Nigel Smart. Lumumba is working hard and linking well for the Dees and fellow recruit Garlett is dangerous but his goal kicking lets him down.
The Crows get on top in the 3rd quarter with their relentless tackling pressure proving crucial. The Crows ending up with 108 tackles has been a huge improvement, with the want and desire and emphasis on tackling being a huge difference from the Sanderson Crows of 2014. D Mac a player who everyone knows has ability is revelling too often in the past. There have been queries about his ability to carry an injury, but his courageous mark and running goal was excellent. Smith is contributing with his elite kicking as usual a highlight. His performance was incredible following the condition he left the G in last week. Sloane the energizer battery is important as usual. The game finishes up with its inevitable conclusion a Crows 25 point win.
Ellis-Yolmen continues to impress, and Thompson in his 1st game for the year does inside work that is vital for the Crows. The premier defender of the completion in Daniel Talia continues on his merry way. With his defensive efforts and distribution of the ball 2nd to none (KB !). Jack Kelly son of Craig aka Ned – Pies 1990 premiership defender – has a promising debut with as expected his tenacity and tackling a highlight (Ned would have sorted Vince out).
The Dees are slightly outclassed in the end but have a promising future with Tyson to be the cornerstone of their midfield aided by Brayshaw, Salem and hopefully Petruca and Trengove. Jones continues to be a hard working inspirational captain. Hogan has enormous potential as a key forward, and Garland contributes. Melbourne have drafted and recruited aiming to play finals and have a crack within 3 to 5 years. They are closer than a couple of other big Victorian clubs.
The Crows have a hard fought win to go 3 nil and the promising 2015 season continues.
Adelaide 12-7 (80) def Melbourne 7-13 (55)
Adelaide Goalkickers: Walker 3, Ellis-Yolmen 2, Cameron, Lynch, MacKay, Betts, Lynch, Jenkins, Brown
Melbourne Goalkickers: Hogan , Garlett 2 , Newton , Jones , Lynch
Adelaide Best: MacKay, Talia, Sloane, Thompson, Douglas, Van Berlo, Ellis-Yolmen
Melbourne Best: Tyson, Jones, Vince, Cross, Howe, Vandenburg
Crowd 43,713
Malarkey Medal votes- 3:Mackay (Adelaide)
2:Talia (Adelaide)
1:Sloane (Adelaide)
Some choice observations here. Hear hear to “I am coming around to the suggestion of a rule making it compulsory for a certain number of players to stay in the 50 metre arc” and “Vince pushed the boundaries and should have been penalised several times re hanging on and for a sling tackle. That is not Bernie’s fault that poor umpiring allowed it”. The rules are already in place to address what Vince was doing, they just need to be enforced. No excuse not to with 3 umpires on the field; the two not primarily controlling play need to be trained to observe and act on these sorts of goings on off the ball.
Phil Walsh’s piece on how the AFL is getting too far away from grassroots footy was excellent, highly recommended to anyone who missed it: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/adelaide-crows-coach-phil-walsh-believes-footy-needs-to-go-back-to-its-roots/story-fni5f4l8-1227308414798
Thanks Malcolm and Mark. That Phil Walsh interview from the Hun is the most impressive thing from a current coach that I have read. He has the unique ability to put the interests of the game and the players before (or alongside) winning and short term tactical advantage.
Can’t imagine Malthouse (coach as the centre of all wisdom) or Lyon (game plan) saying that – they don’t want to be made redundant.
Limit of 80 interchanges and no substitute. Yes please. The game was played for 80 years with NO interchanges. The flow on benefits for players and spectators would be enormous. Same with keeping 2 players inside offensive 50 at all times.
No horse races on clubrooms tv to reduce the gambling culture – but watching other sports – not watching addictive distractions. How far sighted is that.
East Perth v Swan Districts is still the most entertaining game of footy I have seen all year – live or on TV. Much more one on one than team on team.
Phil can take over from Gillon any time.
Great review of the game. Now for the match review on vince seeing he was on opposite side to umps eyes lol
With you most of the way, Rulebook. But having watched it again I am firmly of the belief that Vince crossed the line yesterday. Sure he was doing his allotted job and was abetted by inattentive umpiring, but he had no business repeatedly making contact with Dangerfield’s head and face let alone off the ball. The unpenalised hit on Sloane should also receive a long hard look from the self-defanging MRP. You know the umpires have failed in their job when Sloane starts a melee.
