Round 9 of the 2023 AFL season has played out and Nathan Buckley has put together his five takeaways in The Buck Stops Here.
Adelaide’s forward line, unheralded midfielders and the demeanour of coaches were on Buckley’s mind after Round 9 on SEN Breakfast.
Read his thoughts below:
Adelaide’s forward line is causing opposition defences nightmares
“First port of call for me is the Adelaide Football Club.
“It's their forward line that I want to focus on and the fact that they could well be asking the most of opposition defences and be as big a headache as any team doing the rounds at the moment.
“Adelaide are probably the best side I've seen this year at going from the inside to the outside, they play with great intensity.
“They're very clean and they're very hard … when you wonder why a team can create such fast offence, it's generally off the back of the basics done really well inside, they’re cleaner and harder inside.
“If there's a two on two or a three on three - or a clearance or a stoppage - some sides can find the ball in the hands of their teammates with time and space within three or four touches, others just cannot.
“That's being cleaner and harder inside and that's what Adelaide are doing especially well.
“Rory Sloane is playing his best football for quite a bit of time and outside of that they don't have a lot of experienced hard-nosed AFL players over a long period of time, but what they do have is class.
“Taylor Walker, Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe up front are providing aerial power.
“Izak Rankine is obviously a dangerous player at ground level, Lachie Murphy's the up and back runner and Luke Pedlar can do it in the air and on the ground, (Josh) Rachele plays midfield and goes forward, (Ben) Keays can run with and then run the other way, (Chayce) Jones is standing up and getting the job done.
“That's without mentioning (Lachie) Scholl who's playing off the wing.
“There are so many ways that they can hurt you, the ruckman can slide forward, but at the moment, Adelaide are going to ask a question of a lot of sides and they're doing particularly well.”
Collingwood recruit exceeding expectations in new colours
“Second one for me is about Tom Mitchell.
“He is a player who I'd reckon I need to give a little bit more love to, he's doing a lot better than I thought that he was going to be capable of.
“Collingwood had another great win on the weekend … their best is obviously as good as anyone in the competition.
“To be able to focus on the next opportunity is what we're seeing and we've seen plenty of players come through Collingwood's side and get it done.
“But Tom Mitchell was the one that I wanted to focus on, a change of environment, fresh eyes, new coaches to impress new players to impress.
“We know that he's a quality football product, but Hawthorn had got to the point where they felt, and he probably got to the point at Hawthorn where they were both stale with each other.
“But this freshness has been great for him, we're seeing his best attributes come to the fore.
“I didn't think that he and Taylor Adams would play in the same midfield for much, and Tay played a lot of high forward yesterday, but together they've been able to stiffen up a really solid Collingwood midfield.
“When you've got (Jack) Crisp, (Nick) Daicos, (Josh) Daicos, (John) Noble, (Isaac) Quaynor) and even (Jordan) De Goey who are running past the contests at pace, Tom Mitchell's ability to be clean inside and find those players helps Collingwood break the lines.
"His consistent clearance (efforts) and even his tackle pressure on the weekend was better than I've seen it for a long time also.
“So, Tom Mitchell has been a fantastic get.”
Richmond’s out-of-the-box performance was a product of Hardwick’s demeanour
“The third one today I want to talk about Richmond.
“I want to talk about Damien Hardwick and what a great result that was for Richmond, but just even Hardwick's demeanour over the last five weeks, five losses, but I think the way he carries himself and his expectations of that group give gave them the capacity to be able to have that performance in that win against Geelong.
“In the last five weeks, he's been combative, he's been humorous at times and he's been able to maintain his humour, he's maintained his energy.
“He's had questions asked about his long-term tenure, about his commitment to the club, about whether he needs to look elsewhere.
“This result is only one week, but I think that it's a product of the coach's demeanour, his attitude, his combativeness, I just think that he's been amazing.
“In a situation where there's plenty of different ways you can go about communicating your message for the club and for the team or handle the questions that come from the media … I just think that he's been first class there.
“Their back seven, Jayden Short coming back in the side has definitely helped Daniel Rioli.
“They've got some real toughness there with (Liam) Baker, (Nick) Vlaustin and (Dylan) Grimes … they're really solid the back seven.
“They can't win the flag this year, but they could (make the eight).
“Last week I said, you know it's not going to be their year, and that's from making finals, but they could definitely.
“We wouldn't have thought they were going to win a game against Geelong and you talk about inequities in draw and whatever Richmond will be in the middle six in that area.
“So, they'll probably get some advantage from that.
“They lost the contested ball, they lost inside 50s, Broad on Cameron was fantastic, Dusty played one of his better games.
“Trent Cotchin kicked three goals and got in the majors, that’s taken him for four for the season.”
Voss acting his true self could be the best thing for Carlton
“The next one I want to look at is Carlton.
“I'm going to touch on the coach's attitude here in some shape or form and maybe (Michael) Voss, he can learn something from the way ‘Dimma’ (Hardwick) has handled the last five weeks.
“It's been a tough, little stretch for Carlton at the moment.
“I know a lot of Carlton fans hear that (Voss praising the team) and they're not satisfied because their expectations are greater than just having moments, even against a side like the Bulldogs who have played some fantastic football since Round 2.
“I reckon Vossy needs to remember who he is. I'm really wary of making judgments as a media person … but what I see on the outside is Voss is one of the most combative, competitive individuals that I've ever faced in the game.
“I've been where he is (as a coach) and you get locked up thinking that you need to say a certain thing for a certain group of people at a certain time.
“I'm really conscious that he's aware of not wanting to throw his players under the bus because you need to maintain the relationship with your players.
“But there still is a balance that you need to reach around the challenge and just calling it for what it is and saying what it is and that is that they are not playing well enough.
“The players are not emptying out, we're not seeing the energy that we expect.
“Harry McKay is a gun but we are not seeing him maximize his opportunities, you're paid, you're paid to take marks and kick goals, you’re paid to consistently compete.
“He's been a seven out of 10, but seven out of 10 gets you in and out, it doesn't get you enough nourishment.
“I think Vossy has got to remember who he is and he's a competitor and don't be afraid to show that in your pressers, don't be afraid to be a little bit out of control, to be a little bit emotional.
“That’s the way I know that's the way he carried himself, that's the way he was a great skipper, that's the way he was a great leader.
“I think that's what Carlton needs right now, and he's got it.”
We need to give more love to heart and soul Bulldog
“This is another guy that I reckon needs more love and that's Tom Liberatore.
“I just love the way that he goes about footy.
“I love the way that he views life, it's a little bit quirky, it's a little bit left field and I love that character coming out of him.
“But his consistency this year has been first class and he stood up when the game was on the line (against Carlton).
“Bailey Smith had the role leaning in on Patrick Cripps for the majority of the game, but when it wasn't Smith, it was Liberatore and Cripps really lifted in the last quarter.
“But, you know, Liberatore's performance was huge.
“He had 13 clearances, he's averaged seven clearances and averaged seven tackles over the course of the season.
“He finds a way, he's clean, he's hard inside, I just think he's a heart and soul type player.
“Imagine if you had a teammate like Tom Liberatore you know exactly what you're going to get with that consistency of effort and of attitude.
“The way that he does it, he puts his head over the ball and puts his head in the trough flat out.
“With (Marcus) Bontempelli around him and some of the stars, I just love the way that he goes about it and wanted to give a shout-out to him.”
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