After a massive week of football, here are the answers from the questions asked before the round started.
Collingwood vs. Essendon
match review
How will Essendon go after losing two of their better players in McVeigh and Watson?
Not too well apart from the 1st quarter when they started very well. It would have been damn handy for Essendon if one of them were playing.
How will Scott Pendlebury go after looking like he was out for a while when he injured his knee in Sydney?
He was pretty ineffective. He probably could have had another week off to be honest, despite his amazing recovery abilities.
Who will Andrew Welsh tag this week?
Dane Swan; who absolutely smashed him, although he’s not the first and wont be the last to be beaten by Swan.
How will Didak perform after a “pretty good” few weeks?
Killed it again. This is uncharted territory here for him.
Will Alwyn Davey continue his form or will his injured knee restrict him?
Harry O’Brien made the most of his knee issues giving him a fair bath, whilst also providing a heap of run form the backline.
How will Cloke go on McPhee after the Essendon defender beat him comprehensively on ANZAC day?
It was an interesting battle but the scoreboard told the story with Cloke kicking most of his goals from being given too much space from McPhee.
How will Essendon go after losing two of their better players in McVeigh and Watson?
Not too well apart from the 1st quarter when they started very well. It would have been damn handy for Essendon if one of them were playing.
How will Scott Pendlebury go after looking like he was out for a while when he injured his knee in Sydney?
He was pretty ineffective. He probably could have had another week off to be honest, despite his amazing recovery abilities.
Who will Andrew Welsh tag this week?
Dane Swan; who absolutely smashed him, although he’s not the first and wont be the last to be beaten by Swan.
How will Didak perform after a “pretty good” few weeks?
Killed it again. This is uncharted territory here for him.
Will Alwyn Davey continue his form or will his injured knee restrict him?
Harry O’Brien made the most of his knee issues giving him a fair bath, whilst also providing a heap of run form the backline.
How will Cloke go on McPhee after the Essendon defender beat him comprehensively on ANZAC day?
It was an interesting battle but the scoreboard told the story with Cloke kicking most of his goals from being given too much space from McPhee.
Melbourne vs. West Coast
match review
How will Melbourne react after a tough week off-field?
With a lot of passion….
How will Naitanui go after a week of massive hype?
Shocker! No possessions in the first-half and only 8’ thereafter. We know what he can do though.
Can West Coast finally win one on the road?
That’ll be 18 in a row now. (lost that is)
Will this game have one of the worst skills on display for the year?
It was a pretty good game considering the low-ladder positions and the wind at the ground.
How will Melbourne react after a tough week off-field?
With a lot of passion….
How will Naitanui go after a week of massive hype?
Shocker! No possessions in the first-half and only 8’ thereafter. We know what he can do though.
Can West Coast finally win one on the road?
That’ll be 18 in a row now. (lost that is)
Will this game have one of the worst skills on display for the year?
It was a pretty good game considering the low-ladder positions and the wind at the ground.
Port Adelaide vs. Brisbane
match review
Can Port regain some form?
I wouldn’t really call it form, but Port would take anything and now they can build on this with Melbourne next week.
Will Brisbane’s poor form (despite the win) from last week carry on to this week?
Yep. Now they are back in the pack with a game against Geelong who are also coming off a loss. Should be interesting to see how the Lions respond.
Will Luke Power continue on from his excellent form?
He was good. Definitely not excellent though.
Can Port regain some form?
I wouldn’t really call it form, but Port would take anything and now they can build on this with Melbourne next week.
Will Brisbane’s poor form (despite the win) from last week carry on to this week?
Yep. Now they are back in the pack with a game against Geelong who are also coming off a loss. Should be interesting to see how the Lions respond.
Will Luke Power continue on from his excellent form?
He was good. Definitely not excellent though.
Richmond vs. Adelaide
match review
Will Adelaide continue their dominant form against the Tigers?
I wouldn’t call it dominant. Winning form is more like it.
Can Richmond improve from their last 3 quarters that they played against the Saints?
A 15 point loss isn’t too bad against Adelaide in my opinion.
Can Jason Porplyzia continue on from his excellent form from his past two games?
No where near as good as those games but did you see that goal he kicked?!?!?!
Will Adelaide continue their dominant form against the Tigers?
I wouldn’t call it dominant. Winning form is more like it.
Can Richmond improve from their last 3 quarters that they played against the Saints?
A 15 point loss isn’t too bad against Adelaide in my opinion.
Can Jason Porplyzia continue on from his excellent form from his past two games?
No where near as good as those games but did you see that goal he kicked?!?!?!
Western Bulldogs vs. Hawthorn
match review
Can Hawthorn finally get their year on track?
No. Yet with teams like Carlton, Essendon, Brisbane and even Collingwood with their run above them, they still can rely on a loosing streak from one or two of them to sneak into the finals.
The Bulldogs to me have only beaten poor teams in their good run this year; will the Hawks show them up?
Nope. The Bulldogs were amazing. You can only beat what is put in front of you and the Bulldogs massacred the Hawks.
Will the loss of Daniel Giansiracusa up forward show this week?
Murphy, Welsh and Johnsons performance more than made up for Gia’s loss.
Can Lance Franklin finally show the form of last year?
He was smashed in every one-on-one contest by Lake. He needs to start getting on his bike and using his pace on a lead.
Will other players apart from the usual Sam Mitchell and Brad Sewell, show the way for Hawthorn this week?
Luke Hodge joined the party this week and that’s about it.
Can Hawthorn finally get their year on track?
No. Yet with teams like Carlton, Essendon, Brisbane and even Collingwood with their run above them, they still can rely on a loosing streak from one or two of them to sneak into the finals.
The Bulldogs to me have only beaten poor teams in their good run this year; will the Hawks show them up?
