Well thank God that we can all sit back and enjoy watching a game of footy after quite a tumultuous summer. We’ve had everything from new presidents and CEO’s, to new coaches, to drug rumours, star players out, the list goes on! However now we can sit back and bask in what has really been a terrific weekend of footy. So let’s take a look back at what made this weekend great!
The Good:
The season got off to a start on Friday night with the Saints and Melbourne fighting it out under lights. While the game wasn’t a terrific display of the great game, it was good to see new Saints coach Ross Lyon notch up his first win as a senior coach of an AFL team.
Who could dismiss Port Adelaide’s effort to knock off premiership favourites, Fremantle. Especially considering the fact that the game was at Subiaco, a fortress that is near impossible to conquer for an away team. Well done to Mark Williams and his boys for staging that spectacular turnaround.
The Eagles got their season off to a flyer against the Swans. Minus a number of stars, the Eagles held on to continue the trend of close games between two teams that are fast forging a reputation for close, exciting contests. Chris Judd and Daniel Kerr shone in the Eagles victory.
Sunday night football came to a start with the Blues taking on the Tigers at the ‘G. For Terry Wallace’s Tiger Cubs, a long night was ahead, as they looked to try and dampen the enthusiasm that has surrounded the lads from Princes Park over the length of the pre-season competition. However Pagan’s boys had other ideas. Despite the margin stretching out to about 5-goals 10 minutes in to the 3rd term, the Blues rallied, and largely on the shoulders of youngsters such as Gibbs, Murphy, Walker, Kennedy, Fisher and Waite the Blues staged a comeback that would not have been seen from the Blues of last year perhaps. Nick Stevens shone throughout the day racking up 30-possessions.
Stay tuned for Part 2 – “The Bad”
Chris Borg
2nd April 2007
