Hidden loser in finals-altering AFL blunder; boilover may gift North top TWO picks: Talking Pts
So let’s get one thing straight: Adelaide could’ve still won on Saturday night.
And, more to the point, it was something completely out of their control that was very clearly mishandled, in a very rare way. So the Crows were robbed; by a human error, and errors can happen. But an error nonetheless, and a robbery nonetheless. Yes, Geelong - despite being 12th on the ladder in this alternate reality - could’ve made it. They might’ve needed West Coast to beat Adelaide, but their season would have been alive when the ball was bounced to begin their clash with the Dogs.
And while it’s the Crows who are the biggest losers out of all this - if they end up in a position where one more win would’ve gotten them into September - it’ll feel painful for whoever finishes ninth, potentially the Bulldogs or GWS, since they’ll be looking up at the Swans going ‘that should be us’.Of course, it’s unlikely we’ll get this specific scenario again - and the future won’t change the past either way.
Subsequently – or consequently, depending on your viewpoint – the Kangaroos now hold Pick 1 with one home and away round left. has always that been Reid will be taken with Pick 1. Which club holds the pick come draft night, though, has remained less certain. The Roos last year received one future second and one future third-round pick – which they had to trade – as part of an assistance package. But the more likely outcome, according to draft sources spoken to by, is the AFL will allow North to pre-list star Tasmanian midfield prospect Ryley Sanders, who the Kangaroos are hoping will be added to their Next Generation Academy after he recently his certificate of Aboriginality this year.
reporter Jon Ralph, the league in the past has made decisions on priority picks deep in the finals series.But as it stands, there’s a way the Roos end up with Picks 1 and 2 and Sanders – and Reid would almost certainly remain in Victoria.Amid ample speculation about his coaching future, Adam Simpson’s immediate reaction to West Coast’s shock upset win over the Western Bulldogs was perfect.“We tried to tank that in the last three minutes – it didn’t work,” he joked to Fox Footy’s Ben Dixon.
There’s a chance Sunday’s seven-point win over the Bulldogs could’ve been his second-last - or last - game in charge of West Coast following growing speculation the Eagles’ board is contemplating sacking the 2018 premiership coach. “Is it the media hype that’s getting to them? Or what is it? Because you can’t change your mind after having such a dismal first half of the year – and we’ve all heard the injuries and excuses and we all understand that – but how can they change and now go ‘you can’t pick your assistant coaches’ … how can they have such a big change of heart?”
Meanwhile at Richmond, Hardwick, Jack Riewoldt and Trent Cotchin have all departed - and Martin has one year left on his seven-year deal. Brown’s sentiment was echoed by Hawthorn legend Luke Hodge, who said he couldn’t see Martin joining the Suns unless the “Richmond are paying 90 per cent of his salary”.
Despite a possible bottom-four finish this year, there’s genuine optimism around the Suns’ list, which will only be boosted by a host of star academy graduates - key forward Jed Walter, ruck Ethan Read and midfielder Jake Rogers - via this year’s draft. They’ve also worked hard off the field to get their salary cap under control after a lot of trade pain - and at some stage you’d think they’d have to pay overs again considering the challenge of attracting star players to the area.
The Pies’ 24-point loss to the Brisbane Lions on Friday night marked a third defeat in four matches, with injury and a drop in output a feature of the last month. With a home Qualifying Final virtually assured heading into Friday night’s game against a spluttering Essendon side, the age-old question of resting players was put to McRae.
“Craig McRae was coached by Leigh Matthews – and coaches take on so much of the coach that had the biggest influence on their career. Leigh Matthews won’t give you a break before finals. McRae might change a little bit for his own style, but he’s going into finals and it’ll be ‘rip in’.
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