00:00 - JJ's Opening Round observations
01:48 - Carlton vs Richmond preview
04:50 - Hawthorn vs Essendon preview
06:29 - Geelong vs Fremantle preview
10:13 - Sydney vs Brisbane preview
12:14 - Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne preview
14:23 - Collingwood vs Port Adelaide
17:22 - Adelaide vs St Kilda
18:55 - Melbourne vs GWS
22:07 - West Coast vs Gold Coast
23:51 - JJ's tips
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Bad for free. Okay, ran Rough, We're finally underway.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
All eighteen AFL teams are preparing as I sit down
nineteen past two on a Wednesday afternoon. All teams are
preparing to play footy. How good we got through opening round.
Laura Kane has come out and suggested it's been a
raging success and we'll see it again next year, hopefully
(00:40):
not in its current format. I said on Melbourne Radio
last week. If we see it next year in its
current format, it will be a kick to the shins
of all AFL fans. I was on radio. Now I'm
on a podcast. What I meant to say was it
was a kick in the knackers. If you've got me
for all AFL fans. If we see that version or
(01:04):
something close to that version of Opening around next year,
and blimey.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
We should boycott it.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Now let's get stuck into round one. Round one, it
all gets underway the MCG with the traditional season opener
Richmond Carlton. Now this is expected to be a blood
bath from Richmond's perspective. Now, what I'm going to do
here on the podcast, JJ is my name. Hopefully you're
(01:30):
aware of that, but if you're not, that means you're
a first time listener or you just don't know who's talking.
I appreciate those who are tuning in for the first
time or have been tuning in along the way, whether
it be NFL Sit Down with Gronk. You can check
that out on YouTube as well if you haven't seen it,
let's talk in. I'm going to go across every game
nice and quick, nice and swiftly, and see what we
(01:54):
can decipher. So Richmond Carlton, look, we expect it to
be one way traffic. We don't expect much and Richmond
this year, there's many people out there saying they won't
win a game after I suggested they might finish last
last year and got lambastard for it from Tigers fans.
I want to know if Richmond can find I'm going
to be looking not necessarily for the rookies, not the
(02:17):
first year guys. I want to see what some of
their second, third, fourth, fifth year guys, the guys who
aren't established it. Can they establish a few more of
those guys Ken Thompson, dow or Ross who's been around
a while, But can some of these types begin to
establish themselves and show they can be a part of
Richmond's next great side. That's what I'm looking for. Of Course,
(02:40):
we'll see glimpses from the rookies, and we hope these
high draft picks are going to be superstars, but they
won't all be superstars. So I'm looking past those guys,
the second, third, fourth, fifth year guys, even some of
the sixth year guys. Guys who are yet to play
fifty games. Can they bring something to the table in
terms of actual performance. They were good in this game
(03:03):
last year against Carlton. Expected to get beaten by a
long way. They actually led it quarter time, halftime and
three quarter time and will run over in the last quarter.
Of course, they had some bodies in that game that
they haven't got in this one. But this might be
closer than you think from Carlton's perspective.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Hey, what, it's been a.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Less than ideal preparation if you extend that over the preseason.
So no, Charlie Kurno. We know that there's been some
issues for Sam Walsh and a couple of others, and
now we've got Hollands who won't be there with some
personal issues and he needs to work his way through.
So he was handy for them last year alongside his
brother Elijah and Ollie, so it's a bit of a
(03:46):
new Lott Carlton team. I'm interested to see what Silvanni
down back and Brodie camp up front looks like. Do
those guys swap at times if Kemp's struggling to get
involved ahead of the footy and Sylvanne he's not necessarily
as comfortable down back. Do they flip those guys in games?
That's going to be interesting. They are very similar athletes
and similar sizes and play the game quite similar league,
(04:10):
so I wonder whether they might switch those guys from
time to time. And I want to see this Carlton
side kick the ball well, which does worry me because
I don't see a lot of great kicks in this
team on this list. Lucas Campriale might be one, but
again he's a first year play he's going to play
his first game. You can't expect too much. And Sam
Docket his role is going to be fascinating. I think
(04:32):
we'll see him play inside mid, he'll play wing, and
he'll play half back, and they need his kicking and
his leadership and his ability to shift the ball very
very importantly in terms of the win. I think Richmond, Sorry,
I think Carlton will win, but I don't think it'll
be a blood bath. I think it'll be around five
six seven goals in favor of the Blues. Friday Night
footy has the potential to be a cracker Hawthorne and Essendon.
(04:56):
The Hawks were ultra impressive last week. We know that
they went and got the job done. The hype train
didn't worry them. The weight of expectation was no issue.
They got it done and they got it done through
their mins kicking goals. I don't expect to see that
week in week out, So Ginevan will need to get
involved Nick Watson, who probably gets Dy McGrath. That's a
(05:17):
difficult matchup for Watson. He needs to get involved and
they'll need to start to get more goals from these
small to mid forwards like they did last year to
make sure they can be nice and prolific on the
other side of the equation. It's going to be a
great battle around the footy. Essenon not the deepest midfield.
They've got a really strong starting midfield and Sam Draper's
(05:40):
going to have to be able to take it up
to Lloyd Meek Lloyd Meek.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
I've got to put my hand up. I had no
idea he was going to develop into this type of ruckman.
He's such a presence and he's really consistent these days.
So Sam Draper's going to have his work cut out
for him. But Merritt and Durham and card well, that's
a really really strong starting midfield group. So they're going
to have to get after it. They're going to have
to get after the opposition, put pressure on Hawthorne and
(06:08):
equally when they get their chances, they're going to need
to go forward and be really efficient because I know
the four line is going to be a work in progress.
