Titus.
Ronnie kindly sent us this report.
Geelong (103) v Greater Western Sydney (68)
Geelong controlled most of the game, but this win didn’t come easy.
Why at one stage, Joel Selwood was forced to bravely fend off Josh Kelly’s throat with his forearm.
The Match Review Panel have disappointedly decided not to charge Josh Kelly for this dangerous action. It’s outrageous, why I tremble at the thought of the damage that throat could have done to Selwood.
The Giants loss was on the cards before the game, after losing Toby Greene to suspension and then Jesse Hogan pulling out due to a calf injury.
Not having a forward line is never a great idea, which Collingwood have proven over and over in recent years.
While a lot of the Giants young players have improved, it’s some of the older players that are struggling.
If you think your life is tough at the moment, consider Stephen Coniglio’s.
He had just 14 disposals in this game and looked like a shell of his former self.
The situation has gotten so bad that Toby Greene is being spoken of as an improvement as captain.
If Toby Greene is held up as a more stable option, you’re in trouble.
As for Geelong, they’ve now booked their 11th preliminary final in 15 years.
They may have the age profile of a Midsomer Murders audience, but you can never write them off.
The Giants might be out, but they should be thanked, they spent 73-days on the road to keep the season going, something that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Brisbane (78) v Western Bulldogs (79)
Always beware a man with a mullet, such was the advice given to me once by a wise woman.
In a game this close, it’s hard to pick out any one difference, but Bailey Smith’s run and carry and his three goals can’t be discounted.
This game was an absolute classic, with lead changes, amazing goals, stars standing up and bewildering umpiring decisions.
The Lions crowd were not exactly happy with the umpires, booing them off with an intensity that made me nostalgic for one of my gigs.
I’ve always said the umpires aren’t to blame. They’re given a job that’s impossible to do, given rules that rely on a lot of interpretation and seem to change with the phases of the moon.
It’s impossible to know what impact umpiring had on the outcome, if it went another thirty seconds, it could have just as easily been a Lions victory.
The fact the Lions even got so close is astounding when you consider they barely had a forward line, with Cam Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Daniel McStay and Joe Daniher all not playing.
On top of that, they were a man down due to injuries late in the game, proving once again that luck plays a bigger part in winning premierships than is often acknowledged.
If losing wasn’t painful enough, Lachie Neale announced after the game he wants a trade back to Fremantle, proving the footy gods love to really pour misery on top of misery.
For the Bulldogs fans, there was concern too, Marcus Bontempelli tweaked his knee, meaning that’s a week of Dogs supporters obsessing over another person’s body part like a lonely teenager.
