Booney wrote:From round 3 :
Hawthorn the stand out for 2014 already, with Geelong looking the likely challenger. Fremantle and Sydney, the much hyped other "top 4" candidates look out of sorts and need to string a few wins together now to start looking like top 4 sides. Early days, but any more than 4 losses typically means no top 4, this year might be different though. I expect both to start to bounce back, they need to.
GWS and GC have taken quick steps in their development this year. I think GC are a team who can push for the 8 this year and GWS with their additions this summer ( Mumford and Shaw especially ) have got themselves out of "easy beat" territory.
Paul Roos looks like a man defeated. I predict he won't coach Melbourne in 2015. By all reports he blew up after the West Coast game to the point of an assistant stepping in and saying ( along the lines of ) "enough is enough" and then the way he went burko at Terlich on Sunday and again after the game, I've got a feeling he didn't think it was going to be quite this hard. Clearly the loss of several key big men hasn't helped, but he looks rattled, and Roos never looks rattled.
Richmond continue to pretend, really, who would want to support Richmond? Jack Reiwoldt is an A grade flog too. One touch in a half, then kicks one and runs around like he has pulled the team from the jaws of defeat all on this own. He looks like a player who has some serious challenges in front of him at Richmond, or perhaps somewhere else?
Carlton much the same, they have a looooong season ahead.@
Adelaide look shot. Dangerfield is trying to do too much and in the end doing very little, Jenkins/McKernan are no chop and by the time Lynch and Walker get back and up and running it will be too late for Adelaide's season. St.Kilda, GWS, Bulldogs and Melbourne in the next 4 weeks. If one Crow fan tells me they've got a tough draw. Go one, tell me. Sloane is an outstanding player and leader but, like Dangerfield, too much is left to him. Sure injuries are playing a major part in their fortunes but three weeks in a row they have capitulated after half time and look like a rabble.
Port looked slow at times against the 'Roos yesterday, well played North. Polec and Boak were the target of early attention, they had 17 first quarter touches against Adelaide to set up the early lead, 9 yesterday. Port once again got out of the blocks but North fought back well to take the most slender of leads into half time. From there, Monfries looked like he was shot, Westhoff was kept quiet and Norths midfield took over.
Boomer Harvey, one of those players you acknowledge as brilliant, but I don't have to like him. I can't ******* stand him, he does it to us every time. Why? Our two best taggers for the last 8 years, Cornes and Cassisi, have never had the explosive pace to cover him. Richmond recruit Matt White did a solid job on him yesterday, but on the 3 occasions he got away from him, he kicked 3 goals.
Ports 4 posters for the day didn't help the scoreboard pressure or confidence and a week back home against Brisbane is just the medicine.
The Crows have had the toughest draw for the 1st three rounds of this season. Who else has played 3 out of last years top 5 in the 1st three rounds.