So i'd expect Hawthorne to win the game. Hopefully Essenon
can challenge. It's going to be a big crowd. We're
looking at eighty thousand back to back Thursday night Friday night,
and I'll tell you what, footy will be back in
a big, big way in Victoria. Another game in Victoria
(06:30):
the early one Saturday. Two potential finalists, two potential Top
four candidates, two potential premiership candidates, Geelong and Fremantle. Jeremy
Cameron's usage, You'll be fascinating. I don't want and don't
think we'll see him outside fifty as much. He might
roam up the ground lad in quarters or maybe early
(06:52):
in quarters to get himself in the game. I think
the Cats need him inside fifty. I think the Cats
need him kicking sixty to seventy goals this season if
they are to be that premiership threat. And Patrick Dingerfield's
positioning will be fascinating as well. He played ahead of
the footy almost all of the preseason in those two contests.
I don't think that was real. He hasn't played forward
(07:14):
much in the past couple of years. He's played less
game time and he spent more time around the footy
when he's been out there. So look, I don't think
we won't see him in the forward line, but I
think he's still going to be that damaging midfielder for them.
They haven't got Cam Guthrie, they haven't got Tanner Bruin.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I'm not sure they can.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Afford to have him away from the midfield and away
from stoppages. If it's left up to Holmes and maybe
Jack Bows and maybe a little bit of Tom Stewart,
I think they'll need Daningerfield around the footy, so they're
going to be a good watch.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
The Cats.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
I think they'll be a rock solid team, as they
always are. So much of what they do does revolve
around grim Myers, who I'd expect will be right there
when all Australian calculations are made. Brad Close is a
really important part of that team. Sean Matter when healthy
as well. He's a bit of a watch for this
one in terms of his health. And then guys like
(08:08):
Oli Henry Shannon Neil's emergence will be important. They've got
plenty of goalkickers and we know Tyson Stengel can get
it done on Freo's side of things. No, Sean Darcy,
we know. So how many minutes does Luke Jackson play
in the ruck? There's a lot of talk and chatter
that he's disgruntled at not playing more in the ruck.
I don't think he is a guy who can play
(08:31):
one hundred minutes a game in the ruck. He doesn't
have the size to do so. He's incredibly dynamic, but
he's only about two hundred. He's not two five two
six like a lot of these ruckman are. That he
needs to come up against you know Draper is enormous.
We know Lloyd makes a massive, massive man the athleticism
(08:51):
of guy like Tom Dakoning, Oscar Mack and Ernie Hues.
Tim English is a massive ruckman, so he doesn't have
the size to compe against all of these guys. He's
more in the row and Marshall mod but we know
how dynamic he is around the ground, and being dynamic
does take it out of you. So I know why
they don't play big minutes in the ruck, but surely
(09:12):
he's got to be playing sixty to seventy to seventy
five minutes a game in the ruck. He is such
a force when he does so speed on the game.
For Fremantle, we know that they can get lethargic with
ball in hand, they can get a little bit uncontested
Mark happy. So I want to see them take the
game on Handble receives in the back half of the
(09:33):
ground between their defensive fifty meters arc and halfway, I
want to see them give some handballs in that part
of the ground. I don't expect them to give handballs
in their D fifty from Marx, but certainly around halfway
give handballs to Jordan Clark and these guys who can
launch the footy long and with speed and bring those
(09:53):
forwards like Tracy and Amos into the game. It's a
big watch on them how they go about it. The
other watch for them as Shaye Bolton, their boom recruit,
talk of a bit of a stress reaction that certainly
rung alarm bells for me. He's a watch for this
week and he's a watch for the next few with
an issue like that. The other games on Saturday, the
(10:14):
Grand Final rematch, how fascinating?
Speaker 3 (10:17):
How interesting will this be?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Sydney on the bounce back at home against the Brisbane Lions.
I mean, I don't know what to expect from the Lions,
to be honest. They haven't trained for the best part
of a week. They've got the emotional letdown of Lincoln McCarthy,
who's unfortunately done an ACL again just as he's about
to resume his career off in ACL the same knee.
So it wouldn't surprise me if Brisbane have a bit
(10:41):
of a lackluster start. They thought they were going to
open the season last week. They haven't trained much, they've
had priorities elsewhere and they've had the emotional letdown of
Lincoln McCarthy, so it wouldn't surprise me if Sydney were
able to win this game. I want to see I
want to see more from Sydney in their ball movement.
I know they're talking about to focus on team defense
(11:02):
and contested ball, getting on loose balls, but they can't
forget about the way they move the ball. Some of
the kickers in their team are so critically important to them,
and I understand Errol Goulden's not there, but I can't
recall enough chains or ball movement last week against the
Hawks that made you think, yeah, that's the Sydneys ones
(11:23):
I saw last year, because that is the part that
I thought separated them from other teams last year. I'd
expect they'll continue with Tom McCartin upfront, Nick Blakey playing
on some of the tall forwards, and I don't mind it.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Give it a.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Few weeks to absolutely work or not work. Don't make
the move when you're still unsure. Go to the nth degree,
go to the end of the line with it. Make
mccarton prove to you that he's not a forward, or
make that defensive group tell you that they need mccarton back.
In defense, So that's going to be a really, really
(12:00):
tregging watch. I think Sydney might win this game, just
a few disruptions around Brisbane emotionally. We know they've had
so much stuff going on off the field, and they
physically haven't been able to train, which is important as well.
So I think Sydney will get the job done and
get to one and one. The Dogs and the Ruse
spoke about this on radio with any Mar and Andrew Gayes.
(12:21):
If I'm a North fan, gee, I'm turning up to
this game expecting to win. I don't care what the
markets say, I don't care what the bookies think will happen.
