09-17-2023, 10:16 PM
Sorry, it is long and behind a paywall, but well worth the read!!
Craig O'Donoghue - Carlton’s Patrick Cripps, Blake Acres and Sam Docherty prove what real toughness is about: thewest.com.au/sport/afl/crai…
There’s a massive difference between acting tough and being tough when it comes to playing Australian Rules football.
Carlton wingman Blake Acres, captain Patrick Cripps and former skipper Sam Docherty produced shining examples of what real footy toughness is during Friday night’s cut throat semi final win over Melbourne at the MCG as too many Demons wasted time being fake tough.
Acres is playing with a shoulder injury, everyone knows it and everyone knows he’s in pain. But by playing tough footy, he made himself a Carlton hero.
When Lachie Hunter tackled him to the ground early in the first quarter, Acres landed on his shoulder and it was obvious that it hurt. But he got back up.
Less than 40 seconds later, Adam Tomlinson shoved Acres into the path of Christian Salem. The Blue lost his balance and crashed to the turf. He was visibly shaken. But he got back up.
Alex Neal-Bullen tried to rattle Acres by constantly bumping, nudging or pushing him in the shoulder. But Acres kept focusing on the footy.
And with one minute and 52 seconds left in the game, Acres made a crucial decision to run back with the flight of the ball and jump into Jake Lever’s path to deny the Demon the chance to attempt an intercept mark. Carlton trailed by five points and that ball simply had to come to ground.
Acres didn’t have to put his injured body on the line. Nobody would have noticed if he’d jogged to be front and square instead of pushing harder to get to that contest. But he chose to put his body on the line for very little reward. That’s real toughness.
“Premierships aren’t won by acting tough. Premierships are won by being tough. Melbourne should spend the summer remembering that.”
Then he drifted forward the goal square where he marked a kick from Docherty and kicked the match winning goal. Docherty’s toughness was amazing. He dislocated his left shoulder shortly before half-time but got up and played out the game. Without Docherty and Acres, the Blues wouldn’t have won.
That’s courage. That’s being footy tough.
What’s not being footy tough is Kysaiah Pickett jumper punching Mitch McGovern in the opening minutes of the first quarter. Joel Smith had just taken a mark and was lining up for goal from about 25m out on a slight angle.
Remember, Melbourne lost by two points. The umpire reversed the kick, costing the Dees that crucial shot for goal.
Pickett received a $1500 fine for that bit of fake toughness He’s lucky that wasn’t a suspension. But he wasn’t done. Pickett also chose to bump Cripps to the head in the second term.
He didn’t need to make contact, but he couldn’t help himself. Everyone knew Cripps was carrying sore ribs and that made him a target. Cripps left the field under the blood rule but returned and had 27 possessions, nine clearances and six tackles. That’s real toughness.
Pickett has been offered a one-match ban for his fake toughness on the Carlton captain.
It’s not the first time Pickett has tried to be fake tough this year. He launched himself like a missile into Bailey Smith in the opening round in a horrible example of what the AFL is trying to stamp out of the game.
He copped a two-game ban for that. It could have been more. Clearly he didn’t learn his lesson.
Tom Sparrow decided to be fake tough too late on Friday night too. With 4:53 remaining and Melbourne leading by three points, Sparrow shoved Adam Cerra to ground as he crossed the boundary line.
It wasn’t necessary but also wasn’t a free kick, which led to Sam Walsh confronting him.
Sparrow’s response was to grab Walsh by the jumper and throw him head-first into the fence. That’s fake tough.
Melbourne should have been setting up for a boundary throw in where Max Gawn could have exerted his authority over the contest. Instead, Walsh took the free kick and the Blues went forward. The AFL has fined Sparrow for that incident and he should be extremely thankful he’s not missing round one.
Any D-Grade suburban footballer can hand out jumper punches, late high bumps or throw someone into a fence. Fake toughness is everywhere at that level. More is expected when you’re playing in an AFL final.
Without disrespecting Acres, he wasn’t known as one of the AFL’s hard men at St Kilda or Fremantle. But he’s ignored pain and injury to kick the winning goals in consecutive finals for Carlton. He’s become a navy Blue hero. No matter what else he achieves in his career, he’ll now be lauded for being tough.
Finals bravado often leads to fake toughness. But it rarely works.
Premierships aren’t won by acting tough. Premierships are won by being tough.
