Trending
That there are four umpires now and none saw the throws should be surprising but isn’t.
The Keays dish: The moment in question.Credit: Fox Footy
Another odd thing. Adelaide’s first goal came after a moment that did not draw a free kick, but could have easily seen Tex Walker suspended (he wasn’t cited by the MRO). He pushed Brayden Maynard in the back into a pack in an action that has, for some reason, become commonplace this year. It saw Dylan Shiel suspended last week. So he might be reported but not penalised in the game.
This was the sort of match this was. These moments are not listed to imply mischief or injustice as all fans complain about frees after every game, and besides Adelaide have suffered more from clunker decisions than others (missing the finals after the score review fiasco two years ago) they are noted because they were such a collection of crazy spot fires.
This match should have been about the footy. It was the team that was top for most of the year, but is now spiralling out of the four, playing the team that has romped past them to top spot. It was the Crows confronting a team they had not beaten since Charlie Cameron, Mitch McGovern, Jake Lever and Eddie Betts were all in the team (2016).
The Crow call: Jordan Dawson and his teammates leave the field.Credit: Getty Images
It was played in front of the second-biggest AFL crowd ever at the Adelaide Oval, it was tight and tense, and statistics proved utterly misleading. The number of highlights were as rare as goals. And yet it was gripping.
It settled that Adelaide are a very good team, defensively very sound (Keane was excellent) and despite far fewer entries their forwards looked far more threatening than Collingwood. Forward 50s was a lopsided statistic, but also misleading. All it reflected was where the ball spent most of its time and not a measure of attacking threat.
The match did not settle where Collingwood are at the moment. They were better than they had been but they are still a long way from where they were and where they need to be.
Collingwood are highly unlikely to win the flag without Bobby Hill and Jeremy Howe back in the team.
Hill whose mix of personal issues, illness and now fitness have seen him miss most of the second half of the year was the conspicuous absence and probable difference in a cluttered forward line where no one could find space or the creativity to conjure something. Hill would have done that.
Craig McRae’s was vague on when he would return.
Howe’s importance is underlined with every game he misses. The defence was good against the crows but they are still better organised with Howe there.
This was the Magpies’ fifth loss in six games but also their fourth loss this season by a goal of less for a team that previously seemed to wonder why you would win by a big score if you could win by a little one.
What remains troubling for Collingwood was Darcy Moore again going to ground in chases and being outmarked. Brody Mihocek dropped two chest marks inside 50 in the third quarter. Beau McCreery missed his foot kicking a ball. Dan McStay was unsighted. Dan Houston’s form again didn’t turn.
Jack Gunston should have been waving to the crowd and disappearing into fading MCG light like Luke Breust.
Gunston turns 34 in October. Which in normal times is quite old for a footballer but in this era of Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Dangerfield, Zorko and Walker he might yet have another couple of years left in him.
Given he has just had the best goal return of any of his 16 seasons with his 60 eclipsing the 58 from 2014 there is no doubt he has more years left in him than ever felt likely when he returned to the Hawks. At that stage and with the state of their list build it felt like Hawthorn almost reluctantly acquiesced to the plea of their premiership player to help him out with a return after his brief Brisbane hiatus.
Hawk talk: Gunston’s goal haul pleased coach Sam Mitchell.Credit: AFL Photos
That might be unkind but it is also true neither Hawthorn nor Gunston could have anticipated this level of return on investment.
Melbourne are an iffy proposition at the moment, under a caretaker coach and with so much uncertainty after a year of disappointment so you can’t read too much into the latest win. But this has been season-long form for Gunston. Furthermore he was on Steven May who is tough one on one at any time.
Ordinarily you would call Gunston a third tall forward but this year he has not been. If anything the Hawks’ tallest forward, Mabior Chol, plays as a third tall forward who likes to get up the ground and to double back on balls out the back of the pack.
It was Gunston who on Saturday was presenting and leading like the first choice target. Calsher Dear will be that player but currently he is still finding his moments to assert himself and not commanding every ball that sallies forward. Gunston does.
Logically it still feels hard to envision Hawthorn being able to beat the best other teams without Will Day in their team but the way the Hawks are playing – the way they dismantled Collingwood, the way they opened up Melbourne and the way their forward line is orbiting around Gunston – it would be unwise to assume too much.
Before his latest comeback game there was a question of whether it was worth bringing Sam Walsh back into the team for dead rubber games. What is the point? The season is done and Walsh has had such a wretched time with injury perhaps it was better to worry about next season and put him in cotton wool for the remaining games.
It was good Carlton didn’t. Walsh played like he was getting a year of frustration out.
He was sending a reminder to himself and the team of what they have missed. He had speed run and carry, that clever side step was there, the time and the patience. He didn’t look like he was playing angry, but he looked like he was playing with desperate intent.
Back with zing: Carlton’s Sam Walsh.Credit: Getty Images
It was such a reminder of the pieces that have been missing. A side that can’t transition the ball and match the best repeat running teams gets their best run and carry player back in and what do you know?
A player who has struggled with his body – it was only his 13th game of the year – there was more upside in getting him playing and carrying that enthusiasm and momentum into the pre-season.
