VERSUS
Saturday night 7.10 PM. Be There
Well, what a shemozzle last weekend for both clubs. Over on the Ds board they lament that they got off to a poor start and that cost them the game. Our poor starts are becoming the stuff of legend. As neither club bothers to turn up at least until quarter time, let’s just dispense with the first quarter and get on with it.
As the soapbox is mine this week, let’s begin with a bit of the history of these two great clubs.
THE MIGHTY MELBOURNE DEMONS. (They were called the Redlegs and the Fuchsias before they became the Ds
The first game of sort-of Aussie Rules was played in July 1858 between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College—yeah, I know the other theories on this, but that’s the one I believe. Tom Wills was the organiser and was the first maggot.
I’m certain that both sides and every spectator blamed him for everything thereby setting up the tradition for maggots that we all know and love (as an aside, the only match I ever umpired was between Army and Air Force at Erskineville Oval, Sydney. I’d played in the early game between Navy and the Cops. The field umpy for the next game didn’t turn up, so I got rung in. I finished that game with a new respect for the umpiring fraternity and a determination that never again would I rattle the pea in a whistle.
Tom Wills more or less invented the game and along with a few others wrote the first set of rules.
The first leagues were the South Australian National Football League, originally the South Australian Football Association (later League) and the Victorian Football Association formed in 1877 (breakaway, League, 1897).
The present day MFC comes from this rich tradition.
And what was the first ever footy club in SA?
Well, it was the Adelaide Football Club formed in 1860. Of course the modern-day Adelaide Crows do not claim kinship with this earlier manifestation. Our club would not be so churlish as to expropriate the history of an earlier club—unlike the mob down the road. But still, it gives one a warm feeling to know that our moniker was first on the scene in SA.
In 1877, eight clubs took part in the 1st season. They were:
South Park, Willunga, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, North Adelaide, Gawler, Bankers, Woodville, South Adelaide and Victorian. (Who let Victorian In!!! South Park
)The present-day AFC springs from the rich culture, heritage and traditions of the SANFL: a heritage that includes the Port Adelaide Magpies.
Enough of the past. You can find more with a simple Google.
THE COMING
Over on the Ds board there is a fair amount of pessimism with many expecting a ten-goal reaming as they catch us on the rebound from our recent embarrassment.
Is it likely to blow out that much?
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
They have a reasonable midfield. Viney and Trengove (assuming he plays) are class acts. Jordan Lewis, Nathan Jones, Clayton Oliver go okay. Someone suggested Bernie V to tag Sloane out of the game. Not sure that would work as Bernie aint having the greatest season. There’s a chance he may be dropped this week, although it’s his 200th and maybe Simon is more caring than that.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see young Bugg moved into the midfield to take Sloaney. Bugg is a tough nut with a big tank. Any truth to the rumour no Sloane, no Crows? We need our junior mids to lift and take the weight. Also, let’s see our blokes give Sloane some protection if he’s getting monstered. With Gawn gawn (sorry) Jacobs should be a big influence here. We should get a heap of taps to advantage and hopefully our mids can use these. Better delivery from B Crouch would be useful. I know he’s only had a few games, but sometimes his decision making and kicking looks DangeresqueA problem for the Ds is that their mids don’t deliver well. Hulk Hogan is averaging 2.25 goals per game. Imagine what he’d do in front of a midfield that did deliver well? I reckon our backs match up okay against their forwards, although Garlett and Watts are both capable of kicking a few. Whoever gets Hogan needs to be on their mettle. He’s good in the air and capable when the ball hits the deck and a goodish shot at goal. My bet is that Talia will go to him and either Lever or Hartigan will take Watts.
At the other end of the ground, we look to have too much firepower for the Ds. Something to watch out for is that this mob is number one in the comp for scores from forward-50 intercepts. Frost has given Tex problems in the past, but with good delivery, Tex should be back to influencing the game after a badun last week. Jenkins has had his warmup and hopefully will be back to his best and let’s hope Tommy L isn’t badly concussed. Betts might run riot in this one. Not sure they have anyone to match his amazing skillset.
The coaching panel needs to lift after last week as much as the players. When sides get a run on like North did last week, we need to find ways to stop them. Incidentally, anyone else think we may have won that game if we’d won the toss? They kicked ten in the first quarter and we outscored them in the remainder of the game.
I said a couple of weeks ago that our slow starts would bite us on the bum if a side really got cranked up early. We need to find a way to go with the opposition when the heat and the pace is on the game in those early stages. It is our Achilles heel at present. Pressure and intensity from the word go, fellas.
All things considered: Rebound: Home deck: Home Crowd: Better team....
Crows X 42
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