AFL 2023: Early Deal with, likes and dislikes from spherical 15

That drab affair exposed a fixture flaw, whereas it was deja vu for St Kilda on Friday night time.

And the AFL is accountable for a social media beat-up.

See Scott Gullan’s likes and dislikes from spherical 15.

DISLIKES

1. SAY GOOD-BYE TO FIXURE FARCE

IT began being a tad annoying, now it’s simply down proper silly. The AFL spreading the byes over a month should be addressed for subsequent season.

It’s nearly just like the AFL has saved the worst for final to make sure the soccer world fully hates the idea.

Having two video games this Saturday, each interstate with the primary not beginning till 4.35pm – and involving Sydney and West Coast – is a debacle. (That sport was over after the primary 10 minutes).

Then on Sunday, once more solely two video games ending with Gold Coast enjoying Hawthorn in Queensland. Snooze fests all over the place.

It’s nearly just like the AFL conceded defeat this week as The Ashes and rugby league’s State of Origin captivated everybody.

Geelong and Melbourne gave an pleasing contest on Thursday night time but it surely’s been all downhill since then with St Kilda on Friday night time turning into onerous work to look at in the intervening time.

The league clearly doesn’t need to have a full week off however spreading the byes over a easy two week interval somewhat than 4 is the logical resolution.

This shortens the season however they are often creative firstly and finish of the season in the event that they actually need to on that entrance.

Break up the opening spherical throughout two weeks – the followers are salivating so they may cop 4 video games every week – after which somewhat than have the end-of-season bye, play a wild card weekend between groups ranked from seventh to tenth to nail down the ultimate two finals spots.

Now that reeks of pleasure, not one thing you may say in regards to the Spherical 15 fixture.

2. DEFENDER DEJA VU FOR SAINTS

ROSS Lyon was feeling a bit criminal earlier than the sport on Friday night time and step by step bought worse as he watched Harris Andrews single-handedly destroy his ahead line.

The issue for the Saints coach is what transpired in opposition to Brisbane had an actual sense of deja vu about it.

Again in Spherical 11 when the Saints unhealthy trot began Hawthorn captain James Sicily did precisely what Andrews did, had a day trip.

In what was lauded as one of the crucial dominant shows produced by a defender, Sicily amassed 42 disposals – 9 greater than his earlier finest – to go together with 21 intercept possessions, 17 contested possessions, 16 marks, 11 rating involvements and 628m gained.

On Friday night time Andrews had the same profession night time which included 14 marks, 9 intercept marks – one wanting matching the AFL document – 14 intercept possessions and 11 spoils.

On each events the No.1 defenders within the opposition didn’t play on the Saints No.1 ahead Max King.

They as a substitute took the second or third St Kilda ahead possibility – Andrews performed on rookie Anthony Caminiti – and exploited them to the purpose the place they had been in a position to grow to be the most effective gamers on the bottom.

Lyon must discover a remedy, not only for his chilly, in a rush as his staff’s season begins to wobble.

3. GOODWIN MUST BITE THE BULLET

IT’S time for Simon Goodwin to chew the bullet on his ahead line.

For groups like Melbourne who’re within the premiership race, essential selections must be revamped the ultimate 9 weeks of the season to make sure they’ve the right combination firing collectively when it counts in September.

Ben Brown and his dodgy knee would possibly simply maintain the important thing for the Demons.

He was an emergency for Thursday night time’s loss which is a constructive given he hasn’t been sighted since Spherical 3 due to his on-going damage points.

Within the opening two rounds Brown kicked eight objectives and what he does is straighten the Demons up together with his onerous main.

Proper now Goodwin’s staff can’t win the flag with their ahead set-up. Bailey Fritsch, Jacob van Rooyen and Joel Smith aren’t going to get it completed.

A extra conventional key ahead like Brown could be the ace up his sleeve which he wants to tug out, beginning subsequent week in opposition to the GWS Giants in Darwin.

3. AFL TO BLAME FOR ROHAN COMMENTARY

THE AFL must take the blame for the farcical social media commentary after the Jeremy Cameron incident on Thursday night time.

There have been loads of individuals who with a straight face had been keen to argue that Gary Rohan needs to be sanctioned by the MRO for the bump which knocked out his teammate.

This was all primarily based on what they consider the AFL has pushed down their throats with their crackdown on the bump and onerous tackling this season.

They tried to argue it shouldn’t matter what jumper the participant is carrying if the edict is to guard the pinnacle in any respect prices.

This can be a full joke however sadly an perception into the frustration and confusion which isn’t solely clouding the soccer fan’s head in the intervening time however gamers as properly.