I am turning up to this game thinking we'll be
winning the game. The Dogs have got so many guys
out of the team, Most of the top ten from
(12:42):
last year's best in Ferris for the Dogs either won't
be playing at all, or if they do get to
the start line, we'll be underdone. So we know BoNT
and Pali's not there the winner of the BNF. We
know Trae Law's not there. He was equal second. Bailey Dale,
who was alongside Trae Law in equal second, either doesn't
play or goes in underdone. We know Liam Jones is
(13:03):
not there. They're full back. We know Jamara Hugilhagen and
Cody Waitton weightman responsible for seventy plus goals last year,
won't be there. They've got so many guys not there
that the Rus simply have to turn up and win
this game. Around the ball, I'd expect North Melbourne to
dominate Luke Davis Uniak. You've got Simpkins toughness, you've got Wardlaw,
(13:28):
you've got Sheeezel. They've got a really powerful unit. You
might get doses of Luke Parker, who's going to be
fired up. I'd expect North Melbourne to win this game.
I understand and I accept they haven't got matchups necessarily
for Sam Darcy and for Aaron Norton. But show me
the last time Aaron Norton took a game apart with a.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Bag of goals.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
They've got Charlie Combon who can either play on or
help play on a Sam Darcy if he's starting to
take the game away from you.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
Geez.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
The Dogs are injury prone at the moment, Cheese. They've
got some troubles with their personnel. There's too many things
going on at the Western Oval. If I'm a rouse fan,
I am going to Marvel Stadium at thirty five minutes
past seven on Saturday night and I'm expecting to win
(14:22):
the other game Saturday night at the MCG. So we've
got two games in Melbourne on Saturday night, which is interesting.
No footy in Melbourne last week. Now we've got two
games at the same time, Collingwood and Port Adelaide.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Collingwood on the backup.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
And this will be an interesting thing to follow as well.
Seems have played last week, so teams that are seasoned
and have had the run versus the teams who haven't
played any real footy thus far Collingwood. I think we'll
see some subtle adjustments around the footy. I don't think
we'll see still sigh Bottom at center, bounce or on ball.
(14:57):
I think we might see more of Josh Dekos up
the ground. He played ninety seven percent as a defender
last week, didn't take many kick ins, so not sure
why he's there necessarily, And a lot of talk about
Darcy Moore. But some of the vision I watched during
the week of Finn Callahan and Josh Kelly running out
(15:19):
the front of stoppage I don't care who you are.
I don't care whether you're Matthew Scarlett, Steve Silvanni, my
Man the Truck, Ben Rutten. It doesn't matter who you are.
Alex Rantz, wouldn't matter. You're not stopping the supply that
some of the giants forwards were getting from Callahan and
from Callian, from others out of the middle of the ground.
(15:40):
There's just got to be more pressure on the ball.
There's got to be more pressure and hate around the
contest from the Collingwood mids. So whether that's Crisp in
there to do that, whether they could put Lapinsky in
there to try and do that, whether Perryman can bring
that to the table. They just could not get it
done last week. And if they can't get that done again,
it's Port Adelaide's mits. And I know Zach Butters is
(16:03):
not there, but Jason horn Francis is there. Connor Rosie
we expect to be there. If he's not, I'll tell
you what look out. But how are they going to
contain and curtail the Power mids, who are very very
good at center bounce. They're a very good center bounced team.
They're a very creative center bounce team as well. Their
(16:23):
issues are behind the ball and ahead of the ball.
But one thing I think you can have a look at,
particularly if you're a Port fan, I'd expect some impact
from Richards and Barry. They're too running hard high half
forwards that they brought in over the summertime. Both guys
have been identified in that role. We know how important
(16:44):
that role is. You've got guys like Brent Daniels and
grind Myers who do it so importantly at other teams.
I reckon Port are hoping and potentially expecting Richards and
Berry to be able to do that for them. So
that's something you can have a look at. And then
it's about Lakotias and Georgia Arts. How dangerous and how
consistent can those two guys be. I like Georgia Ardi's
(17:05):
I think he's a real talent. I think he's capable
of kicking fifty goals this season, But Lakosis not as much.
We've seen plenty of him. We need to see him
be really consistent in a team that's not going to
have Todd Marshall and that doesn't anymore have Charlie Dixon.
Sunday Port's big rivals. The early game is the Crows
(17:26):
and Some Kilda. We know about some injury worries for
the Saints. They have had a really really difficult preseason campaign.
They've had injuries left, right and center. We know Max
King has had his woes. We know Ral Marshall and
Mataias Philippo have also had some injury issues as well.
So this is going to be a depleted since Kilda
football side. Lam Henry's not going to be there, Mitch
(17:49):
Owens is in a race against time to be there.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So I don't expect much from Saint Kilda.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
They're going to find it hard to score the footy
without some of those forwards.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
And to be honest, Adelaide should be red hot.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
They started the season incredibly poorly last year despite plenty
of hype around them. They've brought in Petling and Neil
Bullen and coming to really shore up that group, to
make them more rounded and tough and hard working. So
they've got those three guys in the mix. They'll play
half forward, wing, inside mid, maybe even defensive mid.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Some of those guys. I like what they've been able
to do.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
I like what it potentially looks like ahead of the
footy with big Riley Thilthope particularly as more of a
focal point. Darcy Foggerty's in the mix, and we know
texts can do some damage as well from minimal possession.
So look, Adelaide have to be winning that game. I
think the head starts about two or three goals or
two and a half goals. They should be winning that
(18:49):
game convincingly if you ask me. On their home deck
against the beaten ups and killed a football club. Melbourne
and GWS is the other game on Sunday. Two more
games on Sunday to get through Melbourne and GWS. I'm
surprised this is so close in terms of the head
to head market. The Giants were ultra impressive last week.
