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| AFL |
| FINALS WEEK 2 MATCHES (Michael Shillito’s tips in bold – Season to Date 117/180) Friday 12th September 2nd Semi Final - Western Bulldogs v Sydney (7:45pm, MCG) Saturday 13th September 1st Semi Final - St Kilda v Collingwood (7:45pm, MCG) All times shown are Sydney time. |
An 8 goal haul from Lance Franklin was the catalyst for Hawthorn to progress straight through to the
preliminary final with a 51-point win over the Western Bulldogs as finals action commenced in front of
a bumper crowd of over 76,000 at the MCG on Friday night.
At 2 goals apiece as the clock ticked into time-on in the opening quarter, it was looking like an even
contest. But the Hawks had other ideas, with Buddy Franklin twice getting on the board during the final
minutes of the quarter to extend the quarter-time margin to 16 points. The second term was one-way
traffic, with the Hawks scoring 6 goals to 2 to hold a 44-point lead at the long break. From there the
result of the game was never in doubt and the Hawks cruised home. With several Hawks picking up
niggling injuries during the game, the week's rest will be valuable for the Hawks to enable them to
remain at full strength in the business end of the season.
Lance Franklin kicked 8 for the Hawks, and was well supported up forward by Michael Osborne's 4
goals and 3 from Jarryd Roughead. Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell were collecting plenty of the ball
around the ground, denying the Bulldogs any opportunity of working their way back into the contest.
For the Bulldogs, finishing third after the home & away season but unimpressive during the latter
stages, it was another disappointing performance that leaves them facing sudden death finals all the
way if they hope to advance to the grand final. Jason Akermanis scored 3 for the Bulldogs, while Ryan
Griffen and Daniel Cross were among their best.
Hawthorn 4.5 10.12 15.17 18.19 (127)
Western Bulldogs 2.1 4.4 7.7 11.10 (76)
Goals : Hawthorn - Franklin 8, Osborne 4, Roughead 3, Brown, Crawford, Lewis. Bulldogs - Akermanis
3, Giansiracusa 2, Cooney 2, Hill 2, Higgins, Johnson.
Best : Hawthorn - Franklin, Hodge, Mitchell, Osborne, Sewell, Lewis, Roughead. Bulldogs - Griffen,
Cross, Akermanis, Boyd, Hill, Callan.
Injuries : Hawthorn - Croad (ankle), Birchall (corked thigh), Ladson (AC joint), Stokes (corked thigh),
Gilham (virus) replaced in the selected side by Stokes. Bulldogs - Nil.
Reports - Nil. Umpires - Donlon, Rosebury, Ryan.
Crowd - 76,703 at the MCG.
After being pipped at the post by St Kilda for the double-chance last week, Adelaide found themselves
forced into sudden-death football in the finals. And their campaign came to an end in the first week of
the playoffs, when despite the home ground advantage they were defeated by Collingwood in bright
sunshine on Saturday afternoon.
It was a game of fluctuating fortunes, and despite there being virtually no wind the vast majority of
goals were scored to the northern end. Collingwood, having first use of what would become the
scoring end, had a bright start to lead by 15 points at the first change before a 7 goals to 3 second
term reversed the lead and saw the Crows hold a 12-point lead at the long break.
The premiership quarter would be all-important; and was Collingwood who put in a superior
performance. With 7 goals to 2, the Magpies turned their deficit into a 20-point lead. The Crows
pressed hard in the final quarter, and with the first 2 goals cut the margin to 6 points. But a run of 5
unanswered goals to Collingwood put the margin beyond doubt, ensuring the Magpies would live to
fight another day while the Crows' season was over.
Dawes and Anthony each kicked 3 goals for Collingwood, while Dane Swan and Shane O'Bree were
prominent among the Magpies' best players. For the Crows, the shock move of Scott Stevens up
forward paid dividends with Stevens contributing 6 goals to the cause, while Nathan Bassett and
veteran Andrew McLeod also picked up plenty of the football.
