Round 3: Worth talking about.
April 12th 2010 13:03
Round three without a doubt would have to have been the best round of AFL I have experienced for a long time. It was a round of football that promised so much and then delivered even more. If I had more time I'd go through each game as I saw it, but as it is I've chosen the three that affected me the most. In saying that though the Freo and Melbourne wins were so exciting I could ramble on for the rest of the night. So here is my first ever post on Footy Confidential, I hope to make it a regular thing.
To kick off the round was the blockbuster Friday night game at Docklands between two of the predicted top 4 sides of 2010. StKilda and Collingwood. It was a result Collingwood fans will want to forget but one StKilda fans will reminisce over for years to come. It was an exciting game from the first bounce, that actually didn't eventuate until both sides had already booted a goal each from frees in their forward lines.
Just seconds before the half time siren StKilda skipper Nick Reiwoldt collapsed with a serious hamstring injury. The Saints were undermanned and in trouble. But what followed was quite the opposite as what one might expect after a situation like this. They simply could not afford any passengers and every player left standing for the Saints gave it 110 percent for the rest of the game.
Collingwoods kicking really let them down and they could only conjure up 4 goals for the whole night yet they managed to slot an embarrassing 17 behinds. Which was helpful for the Saints campaign but the courage and determination they displayed really gave me a new found respect for the Club.
On the topic of respect, North Melbourne did the inevitable and came out to play against West Coast this week. In true Shinboner spirit they took center stage at Docklands and proceeded to right all wrongs, which seemed an almost impossible task, after the humiliation they'd suffered at the hands the ravenous StKilda last week.
West Coast always managed to keep themselves within reach and forward Mark Lecras continues to impress. But the Roo's who were lead by their skipper Brent Harvey managed to gain back every last shred, and more of the credibility he so uncharacteristically jeopardized following his woeful display against the Saints the week before.
And lastly my beloved Bulldogs. It was always going to be an ultra physical encounter against the Hawks who really matched it with reigning premiers Geelong in their round two clash. But when the game is in the balance it is the Dogs who are becoming the 4th quarter specialists. They have developed the endurance to run out the whole game. And they may not be the fastest side on their feet so they rely on super quick movement of the ball, and coupled with their precision skills and swiftly executed footwork their gameplan is carried out at a frenetic pace that often leaves opposition sides chasing tail.
And it's players like Mathew Boyd (who clocked up 35 possessions against Sam Mitchell, who in his own right played a brilliant game) that lead the way in terms of consistency and work load. He may not be the flashiest player but his leadership and team ethic are second to none. And when you have players around you like Robert Murphy, Adam Cooney, Daniel Cross, Shaunn Higgins and Ryan Griffen, who all bar Shaun have played well over 100 games together, it's not hard to see why the Bulldogs have finally developed the match winning performances they need from their star players.
The thing that impresses me most about this current Bulldogs lineup is the toughness they have gained as a side. They finally have some big bodied players that are prepared to throw their weight around and put their bodies on the line to create a contest. The Hawks are renowned for their toughness, but the Dogs definitely had their measure in this game.
To kick off the round was the blockbuster Friday night game at Docklands between two of the predicted top 4 sides of 2010. StKilda and Collingwood. It was a result Collingwood fans will want to forget but one StKilda fans will reminisce over for years to come. It was an exciting game from the first bounce, that actually didn't eventuate until both sides had already booted a goal each from frees in their forward lines.
Just seconds before the half time siren StKilda skipper Nick Reiwoldt collapsed with a serious hamstring injury. The Saints were undermanned and in trouble. But what followed was quite the opposite as what one might expect after a situation like this. They simply could not afford any passengers and every player left standing for the Saints gave it 110 percent for the rest of the game.
Collingwoods kicking really let them down and they could only conjure up 4 goals for the whole night yet they managed to slot an embarrassing 17 behinds. Which was helpful for the Saints campaign but the courage and determination they displayed really gave me a new found respect for the Club.
On the topic of respect, North Melbourne did the inevitable and came out to play against West Coast this week. In true Shinboner spirit they took center stage at Docklands and proceeded to right all wrongs, which seemed an almost impossible task, after the humiliation they'd suffered at the hands the ravenous StKilda last week.
West Coast always managed to keep themselves within reach and forward Mark Lecras continues to impress. But the Roo's who were lead by their skipper Brent Harvey managed to gain back every last shred, and more of the credibility he so uncharacteristically jeopardized following his woeful display against the Saints the week before.
And lastly my beloved Bulldogs. It was always going to be an ultra physical encounter against the Hawks who really matched it with reigning premiers Geelong in their round two clash. But when the game is in the balance it is the Dogs who are becoming the 4th quarter specialists. They have developed the endurance to run out the whole game. And they may not be the fastest side on their feet so they rely on super quick movement of the ball, and coupled with their precision skills and swiftly executed footwork their gameplan is carried out at a frenetic pace that often leaves opposition sides chasing tail.
And it's players like Mathew Boyd (who clocked up 35 possessions against Sam Mitchell, who in his own right played a brilliant game) that lead the way in terms of consistency and work load. He may not be the flashiest player but his leadership and team ethic are second to none. And when you have players around you like Robert Murphy, Adam Cooney, Daniel Cross, Shaunn Higgins and Ryan Griffen, who all bar Shaun have played well over 100 games together, it's not hard to see why the Bulldogs have finally developed the match winning performances they need from their star players.
The thing that impresses me most about this current Bulldogs lineup is the toughness they have gained as a side. They finally have some big bodied players that are prepared to throw their weight around and put their bodies on the line to create a contest. The Hawks are renowned for their toughness, but the Dogs definitely had their measure in this game.
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Comment by Kristy lee
on Round 3: Worth talking about.
I pay very little attention to the mainstream media and free to air TV etc. It's just a tool to distract us from the 'real' issues.