(19:09):
They probably get Tom Green back, which would be a
big bonus for them, particularly up against the big bodies
of Petrarca and Oliver around the footy. They were just
so impressive, so powerful. Toby Green spoke about the fact,
I think it was on a podcast with Tommy Sheridan
that they felt physically superior to Collingwood and they looked
(19:33):
physically superior. They felt physically superior because they were They
felt it because we saw it and it was there
for all to see. So they've been a really impressive
starter to the season. I like so many of their
guys who we know a lot about but we don't
necessarily focus on each and every week.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Lucky Whitfield off half back.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
All Australian, Josh Kelly, who's been in All Australian often
gets looked over for other guys in that team. They're
a really talented football team. They showed on the back
of a disappointing exit from the finals last year. They're
going to be there again when the whips are cracking.
Whereas Melbourne they've got to prove it. They've got to
prove that they are back. So they've been able to
(20:18):
talk all summer. They've been able to tell us how
they've reconnected all summer. Christian Petrarca's reconnected, Clayton Oliver's happy
and reconnected. They've told us all about that, Harrison Petty's
gone from forward to back where he should be. Now
we've got to see them live it, and one adjustment
I want to see them make is a personnel adjustment.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
So Caleb Windsor are.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Really important and impressive young player I called his first
ever preseason game last year at Icon Park, he kicked
a couple of beautiful running goals and we saw him
play some really good footy on the wing.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Last year.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
He almost played exclusively as a winger last year. He
did not attend to center bounce last year in his
first season, and in the preseason game against Fremantle, he
spent two thirds of his game in the defensive half
of the ground and only one third of the game
in the front half of the ground, and again he
didn't attend to center bounce. I think they should be
(21:20):
using him inside the center bounces, alongside Oliver and Petrarca,
or alongside Oliver and Viney when Petrarca's forward. I think
this guy's got quick feet, he's got composure. He'll gather
the ball, or he will receive the ball and he'll
take meters. He'll go forward, he'll run and carry and
(21:40):
create overlap. I think they should use him around the ball.
It's not expected they will. He played almost all of
his time as a winger last year, a tiny little
bit of time as a forward. They're telling him he's
probably going to play that same role, maybe a little
bit more across half back, and that's okay. If they
want to use him as a ball user and a distributor,
(22:01):
that's okay. But I'll be using him around the ball.
I think he can really help them if they do that.
And the final game of the weekend is basically a
win or else game off the calf for the Gold
Coast Suns. It's West Coast hosting Gold Coast, the Battle
of the Coast. Look West Coast, we know they're still
(22:22):
building brand new coach and Andrew mcqualter. They're still trying
to find an identity. They're still trying to build a
game plan. But they'll be tricky in this one. They'll
be tricky early when some of their veterans are engaged
and enthused and their young players are happy and healthy
and ready to rock and roll.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
It'll be once those young and.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Old guys, particularly less so the guys in the middle.
Those guys get banged up, the young guys get tired.
That's when you'll see West Coast form dip and probably
the same for Richmond.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
But from a.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Gold Coast perspective, they've just got to go get the
job done. Now I'm hearing that mac and won't be
there that's a blow, but they match up quite nicely
on the West Coast threats in front of the footy
and Allen and Wardaman with Sam Collins and Charlie Ballard.
You've got body Yuland in the mix there as well.
He could play on a Jake Wardman type at a pinch,
(23:15):
but they've got to get it done. They should win
comprehensively around the footy and Ben King I think will
be the key forward of the weekend who has a
massive game. So no Tom Barriss back there anymore. We
know McGovern will try and help and impact in the air,
but Ben King should be a massive focal point for them.
Jed Walter's had an extra preseason now under his belt.
(23:37):
We'll see what he can bring to the party. But
gold Co should be winning that game of footy. Absolutely
all ends up should be winning that game of footy.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
So that's the nine games. Now quickly recap and.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Tip you're all right, let's go quickly. Carlton by six
or seven goals. I expect Hawthorne to win by about
twenty points. On Friday night, the Cats just at home
against Fremantle. The visiting team has won the past two
games between those two, I think Sydney despite the fact
(24:12):
they're underdogs at home with all the disruptions Brisbane I
have had to put up with. I think Sydney you'll
get it done. I'm with North Melbourne in a big
way against the depleted Dogs on Saturday night. The other
match in Melbourne on Saturday night, I'm just with Collingwood
at home against Port Adelaide. Then Sunday Adelaide should win
easily against the Saints. The Giants will be too classy
(24:34):
for Melbourne despite what they are going to tell us
they're bringing to the table. And finally Gold Coast must win,
should win, will win, and they'll be undefeated on the road.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
In twenty twenty five, you're within inde all right.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
That's the wrap twenty four twenty five minutes on the Knocker.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Thanks for listening.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Make sure you check out kick Ons, the show that
must Jason Richardson and Cane Corns are a part of.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
You can see that show live.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Sorry, it's on air after Thursday Night Footy, so about
eleven o'clock Thursday Night Footy. But you can also catch
it on seven Plus. You can stream it whenever you like.
And it's also available on YouTube. You'll see plenty of
e clips on social media as well. And then Monday
and exciting new venture. Bigger Footy. Bigger footy. Not the
(25:28):
fan forum website, it's bigger. It's Bigger Footy. Myself, Pado,
Moth and Flanners, some notable to guys from the clubby
Sports Roster. We're gonna sit down every Monday morning and
we are going to drop some wisdom. We're going to
drop some dimes. We're going to get it done when
it comes to breaking down the big issues and the
big games across the AFL. So make sure you look
(25:50):
at for that at about lunchtime each and every Monday
across the AFL season.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
My name's JJ.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Thanks for listening, enjoy a full slate of footy and
we'll chat again next week.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
It
Bad for free. Okay, ran Rough, We're finally underway.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
All eighteen AFL teams are preparing as I sit down
nineteen past two on a Wednesday afternoon. All teams are
preparing to play footy. How good we got through opening round.