On a more positive note Mackay was outstanding. Walsh probably won’t be too disappointed for Dangerfield to get a hard tag if Sloane is left free to collect 30 disposals. CEY continues to impress and Eddie Betts’s shorts should be raised on one of the flag poles in Victoria Square. With the next two opponents losing key personnel on the weekend the ball is very much in the Crows’ court.
Great assessment of the game. It’s a huge pity young Bernard wasn’t used to full capabilities when he was at West Lakes. One can only hope that we may see his return to the fold ????????
Well written ……i like your comments on Bernie Vince why didnt Crows use him in the same manner Paul Roos used him it worked a treat ….and your spot on about yolmen….
Melbourne certainly came to play and have a promising future ahead of them within the next few years. Importantly, Adelaide won a game that they lost last year and which ended up costing them a spot in the finals. Although he was well held by McDonald, Tex’s 3 goals were vital.
The treatment that the likes of Dangerfield, Ablett and Selwood get every match is concerning. Taggers have a legitimate role to play in the modern game, but let’s ensure that the ball-getters are given a fair go!
am loving these non biased reports. keep up the good work
Vince was never one to conform, I am glad he is gone!
Great blog Malcolm! Love your work
Was good to see Bernie have some agressive nature would have been good to see him do that for Crows
Glad to see Ellis-Yoleman and do I remember last year when Jetta destroyed Eddie Betts but it was good to see him get involved this time around.
Also touching on Dom Tyson and that he had little impact on the game but is definitely a star of the future along with Hogan and Salem!
good summary Rulebook. Roos has always had a defensive style of play but at least he isn’t Ross Lyons
Interesting reading , your point about Bernie Vince has some merit , however , by the time Bernie was traded , he had shown distinct signs of not applying himself and just doing enough to keep his spot in the side , I guess for reasons only he knows .
Agree that he was over zealous and I have voiced that opinion on social media But that is done now and Adelaide supporters need to get over it because obviously poor umpiring continues to leave its mark and that’s not going to stop because we feel hard done by
Totally agree about confining a nominated number of players in the 50 metre circle , it’s typical Paul Roos style He used it in Sydney and it has turned the great game of football into an ugly game of multi tackle which makes the holding the ball rule a big joke .
It wasn’t the most attractive game , but I agree that Melbourne will be competitive this year , albeit , by continuing to play ugly football
Good write up again.
Slow start for the Crows looking like deja vu again but they came back and kicked straight. They played well with some great moments from both sides.
Good for the Crows to be 3-0 and will need to focus on the dogs next Sunday to go into the Showdown 4-0. They should beat the dogs.
Bit of a pain the weather wasn’t the best and the attendance was great for it. Don’t think the SANFL should have put the Port Magpies vs North Adelaide game on the same time. There has been some fixturing blunders all over including the Power and United clash on ANZAC Day.
Another great write up. The second quarter was as scrappy as it gets, and was painful to watch at times. Howe continues to amaze me with a cracking mark every week. A hard earned win, but a good win none the less.
Vince was doing his job like Crowley Baker etc do all the time. Ablett Watson Mitchell etc have to grin and bear it. Until the umpires stamp it out (There are 3 of them) it will continue. Show some perspective Crows fans.
I’m with you on the Vince issue Malcolm. Opposition teams will have noted Dangerfield’s reaction. I tend to skim the headlines, but as I read Walsh’s comments he was simply making the point that back in his day one of Dangerfield’s team-mates would’ve sorted Vince out. And rightly so, if the umpires can’t / don’t. That’d be great, actually; just what the game needs.
Footy is a completely different game on tv for sure. You don’t see the congestion only the immediate play around the ball.
Saw the Swans / Port game live and would’ve preferred that on tv. Vince got himself up for the Crows game , fair enough, shouldnt have let him go . Played it no harder than you see on suburban grounds .
Thanks folks we wait and see if the predictable backlash from this game is tiggers get pinged this week . Dangerfield must learn from Sat and just keep working and also be used more forward to make the tagger in this case , Bernie play as a defender . Some of the hysteria re ad social media you would have thought , Bernie shot Danger but umpires must pay the 1st legitimate free kick which to often was ignored Saturday
It is a concern how many games of afl footy are not good to watch , Peter B best to games I have seen live in the last few years was tlast years SANFL 2nd Semi and GF .
