THE VIEW FROM DOWN HERE – AFL 2011 Round 2

Columns, News, Reviews, Rumors, Top Story

Results:

St Kilda 13.17 (95) drew with Richmond 14.11 (95)
            Another draw? It’s been a hundred years since we had a draw in rounds one and two.

North Melbourne 7.14 (56) hammered by Collingwood 21.17 (143)
            Collingwood are playing well, and with their completely favoured draw and the fact the AFL gives them whatever they want and ALLEGEDLY lets them rort all sorts of things, they are favourites for the flag.

Port Adelaide 15.8 (98) def by West Coast 16.20 (116)
            To celebrate the re-amalgamation of the two Port Adelaide clubs this year, this was the ‘One Club’ celebration. Well done, Port! Way to show your fans what you’ve got. Oh, and for such a big celebration, pathetic crowd.

Gold Coast 7.10 (52) embarrassed by Carlton 26.15 (171)
            Welcome to the AFL, Gold Coast! Their first match, a home game… I would have expected more from them. Carlton looked good, though.

Fremantle 10.18 (78) def by Geelong 13.11 (89)
            Good showing from Freo and Geelong are showing that even without Ablett they might still have the goods to go far in 2011.

Western Bulldogs 19.9 (123) def Brisbane 6.9 (45)
            One-sided as the score suggests.

Sydney 14.14 (98) def Essendon 13.15 (93)
            Good game. These two sides will give their fans heart attacks all year, I am sure.

Hawthorn 16.26 (122) def Melbourne 12.5 (77)
            Not a good game, I’m afraid.

Bye: Adelaide

News:

* The girl at the centre of all the St Kilda controversy continues to make waves, having to be escorted from the MCG on the weekend. It appears she is making a documentary or the subject of one, according to reports. She then complained about the behaviour of AFL fans on her twitter feed. What I want to know is – this 17 year old must have parents. She is a minor. Where are they? Oh, that’s right, the Australian social worker system has taken the rights of parents away. But this girl needs one thing above all else – to be ignored so she can actually get a real life, and not continue to live on the glory of bonking or trying to bonk footballers. There is a word for women who sleep with as many famous people as possible, especially young women who have no real skills or job prospects. And it ain’t a good word, either…

* For the Gold Coast Suns Carmichael Hunt made his debut. So what? Well, he is a big-time rugby league player who has made the jump. He and Israel Folau in Greater Western Sydney (playing in the reserves competition this year before becoming a fully fledged team in 2012) were stars in league, and followed some big money and huge media to jump to the AFL. They are a litmus test. If they succeed, then watch more and more make the jump for better money and better conditions, especially if they do not want to move away from Australia and go to Europe to play SuperLeague. So how did they go? Hunt had 5 touches and looked like a fish out of water. Not a good debut. Folau, in the reserves, got no touches.
            Now, this isn’t to say that they will both be failures. It just shows that the jump from one code of football top another is  not an easy process. We have a few Australians go to America from the AFL to become punters. A few have made it. Many have not. Football codes share one thing – the name ‘football’. Apart from that, it is never going to be an easy task. As to Hunt and Folau, it is still way too early to tell. Let’s look again halfway through the season. And then we’ll see if league has anything further to worry about on top of all its other issues.

SANFL Round 1

Port Adelaide Magpies 7.10 (52) def by Norwood 8.7 (55)
            That ‘One Port’ thing really didn’t work out. This was the curtain raiser to the AFL game, by the way.

North Adelaide 15.12 (102) def by West Adelaide 17.9 (111)
            Strong win by Westies. They are looking good early.

Glenelg 14.19 (103) def Sturt 12.12 (84)
            Glenelg are also already looking strong.

Woodville-West Torrens 11.12 (78) def South Adelaide 10.3 (63)
            Sigh!

Bye: Central District

Australian. Perpetual student. Married. Kids. Write for Sports and Wrestling and anyone else if they want me. Is there anything else?