1. The world turned upside down
EVERY generation has its own revolutionary. The 16th century had Galileo, with his crazy idea that the earth revolves around the sun. The 1980s had MC Hammer, with his crazy idea that you could wear enormous trousers and still have a successful pop career. And we have Joel Bowden, with his idea that you can chew up time at the end of a game by rushing behinds.
Watch Bowden changing football as we know it.
Yes, on Friday, rushed behinds were a small and little celebrated part of our game, appearing as sad little orphans on the stats sheet. Today, Bowden is a genius or a no-good in breach of the spirit of the game, depending on who you talk to.
Leigh Matthews wants the rules changed. Paul Roos has figured out that you can stop the tactic by deliberately conceding a 50m penalty. This would bring the ball out towards the middle, but could lead to the interesting situation where a team is trying to defend both ends of the ground.
Before too many enthusiastic first year players take Bowden's theory too far, we should point out that it works only while you are still ahead.
2. Cheer up, Choco!
AS AN ageing if largely unprincipled column, the Four Points is available for one-off consultancies, especially if it involves a number of green-coloured notes, a plane fare, or, at a pinch, a garden gnome in club colours.
Former Australian cricket coach* John Buchanan spent Showdown MCMLXXVII in Port Adelaide's coaching box on Sunday, to shed some light on the relationships between coaching staff and players. Afterwards, Buchanan concluded that Mark Williams and his matchday staff were a bit on the grumpy side, being too quick to criticise and too slow to praise.
While we can't promise the same kind of insight, the Four Points is exceptionally skilled at muttering, frowning and scribbling in a notebook. And, did we mention, affordable?
*The above item failed to refer to John Buchanan as Australian cricket's svengali. The Four Points would like to apologise to all concerned.
3. The persistence of Shaun McManus
RUMOURS of Shaun McManus's retirement are about as accurate as this column's use of roman numerals, says Fremantle.
McManus (he's the tallest one in the picture here), is 32. If he was a 'Merican, he'd barely be able to rent a car, but in football this makes him a sort of Father Time figure, especially at Fremantle, which appears to be undergoing rapid generational change.
Byron Schammer yesterday joined coach Mark Harvey in backing McManus to fight on, although only to the end of the season. That bell, Shaun – the one they used to ring for Peter? She tolls for thee.
4. Can’t touch this
WITH some clubs writing off their seasons and others scrapping desperately to stay in touch with the eight, this is the time of the year when club injury lists begin growing like an MC Hammer tax bill.
Chad Cornes pulled the pin on his season after beating the Crows on Sunday. A bunch of key Swans are in doubt for Saturday's match against Adelaide. Darren Glass could join Adam Hunter and Brett Jones on the sideline, leaving West Coast with a threadbare defence, while Carlton's Andrew Walker reckons he's a chance to shake a shoulder injury in time to face the Bulldogs.
But before you start feeling too sorry for yourselves, supporters of above-mentioned clubs – spare a thought for the Essendon fan in your life. The Bombers, if their latest injury list is to be believed, have 18 players on the sidelines – enough to form their own, barely mobile team.
If there's a flu outbreak at Windy Hill ahead of Saturday's game at the 'G, it might be wise for the cheer squad to take their own boots along.
WHAT'S COMING UP
What to look out for on afl.com.au this Tuesday
Team of the Week
Matt Burgan climbs his ladder of expertise to pluck the very highest hanging fruit from the AFL tree, before crash landing on a broken metaphor
NAB AFL Rising Star
Video highlights of this week's nominee in action, plus an exclusive interview
Return of the Terry
Richmond's coach returns from his sickbed for another fierce assault on Tuesdays
Essendon, Collingwood
News from both clubs ahead of Saturday's blockbuster at the MCG
St Kilda
Highlights and video as the Saints back up from their huge win over Hawthorn
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
