Geelong’s Tom Hawkins extended his Coleman Medal lead with four goals in the 66-point rout of Essendon. Photo: AFL MEDIA
As can be the case through the cut and thrust of a rollercoaster season, the actual football being played this year isn’t the only major factor defining the AFL premiership race.
Injuries and team management are playing a big role, and All-Australian defender Harris Andrews’ hamstring setback last Friday night could have devastating consequences for high-flying Brisbane as it chases grand final glory on home soil.
West Coast, too, may have lost its All-Australian defender, Jeremy McGovern, to another serious thumb injury in a similar blow to its flag hopes on Sunday evening.
But this is 2020, the year when a late-night trip to a strip joint and kebab shop, followed by a drunken brawl, and combined with a player’s wife’s social media post after a visit to a day spa, has left a power club’s flag defence on tenterhooks.
Richmond has had a long list of indiscretions on and off the field this season, and the Tigers now find themselves one more COVID-19 protocol breach away from losing premiership points and/or draft picks.
In a season of fine margins and a congested top half of the ladder, another stuff-up could be the difference between making and missing the top four.
It is also just about as “2020” as it gets in football, although drone footage on the six o’clock news of bikini-clad WAGs lying by a Gold Coast resort pool on the AFL’s dollar is another gold medal contender.
But we digress. Fortunately, we’ve also had heart-warming moments to distract us from the grim reality of some aspects of daily life, particularly for those of us in locked-down Victoria.
Like Port Adelaide’s celebration of its comfortable six-goal victory over North Melbourne, spearheaded by Hamish Hartlett as Alberton’s answer to Keith Moon, fitted the bill.
You wouldn’t be surprised to see an ex-player or commentator pop up with a negative assessment, declaring the upbeat team song an over-reaction to a routine win over a lowly opponent that simply had to be put to the sword.
But it’s worth remembering little things are worth celebrating, too. Players, staff and supporters are allowed to be happy.
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“The game’s so hard, it’s so hard to play,” Power coach Ken Hinkley said. “I’m sure everyone that supports us and looks at us, our members and fans, they enjoy when we have a victory and it’s important that the players enjoy a victory.”
All power to Port Adelaide as it charges towards the minor premiership.
In a normal season, it would leave the Power best-placed to challenge Richmond’s reign, but excitement is also building around Brisbane on the back of the mid-week confirmation that the Gabba will host the first grand final played outside Victoria.
Barring any major COVID-19 outbreaks in Queensland, of course, touch wood.
Admittedly, the Lions have found themselves in a bit of a flat spot, averaging fewer than 50 points in their last three outings.
But they have also won four straight matches, including Friday night’s eight-point victory over Collingwood, and look every bit capable of winning the premiership if they can kick into gear on a launchpad made up of encounters with bottom-half teams Gold Coast, Sydney and Carlton.
A top-two spot could see the Lions enjoy a travel-free passage to a home grand final.
Their best cover for star defender Andrews over the next five or six weeks might have to be dominating the centre square and field position to limit opposition raids.
So the top five teams will definitely play finals. Looking further down the ladder, which team wants it the most?
Sunday marked the start of a week that is effectively the 2020 AFL season’s equivalent of golf’s “moving day”.
The Saints continued their march towards a drought-breaking finals appearance by shaking off a troublesome Hawthorn, winning by 14 points, while the Western Bulldogs overcame horror goal-kicking to squeeze past West Coast by two points in a thrilling finish.
Greater Western Sydney, Melbourne and Carlton all face make-or-break matches in the coming days.
Essendon is already not just broken, but smashed to smithereens by a Geelong side that has found the right balance of youth and experience and has strong contributors across the board.
The Cats are purring, with Tom Hawkins (four goals) extending his lead at the top of the Coleman Medal leaderboard as part of a 66-point rout of the Joe Daniher-less Bombers.
It was Geelong’s sixth straight victory and biggest winning margin in more than a year. And while we might have said it a few times since 2011, Chris Scott’s men really will take some beating this year.
