The View From Shepparton – Round 4

Like to meet any individual who aced round 4. I suppose that such a person does exist but he / she  would also have to be clairvoyant of the year. The really good thing now though is how the whole competition has evened up.

 

The first game of the round had to be one of the bigger grudge matches of the year, certainly the way Ross Lyon left St Kilda and was inserted at Fremantle wasn’t too flash and would have left a sour taste  for fair minded supporters of both sides.

 

I was interested to see that Jack Anthony replaced Nathan Fyfe who was probably never going to play anyway. Anthony has done practically nothing since THAT goal against the Crows but his two goals came just at the right time and probably ensured that he might get another game. St Kilda, particularly Riewoldt, are past their best but should beat the Dee’s next week. The real point is though that it was a great away win for Freo. I thought that St Kilda were going to mow through them  in that last quarter. According to “The Australian” website “An incident off-the-ball involving Stephen Milne and Michael Barlow will be looked at. Barlow was left on all fours and in need of time on the interchange bench”. Why does that surprise me? There are a few players going around at that club who I can’t stand at any price.

 

So was Carrazzo’s shoulder injury due to foul play by Sam Lonergan? No, I don’t think so, my view is that it was in the run of play but it is a concern that the injured player had his feet taken from under him. In terms of the overall result  I reckon that there should be swabs on entire footy teams. How can a mob who played three such blinders be made to look so ordinary? Essendon scraped to a win against the Sun’s so that to the average observer they should have been seen as being  easy fodder. Perhaps they are the real deal! Doubt it though, but four out of four cannot be denied. Watson and Stanton were pretty good too and even Fletcher with that goal in the second term must have made Essendon true believers think that today was their day. Carlton had a good last quarter with the 6 goals but the deficit was too much to make up, besides, Essendon had next Wednesday to worry about.

 

Collingwood’s win over the Powerless was pretty good really even though they were playing at home given the million injuries they have sustained. I was listening on the wireless and felt dispirited and disappointed that that Port could not put up a better show and I am not even a supporter.

 

Adelaide beat Greater Western Sydney, OK next? The “Next” is,  if they hadn’t, the whole of South Australia apart from the two or three people who barrack for the Power, or admit to doing so, would have been plunged into sackcloth and ashes and everlasting darkness. Meanwhile their coach is saying that Adelaide are too soft with their tackling. Getting more excited about Izzy as times go on, first goal on Saturday.

 

What a outstanding win by the Lions. All the cynics can mock and scorn but the Suns were hot. My mob had  Brown Black, Black and some Merrett back in the side and firing. And Raines held Ablett to 32 touches! “Held to 32 touches”? What a fall from grace that is! Really hope that that knee injury is not serious.

 

The West Coast Hawthorn game was great, the home team had to win this but to the Hawks credit they put up a great show and were unlucky to lose. Just before the end of the game, a West Coast defender was dead set holding the ball just outside of the square but he got away with it. It is said so often that one individual doesn’t lose a game but I do wonder sometimes who is the more inaccurate in percentage terms, Buddy or Cloke? I don’t like the head ducking to milk free kicks too much, ought to pay a free against those who employ this tactic.

 

Everyone is saying now how hopeless Geelong is, can’t tackle apparently. I bet that Brisbane will find the wrong end of the Cats abilities next weekend. Richmond are improving but so are some other sides. Have to concede though that the Tigers being able to scare the Cats at home was a fair enough achievement.

 

Sydney played really well against North Melbourne who were also really hot, Terrible news about Rohan, a really talented player and now he out for the rest of the year. There  are so many injuries this year but how can this trend be stopped? North Melbourne didn’t get hold of the ball as much as last week so that they could not effect the fast handball game. Rhyce Shaw has come a long way since being turned inside out by Alastair Lynch in the 2003 Grand Final. Lewis Jedda is another player who is so exciting to watch, the second, I think it was, of his 3 goals was magic, coming off the boundary, threading through a crowd and somehow having the ball tumbling and arcing is it sped its way through the posts.

 

Poor old Melbourne were done perhaps expected but you almost see a spiritual side to the game with the ongoing  tributes being made to Jim Stynes. I must say that his wife shows extreme grace under pressure. At least the Bulldogs have now opened their account.

 

For me, this week’s high was the Eagles win against Hawthorn, the low the wrong player being given the medal for being the best player at the end of the  A League soccer final.. How would it feel to be stripped of a medal having just received it along with the crowd’s plaudits?

 

Peter Schumacher

 

About Peter Schumacher

Wannabe footy commentator and writer, used to be a wannabe footballer

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