Round 9 – Sal’s Preview: A few more protocols

Greeting All from H&S Protocols,

 

In reality until today it was not just protocols keeping me locked up.

 

Game time management is not new nor confined to AFL, the time taken for substitutions in the world game are directly proportional to the position of the team making the change.  The American changes the rules in the last two minutes of each half to maximise “game-time”.  Just think a couple of time-wasting protocols need to be looked at around goal kicking.  The game had two issues – the recidivist procrastinators and the strategic ones so the 30 second rule was introduced.  It is has now turned almost every player into a recidivist and a few into con artists.  There are two issues, the first is the glance at the clock.  If you have time to look at the clock on the scoreboard you have time to have your shot.  Take a look on the way back to your mark and then do your job and have a shot, take a look at the board and play on!  The other is the “your dreaming” a player with a 45m range lining up from 60m.  If you take your 30 seconds from outside 50 then the ball needs at least make the distance of the goal square – if it doesn’t then an opposition possession from where the kick was taken.  There will be screams of unfairness and it will ruin goalkicking.  Not sure on the stats but reckon the longer they take the more they miss.  As for fairness – what is unfair is the game time they are taking from the fans.  Not unlike the two seconds wasted for a poor bounce.

 

Now to dispose a bit more of your time here are the pontifications.

 

 

A Bit Lippy ($2.46) vs I Like Candy ($1.67)

 

 

A bit of discussion this week about the Moneyball pick and Levi Casboult, reckon the Pies would be ecstatic with theirs in Patrick Lipinski.  Has made a spot in the midfield for himself and unlike Levi has longevity in the game.  His Pies host the Bulldogs who were impotent against Port last week, not sure resting your best player is great strategy when your team is struggling.  Was he really rested?  The Bont is back along with Alex Keath, finally Jordon Sweet gets a crack in the ruck.  Tough game to pick with unpredictability on both sides, the Bont out should have flipped me last week – he is in here and might be the difference.

 

 

House of Cards ($3.40) vs The Band is Back Together ($1.41)

 

In two of the last three weeks the Hawks have collapsed with no response, in between they took it right up to the yardstick.  Reckon the opposition analysis is great but once broken there is not much resistance.  They face the Tigers who have all their stars named and look like they might be the treat to the yardstick.  If they are then they dispose of Hawthorn.

 

 

Spray the Rot ($6.80) vs Everybody Say Amon ($1.16)

 

The wine industry uses a spray to protect from rot unless it is of the Noble variety, unfortunately David’s spray has not affected the rot in the Roos yet.  They get the chance to prove it wrong against Port who are now three on the bounce with Dixon still waiting in the wings.  North lose two of their best in Horne-Francis and McKay but expect a stronger effort this week.  Just not sure they can sustain it for four quarters and Port only need a few minutes of dominance to make the scoreboard ugly.

 

 

Miss Piggy ($2.20) vs Double Trouble ($1.82)

 

 

Biggest game of the round being played in the twilight zone?  Except the roof will be closed!  Analysts indicating St Kilda were Ok against Melbourne are putting lipstick on a pig, the game was over well before half time and anything else after irrelevant.  Reckon inside the club they know how far away they are.  This was only their second encounter with a top eight side, the beauty for them is they go again this week against another in the Cats.  The problem being that Brown and McDonald got them early last week and now they face Hawkins and Cameron.  It’s as big a test for Geelong whose form has been flirty and they can expect sterner opposition.  Touch one to pick however just going with forward prowess of the Cats but concerned about the potential ruck dominance of the Saints.

 

 

Love Bites ($1.30) vs Chips In ($4.20)

 

 

Tom Hickey makes a welcome return for the spluttering Swans who will try and redeem themselves against the Bombers.  They took an all in approach to the Hawks from a difficult position and displayed the attacking flair we saw a couple of seasons ago.  I suspect Sydney will be made of sterner stuff and not sure the Bomber defense can cope the other way.  Kudos to Dyson Heppell for 200 games, given his all for the Bombers.  Sydney at home.

 

 

Nicked Off ($5.00) vs McGone ($1,24)

 

 

Matthew Nicks has made his statement dropping five including Reilly O’Brien with some masterful executive spin in the reasons why.  “Not having connection” – what a load of crap!  He didn’t play well but was not the lone ranger – I guess why four lesser lights also got nicked off.  The host the challenger most likely in the Lions but who are losing key players.  They lost their last big forward in Dan McStay and risking Eric Hipwood in his first game back from an ACL.  If it works then they win, if it doesn’t I still think they win – so is it worth the risk?

 

 

They’re Dew ($2.50) vs Sonny Set ($1.64)

 

 

What a chance for the Suns to back up from a great win over Sydney to take on Freo.  They get Noah Anderson back which will add to the their midfield.  It needs to be good against the Dockers who lose Walters and O’Driscoll to the dreaded lurgy.  The Witts-Darcy contest will be a key and which midfield can assume control.  The Suns best at home is good enough and think will have the motivation to prove that last week was not another “flash in the pan”.

 

 

The Last Lap ($1.76) vs Hit For Six ($2.28)

 

 

Leon takes one last drive of the Maserati and it’s against one of his favourite whipping boys.  The Blues have only beaten the Giants three times and two of those in their initial encounters.  And they get them at a handy time with Harry McKay out for six weeks and losing their last remaining key defender Lewis Young to the lurgy.  Wouldn’t love to have Levi?  No secret in this scribe’s thought on Leon Cameron, whether those are fair, right or wrong is if you think he really was driving a Maserati and how it was being held together.  The Blues are playing well but structurally wounded, the Giants rallied for Leon two weeks ago – scared they will do it again.

 

 

Night Club ($22.00) vs Back to the Scene ($1.04)

 

 

The Demons return to the scene of their triumph and expect to win by a similar a margin over the remaining Eagles.

 

 

Friar Time

 

A bad loss to Therry last week puts plenty of pressure on the Friars, on the positive the reserves had a big win while thirds battled against South Melbourne Districts.  This week Glen Eira visit Friar Park where both games are critical.  The women return to action hosting La Trobe University while the boys in the threes head to Ivanhoe.

 

I’ll be isolated!

 

Go Friars, Go Blues,

 

Cheers, Sal

 

 

 

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