Dockers Modest Win Keeps Finals Fire Flickering
By Tim Stone, AFANA Reporter in Perth
Fremantle have kept their 2006 campaign alive with a 37 point victory over the cellar dwellers in Essendon in front 34,000 supporters on a Friday night at Subi. A less than convincing win would be the best way to describe Fremantles answer to their critics. Blundered opportunities from the Dons marred what was realistically a very even contest.
The swimming finals of next year's FINA World Championships in Melbourne will clash with the start of the AFL home-and-away season according to competition schedule released this week. The program confirms morning swimming heats will be held at Rod Laver Arena from 10am (AEST) with semi-finals and finals to be held from 7pm (AEST) from March 25 to April 1.
This means potentially the last four days of the swimming finals will clash with the opening round of the 2007 AFL season,
By Barry Kennedy, AFANA Reporter in Melbourne
Last season the injury ravaged Collingwood side limped to 15th on the AFL ladder while St Kilda also didn’t live up to expectations of the football public, even with a Preliminary Final appearance. Season 2006 has been much kinder to Collingwood fans, their team flying high in third spot on the AFL ladder after 13 games. The jury was out for St Kilda, with only its long injury list the only defense to its seventh placing prior to yesterday’s clash. It was a crunch game for St Kilda against the upstarts from Collingwood and a chance to demonstrate their preeminence among Victorian clubs. That’s what they duly did.
There is sad news to report. Erin Walls, wife to former player and coach and current media commentator Robert Walls, passed away after a long battle with cancer. The news broke Sunday afternoon when 3AW caller Rex Hunt received word shortly after the conclusion of the Kangaroo / Bulldog game. Hunt and Walls were contemporaries in their playing days and, in the first years of their careers, played for Richmond and Carlton respectively, two sides which were bitter rivals at the time. Now Hunt and Walls are very good friends and sometimes work together on 3AW Radio with Hunt calling the games and Walls providing special comments. After the announcement, many fans calling in to the talkback forum
Crows 15.11 (101) d. Swans 8.14 (62) @ The SCG
by Frank Ienco reporting exclusively for AFANA at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Adelaide Crows have turned in a performance from the top shelf to thrash the defending premiers on their own turf, running out 39-point winners over the Sydney Swans in front of 36, 104 fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday afternoon (AEST).
Sydney have now dropped three of their last four matches as they continue their poor record at home with only three wins from eight matches at either the SCG or Telstra Stadium this year. Not for the first time this year, the Swans lacked the passion and hunger to win. Their biggest loss this season has prompted coach Paul Roos to admit that
by Tim Murphy
The real footy is still happening. I’m off to China on Sunday for a couple of weeks, by the way, so if anyone in Soochow (Suzhou) or Beijing wants a drink and talk footy, let me know.
St. Kilda 2.1 3.7 5.10 8.12.60
Adelaide 5.3 10.7 13.12 18.15.123
History repeats . . . Last year the Camrys massacred the Stainers by 80-odd points at Docklands and this was much the same. Stainer fans will be hoping the repetition continues, as in September 2005 they put Addleaid out of the finals at Foopall Park. There’ll have to be a big turnaround. In selection the Saints lost Jason Blake with a hamstring injury and dropped wet-weather specialist Mark McGough, in came Xavier Clarke and Andrew McQualter. Sinkilda hope to have Aaron Hamill back after the break, Justin Koschitzke started training again last week but collapsed on live TV on Sunday, a worry. Aaron Fiora played his 100th game here, it ended unhappily as he was singled out afterwards by Thomas for displaying cowardice. The Camrys lost Nathan Van Berlo with a fractured collarbone and Brett Burton (hamstring soreness) was a late pull-out. Jason Torney and Bernie Vince were called up from the Snaffle.
Last Week: 5 from 8 – Total 67/104 (64.4%)
What mental aberration caused me to select Hawthorn last week against the Saints? Probably the same mental speed hump that made me dismiss the Tigers against the Pies. That was one upset while the other was the Bulldogs’ great win against the Eagles at Subiaco. Should have scored 6 but that bit of stupidity has allowed the tipping leader to sneak away another point further ahead. With only 9 rounds to go the chances of making up more than 5 – 6 points is very difficult although there is still time to make those unexpected selections based on unexpected results.
Last Week: 2 from 8 – Total 62/96 (64.6%)
For all those tipsters who followed the assumed wisdom of the previewer last round I apologise. I have gained some comfort from the fact that at least those who followed my tips last round also joined me with only 2 correct, an all time low record for me. There were some very ordinary form reversals amongst some poor performances by more fancied teams and they all worked towards creating some very interesting tipping scores. Never mind, another 10 rounds to go. If you’re more than 10 points in arrears check your comp rules to see what you have to do to win a booby prize if one is available.
Backs: Robert Copeland 30 Mal Michael 15 Jason Roe 29
Half Backs: Brad Scott 5 Tim Notting 8 Jason Akermanis 12
Centreline: Michael Rischitelli 35 Michael Voss 3 Cheynee Stiller 32
Dogs Bite Hard On Wavering West Coast
by Tim Stone, reporting for AFANA from Subiaco, WA
The Dogs have staged a stunning defeat of the West Coast Eagles by 9 points in round 13 at Subiaco Oval on Sunday. The hardest road trip in the AFL, along with the fear of a tough contest, was not enough to deter a determined Bulldogs squadron which defied the odds to end a 4 year losing streak at Subiaco for Melbourne based clubs.
The Dogs of Footscray lead for almost the entirety of the game, in doing so managed to fend off a an almost expected strong finishing West Coast outfit.
The oh-so-familiar scenario faced West Coast, the "great escape artists" as they had been dubbed by the media almost came to fruition.
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