Round 4: Sturt v West - Sunday 26 April @ Peter Motley Oval

Sturt had a disappointing loss to South last week, while West had a solid win over Adelaide. Will Sturt bounce back for their second win of the year, or will West make it 3 wins in a row?

Westies' in a thriller, they'll win by 2 points in a seesawing game

I'm reluctant to pick against Sturt at home, but Westies by 7pts.

West by 34

West's record at Unley is terrible in recent years. Sturt will play it well. Although Kirkwood had 25 touches against South, he wasn't effective and that had a big effect.

West lack a tall key forward and will need to put enormous pressure on Sturt to win.

I think West have far more midfield rotations and this could make a difference.

Hard to pick against Sturt at Unley against West, so if West win it will show they're the real deal this year.

Sturt at home by 5 points.

Sturt by 10 points

Sturt will bounce back.

Witnessed Seamus giving the players a baking at 3/4 time at the South v Sturt game. Reckon they will respond.

Westies impressive but still feel Sturt will win by 2 goals.

Sturt at home just. West a lot better than most people including myself thought

Sturt 13.5 83
def
West Adelaide 8.9 57

Stuffed that tip up, Sturt play Unley Oval well and seem to have Westies measure there. Must have been frustrating for West Adelaide fans to see their side bag only a point in the last 1/4.

Was a great game of footy to commentate today and pretty level pegging for most of the contest. Sturt too good in the end with an impressive 5 goal final term.

Despite a quiet opening 3 terms, Michael Coad showed his class in the final term, kicking 2 important majors.

Once again, I can't believe how Jono Beech isn't on an AFL list? That guy has amazing talent and deserves a shot at the next level...

Westies could have a few concerns heading into the game against the Dogs next week, mainly from a playing personnel perspective, perhaps?

Daniel Webb with looked to be another serious injury (ankle?), Travis Tuck cited for striking John Greenslade off the ball (referral) and possibly Brad Helbig in a bit of trouble for his final term brain-fade.

Nonetheless, an important win for the Double Blues and a good bounce back from their poor 3rd term last weekend against South Adelaide...

Finally, I was impressed with debutant Seb Weich for home side today...

Didn't think there was anything in the Helbig incident at all.
West lacked a key forward and have missed Hardy and Middleton so far this year.

Webby is a very important player for the bloods it's just so unfortunate he's had a bad run with injury over the past couple of years

Who has cited Travis Tuck, BP?

Lee wrote:Who has cited Travis Tuck, BP?

The Umpires Observers, on the day, I believe...

I was commentating the passage of play when the incident took place and it was right in the middle of the camera shot...

The Match Review Panel would have picked it up straight away if not already cited but I did hear, post-game, that the incident had been referred and will be reviewed post game, Lee.

Both the Travis Tuck and Brad Helbig incidents I mentioned above are shown in the Sturt v West highlights on the latest edition of The Recovery Session, as below:

Both incidents were dumb. Tuck may get a fine or a game. Helbig nothing to worry about.

Those highlights give a somewhat inaccurate (like West's goalkicking) impression of the game, by showing so much of the last quarter. West dominated for long patches and had more Inside 50's, but wasted their chances and didn't have a marking forward.

I look forward to the Recovery Session highlighting 'misdemeanours' by all sides during a game for the Match Review Panel in future. Not sure how appropriate that is before anyone is notified of any players cited.

PS: The nice mark by the West debutant was Francis, not 'Anderson'. Easy to make such a mistake during a call, so just for clarification.

I'm still also coming to grips with Doug Oakley's description of a player having 'tentacles like a crab'

PS, Big Phil.

I'll also look forward to West's sponsors getting a big plug next broadcast from City Mazda.

Do you always do that?

In the games Ive seen the RS has highlighted incidents every week. Like you, I'd question whether that's their job.

Thanks for that, Scrunch. I have no problem with it if the club has been notified first.

I don't know if that was done, to be fair.

Tuck a game, Helbig nothing?

BloodnTars wrote:Both incidents were dumb. Tuck may get a fine or a game. Helbig nothing to worry about.

Tuck offered 2 games with a reduction to 1 for an early guilty plea...

http://www.sanfl.com.au/news/sanfl_news/2917/

Helbig's was dumb, for sure. Not a turning point in the game, but would have been worst if Hansen had kicked 2 in 30 seconds...

Then, Helbig got in a bit of a verbal altercation with the Sturt runner, coming off the ground, Zane Kirkwood and someone in the crowd...

Wasn't a good look and showed that he can easily be razzed up to get a reaction. Other teams may look to expose that, now?

Wasn't good by Helbig, but that's a bit one-sided, Phil.

The vision clearly shows he was on the ground and was then needlessly pushed by a Sturt player,

The vision then shows clearly Kirkwood razzing him as they went off. It doesn't show any 'verbal altercation' started by Helbig. Have another look at the vision.

The runner shouldn't get involved at all.

The initial retaliation was poor discipline by Brad, the rest is clear to see.

The MRP obviously decided there wasn't much in the incident.

Lee wrote:Wasn't good by Helbig, but that's a bit one-sided, Phil.

The vision clearly shows he was on the ground and was then needlessly pushed by a Sturt player,

The vision then shows clearly Kirkwood razzing him as they went off.  It doesn't show any 'verbal altercation' started by Helbig. Have another look at the vision.

The runner shouldn't get involved at all.

The initial retaliation was poor discipline by Brad, the rest is clear to see.

The MRP obviously decided there wasn't much in the incident.

Not one-sided at all, Lee, just pointing out Brad has a bit of short fuse and opposition teams can expose that...

Agree that the 'shove' from Helbig on Hansen wasn't worthy of anything further than the free kick paid, which occurred...

I have seen the vision, a couple of times, and of course saw it live on the day through the binoculars whilst calling it, and all that Kirkwood did was say a few words as they were both coming to the bench at the same time...

The Sturt runner mouthed something, yes, but Brad should have just ignored it and not replied back, getting involved in said 'razzing'...

Once again, it looks like Helbig has a bit of a short fuse and can be easily distracted, as evidenced on the weeknd and previous West games I have seen him involved in...

Nothing to see in the Helbig incident .. Free kick the correct the decision, the argy bargy is just footy and I'd hope it's never taken out of the game. To that extent I didn't think there was much in the Tuck incident either. Who hasn't played footy and given and received a whack in the guts/chest before? That Penfold kid looked alright for Sturt too btw.

Scrunch wrote:That Penfold kid looked alright for Sturt too btw...

Have been impressed with him whenever he's played at League level...