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It was a week that had it all — prime of the table showdowns, thrilling upsets and right after-the-siren drama but, at the finish of it, the race for the finals and the flag has never ever been far more open.
Welcome to the AFL Round-Up, where we digest the 7 days that was.
Returning superstars enliven premiership race
They have been there all alongside, hiding in simple sight.
Geelong’s yearly predicted drop-off has been officially postponed for at the very least a different calendar year and, now, with only six dwelling and absent rounds remaining, the Cats find themselves on major of the AFL ladder.
It is been a wonderfully timed run from a staff that have been generating tangible adjustments to the way they perform on the fly, though nevertheless retaining the fundamental identity that has created them a perennially good-but-perhaps-not-excellent side.
Seven wins in a row — the latest coming in eye-catching trend above Melbourne, no a lot less — and an encouraging operate residence, that characteristics only just one member from the existing prime eight, is the reward for productively grinding out the initially half of the time.
The Cats are flawlessly poised for a September assault, not the very least owing to the way they have managed the recovery and return of Patrick Dangerfield.
It speaks to the self-confidence in the collective that Chris Scott felt cozy allowing for Dangerfield time for a complete and right recovery from injury, and the system is spending off.
Dangefield was electric from Melbourne and, getting witnessed how reliable the foundations are all around him, he is now no cost to be the icing on Geelong’s cake.
We explained related for Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe a couple months ago, suggesting that the two-time Brownlow Medallist ought to be permitted the positional flexibility to impression where ever he is most desired.
That’s what performed out against St Kilda on Saturday evening, as Justin Longmuir swiftly realised this was not likely to be a Forward Fyfe night, and promptly engaged Midfield Fyfe.
The consequence was a classic effectiveness that served drag the Dockers to a crucial get in their battle for a top four — or possibly even a top two — complete.
Amongst Dangerfield and Fyfe there are a few Brownlows, numerous All Australians and some of the very best specific performances of the modern-day era — but no flags.
With the particular person burden lifted from them by their enhanced groups, that may possibly be about to transform.
Just after 17 rounds, Collingwood and Brisbane have gained the exact sum of online games. Imagine predicting that again in March.
In a time that will be made the decision by some increasingly great margins, the Magpies’ and Lions’ respective effects this weekend may prove sizeable.
Both of those were being severely challenged by strugglers they had been anticipated to comfortably beat. Only 1 snuck absent unscathed.
North Melbourne’s Icarus moment at the MCG could have been fairly predictable, but it didn’t make Collingwood’s fourth-quarter turning of the screw any additional spectacular.
The Pies behaved like a excellent crew should really, taking part in with electric power and confidence and bravery to operate down a 26-stage deficit in the past time period.
No make any difference the opposition, standing up to that form of obstacle is a check and the Pies handed, emphatically.
The Lions, on the other hand. Yikes.
It is fully reasonable to place to the record of absentees for this video game, most of them owing to COVID-19, as a justification for the loss.
Nonetheless, when big gamers are missing, you hope that provokes other people to step up, at minimum in electrical power and intent if not course.
The shocked faces on the Lions gamers immediately after the ultimate siren instructed they thought this one versus Essendon was a banker, a nailed-on four points forward of a difficult operate to finals.
Now they are deep in the pet dog fight for a top-four spot, scrambling for the possible just one remaining spot with a variety of groups, like a resurgent and risky Collingwood.
All around the grounds
Previous 7 days, we gave the Suns some appreciate and bemoaned their high priced misfortune in some shut kinds. Footy has a amusing way of night itself out, would not it? They are nonetheless in all probability much too far again for finals, but this just after-the-siren earn was a deserved reward for a calendar year of obvious and encouraging development.
The headline from Carlton’s comfy-then-tough-then-comfy-once more acquire about West Coast was Tom De Koning. Though Sam in Geelong has received most of the plaudits, the Blues’ brother has quietly been getting to be a significant ruck presence. He beat Nic Naitanui at his very own sport on Sunday.
It can be a tiny acknowledged actuality that swans are really nocturnal. Nicely, the kinds from Sydney anyway. Enable them out at evening and they’re total of beans, as entertaining and devastating as any group likely. But it really is a wholly unique story in the afternoon sunlight wherever, coincidentally, at minimum 4 of their past six game titles will be played.
On the other hand, Port Adelaide’s period finishes, it is really been a address watching Connor Rozee blossom this year. As significantly as any individual on that staff, he seized the instant right after the -5 start out and dragged the Ability back again to respectability. Sky’s the limit for an very watchable footballer.
There have been a couple of Mitch Lewis game titles this calendar year which despatched the creativeness working wild. Just how great could this younger Hawk be? Had he performed just about every match this time, he’d be on Coleman Medal tempo. He could possibly be a little bit specific.
In the clubhouse
Right here we acquire inventory of who is foremost the race for the season’s person awards.
Appear out, Nick Daicos is receiving #MidfieldMinutes. It wasn’t his most prolific game, but we have started having a style of what the upcoming evolution of Daicos will search like — that classy, clutch objective late versus the Roos remaining a very good illustration.
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He remains our Soaring Star decide for now.
Getting misplaced his grip on the mark of the calendar year very last week, Cam Zurhaar immediately experimented with to make amends all up and down Nick Larkey’s back for our mark of the week.
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Regrettably for Cam, we’ve even now bought Mitch Georgiades in entrance for now.
And objective of the week was a fight between talent and importance. Do we go Cam Guthrie or Noah Anderson? Well…
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We just required to observe it one more time. What a mega last quarter that was from Noah Anderson, as well, by the way. Oh, and Ed Langdon stays our leader for GOTY.
