AFL Football Round 5 Review - Part 3
In the first Draw for the 2008 AFL Football Season the Tigers kept their form from last week to finish level with an inform Western Bulldogs. I think Nathan Brown thought they won when the siren sounded only to then realize that the scores were level. Will Minson was the one who kicked a goal with seconds remaining on the clock to level the scores after Brian Lake was unable to take his kick from a mark. The Tigers need to do some work on the TEMPO football because that nearly cost them the game.
Scott Welsh just couldn’t kick it through the big sticks and ended up with 0.5 for the day and the Doggies wasted plenty of chances in from of goal. Goal kicking practice for them during the week. The Bulldogs pride themselves on being a running skill full side and The Tigers were excellent in pressuring them so that their run was kept to a minimum. Kane Johnson lead from the front in that department. Matthew Richardson again played up the ground and looks good running around the ground rather than kept to inside 50. He finished with 3 goals and 9 marks and at some stages I noticed was apposed to Jason Akermanis on the wing. Both teams will be disappointed with the result the Doggies would have been expecting to win while the Tigers had a 4 goal lead an blew it.
Daniel Cross and Robert Murphy were brilliant in the second half for the Doggies and were the reason the Doggies got back into the game. For the Tigers there were plenty of positives to come out of the game. After traveling back from Perth no one really gave them a chance against the unbeaten Dogs, but someone forgot to tell them. Shane Edwards looked dangerous and finished 2 goals up forward and Jack Reiwoldt took a big step up and ended with 3 goals. Richard Tambling has now strung 2 good games in a row together. Many were tipping the Tigers for the Wooden Spoon but I don’t think that is the case anymore.
Port Adelaide finally got on the board with a win against the West Coast Eagles who are on the way down. There are real problems over in the West and rumors are rife that Daniel Kerr has put off contract negotiations with the Eagles an may be looking to come to Melbourne. The Power would have had memories of last week when the Eagles kicked 6 goals in a row to get back from 68 points down to about 4 goals but through the heroics of Kane Cornes, Daniel Motlop and Brett Ebert they were able to hold on. Cornes was brilliant with 27 possessions and keeping Daniel Kerr to just 13.
The Eagles are now in grave danger of not making the eight and it is hard to see where they can improve. Daniel Kerr continues to get heavily tagged and is the only midfielder that deserves attention, the rest just are not coming to the party. There are a few senior players like Braun, Hunter and Wirrapunda who are in shocking form and need to stand up. One shining light at the moment is that of young forward Ben McKinley who again kicked some goals ending with 5 majors. He is a real find and looks to have the goods. The Eagles have struggled in recent years for a forward and he looks as though he may just be the answer. Chris Masten and Andrew Embley also gave the Eagles fans some joy providing some good run and carry. Mark Williams will be a relieved man this week after getting the 4 points on the board.
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While it’s got to be disappointing to see the Tiges get so close and not come home with all four points, but it’s a testament to the complete change in mindset that our team could kick 20 goals two weeks in a row. It’s difficult to believe that shifting our best forward out of the forward-line was what was needed to improve our efficiency in front of the sticks: but when it’s Richo, nothing’s a surprise any more.
I don’t know which team is the most surprising this year so far; the Dogs, the Tigers or the Eagles!