RICHO’S TOP 10: The AFL bye period is a blight on the game and ruins the momentum of the footy year

1. These bye rounds are a sure fire way to lose momentum in a season.

We finally had some continuity over the last six weeks, but now we enter another five-week stretch of teams sitting it out. The fixture is hard enough to put together without the restrictions they need to deal with from the players’ union, the AFLPA. Surely, they can get together at the end of the season and sort this out as soon as possible. I’ve said it many times: what about an industry-wide bye for one weekend mid-season? Showcase the under-18 championships or an AFLW representative game. It’s got to be better than what we have now.

2. When your team doesn’t have success for a long time, it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I know that as a Tigers fan who went through a 37-year premiership drought. It probably feels that way for Blues and Bombers fans, with both clubs having sacked their coach yet again in the last three weeks. It’s now 31 years since the Blues last won and 26 years for the Bombers. In world sport, there are plenty of supporter groups suffering longer droughts. One of these is a current 53-year championship drought for the NBA’s New York Knicks, who last won in 1973. They are off to good start in ending that drought by winning game one of the seven game NBA Finals today. Imagine the party in New York City if they win! So hang tough, Blues and Bombers fans. It will happen again. Trust me.

3. Carlton should make it four in a row against the Bombers this weekend.

What a start Josh Fraser has had to his coaching career. He is the first Carlton coach since David Parkin in 1981 to win his first three games in charge (Parkin won his first five). Parkin was taking over a team that finished the 1980 season with 17 wins in second spot. What’s Fraser done? Well, firstly, under Michael Voss, Carlton already had a very good, contested ball and clearance game. This is a good foundation to work with. He’s moved a few players to different spots: Adam Cerra to the wing, got Ben Ainsworth more involved in the midfield, Harry McKay is getting ruck time and George Hewett is playing forward more often. All have worked. On the ball-movement side, they’re playing with fewer long kicks, more aggressive corridor kicks, and more handball chains. The Blues faithful are back in town. After the Bombers they play the Giants, the Eagles, Tigers and the Hawks. With the form they are in they could win three of those and are definitely in the wildcard hunt.

4. Here is my All-Australian team at the halfway point of the season.

Backline: Tom Stewart, Cal Wilkie, James Sicily. Half-backs: Wayne Milera, Tom McCartin, Nick Blakey. Centres: Ollie Dempsey, Marcus Bontempelli, Max Holmes. Half-forward line: Shai Bolton, Jeremy Cameron, Kozzy Pickett. Forwards: Jack Gunston, Ben King, Nick Watson. Rucks: Brodie Grundy, Bailey Smith, Nick Daicos. Bench: Luke Jackson, Christian Petracca, Isaac Heeney, Zac Butters, Murphy Reid. I only picked one true winger in Ollie Dempsey because of his 12 goals. Come at me, haters lol. There are no winners when picking All-Australian teams.

5. My Brownlow pick at halfway is exactly as it was at the start of the season: Bontempelli.

This man should have won one already, and with the Dogs building again, I think this can be his year. Heeney wouldn’t be far away, and Bailey Smith will be right there as well.

6. My Rising Star at this point is Carlton’s Jagga Smith.

This award normally goes to the guy who plays nearly every game, and Jagga has done that to this point. His lowest disposal count in any game is 17, and he has had over 20 touches in nine of his 12 games. Over the last few weeks, his score involvements have gone up as well, showing that he is starting to be a more damaging player. A close second would be West Coast’s Willem Duursma. Both will be 200-gamers. If I had to crystal ball it, I’d predict Duursma may end up the bigger star. I just think he has a bit more upside in his game with his marking prowess.

7. This one is quick and simple. The AFL must overturn the decision made a few weeks back to not let the play be stopped by the ARC once the ball is back in play from a kick-in.

This comes off the back of the Ollie Dempsey goal being incorrectly given as a point last Friday. Yes, we certainly don’t want play being stopped a minute or so later. But for decisions like Dempsey’s, which could have been overturned in 10 seconds, the ARC must intervene. Imagine if it happens in the grand final.

8. Game of the round this weekend for mine is the Sunday afternoon Channel Seven game at the SCG.

The Swans are sitting pretty in second spot and playing a brand of football that always threatens. Their opponents, St Kilda, desperately need a win against a fancied opponent. There was much excitement around the Saints from their fan base over the summer with the cash splurge on Liam Ryan, Sam Flanders, Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni. At 5-7, it has not lived up to the hype down at Moorabbin. Liam Ryan has been injured, and now Flanders is out for the season with an Achilles injury. De Koning has not been able to live up to the big-dollar billing yet either. Silvagni has been solid and gave them something in attack last week. There has been improvement in players like Max Hall, Riley Garcia, Darcy Wilson, and Mattaes Phillipou, but at the end of the day, they need the four points. This would be huge if the Saints could find a way to cause a boilover.

9. Look at the periods of domination of the great teams since 2000 — sides that won three premierships.

The first was Brisbane (2001–2004), second was the Cats (2007–2011), then the Hawks (2012–2016), and the Tigers (2017–2020). Three of those four teams had runs of four years. The Cats never really dropped down, but their grand final run lasted for five years. That really feels like the length of time a team can truly stay at the top of the heap. I thought the current Brisbane team was capable of doing what those other great teams had done, mainly because of their age demographic. But after three losses in a row — two of them convincing defeats — it feels like it might be over for now. It certainly will be if they lose to Gold Coast this week. A flag from 6-7 is highly improbable; no team in the AFL era has won it from 6-7.

10. Remember some of these club presidents: Jeff Kennett, Jack Elliott, Eddie McGuire, Peter Gordon, Frank Costa, David Smorgon, Richard Colless, and Tony Cochrane?

I could name a lot more going right back. These guys all had a massive public presence — front and square at every contest and on the front foot looking after their respective club’s interests. They might not have always got it right, but they took on AFL headquarters. Well, they all seem to have disappeared. I would seriously struggle to name half the club presidents now. I’m sure they are all doing a great job, but I do miss those big public personalities leading our clubs.