AFL Season 2015

[Aerlik]

Finally, after a month of computer problems I have got round to getting the annual AFL season games round up (my perspective, unbiased and unapologetically one-eyed) underway.  The first three rounds are very short summaries but after this weekend (Round Four) there'll be better, even more unbiased and one-eyed summaries.  Enjoy.

Round One

Richmond 105 – 78 Carlton
The traditional opening fixture of the AFL season saw the Tigers just too good in the end for the Blues.  Pretty average performance by Carlton and the gods of doom are already predicting dire times ahead.  For the Tigers, well, they're the perennial grand finalists – at least in their own minds.

Melbourne 115 – 89 Gold Coast
Many have been predicting great things from the Suns this season, including the inaugural Finals performance.  Oh dear, they clearly forgot that they had to win to get there and games against Melbourne were the wins that MUST be locked away.  A clearly unfit Gary Ablett Jr. could not inspire the Suns and the Dees were victorious.  The big guns won't be sleeping uneasy after this one, though.

Sydney 72 – 60 Essendon
Fresh after being "exonerated" of illegal drug use by the Courts in one of the worst legal decisions in Australian sport, the Bombers rocketed to a 41 point ¾ time lead, only for the Swans to recover and stage a remarkable come-from-behind win.  Exciting stuff in the last quarter for the Swans fans.  Many of us were not so quietly laughing at Essendon.

Collingwood 86 – 74 Brisbane
Brisbane are rebuilding  but giving Collingwood a 53-point lead then hoping to win from that was not part of the plan.  Hanley's injury is not helping the Lions.  It's going to be a long, painful rebuild.

Western Bulldogs 97-87 West Coast Eagles
Oh this was sweet.  I am, of course, no fan of the trash down the road and this win was great to watch.  Suddenly the reality that they are not the top 4 team they think they are and tell everyone they deserve to be, is sinking home.

Greater Western Sydney 87 – 78 St. Kilda
Garbage.  Crap game, enough said.

Adelaide 140 – 63 North Melbourne
Yet another team that seems to think it has a right to be in the top 4, all the time, the Roos were pathetic.  Adelaide are expected to make the finals  but this was a real statement to the rest of the competition.

Hawthorn 123 – 61 Geelong.
Geelong was leading at the end of the first quarter, then Hawthorn hit top gear.  Enough said.  Clinical performance and the Hawks are worthy of their favourites tag for the season.

Fremantle 75 – 68 Port Adelaide
Easily the game of the round.  It had everything but Freo have Nathan Fyfe.  Great win to start the season.  And Fyfe?  He is the best player in the completion.


Round Two

West Coast 131 – 62 Carlton.
If you let a forward kick 10 goals then you know you're not in the game.  Carlton were abysmal.  Of course the home fans are already booking their Grand Final flights – apparently.

Western Bulldogs 85 – 66 Richmond
The first time in many years that the Bulldogs have won their first two games.   And the prophets of doom are circling at Punt Road. 

Greater Western Sydney 101 – 56 Melbourne.
The Dees were expecting a win.  They forgot to play.  Shocking rubbish on view.  Thank goodness I didn't pay to see it.

Adelaide 90 – 63 Collingwood
The pies are not going to make the top 8 this year.  They were simply no match for the Crows.

St. Kilda 104 – 76 Gold Coast
The Suns were expected this one but were no match for the Saints.  This was the game where the absence of Gary Ablett was most noticeably felt.  It's going to be a long season for both teams.

Sydney 92 – 44 Port Adelaide.
Suddenly one of the competition's favourites finds itself 0-2 and the panic button has been located but not pushed just yet.  A great win for the Swans.

Fremantle 104 – 60 Geelong
Dammit this was a very satisfying win.  The Nathan Fyfe show rolls on.   Last year Freo suffered the agony of defeat when an after the siren kick by David Mundy just drifted to the right of the goals and the Cats won by 4.  Not so on this occasion.  A great team win. 

Essendon 78 – 76 Hawthorn.
I thought the Hawks would've won this one but Essendon held on to record a superb win.  I didn't see the game but would love to have been there.

North Melbourne 133 – 51 Brisbane
Oh dear, oh dear oh dear oh dear.  Nuff said.


Round Three

Collingwood 140 – 66 St. Kilda
As expected.  It's not that the pies are good; St. Kilda are  bad.

Essendon 105 – 84 Carlton
This game was a lot closer than the score suggests.  Are we finally seeing the awakening of the Blues.  A significant win for Essendon keeping them in the top 8.

