After the weekend.

Round 18 has been and gone this year has gone so quickly!

Friday night saw North Melbourne host Carlton at Etihad Stadium in what was Adam Simpson's last game for the Roos. The pressure of this game was up and it wasn't really a high scoring game which to be honest I kind of expected. Carlton went on to win by 10 points. Really if North had kicked straight in that last quarter then they would have had a convincing win over the Blues but because of that the result went the other way. It wasn't the way that Adam Simpson should have been sent off but really I thought it was a fantastic effort by him to get up for the game considering he tore his calf in the last training before the game. What a champion of the game!

To Saturday. Western Bulldogs hosted Fremantle at Etihad Stadium and to be honest I thought that the Dogs were going to beat Freo in a convincing style (in otherwords thump em!) but to the Dockers credit they held off it being an embarrassing result as it could have been, the Dogs winning by 31 points. Brad Johnson broke the games record for the Dogs being 342 and it was a nice way of him being sent off for that! Although it was a bitter sweet day for Lindsay Gilbee who's father passed away the night before from Luekemia and he still played and did quite well considering what he had to go through. My respect for the man went up bigtime for what he had to go through. They had a win for him too!! Well done.
In the other game. Geelong hosted Adelaide at Skilled Stadium. This was one of three thrillers in the round. Geelong started well but Adelaide came back and in the last quarter got in front. But it was a Geelong side lead by Paul Chapman (who I reckon should be next captain) who kicked 6 goals straight held on to win by 2 points. I have to give full credit to Adelaide they are my pick of the interstate clubs to go far in September. It makes it two close games in two weeks and three this year for the Cats. No more please!

To Saturday Night. Sydney hosted St Kilda at the SCG. This to me was the game of the round. It was close all the way through. Sydney kept on coming at the Saints and got in front from an awesome tap from Adam Goodes to Jesse White who kicked a goal and there was a possibility that there could have been an upset on the cards. But the persistence from the Saints proved why they are the best at the moment and they got back equal before a quick kick and point from Leigh Montagna won them the game. Now I have found out (I haven't yet seen the replay) that aparantly Leigh pushed Keiran Jack to the ground before kicking the point and therefore should have been a free kick. I will have to watch the footage again. I will let you know what I think.
At the MCG this saw Collingwood host Brisbane in Simon Blacks 250th Game. At the start of the game the Lions came out with the hunger to win and Brown kicking goals left right and centre and you thought that maybe there could have been an upset. But it wasnt to be the Pies coming out and playing good football to win by 40 points.

To Sunday. And Melbourne hosted Richmond at the MCG. From start to finish this was right up there with the Sydney/St Kilda game as game of the round. Both teams had time in front and Richmond got out to a bit of a lead in the fourth quarter and I thought that that was the game. But Melbourne came back and got in front from a Ricky Pettard goal. Then a new Tiger attitude came and a kick to Jordan McMahon with 4 seconds to go (well actually it was in the air when the siren went, but the ump paid the mark and that's that) meant that he had to kick it in order for Richmond to win. And he did and boy did he need to do that! Still what a game and like Geelong Richond have played in two close games in a row!
To AAMI Stadium. And Port Adelaide hosted Hawthorn. This was kind of a see-sawing affair that eventually saw Port Adelaide to go out to a lead and stay there winning by 18 points. Well. What's going to happen to Hawthorn? They are now 10th on the ladder with four rounds to go! Can they make finals? Really they have to win all games for the rest of the year to give them a real chance. They have St Kilda at Aurora Stadium, then Adelaide at the MCG, Richmond at the MCG, and Essendon at the MCG. Now they could win all those games but I don't think that they can and may have to rely on others winning/losing in order for them to get in and believe you me they do not want to do that.
To the last game of the round that saw West Coast hosted Essendon at Subiaco. This was a game that a lot of people (including myself) thought that Essendon would win. But from the start West Coast controlled the game running away to win the game by 27 points. Obviously being sick of the tanking claims! Really I don't think clubs are tanking, maybe bad, but definately not tanking!

Catch ya!