AFL 2009 -- Round 4

After the long weekend has ended, preparations towards the next round will be turned into overdrive, especially for teams that have struggled in the first few rounds.

This weekend's fixtures, and it's back to a traditional Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule...

Friday, 17 April
Brisbane v Collingwood -- at The Gabba -- 7:40 p.m. Brisbane time (same in Melbourne)

Saturday, 18 April
Sydney v Carlton -- at the Sydney Cricket Ground (S.C.G.) -- 2:10 p.m. Sydney time
Hawthorn v Port Adelaide -- at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (M.C.G.) -- 2:10 p.m. Melbourne time
St. Kilda v Fremantle -- at the Docklands stadium -- 7:10 p.m. Melbourne time
Adelaide v Geelong -- at AAMI Stadium -- 7:10 p.m. Adelaide time (7:40 p.m. in Melbourne)

Sunday, 19 April
North Melbourne v Essendon -- at the Docklands stadium -- 1:10 p.m. Melbourne time
Richmond v Melbourne -- at the M.C.G. -- 2:10 p.m. Melbourne time
West Coast v Western Bulldogs -- at Subiaco Oval -- 2:40 p.m. Perth time (4:40 p.m. Melbourne time)​

Deadline for the tipping competition goes back to Friday, Melbourne time, and the start of the opening match of the round at that time.

And for our U.S. readers, Setanta Sport USA will be airing the Sydney v Carlton and West Coast v Western Bulldogs games live, and the Richmond v Melbourne match on a midweek tape-delay.

Talking points are yet to come, as well as all of the news, views and opinions as we build ahead to the start of the round.

 

Aside from the match that closed out Round 3 at the end of the long Easter weekend, the main news concerned the Match Review Panel's weekly findings, and there's a very extensive list this week.

Summarizing:

• Collingwood could be facing a double-whammy at the Tribunal in the fall-out from last Thursday night's loss to Geelong mounts. Heath Shaw's case over the intentional contact made with an umpire has been sent straight to the Tribunal, and captain Nick Maxwell may face a three-match ban for rough conduct.
• Port Adelaide figures prominently again this week, with Peter Burgoyne up on a striking charge for which he can take two weeks on the sidelines with an early guilty plea, and captain Domenic Cassisi can take a one-match ban with a confession of guilt.
• Hawthorn defender Campbell Brown faces two weeks on the sidelines for rough conduct.

If there are appeals to the Tribunal from these cases, it could be a very late night at AFL House tomorrow evening.

 

Catching up on today's news, and last night's news from the Tribunal as well...

As for the Tribunal, Collingwood's Heath Shaw copped a one-match ban for his intentional contact with an umpire, and teammate and club captain Nick Maxwell accepted his two-match penalty for rough conduct.

But the big news of the night at AFL House was that surrounding Hawthorn's Campbell Brown, whose two-match ban on a charge of a head-high bump against North Melbourne's Daniel Wells was overturned. Elsewhere on the evening, Port Adelaide pair Domenic Cassisi and Peter Burgoyne accepted one and two match suspensions, respectively.

 

And today's news...

Ahead of a match between two winless teams, in which it has been reported in some opinion columns in the Melbourne media that Richmond coach Terry Wallace is fighting for his coaching future, Tigers captain Chris Newman says that his team isn't feeling the pressure of what could happen this week against Melbourne at the MCG. Instead, Newman insists that the players will lift their efforts and in doing so, are feeling no pressure entering this match.

Western Bulldogs star midfielder and reigning Brownlow Medalist Adam Cooney has had some minor knee surgery to clear out some uncovered fragments of cartilage, but will only miss the Doggies' trip to Perth -- their second in just the first four weeks of the new season -- to face West Coast, and will return in Round 5.

Amid the suspensions to Domenic Cassisi and Peter Burgoyne, Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams confessed that his team may have a problem with controlling its trademark aggression and overall discipline on the field.

And one week after receiving an indefinite suspension from Adelaide club management for his role in an assault incident upon his girlfriend at a local pub, Crows defender Nathan Bock is pleading for reinstatement, claiming that his mental outlook is "100 percent better", and claims that he is fit to face Geelong at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

AFL teams' injury list -- The Age

 

The teams for Round 4 are in, and as the clubs reveal their respective squads, here are some highlights of those selections:

• Two big "in's" for the big game tomorrow night at The Gabba -- Jamie Charman wins a recall for Brisbane to head up the Lions' ruck division, while Anthony Rocca will line up full forward for Collingwood, to play his first game of the year for the Magpies.
• In a move that could reek of complete and utter hypocracy from neutral fans, Adelaide have recalled All Australian defender Nathan Bock -- ten days after giving him an "indefinite suspension" by the club in the light of being charged over an assault against his girlfriend in an Adelaide pub -- to face Geelong at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.
• Geelong, meanwhile, have made one change to its ruck division, giving Shane Mumford his debut and resting Trent West, to back up Mark Blake.
• Hawthorn welcome back ruckman Simon Taylor from suspension, and another three stars from its injury list: Jordan Lewis, Robert Campbell and Brad Sewell.
• Essendon include Adam McPhee (back from suspension) and Mark McVeigh among four proposed changes to face North Melbourne, who will be missing fireplug Daniel Wells, who has a hip injury.