Nope. The Bulldogs were amazing. You can only beat what is put in front of you and the Bulldogs massacred the Hawks.
Will the loss of Daniel Giansiracusa up forward show this week?
Murphy, Welsh and Johnsons performance more than made up for Gia’s loss.
Can Lance Franklin finally show the form of last year?
He was smashed in every one-on-one contest by Lake. He needs to start getting on his bike and using his pace on a lead.
Will other players apart from the usual Sam Mitchell and Brad Sewell, show the way for Hawthorn this week?
Luke Hodge joined the party this week and that’s about it.
Sydney vs. North Melbourne
match review
Will Sydney continue to be good but not good enough like, their past 3 games?
They managed to out-run and out-last North in the last quarter, as opposed to the past 3 games when it was the other way around.
Will North carry it on from last week with their attacking style?
Yes. If thier fitness was better, they probably would have two wins on the board. I’m liking the style of football Crocker has implemented.
How will Liam Anthony go after a very good first up game?
Found space pretty well on a small ground. Used it well enough. Another good game.
Where will Sydney’s goals come from?
It was a nice spread of 10 different goal-kickers. The main move was with Jude Bolton up forward which worked very well.
Will Sydney continue to be good but not good enough like, their past 3 games?
They managed to out-run and out-last North in the last quarter, as opposed to the past 3 games when it was the other way around.
Will North carry it on from last week with their attacking style?
Yes. If thier fitness was better, they probably would have two wins on the board. I’m liking the style of football Crocker has implemented.
How will Liam Anthony go after a very good first up game?
Found space pretty well on a small ground. Used it well enough. Another good game.
Where will Sydney’s goals come from?
It was a nice spread of 10 different goal-kickers. The main move was with Jude Bolton up forward which worked very well.
St Kilda vs. Geelong
Extended match review
Will the game live up to the hype?
Yep. In my eyes it did at least considering that it wasn’t a blow-out.
Will the hatred between be on show?
Not really. It was no different to any other game you would have seen on the weekend.
How many melees’s and reports will we see?
One mini-melee at the start and no reports. How boring eh?
How will all the anticipated match ups go?
No major thrashings. All of then were tightly contested. Of them all, Riewoldt probably had the most edge over their opponent in Harry Taylor.
Will the Saints employ the zone or try something different?
It was the zone coupled with some bouts of flooding.
If they do, will Geelong beat it as I expect?
Nope. The added fanatical’ pressure that the Saints bring to their game forced Geelong to use ineffective options in the first quarter which went a long way in giving them the victory. Geelong found their feet, but it was too late.
Who will Clinton Jones tag?
Ablett was his opponent and he did a pretty good job in reducing his usual high-effectiveness.
How will Ling go tagging Dal Santo?
Dal Santo was pressured with a lot of his possessions with a far few uncharacteristic poor kicks. Ling’s game wasn’t too flash either however with a lot of attention coming his way.
Will it be the in-form Geelong smalls that will impact on the result?
Oh boy did they miss Steve Johnson……
Will the game live up to the hype?
Yep. In my eyes it did at least considering that it wasn’t a blow-out.
Will the hatred between be on show?
Not really. It was no different to any other game you would have seen on the weekend.
How many melees’s and reports will we see?
One mini-melee at the start and no reports. How boring eh?
How will all the anticipated match ups go?
No major thrashings. All of then were tightly contested. Of them all, Riewoldt probably had the most edge over their opponent in Harry Taylor.
Will the Saints employ the zone or try something different?
It was the zone coupled with some bouts of flooding.
If they do, will Geelong beat it as I expect?
Nope. The added fanatical’ pressure that the Saints bring to their game forced Geelong to use ineffective options in the first quarter which went a long way in giving them the victory. Geelong found their feet, but it was too late.
Who will Clinton Jones tag?
Ablett was his opponent and he did a pretty good job in reducing his usual high-effectiveness.
How will Ling go tagging Dal Santo?
Dal Santo was pressured with a lot of his possessions with a far few uncharacteristic poor kicks. Ling’s game wasn’t too flash either however with a lot of attention coming his way.
Will it be the in-form Geelong smalls that will impact on the result?
Oh boy did they miss Steve Johnson……
Fremantle vs. Carlton
match review
Brett Ratten sent a signal to all of his players by dropping Heath Scotland and Nick Stevens, will the loss of experience impact them?
It looked liked it did in the first quarter for the worse however. Luckilym, they managed to get dragged over the line by Chris Judd.
Will Fev‘ be alright after his surgery on his finger on last Saturday?
Not dominant, not bad either.
Apart from the first and last quarters, Freo were pretty good against the Pies, what performance will we see from them against the Blues?
If it wasn’t for more injuries and Chris Judd, it would have been a good performance. Due to those issues’; the best way describe the performance is spirited’.
Will Aaron Sandilands dominate as he usually does in the ruck against Carlton?
Not as much as usual. He only had 26 hitouts, the equal to the Carlton ruckman.
Brett Ratten sent a signal to all of his players by dropping Heath Scotland and Nick Stevens, will the loss of experience impact them?
It looked liked it did in the first quarter for the worse however. Luckilym, they managed to get dragged over the line by Chris Judd.
Will Fev‘ be alright after his surgery on his finger on last Saturday?
Not dominant, not bad either.
Apart from the first and last quarters, Freo were pretty good against the Pies, what performance will we see from them against the Blues?
If it wasn’t for more injuries and Chris Judd, it would have been a good performance. Due to those issues’; the best way describe the performance is spirited’.
Will Aaron Sandilands dominate as he usually does in the ruck against Carlton?
Not as much as usual. He only had 26 hitouts, the equal to the Carlton ruckman.
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