Penthouse and Outhouse: Gary greatness

Gary Ablett put on a master class in the win against Collingwood. Source: DAVE HUNT / AAP

FOX FOOTY expert Julian de Stoop takes a look at round 17 with a certain Sun catching his eye and a big Saint copping a bake.

PENTHOUSE

Gary Ablett

This man just gets better and better.

Ablett has played some great games since moving to the Suns but none better than his virtuoso performance in his club's greatest ever victory against Collingwood on Saturday night.

Throughout the game Ablett played on stars such as Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams and Luke Ball but the little genius was too good for all of them on his way to 49 disposals (20 of which were contested).

Ablett also kicked two vital goals and had 10 clearances in one of the finest displays of his 247-game career.

In his last 10 games against the Pies he's averaged 37 disposals.

Give the man his second Brownlow right now.

Gold Coast

Ablett may have been the star of the show but for the Suns the win over the Pies was memorable for so many reasons.

Tom Nicholls again stood out in the ruck, Jaeger O'Meara again showed why he is the best young player to enter the competition since Chris Judd in 2002, Trent McKenzie played his best game in two years and Rory Thompson again spoiled everything that came his way.

The game was played in front of the second biggest crowd ever to see the Suns play at home (even though the majority were Pies fans) which made the result even more significant for the fledgling club.

North Melbourne v Carlton

This was a ripping game of football which summed up both club's seasons.

The Roos and the Blues can play some wonderful football, but too often they lapse in games and when they do, the opposition scores far too easily.

For the first time in a long time Eddie Betts, Jeff Garlett and Chris Yarran clicked kicking 8 goals between them while Lindsay Thomas continued his love affair with the Blues adding another six goals.

In the end only a bad bounce to Brent Harvey denied the Roos from stealing a game they looked out of in the third term.

The one-point loss (their fifth by a goal or less this year) all but ends their finals hopes but the Blues remain alive.

Next up though they face the Suns at Metricon.  No one at Carlton needs to be reminded what happened in the corresponding fixture last year.

Adelaide

It's been a tough year for the Crows but in the past fortnight they have showed why they are a good chance to bounce back in 2014.

Last week they pushed the Pies all the way and this week they claimed their first top-eight scalp with a win over Geelong after trailing by five goals in the third term. Remember they were missing their best player Patrick Dangerfield too.

Youngsters Brad Crouch, Rory Laird, Jarryd Lyons and Tom Lynch have all shown good form in recent weeks and if Taylor Walker can return from injury next year and the likes of Scott Thompson, Brent Reilly and David Mackay can rediscover their best form expect the Crows to return to finals action in 2014.

Jack Fitzpatrick

I must admit I saw Jack Fitzpatrick play against Hawthorn earlier this season and thought there was no way this man was going to make an AFL player. That day he looked like a rabbit in the headlights and his decision making was awful.

But in the past month he has been a real shining light for the Demons.

Two weeks ago he was one of the best players on the ground against Sydney and up in Darwin, in conditions which never suit big men, he kicked four goals in a losing side.

In Fitzpatrick and Max Gawn Melbourne have two promising big men at their disposal.

It will be interesting to see what their development means for veteran Mark Jamar.

OUTHOUSE

Travis Cloke's goal kicking

Cloke has had a wonderful season but his weakness remains his conversion.

Last week he kicked 2.4 against the Crows and this weekend he did the same plus had another shot which didn't even score.

The Pies dominated the opening term but could only manage 2.7 with Cloke the main culprit kicking three behinds.

If Collingwood has kicked 7.2 or even 6.3 it may have been a very different story.

Cloke had surgery on his finger a few weeks ago which the Pies were hoping would help his goal kicking but so far it appears to have had the opposite effect.

Essendon v Hawthorn at Etihad

Two great rivals who sit one and two on the ladder.  In short this is one of the most anticipated games of the season.

A game which would attract 90,000 people to the MCG this Friday night but instead for the second year in a row this fixture will be played at Etihad Stadium.

We understand as part of its deal with the AFL, Etihad Stadium requires a certain amount of blockbusters but this isn't one of them.

Any game which denies around 30,000 people from attending isn't good for the sport.

Fading Cats

Are these second-half fadeouts becoming a concern for Chris Scott?

In the past five weeks Geelong has given up an eight-goal lead to Brisbane and lost, a five-goal lead to Hawthorn although they did win and now a five-goal lead against Adelaide and lost.

Surely fitness isn't the issue so maybe the Cats just aren't as switched on as they should be as they prime themselves for another big September.

But it's an issue the Cats coaching staff will want to address pretty quickly.

Transport at Metricon Stadium

The Suns home is a great ground but getting out after a game is a nightmare.

The taxi line is bigger than the queue to get into the MCC members on Grand Final day and the supply doesn't meet the demand.

A light rail from Surfer's Paradise or Broadbeach to the ground would make a huge difference.

Rhys Stanley

The Saints desperately need some quality young talls and Stanley is full of talent but at this stage he isn't delivering.

With his pace and athletic ability for someone that stands 200cm he should be a real asset for Scott Watters but against the Power he had no impact on the game at all.

Stanley spent 94 per cent of the game on the ground yet managed just four disposals.

The Saints need him to do more.

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