Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
NZ Warriors in-stadium commentaryIs it time for Ken to step aside? The things we learnt in Round 11
Jaiden Sciberras • May 25th, 2025 8:14 pm
Part 2 of Sir Doug Nicholls Round was one of significant margins at every turn.
Thursday night's thrilling contest between the Cats and the Dogs marked the tightest return of the weekend, marking the only clash to finish with a margin within three goals.
From Marvel, to the MCG, to Marvel and back to the MCG, here are the things we learnt in Round 11!
Max Holmes is relishing his role in Geelong’s midfield
All the attention entering and exiting Geelong’s clash with the Bulldogs surrounded Bailey Smith, and rightly so, however his dynamic midfield partner deserves far more credit for his performance.
Since transitioning into the engine room, Max Holmes has refused to take a backwards step.
Forming one of the competition’s premier duos with Bailey Smith, Holmes has been electric for the Cats, and his performance against the Bulldogs on Thursday night was a prime example of just that.
33 disposals, 17 contested, seven score involvements and eight clearances, Holmes has become a crucial piece of Geelong’s ball movement, while his potential goal of the year contender has proven his ability going forward.
Holmes has been so good, it’s easy to forget he’s just 22 years old, younger than his counterpart in 24-year-old Smith.
Considering the damage that the pair have already done this season, it’s hard to imagine how good Geelong’s midfield will be for a long time to come.
Carlton’s numbers don’t lie
The biggest issue for Carlton seems blatantly obvious, as it has been for the duration of the season.
This week, Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne revealed that the Blues are the worst kicking team in the competition by some margin. It was further revealed that Carlton’s entries inside 50 are also comfortably 18th.
That was before Carlton’s loss to the Giants, which certainly failed to change the narrative.
Despite having 58 inside 50’s, with both Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay present within the arc, the Blues managed just eight marks inside 50. On the other end, the Giants clunked 14 marks inside 50 from just 47 entries.
This led to the Giants’ 17 goals, with a combined 12 goals from key forwards in Jesse Hogan, Jake Riccardi, Callum Brown and Aaron Cadman. The Blues could only muster 12 goals total, with McKay going goalless and two of Curnow’s three coming in the first term.
Do the Blues have the talent to turn their kicking woes around? It’s becoming apparent that the club clearly lacks an elite boot, so is the issue one of coaching or personnel?
Whatever it is, the Blues don’t have a lot of time to figure it out.
Pies recruit proving the value of the mid-season draft
Just a few days out from the 2025 mid-season draft, Collingwood’s Ned Long has put on a show, displaying exactly why the mid-year selections can be so valuable.
After being delisted by the Hawks in 2023, the Magpies handed the big-bodied midfielder a career lifeline, selecting Long with pick 19 in the 2024 mid-season draft after strong performances for Collingwood’s VFL side.
It’s safe to say that the 22-year-old has already repaid the favour. Taking on the Kangaroos on Saturday night, Long put up one of the strongest stat lines of the season thus far, securing 29 disposals, 13 of which were contested at 79 per cent efficiency, laying 14 tackles from 30 pressure acts, 15 score involvements including two direct goal assists, six clearances, four inside 50’s, three intercepts and 344 metres gained.
While this is by far the best game of Long’s 23-game career to date, this performance doesn’t seem too far-fetched considering the signs we’ve seen from the young gun.
Averaging 18 disposals, seven tackles six score involvements on the year, Long has gone from strength to strength since earning his permanent spot within the Magpies’ midfield.
Ned Long is a prime example of the level of talent around the country outside of AFL level. Given the right environment, the sky is the limit for a number of young guns seeking an opportunity at the top level.
Could we see another lifeline on Wednesday night?
Is it time for Ken to step aside?
Port Adelaide’s coaching handover has not worked out as planned.
A 49-point loss in a drenching out west was far from what Ken Hinkley or Josh Carr would have hoped for.
This loss marks their fourth straight defeat, with an accumulative margin of 220 points for an average of 55 points per loss.
It might be time for Ken Hinkley to hand over the reins.
With Port Adelaide residing in the bottom four, just a game ahead of Richmond and holes all over the ground, it would be of the club’s best interest to allow Josh Carr to take over at the helm.
A somewhat fresh start might be exactly what the Power need to find their feet before it’s too late, and with their best player in Zak Butters approaching a major decision regarding his future at the club, finding form should be a non-negotiable for Port Adelaide.
Sitting at 4-7, with the bye to come before taking on GWS, some big calls may need to be made.
The Demons are alive!
Talk about a revival.
After five straight losses to kick off 2025, so much was questioned of the Demons, but it didn’t take long for the 2020 premiers to rediscover their best.
Bar the Hawks in Round 9, Melbourne have answered every challenge since their lowly start, going 5-1 in their last six including a huge win over Brisbane at the Gabba, and in Round 11 a delightful victory over the Swans.
While the results are flowing, it’s the manner within which the Dees are getting the job done that raises cause for excitement.
After all the concern and drama of last season, Christian Petracca is well and truly all-in at Melbourne. Celebrating his 200th game for the club, Petracca looked back to his explosive best.
Clayton Oliver has had an extremely rough run over the past few seasons, however since returning to the side with a new role, you cannot help but feel the thrill of watching Clarry battle in the midfield, kicking goals with a smile telling of the ever-questioned culture at the club.
131 points against the Swans, their highest tally since Round 7 of 2023 (!), highlighted by 13 second-half goals and five goals from Kozzy Pickett, the Dees are absolutely humming.
Led as always by Max Gawn, Melbourne have every right to celebrate their renewed energy, and now, just a game outside of the eight, the Demons are most certainly alive in 2025.
With a trip to Darwin to take on St Kilda next week followed by the Big Freeze clash with Collingwood, the next few weeks could be a major indicator as to where the Demons truly belong in 2025.
It’s a big week for North Melbourne
Simply put, the Kangaroos should be far ahead in their rebuild than they currently are.
Facing a severely undermanned, and somewhat under-prepared Collingwood side, North Melbourne could only compete for three quarters.
While many will credit Collingwood’s depth and readiness from the bottom up, questions must be asked of North Melbourne.
With a full-strength side, elite recruits all over the park and a three-time premiership coach, the Kangaroos were overrun by a Magpies side playing without 10 first team players.
Within their three-quarter performance, the Roos still conceded 24 scores to 16 before being blown out in the fourth, giving up six straight goals to enter the term en route to eight major concessions within the final exchange.
After years of bottom-half finishes, the Kangaroos have to be a better side than what was dished up on Saturday night.
