This week, there was more havoc caused by COVID on the schedule as another set of games were canceled and some makeup games were played. For now, though, it seems there is some normality coming. We’ll see how long it lasts.

Welcome to Balls of Steel’s AFL Beat!

Let’s get right to it!

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Week 5 Recaps

Geelong Cats 27 – 24 West Coast Eagles

This was a thriller that went down to the final minutes. First, the Eagles took the lead after losing all game and then the Cats took the lead right back with very little to go. A great finish!

Here are the highlights:

Brisbane Lions 35 – 11 Collingwood Magpies

The Lions are looking more and more like the reigning Premiers after a rough start to the season. The Pies are now officially slumping.

Here are the highlights:

Melbourne Demons 38 – 26 Gold Coast Suns

Melbourne is another team that is getting better as the season goes on. The Suns hung in for a bit, but the Demons were too good.

Here are the highlights:

Western Bulldogs 30 – Richmond Tigers 13

The Doggies notched their first win of the season in convincing fashion against the Tigers, who are now fading fast.

Here are the highlights:

Adelaide Crows 51 – 12 Carlton Blues

This is the second beatdown in a row for Carlton as the game wasn’t as close as the score indicates.

Here are the highlights:

North Melbourne Kangaroos 26 – 16 Fremantle Dockers

This was a tight game throughout and the Roos played splendid defense to give the Dockers their first loss of the season.

Here are the highlights:

St. Kilda Saints 20 – 22 West Coast Eagles

This was another super-tight game that wasn’t decided until the final minutes. The Saints are close but it was the Eagles that got their first win of the season.

Here are the highlights:

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Ladder

Here is how the teams stand after Round 5. Please note that the number of games is uneven for quite a few teams.

P	TEAM	W	L	T	PTS	%
1	Adelaide Crows	5	0	0	20	272.0
2	Fremantle Dockers	5	1	0	20	187.3
3	Melbourne Demons	4	1	0	16	154.9
4	North Melbourne Kangaroos	4	1	0	16	152.1
5	Brisbane Lions	3	1	0	12	130.1
6	Collingwood Magpies	3	2	0	12	101.5
7	Gold Coast Suns	2	2	0	8	93.6
8	GWS Giants	2	2	0	8	84.6
9	Richmond Tigers	1	4	0	4	86.5
10	Geelong Cats	1	4	0	4	77.6
11	Western Bulldogs	1	3	0	4	73.2
12	West Coast Eagles	1	4	0	4	57.9
13	Carlton Blues	1	4	0	4	51.8
14	St. Kilda Saints	0	4	0	0	42.6

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Balls Graph

Here it is in all its glory:

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Footy Tipping Contest

Here is how we stack up after Round 5:

P	TIPPER	Round Tips	Round Margin	Total Tips	Total Margin
1	SonOfSpam	6	18	28	67
2	Dok Zymm	4	17	28	98
3	Litre_cola	6	12	27	104
4	BALLS	6	6	25	85
5	Game Time Decision	4	14	25	90
6		6	24	23	109
7	BFC	4	18	23	113
8	Dolph Ucker	2	3	22	82
9	Fronkenshteen	2	3	14	66

We had HUGE changes in the standings this week. SonOfSpam vaulted over Dok to take over first place by margin after she had an off week. Similarly, I pulled into 4th slightly ahead of Game Time Decision, who followed Zymm down the standings. It is still SUPER tight as only 6 tips separate 1st from 8th.

I remind you, as always,

DON’T FORGET TO PUT THE FOOTY TIPS IN!

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Balls’ Sechs

• Adelaide is the sole unbeaten team after Fremantle fell to the Roos in Tasmania.
• The Eagles split the two games they played this week. The second one was a thriller against the Saints.
• St. Kilda is the only winless team left but they do not look like they will stay winless. That first win is coming soon.
• The West Coast teams are FINALLY able to play at home again!
• The Cats DID get their first win of the year on Friday against the Eagles at home. Gold Coast provides a golden (sorry) opportunity for win number 2.
• We are back (so far!) to a regular schedule. Let’s see if it sticks.

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Round Six Schedule

Here are this week’s games (all times Pacific):

Friday, February 11, 2022

12:10 AM – Gold Coast Suns v Geelong Cats at Metricon Stadium

7:10 PM – Richmond Tigers v North Melbourne Kangaroos at Swinburne Centre

9:10 PM – Melbourne Demons v GWS Giants at Casey Fields

11:10 PM – Fremantle Dockers v Carlton Blues at Fremantle Oval

Saturday, February 12, 2022

6:10 PM – St. Kilda Saints v Brisbane Lions at Trevor Barker Beach Oval

8:10 PM – West Coast Eagles v Collingwood Magpies at Mineral Resources Park

10:10 PM – Adelaide Crows v Western Bulldogs at Norwood Oval

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That’s all for this week. See you next week!