Some related articles, about some of the inclusions:

Round 4 teams wrap -- sportal.com.au

Bock inclusion defended -- sportal.com.au

Rocca back for Pies -- sportal.com.au

Goodes to play on Judd? -- sportal.com.au

Injury forces Wells out -- sportal.com.au

 

And now that my wife has had her say, here's mine, in the way of tips...

Brisbane v Collingwood
Sydney v Carlton
Hawthorn v Port Adelaide
St. Kilda v Fremantle
Adelaide v Geelong
North Melbourne v Essendon
Richmond v Melbourne
West Coast v Western Bulldogs

And my "please explain", over some of my tips...

• If Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw have been clicking in Brisbane's forward line so far this season, imagine the damage they can do against a depleted Collingwood back line.
• Carlton haven't won in Sydney since 1993, but this is a Blues team that's playing with pizazz and confidence, even despite last week's loss to Essendon.
• Speaking of confidence, St. Kilda has it -- and should romp over a Fremantle side that doesn't travel well into Victoria. And heap more pressure on embattled Dockers coach Mark Harvey.
• Richmond to beat Melbourne, but it will be close. The difference? How about Matthew Richardson to actually kick straight, when it matters?

 

A half-hour to go before the Brisbane v Collingwood match kicks off Round 4...

And here are the collated tips (even though we're missing three of our regulars, at this writing):

And here's who's picking who, with the most regularity (at this point):

Brisbane 5, Collingwood 5
Sydney 6, Carlton 4
Hawthorn 9, Port Adelaide 1
St. Kilda 10, Fremantle 0
Adelaide 0, Geelong 10
North Melbourne 3, Essendon 7
Richmond 9, Melbourne 1
West Coast 3, Western Bulldogs 7

An interesting spread here. Especially on those first two games.

 

Under those circumstances, sounds pretty good to me.

And now, a recap of last night's opener of the round, at The Gabba, between Brisbane and Collingwood:

Brisbane 10.13 (73)
Collingwood 13.12 (90)

A very gutsy performance from Collingwood, and richly deserved the four points. Brisbane led at each of the first two changes, but with Paul Medhurst in irresistible form in the Magpies' forward line, he led the fightback, and Simon Prestagiacomo was a rock in the back.

Granted, outside of Simon Black, much of the Lions' midfield was guilty of not providing Jonathan Brown or Daniel Bradshaw with many chances inside 50, and Collingwood eventually seized the initiative when Leon Davis and Tarkyn Lockyear grabbed the goals that put them up for good.

 

Saturday's scores -- and there were some surprises in the afternoon affairs.

At the SCG, Sydney v Carlton:

Sydney 12.12 (84)
Carlton 9.13 (67)

At the MCG, Hawthorn v Port Adelaide:

Hawthorn 12.13 (85)
Port Adelaide 17.13 (115)

Warren Tredrea, leading from the front with his second six-goal haul in as many weeks to lead the Power.

At AAMI Stadium, Adelaide v Geelong:

Adelaide 13.8 (86)
Geelong 21.8 (128)

Gary Ablett Jr. with a dominant performance, with three goals and 46 possessions, as Geelong ran rampant over the Crows in the final term, with Ablett's other midfield mates also starring.

And at the Docklands stadium, St. Kilda v Fremantle:

St. Kilda 17.9 (111)
Fremantle 4.4 (28)

Were the Saints that good, or were the Dockers that bad? Nick Riewoldt kicked five goals for a still-unbeaten St. Kilda, but this match will do more to provide evidence that the hot seat is getting more toasty around Fremantle coach Mark Harvey's current reign.

 

1.) Yes, it was. The skill errors were outlandish at the MCG yesterday.

2.) Saturdays, on 3AW, if I'm not mistaken. That's what he did last year.

And on a similar note, as long as you've mentioned Triple M's Sunday footy call team, great to hear Stephen Quartermain back on the M's for 2009, as part of that team with Mike McLean, Jason Dunstall (who I still cannot stand, in spite of his place on this team) and Shane Crawford. Once again, that's a time slot with a calling team that is very compelling to listen to, whereas it wasn't last year. And "Quarters" -- as you may have heard in the pre-game show -- really knows how to drive the issues home and get the debate going.

 

I think that's good enough for "Play of the Round". But more on the tipping results, momentarily -- I have to update the Sunday scores, albeit a day late.

I'm having all sorts of computer issues at home. My laptop is on the verge of heading off to "the great motherboard in the sky", and to top it off, my modem died on Saturday afternoon, after five years of great service. So for the time being, hopefully only a few days, I'm having to hoof it after work at any of a number of internet cafes in Melbourne's CBD.

Today's report brought to you from an internet cafe under Flinders Street Station.

Sunday's full-time scores...

At the Docklands stadium, North Melbourne v Essendon:

North Melbourne 10.9 (69)
Essendon 7.15 (57)

At the MCG, the bottom-of-the-ladder clash between Richmond and Melbourne:

Richmond 13.14 (92)
Melbourne 14.16 (100)

And at Subiaco Oval, West Coast v the Western Bulldogs:

West Coast 17.14 (116)
Western Bulldogs 12.11 (83)

With the Bulldogs' loss, there's only two unbeaten teams left after the first month of the 2009 season -- St. Kilda and Geelong, while Richmond and Fremantle are each still searching for their first wins of the campaign.