2019 Multicultural AFL TV and Radio Show - Round 4

AFL Football Show Presenters: Vanessa Gatica, Habir Singh Kang and Gabriel D'Angelo

The Multicultural AFL Football TV & Radio Show - Round 4

By Fiv Antoniou  

10/04/2019

This week: Live match broadcast on 3ZZZ Digital, North Melbourne v. Adelaide Crows from Marvel Stadium. The Dinka (Sudanese) Broadcast starts at 7:20pm Saturday night.

Before I preview Round 4, I am going to write about the increasing number of inconsistent umpiring decisions that defy explanation since the beginning of the 2019 season. Last weekend, some of the umpires' decisions, or lack thereof, to award free kicks mesmerised players, coaches, journalists, commentators and frustrated spectators.

A “push in the back” free kick that wasn’t paid was a blatant infringement by Buddy Franklin on Liam Jones during the Carlton v. Swans game. According to the umpire officiating, Franklin’s push on Jones was waved as play-on denying the Carlton player the free kick and resulting in an easy Swans goal. The rule which was recently changed has developed a new interpretation with some TV commentators suggesting that the AFL, not satisfied with the 6-6-6 rule that produced small total scores in the first two weeks of the season, may have instructed umpires to be more pro-active in enhancing scoring opportunities!

The AFL constantly changes or tweaks the rules to improve the game but the new interpretations to the old rules are quite perplexing. Take, for instance, the “incorrect disposal of the ball” rule. It seems to me that rule doesn’t exist anymore except in cases of prior opportunity in order to maintain the speed of the game. Incorrect disposal or dropping the ball should be a hard and fast non-negotiable infringement, whether the ball drops from hands, slips accidentally, is knocked out or if a player is caught with the ball.

Speed, scoring goals and entertainment or trying to sell the “wow factor” of the game to the world are not the only issues to consider. The AFL has a duty to respect players’ safety and well-being, which brings the interchange factor to question. The game is now too fast and is costing unnecessary injuries because of the “fresh off the bench” interchange player tackling the tired player constantly throughout a match. The physical exertion, impact, ligament damage and in many cases concussion is enough to have a lasting detrimental effect on a player’s health in later years so it might be time to slow the game down a little and watch our champions last a couple of more years before retiring!

There are also the silly rules, such as the “taking of the knees” regulation, which hugely varies from inconsistent umpire interpretations and the kindergarten standard “raise your hand” rule if you want to ruck the ball. Sometimes it’s more expedient to leave a rule untouched rather than make a ridiculous change.

Moving right along to my preview of the games scheduled for the fourth round of the AFL. Thursday night at the SCG the Swans take on the Demons. In their current form, I don’t think Melbourne can even recite “winner, winner, chicken dinner” let alone beat the Swans at home. For the punters at home the Sydney Swans by 17 points.

Friday’s game will be a little more interesting in that for a while, the hot and cold Western Bulldogs may push Collingwood, however, the ‘Pies will end up with a comprehensive victory at the “G”.

A bumper 5 matches are scheduled for Saturday, the most significant of which is Geelong v. the GWS Giants. Geelong is the in-form team, while the Giants are playing fast and hard football which may worry the Cats. I am leaning towards a draw but for one factor –The game is being played at Geelong and the Cats will prevail. The Brisbane Lions travel South to the MCG for their clash with Essendon. The Lions with three wins out of three will have the confidence and belief to beat the Bombers and make it 4 out of 4.

Port Adelaide go head to head in a twilight game with Richmond at the Adelaide Oval. The Power will turn it on and roll all over the suspension and injury affected Richmond Tigers. North Melbourne and Adelaide clash at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night. This game may prove to be the game of the round as I think it will be close and could go either way. North showed some good form last week but fell in a heap late while the Crows at home went down to the Cats. Adelaide did enough last week to convince me that they could be better than the ‘Roos. The other game on Saturday night comes from Optus Stadium in Perth, where West Coast Eagles and Fremantle meet to settle the local derby bragging rights. Based purely on form, the Eagles will win!

The last two games of the fourth round take place on Sunday. The Gold Coast Suns would be feeling very confident after their win against the Western Bulldogs last week and will be a force to be reckoned with, especially playing at home. Carlton has played three tough games and should be able to do better against a weaker opponent such as the Suns. The Blues will have their first win of the season at the Gold Coast.

Last game of the day will see St.Kilda take on the Hawks at Marvel Stadium. A hard battle is waiting to be won. Hawthorn impressed me last week in coming back from North Melbourne’s onslaught to win the game, but what impressed me more was the tenacity and the fight in St. Kilda and if they had another tall forward they would have won the game against Freo last week- So it’s the Saints over the Hawks this time around.

Well that’s it from me –see you next week!

Round 4: I am picking: Sydney, Collingwood, Geelong, Brisbane, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, West Coast Eagles, Carlton and St. Kilda (Progressive tip score: 14)

Don’t forget to listen to the NEMBC’s Live match broadcast on 3ZZZ Digital, North Melbourne v. Adelaide Crows from Marvel Stadium. The Dinka (Sudanese) Broadcast starts at 7:20 Saturday night.

To listen or download visit the NEMBC website, or on NEMBC Soundcloud. The Multicultural AFL Footy Show is also available in English all around Australia on the Community Radio Network. The AFL News is available in Arabic, Dinka, Hindi, Greek, Italian, Mandarin and Spanish languages. You can view the Multicultural AFL Football TV Show -C31 Melbourne & Geelong on Thursdays at 7:30 pm, C44 Adelaide Friday 6:00 pm, on Aurora–Foxtel at 11:30 am Saturdays and on YouTube. For all enquiries please email: operations@nembc.org.au