4. IMAGINE THE BUDDY BAG

LANCE Franklin not enjoying in opposition to West Coast robbed this sport of any kind of curiosity.

Doubtlessly this sport might have been the basic Buddy fill-up present the place the group on the SCG and anybody who bothered to tune in from the sofa at dwelling was invested solely to see what number of the famous person might kick.

How a lot enjoyable would it not have been to be cheering each time Buddy went close to the ball as he wound again the clock together with his eyes set on kicking 10 objectives.

Sadly “soreness” saved him out for one more week and he would have been spewing with the Eagles once more a humiliation.

At half-time Buddy’s two understudies Logan McDonal and Joel Amartey had two objectives every with the Swans lead already 68 factors and the curiosity issue zero.

5. DONS’ BIG FLAW EXPOSED

TO Essendon’s credit score they’ve been getting away with a giant cowl up over the previous month.

As we all know, profitable covers over any cracks and the Bombers were on a four-game winning streak coming into Saturday night against the Fremantle Dockers.

Whereas the calibre of the wins might be questioned — an out of shape Richmond by one level, the 2 worst groups within the competitors, West Coast and North Melbourne, adopted by a conquer the hopelessly out of kinds Carlton — a win is a win.

However what the Fremantle Dockers uncovered is the Bombers don’t have a ahead line that may lower it in September.

Coming into the sport Sam Weideman hadn’t kicked a purpose within the earlier three video games, Jake Stringer had kicked simply three objectives throughout the four-game profitable streak however that was all forgotten due to Peter Wright’s gorgeous five-goal return in opposition to Carlton two weeks in the past.

Swingman Kyle Langford had been the one who’d been carrying the load with 25 objectives for the season.

So what occurred when the blowtorch was utilized correctly for the primary time in over a month? The ahead line crumbled.

Weideman and Wright didn’t kick a purpose, Stringer bought one – a freak soccer off the bottom – whereas Langford additionally managed one.

As a unit they had been clearly outpointed by the Dockers defence for many of the night time which meant it was left to the Bombers midfield to generate scores which isn’t the recipe for fulfillment in September.

Former captain Jobe Watson was within the Channel 7 commentary field at Optus Stadium and was involved about Weideman’s position shifting ahead.

“With Wright coming again he simply has to take extra of his alternatives when he will get them,” Watson stated. “And being the third or fourth tall you’re going to must play with extra strain.”

The Bombers slipped to sixth after the 32-point loss and with Port Adelaide, Adelaide, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs to come back within the subsequent month, they should discover one thing to replenish these instantly widening cracks.

LIKES

1. YOUNG CATS STAND TALL

ACTING Geelong captain Tom Stewart was distracted instantly after Thursday night time’s win.

It wasn’t due to his slight push on an “injured” Jack Viney which led to a ridiculous tremendous the next day. He simply didn’t suppose he needs to be doing the post-game media interview as there was a much more acceptable story that had unfolded in opposition to the Demons.

Try to be speaking to the children Stewart stated, particularly Tanner Bruhn ought to have the microphone in entrance of him.

The native boy had simply produced his finest sport within the blue and white hoops gathering 19 possessions – 12 contested – six clearances and two objectives.

With Patrick Dangerfield lacking, the strain was on the midfield to reply in opposition to Melbourne and Bruhn, a first-round choose who arrived by way of a commerce with GWS Giants, had stepped up huge time.

What Stewart is aware of is that if the Cats are to problem once more they might want to discover a substitute for Cam Guthrie, whose toe damage is prone to hold him out for the remainder of the season, and Bruhn had simply performed a Guthrie-like sport in opposition to the Demons.

The opposite “no-name” who additionally performed his finest sport for the season and reminded everybody how essential he’s to the Geelong machine was Brad Shut.

Shut produced a career-high sport, gathering 24 possessions – 14 contested – and 7 rating involvements. He’s the connector who performed such a pivotal position in final yr’s premiership success.

So for Stewart, seeing Bruhn and Shut placing their fingers up, was greater than well timed and one thing worthy of speaking about.

2. SCOTT’S BOLD CALL

CHRIS Scott broke a few his golden guidelines in opposition to the Cats season stabilising win over Melbourne.

Not often does he spotlight people for reward however Gary Rohan and Sam De Koning bought some severe love from the coach.

Rohan was understandably applauded for a way he bounced again from knocking out Jeremey Cameron to be the match-winner within the ahead half.

However the De Koning pump up was attention-grabbing with Scott declaring the 22-year-old was enjoying All-Australian stage soccer.

