IN THE BALL PARK ROUND 8 SNEAK PREVIEW

In The Ball Park is an AFL Podcast posted on the SYN website posted after every round which reviews each weeks AFL action and previews the next round of football. Serpaz, Frisey and Maxy bring you all the exclusive action including favourite comedy segments praise, daze and laze.

ROUND 8 RECAP (BIG RESULTS)

ROUND 8

Adelaide v Geelong at Adelaide Oval (FRIDAY NIGHT)

DANGER DANGER!!! Patrick Dangerfield’s Geelong will rolls into town for a sold-out clash at Adelaide Oval against his old side.

You could be forgiven for thinking it was Patrick Dangerfield against Adelaide such was the incredible hype around the champion’s first time facing his old side. But while Danger found plenty of the footy with 33 touches and 11 tackles, it was the impressive Cam Guthrie and Steven Motlop who stole the show. Guthrie’s ability to win the ball in tight spaces was magnificent, while Motlop’s outside run and finishing in front of goal gives the Cats another dimension going forward. Sitting nicely at 7-1, the Cats should easily dispatch Collingwood and Carlton in the next fortnight ahead of a massive three weeks – they take on Greater Western Sydney, North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. 

Essendon v North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, (SAT)

Applause for the losing team

North won 10.14.74 def ESS 8.12.60

Roos equalled their club record for the most consecutive wins to start a season since 1978 when they made the grand final

Essendon’s half-time score of 0.4 was its lowest score in a first half in more than a century – when it kicked 0.3 in round one, 1915. But instead of wishing for a mercy rule, the Bombers responded in the third term. Essendon rounded out the game kicking 6 straight goals to come within 14 points which thoroughly deserved an after the siren applause which rang out the north theme song… first time I’ve even seen the opposition receive a standing ovation.

ESS won the disposals (409-402)

Clearances were equal and Essendon won the inside 50s (51-48)

NM won the hit outs considerably (42-27) but Essendon did win all the major stats and if the game went for another 5 mins Essendon could’ve won but north could’ve won by more if Majak could’ve slotted on from 5 mins out

ESS: Merrett (36d 8 tackles) Goddard (38 d) (old folk Kelly, Cooney, Bird all had over 25 d)

NM: Gibson & Boomer (first players for north to have above 30 d all year finished with 36, Boomer with 31 and nick dal 28 d)

Scott – felt like a loss and a big wake up call

Greater Western Sydney v Gold Coast at Spotless Stadium, (SAT TWILIGHT)

Hopper

On the back of a club record five-game winning streak, Greater Western Sydney is 6-2 and sitting pretty inside the top four, but we’ll find out if the Giants are the real deal over the next month. GWS faces the Western Bulldogs at home off an eight-day break next week, then hits the road to take on Adelaide and Geelong, before it finishes with the second Sydney Derby of the year against the Swans back at Spotless Stadium. If Leon Cameron’s men get through that tough stretch and still find themselves in the top four or close to it, they’re legitimate premiership contenders.

Brisbane Lions v Collingwood at the Gabba, (SAT NIGHT)

American Mason Cox kicked four goals and looks more and more like a good player every week. Jesse White (three goals) was a good target in the air and on the ground, and while Darcy Moore had a quiet night, he’s clearly the future of the club and needs as many games as possible.

Richmond v Sydney Swans at the MCG, (SAT NIGHT)

LLOYD after the siren

Must win drought breaking after the siren win as sam lloyd kicked after the siren from just inside 50 “hit it pretty sweetly”

Emerged from three quarter time 5 unanswered goals

Win was achieved with skipper cotchin and important half back hoULI

RICH: Ben Griffiths, came of age kicked 5 goals (including a crucial dribble goal with 5 mins to go)

Daniel Rioli established himself on the contest kicking two final quarter goal including a brilliant running goal

Rioli, whose father is a cousin to Cyril, went on a three-bounce run down the wing to kick his first and then used his clean hands in tight to snap his second. In a season that has seen the Tigers’ recruiting criticised, they should be praised for the way they used pick No.15 in last year’s NAB AFL Draft.

Brett Deledio was outstanding in his third game for the season, racking up 34 possessions, while Dustin Martin (31 and five inside 50s) and Anthony Miles (31 and nine clearances) stood up in the midfield.

Midfielder Dan Hannebery, who gave the Swans the lead halfway through the final quarter with an important goal, finished with 33 possessions and two goals in a superb game.

In the Marquee match up between buddy and dance buddy took the chocolates with 5 goals

Carlton v Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium, (SUN)

Carlton win 4 in a row KRUUUUUUZER

Melbourne v Western Bulldogs at the MCG, (SUN)

Redpath was a destructive force up forward against the Demons, taking seven marks inside 50. He took a total of 11 marks for the game, including five contested marks. The 25-year-old, originally pick No.62 in the 2012 rookie draft, kicked three goals and grew in confidence as the match wore on.

West Coast v St Kilda at Domain Stadium, (SUN)

103 point demolition  20.12 (132) to 3.11 (29) romp,

The Saints have won many admirers this season. Their performances against Hawthorn in Launceston in round four and North Melbourne in round seven, along with their win over Melbourne suggested they were progressing ahead of schedule, but they really let themselves down against West Coast.

Blake Acres was an example of their inconsistency at present. Just three weeks after a 28 possession, two-goal game to earn a NAB AFL Rising star nomination he was barely sighted against the Eagles.

WCE kicked 9 goals in the first terms to set up the game

St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt tried his best to stem the flow by roaming to all parts of the ground, but West Coast’s dominance of the midfield battle meant the result was only ever going to go one way.

WCE: Kennedy kicked 5G, LeCras kicked 6 straight Gaff 36d Shuey masten all had over 30 d

ST.K: Seb Ross has continued his impressive form collecting 30 d whist Montagna had 33d