AFL Round 5 Wrap

[Jerry_Atrick]

This was going to be 5, 6 and this eve's game, but it is late and I am tired...

 

So it's round 5:

 

These updates have been a little hit and miss of late – mainly because I get a decent way through them and my email system (yahoo) blows up – probably because of the amount of excrement crammed into these electrons…

 

So as a result, there’s another multi-round wrap up and a part preview as a game has already been played (and I know of at least one person on this mailing list that has probably had a few, as Brownless calls them, frothies (bevvies, brewskis or beers in anyone elses parlance) in celebration. But more about that later…

 

First, round 5 – Anzac Day round – or as it is becoming to be known – upset round. What a round it was. Memory is getting a bit hazy, so it will be (almost) quick.

 

A depleted Adelaide Crows took on Sydney at Sydney’s home turf. The injury list at Adelaide reads like a who’s who at their club – lot of big stars out. But you would never have guessed it. Adelaide were red hot out of the starting blocks and this poor punter was left a little stunned as time and time again, Sydney would go down the corridor and bang the ball in long to Franklin and no less than 3 defenders around him only to have the Crows take it out of defence and, well, inflict scoreboard damage. All this while Heney was alone around 50 out waving his arms so frantically to attract attention of the ball carriers to his perfect positioning, he defied the laws of physics and lifted off. I counted 3 times they lobbed it to an impossible contest instead. Not to take anything away from the crows, they were fast and applying frenetic pressure that most people thought it would be a matter of time before they ran out of oxygen and collapsed. At some point in the second quarter, Sydney came within 2 points and I thought my £20 was going to pay a healthy return (I chucked some money on Sydney in the first quarter when it looked lost but thought no way could the reserves of Adelaide could match it for that long), but Adelaide steadied and kicked away. Deserved winners and a welcome return to form for Tex Walker (although Carey did go over the top a little with his superlative-studded praise for Tex..).. Upsets: 1 of 1.

 

St Kilda took on the Greater Western Sydney Giants in what should have been a game with one-way traffic back up the Hume to wherever GWS' stadium is. To say St. Kilda is struggling is a bit of an understated understatement. GWS, on the other hand, with a few injuries to key players have still looked pretty darned good. But the Saints dug deep and although they didn’t win, came away with two premiership points in a draw. Upsets: 2 of 2.

 

West Coast Eagles have had a great start to the year, unlike their hosts, Carlton who are travelling poorly, not only without a win, but without even looking like they would have a chance of a win. Was never going to be a game that captured my imagination, so didn’t watch it, but with Carlton being done only by 10 points, it looks like some shoots may be sprouting. So, even though, as expected, the West Coast won, I will claim the fine margin as a virtual upset as spread beats would have gone to the house. Upsets: 3 from 3.

 

Port Adelaide have been hot and cold, but even without Paddy Rider, players like Westoff, Dixon (although form this game his form has dropped off a bit) and Wines are pretty handy. But the Cats came to win, while Port looked like they simply expected to win. Dangerfield, Selwood et all were superb. The young defence held well, too. The head clash between Danger and Hartlett was pretty sickening to watch.. Danger just brushed it off; Hartlett was taken off but thankfully returned to see out the game. Either way – Upsets: 4 of 4… this stage, the bookies have already booked their holidays to some private island in the Caribbean…

 

OK – the next game can officially be considered a non-upset; the one game I picked as the upset. How bloomin’ ironic! Fremantle, at home, beat the surprise underperformers of the year. Shouldn’t have picked the Dogs, I know – a little optimistic over a lucky win the previous week – I think against Carlton. Stoopid! More on Ross Lyons, later! Upsets: 4 of 5.

 

Upset number 5 coming up.. North Melbourne got the jump on Hawthorn booting a bag in the first quarter and took the points in a game where they could do no wrong. They were first to the ball, better with skills with Brown being a tough nut for the defence and the big Goldstein having a field day. The 18 point margin was flattering to Hawthorn and only was so low because in the first quarter, they roos couldn’t kick straight. The game had its fair share of spills, with two concussions within a minute and a few yards of each other, one form a legal shirt front that pollaxed Higgins who was out cold before he hit the turf (I think it was Burton). A very tough game in which the roos came away deserved victors. Upsets: 5 of 6.

 

I think on the bookies odds, the Lions taking the points over the suns was an upset.. Can’t recall. In any case, two teams that will be slightly less than zero degrees kelvin to the finals, so moving right along thank you very much. We’ll call this a normal result. Upsets 5 of 7.

 

(I am starting to rue the expansion of the league – I bet you all are, too).

 

OK next 2 games were sort of expected. Richmond easily accounting for the poor performing Melbourne by 46 points. Melbourne are also in a spot of bother. Collingwood seem to have finally found form and easily accounted for Essendon for the Anzac day clash. So upsets: 5 out of 9. If anyone picked all 9, I would get them to pick stocks and bet on those, too.

 

Round 6 coming up… Too tired now..