Collingwood 4.3 7.6 14.9 19.11 (125)
Adelaide 2.2 9.6 11.7 14.10 (94)
Goals : Collingwood - Dawes 3, Anthony 3, Swan 2, Maxwell 2, Cox, Davis, Fraser, Cloke, R Shaw,
Lockyer, Thomas, Clarke, Medhurst Adelaide - Stevens 6, McLeod 2, Mackay, Edwards, Maric,
Johncock, Bassett, Gill.
Best : Collingwood - Swan, O’Bree, Maxwell, Pendlebury, Anthony, Medhurst. Adelaide - Stevens,
Bassett, McLeod, Bock, Edwards, Moran.
Injuries : Collingwood - Nil. Adelaide - Nil.
Reports - Nil. Umpires - James, Stevic, McLaren.
Crowd - 37,685 at AAMI Stadium.
preliminary final with a 51-point win over the Western Bulldogs as finals action commenced in front of
a bumper crowd of over 76,000 at the MCG on Friday night.
At 2 goals apiece as the clock ticked into time-on in the opening quarter, it was looking like an even
contest. But the Hawks had other ideas, with Buddy Franklin twice getting on the board during the final
minutes of the quarter to extend the quarter-time margin to 16 points. The second term was one-way
traffic, with the Hawks scoring 6 goals to 2 to hold a 44-point lead at the long break. From there the
result of the game was never in doubt and the Hawks cruised home. With several Hawks picking up
niggling injuries during the game, the week's rest will be valuable for the Hawks to enable them to
remain at full strength in the business end of the season.
Lance Franklin kicked 8 for the Hawks, and was well supported up forward by Michael Osborne's 4
goals and 3 from Jarryd Roughead. Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell were collecting plenty of the ball
around the ground, denying the Bulldogs any opportunity of working their way back into the contest.
For the Bulldogs, finishing third after the home & away season but unimpressive during the latter
stages, it was another disappointing performance that leaves them facing sudden death finals all the
way if they hope to advance to the grand final. Jason Akermanis scored 3 for the Bulldogs, while Ryan
Griffen and Daniel Cross were among their best.
Hawthorn 4.5 10.12 15.17 18.19 (127)
Western Bulldogs 2.1 4.4 7.7 11.10 (76)
Goals : Hawthorn - Franklin 8, Osborne 4, Roughead 3, Brown, Crawford, Lewis. Bulldogs - Akermanis
3, Giansiracusa 2, Cooney 2, Hill 2, Higgins, Johnson.
Best : Hawthorn - Franklin, Hodge, Mitchell, Osborne, Sewell, Lewis, Roughead. Bulldogs - Griffen,
Cross, Akermanis, Boyd, Hill, Callan.
Injuries : Hawthorn - Croad (ankle), Birchall (corked thigh), Ladson (AC joint), Stokes (corked thigh),
Gilham (virus) replaced in the selected side by Stokes. Bulldogs - Nil.
Reports - Nil. Umpires - Donlon, Rosebury, Ryan.
Crowd - 76,703 at the MCG.
After being pipped at the post by St Kilda for the double-chance last week, Adelaide found themselves
forced into sudden-death football in the finals. And their campaign came to an end in the first week of
the playoffs, when despite the home ground advantage they were defeated by Collingwood in bright
sunshine on Saturday afternoon.
It was a game of fluctuating fortunes, and despite there being virtually no wind the vast majority of
goals were scored to the northern end. Collingwood, having first use of what would become the
scoring end, had a bright start to lead by 15 points at the first change before a 7 goals to 3 second
term reversed the lead and saw the Crows hold a 12-point lead at the long break.
