The View From Shepparton: Round 6

The View took his frame to the nearest Hardly Normal Store today , ostensibly to purchase a microwave but in fact to have a look at the new 3D behemoths. The salesperson reckoned the State Of Origin games are going to be telecast in that medium this year. The State Of Origin concept by the way  is where  League murders Rules. Ironic isn’t it that this idea originated in our code. It shows a real weakness of our game in that club loyalties will always overrule state loyalties. Anyhow the point I was going to get to was that had I seen Bradshaw’s efforts against us leaping out of the screen I would have been crying and cheering at the same time. Perhaps someone somewhere can explain to me in terms that a two year old can understand how it was worth letting an uncomplicated and from what I can see a decent sort of a bloke be sacrificed for a fellow who ostensibly has baggage trailing behind him for as far as the eye can see. If I were a Sydney fan, should the concept be an issue, I would have my belief in God reinforced as apparently out of the sky a full forward materialised to replace Bazza.

Having had my weekly whinge about that matter, I will highlight another gripe (again). The news from the ABC re this game during the course of their broadcast of their Victorian game was next to non-existent. I tried getting this broadcast on the  net through News Radio and on various local stations up and down the east coast. Not a sausage, apart from very intermittent scores on local radio here. Why is it that there are not live crosses? If there are, I apologise to those who are responsible for these things for getting it wrong, but if I am right, well then this situation is totally beyond me. Anyway, apart from Bradshaw I understand that other good players for Sydney were Bolton, Goodes and Jack, and for Brisbane, Brown, Clark and Black. I further understand that it was a gutsy win by Sydney given that they  had a stack of injuries in the last quarter. My source for comments in this paragraph has been The Oz.

The interesting thing about the Bulldogs – St Kilda game (I chucked in listening to the radio broadcast as I thought the Bulldogs had it won) has been the differing opinions expressed about the match itself. On the one  hand St Kilda supporters can point to the ladder, on the other hand the average observer can point to the game as being an example of the fusion of Rules with Rugby. Personally I hate the style exhibited on Friday night. It is frustrating to watch particularly and pretty frustrating to listen to as well.

Trying to pick form at the moment is hopeless. Even though Hawthorn are having a shocker this year I thought that they would easily account for Essendon, particularly given the way that the latter played last week. Essendon then went and played as well as they played badly last week. Fletcher was again outstanding, He reminds me of Bruce Doull the way he is able at the last minute to effect a spoil. Also, he mostly makes his kicks count. Winderlich is starting to make his presence felt I reckon. Franklin did play well although the TV commentators noted as that has been said before in the footy world he is sometimes lazy and won’t chase. Hille was reported again. Can’t understand it at all, seems to be a fair enough player to me.

The headline in The Oz today is. “Tigers facing total humiliation”. I think that that headline could just as easily apply to The Crows. They have well and truly had it this year and thus are no certainties to even beat Richmond at home. On the other hand the Powerless are four and two. Not bad I suppose for a rabble that had 11 goals kicked against them in the third quarter the previous week. Perhaps what it really shows though is the discrepancy between the top and middle level sides let alone between the top and bottom sides.

North Melbourne and Melbourne are both teams that I wouldn’t begrudge going well this year. I certainly backed Melbourne to win but anyway given that I have previously been quite scathing about Brad Scott’s philosophies regarding coaching, soft left I thought, I was quite happy to be  proved wrong. It was great that Melbourne kicked 6 goals in a row in the third quarter but when a team is so far behind before things start to click, it only takes one goal from the opposition to stop a recovery in its tracks. Having said that, North earlier in the year might have been overrun but now that they have won three it makes the competition a bit more interesting.

Collingwood I think are the most impressive team going round at the moment. They are fast and skilful. I just love it when Dale Thomas gets going, he is so good to watch. Ironic that Luke Ball is going really well now, as described previously clubs certainly pull clangers at times letting players go. I mentioned Thomas but then there is Judd. He would have to be close to being one of the best footballers in the last decade. He gains possession, gets in and out of packs and invariably uses the ball well. This was a good game, the exact antithesis of the St Kilda Bullldogs fixture.

I was pretty happy that Freo beat the West Coast, just so that they could maintain their momentum. Barlow played well again and Pavlich got 5. Good result for Freo given that The Derby is as hotly contested as any other rivalry in the game.

Richmond were outclassed again, about all that was achieved was that it managed to run Geelong into a bit more form.

The Storm won again, OK but so they should with their playing list.

About Peter Schumacher

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

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