Round 6: Winners and Losers

Published by
Alex Patterson

That's another round of footy completed! Who can stop the Scott twins? Are the Giants the real deal? What's up with Richmond? All that and more in this week's edition of winners and losers.

WAGGA WAGGA, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 05: Kangaroos head coach Brad Scott looks on during the 2016 AFL NAB Challenge match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Collingwood Magpies at Robertson Oval on March 5, 2016 in Wagga Wagga, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Winners: Brad and Chris Scott

Both coaches are sitting pretty at this stage of the season at one and two on the ladder and they could well be facing off as first and second when they meet in round 11. Round 6 saw both coaches have very contrasting wins with North getting a scrappy win over the Bulldogs, while the Cats inflicted a 120-point thumping on the Suns.

These two coaches were definitely under the pump during pre-season for very different reasons, but both have risen to the occasion and are now looking very good indeed heading into the coming weeks.

Loser: Quality of football on Friday night

Friday night was built up quite well, with one and two facing each other under the roof at Etihad. The hype was big, the attendance was outstanding, the footy not so much, with a total of 15 goals kicked.

Now both of these sides want to play in a stand-alone Good Friday match next year and although they pulled a strong crowd of 47,000, they need to produce better footy if they want to score that big fixture. At the moment they have almost got it and it will be huge financial boost if they do manage to secure a Good Friday match.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 30: Rhys Palmer of the Giants celebrates kicking a goal with team mates during the round six AFL match between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Hawthorn Hawks at Spotless Stadium on April 30, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Winner: GWS Giants

Are Leon Cameron's men the real deal? With a smashing victory over last season's premiers, you would have to think so. GWS are playing some very good footy and they preyed on a Hawks side that was there for the taking after coming off three hard games in which they'll lucky to win.

The question is, are the Giants going to fade out like they did last year or will they cement their spot in the eight and create history? I guess we'll find out.

Loser: Richmond

The Tigers should have taken care of Port Adelaide, its as simple as that. Port were there for the taking, they have been poor all season so far and with Richmond playing them at the G, you would expect the Tigers to get up.

Well they didn't and now they are sitting at 1-5, wand look very unlikely to recover from here. It doesn't get any easier for Damien Hardwick's men as they face a Hawthorn side smarting from a huge loss against Giants this Friday night.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 30: Nick Riewoldt of the Saints celebrates a goal with team mates during the 2016 AFL Round 06 match between the Melbourne Demons and the St Kilda Saints at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne on April 30, 2016. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Media)

Winner: St Kilda

Probably the most inconsistent side in the competition so far, the Saints produced their good side against Melbourne at Etihad last Saturday, comfortably winning by 39 points.

You couldn't back them at this stage, because you don't know which St Kilda side is going to show up, the one who performed so badly against the Dogs and Giants or the one who took care of Collingwood and came so close to knocking off the Hawks.

At their best, they're a pretty dam good side, who is capable of sneaking into the eight, however they sit 2-4 where they should really be sitting close to 3-3.

Loser: Rodney Eade

Did the Suns make the right choice in appointing Rocket Eade as their coach? I'm not so sure. Following a decent opening three weeks, Gold Coast have lost three on the trot, culminating in a hiding at Kardinia Park to the Cats.

One hundred points losses are a rarity these days, so it was surprising to see just how poor the Suns were. You sometimes accept losing a game, but you cannot accept no effort which is what the Suns players dished up last weekend.

Is something more going on? Regardless of their mounting injury list, the players don't seem to be playing for the coach. Changes may be in order in the coming months.

Published by
Alex Patterson