The Eagles gave the Saints a fair old shellacking, Dockers fans are wondering whether you get premiership points for being in front at half-time, the Blues have astonishingly won four on the trot and Richmond beat Sydney in an all-time epic on Saturday night.
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Our crack(pot) panel returns to run the rule over round eight of the AFL season.
The panel:
Simon White (WAtoday editor and chief puppet hater); Brendan Foster (WAtoday's resident grumpy old man); Steve Allen (Radio 6PR producer, the The Interchange podcast); Jon Pierik (The Age sports reporter); Claire Siracusa (The Age online producer)
Whitey:
1. In case any of my neighbours heard low guttural groans, moans of pleasure and cries of "oh yeah" coming out of my house on Saturday night...that was just me, alone on the couch, watching Richmond and Sydney.
2. I'm a (very) late convert to the Alex Rance Appreciation Society but he absolutely did Buddy Franklin for second and third efforts late in the Tigers' win over the Sydney Swans.
3. Geelong's midfield riches are frighteningly good. Even more scary is the fact that other than the already outstanding Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood, all would seem to have more upside.
ALSO, I'm truly sorry for my indefensible decision to tip St Kilda on Sunday. I haven't been that far wrong since I picked the Dockers to win the flag pre-season.
Fossie:
1. Eagles power forward Josh Kennedy had five goals on the board in the first 20 minutes of play on Sunday. That's two more than the Saints kicked for the whole game.
2. The Swans v Tigers games was one of the greatest games I've never watched. My four-year-old son Frankie seemed engrossed in Shrek 2, so I didn't have the heart to change the channel. Of course, about 30 seconds after Richmond's Sam Lloyd kicked a bomb after the siren to win the game, Frankie turned to me and said "Shrek is boring".
3. Four weeks ago if you said the Blues v Roos game in round nine would be one of the games of the round, you would have been locked up in a loony bin. On recent form, the Blues are a chance of being the first time to knock over the undefeated Roos.
Steve-o:
1. Josh Kennedy only needs one quarter to influence a match.
2. Queensland footy is in a horrible state. Gold Coast lost by 91 points and the Lions by 78. It will be hard to draw a crowd with performances like that.
3. GWS knows how to subtly rub salt into a wound unleashing academy player Jacob Hopper, who had 32 disposals on debut.
JP:
1. Carlton's stunning rise with four-straight wins shows what a modern game plan and a belief in your coach and teammates can do. Brendan Bolton's man-management has also been impeccable. The Blues won't make the finals but they are united for the first time in years.
2. Queensland football is in a parlous state - and AFL headquarters must be worried. The Lions are terrible, and Justin Leppitsch is under growing pressure and may not last the season. The Suns, having begun brightly, have faded dramatically. Have we seen the best of Gary Ablett?
3. Mason Cox's conversion from a US college basketballer into a senior AFL player is one of the best stories of recent years. Not only that, but his good form means there is little chance Travis Cloke will return for the Magpies soon. Let the trade talk rumble.
Claire:
1. I wouldn't have been Sam Lloyd for any money. It might be the dream to kick the winner after the siren, but what if you miss? Lucky for Richmond it wasn't me out there...
2. Things are looking up at Carlton. Sure, the Blues' four wins haven't been against sparkling opposition. And they meet the high-flying Roos next week. But for now let's enjoy the fact that they have a clear and positive game plan and their output is consistent each week.
3. Surely Rodney Eade comes under serious fire now. GWS is so far ahead of the Suns it's not funny, and they had a year less to get there. In addition, the Giants shipped half their list to the Blues this year, and are still enjoying success. What is going on at Metricon Stadium?