Laura Kane has come out and suggested it's been a
raging success and we'll see it again next year, hopefully
(00:40):
not in its current format. I said on Melbourne Radio
last week. If we see it next year in its
current format, it will be a kick to the shins
of all AFL fans. I was on radio. Now I'm
on a podcast. What I meant to say was it
was a kick in the knackers. If you've got me
for all AFL fans. If we see that version or
(01:04):
something close to that version of Opening around next year,
and blimey.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
We should boycott it.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Now let's get stuck into round one. Round one, it
all gets underway the MCG with the traditional season opener
Richmond Carlton. Now this is expected to be a blood
bath from Richmond's perspective. Now, what I'm going to do
here on the podcast, JJ is my name. Hopefully you're
(01:30):
aware of that, but if you're not, that means you're
a first time listener or you just don't know who's talking.
I appreciate those who are tuning in for the first
time or have been tuning in along the way, whether
it be NFL Sit Down with Gronk. You can check
that out on YouTube as well if you haven't seen it,
let's talk in. I'm going to go across every game
nice and quick, nice and swiftly, and see what we
(01:54):
can decipher. So Richmond Carlton, look, we expect it to
be one way traffic. We don't expect much and Richmond
this year, there's many people out there saying they won't
win a game after I suggested they might finish last
last year and got lambastard for it from Tigers fans.
I want to know if Richmond can find I'm going
to be looking not necessarily for the rookies, not the
(02:17):
first year guys. I want to see what some of
their second, third, fourth, fifth year guys, the guys who
aren't established it. Can they establish a few more of
those guys Ken Thompson, dow or Ross who's been around
a while, But can some of these types begin to
establish themselves and show they can be a part of
Richmond's next great side. That's what I'm looking for. Of Course,
(02:40):
we'll see glimpses from the rookies, and we hope these
high draft picks are going to be superstars, but they
won't all be superstars. So I'm looking past those guys,
the second, third, fourth, fifth year guys, even some of
the sixth year guys. Guys who are yet to play
fifty games. Can they bring something to the table in
terms of actual performance. They were good in this game
(03:03):
last year against Carlton. Expected to get beaten by a
long way. They actually led it quarter time, halftime and
three quarter time and will run over in the last quarter.
Of course, they had some bodies in that game that
they haven't got in this one. But this might be
closer than you think from Carlton's perspective.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Hey, what, it's been a.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Less than ideal preparation if you extend that over the preseason.
So no, Charlie Kurno. We know that there's been some
issues for Sam Walsh and a couple of others, and
now we've got Hollands who won't be there with some
personal issues and he needs to work his way through.
So he was handy for them last year alongside his
brother Elijah and Ollie, so it's a bit of a
(03:46):
new Lott Carlton team. I'm interested to see what Silvanni
down back and Brodie camp up front looks like. Do
those guys swap at times if Kemp's struggling to get
involved ahead of the footy and Sylvanne he's not necessarily
as comfortable down back. Do they flip those guys in games?
That's going to be interesting. They are very similar athletes
and similar sizes and play the game quite similar league,
(04:10):
so I wonder whether they might switch those guys from
time to time. And I want to see this Carlton
side kick the ball well, which does worry me because
I don't see a lot of great kicks in this
team on this list. Lucas Campriale might be one, but
again he's a first year play he's going to play
his first game. You can't expect too much. And Sam
Docket his role is going to be fascinating. I think
(04:32):
we'll see him play inside mid, he'll play wing, and
he'll play half back, and they need his kicking and
his leadership and his ability to shift the ball very
very importantly in terms of the win. I think Richmond, Sorry,
I think Carlton will win, but I don't think it'll
be a blood bath. I think it'll be around five
six seven goals in favor of the Blues. Friday Night
footy has the potential to be a cracker Hawthorne and Essendon.
(04:56):
The Hawks were ultra impressive last week. We know that
they went and got the job done. The hype train
didn't worry them. The weight of expectation was no issue.
They got it done and they got it done through
their mins kicking goals. I don't expect to see that
week in week out, So Ginevan will need to get
involved Nick Watson, who probably gets Dy McGrath. That's a
(05:17):
difficult matchup for Watson. He needs to get involved and
they'll need to start to get more goals from these
small to mid forwards like they did last year to
make sure they can be nice and prolific on the
other side of the equation. It's going to be a
great battle around the footy. Essenon not the deepest midfield.
They've got a really strong starting midfield and Sam Draper's
(05:40):
going to have to be able to take it up
to Lloyd Meek Lloyd Meek.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
I've got to put my hand up. I had no
idea he was going to develop into this type of ruckman.
He's such a presence and he's really consistent these days.
So Sam Draper's going to have his work cut out
for him. But Merritt and Durham and card well, that's
a really really strong starting midfield group. So they're going
to have to get after it. They're going to have
to get after the opposition, put pressure on Hawthorne and
(06:08):
equally when they get their chances, they're going to need
to go forward and be really efficient because I know
the four line is going to be a work in progress.