Adelaide 80 – 55 Melbourne
A deluge of Adelaide goals was predicted in this game but it is a sign that the Dees are getting better that the score this close.  (And believe me for Melbourne to lose by "only" 25 points is progress – cf. my comments in the past three seasons on their efforts).

Sydney 111 – 90 Greater Western Sydney
Phew.  Caught my breath.  A great game for the neutral and were it not for a dubious goal umpiring decision it could have been a repeat of last year's massive shock when the Giants beat the Swans.  Things are looking up for the Giants.

Port Adelaide 113 – 108 North Melbourne
Another cracker of a game for the neutral.  Amazing last quarter and the game was only decided in the last minute.  Great stuff.

Richmond 137 – 58 Brisbane
Ditto my last comments featuring a Brisbane game.  Not looking good for the Lions.  Now 0-3

Hawthorn 127 – 57 Western Bulldogs.
As expected the Hawks were just way too good for the bulldogs.  Looking very dangerous.

Geelong 105 – 96 Gold Coast
A lucky escape for the Cats.  Even without Ablett, the Suns really lifted their game but inexperience at crucial moments of the game was their undoing.  Still, a bit of hope despite now being 0-3.

Fremantle 111 – 81 West Coast.
No need to gloat – much.  This was as clinical a first half as I have ever seen.  At one stage we were 73 points ahead then for some reason we decided we'd tease the trash and let them think they'd have a chance.  Suddenly those Grand Final flights are being cancelled.  I didn't get to the game but enjoyed watching the replay, a lot.  In all seriousness, though, allowing the Eagles back into the game the way they did would have been seriously punished by a good club.  Still 3-0 will do me at this stage of the competition and we have Nathan Fyfe.

[Aerlik]

Round Four - ANZAC Weekend Round

Melbourne 83 - 51 Richmond
Few suspected that this would be the outcome of this game but the Demons are showing a bit more skill and tenacity than we've seen in the past ten years or so.  This was quite an enjoyable game to watch but the Tigers must be wondering why they are playing the way they are. 

Carlton 121 - 81 St. Kilda
The annual "home" game for the Saints, played in sunny New Zealand.  And after four attempts they are still winless.  With one more year to go on the contract it would appear that the kiwis are not impressed with only 12,000 attending.  At least there is a bit of hope for embattled Blues coach, Mick Malthouse.

Collingwood 69 - 49 Essendon.
Well, the first of the "shocks" for the round.  Didn't see this one coming based on the form of the two teams.  But the occasion is a big one in the AFL calendar and the pies stood up superbly to win a tough encounter in the rain.  90,000 fans paid to watch this game.  I'd like to have been there, too.  An enjoyable game.

GWS 119 - 53 Gold Coast.
The largest margin between these two newcomers to the AFL.  The Suns are in damage prevention mode while the Giants are really enjoying a superb start to the season and sit second on the ladder.

Port Adelaide 99 - 91 Hawthorn
How to create a massive lead and proceed to nearly lose it - Part 1.  Port dominated the first half but the Hawks came back and this proved to be a real nail-biter.  Despite the loss I still think the Hawks will do the three-in-a-row this year.

Fremantle 74 - 60 Sydney
How to create a massive lead and proceed to nearly lost it - Part 2.  What a game.  It's on nights like these that I love being able to watch this game in person.  Just under 40,000 fans saw one of the best ever halves of footy from any Freo team as the boys raced to a 48-point half-time lead.  Then Sydney woke up and got the margin to three points before Freo kicked the last two goals to record their fourth win from four games, thus creating their own bit of history as it is the first time they've won four-in-a-row at the start of the season.  Buddy was kept quiet by Luke McPharlin, but everyone is talking one name at present and that player is Nathan Fyfe.  Sublime player.  The noise was deafening inside Subiaco stadium and my throat is fekked for the second time in a month. 

West Coast 118 - 65 Brisbane
The premiership favourites tag (albeit self-administered) is back on for the eagles.  Brisbane was shite.  Utter garbage.  I stopped watching at half-time.  My neighbour spacing out and wrecking his balcony while on Kronik was much more entertaining.

North Melbourne 83 - 67 Geelong.
For the first time since 2007, Geelong have lost two home games in a season.  Indeed since that time they've only lost two games at home with the record at 50-2.  This was a great game to watch especially the performance of the Kangaroos ruckman.  Things are not good at your club when Stevie Johnson is your sub, I suppose.

Western Bulldogs 125 -68 Adelaide
Easily the shock of the round.  A superb win for the bulldogs and the loss knocks Adelaide off their top of the ladder position.

