Every Tuesday on The Agenda Setters, our AFL experts Luke Hodge and Dale Thomas reveal what they’re buying, holding and selling in the aftermath of the weekend’s football.
In Round 12, West Coast took the sword to a struggling Essendon, St Kilda could not buy a goal in the first half against Hawthorn, while there was controversy at the other end of the ground when the umpires stepped in and robbed Nick Watson of an after-the-siren goal at half-time.
So what are we buying and what are selling this week? Check it out below ...
Hodge: Buying Reuben Ginbey
The West Coast defender is enjoying some impressive form this year and after his game against Essendon Hodge was even suggesting the 21-year-old was in the All-Australian conversation.
“I’m buying Ginbey not just because of what he’s been able to do on the weekend, but what he’s been able to do for the first half of the season. Those long locks ... it’s an amazing head of hair, but look how he went out there in windy, terrible conditions over there at Optus Stadium. He looked unreal. He’s on the future of the Essendon Football Club in Nate Caddy. I think we all rate Caddy. He took four intercept marks on him, looked amazing, and he’s in All-Australian form without a doubt.”
Thomas: Buying Phoenix Gothard
20-year-old GWS forward Phoenix Gothard has also caught the eye this year, making his debut in Opening Round and playing every game so far.
“I’m looking at the GWS Giants and looking to where their improvement has come from, and it’s not just from the big names ... Phoenix Gothard, this is a kid that was taken with Pick 12 a couple of years ago. He’s been forced to do it in the twos for two seasons. He comes in, hasn’t missed a game.” Thomas noted that Gothard ranked third for forward-50 pressure acts from a general forward, and ranked ninth for forward-half disposals from a general forward. He’s also bagged 15 goals this year, the same as Christian Petracca, Chad Warner and Harry McKay.
“This kid’s got everything you need at the top level. He’s fast, he’s composed, and he’s got a good skill set. But best of all, he’s got goal sense ... The GWS Giants, don’t rule a line through them yet.”
Hodge: Holding Jack Silvagni
Former Blue Jack Silvagni showed St Kilda fans why he’s a prized recruit, swung forward in the second half against Hawthorn, and booting three goals in what was otherwise a bleak night for the club.
Hodge said: “I’m holding the big recruit for St Kilda. I think they paid 1.7 million for the wrong player ... I love him down as a defender. He’s hard. He’s tough. He’s everything that I like as a defender. But then he can push forward. He went forward in the second half, kicked three goals. Looked amazing. Took contested marks. He’s competed in the air. I love what he did. I love the fact that St Kilda have now got a bloke who can swing both ends.” Hodge said you would always start him as a defender but he was always a chance to be thrown forward.
Thomas said: “If he got 1.7 with his old man (Stephen) at the club, there could have been an inquiry.”
Thomas: Holding ‘footy is fun’
There were great scenes after West Coast’s win over Essendon as players celebrated with fans and fans flocked to the rooms after the game.
“It’s been tough times (at West Coast), we know that. But just look at the smiles on faces post-game. These are the kids getting involved with the fans, having a good time. And look at the rooms. It’s premiership-winning sort of stuff because you don’t win too often. So celebrate it. Enjoy it. Make sure you butter up this week and do everything right. But when the time’s there for fun, continue with it.”
Thomas: Selling umps calling ‘off the line’
One of the big stories on Thursday night was when Nick Watson’s after-the-siren goal at half-time was disallowed. Watson nailed his shot for Hawthorn but it quickly emerged that the umpire had called “play on” while he was taking his kick, ruling that he had drifted off his line. The Hawks were unimpressed with the call, but it did appear that Watson had slightly deviated from his mark, however, the margin was small.
“He wandered at least, what, three or four centimetres off his line. Well, the good thing is this happened in the first game of the round, so we’ll see it play (out across the round) ... No, absolutely not.” Thomas showed vision of a very similar incident when Patrick Dangerfield appeared to drift off his mark while having a set shot, but was not called play on, and Melbourne’s Latrelle Pickett also had a shot on goal where it appeared he too was not behind his mark.
“Latrelle wandered into the next postcode. He was, dead set, he was off and gone. No play on. It’s ridiculous. And no surprises again that we sit here and talk about something that hasn’t changed.”
Hodge: Selling players who buy ‘candy sellers’
What’s all this about? Sounds like a tongue twister, doesn’t it? But Hodge says he has had enough of players getting sucked in by candy-sellers.
“This is the worst thing as a defender. This is what I absolutely hated (when I was playing).” Hodge then showed vision of Hawthorn’s Mabior Chol “selling candy” (for the uninitiated, that’s when you hold out the ball in one hand, and step the other way when your opponent moves towards the ball) to Bradley Hill, with Hill getting totally bluffed.
“Chol’s is so laconic ... and my old teammate Bradley Hill just lets him throw it out there and walks past. Waterman (from West Coast) did it twice. And then makes himself look like a rock star going inside forward-50 ...” While the vision was interesting, one could be forgiven if the AFL great was just using this “sell” to show vision of himself selling candy. But the tongue twister did get Hodge in the end.
“That’s what I’m selling, players actually selling, buying, trying to buy the candy and then just baulking straight past ...” Hodge almost explained.