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
That there are four umpires now and none saw the throws should be surprising but isn’t.
The Keays dish: The moment in question.Credit: Fox Footy
Another odd thing. Adelaide’s first goal came after a moment that did not draw a free kick, but could have easily seen Tex Walker suspended (he wasn’t cited by the MRO). He pushed Brayden Maynard in the back into a pack in an action that has, for some reason, become commonplace this year. It saw Dylan Shiel suspended last week. So he might be reported but not penalised in the game.
This was the sort of match this was. These moments are not listed to imply mischief or injustice as all fans complain about frees after every game, and besides Adelaide have suffered more from clunker decisions than others (missing the finals after the score review fiasco two years ago) they are noted because they were such a collection of crazy spot fires.
This match should have been about the footy. It was the team that was top for most of the year, but is now spiralling out of the four, playing the team that has romped past them to top spot. It was the Crows confronting a team they had not beaten since Charlie Cameron, Mitch McGovern, Jake Lever and Eddie Betts were all in the team (2016).
The Crow call: Jordan Dawson and his teammates leave the field.Credit: Getty Images
It was played in front of the second-biggest AFL crowd ever at the Adelaide Oval, it was tight and tense, and statistics proved utterly misleading. The number of highlights were as rare as goals. And yet it was gripping.
It settled that Adelaide are a very good team, defensively very sound (Keane was excellent) and despite far fewer entries their forwards looked far more threatening than Collingwood. Forward 50s was a lopsided statistic, but also misleading. All it reflected was where the ball spent most of its time and not a measure of attacking threat.
The match did not settle where Collingwood are at the moment. They were better than they had been but they are still a long way from where they were and where they need to be.
Collingwood are highly unlikely to win the flag without Bobby Hill and Jeremy Howe back in the team.
Hill whose mix of personal issues, illness and now fitness have seen him miss most of the second half of the year was the conspicuous absence and probable difference in a cluttered forward line where no one could find space or the creativity to conjure something. Hill would have done that.
Craig McRae’s was vague on when he would return.
Howe’s importance is underlined with every game he misses. The defence was good against the crows but they are still better organised with Howe there.
This was the Magpies’ fifth loss in six games but also their fourth loss this season by a goal of less for a team that previously seemed to wonder why you would win by a big score if you could win by a little one.
What remains troubling for Collingwood was Darcy Moore again going to ground in chases and being outmarked. Brody Mihocek dropped two chest marks inside 50 in the third quarter. Beau McCreery missed his foot kicking a ball. Dan McStay was unsighted. Dan Houston’s form again didn’t turn.
Jack Gunston should have been waving to the crowd and disappearing into fading MCG light like Luke Breust.
Gunston turns 34 in October. Which in normal times is quite old for a footballer but in this era of Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Dangerfield, Zorko and Walker he might yet have another couple of years left in him.
Given he has just had the best goal return of any of his 16 seasons with his 60 eclipsing the 58 from 2014 there is no doubt he has more years left in him than ever felt likely when he returned to the Hawks. At that stage and with the state of their list build it felt like Hawthorn almost reluctantly acquiesced to the plea of their premiership player to help him out with a return after his brief Brisbane hiatus.
Hawk talk: Gunston’s goal haul pleased coach Sam Mitchell.Credit: AFL Photos
That might be unkind but it is also true neither Hawthorn nor Gunston could have anticipated this level of return on investment.
Melbourne are an iffy proposition at the moment, under a caretaker coach and with so much uncertainty after a year of disappointment so you can’t read too much into the latest win. But this has been season-long form for Gunston. Furthermore he was on Steven May who is tough one on one at any time.
Ordinarily you would call Gunston a third tall forward but this year he has not been. If anything the Hawks’ tallest forward, Mabior Chol, plays as a third tall forward who likes to get up the ground and to double back on balls out the back of the pack.
It was Gunston who on Saturday was presenting and leading like the first choice target. Calsher Dear will be that player but currently he is still finding his moments to assert himself and not commanding every ball that sallies forward. Gunston does.
Logically it still feels hard to envision Hawthorn being able to beat the best other teams without Will Day in their team but the way the Hawks are playing – the way they dismantled Collingwood, the way they opened up Melbourne and the way their forward line is orbiting around Gunston – it would be unwise to assume too much.
Before his latest comeback game there was a question of whether it was worth bringing Sam Walsh back into the team for dead rubber games. What is the point? The season is done and Walsh has had such a wretched time with injury perhaps it was better to worry about next season and put him in cotton wool for the remaining games.
It was good Carlton didn’t. Walsh played like he was getting a year of frustration out.
He was sending a reminder to himself and the team of what they have missed. He had speed run and carry, that clever side step was there, the time and the patience. He didn’t look like he was playing angry, but he looked like he was playing with desperate intent.
Back with zing: Carlton’s Sam Walsh.Credit: Getty Images
It was such a reminder of the pieces that have been missing. A side that can’t transition the ball and match the best repeat running teams gets their best run and carry player back in and what do you know?
A player who has struggled with his body – it was only his 13th game of the year – there was more upside in getting him playing and carrying that enthusiasm and momentum into the pre-season.
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution
The Us Media 2025
