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AFL Round 3

by Tim Murphy


At the MCG:

Collingwood  2.3   4.6    11.10   17.13.115
Richmond     5.5   7.10   11.10   13.12.90

Very good win for a depleted Collywood side, three first-gamers played a hand as the Poise lifted their intensity after half-time. The pattern was depressingly familiar for Tigger fans, in with a chance but giving in hopelessly, pathetically. Who’s the fitness coach, Milo Kerrigan? The Big Pussies were rubbish, unless it’s Plough’s agenda to finish last and get more draft picks. The Pies broke the banner here without backline general James Clement, injured and vomiting in the warm-up and wingman Ben Johnson (calf) along with axed junior Daniel Nicholls. The three WA-born first-gamers were solidly-built flanker-type Alan Toovey from Claremont, tallish South Fremantle defender Shannon Cox and lithe, skilful forward Brad Dick from East Fremantle. They joined the rest of the dicks playing for Collingwood. One change for the Tiggers, ruckman Troy ‘Snake’ Simmonds returning at the expense of unfit Patrick Bowden. The entire side could be dropped on that basis.

Swans 13. 18 (96) d. Lions 10. 9 (69)

At times they fumbled, kicked poorly and turned over the ball too easily, but the Sydney Swans have used their superior ability to close out games to down the Brisbane Lions by 27 points at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

After trailing by 10 points at the final change and looking anything like premiership favorites, the Swans slammed five goals to none in the final quarter in a commanding finish. The win also capped a memorable 250^th game for star forward Michael O’Loughlin, whose last quarter goals helped seal the win.   

AFL SEASON 2007

PREVIEW ROUND 3

The tipping season has not started well with me so far as I seem unable to get the first game of the week right. With the Pies meeting the Tigers at the MCG Friday night it is unlikely that I’ll get it right on this occasion either. Neither team inspires confidence for an automatic tip to win I assure you. Looking at scores around the nation in the tipping competitions those of you who are wallowing near the bottom should fear not because the leaders are not that far ahead. In my tipping competition someone – a female - had a 7 last week which has been the best score from 50 tipsters in two rounds and remember I said that round was going to be easy but that was before some teams decided to display dubious form reversals which are ever the bane of the AFL tipping aficionado. Based on the last two rounds I have very little idea who will win any of the matches this week but I can see many of you nodding your heads saying that is the case most weeks.

AFL Round 2

by Tim Murphy

Ah the Easter holiday. Apparently it ends.

At the Gabba:

Brisbane   2.4   7.7   11.11   15.12.102
St. Kilda  2.3   3.4    6.6      7.8.50

Last week Magpoi skipper Nathan Buckley cautioned us to ignore results in the first month of the season. Certainly the Saints proved schizophrenic from week one. They were lethargic, chipped the ball about lazily from side-to-side and were disinclined to run much. A bit like the Horks at the Gabba last week, so the Stains are not the first side to melt in the late summer Queensland humidity, to which the Lyin’s are well adapted. Contrast was made with Brisbun’s last win over Sinkilda in Round One 2005, Sainter Nick Riewoldt’s damaged shoulder targeted by Lyin’s Michael, Leppitsch and Brad Scott. Two o’them have retired since and the other moved on. Riewoldt was still unavailable here and injury problems continue to dog the Saints, Matt Maguire was discovered to have stress fractures in his previously broken leg, he’ll be gone for a while and Luke Ball missed with the after-effects of his head-knock last week. They were replaced by regular Saint full-back Max Hudghton and ex-Bulldog Shane Birss, making his Sinkilda debut. Hudghton’s return was over by quarter-time. Old ruckman Matthew ‘Doc’ Clarke played his 250th AFL game and Nick Dal Santo played his 100th game. The Brisbun side needed to replace Nigel Lappin (cork thigh) and defender Jason Roe (hamstring), in came Marcus Allan and junior defender Wayde Mills.