So i'd expect Hawthorne to win the game. Hopefully Essenon
can challenge. It's going to be a big crowd. We're
looking at eighty thousand back to back Thursday night Friday night,
and I'll tell you what, footy will be back in
a big, big way in Victoria. Another game in Victoria
(06:30):
the early one Saturday. Two potential finalists, two potential Top
four candidates, two potential premiership candidates, Geelong and Fremantle. Jeremy
Cameron's usage, You'll be fascinating. I don't want and don't
think we'll see him outside fifty as much. He might
roam up the ground lad in quarters or maybe early
(06:52):
in quarters to get himself in the game. I think
the Cats need him inside fifty. I think the Cats
need him kicking sixty to seventy goals this season if
they are to be that premiership threat. And Patrick Dingerfield's
positioning will be fascinating as well. He played ahead of
the footy almost all of the preseason in those two contests.
I don't think that was real. He hasn't played forward
(07:14):
much in the past couple of years. He's played less
game time and he spent more time around the footy
when he's been out there. So look, I don't think
we won't see him in the forward line, but I
think he's still going to be that damaging midfielder for them.
They haven't got Cam Guthrie, they haven't got Tanner Bruin.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I'm not sure they can.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Afford to have him away from the midfield and away
from stoppages. If it's left up to Holmes and maybe
Jack Bows and maybe a little bit of Tom Stewart,
I think they'll need Daningerfield around the footy, so they're
going to be a good watch.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
The Cats.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
I think they'll be a rock solid team, as they
always are. So much of what they do does revolve
around grim Myers, who I'd expect will be right there
when all Australian calculations are made. Brad Close is a
really important part of that team. Sean Matter when healthy
as well. He's a bit of a watch for this
one in terms of his health. And then guys like
(08:08):
Oli Henry Shannon Neil's emergence will be important. They've got
plenty of goalkickers and we know Tyson Stengel can get
it done on Freo's side of things. No, Sean Darcy,
we know. So how many minutes does Luke Jackson play
in the ruck? There's a lot of talk and chatter
that he's disgruntled at not playing more in the ruck.
I don't think he is a guy who can play
(08:31):
one hundred minutes a game in the ruck. He doesn't
have the size to do so. He's incredibly dynamic, but
he's only about two hundred. He's not two five two
six like a lot of these ruckman are. That he
needs to come up against you know Draper is enormous.
We know Lloyd makes a massive, massive man the athleticism
(08:51):
of guy like Tom Dakoning, Oscar Mack and Ernie Hues.
Tim English is a massive ruckman, so he doesn't have
the size to compe against all of these guys. He's
more in the row and Marshall mod but we know
how dynamic he is around the ground, and being dynamic
does take it out of you. So I know why
they don't play big minutes in the ruck, but surely
(09:12):
he's got to be playing sixty to seventy to seventy
five minutes a game in the ruck. He is such
a force when he does so speed on the game.
For Fremantle, we know that they can get lethargic with
ball in hand, they can get a little bit uncontested
Mark happy. So I want to see them take the
game on Handble receives in the back half of the
(09:33):
ground between their defensive fifty meters arc and halfway, I
want to see them give some handballs in that part
of the ground. I don't expect them to give handballs
in their D fifty from Marx, but certainly around halfway
give handballs to Jordan Clark and these guys who can
launch the footy long and with speed and bring those
(09:53):
forwards like Tracy and Amos into the game. It's a
big watch on them how they go about it. The
other watch for them as Shaye Bolton, their boom recruit,
talk of a bit of a stress reaction that certainly
rung alarm bells for me. He's a watch for this
week and he's a watch for the next few with
an issue like that. The other games on Saturday, the
(10:14):
Grand Final rematch, how fascinating?
Speaker 3 (10:17):
How interesting will this be?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Sydney on the bounce back at home against the Brisbane Lions.
I mean, I don't know what to expect from the Lions,
to be honest. They haven't trained for the best part
of a week. They've got the emotional letdown of Lincoln McCarthy,
who's unfortunately done an ACL again just as he's about
to resume his career off in ACL the same knee.
So it wouldn't surprise me if Brisbane have a bit
(10:41):
of a lackluster start. They thought they were going to
open the season last week. They haven't trained much, they've
had priorities elsewhere and they've had the emotional letdown of
Lincoln McCarthy, so it wouldn't surprise me if Sydney were
able to win this game. I want to see I
want to see more from Sydney in their ball movement.
I know they're talking about to focus on team defense
(11:02):
and contested ball, getting on loose balls, but they can't
forget about the way they move the ball. Some of
the kickers in their team are so critically important to them,
and I understand Errol Goulden's not there, but I can't
recall enough chains or ball movement last week against the
Hawks that made you think, yeah, that's the Sydneys ones
(11:23):
I saw last year, because that is the part that
I thought separated them from other teams last year. I'd
expect they'll continue with Tom McCartin upfront, Nick Blakey playing
on some of the tall forwards, and I don't mind it.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Give it a.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Few weeks to absolutely work or not work. Don't make
the move when you're still unsure. Go to the nth degree,
go to the end of the line with it. Make
mccarton prove to you that he's not a forward, or
make that defensive group tell you that they need mccarton back.
In defense, So that's going to be a really, really
(12:00):
tregging watch. I think Sydney might win this game, just
a few disruptions around Brisbane emotionally. We know they've had
so much stuff going on off the field, and they
physically haven't been able to train, which is important as well.
So I think Sydney will get the job done and
get to one and one. The Dogs and the Ruse
spoke about this on radio with any Mar and Andrew Gayes.
(12:21):
If I'm a North fan, gee, I'm turning up to
this game expecting to win. I don't care what the
markets say, I don't care what the bookies think will happen.
