The 2015 ‘Mopsy’ Fraser Cup – Round Two

Greetings Tipsters

 

Look at the ladder. No, don’t just glance, really look at it, study it, take it in.

 

The first thing you’ll notice is that Geelong are last, with 53.3%. Just when they’ve got someone to take a bit of the load off Tom’s meaty shoulders, the oft-predicted fall from grace, like a surfer taking the brunt of a Bells Beach curl that dropped in quicker than expected, will be exercising jaw muscles for a few days. The GFC are without Neil Balme for the first season in a long time – they’ll win more matches this year, will likely play some final or two but over the next few seasons may not be the Mighty Cats we’ve come to expect.

 

Sitting here in the Golden Inner-West, an easy motorcycle ride from The Showground and SCG, I’d like to draw your attention to the other end of the ladder. Gillo doubtless has noticed, a near Top o’ ye Table Clash at the SCG next week to promote.

 

Melbourne were looking like a Paul Roos team in the second quarter, but there’s no substitute for a lot of high draft picks who’ve 30-50 games together and a few seasoned campaigners, not when the Monaros are playing the Dees, who may be fairly considered the Monaros’ bunnies.

 

That other team in Sydney needed to make a serious statement, and duly did. What is the big deal about Port’s ‘entertainment’? The umpires must agree with me, the last notes of that horrible mawkish ballad had barely been sounded before the match was happening. Tim and Jon had to be shuffled to safety, oh dear, they stood there waving Port scarves while the ballad labored onward, for god sakes, you had one decent song in your career but I guess “Don’t Change” only works when you’re the premiership team.

 

Except that they did change, to shiftless slackers. Have the Mosquito Fleet rubbed something on their shirts, something that makes highly-regarded opponents trip over their shoelaces? The formula is still under refinement, we can see that it’s getting better each week, so look out Carlton.

 

Yes, indeed. Another wooden spoon for Princes Park? The last three leading goalkickers have left and no-one wants to arrive, aside from folks who don’t have much option. Yeah, so you can brag that it was a Carlton coach who broke Jock Mchale’s record, but deep down you’re wondering what it’d be like if Ratten wasn’t sacked.

 

Richmond’s loss was less about them and more about the TFKA Footscray. In a quiet, understated, working class kinda way, the Bulldogs have been pulling things together. They’ve got themselves an iconic ground in the heart of the homeland, the VFL team plays there, the AFL team trains there, they don’t have a lot of fans but there more nous than some who do. More power to ‘em, they’re young and fast and enthusiastic and they have a captain who can write complete sentences.

 

Can Travis Boak write complete sentences? Maybe he should learn how to or find a more uplifting song, cos no-one expected Port to be down near the bottom. Like the Cats, they’re unlikely to stay there. In a few months, none of this will mean anything, so let’s enjoy it while we can.

 

See, there’s St Kilda, a team of unheralded kids, and West Coast, with that non-ambulatory backline, in the Eight too. Yes, I know Hawthorn are there but that’s hardly noteworthy, is it? Richmond are, of course, ninth. Essendon and Collingwood languish mid-table and – holy crap, is that the time? I gotta go cut down a tree.

 

Cheers Tipsters

 

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