Round 13- Big Freeze!

The AFL heads into the King's Birthday long weekend with one of the most important rounds of the season so far. Top-eight contenders collide, rivalry matches take centre stage, and several clubs face must-win games as the race for finals positions begins to intensify. 

We'll discuss the biggest storylines, key selection news, players under pressure, and the three biggest things to watch in every game as clubs make their move toward September. With byes beginning to impact the competition and wildcard positions becoming a genuine talking point, every result carries extra significance this weekend.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Let's get into a podcast.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

Okay, Max. Round 12 was an exciting one.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Yeah, pretty exciting. Some good wins. Some good play.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

Some close games.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:42

At least we didn't lose a coach this round.

SPEAKER_01 0:44

Nope. Now we've got stories and signs. Well, we break down the week that was. Diving into the biggest moments, the wins and the losses.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

Let's get into it. Okay, first game we've got Hawthorne versus St. Kilda. Can you believe Max? St Kilda went goalless for first half of football.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

What?

SPEAKER_00 1:08

Did not kick a goal.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

Some of the Hawthorne players commented and said I didn't know how to react. I've never played in a game with the other team haven't kicked a goal. Gunson was on fire.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

I don't know how many he kicked. I think he kicked like five or two.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Yeah, he kicked kick five. Leading the Coleman Medal. He is not playing this week, he's having a rest.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

But Hawthorne did what they needed to against the Saints and put him away.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Yeah. No, we had Carlton Geelong. That was a pretty impressive game. Carlton come back and win by four.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

Great win.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

Great win. Close one.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

All the comments this week is Carlton could be a chance of the wild card position on the ladder.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Yeah, I think they're like 13th now.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

Which are pretty close.

SPEAKER_00 1:57

Patty Cripps took a screamer at the end of the game to kick it off.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

That good one. If any of the listeners watch the bounce, the skipper needs to take the mark on the final few seconds. Patty Cripps. He didn't win the um mark of the week. Um I think Michael Selwood won.

SPEAKER_00 2:18

He was up for the one of the awards, was he?

SPEAKER_01 2:20

He was up for one of the nominees.

SPEAKER_00 2:24

And then we got Sydney versus Richmond. A big win by Sydney, winning by 114 points. Massive win. But he scored 200 points, so 170. Charlie Curnow kicked eight.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

That was only two points last when they burst us.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Yeah. Isaac Heaney dominated five goals and 32 touches. They look good, Sydney.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

Now go into Fremantle, Brisbane. Fremantle extends their winning streak. They made it to 11 wins in uh the Premiership favourites right now. Top of the ladder, pretty much always premiership favourites.

SPEAKER_00 3:06

They're looking good again. Win away from home.

SPEAKER_01 3:10

It was a bit of a like rat fighty game. They were a bit fighty.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

Good at wrestling.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

Patty Ross, he tries to stand up for them but doesn't really do well. No offense.

SPEAKER_00 3:24

No, but no, it's a good win by Freo. They look good. Everyone's booking their grand final tickets.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

We had Bulldogs and Collingwood. Bulldogs pull off a four-point victory against the Magpyers.

SPEAKER_00 3:39

Great game.

SPEAKER_01 3:40

Yeah, Isaac, if you're listening, I'm sorry that they won. I even tips the dogs. So please don't hit me at footy.

SPEAKER_00 3:50

They played well, the Bulldogs, and Collingwood managed to scrape the game to keep it really close, but they couldn't get the win. Collingwood kept it close all day.

SPEAKER_01 4:05

Very good.

SPEAKER_00 4:07

GWS versus Melbourne up in Alice Springs. Bit of an upset here, GWS winning the game by 49 points. We would have thought Melbourne would have came in and made this game a bit closer given the form they've been in.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:20

But the orange tsunami seems to be getting a bit of momentum.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

A bit of it. They've been losing some games that they should really win, like when they versed Essendon.

SPEAKER_00 4:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Saints.

SPEAKER_00 4:32

Well let's see. It is only halfway.

SPEAKER_01 4:35

They can they this is like a really tactic.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

Well it's it is only halfway during the year, they've got plenty of time for.

SPEAKER_01 4:44

What they are doing there they're winning against the top teams, but losing against the bottom teams.

SPEAKER_00 4:53

You want to be beating the bottom teams.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

You want to be beating the bottom teams and hopefully beating the top teams.

SPEAKER_00 4:59

Correct. That's like the second half of the year they can improve again.

SPEAKER_01 5:02

Yep. Then we had West Coast versus Essendon. Eagles finally get an important win. This WA Day win.

SPEAKER_00 5:12

Back to back.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

Back to back. Wait. No, they didn't win WA Day last year.

SPEAKER_00 5:18

No, uh back-to-back wins.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

Oh yeah, back to back wins. They won back to back. They've actually played pretty well, the Eagles.

SPEAKER_00 5:28

No, we lost to Collingwood last week, then it beat it to us.

SPEAKER_01 5:33

Um yeah, it was actually a pretty good game. I think it wasn't great weather here, so very windy.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

Squally day.

SPEAKER_01 5:43

Windy. It wasn't it was really raining during the day, it just wasn't really like rainy during the game. It was nice and calm but just windy.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

But they play well. And Reuben Gibney's now signed up till 2030. That's a big result for the Eagles this week.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

Jimmy's a good defender, so it would be good to play him. I have footy forecasts where we look up at the games ahead.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

First game, we've got Adelaide versus Geelong. This should be a close game. Adelaide coming off a bye, Geelong coming off a close loss. It could go either way. I'm expecting a bit of wet weather in Adelaide too.

