Saturday Fallout: Patrick Cripps is not done yet

Cripps must remain untouchable

If the Blues want to entice the game's best available coaches to step into the senior role, Patrick Cripps simply must be a part of the package.

The discourse throughout the season so far has suggested that the Blues' inspirational leader is well past his best, and that the club should look to sell on before it's too late.

While Cripps certainly isn't getting any better, performances like Saturday nights' make it difficult to say that his best is behind him.

A force in the contest, Crippa led his Blues side to their second win of the season in their first match following the sacking of Michael Voss.

Coincidentally, it's the best football that the Blues have played all season.

Willing to take on the game, refusing to retreat and piling on the scores late, the Western Bulldogs were at a loss against the raging Carlton pressure.

And with help from the fast-improving Matt Carroll, the class of debutant Jack Ison and a sturdy defensive unit, the Blues were simply too good.

But, as it should, the conversation turns back to their captain. 29 disposals, 17 contested, eight clearances, seven score involvements, five tackles and two goals...

If any aspiring head coach wants to take on this mighty Carlton challenge, Crippa must remain a part of the transition.

Jaiden Sciberras

Steven is King

The Dees' new head coach has his men humming.

Yet another Saturday arvo slot at the MCG saw Melbourne host the Hawks in what many believed would be a stock-standard Hawthorn win.

Without Tom Barrass and Jack Gunston manning the pillars, this was always a danger game, but surely the Hawks have enough to execute the snatch and grab...

Think again. This Melbourne side is no pushover - in fact, it might be time to start re-evaluating our September calculations.

Controlling from start to finish, the contest always looked the Demons' to lose, breaking out in spurts across the first three terms before piling on the misery in the final exchange to win by an emphatic 39 points.

Despite Kozzy Pickett's lessened influence thanks to a strong Finn Maginness tag, the Dees had the talent and the run to outdo the undermanned Hawks incredibly well.

Tom Sparrow is forcing his way into some healthy conversations, Harrison Petty's shift forward was inspired and Jack Steele continues to entertain the recruit of the year calls.

Steven King has his boys in career-best nick, sitting just outside the top four on percentage. Long may it continue.

Jaiden Sciberras

Suns make it a perfect 10 in Darwin

The Suns have won 10 straight games at TIO Stadium in the Northern Territory.

Since establishing TIO as their home away from home, Gold Coast have been undeniable, dominating their matchups at the venue by 365 points in total over the last 10 games.

Against the Power, the Suns turned it on after the midway point through the second term, booting five quick goals before half time to mitigate the Power’s confidence.

The hurt didn’t stop there for Port Adelaide though, with Josh Carr’s men eventually trailing by 40 points halfway through the last. While the game was already over, Port did manage to find some momentum and kick three majors, before Jed Walter sealed the deal for Gold Coast, securing a 25-point victory.

Standouts from the game included Suns’ skipper Noah Anderson (33 disposals and eight clearances), who has managed to find his elite form again after a lacklustre start to the season, and key defender Sam Collins who shutout the influence of the in-form Mitch Georgiades, holding the sharpshooter to only one major.

Zak Butters also shone for Port Adelaide, as he usually does, collecting a game-high 35 disposals, along with nine clearances and five tackles.

These back-to-back victories at TIO were needed for the Suns to prove they rank among the top echelon in the competition. Now sitting firmly inside the top 6, Gold Coast will need to keep this three-game winning streak alive to be a real threat come the Finals series.

Connor Scanlon

Swans survive scrappy Magpies test

A performance on the road against one of the main premiership chances without your captain, ruckman and most experienced player is something to hang your hat on if you’re Craig McRae.

However, it would’ve been difficult for Magpies fans to watch their former star ruck Brodie Grundy collect 34 touches alongside 46 hitouts, 12 clearances and a goal in what was a huge factor in deciding this one.

Nick Blakey continue continues his stellar season with 39 touches of his own and 902 metres gained and proved too much for this undermanned Collingwood side to handle.

Sydney would want more out of Charlie Curnow on a consistent basis.

Just one goal from nine disposals and two marks simply isn’t up to his standard or the standards the Swans would have for him when they got him over from Carlton.

It can be masked for now while they rack up wins mid-season, but when we get to the pointy end and finals are approaching, Curnow would want to be putting in some better displays.

Sydney have a huge test next week against Geelong in Geelong while Collingwood host West Coast at the MCG in Scott Pendlebury’s record-breaker.

Ethan Clark

Write off the Cats at your own peril

Geez Geelong, that was impressive.

Don’t discount the Cats in your flag calculations. That’s what we learnt from Thursday night.

Chris Scott’s side has been flying under the radar of late with a lot of the talk surrounding Sydney, Fremantle, Hawthorn and of course back-to-back champs the Brisbane Lions.

But the Cats dismantled Chris Fagan’s Brissie on their own turf in a powerful display to win by 41 points (117-76) in slippery and greasy conditions at the Gabba.

Every year it’s the same story for a lot of footy watchers. ‘The Cats are getting old, surely they can’t compete again’.

Well, going off that win you should write them off at your own peril.

Shaun Mannagh was simply superb with a bag of five goals plus 30 touches, 14 score involvements and three goal assists. The Lions also had no answer for Bailey Smith (34 touches, 11 tackles, nine inside 50s, seven clearances, two goals), Tom Stewart who had a remarkable 17 intercept possessions to finish with 28 and seven intercept marks, and Jeremy Cameron who could’ve had a fair night with 3.3 from 16 touches.

The next test for Geelong is the Swannies at The Cattery. If they win that then the lid will be off, Scotty.

What do we make of Brisbane right now?

They’ve only really played in fits and spurts and still hold a 6-4 record. That’s a good sign. There’s plenty under the bonnet still, isn’t there?

Everyone expects the Lions to build momentum at some point, and they likely will, but they’ve got plenty of competitors this year. A handful or so.

The Giants away next weekend could be a bit tricky. You’d expect them to pass that test off a nice 10-day break but if they don’t the alarm bells will be ringing.

They’ve clearly they’ve got the talent to bounce out of this lacklustre loss, and they have won six of their past eight. A lot of teams would kill for that form.

Fages is not yet worried and he would know…

Andrew Slevison