Round 9

Round 9 of the AFL season is here and things are starting to take shape across the ladder. Contenders are beginning to separate themselves, while a few sides are already feeling the pressure to stay in touch.

This week’s matchups bring a mix of blockbuster clashes and crucial games for teams trying to turn their season around. Expect plenty of intensity as rivals go head-to-head, finals hopefuls look to build momentum, and underdogs aim to shake up the competition.

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_01 0:35

Now we'll have stories and science. Diving into the week that was well round seven. That was a great round. Some very close games. And even the first draw of the season.

SPEAKER_00 0:49

It was exciting, round, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

And I'm hearing now, Max, that the Freo supporters are starting to book their grand final tickets. Well, book their airfares. They're calling it Flight Mantle because the cost of flights have become so expensive if the dockers get there.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

They could flunk the rest of the season.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Whoa, are you saying they could be April premiers?

SPEAKER_01 1:15

Uh no, they're not. It was actually Sydney.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Oh, they're not April Premier. So maybe they're getting a little bit ahead of themselves.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

Well, it'll be interesting to see.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Yeah. Isaac, I know you're listening. I'm half right and half wrong. So let's get into this first game. It was a great game, this one. Collywood Hawthorne drew on 93. We start with an absolute chaos match at the MCG. A draw. And that was an everything game.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

It was. Hawthorne had a shot after the siren as well to make the draw happen.

SPEAKER_01 1:54

Yeah, I can't believe Clutch Gold by Moore. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

And as they say, Darcy Moore got a free kick to Moore. And then it was a D-draw. D draw.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

D Moore tackled Steadw to get a D tackled D Moore to get a D draw.

SPEAKER_00 2:15

Correct. And there was a late free kick to Nick Watson that didn't get paid. Nick Dacos played well again. It was a great game. And now we have Freeman who defeated the Bulldogs in Melbourne. The Docks had some patches in the game where they put on a lot of goals, but Fremantle's structure and ball movement really got the better of the dogs. And they look like Finals Calibra. No wonder all the Freemantle supporters are starting to book their flights. Luckily, they came out with no injuries again. And I think even Bulldogs. Oh Bulldogs had one injury, another hamstring injury for the Bulldogs.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

Oh my god, who is it now?

SPEAKER_00 2:55

Can't remember, but he hurt himself. That's another injury.

SPEAKER_01 2:58

That's a nice name. Can't remember. Now we've got Adelaide. Port Adelaide. Adelaide got there by a point against Port Adelaide. A tight showdown that delivered. Really late drama. Sam Berry. I think he was the one that got the 10-second goal.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Yeah, no, Braden Cook got the late goal.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Braden's Braden Cook's goal made that happen. It was so close that game.

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Port Adelaide were up by four goals. And then Adelaide got in front. Then Port Adelaide got in front. And then 10 seconds to go, goal to Adelaide.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Yeah. It was like that Eddie Betts miracle.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

It's an exciting game.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Then we got Brisbane Lions versus Essendon. The game they've called this week the Whiteboard Saga. Did you hear about that, Max?

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Yes, I think. I'm gonna guess the whiteboard marker leaked.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Not quite. Someone was visiting the Brisbane Lions rooms and there was a coach's whiteboard with all the Essendon players on there talking about what their weaknesses are and what their strengths are. Someone in the Brisbane rooms took a photo of that whiteboard and posted it on Twitter. And now everyone got to see what Brisbane thought of the Essendon players. Yeah, Essendon saw it. But look.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

So they're mad.

SPEAKER_00 4:25

Well, they're a bit mad, but it didn't really help their game much because they still lost 143 to Brisbane, 79 to Essendon.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Yeah, it was a big win by Brisbane. I think Essendon, seeing what they have played with this season, they could have played better, but they played a couple of good minutes here and there, got a few goals in a row. Yeah. I think. I think an Essendon player, for like a player of the match from Essendon, because they didn't play so well. I think I'm gonna start giving player of the matches to teams that lose by so much.

