Now THAT’S a top day of footy

Tom Hawkins has booted five goals with Geelong, trumping reigning premiers Hawthorn by 19 points.

The Wests Tigers have edged out Parramatta to win 21-18 in front of more than 50,000 fans at ANZ Stadium.

That's 12 of the last 13, for the record. And Hawthorn reckons there's no such thing as the Kennett curse. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

WOW. Anyone got something for a sore thumb? Your reporter has just spent the most fantastically entertaining afternoon surfing the remote between two of the best football games you'll ever see.

The football season, which in both the AFL and NRL had sort of bumbled and stumbled along with no clearly defined storyline to date, is now officially on.

Here's what we know after an epic Easter Monday afternoon of footy action.

We know that the two teams who came last and second-last respectively in last year's NRL – the Wests Tigers and Parramatta Eels – are both the real deal in 2014.

And we know that the AFL premiership does not belong exclusively to Hawthorn, and that Geelong, the most consistently excellent team in football since 2007, is still as genuine a threat as ever.

In the NRL, the Tigers won 21-18. In truth, the Eels were the better team. They outscored the Tigers four tries to three. Jarryd Hayne is a genius. He is both playmaker and dangerous runner, and NSW could do a lot worse than consider him for the number six jersey.

Hayne was both a train and a plane tonight. And a real pain for the Tigers defence. Pic. Phil Hillyard Source: News Corp Australia

Chris Sandow is also finally actually earning the big bucks he's been pocketing for years now, while the outside backs and forwards are big, fast and skilful.

All that still somehow wasn't enough. Before a brilliant crowd by Sydney standards of 50,000 at ANZ stadium, the Tigers gutsed a win out in a manner which, let's be honest, was largely out of character for a team which has always been known for excitement rather than grit.

The Tigers scored two tries from intercepts and/or loose balls, with the boot of the evergreen Pat Richards and nerveless 19-year-old pat Richards ultimately proving the difference. It was a win grabbed rather than earned. But win they did.

Luke Brooks kicks the winning field goal. The teenager has poise beyond his years (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

So this we can now say with confidence. Both the Eels and Tigers are going places this year. Not saying either team will jog a victory lap, but there was nothing flukey about the play by both teams today, nothing sketchy, nothing overly loose. It was tough, entertaining football of a type which symbolised not just the rise of last year's dual cellar dwellers, but the genuine premiership aspirations of just about every team in the competition.

Manly, Melbourne, the Roosters and Rabbitohs no longer have this thing to themselves. That's the ultimate take home.

In the AFL, Geelong and Hawthorn entered today's match as competition front-runners. Whoever won would remain unbeaten and probably tear away from the pack. Most people thought that would be Hawthorn. They didn't reckon on a force of nature, who Bruce McAvaney, in his inimitably excitable and slightly drooling way, calls "Stevie J". The Cats went on to win 15.16 (106) to 12.15 (87)

He's getting better with age. Picture Jason Edwards. Source: News Corp Australia

Every time you thumb-flicked the TV back to the AFL, Steve Johnson had the ball and did something intelligent with it. With him and Hawkins and Bartel and Selwood, there is still much to love about the Cats' premiership chances. The bookies aren't yet convinced. The Cats remain third favourite behind the Hawks and Dockers, but you know that old saying about betting against champions…

So now we have a narrative in the AFL as well. We've got two or three standout teams at the top with an honourable mention to the rising Port Power. Then there's a pack of willing chasers who may or may not improve. The competition is still not as open as the NRL. But at least we know the Hawks are beatable.

Whatever the long term ramifications, this afternoon's action has really kick-started the season in both codes.

It's been hard to get a handle on the footy this year, no matter which code you follow. But now we've got something to chew on. In Australia's two biggest cities, in our two biggest stadiums, in a season when crowds have been at times disappointing, our two biggest codes today stood up and showed why so many people care – and why we should keep caring.

Here's hoping we see a few more afternoons like it.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Now THAT’S a top day of footy

Dengan url

http://kelapapantai.blogspot.com/2014/04/now-thatas-top-day-of-footy.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Now THAT’S a top day of footy

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Now THAT’S a top day of footy

sebagai sumbernya