After a testing first half of the season the place he was banged up bodily and finally missed three weeks with a facial fracture, De Koning has step by step bought again to his ‘22 ranges.

His fearlessness to fly for marks, each in a brave sense and in addition simply backing himself to beat his opponent, is a pleasure to look at.

Whereas Scott could be untimely in allocating an All-Australian jumper to his man simply but, the younger Cat isn’t too far out of the dialog which might begin with Darcy Moore, Harris Andrews and James Sicily.

3. HIPWOOD PROVES DOUBTERS WRONG

THERE would have been a couple of placing their fingers up (us included) after watching Eric Hipwood torch St Kilda.

Whereas there have been flashes of brilliance over the journey, there hasn’t been such an aura of authority about how he’s gone about it beforehand.

The Lions ahead line operated the most effective it has as a unit on Friday night time. Certain, they’ve scored much more many different instances, however the way in which they arrange and operated collectively instantly gave the Lions a brand new shine.

Hipwood kicked 4 objectives and had seven rating involvements whereas his accomplice in crime Joe Daniher kicked two objectives from 19 possessions and had eight marks.

A brand new six yr contract for Hipwood caught many without warning but when he performs like that and the synergy between the Lions forwards stays then it appears to be like extra like good enterprise.

What has been good enterprise for coach Chris Fagan has been introducing extra youth and leg velocity to his aspect.

With veterans Daniel Wealthy and Jack Gunston out of the aspect, the likes of Darcy Wilmot, Will Ashcroft, Jaspa Fletcher and Kai Lohmann have are available and given them a distinct look and one which has a a lot better September really feel about it.

4. TEACHER’S PET

A GOOD line from Brisbane’s Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale when speaking in regards to the impression Josh Dunkley has had this season.

Dunkley has been the No.1 rated participant within the sport during the last couple of weeks and he was once more influential with 26 possessions and 7 tackles in opposition to the Saints.

Neale has clearly loved not having the duty of being the principle man within the Lions midfield on a regular basis though he’s nonetheless having fun with a stellar season with 29 possessions on Friday night time.

On how the previous Bulldog has fitted in on the Lions, Neale revealed he’d taken one factor off him . . . the coach’s favorite.

“Fages (Chris Fagan) hasn’t spoken to me since Dunks bought to the membership,” he stated.

5. OH, ERROL

ERROL Gulden managed to do what the entire of the West Coast Eagles staff couldn’t do on Saturday night time.

The Swans wingman at the least was in a position to evoke some attention-grabbing debate. (Clearly, the much less stated in regards to the woeful Eagles the higher).

Gulden has put collectively a powerful first half of the season regardless of the Swans having their points.

Coming into the conflict with the Eagles, the skilful left-footer was averaging 24.5 disposals per sport and had kicked 10 objectives.

The person many have pegged for one of many All-Australian wings is Collingwood’s Josh Daicos who to this point this yr has averaged 25 disposals per sport and kicked 9 objectives.

Given the Pies higher season, Daicos probably has his nostril in entrance.

However Gulden actually helped get his title again up there in opposition to the hapless Eagles, booting three objectives and getting as much as his season common of touches by three-quarter time.

Whereas any stats in opposition to the Eagles needs to be largely disregarded given how unhealthy they’re, Gulden’s stunning left-foot and intelligent decision-making warrants him to be on the whiteboard subsequent to Daicos when the All-Australian selectors meet in a few months time.

6. DEES MISSING RUCK STAR

TWO nights after Melbourne left Geelong with that feeling that one thing was lacking, up sprung Luke Jackson to remind them precisely what it’s.

Whereas the jury continues to be out on the Max Gawn-Brodie Grundy partnership, Jackson continues to develop in his position as Mr All-Over-The-Place on the Dockers.

There was numerous dialogue about how Jackson and conventional No.1 ruckman Sean Darcy would work and after some early teething issues — which was in all probability extra about the entire staff being out of shape — the pairing actually discovered its mojo in opposition to Essendon on Saturday night time.

Jackson was the distinction maker for the Dockers, kicking three objectives from 17 disposals with simply six hit-outs which is an attention-grabbing stat. Darcy took a lot of the ruck workload with 24 hit-outs however was additionally influential across the floor.

The 2-pronged ruck set-up was an excessive amount of for the Bombers who badly missed Sam Draper with Jackson’s efficiency actually sending a reminder to the remainder of the competitors (particularly Melbourne followers) that he’s discovered his groove within the west.

Initially revealed as Early Tackle: Scott Gullan’s likes and dislikes from round 15 so far