...meaning that, as they are four from four, Fremantle is the outright leader of the competition at this stage.  Long may it continue.

[50fiftyball]

Enjoying this thread!

For us at home here, does anyone know is it only ESPN & Eurosport that show the AFL games at weekends?

[bamboo]

Agreed re the thread, great reading it every week. Without sounding ungrateful Aerlik, is there any chance you could include the league table(ladder) each week? Maybe not too important now but towards the end of the season it would be nice to be able to see it here after reading your reports/previews rather than having to leave this page and check elsewhere. Cheers and keep up the good work.

[Aerlik]

Pos    Teams       P    W    L    D    FOR    AG    %    PTS   
  1    Fremantle    4    4    0    0   364    269    135.3    16   
  2    GWS Giants    4    3    1    0    397    298    133.2    12   
  3    Collingwood    4    3    1    0    358    279    128.3    12   
  4    Sydney Swans    4    3    1    0    335    268    125.0    12   
  5    Adel Crows    4    3    1    0    378    306    123.5    12   
  6    West Bulldogs    4    3    1    0    364    348    104.6    12   
  7    Hawthorn    4    2    2    0    417    295    141.4    8   
  8    Coke Eagles    4    2    2    0    417    335    124.5    8   
  9    Richmond    4    2    2    0    359    304    118.1    8   
  10    Nth Melbourne 4    2    2    0    384    371    103.5    8   
  11    Essendon    4    2    2    0    292    301    97.0    8   
  12    Melbourne    4    2    2    0    309    321    96.3    8   
  13    Port Adelaide   4    2    2    0    324    363    89.3    8   
  14    Carlton       4    1    3    0    345    422    81.8    4   
  15    St Kilda       4    1    3    0    329    424    77.6    4   
  16    Geelong Cats    4    1    3    0    293    406    72.2    4   
  17    Gold Cst Suns    4    0    4    0    314    443    70.9    0   
  18    Brisbane Lions    4    0    4    0    248    474    52.3    0

[bamboo]

You're a good lad.

[lynchbhoy]

LOL
coke eagles!!

great stuff Aerlik - always enjoy reading those!

you have me hating the west coke feckers too - from the sounds of it their fans must be a bit like some of the rabble that pontificate on about certain soccer teams/bellaghy! 

[AlriteHorse]

Early days yet but 2 losses for the swans at this stage isn't great. Didn't deserve to beat Bulldogs....handling and kicking was brutal though that was more to do with unreal pressure from the bulldogs.....their forwards in particular. Think half of their scores came from turnovers. Disappointing to see Goodes starting to struggle a bit. Might be best for him just to step to the side and revert to a back-up role when our top players need rested etc. I seen him a few times struggling for pace off the mark and general effort to make balls. (Effort is probably the wrong choice of word as he was prob busting his balls but his legs just weren't capable.)

Watched Hawks Kangaroos as well which threatened to boil over about 5/6 times with hawks putting in some seriously late tackles etc. Surprised Brett Harvey was able to keep the head...from what I saw on tv.

Anyway, a few teams seem to be punching above their weight / expectations like GWS and Demons with a few teams going the other way......Port Adelaide anyone? Some other things just don't change with Greenwood losing to a depleted Shamrocks team on Sunday also. Sorry Aerlik, couldn't resist.

[Max Payne]

Any word on how young Conor Mc Kenna from Tyrone is getting on with Essendon?

[Aerlik]

Ignoring the dig in the ribs from behind from Alrite Horse (coughs)

Week Five.

Collingwood 120-45 Carlton
You know that feeling when you have absolutely no loyalty to a club, player or whatever but you watch as someone is being humiliated on national television and you can't help feeling just plain, bloody sorry and embarrassed for them?  Well that was exactly how I felt on Friday night watching one of the worst ever games of AFL footy.  I usually reserve words such as tripe, garbage or just plain shite for the likes of Melbourne and some of the other weaker clubs but we are talking about Carlton and we are, in particular, talking about Mick Malthouse the coach who broke the record of 714 senior coached games, held for many decades by the legendary Jock McHale.  Dear God what were the Carlton players thinking?  Not a single player made any effort and by default made Collingwood look good.  Zac Tuohy was no exception.  However, in his defence, he needs a midfield that actually want the ball.  There you go, rant over. 

Geelong 85-76 Richmond
The woes continue for the Tigers as Top 4 aspirations are swiftly dissipating.   The reports of the game relate to the closeness of the score despite the power of the Cats, who are on their way through something of a transition period.