As a crows supporter it was still a , Simon ( good win pun intended )
Thanks Malcolm. Listened to but didn’t see the game up here. However, I did see Ellis-Yolman’s long goal on the AFL website, and it was excellent. I’m keen to see him play at Adelaide oval later this season to judge whether the hype is deserved!
I quite enjoyed the game on Saturday the crows played well enough to win eddie betts and tex walker ,Dangerfield played very well,scott Thompson was back to his best for his first game back
“I was still umpiring at Bob Neil 1 at this stage and knew from the lack of noise that the Dees had got away to a good start”..similar from the Riverbank Bar ‘Book. I could tell from the noise emanating from BN#1 that Robert Reid & the Brady Bunch were getting spanked by the Houghton hicks. I actually enjoyed the game – a good tough scrap with some individual highlights (Jeremy Howe High Am I and surprise surprise David McKays hardnut game – do we have to wait another 10 games to see similar from him though??) I liked Dangers tweet with BV in a headlock post-game -all good fun & media hype & something Danger & Crows can learn from. Now time get ready for a tough outfit in the Bullies….. 4-0 would be nice for sure.
Thanks for the write up Book. Typical of fans to love a player when he’s on your side then hate him when he’s gone. The umpires are the demon not Vince.
Good write-up Malcolm. AFL footy can sometimes be extremely hard to watch live at the ground with 36 players around the ball.
Wonder if Collingwood showed much interest in Jake Kelly given he could have been taken as a father-son selection?
umpiring have been most common sense for 100 years, they paid all holding balls that should have been paid, cant have players diving on ball and not getting it out without penalty, that Evans bloke in afl finally listening to supporters, finally as eagles supporter if Bernie played with that determination over last few years he would have got a big contract offer from crows, instead of playing for a joke of vic football side
Insightful again, OBP.
I wonder if capping the number of interchange might be a cleaner way (more easily managed) to stop the scrums.
Less rotations, more positional play, maybe?
It wasn’t that long ago that interchange was rarely used.
netball has zones i think, how would you have zones umpiring in c grade amatuer leauge please
Mickey CEY shows a lot of promise . Randall the weather suited , Thompson .
DL aka photographer of the century very entertaining and it wasn’t a cliffhanger at
Bob Neil 1 , Dmac must make this game his benchmark re workrate and endeavour .
Thanks lovely , Lisa spot on re umpiring . Luke I am sure the pies would have considered , Kelly he shows promise but he is not over the line yet re proving the pies totally wrong . Pole No No and No this holding the ball is ruining everything you teach kids to get in and get the ball , a bib what ever something different to wear re the players staying in the zone would be easy and yes I agree if Bernie had been that desperate he would still be a Crow , thanks folks
OBP it is not that long ago , gun players used to change and rest in a forward pocket might stop the stupidity of a player kicking a goal and then sprint to the bench Yep time for a serious rotation cap and actual playing positions again bring back the past
thanks OBP
Disappointing article by Warren Tredrea in today’s advertiser raving on about the
Crows lack of standing up for Dangerfield hey the days of picking off the tagger are gone , could the crows provide better blocks for Danger definitely but otherwise no
If the umpires had done there job and payed the 1st free kick problem solved
Lack of footy smarts today tredders
agree that something needs to be done about keeping a certain amount of players in the 50s at all times. Awful style of footy to watch live.
Why did it take until 3/4 time for the crows to step in to bat for Dangerfield? Reckon there was too much media hype about the whole thing anyway.
Another book special… Not a bad write up, although your losing your marbles with a rule change for zones! This isn’t Netball! The elite running that differentiates AFL from grassroots footy is part of the spectacle that makes its special. As for the treatment of Bernie Vince from the crows supporters, what a joke! give the guy a break, he didn’t want to leave the club and he did one of the best run with jobs in a long time, bout time a Melbourne player showed some gusto! I was impressed that Dangerfield got up after the big tackle, i felt it was perfect from Bernard and made what could have been a boring game, slightly entertaining!
Hey Mal, well written, dont agree with the zoning of players, however comments relating to the poor umpiring protection of Dangerfield was spot on! It was strangle that Danger didnt get more frees when the Crows set him up nicely by highlighting to the umpires during the week with their comments??
