At the Trough Rd 8
Adelaide keep rolling along thanks to the work of Brenton Sanderson. West Coast welcome back Nic Nat and Dean Cox enters Coleman calculations. North Melbourne snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory thanks to a late burst from Schultz. Dreamtime at the G goes to the wire and the Demons are on the verge of extension. We’ll have a butchers at the highs and lows of Rd 8.
Top Dollar!
5. Tassie’s Rough: The Hawks had a big win in Launceston over quality opposition which will please their coach and their fans. The pre-season fancies are finally hitting their straps and it’s in no small part due to the output from Jarryd Roughead. It seems big Roughie like the Apple Isle with his last couple of trips south netting him 10 goals. His ability to pinch hit in the Ruck helps the Hawks balance and his kicking for goal is dramatically improved to the point where I’d almost back him in from 30 out straight in front. His team mates love him and he’s a match winner on his day. Stay well you ugly bastard.
4. Schultz Power: Jay Schultz has always had plenty of talent. Bucket hands and a sure kick for goal has meant that on his best day’s he’s a handful for anyone as North found out on the weekend. Attitude has always seemed to be the problem. He’s always loved the froth but he’s not Robinson Crusoe there. He doesn’t mind the knuckle as well and will throw down with anyone, even team mates as Jackson Trengrove can attest to. I’m assured he no longer drives pissed which will hopefully mean we’ll see more of his best and if he can keep kicking bags against good opposition then the Power will be all the better for it.
3. Hot Sauce: Daniel Merrett is a bloody good fullback. One of the best going around. Pre game Pickers and co were spraying Vossy for not playing him at fullback. Talk about egg on the face. The big red man blew everyone away with five first quarter goals and ended up with seven for the match. Granted it was only against the Giants but you’ve still got to kick them and Tim Mohr is no slouch. It’s good to see the big fella doing well.
2. Pendles hits the Board: Nathan Buckley admitted the other day that he had asked Scott Pendlebury to try and impact the scoreboard more. For a midfielder of his quality, he often prefers to feed to ball out rather than take on the sticks himself. With only 2 goals to his name in the first 7 rounds the Pies needed a lift from their champ. They got it. Four goals to go with his 30 touches and a couple of them from outside 50. It makes the Pies a much more dangerous proposition especially with Swan likely to miss the next three.
1. Sando the Great:There’s plenty of good coaches getting around at the moment but for mine, the one that stands above the rest is Brenton Sanderson. In the time he was the midfield coach at the Cattery they won three flags. No he’s gone they can’t win the contested ball whilst Adelaide, under his guidance have become the league leaders in the contested ball stakes. He’s getting the best out of everyone on his list. Dangerfield has gone to the next level. Walker is playing with flare and consistency. Jacobs is killing it. By all reports Sando is a cracking bloke and the response he gets from his players shows he must be doing a lot right.
Shithouse!
1. North finish Early: Good teams finish strong. That’s the bottom line. Geelong came hard at the Pies and nearly snatched a win but the Pies responded. Richmond came back from 47 points down to hit the lead against the Dons but the Bombers responded. North were cruising against the Power and decided to fuck off home half way through the last quarter. They couldn’t get a touch in the last ten minutes as the Power piled on 5 unanswered goals. Momentum shifts in footy, there’s no arguing that but for a team that had dominated play for 3 and a half quarters to not be able to win even one of the last four center clearances. To not be able to retain possession for two minutes to ice the clock. To have no answers at all was dog shit.
2. The Carlton Myth: Where are the Blue’s supporters now? Fair weather jerks they are. Win a couple and they’re flag favorites then their true colours emerge. They are the biggest bunch of down hill skiers you’d ever hope to see. Bryce Gibbs is a dead set poofter. He hasn’t won a hard ball in his whole life. Betts is erratic as fuck and only has an impact when the team is on top. Jamieson is obviously still injured and Henderson can sulk. Their biggest issue is that they believe their own press and all of a sudden the work rate is for shit. Ratten has no plan B and they are getting found out. They’ll smash Melbourne this week to quell the heat but finals are not guaranteed with this mob.
3. Ruck Woes: You have to feel sorry for Scotty Watters. He’s coaching a bit of a rabble in the Saints. They are still trying to shake off the remnants of Ross Lyon’s defensive game plan and trying to find a common purpose. The last thing they needed was to loose three ruckmen in the space of a month, all with medium to long term injuries. Having to rely on Kossie to ruck all day is like playing Russian Roulette with Christopher Walken without the smack. Shithouse for the Saints but good for those who backed them to miss the eight.
4. Contract Nixon: Ricky Nixon is a fuckwit. As a footballer he less a has-been and more of a never-was. As an agent he’s lost all credibility. No player in their right mind would want to consort with Nixon. A self confessed drug addict and a hebephile. He’s got a trophy piece at the moment who must really really want her taste of celebrity given the obvious physical sacrifices she’s making. Now the Cloke’s in all their wisdom are employing Nixon as a contract advisor. It’s a bloody circus. But then again, what can you expect from folk who keep horses in the house.
5. Bundaburrah Subs: Not many of you may know this but the Bundaburrah Thirds are one of the most successful clubs in the history of Australian Rules Football. Since the inception of DreamTeam and SuperCoach they’ve chalked up 23 flags and their list looks pretty strong again this year. Some bludger must be passing on the success story of the Thirds to Nathan Buckley and the rest of them and in fits of jealousy these Pricks stab me by subbing my players out just when they are hitting their straps. Seriously, Didak was killing it on Friday night and Bucks subbed him off. It’s bullshit. Come on guys. Don’t Hate. Leave the Thirds alone.
