Stupid Usually Equals Costly – Heffernan’s Spray

With the explosion in statistics and fantasy games in the AFL in recent years, along with the traditional weekly and yearly predictions for betting and tipping competitions, there’s one important thing that many are forgetting.

Football is played by humans, not robots.

And just like any of us – even more so – these humans are prone to mistakes that can ruin any team’s – or fan’s – best laid plans.

You won’t see them coming, but without doubt there will be ‘stupid’ incidents every year which will not only change the shape of a game, but also the season.

Stupid usually equals costly.

Ben Cousins is a prime example – all but a very small minority couldn’t see that one coming, and the consequences for the Eagles and their fans have been enormous.

The Pies were the victims of ‘stupid’ last season, when Heath Shaw and Alan Didak pranged not only a car, but Collingwood’s premiership aspirations.

And already by round 3, we’ve seen a number of stupid incidents – if not total brain melts – by players which could prove ever so costly come the end of the season.

Try the Port Power – looking to regroup after a shocking season last year. So what does big Dean Brogan do in round 1? Gets himself rubbed out. Port can argue as much as they like about the tribunal decision, but he got one week, and as a result the Power go up against the premier ruckman in the comp in Dean Cox the week after without their number 1 ruckman. And lose a game against a weak side which they may very well regret when spots are tight for the final 8 come the end of the year.

Stupid.

Do they learn? Apparently not, because Peter Burgoyne followed suit this weekend against the Demons with a plain stupid knee in the back of Aaron Davey. Again a brain melt, and he’s been offered 2 weeks with an early plea. 2 weeks involving games against Hawthorn and St Kilda, where they will now be without their experienced backline general. Snagging a win in one of these games would be invaluable when challenging for a finals spot, but Burgoyne’s cowardly ‘tough guy’ act now makes the job that much tougher.

To make matters worse, they come up against a vulnerable Hawks side hit by injuries missing not only Peter Burgoyne, but Dom Cassisi as well, who decided it was a good idea to snot Lynden Dunn behind the play with the game done as dusted. Hope you got him as good as you wanted Dom, because you’ve hardly led from the front. Get comfy in the stand next week next to Peter while you watch your mates take on last year’s premiers without you.

Just stupid.

How about the new Pies captain Nick Maxwell? Fair enough he’s trying to stamp his authority on the club and lead from the front, but is strutting around like a UFC fighter in cut off gloves getting himself rubbed out the answer? Running through Stevie J accomplished nothing but a 2 week holiday. He’s worth nothing captaining from the stands. All that matters now is his team will be facing a Lions team with Brown and Bradshaw ready to run riot without Maxwell helping out in defence, and then going into the big Anzac Day clash with the Bombers without their skipper.

Will stupid equal a 1-4 Collingwood side? It’s more than possible. Especially with the fact they’ll also be missing Heath Shaw, who can count himself extremely lucky to only cop a week for making contact with an umpire this week – an act that stupid doesn’t even begin to explain.

Four blokes, two teams, one theme. Pure stupidity.