Controversial calls, upset results, thrillers, thumpings, and blow outs – Round 22 had it all.
As always, we put together five legs of hindsight and bring you 5 Lessons Learned – AFL Round 22
(1) Blues fans can relax, you’re going to be playing finals
The only use for the ladder predictor a Carlton fan can get out of it, is if the Blues will get a double chance this September.
For the first time since 2013 (and the first time without extreme circumstances since 2011), Carlton will feature in finals football.
With eight wins in a row (and had they kicked straight against Essendon back in Round 13 it would be nine and they’d be in the top four), Carlton has gone from must-listen post-match talkback radio into the hottest ticket in town on the field.
Some would argue that if the Blues were in the top four, they’d be flag favorites but they are pretty damn good value at $7.50 the way they are going.
Could you imagine what Melbourne would be like if it were to be a Carlton v Collingwood Grand Final?
(2) Punters Ladder Predictor
Who are we to argue with our own punters?
This is what the AFL ladder will look like after Round 23 according to the Ladbrokes top 8 market.
- Collingwood
- Brisbane
- Port Adelaide
- Melbourne
- Carlton ($1.03)
- Sydney ($1.50)
- Western Bulldogs ($1.50)
- St Kilda ($1.80)
- Geelong ($2.10)
- Adelaide ($2.10)
- GWS Giants ($3.50)
- Essendon ($10)
- Richmond
- Fremantle
- Gold Coast
- Hawthorn
- North Melbourne
- West Coast
The only change from last time is that Richmond are officially out of the race, which means Saturday afternoon’s game against North Melbourne at the MCG will very much be a Trent Cotchin (or potentially Jack Riewoldt) testimonial.
(3) The almost pride of South Australia
For punters who backed Adelaide at the line when playing a top-eight opponent, it’s been the most reliable bet all season.
However, for the cast and crew down at the old Football Park, season 2023 could be more of a Linkin Park season – they tried so hard and got so far but in the end, it doesn’t even matter.
Another close loss on the weekend, this time to the Brisbane Lions, not to mention the three points combined against Collingwood this year or going down by just under a kick to the Demons.
If the Crows can win their last two, Sydney at home followed by West Coast at optus stadium (chalk that in for a 60+ win) along with some other results going their way, they might just find themselves playing finals.
(4) Will the real Western Bulldogs please stand up?
They are amazing one week, ordinary the next and just downright confusing.
In my best Jerry Seinfeld voice “What is the deal with the Western Bulldogs?”
One week they are 7-3, now 4-7 and just hanging on by a thread in the top eight.
Granted, there are injuries and not to take anything away from Hawthorn who are the best 16th placed team there ever was, but I simply can’t trust the Doggies when backing them.
Bevo, Bont, and co…sort it out.
(5) The team Daniel Kerr’s sister plays for did us proud.
It was a very different Saturday night at the footy.
No one cared about the first quarter of the Carlton v Melbourne match, everyone was glued to the Matildas.
The scenes around the screens at the MCG, SCG, and coaches’ press conference at the Lions v Crows game were all glued to the penalty shoot-out as Courtnee Vine got it through the back of the net to get Australia into a semi-final against England.
The whole nation is in love with this team, and so we should be.
This is not time for petty, stupid code-wars takes, the Matildas are bringing everyone together and in the words of Bruce McAvaney “That’s Special”
Bring on Wednesday night, and for those at AFL HQ, there’s no need to hold a big tribunal case, sack a coach, or leak a major story at this time.
We all still love the footy, and we all love the Matildas.