After seeing all games a couple of weeks ago, I only saw a bit of 1 game this weekend. That game happened to be only the second worst performance apparently. Very courageous they were in being able to keep Geelong to under 200 points and fight all the way to prevent the margin from being 150.
Anyway, before my blood boils anymore we'll get on with business. This week we take another small departure from normal programming. I've decided to bunch the relevant teams in groups from the contenders to the courageously flogged every week.
Group A - Its Good To Be The King
Geelong. Only seeing a small amount of the game on the weekend made my day. So destructive and so dismissive of their opponent. The big key with these guys is that they back themselves and their teammates. They kick to situations others don't confident that they will make the kick and it will be marked. And it comes off a lot.
Group B - They Might Be Giants
Hawks. Anyone following my thinking about North would have bet the house on them beating the Hawks this week. Some cracks are appearing but these guys will be thereabouts when the whips start cracking.
Bullies. A genuine contender it has to be said. And being the big man that I am, I can happily admit I was wrong about them. I'm sorry. Anyway, they continue to display lock down ability combined with the game to score quickly. Add in resilience and you have what Freo should be and what the Bullies are. Kudos.
Sydney. Took 3 qtrs off on the weekend by all accounts and they still won. Not a huge feat against Melbourne but the rest of the form is irresistable. PRoos is my pick for Coach of the Year.
Group C - Nipping at the Heels.
Brisland. Got up in a big game against a good opponent at home. Its what you're meant to do and they did it. Can't be discounted.
Crows. Possibly should have won that game looking at the scoring splits and reports. Not a terrible loss but that is now 0 from 2 against top draw teams in the last 2 weeks which should be a worry. Geelong to come and a win at home will see those other 2 losses forgotten.
Group D - Fatally Flawed.
Collingwood. Not a bad loss against the Dogs but 1 you need to win if you're for real. And these guys just aren't for real. Malthouse getting another free pass in a lost year.
North. The emotion train just doesn't work in the long run. They will win their share of upsets and I think will be in the ifnals. Once again though, they will be shown up at the next level in the finals just as they were last year.
Carlton. About what we all expected, maybe a bit better. But you don't get smashed by Essendon and play in the finals.
Richmond. Solid win against a contender for biggest disappointment this year. How many times will Morton and Hughes bag you double digits between them though? Not often, and not aginst the big boys. I see lots of finishes in the 9-14 range in their future seasons.
Group E - "Planning" for the Draft.
Saints. According to all reports these guys didn't contribute 1 ounce towards the win they had on the weekend. I don't buy that thankfully but they have been underwhelming in the extreme. Ross Lyon is starting to look a little less impressive than the hard man messiah he was sold to us as.
Freo. A finalist for biggest disappointment this year. It just hasn't clicked but some of us see real hope...like we have for about 10 years. If less than 10 players survice the cuts this year I would be surprised. We'll be saying goodbye to some of this group on the current list (for vastly different reasons of course). Bell, Duffield, Murphy, Macca, Gilmore, Thornton, Warnock, 2Carrs, Wizza, Mundy, Dunn, Peake, Black, Drum, Mark Johnson, Browne, Campbell, Webster & Schammer. All would be too many obviously, but each of those is a chance to be doing something else next year.
Port. Another finalist for biggest disappointment, and a genuine contender too. Same young team, just a bit older and they should be a bit better. Maybe Geelong really destroyed their rock like demeanour by devouring them in the GF. Whatever it is, these guys don't look to be recovering any time soon.
Group F - Teaching The Kids
Essendon. Playing 1 way footy all year does not teach kids anything. Letting people "find themselves" is something you do with a 22yr old drop out with gender confusion. Now Matty Knights may still have that confusion but he needs to start coaching defensive pressure at some stage.
Melbourne. Sporadic signs of life but it is a long way back for them. They've been waiting for some of their young players for quite a while now and it isn't coming. Maloney, McClean, Sylvia and some others may have shown us all they have. If they get top pick and take Nattanui they should be de-registered. Rich is what they need, not another project.
Group Z - You Were in A GF Just 2 Years Ago, Grow Some Balls And Have A Go You Spineless, Gutless Ponces.
Rubble of Rabble. In a pretty solid field of dissapointing teams, these hopeless princesses have streeted them and easily won the contest. Anyone saying they have been anything other than a disgraceful joke is talking through the wrong gap in the cheeks. There is no argument, simply NONE that excuses the lack of courage, lack of fight, lack of skill and lack of direction that has been served up this year. Players at every level have been exposed badly as front running frauds. Embley, Braun, Hunter, Staker, Priddis, Waters, Lynch, Selwood, Stenglein, Graham, Fletcher, Seaby, Hansen have shown themselves to be far, FAR less than advertised. This team is missing only 4 players. 1 a champ. 1 a highly effective (and enhanced) finisher, 1 knob headed scrubber and 1 guy who was roundly hated by the fan base. 4 Players!!! That loss does not equate to what they have thrown up at us.
Worsfold, you are nothing without your high priced cattle, and therefore you are nothing at all. Drop the hard man garbage, you are a joke of the highest order and the collection of sycophantic clowns you drag around with you deserve no less of the blame. The protection you receive in the media only adds to the stench of self deceipt and denial that floods the halls of drug central. If you had any conscience at all you would tie yourself up naked on Roberts Rd for a full day and allow kiddies to pelt rubbish at you before setting yourself on fire.
As a supposedly great man once said "You've ruined this club you little ...."