Spherical eight proves the season can be outlined by a collection of thrillers, whereas West Coast’s street again to relevance seems like being a protracted one.
Welcome to the AFL Spherical-Up, the place we digest the week that was.
The fantastic margins
Two video games have been determined by 5 factors this week. For each the winners and losers, that one straight kick both approach may show so pivotal within the wash.
Saturday night on the Gold Coast was completely electrical. Two groups who delight themselves on powerful, bodily midfield play went at it like two offended stags because the Demons’ superstars have been matched and infrequently overwhelmed by the Suns’ group.
It cannot be emphasised sufficient how good Noah Anderson was for Gold Coast on this recreation. It was a midfield efficiency that deserved a win, however but wasn’t sufficient as a missed shot right here and a poor resolution there proved expensive.
It is a acquainted story for the Suns, whose promising 2022 was felled by close to misses. 2023 is shaping up a lot the identical approach — had they completed the job in opposition to Freo and located a option to win this one, the Suns can be within the eight and one of many tales of the 12 months.
It was the same scenario for Essendon, overwhelmed by 5 factors by Port Adelaide in an admittedly much less charming and general even recreation. The Bombers have been fortunate to be as shut as they have been, and but nonetheless had a shot to tie the scores within the closing minute.
Will the Bombers get to September, have a look at this recreation and the Anzac Day fade out and marvel ‘what if’?
In the meantime Port are surviving on these tight ones. Add the Bombers to an inventory that already accommodates Sydney and St Kilda, and you have got a really fantastic line between simply exterior the highest 4 and scrambling to make the finals.
The ladder is taking form, and whereas a lot will let you know that issues do not change a lot from this level within the season, lots of these exterior the eight must be inspired by how shut they’ve been to creating a a lot larger splash, and people on the within must be wanting cautiously over their shoulder.
We’re going stay shortly on this story. Submit a remark or tell us what you wish to hear.
What to do with West Coast?
For the second successive season, the West Coast Eagles are damaged. Barely capable of discipline a staff, they’re taking part in video games out of obligation proper now with little or no hope of significant improvement given the circumstances.
At residence and over east, fingers at the moment are being pointed. Who’s responsible for the opening during which the wealthiest membership within the competitors now finds itself? Is it dangerous administration, dangerous teaching or just dangerous luck?
The problem for the Eagles is that taken in isolation, they have not finished an entire lot fallacious this season. They drafted nicely final 12 months, have tried to convey younger gamers in and Adam Simpson and his coaches have made seen switches to the way in which the staff performs.
However whereas there may be actually a factor of obscene dangerous luck — no person will be blamed for gamers breaking legs and arms and spleens and throats (these final two should not jokes, these are actual West Coast accidents) resulting from regular footy contact — the Eagles are actually paying for errors made years in the past.
Essentially the most parroted line is that the Eagles “offered the farm” for Tim Kelly in 2019 after which “sooked it up” within the very first COVID hub in Brisbane in 2020. Each are largely irrelevant to their present issues.
What the Eagles will be blamed for is failing to recognise the altering developments of the sport rapidly sufficient, for failing to maximise a weak draft hand, for letting general health requirements dip within the wake of the 2018 premiership and for putting an excessive amount of religion within the our bodies of battle-weary veterans.
Most of their gamers with real AFL high quality are previous their prime and more and more unreliable. The center tier that must be stepping up and taking up are lower than the usual and should not outfitted to play within the method of the very best groups in 2023. The brand new draftees have been thrown into the worst attainable scenario for a rookie, and most of them at the moment are injured too.
All of which is to say there is not actually something the Eagles or Simpson can do it about it proper now. They’re nonetheless a 12 months or two off reaching Hawthorn’s present developmental stage, and that is presuming they reduce arduous on the finish of this season.
The die is forged, the poor selections and errors already lengthy since made. All that is left to do is experience it out.
Across the grounds
Friday night time felt important for Carlton. They’re a poorer facet in 2023 than they have been in 2022, and the followers are clearly discovering that arduous to swallow. The fixture is about to get nasty for a month, and that spell will outline their season.
The Swans gave Collingwood their highest, however the lacking personnel within the again line is proving an impediment too large for them to clear. Particularly when so many probabilities should not taken on the different finish.
This well-known Giants-Bulldogs rivalry hasn’t precisely delivered on the promise an entire lot of late, and solely an impressed late effort from Tom Inexperienced made this one in any respect attention-grabbing. Solely an Adam Treloar harm may bitter one other strong win for the Bulldogs.
The Cats are again. We all know this as a result of the Crows have been incredible and fierce at Kardinia Park, however the reigning champs had the gumption to resist them. A few close to misses should not undercut the immense enchancment Adelaide have made this 12 months.
Freo obtained a glimpse of the promise as Luke Jackson ran riot in live performance with Andy Brayshaw on Saturday night time. All of the instruments are there, and when it comes collectively in that 2022-esque method the Dockers stay so harmful.
No one was anticipating a basic, however that first half between North Melbourne and St Kilda was confrontingly dangerous. The sport improved after the break, as did the Saints who proceed to maintain tempo on the prime.
Within the clubhouse
Right here we take inventory of who’s main the race for the season’s particular person awards.
As we begin to method the midway level of the season, now we have three breakaway leaders for the Rising Star (and a reasonably hefty assortment of very spectacular gamers not far behind).
At this very second, I am unable to cut up Will Ashcroft, Harry Sheezel and Mitch Owens. They’re three very totally different gamers, however all impacting video games in ways in which belie their age and expertise.
It should come all the way down to endurance over the second half of the season. Which of the three can greatest preserve their electrical type up?
Talking of rising stars, younger Matteas Phillipou took the mark of the week for spherical eight.
A cracker, however not threatening Harry Himmelberg’s lead.
And purpose of the week goes to this ridiculous overhead volley from Brody Mihocek. It is giving Ashcroft’s effort from final week a run for its cash, however we nonetheless have the younger Lion in entrance.