SPEAKER_02 5:01

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 5:02

That's what I'm gonna start doing. I think I might I'm gonna go Endon Graf.

SPEAKER_00 5:09

Oh, okay. Fair enough.

SPEAKER_01 5:12

So now we've got Richmond and West Coast. Tigers pulled off one of the most emotional wins of the round.

SPEAKER_00 5:20

Big game for Richmond to win.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Yeah, I think it was annoying going to Uptus Stadium and seeing the Eagles lose.

SPEAKER_00 5:29

We really wanted to win that game, didn't we?

SPEAKER_01 5:31

Yeah, I think they could have won, like I don't think they put all their power into it.

SPEAKER_00 5:38

I think they tried hard, they just couldn't get over the line.

SPEAKER_01 5:41

All that they were doing, I mean, this happened like five ten times that Richmond got all goals.

SPEAKER_00 5:49

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:50

So they just kept on kicking it to Richmond.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

But kept marketing our forward line, didn't I? I think I read they had eight defensive marks inside 50.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 5:58

Wasn't great. Noah Balter, he played well up forward for Richmond as well.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

I can't believe that Richmond just kept on going for goals on the final course.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

That's what happens when they get more of the ball.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

You were like they were like 80 metres out and they tried to shoot.

SPEAKER_00 6:14

Stop stop the Eagles having the ball though.

SPEAKER_01 6:16

Yeah, but you were never gonna score from 80 metres out.

SPEAKER_00 6:19

Maybe not. And then we got Geelong versus North Melbourne. Geelong won 135 to North Melbourne 86. North Melbourne were good for a half, but then faded late and the Cats kicked away playing at home. Max Holmes had a great game for that for Geelong. But again, North Melbourne struggled against the top 18.

SPEAKER_01 6:43

Yeah, it looks like I might have to put another player of the match from North Melbourne into this.

SPEAKER_00 6:49

Who's that?

SPEAKER_01 6:51

Paul Curtis.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

Oh, okay. Paul Curtis.

SPEAKER_01 6:55

Now we've got St. Kilda Carlton. The Saints exposed Carlton in a brutally honest performance. Saints had a big ruck dominance because their two big men, Rowan Marshall and Tom Taconi, had lots of good bits of the game, and I think that helped Saints get over the line.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

Tom Dacone played against his old team, so was Silvani against his old team.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Yeah, I heard them talking to the press after the match, and they said at the end they went over and um like talked to the players for like half an hour.

SPEAKER_00 7:39

Because they were still friends.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Yeah, they're still friends.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

Like Carlton were good for a half, but then they faded again.

SPEAKER_01 7:46

I mean, they had a lead.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

They were, they were, correct. And then we got Sydney versus Melbourne. Sydney won that game 131 versus Melbourne, 114. A really exciting game, this one. Swans are in front by about five goals, but then Melbourne peed back the lead with a couple of late ones. Brody Grundy played really well, Max Gorn played well, but exciting game. Melbourne really gave the Swans a run for their lane. It was good.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

That guy, I don't remember his name.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

Kassai Pickett?

SPEAKER_01 8:19

No, not Kassai, the guy from Sydney.

unknown 8:23

Don't know.

SPEAKER_01 8:23

Yeah, I forgot. But he kicked seven goals in that match.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

Oh, did Kerno?

SPEAKER_01 8:27

No, not Kerno, definitely not Kerno. Kerno kicked down the bulldogs. Oh game. Um but it was some it was someone, I don't remember that.

unknown 8:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

And now we've got the last game of the round. Gold Coast GWS. Gold Coast came over the line by 20. 83 to 63. The Suns got their season back on track and did it with authority in the expansion premiership cup.

SPEAKER_00 8:55

Did you see the size of the expansion cup they were playing with?

SPEAKER_01 8:58

No.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

It's very, very small cup. They call it the expansion cup. It's a little bit of a novelty gameplay.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

What do they call it?

