It was nightmare stuff, truly harrowing. With a sadistic mob of 40,000 angry and ugly Collingwood supporters booing and jeering with the outrage that only true heartbreak can bring, Dale Thomas - the recipient of a rather soft free kick - lines up for goal. Even with his extensive Collingwood highlight reel, one doubts whether Thomas has ever heard the Black and White army roar with so much unencumbered joy as the moment that that kick veered wildly off his boot, failing to even make the distance.
That wasn't even the worst part. Later in the game he would fail to clear the relatively short Luke Ball who was standing his mark, and end up on his back after a misguided attempt to add some extra spice to the contest. His teammates were nowhere to be seen at this point, an acknowledgement of defeat on what was a dark night for Carlton, and a glorious one for Collingwood.
The problem is, however, that hating Carlton isn't all that much fun anymore. I tried to watch the replay on Saturday morning, but even my more sadistic side couldn't enjoy watching it. They are so ordinary, so utterly non-competitive; almost lifeless. The supporters, usually high on their own sense of superiority, are now broken men with empty faces. Stumbling hopelessly out of the MCG back to their meagre existence and not even bothering to call Mark Fine to talk up the potential of Levi Casboult.
And isn't that why we all love football?
The Monday Wrap
Friday:
Collingwood 104 defeated Carlton 70
Saturday:
Hawthorn 175 defeated St. Kilda 30
Port Adelaide 132 defeated GWS 97
Melbourne 70 defeated Adelaide 67
Sydney 123 defeated Brisbane 44
Essendon 73 defeated Bulldogs 65
Sunday:
Gold Coast 120 defeated North Melbourne 77
Geelong 81 defeated North Melbourne 76
Fremantle 73 defeated West Coast 54
Ladder
Hawthorn - 24 - 181.34% - (WWLWW)
Port Adelaide - 24 - 153.92% - (LWWWW)
Geelong - 24 - 125.24% - (WWWLW)
Collingwood - 20 - 112.97% - (LWWWW)
Gold Coast - 20 - 102.44% - (WLWWW)
Fremantle - 16 - 120.32% - (LWLLW)
Sydney - 16 - 118.74% - (WLWWW)
North Melbourne - 16 - 95.58% - (WWLWL)
West Coast - 12 - 114.43% - (WLLLL)Essendon - 12 - 105.83% - (WLLLW)Adelaide - 12 - 100.31% - (LWWWL)St. Kilda - 12 - 67.79% - (LLWLL)
Richmond - 8 - 88.53% - (LLWLL)
GWS - 8 - 84.76% - (WLLLL)Western Bulldogs - 8 - 83.87% - (WWLLL)Carlton - 8 - 78.92% - (LLWWL)
Melbourne - 8 - 71.82% - (LWLLW)
Brisbane - 4 - 55.97% - (LLLWL)
In the news...
Eddie McGuire's King Kong gaffe last year has cost him his friendship with Adam Goodes. "Friends don't make jokes about friends like that" Goodes told a Sydney business function.
Self-belief is high at Tigerland after an honourable loss to Geelong. "I'm confident and have full belief in this football club and full belief in the playing group" full-support-of-the-boarded Jack Riewoldt.
St. Kilda's stinking injury run has continued, losing Jarryn Geary for 12 weeks with an elbow sustained in the Saints record 145 point loss to the Hawks.
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