Melbourne should spend the summer remembering that.
Craig O'Donoghue - Carlton’s Patrick Cripps, Blake Acres and Sam Docherty prove what real toughness is about: thewest.com.au/sport/afl/crai…
There’s a massive difference between acting tough and being tough when it comes to playing Australian Rules football.
Carlton wingman Blake Acres, captain Patrick Cripps and former skipper Sam Docherty produced shining examples of what real footy toughness is during Friday night’s cut throat semi final win over Melbourne at the MCG as too many Demons wasted time being fake tough.
Acres is playing with a shoulder injury, everyone knows it and everyone knows he’s in pain. But by playing tough footy, he made himself a Carlton hero.
When Lachie Hunter tackled him to the ground early in the first quarter, Acres landed on his shoulder and it was obvious that it hurt. But he got back up.
Less than 40 seconds later, Adam Tomlinson shoved Acres into the path of Christian Salem. The Blue lost his balance and crashed to the turf. He was visibly shaken. But he got back up.
Alex Neal-Bullen tried to rattle Acres by constantly bumping, nudging or pushing him in the shoulder. But Acres kept focusing on the footy.
And with one minute and 52 seconds left in the game, Acres made a crucial decision to run back with the flight of the ball and jump into Jake Lever’s path to deny the Demon the chance to attempt an intercept mark. Carlton trailed by five points and that ball simply had to come to ground.
Acres didn’t have to put his injured body on the line. Nobody would have noticed if he’d jogged to be front and square instead of pushing harder to get to that contest. But he chose to put his body on the line for very little reward. That’s real toughness.
“Premierships aren’t won by acting tough. Premierships are won by being tough. Melbourne should spend the summer remembering that.”
Then he drifted forward the goal square where he marked a kick from Docherty and kicked the match winning goal. Docherty’s toughness was amazing. He dislocated his left shoulder shortly before half-time but got up and played out the game. Without Docherty and Acres, the Blues wouldn’t have won.
That’s courage. That’s being footy tough.
What’s not being footy tough is Kysaiah Pickett jumper punching Mitch McGovern in the opening minutes of the first quarter. Joel Smith had just taken a mark and was lining up for goal from about 25m out on a slight angle.
Remember, Melbourne lost by two points. The umpire reversed the kick, costing the Dees that crucial shot for goal.
Pickett received a $1500 fine for that bit of fake toughness He’s lucky that wasn’t a suspension. But he wasn’t done. Pickett also chose to bump Cripps to the head in the second term.
He didn’t need to make contact, but he couldn’t help himself. Everyone knew Cripps was carrying sore ribs and that made him a target. Cripps left the field under the blood rule but returned and had 27 possessions, nine clearances and six tackles. That’s real toughness.
Pickett has been offered a one-match ban for his fake toughness on the Carlton captain.
It’s not the first time Pickett has tried to be fake tough this year. He launched himself like a missile into Bailey Smith in the opening round in a horrible example of what the AFL is trying to stamp out of the game.
He copped a two-game ban for that. It could have been more. Clearly he didn’t learn his lesson.
Tom Sparrow decided to be fake tough too late on Friday night too. With 4:53 remaining and Melbourne leading by three points, Sparrow shoved Adam Cerra to ground as he crossed the boundary line.
It wasn’t necessary but also wasn’t a free kick, which led to Sam Walsh confronting him.
Sparrow’s response was to grab Walsh by the jumper and throw him head-first into the fence. That’s fake tough.
Melbourne should have been setting up for a boundary throw in where Max Gawn could have exerted his authority over the contest. Instead, Walsh took the free kick and the Blues went forward. The AFL has fined Sparrow for that incident and he should be extremely thankful he’s not missing round one.
Any D-Grade suburban footballer can hand out jumper punches, late high bumps or throw someone into a fence. Fake toughness is everywhere at that level. More is expected when you’re playing in an AFL final.
Without disrespecting Acres, he wasn’t known as one of the AFL’s hard men at St Kilda or Fremantle. But he’s ignored pain and injury to kick the winning goals in consecutive finals for Carlton. He’s become a navy Blue hero. No matter what else he achieves in his career, he’ll now be lauded for being tough.
Finals bravado often leads to fake toughness. But it rarely works.
Premierships aren’t won by acting tough. Premierships are won by being tough.
Melbourne should spend the summer remembering that.