Put up or shut up time: The Dockers are on notice

So the first full round of football has been played in front of a record crowd total for an AFL round.

To say it wasn’t a great weekend for the WA teams however is the understatement of the week.

Fremantle weren’t expected to win in Geelong, but to lose the way they did was dire. 78 points actually flattered them. You take out Murphy Reid’s brilliant third quarter burst when he kicked four goals in seven minutes and this had a 100-point loss all over it.

Justin Longmuir said they weren’t ready for what Geelong dished out – how could they not be ready? Geelong was scheduled to play in Opening Round, but didn’t. Was Geelong’s preparation for this game that different to Fremantle’s off the back of that?

I will tell you what, next weekend’s clash in Perth against a desperate Sydney team is as big a game as Longmuir has ever coached in. Win and you right the ship – play like they did on the weekend again, and the wolves will begin circling the coach.

The Dockers are on notice from the chairman down to the boot-studder – it is put up or shut up time for a club that has promised the world and delivered an atlas since the 2022 finals berth – and even the atlas might be out of date.

West Coast lost by 87 points at home to Gold Coast – a club record win for the Suns and some extraordinary statistical lows for West Coast. The inside 50 count was 67-34 – a two to one territory advantage. The Eagles were minus 43 in the contest – 8-16 down at centre clearance 33-50 down at stoppage overall. West Coast were minus 19 in the contest at quarter time.

I know the Eagles had a couple of mids that won some ball, but I couldn’t possibly put any of their midfielders in their best few. It was as comprehensive a midfield belting as I have seen in a long time.

This was a tough start for coach Andrew McQualter – and it doesn’t get any easier for McQualter’s team this weekend. They head to the Gabba to play reigning premiers Brisbane on Sunday.

It’s hard to find any positive thoughts on what we saw but let’s have a go…

Murphy Reid’s third quarter burst in Geelong was stunning – aided by the centre square work of Luke Jackson and Caleb Serong in the only period of midfield ascendancy the Dockers had all game Reid took four half chances and was brilliant. It gave the Dockers a sniff they didn’t really deserve before the Cats reminded them of their superiority in the final term.

And completing my one positive thought was Reuben Ginbey’s game in defence for the Eagles against the Suns – he got better as the game went on.

He looks more comfortable behind the ball than he did chasing tail around the middle and I reckon he has grown in confidence since the first pre-season game. Hopefully Andrew McQualter leaves him there and lets him grow some more.