Rounds 1 and 2 – Fearless: I’m back!

Hiya all, hope all is well and good in your world(s)…

 

I received a good sms from a mate who said he can’t understand how the umpires think they can interpret whether a player is deliberately aiming for the boundary line and can hence be called for deliberate out of bounds.

 

To take it further, the umpires think they can interpret this. Simply they are wrong. They aren’t mindreaders and the AFL is kidding themselves if they can accommodate umpires who think they can. Most have not played the game and are trying to overturn (or are being allowed by the rulemakers) to try and overturn what essentially is instinctive and one of the earliest learnings that players get taught: In defence, the boundary line is your friend. Likewise on wet days…

 

So I open up the debate…should the umpires be allowed to interpret or should they be given a set of guidelines within which to operate eg if the ball was over 20 metres away from the boundary line then it’s not deliberate…

 

Over to you…

 

 

 

FEARLESS 2018 Round 1: No form line until Round 6, despite what the media says.

 

Finally, a season opener worth the title! Bolton’s Baby Blues exploded out of the blocks against the (yes!) Reigning Premiers from Tigerland. Eventually the cream rose to the top but the Blues new attacking game style centred on Charlie Curnow and Matt Wright stymied the Tigers defence. Dusty & co ran out winners by 26pts but a great game.

 

The Tex-Less Crows came to Etihad to tackle the Revamped Bombers, fresh from their summer recruiting spree. Stringer, Saad and Smith added, the Bombers overran the Crows with a 6 goal last qtr. A 20pt deficit became a 12pt win. Bryce Gibbs and Adam Saad at home in new club colours. The great game again with two possible finalists.

 

Brisbane welcomed Luke Hodge and Charlie Cameron from other clubs onto the field as they took on the Saints on Saturday at Etihad. Jack Steven led the Saints to a solid win, but the Lions showed the promise of improvement, pushing the Saints all the way. St.Kilda by 25pts featuring debutant Clark, whilst Cam Rayner debuted for Brisbane.

 

Port managed to dock the Dockers by 50pts on Saturday at the Adelaide Oval but what a price to pay. Star ruckman and reigning B&F Paddy Ryder going down with an injury. Freo paid the price for a sluggish start and never recovered. Unheralded Todd Marshall kicked 4 for Port and ex-Dee Watts 3. Typically, Port shows up at home…away form?

 

The water polo was on at Cazaly’s Stadium on Saturday Night as Gold Coast hosted North. March is monsoon season, but nostalgia made it fascinating. Not a game for skills, rain subsided near 1 /2 time reemerged at 3 /4 time in buckets. Cairns’ local Sun Bowes good, Cyclone Nora BOG. Suns 16pts, remarkably no injuries!! Sam Day back.

 

Hawks medical staff reported a case of acute leather poisoning as the team played Collingwood at the G on Saturday night. Tom Mitchell topped his previous stats count of 50 against the Pies last year with 54. Bucks said it didn’t hurt then and again on the weekend. Forward efficiency might have though. Cyril Rioli efficient. Hawks by 34pts.

 

GWS opened their year with a game at Fortress Manuka in the nation’s capital. The Bulldogs would’ve been better to turn up there than Bankstown, Parramatta or the Penrith RSL. To add to the Dogs’ woes, Libba’s other knee now needs a reco and his year is done. GWS way too good, home by 82pts. Cameron 6, Greene 4. Whitfield 34.

 

The MCG saw the homecoming of Gazza to footy as a Cat. The Danger-less Cats faced the Dees, intent on returning to finals footy in 2018…a solid start before the Cats hit the afterburners in the 2nd. Gazza – 39 stats, not bad at all! The Dees nearly stole it but it Gawn left at the death. Cats 3pts. Joel Selwood 250th. The Silence of the members…

 

Fierce rivalries don’t come much more intense than the Swans-Eagles games..8 goals to win Grand Finals on dry days! Enter Perth’s LED-powered Optus Stadium – bigger than Subi by 25000 – to boost noise thru tv and within. Enter Buddy with 8. Even the return of the human pogo stick NicNatNoo couldn’t match it. Swans by 29pts. Luke Shuey’s last minute stupidity boosted the margin by another goal. Grow up you dill.

 

FEARLESS 2018 Round 2: Happy Easter. 5 days of AFL to celebrate for all.

 

It all began with GF2017 replay…this time in Adelaide as some crowd mug pointed out to Dimma post match. Yep Crows won in Adelaide and the forward line that failed on the last day of September fired up on Thursday night. Laird 40+ again, Jenkins 5, Tex on return 4. Croquettes Fogarty and Murphy look good. Dusty starred 25 & 5 goals.

 

Footy returned to Good Friday with North and the Saints 2.10 each at ½ time in brilliant sunshine. Whatever viewing public there was, could well have turned off by that stage. 33000+ an ok crowd for a public holiday and both clubs sold the day well. The Saints went missing in 2nd half as Big Ben kicked 6 and Waite defied age. Roos home 52pts.

 

Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch suffered deja-Blue as he kicked 6 before ½ time against a wayward Carlton. Aided by little offsider Jack Martin with 3, Lynch finished with 8, 1 more than in 2017. Losing Kreuzer pre-match didn’t help the Baggers, but bringing in another small mid, Polson, didn’t do much for structure either. Suns 34pts.

 

The ambulance worked overtime at the G on Saturday with first Pie Broomhead and then Giant Scully suffering season-ending broken legs. Sickening to watch – both. Pies coach Bucks would’ve been happier with this team’s brave showing against the fancied GWS. Giants home by 16pts, led by Cornholio,3 and 26. Pie Moore hammy. Ouch!

 

Melbourne travelled to the Gabba to take on the Lions in their 80s throwback jumper, royal blue with red v. Half expecting the Healy brothers to run out! Melbourne off to a flyer, 6 goal lead at the main break. Hogan running amok, finishing with 5. Zorko led the Lions charge back to tie the scores, before Jeffy kicked the Dees to a 26pt win.

 

Freo, dusted off the shackles of a poor trip to Adelaide to virtually lead the Bombers for most of the night at Optus Stadium, the jewel of WA. Young Freo forward Taberner delivered with 4, ably assisted by Blakely and Fyfe, the skipper, back to his best. The Dons threatened but didn’t deliver. Freo’s post match LED lighting like a nightclub!

 

A promising start by the Dogs soon dissolved into a disappointing day for Bevo’s Bullies against the Eagles at Etihad on Sunday. Despite Macrae’s best efforts (3,31), Darling led a far more efficient Eagles forward line, ably assisted by livewires Ryan and Rioli. NatNoo and Lycett dominated the rucks to deliver the ball. Eagles 51pts.

 

Port travelled to the SCG and came away with the 4pts in a statement to suggest that maybe they have arrived. Wines 35stats and even spread of goalkickers put the Swans to the sword from the mid-3rd qtr onwards. In the process, Port exposed an overreliance for the Swans on Buddy who kicked 4 as the focal point. Powerful by 23pts, no Ryder.

 

Geelong’s holy trifecta of Ablett, Dangerfield and Selwood was unveiled at the G on Easter Monday. A 1pt win by the Hawks indicated it might’ve been closer than what it seemed. The Hawks seemed to disregard the trifecta, instead relying on team footy and Tom Mitchell’s stellar form to be in control. A cracking last qtr…don’t dis the trifecta.

 

Leave a Comment

*