The Crows stopped in the third quarter – again – while the Swans held off the fast-finishing Eagles.
Justin Sherman and David Mackay wouldn’t have been the first two names you would have thought of as the most crucial match up in the Brisbane game, but it turned out that way in the first half, with Sherman knocking up a DT ton by half time and Mackay also topping the fantasy scores for Adelaide. However, in general play it was Mackay who was judged the more damaging, so at half time Michael Voss made what will probably be regarded in hindsight as his first game-winning tactical move as a coach, by shifting Travis Johnstone onto Mackay. Johnstone beat Mackay soundly, while Sherman was allowed to carry on racking up touches.
In the Brisbane forward line, both Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw on Bradshaw and Ben Rutten on Brown. Stevens, who has had a poor year after getting crunched by Luke McPharlin at Subiaco, was given a lesson by Bradshaw in the third quarter. Crow coach Neil Craig, who has come under fire before for not making the right moves, refused to make the obvious switch of Rutten back to Bradshaw, and this ultimately led to Adelaide’s downfall.
Elsewhere in the game, all but one of the cash cow rookies made their Dream Team breakevens, though it was harder for some – e.g. Andy Otten‘s BE of 61 – than others like Taylor Walker with a BE of -5. Mind you, TW almost looked like he’d give -5 a shake after not touching the aggot for an hour past kicking the opening goal of the game. Daniel Rich breezed past his BE and proved that you didn’t need to trade him yet – though this was only an option in Super Coach where his BE was 74 – while Patrick Dangerfield and Sam Sheldon were average. The real disappointment, yet again, was Jared Petrenko, who by part way through Q4 had only registered a single tackle and a free against. Scores of 19.16 will see him as #1 priority for thousands of coaches this week.
Finally, Simon Goodwin was rested for the last quarter but this is probably good news for his owners, who would like him to be rested up for the remaining three weeks that this hamstring injury is apparently going to affect him for.
In the game at Homebush, it looked very much like Dean Cox was going to lift the Eagles over the line by sheer force of will. His battle with Darren Jolly was titanic, with 14 of Cox’s 30 hit outs coming in Q4. Most noticeable was the fact that many Sydney goals were answered immediately by Cox palming the pill down the throat of an Eagle who bombed long to the West Coast talls who answered the call with goals of their own. The see-saw nature of the battle, with the Swans unable to shake West Coast even to the final siren, made it as watchable a game as those during the halcyon flag years of this rivalry in 2004-05. Local boy Kieren Jack snapping the winner was a suitably showbiz finale.
From a fantasy perspective, it was interesting that Ryan O’Keefe posted his first Dream Team ton of the 2009 season, followed most of the night by Scott Selwood. The youth and inexperience of his opponent could possibly count against this performance, but nevertheless ROK is underpriced and has significant upside as a low-end keeper. The rest of the match went as you’d expect for fantasy purposes, with Adam Cockie doing alright in his bubble game and Martin Mattner not getting freed up by Nick Malceski‘s absence.
footycool
May 16, 2009 at 11:32 pm
go COX!!!
Chuck Norris
May 17, 2009 at 12:05 am
Yeah all true Monty but the story of the night is the inexplicable service denial issues for both the SC and DT servers. I cannot even log on to the Cricinfo IPL fantasy server so tonight I’m in dreamland about my scores
the dud
May 17, 2009 at 12:11 am
Once again mitch, you have outdone yourself. Killer blog. Now get back to your homework
Mr Sherminator
May 17, 2009 at 12:30 am
Fooled a lot of people until I got this great haircut!
bummer
May 17, 2009 at 12:49 am
Good job from my captain cox. I stuck with big cox because he goes hard and always rises to the occasion
pascoe
May 17, 2009 at 12:47 pm
good review m0nty. petrenko is on bench so it is alright. do you think taylor walker will keep his spot for the whole 22 games? i know he won’t get dropped now, but will he later at any stage? also will jack riewoldt be back next week anyone?
dylan
May 17, 2009 at 8:58 pm
m0nty i thought it was goodwins ankle that was troubling him not his hammy. Also you have Bradshaw played on Bradshaw
hairy
May 18, 2009 at 12:58 pm
watch the games noobs and these little grammer mistakes wont matter
dylan
May 18, 2009 at 5:15 pm
maybe some of us dont have foxtel, think of that??
leigh
May 18, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Yeah, I had been looking for cheap fixes to early season poor selctions.
This week subbed in
Travie J
and Ryan O’keefe
was very happy with the return and value for money.
lets hope they can keep it up.
and travis johnstone, acts more like his appearance and hardens the F#CK UP.
Disco (UK)
May 18, 2009 at 7:42 pm
m0nty – Is Petrenko even worth trading out? He’s only a bench back and a trade to Broughton would net a mere $64,500 profit. I reckon that’s a waste of a trade. Thoughts?
Jacko
May 18, 2009 at 9:07 pm
you could trade up to grimes?
FIRESWORD
May 25, 2009 at 8:31 pm
DOES any one know Who won the Norm Smith Medal in 2008 ????????????