Cheers
Mate
Apropos of the comment above, they already have zone restrictions in the amateur footy. Rulebook’s only allowed to umpire in Uni’s backlines, to avoid controversial decisions resulting in goals. Nothing a few consecutive 50 metre penalties can’t fix!
Speaking of which, I got a laugh reading about Rulebook’s unbiased reportage. His instincts make it impossible for him to say anything unpleasant about the men in red and blue, never mind the particulars. Put an ex-Crow, PAC old scholar in the picture and it may as well be Mother Theresa he’s talking about.
Nevertheless, another enjoyable read, Malcolm.
You’re right Tom. I understand that Rulebook and Dave Brown’s weekly update on the SANFL has been delayed due to a death in the family.
Carn you mighty West Torrens Eagles.
Thanks guys I never would have thought I would agree with the idea of a certain number of players remaining in the 50 but reality says a lot of afl footy is diabolical to watch and the game at the elite level has evolved to much . Sam glad a fellow umpire had the same thoughts re the umpiring . TM gold as always . PB the legs and umpiring was diabolical and the Eagles were good report finished , it was a long afternoon !
Sadly, PB, was at a nephew’s birthday party on Sunday, so no perspective to provide on Sunday’s game. If I didn’t see it, it didn’t happen right?
Rulebook you’ve nailed a few gems in this piece. Agree that there needs to be consideration having a certain minimum number of players in the 50m arc at all times in AFL. Zone footy and press strategies make for boring viewing. Im far happier down at Gliderol watching the bays these days, despite their ordinary win/loss record of recent seasons. Its just a more enjoyable style of footy to watch, as opposed to AFL set-plays. Most of the coaches and assistants talk in American Football terminolgy at an increasing rate, which is a worrying sign.
Agree Vince was only doing his job and he did it well. But no doubt Walsh et al will be deploying yet another strategy to counter-act this.
Yep would have loved Henderson in a tigers jumper, and Ellis-Yolmen gets better with every game. But i reckon Rance is just shading Talia as the best defender going round this season.
I note that Viney did a similar job to Ablett in week 1 resulting in Ablett hurting his shoulder. Why Roos would use his best ball users in that role i dont know – why not use that bloke off the rookie list or some other hack with little talent (plenty on Melbs list to choose from). Umpire Margets was the main culprit in not paying scragging frees (right in front of him) Vince was holding Danger and decking him even if he didnt gain possession. Basically the lack of decisions caused a fight when the Crows started to deal out the same medicine to Jones. Missed the major infractions but happy enough to make sure a bloke is not a cm off the line when playing on or gives a deliberate when it is virtually hailing and ball would have been a piece of soap. No feel for the game – the focus of the umpires is wrong.
Dave agreed Sunday never happened . Jags afl footy is a concern how it is drifting further and further away from the rest of footy , did a coaching clinic with D Talia today and he concurred with the thought that it is learning a new game when drafted . I have him a fraction in front of Rance re decision making . Vince did his job and
Byron Bay I see where you are comeing from but the real good taggers such as Crowley get key possessions and hurt the opposition going the other way , thank you !
My point is that sure you could use Chris Judd as a tagger and i’m sure he would get the ball the other way and rack up 20 possies but they wouldnt be outside hurtful possessions playing as a tagger. Dont use a scalpel (judd) to cut a steak when a butchers knife (crowley) will do.
Probably some of the best wiring on the crows I’ve read. .. insightful. ..
Gr8 stuff
Great summary Malcolm , totally agree re the rugby scrum , players being made to stay in the forwad 50 will come . Mass over the top hysteria re Bernie by the media and public . Daniel Talia definitely the premier defender in the competition
Pleasurable as always.
Well done Book. If you could now get Eddie B into a pair of baggy grey shorts, THEN I’d be impressed!
Byron Bay Crowley is better than that thanks , Steve and Penners appreciated
TC you are a star and Rabs that would be , HUGE
Great work here Book and love you position about vince’s role. Goes with the old saying ‘don’t hate the player. Hate the game.’ He was merely given a job to do and it was then up to the umpires to police it! Nothing about the individual himself. Crows fans are just dirty that he is playing for Melbourne and played well!