AFL Round 12: Patrick Dangerfield

Round 12 AFL Review

Just a brief run down of this week’s AFL action – nothing like a long weekend to keep one away from the computer for a weekend.

First of all – congrats to all those who gave of themselves for Neale Daniher. The Big Freeze is a truly worthwhile initiative, and this year alone – 4 million dollars has been raised to aid in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease. I really like when footy does good things for the community – and I wish there was more of it.

The thing that struck me as I was watching footy this weekend is the Adelaide Crows. In a year where there seems to be no clear cut premiership favourite, I have a keen eye on the Crows. They sit in seventh at the moment, but are the form team of the competition, undefeated in their last 4 – and I think there’s a real chance they sneak in to the top 4. The query is their form against the top sides – their 4 losses have been against North, Hawthorn, Bulldogs, and Cats – however, they have been within 15 points in three of those losses. Their list is healthy, they have a good mix of youth/experience, and inside/outside midfielders – and I reckon they’re just under the radar at the moment, so I’m calling it early. They’re a real good premiership chance.

I also think the Kangaroos got found out against the Cats – yes they got a bit unlucky with injury – but even the 31 point margin flattered them. This should have been a 9-10 goal defeat. The Cats had 30 scoring shots to the Kangaroos 14. 15 goals and 15 behinds should probably have been 20 goals 10 behinds. They’ve dropped 2 of their last 3, and take on Hawthorn next week – potentially without Swallow, Cunnington, and Dal Santo. They’re starting to come back to the field, no doubt about it – and it’s little wonder the bookies have them as equal 7th favourite to win the flag.

Speaking of the flag – GWS? Could they? I don’t know that they have the depth to cover any serious injuries to key players – but there’s a youthful exuberance about them at the moment, mixed with some hard and wise veteran heads. They remind me of the 1993 Baby Bombers to a certain extent. Defeating the Swans by 7 goals would have given them a nice healthy dose of self-confidence too. With Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood, and Brisbane in their next 4 games – they’re likely to be 12 and 4 by round 17. Momentum.

So to this week’s matches:

Happy team at Hawthorn 23.13.151 def
Same Old Essendon 6.7.43
Good: Hawthorn’s forward line.
Bad: Essendon.
Two Sentence Summary: This was a complete annihilation. To make matters worse, TIPPA!™ wasn’t even playing.

Half Mongrel Bulldogs 15.10.100 def
Half Rat Power 14.13.97
Good: The match, The Bont, The Wines
Bad: Dahlhaus’ knee injury.
Two Sentence Summary: Despite Port’s intense tackling pressure, the Bulldogs thrived around the clearances, especially in the last quarter. Marcus Bontempelli is going to win a Brownlow someday.

We’re Not Tanking at Fremantle 23.9.147 def
We might be Tanking at Brisbane 9.10.64
Good: Matt Taberner, Tom Rockliff.
Bad: Journalists asking about coach’s futures. Get a life.
Two Sentence Summary: Brisbane are really bad and getting worse, and the fans aren’t happy about it. Fremantle are far better than a 2-10 record suggests, and their youngsters are getting good game time.

Patrick Freaking Dangerfield and Friends: 15.15.105 def
The team coached by the other Scott brother: 12.2.74
Good: Patrick Freaking Dangerfield (and his supercoach score)
Bad: By comparison, everyone who is not Patrick Freaking Dangerfield
Two Sentence Summary: Minus Tom Hawkins, Geelong were simply too good for ladder leaders North Melbourne, Patrick Freaking Dangerfield leading the way with 48 possessions. The Kangaroos start a tricky month with a loss, and injuries won’t help.

The Best Team in Adelaide: 15.15.105 def
West Coast Coolers 11.10.76
Good: Eddie Betts
Bad: Nic Naitanui’s Achilles injury:
Two Sentence Summary: The Crows kicked the last 8 goals of the match to turn a 26 point deficit into a 29 point victory. 25 more tackles and 30 more inside 50’s kept West Coast under pressure all night, and they finally succumbed in the last quarter.

Sinners and Saints 17.8.110 def
Those no-good, low-down, dirty rotten Blues 12.6.78
Good: The way the Saints youngsters responded to last week’s flogging.
Bad: Etihad Stadium not realising people were coming to the footy, and fans missing the first quarter and half of the second.
Two Sentence Summary: The Saints’ pressure forced the Blues to over possess and turn the ball over regularly. Jack Steven, Seb Ross, and Tim Membrey all had great games for the Saints, while the Blues were best served by Simpson and Docherty.

Shaky Tigers 17.12.114 def
Silly Suns 15.7.97
Good: Dustin Martin
Bad: Umpiring, Kolodjashnij’s concussion.
Two Sentence Summary: The Suns turned in their best performance since round 3, but were over run in the last quarter by a desperate Richmond, who capitalised on the Suns’ mistakes. The Tigers look to have kept their 9th position chances alive.

Greater than the Other Sydney: 15.15.105 def
The first team in Sydney 9.9.63
Good: A full Spotless Stadium
Bad: I don’t think Buddy’s going to kick 100 this season any more.
Two Sentence Summary: GWS are now the real deal after comfortably defeating Big Bro in the Battle of the Bridge. The talent on show in the West of Sydney is (to borrow a phrase from Dwayne Russell) crazy good, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re winning flags and Brownlow’s.
PATTONWATCH: Below Average. 9 possessions and 2 goals – however still better than Jeremy Cameron’s 6 possessions and 1 goal.

Jeremy Howe’s Old Team 16.8.104 def
Jeremy Howe’s New Team 8.10.58
Good: Max Gawn, and James Brayshaw’s commentary of his goals, The Big Freeze 2.
Bad: The fact that we still think that Lizzie’s birthday means something to us.
Two Sentence Summary: Melbourne destroyed Collingwood – the first time it’s won on Queen’s Birthday since 2007. Big Max Gawn and Bernie Vince were the best players on the ground, as the Pies failed to match the pressure output from the Dees.

Next Week:
Kangaroos v Hawks, Lions v Eagles, Dockers v Power, Dogs v Cats, Swans v Demons, Bombers v Giants

Bye: Crows, Suns, Tigers, Saints, Blues, Magpies