SPEAKER_01 6:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:27

So it should be a tight contest.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

Yeah. Now we've got Hawthorne versus the Bulldogs at the G. Friday night, three things to watch are top eight implications. Hawthorne's injury concerns. Bulldog's midfield pressure.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

Hawke's got a few injuries. Bulldogs have got Cody Waitman coming back after 152 days without a game. He's playing his first game back. That's exciting for the Bulldogs.

SPEAKER_01 7:02

When I got a footing pack card, I got his card and I was like, I haven't seen him, I don't think he plays for them anymore.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

He still plays there, plays his first game for the year today. Tonight. Or Friday night.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

Friday night.

SPEAKER_00 7:17

Then we have North Melbourne versus Freo down there.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

Down in Bunbury.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

Down in Bunbury. North Melbourne home game down in Bunbury. Can the Dockers make it 12 straight?

SPEAKER_01 7:26

Well, I think they can. North Melbourne aren't a great team.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

They're not, but they have been improving.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

Yeah, like when they Sydney at Marble.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Nearly beat, didn't he? They beat Gold Coast. So who knows? Let's see how much North has improved against someone like the Dockers.

SPEAKER_01 7:42

Then we have Gold Coast Brisbane, a people first stadium in Gold Coast. The key class the key clash rivalry. This one's gonna be a good one because they're both about the same.

SPEAKER_00 7:57

Um near the spot on the ladder. Brisbane's form is really slumping. They're playing terribly the last few weeks, and Gold Coast need to win to prove that they can play finals.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Yeah, so this is gonna be like one of the games of the match.

SPEAKER_00 8:12

I think so.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

Then we've got West Coast Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium. Can West Coast finally back up last week's win? Port Adelaide's ability to win clearances and field position and field and field possession could prove dis decisive.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

I mean the Eagles won a close game in Adelaide earlier in the year against Port.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

So it'd be interesting this game.

SPEAKER_01 8:42

Yeah. I only just realized that there's a prediction on the um notes that we did to see who's gonna win. The prediction is Port Adelaide by 15.

SPEAKER_00 8:55

I reckon they were wrong, that prediction.

SPEAKER_01 8:57

I reckon they're so wrong. I think it's gonna be Eagles by 10.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

Oh, let's see. Then we've got Sydney St Kilda against Sydney at home, playing good footy. They just put the Tigers away. So I'd expect them to do the same with St Kilda here. But can St Kilda respond after a terrible game against Hawks?

SPEAKER_01 9:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Not very often you cannot kick a goal in the half of football.

SPEAKER_01 9:24

I know. So they remember like the last time I even saw it was like when I was literally about three years old.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

Yeah, it doesn't happen very often. Well, there you go. So it should be an easy game for Sydney, but expect to bounce back by St. Kilda.

unknown 9:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:45

Essendon Carlton on Sunday night. Two rivalries go head to head.

unknown 9:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

Carlton in really good form. Essendon in not so good form. Second game under a new coach. Been a lot of talk about James Heard coming back to Essendon still, but we really want to see Essendon's response. Can they play four quarters of solid football and challenge Carlton or can Carlton continue the their hot streak?

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Yeah, I think Essendon, I think it would be a better decision to get Heard than Solomon. Uh because like he's coached already.

unknown 10:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:28

Now we've got Collingwood Melbourne, the big freeze match on King's birthday. This is a Monday match, so if you're in Perth, you won't be able to watch it.

SPEAKER_00 10:38

Well you can, it's not school.

SPEAKER_01 10:40

Yeah. We'll have to like record it on like Netflix or on like Foxtel or something. Can't believe I was going to say Netflix. Um yeah. King's birthday. This is gonna be a close one. I had a look at the odds a few days ago. And for this one, it's a tied odds. It's $1.90 to $1.90.

SPEAKER_00 11:05

Melbourne rebound form. King Collin would win a close game.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

It should be a cracker.

SPEAKER_01 11:10

Very good one.

SPEAKER_00 11:11

And good game for the big freeze, because we had the passing of Neil Danahead last week. And this was his game, so it'd be a really exciting and emotional game.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

Everybody needs to buy a big freeze beanie too.

SPEAKER_00 11:23

Have your big freeze beanie on.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

I will. I'm gonna wear it at school and my socks.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

Alright, Max, let's get into the tips. Adelaide versus Delong. I'll go Adelaide too. Hawthorne Bulldogs.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

Hawks.

SPEAKER_00 11:36

I'll go the Hawks. North Melbourne versus Fremantle.

SPEAKER_01 11:40

Fremantle together.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

I'll go Fremantle. Gold Coast Brisbane. The Suns as well. West Coast versus Port.

SPEAKER_01 11:50

Gonna go West Coast.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

I'll go West Coast, Sydney versus St. Kilda.

SPEAKER_01 11:54

I'm gonna go Sydney.

SPEAKER_00 11:55

I'll go Sydney. Essendon versus Carleton.

SPEAKER_01 11:58

I'm gonna go Carlton.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

I'll go Carlton as well. And then wrap it up. Collingwood versus Melbourne. I'll go Melbourne too. Alright everyone, thanks for listening.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Bye-bye.