My tipping was going along swimmingly but then this happened...

Western Bulldogs 77-73 Sydney
I actually thought this was the stats for the tackle count per team.  No one in their right mind would have predicted this score.  The Footscray boys are enjoying the limelight but they know that when the big guns come to town it will be a different matter.  For the neutrals it was an astonishing result.  I only caught the last 3 minutes on the AFL website and it is well worth it to have a look.

Gold Coast 118-54 Brisbane
I didn't see any of this game but by all accounts Brisbane is woeful. The battle of the cellar-dwellers and the three times premier from the last decade is no longer top dog in Queensland.

Hawthorn 130-70  North Melbourne
The main talking points about this was not the final score but the handbags that saw Luke Hodge, the captain, suspended for three weeks.  It was a tough game and the best team graciously accepted defeat.

West Coast 120-33 GWS
Disclaimer: My only reason for attending this game was purely that of my son refereeing at half-time in the mini-games series for the first time.  Other than that I'd have been at home sleeping.  The Giants made the eagles look great.  But with the threat of surgery on an elbow injury a probable as opposed to a possible  outcome for "star" forward Josh Kennedy the woes of the Eagles seem to show no abating.  And hands up all those who are sad?

Fremantle 118-50 Melbourne.
A really good 4-quarter effort from the boys in this game.  Still top of the pile and still I haven't booked my flights to Melbourne for the grand final.  More difficult teams lie ahead starting with Essendon on Saturday night at home.  I'll be there and I'm looking forward to it already.  Of concern are the health and wellbeing of the two star forwards, Pavilch and Walters.  Injuries to one or both could mean the Freo forwards go in to the Bombers clash as outsiders which they like.

Essendon 82-80 St. Kilda
Speaking of the bombers this was definitely not the result Essendon wanted one week prior to facing Freo in Perth.  I only caught glimpses of the score line updates and I read that the Saints were just a tad unlucky.  Maybe the last dregs of the drugs are wearing out.

Port Adelaide 115 - 91
Port showed just why they are premiership favourites in future, come here.  This was a tough, frantic game and full of passion among the players.  Not a classic but still nice to see my second team doing well.  C'mon  Ipswich.

[AlriteHorse]

I'm reading "ignoring my dig in the ribs" but I'm hearing "I have no comeback whatsoever!"

Anyway, hopefully the games are better this weekend than last. Swans and Dogs was about as exciting as the games were though was pretty bad to watch partly due to the weather and swans brutal handling.

Will be in round Leederville tonight if ya happen to be around Aerlik. Not a late one as I'm doing this Pieta House walk tomorrow morning.

[Aerlik]

Well chap, there is no comeback but I didn't expect the dig on this particular thread   (ya hoor).  Won't be in Leederville but will be at the Comedy Club at the Brizzy tonight.

[Aerlik]

 
Round Six

Well, well, well!  How do I start this summary of Round Six?  I could go on about Freo being firmly anchored (no pun intended) at the top of the ladder, two games/8 points clear but no, on this occasion I'll modestly say that that has been one of the worst rounds for tipping in years.  Shock after shock after shock.  The bookies are loving it today.

Geelong 100-59 Collingwood
This was expected to be a victory for the stripes over the hoops but the Cats had other ideas.  They tore into Collingwood from the start and never let the pies into the game.  This was as clinical an effort from Geelong as I have watched all year.  I kept thinking that perhaps the Pies would wake up and get right into it in the third quarter but no, not on this occasion.  Whilst they are not going to win the premiership this year, there is still plenty to fear about Geelong.  The loss means Collingwood is one of six teams on 4 wins from 6 but I feel that with games against big teams yet to come that will mean the beginning of the end for Collingwood in the top 8.

North Melbourne 109-74 Richmond
More pain for Richmond fans as North were simply too good all over the ground.  There was a lack of urgency and indeed ideas from any of the Richmond players as North played the game on their terms and won easily enough in the end.  The game was a North home game but they are contracted to the State of Tasmania and the game was played in that state.  I'd hate to have paid to go watch Richmond as they were pretty damned average.

St. Kilda 94-87 Western Bulldogs (Shock no. 1 for the weekend).
A year ago no one would have blinked at that score.  Fast forward to this season and only last week the Dogs were beating Sydney on the SCG, one of the hardest grounds to win on.  They were flying high, sitting second on the ladder and were so favoured to win this game against the Saints that some bookies stopped taking bets on them.  The this happened.
10.4 (64) to 2.3(15) up at half time and with Saints only managing a single point in the second quarter, this looked like it was going to be one of those percentage booster wins every team gets against the crap teams.  Saints woke up, and the resulting turn around was as phenomenal as it was surprising.  Saints kicked 12 goals to 3 in the second half to cap an astonishing come back.  This neutral wasn't disappointed.

