5 things not about Geelong, or, 4 things not about Geelong

1. It seems like West Coast are the only team who can beat Adelaide at the moment; that’s 3 out of the last 4 for the Weagles. I wonder if the wide open expanses of Subiaco stretched the Crows flooding-midfield game plan. I wonder if the same thing will happen at the MCG come September. Of course, it helps to have a midfield of Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Stenglein and Braun (with Chad Fletcher and Dean Cox to come back). And a game plan that calls for playing on at all opportunities. It may be worth remembering that this Eagles team came within 4 points of being crowned premiers last season, and may have gotten over the line had it not been for an unfortunate foot injury to Daniel Kerr in the first term. Speaking of Kerr, he might just be the best of the excellent WC midfield bunch. And he’s got moxie too (yes, I used the word moxie). When Cousins collected his Brownlow medal last year, one vote clear of Kerr, he was sporting a black eye that was apparently a result of an argument about Cousins’ sister, who Kerr is dating. So not only was Kerr pegging the captain’s sister but he had the audacity to belt him when he said something about it! Daniel Kerr, I like the cut of your jib.

2. You know, Denis Pagan just might be massively over-rated. Carlton, despite having the probable All-Australian full forward and centre half-back, now share the same record as Essendon. Other than Fevola and Whitnall, they also have Kouta, Lappin, Houlihan, Jarred Waite, Brad Fisher, Kade Simpson and no 1 draft pick Marc Murphy, yet, have they improved at all since he’s been there? No. If anything they’ve gotten worse. They looked a complete disaster on the weekend and it was only Fremantle’s ineptitude that kept the scoreboard as close as it was. Pagan may have even underachieved in his time at North Melbourne; in a period before flooding and the powerful Brisbane teams, (and when a terrible, terrible St.Kilda team made a Grand Final) he should have made more of the team he had. All they needed to do was kick it in the Duck’s general direction and he’d take care of the rest. He also had McKernan when he was unstoppable, Archer when he didn’t have a fork sticking out of him, Longmire before his confidence was shot, Stevens before the King ploughed his wife, Schwass before he was insane and Mick Martyn while he was still the best full-back in the business. Not to mention Anthony Rock, Alistair Clarkson, Dean Laidley, Craig Scholl, Darren Crocker, John Blakey, Ian Fairley, Matt Capuano, David King, Peter Bell, Byron Pickett, Martin Pike… Shit, I could have coached that team. And my instructions would have been, kick it to Wayne, everybody else get out of the fucking way.

3. Good to see someone do to Richmond’s backline what they should have been doing all season; abusing them. Joel Bowden shits me, he really does. Yes, he does well floating across half-back without an opponent, hitting targets coming out of defence, but, a full back he ain’t. One on one, Fraser tore him a new hole for Channel Ten’s commentary team to blow smoke up, or, when the pressure is on, for Patrick to hide in.

4. Well, I’m convinced; congratulations Melbourne, you’ve won me over. A good mix of height & speed, youth & experience, strength & skill, the Dees are looking the… What? Four weeks for both Pickett and Davey? Ah well, back on the doubters list for me. Interesting to see Cam Bruce line up on Brad Johnson, and beat him; when you can sacrifice your most creative midfielder to a deep defensive role and still win comfortably, (they kept the Dogs to 3 goals in the last 3 quarters) that’s a good sign. It was also interesting to see that physical pressure can successfully combat a running, skilful game plan like the one the Bulldogs employ.

5. The Geelong VFL game was televised on ABC on Saturday, and given the current short injury list down at Kardinia Park, the game featured many AFL experienced players. In fact, the Geelong forward line was pretty much the senior team forward line from earlier in the year. The Kent of Kinglsey kicked 6, while Nablett and Hank Playfair both got 3. Seeing as though the short-lived Matthew McCarthy era is clearly over, I wonder who’ll get the nod. Kent kicked well but needs the ball delivered on a string, Nathan has all the intangibles, as well as being a great kick for goal, but coasts too often, while Hank has great mitts, can’t kick and lacks confidence. I say, when in doubt go for the Ablett.

Chris Heffernan was there as well. He must be really struggling if he’s playing for the Essendon 2’s. Another great Sheedy signing. Put him up there with Justin Murphy and Scott Camporeale.

James Byrne is the captain of the Geelong reserves. This must be a dubious title to hold: They would obviously want someone who is a good player, but also someone who is going to be there every week. So you have to be good, but not that good. For the record he was best on ground.

Interestingly enough, the umpiring seemed a lot better in the VFL than the AFL. Perhaps this was because they let more go; it is easier to live with the odd missed free kick than with a shocker that wasn’t there, especially those given to Brad Johnson in the goal square.

I don’t think Koulouriotis will get back in the senior team; he gets plenty of ball but too often his disposal, and work without the ball, lets him down. Varcoe looks a little way off but did some exciting things. I think Blake will be fine; people, myself included, tend to forget that big guys take more time to develop. And Tom Lonergan looked pretty good playing at full back.

Finally, during the last quarter, someone’s dog ran onto the field at the Hickey stand end, chasing after the ball. Nick Batchelor narrowly avoided it with a beautiful sidestep. As Geelong moved the ball into attack the dog sprinted the length of the field, as if in support. The senior team probably could have used that mutt in Canberra.