I am turning up to this game thinking we'll be
winning the game. The Dogs have got so many guys
out of the team, Most of the top ten from
(12:42):
last year's best in Ferris for the Dogs either won't
be playing at all, or if they do get to
the start line, we'll be underdone. So we know BoNT
and Pali's not there the winner of the BNF. We
know Trae Law's not there. He was equal second. Bailey Dale,
who was alongside Trae Law in equal second, either doesn't
play or goes in underdone. We know Liam Jones is
(13:03):
not there. They're full back. We know Jamara Hugilhagen and
Cody Waitton weightman responsible for seventy plus goals last year,
won't be there. They've got so many guys not there
that the Rus simply have to turn up and win
this game. Around the ball, I'd expect North Melbourne to
dominate Luke Davis Uniak. You've got Simpkins toughness, you've got Wardlaw,
(13:28):
you've got Sheeezel. They've got a really powerful unit. You
might get doses of Luke Parker, who's going to be
fired up. I'd expect North Melbourne to win this game.
I understand and I accept they haven't got matchups necessarily
for Sam Darcy and for Aaron Norton. But show me
the last time Aaron Norton took a game apart with a.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Bag of goals.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
They've got Charlie Combon who can either play on or
help play on a Sam Darcy if he's starting to
take the game away from you.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
Geez.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
The Dogs are injury prone at the moment, Cheese. They've
got some troubles with their personnel. There's too many things
going on at the Western Oval. If I'm a rouse fan,
I am going to Marvel Stadium at thirty five minutes
past seven on Saturday night and I'm expecting to win
(14:22):
the other game Saturday night at the MCG. So we've
got two games in Melbourne on Saturday night, which is interesting.
No footy in Melbourne last week. Now we've got two
games at the same time, Collingwood and Port Adelaide.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Collingwood on the backup.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
And this will be an interesting thing to follow as well.
Seems have played last week, so teams that are seasoned
and have had the run versus the teams who haven't
played any real footy thus far Collingwood. I think we'll
see some subtle adjustments around the footy. I don't think
we'll see still sigh Bottom at center, bounce or on ball.
(14:57):
I think we might see more of Josh Dekos up
the ground. He played ninety seven percent as a defender
last week, didn't take many kick ins, so not sure
why he's there necessarily, And a lot of talk about
Darcy Moore. But some of the vision I watched during
the week of Finn Callahan and Josh Kelly running out
(15:19):
the front of stoppage I don't care who you are.
I don't care whether you're Matthew Scarlett, Steve Silvanni, my
Man the Truck, Ben Rutten. It doesn't matter who you are.
Alex Rantz, wouldn't matter. You're not stopping the supply that
some of the giants forwards were getting from Callahan and
from Callian, from others out of the middle of the ground.
(15:40):
There's just got to be more pressure on the ball.
There's got to be more pressure and hate around the
contest from the Collingwood mids. So whether that's Crisp in
there to do that, whether they could put Lapinsky in
there to try and do that, whether Perryman can bring
that to the table. They just could not get it
done last week. And if they can't get that done again,
it's Port Adelaide's mits. And I know Zach Butters is
(16:03):
not there, but Jason horn Francis is there. Connor Rosie
we expect to be there. If he's not, I'll tell
you what look out. But how are they going to
contain and curtail the Power mids, who are very very
good at center bounce. They're a very good center bounced team.
They're a very creative center bounce team as well. Their
(16:23):
issues are behind the ball and ahead of the ball.
But one thing I think you can have a look at,
particularly if you're a Port fan, I'd expect some impact
from Richards and Barry. They're too running hard high half
forwards that they brought in over the summertime. Both guys
have been identified in that role. We know how important
(16:44):
that role is. You've got guys like Brent Daniels and
grind Myers who do it so importantly at other teams.
I reckon Port are hoping and potentially expecting Richards and
Berry to be able to do that for them. So
that's something you can have a look at. And then
it's about Lakotias and Georgia Arts. How dangerous and how
consistent can those two guys be. I like Georgia Ardi's
(17:05):
I think he's a real talent. I think he's capable
of kicking fifty goals this season, But Lakosis not as much.
We've seen plenty of him. We need to see him
be really consistent in a team that's not going to
have Todd Marshall and that doesn't anymore have Charlie Dixon.
Sunday Port's big rivals. The early game is the Crows
(17:26):
and Some Kilda. We know about some injury worries for
the Saints. They have had a really really difficult preseason campaign.
They've had injuries left, right and center. We know Max
King has had his woes. We know Ral Marshall and
Mataias Philippo have also had some injury issues as well.
So this is going to be a depleted since Kilda
football side. Lam Henry's not going to be there, Mitch
(17:49):
Owens is in a race against time to be there.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So I don't expect much from Saint Kilda.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
They're going to find it hard to score the footy
without some of those forwards.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
And to be honest, Adelaide should be red hot.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
They started the season incredibly poorly last year despite plenty
of hype around them. They've brought in Petling and Neil
Bullen and coming to really shore up that group, to
make them more rounded and tough and hard working. So
they've got those three guys in the mix. They'll play
half forward, wing, inside mid, maybe even defensive mid.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Some of those guys. I like what they've been able
to do.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
I like what it potentially looks like ahead of the
footy with big Riley Thilthope particularly as more of a
focal point. Darcy Foggerty's in the mix, and we know
texts can do some damage as well from minimal possession.
So look, Adelaide have to be winning that game. I
think the head starts about two or three goals or
two and a half goals. They should be winning that
(18:49):
game convincingly if you ask me. On their home deck
against the beaten ups and killed a football club. Melbourne
and GWS is the other game on Sunday. Two more
games on Sunday to get through Melbourne and GWS. I'm
surprised this is so close in terms of the head
to head market. The Giants were ultra impressive last week.