SPEAKER_00 9:06

The expansion cup. Because the AFL was expanded with GWS and Gold Coast.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

They're expanding the AFL, so they played for the Expansion Cup.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

Yeah. I wonder how, because they're going to have more expansion with the Tassie Devils going through.

SPEAKER_00 9:23

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

I wonder how they're going to play matches then.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Interesting. Well, they have their own expansion cup, the Devil Cup.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Yeah. Footy forecast where we look up at the games ahead.

SPEAKER_00 9:35

Alright, and looking ahead to the next round, we've got Fremantle versus Hawthorne first up on Thursday night. This is, I think, the genuine litmus test for Fremantle now.

SPEAKER_02 9:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

They're playing Hawthorne who are playing good footy in the top four. They haven't got a lot of injuries, I don't think. Dockers have got a full team playing at home. It won't be wet. It's going to be an exciting game.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

Hawthorne, they've been playing well, third on the ladder. But Dockers, second on the ladder, also been playing well. This is going to be one of the biggest flight games.

SPEAKER_00 10:09

I think it'll be a really good game as well.

SPEAKER_01 10:11

This game could develop if they're going to buy tickets now, because if they lose this one, they go to.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

But might get refunds.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

They go yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

The Dockers supporters might cancel their flight tickets if they lose, or might buy more if they win.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Yeah, so it's a win-win, lose, lose.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

Fair enough.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

Next we've got Brisbane Carlton at the Gabba. Friday night under lights. Plenty on the line for both teams.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Yeah, well, Brisbane should really make easy work of Carlton. But you just never know what Carlton might actually do. Can they play for Cordons?

SPEAKER_01 10:55

The Gabba.

SPEAKER_00 10:56

Yeah, no, no, Brisbane beat Adelaide last week. Two weeks ago.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

Uh oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:04

But Brisbane really should make light work of Carlton.

SPEAKER_01 11:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:08

And then we've got Port Adelaide versus the Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval. Bulldogs, again, a lot of injuries. Bontom Pelley's sore, but they can't afford to rest him because they haven't got enough fit midfielders. But Port came off a heartbreaking loss to Adelaide, but they played well. Another could be a close game, this one.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

Yeah, but Bulldogs, they actually are doing like what they did last year. Starting strong and then getting through the season, they're minusing because like since they've since gather rounds.

SPEAKER_02 11:41

We'll keep getting injuries.

SPEAKER_01 11:42

Yeah, since Gather Round, they've kept on getting injuries, and they've lost pretty much every game since.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

Then we've got North Melbourne versus Sydney at Marvel. Can North Melbourne find a bit of form and play well against Sydney? But again, a bit like the Brisbane Lions Carlton, Sydney should just be able to make light work on North Melbourne.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Yeah, I think Sydney, because they're first, should win. But if Mel if North Melbourne can pull this off, that's like a miracle for North Melbourne. Then Hawthorne fans hope that Dockers that hope that they beat Dockers if North Melbourne lose. I mean win. We've got GWS Essendon, two sides with something to prove. And the question marks hanging over both. I think Giants should pull this off because it's in NG.

SPEAKER_00 12:49

Yeah, Essendon again. I don't know what we can expect from Essendon because they have pockets of the game where they play well, but for the four quarters they're not playing good football.

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Well, when they versed Brisbane, Brisbane have developed and they've been a really good team in this season. In this season, and 2024, 2025. So but Essendon, remember they nearly beat Gold Coast at people first, and GWS are worse than Gold County.

SPEAKER_00 13:18

Oh we'll wait and see. Maybe we can get an upset.

SPEAKER_01 13:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:21

Then we've got Gold Coast and St. Kilda up in Darwin. Gold Coast have won the last eight games in Darwin. It's hot, it's humid, it's usually fast, chaotic football up there.

unknown 13:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:34

So St Kilda again, they're playing against the top eight team. They made light work of the Eagles. They made light work of Carlton. Let's see how they go against the stronger opposition in Gold Coast.