Greater Western Sydney 108-98 Hawthorn (Shock no. 2)
You read that correctly.  Only last week I endured one of the most pathetic attempts by any AFL side (even worse than Freo in the dark days of ten years ago) when the Giants made the Eagles look good.  In fact so bad were they that the Eagles' coach stopped short of saying the same thing.  Fast forward a week and suddenly, if you hadn't heard of Jeremy Cameron before Saturday, you certainly know of him now.   The big power forward kicked seven (7) goals against the Hawks and I have never heard of anyone doing the same, certainly during my time in Oz.  The last ten minutes make for great watching and I managed to watch the replay the next day and I was still roaring them on.  One of those "you had to be there" games I think.

Adelaide 119-79 Gold Coast
As expected the power and depth of talent in the Crows' panel was just too much for the Suns who never really bothered the Crows that much.  I only watched the AFL website highlights of the game and there wasn't much to write about.

Sydney 88-50 Melbourne
Fresh from the humiliation of losing at home to the Dogs last week, many were predicting an avalanche of goals for Sydney.  Well, they won but the 38-point margin says more about the improvement of Melbourne than anything.  Alrite Horse still hasn't booked the honeymoon as he thinks there'll be red and white at the MCG on the first Saturday of October.  I'm not ready to argue with him.

Fremantle 80-52 Essendon
Aye, another fine win by the lads.  A big crowd of just under 39,000 saw the best midfield with the best player, run over the bombers for three of the four quarters and then have a rest.  In fact, Freo never scored a goal in the fourth quarter which had a few of us in the crowd, myself included, just a wee bit pissed off because the dark past is not that distant and I remember fade-outs of monumental proportions.  Still, I always say an ugly win is better than a gallant loss.  James Hird, the Essendon Coach, declared Freo the team to beat this year but just as Alrite Horse hasn't booked the honeymoon, I haven't booked the airfares to Melbourne.  There are another 17 weeks to go.  Top of the table with a two-game/8 point lead will do nicely for now. 

Brisbane 84-75 Carlton
Garbage.  Not surprising that these two are bottom of the pile and indeed it was the Lions' first win of the season.  I watched the last quarter yesterday and that is 25 minutes of my life I will never get back.  Nothing to see.  Moving along.

Themmuns down the road 78-68 Port Adelaide.
To paraphrase a Japanese proverb, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down" is what I am really wanting to say to the WA sports media.  They are up and they are crowing and inevitably they are suggesting that the eagles could finish in the top 4.  Now whilst it was a significant win by the druggies, it was more a case of disastrous decision making at times by Port Adelaide.  I never watched the game and thank Christ for that as the amount bragging and toving going on today would scunner you.  And their easy draw continues next week with more points guaranteed against the Suns.  God I hope I'm wrong.

[AlriteHorse]

Had one eye on the Swans game with another on the Freo game. Bit disappointed with the Bombers performance though Freo looked good. Buddys kicking is still slightly erratic with a couple of basic errors. (Jettas 50yarder was the highlight for me along with a couple of cameo runs from Goodes.)

Didn't see Geelong game but shocking to see what happened Mitch Clark at the end. Without going into it too much, he basically had a breakdown at the end of the game that's related to mental illness/depression he's been dealing with. Felt really sorry for him.

Special mention to St Kilda for their unreal comeback and also to the refs who are starting to implement the "release" rule a lot better making games a lot easier to watch. (None of this crap of 7/8 men in a scrum for the ball being allowed to go on and on and on.)

[AlriteHorse]

Pretty much seen no games over the weekend due to "other commitments" so can't really comment on anything other than Fyfes "trip" which I saw on the news. Not sure what the rule is on this etc but I think it's an absolute joke that he was put on report for it. Don't think there was any malic in it whatsoever as the Bulldogs player completely wrong footed him as he went to make a tackle.

Anyway, Eagles seem to be having a fairly steady year and have made a lot of progress on last year hammering an Ablett-less Suns. No news on Nick Riewoldt who went off knocked out against the Crows on Saturday. (This was actually the only bit of live action I seen all weekend.) Again there was nothing intentional but jesus it looked sore.....not that Nick knew much about it anyway.

huge game for the Swans next week against the Hawks who'll pretty much be back to full strength.