The View From Shepparton: Round 5

Well what a prick of  an Anzac Day weekend that was.

The Brisbane bubble was pricked followed closely by that of St Kilda’s, Geelong, but the Storm were the biggest pricks of all, or at least a few of their administrators have been.

I spent the weekend in Melbourne, folks, and made up my mind amongst other things that Brisbane’s away strip doesn’t work at all. I can say that all the matches that I have attended (two now) where they have worn the all white colours of the club, they have been hopeless. I annoyed my financial adviser by repeating ad nauseum, particularly in the last quarter, that they were playing like the Crows, that is, indecisive, unskilled, and generally unbearable (which might have been an excuse in their earlier incarnation). Oh did I say that Melbourne played well? They certainly did, youbetcha. Petterd, a player I had never heard of before the Collingwood game. took my eye, Frawley was good, Bate, I had noticed him before also. This was a fast quick young and exciting side.

When we arrived at the ground, just before half time, as I gathered our tickets, I asked breathlessly, “What’s the score”, and on hearing that Melbourne were 19 points up wasn’t happy but thought that such a margin could easily be reached. Trouble is that after that they kicked further away to be another  3 goals up at half time. Last year it was no Brown, no Bradshaw, no Brisbane. This year it is no Brown no Fev no Brisbane. It is interesting that thus far this year the Fev and Bradshaw have both kicked 17 goals. Got to say that Fevola did chase and work in an attempt to lift Brisbane. I’m not sure that Brown was injured, the delivery down to him was awful. Also Frawley clearly had his measure. As I left the ground I said to a Melbourne supporter and his wife, ” you were just too good for us”. He said, “it’s been a long time”. I said, “enjoy”. On the two times we have see the Dees this year he will get a lot more enjoyment and good luck to him and all Melbourne supporters.

The previous night we had arrived at our motel and I  had witnessed on TV the last half of another inept Crows performance. How any coach can turn around a team which has lost all confidence in each other, their skills, everything, I don’t know. You think,”just one win and they will get going”, but it just doesn’t happen. The Barry Hall thing is certainly working for the Bulldogs, I certainly thought that he was finished, that’s for sure.

Sydney are the one’s. Who would have had them at the top after round 5?. I reckon that they will murder my mob next week. I had thought that the West Coast might have kicked on after their first win but nup, nothing doing. Bradshaw got 6, just fantastic, really is. Just love to see players who have been given short shrift, particularly after years of loyal service prove their critics wrong. I have to say that apart from Voss apparently I wasn’t aware that Bradshaw would have had any critics at Brisbane.

North Melbourne beat the team that Tasmania is supposed to love, but without a ruckman it’s pretty tough. How does any elite AFL  team get to the stage where there are absolutely no big men in reserve?

Port made a lot of critics, including me, choke on their evening meal on Saturday night, but there it is, doesn’t matter how good they are, visiting teams are always more at risk, although all of us would have thought that the Saints with their record would win this one easily. I didn’t see or hear any details of this game.

I went to the blockbuster. I actually paid megabucks for my wife and I to attend a function prior to the match. All I knew was that it was the only way to get tickets. Imagine my surprise when on walking in I found out that it was actually a Collingwood fund raiser. Anyway I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience made more so by the presence of Angela Pippos (who I just had to introduce myself to) who did a great job as MC as she put questions to guests Kevin Sheedy and Anthony Rocca. My wife demanded that I take a photograph of herself with Mr Rocca. He being a really good sport had no problem with this. All in all this function was a great advertisement for the game with the camaraderie evident at all tables. We had seated next to us at our table a young couple from England who had never seen a game before. I couldn’t but help observe that on my knowledge of the scene in England there is no way known that a club over there would have a long term coach of an opposing club as a guest speaker. I must admit that Kevin Sheedy did argue pretty persuasively for the West Sydney presence, the idea of which I have in the past been steadfastly against in favour of a Tasmanian representation.

The game itself was hopeless, and interestingly for me, anyway, apart from the minute’s silence and the last post, the atmosphere I had always imagined was there mostly wasn’t. As an example, most people seemed to chat on during the parade of our veterans. On TV it is made to look that they are the total centre of attention, as indeed they are whilst on screen but to me in a big expanse like the MCG their presence seemed to be dwarfed.

Collingwood played really well and you think, “well I don’t know”, but I hate to say it, Essendon played like the Crows.

Carlton is also on the way up, Geelong supporters must be getting worried.

On the Storm, I fervently hope that the players are clean, thus I can then justify in my own mind at least that they have been truly dudded by slick management, and thus, as a team wish them the best for the rest of the year.

About Peter Schumacher

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

Comments

  1. No comment on Freo and the Tiges Pete?

    Couldn’t agree more about your summary of the ‘blockbuster’. The game was poor. I went too and I dont think I have ever seen so many bored people, even the Collingwood fans were leaving early.

  2. Peter Schumacher says

    Hi Neil,

    I must say that that was a shocking oversight.

    My main comment is that there is no way that most Freo sides would have picked up from 5 goals down in the first quarter. On the other hand Richmond supporters must be asking how far they need to be ahead, in the first quarter in particular, and not be defeated. The only ray of hope for them is how Melbourne and Freo have rebounded so far this year and take courage from that.

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