(19:09):
They probably get Tom Green back, which would be a
big bonus for them, particularly up against the big bodies
of Petrarca and Oliver around the footy. They were just
so impressive, so powerful. Toby Green spoke about the fact,
I think it was on a podcast with Tommy Sheridan
that they felt physically superior to Collingwood and they looked
(19:33):
physically superior. They felt physically superior because they were They
felt it because we saw it and it was there
for all to see. So they've been a really impressive
starter to the season. I like so many of their
guys who we know a lot about but we don't
necessarily focus on each and every week.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Lucky Whitfield off half back.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
All Australian, Josh Kelly, who's been in All Australian often
gets looked over for other guys in that team. They're
a really talented football team. They showed on the back
of a disappointing exit from the finals last year. They're
going to be there again when the whips are cracking.
Whereas Melbourne they've got to prove it. They've got to
prove that they are back. So they've been able to
(20:18):
talk all summer. They've been able to tell us how
they've reconnected all summer. Christian Petrarca's reconnected, Clayton Oliver's happy
and reconnected. They've told us all about that, Harrison Petty's
gone from forward to back where he should be. Now
we've got to see them live it, and one adjustment
I want to see them make is a personnel adjustment.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
So Caleb Windsor are.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Really important and impressive young player I called his first
ever preseason game last year at Icon Park, he kicked
a couple of beautiful running goals and we saw him
play some really good footy on the wing.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Last year.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
He almost played exclusively as a winger last year. He
did not attend to center bounce last year in his
first season, and in the preseason game against Fremantle, he
spent two thirds of his game in the defensive half
of the ground and only one third of the game
in the front half of the ground, and again he
didn't attend to center bounce. I think they should be
(21:20):
using him inside the center bounces, alongside Oliver and Petrarca,
or alongside Oliver and Viney when Petrarca's forward. I think
this guy's got quick feet, he's got composure. He'll gather
the ball, or he will receive the ball and he'll
take meters. He'll go forward, he'll run and carry and
(21:40):
create overlap. I think they should use him around the ball.
It's not expected they will. He played almost all of
his time as a winger last year, a tiny little
bit of time as a forward. They're telling him he's
probably going to play that same role, maybe a little
bit more across half back, and that's okay. If they
want to use him as a ball user and a distributor,
(22:01):
that's okay. But I'll be using him around the ball.
I think he can really help them if they do that.
And the final game of the weekend is basically a
win or else game off the calf for the Gold
Coast Suns. It's West Coast hosting Gold Coast, the Battle
of the Coast. Look West Coast, we know they're still
(22:22):
building brand new coach and Andrew mcqualter. They're still trying
to find an identity. They're still trying to build a
game plan. But they'll be tricky in this one. They'll
be tricky early when some of their veterans are engaged
and enthused and their young players are happy and healthy
and ready to rock and roll.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
It'll be once those young and.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Old guys, particularly less so the guys in the middle.
Those guys get banged up, the young guys get tired.
That's when you'll see West Coast form dip and probably
the same for Richmond.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
But from a.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Gold Coast perspective, they've just got to go get the
job done. Now I'm hearing that mac and won't be
there that's a blow, but they match up quite nicely
on the West Coast threats in front of the footy
and Allen and Wardaman with Sam Collins and Charlie Ballard.
You've got body Yuland in the mix there as well.
He could play on a Jake Wardman type at a pinch,
(23:15):
but they've got to get it done. They should win
comprehensively around the footy and Ben King I think will
be the key forward of the weekend who has a
massive game. So no Tom Barriss back there anymore. We
know McGovern will try and help and impact in the air,
but Ben King should be a massive focal point for them.
Jed Walter's had an extra preseason now under his belt.
(23:37):
We'll see what he can bring to the party. But
gold Co should be winning that game of footy. Absolutely
all ends up should be winning that game of footy.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
So that's the nine games. Now quickly recap and.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Tip you're all right, let's go quickly. Carlton by six
or seven goals. I expect Hawthorne to win by about
twenty points. On Friday night, the Cats just at home
against Fremantle. The visiting team has won the past two
games between those two, I think Sydney despite the fact
(24:12):
they're underdogs at home with all the disruptions Brisbane I
have had to put up with. I think Sydney you'll
get it done. I'm with North Melbourne in a big
way against the depleted Dogs on Saturday night. The other
match in Melbourne on Saturday night, I'm just with Collingwood
at home against Port Adelaide. Then Sunday Adelaide should win
easily against the Saints. The Giants will be too classy
(24:34):
for Melbourne despite what they are going to tell us
they're bringing to the table. And finally Gold Coast must win,
should win, will win, and they'll be undefeated on the road.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
In twenty twenty five, you're within inde all right.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
That's the wrap twenty four twenty five minutes on the Knocker.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Thanks for listening.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Make sure you check out kick Ons, the show that
must Jason Richardson and Cane Corns are a part of.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
You can see that show live.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Sorry, it's on air after Thursday Night Footy, so about
eleven o'clock Thursday Night Footy. But you can also catch
it on seven Plus. You can stream it whenever you like.
And it's also available on YouTube. You'll see plenty of
e clips on social media as well. And then Monday
and exciting new venture. Bigger Footy. Bigger footy. Not the
(25:28):
fan forum website, it's bigger. It's Bigger Footy. Myself, Pado,
Moth and Flanners, some notable to guys from the clubby
Sports Roster. We're gonna sit down every Monday morning and
we are going to drop some wisdom. We're going to
drop some dimes. We're going to get it done when
it comes to breaking down the big issues and the
big games across the AFL. So make sure you look
(25:50):
at for that at about lunchtime each and every Monday
across the AFL season.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
My name's JJ.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Thanks for listening, enjoy a full slate of footy and
we'll chat again next week.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
It
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