Suicide Saturday II

And you thought I'd necked myself didn't you? Close enough. I was actually away from a computer in that well known bastion of all things AFL related, Sydney. Thanks to the soon to be rooted Fox Footy I did see the game though - and what a painful experience that was.

Surely somebody somewhere put their hand up and made the point that when Whelan and Pickett went out and were replaced with Neitz and Bate that the team had gone in too tall? And who did they have in the emergencies? Shannon Motlop, who is obviously finished as a top level player. So when Ben Holland goes out late in comes the Mot and instantly we're left one short down the back AND without two running defenders. Shouldn't it have been obvious from that point that things were going to go wrong? And thus they did.

To be fair we were in it early on but everything we did the Crows returned with interest. After Davey kicked a ripper out of the pack in the first minute to open the scoring they were just one step beyond. Which was funny given that they were gutted by injuries and playing with a new look forward line. This problem was solved merely by harassing the fuck out of our defenders so they'd cock it up and allow an easy ping from distance into an empty goalsquare. It was EXTREMELY frustrating. One of those days where your side works their arses off for ten minutes to kick one goal and then turns around and concedes one (or two.. or three..) at the other end with seemingly no effort whatsoever. Not good enough.

A moment please, if you will, for Clint Bartram. Sit through 60 picks in the draft wondering if you're ever going to get a game in the AFL. Get drafted. Play your first game. Turn out to be quite good. Play every game for the regular season. Then when the finals come you do your ankle and miss out. What a fiasco. If it's any consolation this surely means that Philthy will come back after his duel BOG's for Sandringham in recent weeks. Hopefully he gets a crack at finals footy next week.

You knew we were going to get done when Miller gave away the pointless 50 just before half time. The fact that the Adelaide stooge missed it from the goalsquare (in a way that even Ben Holland could never imagine) was the only thing that saved me from smashing the tv right there and then. Or did he kick that one? I can't remember. I really have tried to erase the memories of that afternoon from my mind already. At the risk of starting another comments box firestorm and assorted wild scenes I really can't take him in our side. He just doesn't seem to be football smart. Sure he can do a few good jobs here and there but his decision making is absolutely abysmal. If they can get anything for him in trade week then I'm IN. I'm aware that we don't have a readymade CHF or anyone else to fill in down back when required but I really think that a change of clubs is probably best for both parties in this situation.

Third quarter and we were still in it. Neitz got the first two and the intensity level went up a bit. Then the Crows matched that and raised it by a million degrees celcius. Somehow early in the 4th we were a chance. Then it seemed as if the players resigned themselves to their fate of being outside the top 4 and pulled the pin allowing Adelaide to run riot and destroy them. It was all too easy. I would like to think that it had more to do with a sense of self-preservation than sheer incompetence but you just can't tell in these situations. Especially when you've played 0 games and sit on your couch commenting like me.

2006 Allen Jakovich Medal Votes

5 - Brock McLean (Should lose points for the bump but there's nobody else to take his spot)
4 - David Neitz
3 - Brad Green
2 - James McDonald
1 - Daniel Ward (at least showed some run and willingness to take them on...)

Leaderboard

40 - Cameron Bruce
40 - James McDonald
39 - Brock McLean
28 - David Neitz
23 - Brad Green
20 - Aaron Davey
19 - Jared Rivers (Leader: 2006 Marcus Seecamp Medal for defender of the year)
17 - Travis Johnstone
16 - Byron Pickett
13 - Nathan Carroll
12 - Matthew Whelan
10 - Matthew Bate
10 - Daniel Ward
9 - Colin Sylvia
7 - Adem Yze
6 - Russell Robertson
4 - Chris Johnson
4 - Ben Holland
4 - Nathan Jones
2 - Brent Moloney
2 - Brad Miller
2 - Clint Bartram
2 - Jeff White
1 - Nathan Brown

And yes, finals games do count so this isn't over yet. Though I am prepared to announce officially that Matthew Bate's late season form has won him the Demonblog.com Darren Cuthbertson Medal for Rookie of the Year. Bartram second, Dunn third, Jones fourth, Warnock fifth. Sadly no showing for Andre Gianfagna.

Next (this..) week: St. Kilda at the MCG on Friday Night. I'll be there against my better judgement. God knows why but I think we're every possible chance of winning. Last time we did them over it was the moment that I thought we might actually have a chance of winning the whole thing. Neitz kicked 8, Holland wrecked Gehrig ,the NBT had about 3000 touches and we were sublime in victory despite a late comeback. Since then we've lost to Carlton (again..), beaten the shithouse North Melbourne on the back of a second half rampage, fallen into a draw against the sloppy Cats and been beaten senseless by a crippled Adelaide. There's no good reason to pick us this time BUT if everything goes right there's no reason we can't get up. Then we get to lose the next week anyway but it'd be nice to see anyway.

St. Kilda by 30. Prove me wrong boys. PROVE ME WRONG.