The premiership quarter would be all-important; and was Collingwood who put in a superior
performance. With 7 goals to 2, the Magpies turned their deficit into a 20-point lead. The Crows
pressed hard in the final quarter, and with the first 2 goals cut the margin to 6 points. But a run of 5
unanswered goals to Collingwood put the margin beyond doubt, ensuring the Magpies would live to
fight another day while the Crows' season was over.
Dawes and Anthony each kicked 3 goals for Collingwood, while Dane Swan and Shane O'Bree were
prominent among the Magpies' best players. For the Crows, the shock move of Scott Stevens up
forward paid dividends with Stevens contributing 6 goals to the cause, while Nathan Bassett and
veteran Andrew McLeod also picked up plenty of the football.
Collingwood 4.3 7.6 14.9 19.11 (125)
Adelaide 2.2 9.6 11.7 14.10 (94)
Goals : Collingwood - Dawes 3, Anthony 3, Swan 2, Maxwell 2, Cox, Davis, Fraser, Cloke, R Shaw,
Lockyer, Thomas, Clarke, Medhurst Adelaide - Stevens 6, McLeod 2, Mackay, Edwards, Maric,
Johncock, Bassett, Gill.
Best : Collingwood - Swan, O’Bree, Maxwell, Pendlebury, Anthony, Medhurst. Adelaide - Stevens,
Bassett, McLeod, Bock, Edwards, Moran.
Injuries : Collingwood - Nil. Adelaide - Nil.
Reports - Nil. Umpires - James, Stevic, McLaren.
Crowd - 37,685 at AAMI Stadium.
The main talking point from the Sydney v North Melbourne final at Homebush on Saturday night was
the crowd. For the first time since 1924, a crowd of less than 20,000 attended a finals game. There
were many reasons offered - the AFL charging $75 per ticket for the game, the game being advertised
after the event rather than before it and three days of torrential rain that left the undecided fan deciding
to stay at home rather than brave the elements.
On the field, Sydney recorded a 35-point win over the Kangaroos, a result that gives the Swans a crack
at the Western Bulldogs next week while North Melbourne's season is over; as is the illustrious career
of Shannon Grant. Grant, who ironically started his career with the Swans, has been a key player for the
Kangaroos for the past 10 seasons, his greatest triumph being taking out the Norm Smith Medal in the
1999 grand final.
Early in the game, it was the Kangaroos who looked the stronger. A 4 goals to 1 opening term gave the
Kangaroos a 14-point lead, a margin they maintained for much of the second quarter; and as the clock
ticked into time-on looked set to extend. The Kangaroos were holding a 22-point lead at the 24 minute
mark, before late goals to Kieran Jack and Jarred Moore cut the margin to 10 points at the long break.
The Swans asserted themselves in the second half, scoring 13 goals to 5, taking the lead during the
third term and continuing to choke the Kangaroos' attack in the last term.
In wet and slippery conditions not conducive to tall marking forwards, Barry Hall still managed to score
3 goals, a tally matched by Kieran Jack and Adam Goodes. Captain Brett Kirk and Ted Richards were
among the Swans' best. For North, Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie were among their best, while Grant,
Hale, Harvey and Lower each scored 2 goals.
Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery from this match.
Sydney 1.5 4.6 12.7 17.8 (110)
Kangaroos 4.1 6.4 10.5 11.9 (75)
Goals : Sydney - Hall 3, Jack 3, Goodes 3, Moore 2, O’Keefe 2, Malceski, McVeigh, Richards,
Veszpremi. Kangaroos - Grant 2, Hale 2, Harvey 2, Lower 2, Petrie, Sinclair, Thompson.
Best : Sydney - Kirk, Richards, Goodes, McVeigh, O'Keefe, Hall, Jack. Kanagaroos - Harvey, Petrie,
Pratt, Harris, Lower, Hale.
Injuries : Sydney - Bird replaced in selected side by Veszpremi. Kangaroos - Hansen replaced in
selected side by Urquhart.
Reports - Nil. Umpires - Vozzo, McBurney, Chamberlain.
