Friday Fallout: Is the Coleman Medal Charlie Curnow’s to lose?

Sydney v Western Bulldogs

The Swans pulled off an expected 35-point victory over the Dogs at the SCG, but the major talking point from the game was Charlie Curnow’s six-goal bag.

The Sydney spearhead is now leading the Coleman Medal on 45 goals, with Gold Coast’s Ben King second place on 43 goals.

The former Blue is now a $3 favourite with Sportsbet to take out the Coleman, while King is at $3.50. The next best in the market is Brisbane’s Logan Morris on $8.

While the Swans do have some tough matchups in the next two weeks, Curnow has an opportunity in the final five games of the home-and-away season to win his third Coleman. Sydney will take on GWS, St Kilda, Port Adelaide, Essendon and North Melbourne – teams which Curnow could absolutely feast upon.

The 29-year-old is the current favourite for a reason, and it may be his Coleman Medal to lose.

When looking at the Dogs, there is an alarming stat which continues to haunt them.

Since Round 13, the Dogs have averaged a league-bottom seven inside 50 marks per game and only managed four against the Swans. If this trend continues, a top six spot may slip away from them.

The Western Bulldogs should be back on the winning train next week though with a Marvel Stadium matchup against the Eagles, while Sydney face the ladder-leading Fremantle at Optus Stadium.

Connor Scanlon

West Coast v Adelaide

What did this game really tell us?

Ultimately, the downfalls of both sides were prevalent and the generally more experienced and developed Crows came out on top of a scrappy Friday night game.

A late withdrawal from Riley Thilthorpe with illness in the wake of a loss to cross-town rivals Port Adelaide last weekend tested the resolve of the visitors, but they managed to answer with a scintillating first half that led to a game-high 45-point lead.

When West Coast eventually switched into gear, winning the second half by five points, it was too little too late.

The last quarter displayed the defensive capabilities of Adelaide while being bombarded with repeat entries and showed the versatility and class Jordan Dawson has around the ground.

The Crows captain had another best on ground performance with 27 possessions alongside a goal, eight tackles, six clearances and a crucial seven marks. He is having the season of his life and keeping the Crows well and truly in the hunt for top four.

In Thilthorpe’s absence, Darcy Fogarty shone with four goals, while Izak Rankine returned to his best with a 27 disposal display.

Harley Reid summed up the frustrations of Eagles fans and players alike with four behinds to his name while Tylar Young stood up tall collecting nine marks in defence.

The Crows now find themselves level at 10-6 with Brisbane and with a mere 0.3 per cent to make up, will fancy themselves to secure a second season in a row of top four footy.

We will find out more about Adelaide in the next few weeks, however, with Gold Coast, Sydney and Collingwood awaiting.

Ethan Clark

Geelong v Brisbane

We were here last Friday writing about the Brisbane Lions after a statement Thursday night win over the Swans.

Well, that’s the case again after the back-to-back champs went to the Cattery and knocked off Geelong by 22 points to kick off Round 17.

There’s always been an element of danger about the Lions, even after some average form. This side is way too good just to fizzle out of contention.

Instead, Chris Fagan has razzed them up to a point where they’re now sitting in the top four. That might only be momentarily but you get the drift.

They’ve bounced back in a massive way following their mid-season bye and are now nicely set up for a three-peat assault.

Last week we commended Will and Levi Ashcroft, Lachie Neale, Zac Bailey, Josh Dunkley and Cam Rayner.

That group of six were excellent again this week and the likes of Kai Lohmann, with an equal career-best five goals, ruck recruit Sam Draper and Logan Morris came along for the ride.

If Brissie can do what they’ve done to the second-placed Swans and the Cats, who started the round in fourth, then rivals should be seriously worried.

SEN’s David King reckons that the Lions, who were once meandering, are menacing now that September is in sight.

“An eight-goal first quarter with 10 entries and then an eight-goal third quarter - not many do that to Geelong in Geelong,” King said on SEN’s Fireball.

“We were concerned for them, we were checking signs of life at about Round 10. They looked like they were just going, they were meandering, they weren’t really invested.

“Maybe now they can see the finish line, and they’re just gearing, their key playmakers are just in elite form again.

“They’re just great to watch. From a pure spectacle point of view, the way they play is so attractive on the eye.”

Kane Cornes was taken by their supremely talented attacking group and gun midfield which is arguably the league's best.

“They just got so much talent in their forward half that they can make you look foolish at times," he said.

“Charlie Cameron looked dangerous, you get five from Lohmann, their smalls are getting back into form, Logan Morris does his thing.

“Their midfield is a problem, it’s the best midfield in the competition. The numbers say they’re the best centre-bounce clearance team in the comp.

“When you’re winning that, winning territory and you have that much talent in the forward half of the ground then look out.”

Essendon (18th), West Coast (16th), Port Adelaide (15th) and Carlton (12th, but winning) in the next four to fine tune their game, before stern tests against Hawthorn, Gold Coast and Collingwood ahead of ANOTHER September campaign.

You’d back the Lions to win at least five of their next seven which would give them 15 wins and a possible double chance.

As for the Cats, they were ok last night if you count out the diabolical first quarter.

There was merit in the way they fought back but if you concede eight goals in the opening term, and then again in the third, then it’s rarely going to end well.

Should Cats fans be worried? That’s four losses from their last five…

However, they do have a fairly handy run home and you’d have to be a pretty brave person to write off Chris Scott and Patrick Dangerfield, especially when five-goal Danger can still walk the walk.

Andrew Slevison

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