Three rounds in books, and the upsets keep on coming. After reviewing the weekend that was, here are fiveย things we learnt from the third week of season 2017.
1. Eddie Betts is like a fine wine
Betts just seems to get better with age. He kicked another three goals on the weekend and despite being 30-years of age, he doesn't show any signs of slowing down.
He has 10 goals already for the year, and despite not dominating this weekend, to still manage three goals and play a part in others, shows his calibre.
There are so many assets in the Adelaide forward line, with many rating it the best in the competition. However, Betts stands out as the most important player in the Crows forward six.
2. This could be the end of Sydney'sย dominance
It's been a story of regular season dominance for years now for the Swans, however, they may look back and rue not being able to to put it all together on the big stage. After their premiershipย win in 2012, the Swans have lost two grand finals, one preliminary final, and a semi-final.
Now they find themselves 0-3,ย and play West Coast in Perth in round four. Yes, they are without some of their stars, however, by the time they all come back, it may be too late.
In his fourth year as a Swan, Franklin is yet to win a premiership. Does this, and the Swans' poor start to season 2017 mean that bringing Buddy over was a failure?
3. The Tigers could very well be theย real deal
After another good win, this time against a very good opponent, it's hard not to get sucked into the Richmond hype. They put in a fantastic performance against West Coast, in horrendous conditions on Saturday afternoon.
This week they should move to 4-0, as they will play Brisbane. Their next major test will come in round six, when they play the Crows at Adelaide Oval.
But for now, after an impressive win, it seems like this year could finally be different for Richmond. For the sake of all their fans, let's hope this is the case.
4. Tipping is tough
Chances are many of you out there are in a tipping competition, whether it be in the office, at school, or with your family. The start to season 2017 has been a tipper's nightmare.ย Not only have the Hawks and Swans not won a game, but round three dished up numerous upsets.
Fremantle looked woeful through two rounds, then beat the reigning premiers. Gold Coast looked to have slumped to their lowest low, then beat Hawthorn by 86 points.
Most tipsters will all be in the same boat, so hopefully you haven't fallen too far behind your ladder leader. But this tipping thing is hard in 2017!
5. We miss Dennis Commetti
The voice of the AFL for so long hung up the mic at the end of last season and we miss him. This is not a knock against the current batch of commentators, but an AFL season without Commetti is not the same.
From his classic one-liners, to his effortless style, Commetti was the cream of the crop. No doubt Bruce McAvaney feels lost without his old mate calling the game next to him.
If you already forget how good he was, do yourself a favour and look up "Dennis Commetti best of". It's time to start the "cork in the ocean" campaign, a push to bring the golden tonsils, Dennis Commetti, back.