SPEAKER_01 13:46

Yeah. Now we've got Geelong versus Collingwood. This is a good game. Heavyweight. Finals field, even in May.

SPEAKER_00 13:57

And Scott Penderbury nearly getting to his uh breaking the record this game.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

This game ties with the record.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

Ties with Boomer Harvey.

SPEAKER_01 14:05

Yeah. So this would be a really exciting game if Collingwood win, and especially if they beat the Eagles in round 11.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

Well, well, let's just concentrate on this game first. Yeah. That'll be a good game. Can Geelong again play well like they did against North Melbourne? Fastball movement by Collingwood. Structured by Geelong. We'll be interesting to see the result.

SPEAKER_02 14:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

And then we've got Melbourne versus the Eagles at Marvel. Let's hope it's not a blowout for the Eagles.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

I hope they get at least. I think they should they should get inside 60 points.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

Ten goals and under. Ten goals and under. Is that a sort of a good result?

SPEAKER_01 14:48

That's sort of a good result, see me, Melbourne are.

SPEAKER_00 14:51

Let's just slow if slow down Melbourne's ball movement, create a bit of congestion, and hopefully Eagles can stay in the game a bit longer.

SPEAKER_01 14:58

Lots of teams are good at are good at actually slowing their pressure.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

Correct. Gotta get your pressure up so they can the opposition can't kick quick goals.

SPEAKER_01 15:08

I looked at a um stat before the West Coast Richmond game, and it said that Eagles have been the second worst at getting pressure on the first three games were good pressure, good pressure, good pressure.

SPEAKER_00 15:24

And then since then it's been bad pressure, bad pressure, bad pressure, bad pressure. So let's hope today let's hope against Melbourne. It's good pressure.

SPEAKER_01 15:31

Yeah. Now we've got Richmond Adelaide. This could be a sneaky good matchup to close around. Adelaide should get away with it. But Richmond could call it a miracle.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

Well, they played well against the Eagles. The pressure was up. The players uh the younger players are in a bit of form now.

SPEAKER_01 15:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:52

You just don't know.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

They don't have like the best team if you compare them with Adl if you compare them with Adelaide.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

Yeah, like they're still bottom even after winning.

SPEAKER_00 16:03

Yeah, still bottom. So Adelaide are growing their favourites, but just don't know what will happen on game day.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

Alright, Max, let's get into the tips. Free man or Hawthorne.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

I'm gonna go Hawks.

SPEAKER_00 16:15

I'm gonna go the Hawks as well. Brisbane versus Carlton.

SPEAKER_01 16:19

Sure, we'll get away with it.

SPEAKER_00 16:21

I'll go Brisbane as well. Port Adelaide versus the Bulldogs.

SPEAKER_01 16:25

Adelaide, but Oh well they did Yeah, I'm gonna go Port.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

I'm gonna go Port as well. North versus Sydney.

SPEAKER_01 16:33

I'm gonna go Sydney.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

I'll go Sydney. GWS versus Essendon.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

I think I should go GWS.

SPEAKER_00 16:40

I'll go GWS as well. Gold Coast versus St Kilda.

SPEAKER_01 16:43

Oh that's so tricky. But I remember Melbourne vs. Saints in Darwin a few times ago. Um I'm gonna go Gold Coast.

SPEAKER_00 17:01

I'll go the Saints, Geelong versus Collingwood.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

Oh, that's so tricky. Um I think I might go Collingwood.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

I'll go Collingwood for Isaac as well. Melbourne versus West Coast.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

I'm gonna go Melbourne. I hope I'm wrong.

SPEAKER_00 17:16

I'll go West Coast. What calls an upset. Upset of the round. Richmond versus Adelaide.

SPEAKER_01 17:23

I'm gonna go Adelaide.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

I'll go Adelaide as well.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

Bye bye.

SPEAKER_00 17:27

Thanks for listening. Bye Bub.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

Woody forecast where we look up at the games ahead.