ANZAC Day Round provided some big crowds, instant classics, and breathtaking pre-game scenes.
Six different venues this week and a lot of lessons to take out of each game as we near the close of the first third of the year.
We’ve put together a five-leg multi of hindsight in a little package we like to call 5 Lessons Learned.
1. Extra Time, we meet again!
Another ANZAC Day classic in the books, timeless moments in a contest that captured the nation’s attention for 120 minutes.
You say that sentence most times, and you’re looking for an ending of who won.
A few Brodie Mihocek sprayed shots at goal and a late Kyle Langford miss sat us at 85 a-piece at Full Time and 93,000 people at the MCG left with a sinking feeling.
It was the first time since 1995 that Collingwood and Essendon finished a battle in a draw, and this one could have serious implications on the final table in four months.
So, is there a need for extra time? Naturally, the answer would suggest yes, given the amount of time we spend fighting for a result, what is ten minutes more?
We’re guaranteed two five-minute halves in finals if the need is there, which we’ve seen twice before in the last 20 years.
The importance is still there in the regular season.
Two points for one side could be the difference between them missing out on the top eight or four, or even keeping a side out who hasn’t drawn a game.
But maybe some classics are classics because they ended in a draw?
This one might just be that.
2. The Mighty Roar can’t be heard from far away anymore.
The 2023 Grand Final may have cut scars too deep for Brisbane to recover from.
The Lions were up for the fight in the first half against the Giants, heading into the halftime break down by eight points, until they went on to score only two more goals for the game.
It looks to be all between the ears, as their talent certainly hasn’t fallen off a cliff.
Tom Green was certainly right at home for the Giants, finishing with 36 disposals in a powerful midfield performance.
The Lions midfield was worked out of the contest all night, with the likes of Lachie Neale, Jarrod Berry, Josh Dunkley, and Dayne Zorko all held to under 25 disposals.
Eric Hipwood and Joe Daniher were kept scoreless, which has become an all too consistent problem for the Lions, struggling to find offensive accountability.
They do have powerful key forward draft pick Logan Morris tearing it up in the VFL, and it might be time to try something new.
The talent is funnily enough getting even better for Brisbane who will pick up gun father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft in this year’s AFL Draft.
It’s hard to think all this sustained success at the top and all their talent is just going to go to waste, but it’s code red areas for the Lions at the moment.
Lose to the Suns next week and it’s totally season over.
3. Early Premiership favourites?
7-0 and on top of the AFL world, we’re at Round 7 but can we ask, are the Cats premiership favourites?
87,000 people flooded the MCG on Saturday afternoon as the Cats and Blues gave us an early feel of finals footy, and it certainly felt like it at the ground.
The Cats were too strong in crucial periods and kept gapping the Blues to run out 13-point winners, even with a late Carlton comeback scare.
The Blues would be ruing a missed opportunity, and it’s becoming a similar trend of missed opportunities and poor defensive showings.
The Cats would walk out of the contest pretty satisfied with their system, efficient and effective, and it shuts out teams who can’t put them away.
The Cats killed the Blues on transition, and the work rate from the small forward crop provided instant impact inside 50.
The Cats had two fewer scoring shots from 21 less inside 50s and still got the job done, which tells you everything you need to know about their efficiency, which finished at 62.2% inside 50.
Jeremy Cameron was unstoppable aerially and at ground level, and Geelong’s versatility inside forward 50 was the difference the Blues couldn’t provide from their smaller forwards.
The only downside of the Cats win was the loss of Patrick Dangerfield who went down with another hamstring injury, set to miss at least the next month of footy.
The Cats probably sit as premiership favourites right now, but the Blues proved they are beatable, and the Cats certainly can’t afford to be conceding 21 more inside 50s a game against other quality opposition.
A massive clash against the Dees will give us a great indication of where both sides sit in the premiership favourite discussion.
4. Fremantle have found some form
The win couldn’t have come at a better time for Fremantle.
After three losses in a row and an embarrassing Western Derby performance, the Dockers were able to turn it on late against the Dogs who were coming off a hot performance themselves.
Bailey Banfield was Freo’s shining light late in the fourth quarter, with two clutch goals to put the lead beyond doubt in a seesawing affair of momentum swings.
Nat Fyfe and Caleb Serong were instrumental in the Docker’s midfield, each with 37 disposals, playing a massive role in the centre stoppage work.
The Dockers have struck gold with their two new debutants Cooper Simpson and Patrick Voss, as Voss provided his elite pressure to the contest and Simpson came on in the fourth with his class and poise in transition, setting up a crucial goal late in the fourth.
The Dockers got ticking offensively again, going at 55.8% inside 50 efficiency and 78.2% disposal efficiency for the game, they clearly worked on impacting in that area, which has to improve if they are to be taken seriously.
A trip to the MCG to face Richmond next week should set them up nicely to sit back in the top eight, and a big test follows the week after at home against the Swans.
5. Power punched with injuries
The Power went through an eventful four quarters in their tight ten-point win over the Saints on Friday night and battled hard as injury after injury started to arise.
Allir Allir went off with a concussion after a rather awkward dump tackle from Jack Higgins that saw him cop a three-week suspension.
Sam Powell-Pepper went down in an innocuous marking contest, landing awkwardly in the third quarter.
After a while on the bench looking keen to get back on, he was diagnosed with an ACL injury the following day, ruling him out for the next 12 months, a big blow for the Power.
Connor Rozee was next to fall for the Power, walking off with a low-grade hamstring strain, which will test his availability for the Showdown this week.
The Power were valiant under their bench stress, and still got the job done after doing all they could to make life hard for themselves.
Getting off to a 1.8 start, the Power were able to go 10.8 for the remainder of the game and keep a gap on the Saints who had momentum for parts of the game but weren’t able to get on top.
Charlie Dixon stood up late for the Power with four goals to finish the night, and the Power now sit 5-2 with a crucial Showdown battle looming.