THE BIG 5 – NAB Cup week 3
5. Is Robert Walls a coach-basher?
He may well be, but the fact is Walls is in the top half-dozen commentators in the game, so his opinion has weight. It’s hardly surprising the coach that would publicly attack Walls turned out to be Kevin Sheedy, given Walls’ relentless negative observations about the Bombers in recent years. Sheedy also has a superior coaching record than Walls - Sheedy has a superior record than just about anybody - so his retorts have instant credibility. There aren’t too many coaches Walls hasn’t missed in recent times. His claim that the Swans turnaround in 2005 was partly his doing - thanks to a savage review - has not gone unnoticed.4. Will Aker ever shut up?
A Western Bulldogs fan day saw Aker get dumped in water in typical carnival fare. He then bobbed up to inform us he was dropped in the tank ‘by Leigh Matthews’. Oh dear. An innocent gag, but the obsession with his former club is overbearing. Everyone knows he was unceremoniously punted the Lions. He keeps telling us. Just get on with 2007 and enjoy the ride with the Bulldogs.
3. Are electronic wristwatches the answer to the AFL’s great siren dilemma?
Fantastic. Another week to talk about siren related matters. Must be a quiet week indeed. Umpires were fitted with wristwatches that vibrate at the end of quarters, as a panacea to the ongoing debacles at Aurora Stadium. They worked. So well, the watches went off too early. Surely we can just get the siren right. It’s a method that’s survived 110 years. When it works.
2. Should players be suspend-able during practice matches?
Hawthorn will possibly start the season without Shane Crawford, because of a practice match suspension. What a waste. He only has himself to blame, striking Peter Bell in the final quarter of a nothing game. To not allow reporting in practice matches would be inviting chaos, however a system of leniency should be implemented. Especially if a player can take out the entire Irish team and not miss a match. A real match.
1. Is this Carlton side any better than the 2005 pre season champions?
They’d hope so. That side won four games in the pre season, the same amount for the regular season. That team was young. So is this one. Brendan Fevola is still their great hope. He’s still a mixed bag. Whitnall remains the second most valuable player. No team is going to be unrecognizably different in just two years. This team looks like it can defend though. That might be the difference.
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