went to Carlton Hawthorn (and backed the Hawks +9.5 before I left)
Carlton have big structural problems without Hamill, not good - and older and slower than last year - also, nowhere near the intensity and tackling brilliance of last year.
Kouta not fully fit - whether he will return to his form, not sure.
Rawlings/Hay and company too good for Whitnall and anybody else (i.e. no-one) today.
However, Hawthorn still struggling to mount attacks due to lackadaisacal flanker types a lot, so unfortunately, although they have the big guys, still can't annoy Essendon I think.
Speaking of Essendon, Port took hellacious advantage of the absence of Hardwick, too, very clever - but still lost by what was 9 goals before that backdoor. Annoying stuff like that is why often just like picking favorites to win in footy, seeing deliberate conceding of scores can be a legitimate tactic.
Richmond still Richmond, the ferals would have been out there.
Melbourne freaky, too, thought that was a good thing, forgot to back it until I got back late and very short price on live betting, and they won pretty much on the siren after giving up a 9 goal lead? Daniher won't be happy.
As to the difference in the sports - footy is a disposal sport, gridiron a possession one derived from rugby.