Crowd - 19,127 at ANZ Stadium.
Geelong's relentless pursuit of back-to-back premierships continued on Sunday afternoon when the
Cats were far too good for St Kilda, leading all the way to take out the match by 58 points.
Despite early inaccuracy, the Cats were never headed and led by 18 points at quarter time before
extending the margin to 32 points at the half. The premiership quarter saw a devastating burst by the
Cats, as they scored 9 goals to 2 to lead by 76 points at the last change; and although St Kilda won the
last quarter the damage was done.
The match was the Cats' 14th win in a row. Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Darren Milburn and Joel Corey all
picked up more than 30 touches for the day, while Cam Mooney and Brad Ottens scored 3 goals. For
the Saints, Brendan Goddard and Sam Fisher tried hard, but the Saints were outclassed by a red-hot
Geelong side keen to make a statement to their rivals to open their finals campaign.
Geelong now have a week's rest, giving the injured Paul Chapman and Steven Johnson time to recover
from their injury woes before the preliminary final. St Kilda will take on Collingwood next week for the
right to play Hawthorn for the other grand final spot.
Geelong 3.7 7.10 16.15 17.17 (119)
St Kilda 1.1 3.2 5.5 8.13 (61)
Goals : Geelong - Mooney 3, Ottens 3, Bartel 2, Lonergan 2, Ablett, Chapman, S.Johnson, Ling, Rooke,
Stokes, Varcoe. St Kilda - Milne 2, X Clarke, R Clarke, Goddard, Montagna, Riewoldt, Schneider.
Best : Geelong - Bartel, Ottens, G Ablett, Mooney, Corey, Milburn, Taylor, Ling. St Kilda - Goddard, S
Fisher, Jones, Hayes.
Injuries : Geelong - Prismall (knee), Chapman (hamstring), S.Johnson (corked hamstring), Milburn
(thumb). St Kilda - Blake (wrist)
Reports : St Kilda - Hayes for striking Selwood in the third quarter.
Umpires - Kennedy, Meredith, McInerney.
Crowd - 71,653 at MCG.
the crowd. For the first time since 1924, a crowd of less than 20,000 attended a finals game. There
were many reasons offered - the AFL charging $75 per ticket for the game, the game being advertised
after the event rather than before it and three days of torrential rain that left the undecided fan deciding
to stay at home rather than brave the elements.
On the field, Sydney recorded a 35-point win over the Kangaroos, a result that gives the Swans a crack
at the Western Bulldogs next week while North Melbourne's season is over; as is the illustrious career
of Shannon Grant. Grant, who ironically started his career with the Swans, has been a key player for the
Kangaroos for the past 10 seasons, his greatest triumph being taking out the Norm Smith Medal in the
1999 grand final.
Early in the game, it was the Kangaroos who looked the stronger. A 4 goals to 1 opening term gave the
Kangaroos a 14-point lead, a margin they maintained for much of the second quarter; and as the clock
ticked into time-on looked set to extend. The Kangaroos were holding a 22-point lead at the 24 minute
mark, before late goals to Kieran Jack and Jarred Moore cut the margin to 10 points at the long break.
The Swans asserted themselves in the second half, scoring 13 goals to 5, taking the lead during the
third term and continuing to choke the Kangaroos' attack in the last term.
In wet and slippery conditions not conducive to tall marking forwards, Barry Hall still managed to score
3 goals, a tally matched by Kieran Jack and Adam Goodes. Captain Brett Kirk and Ted Richards were
among the Swans' best. For North, Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie were among their best, while Grant,
Hale, Harvey and Lower each scored 2 goals.
Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery from this match.
Sydney 1.5 4.6 12.7 17.8 (110)
Kangaroos 4.1 6.4 10.5 11.9 (75)
Goals : Sydney - Hall 3, Jack 3, Goodes 3, Moore 2, O’Keefe 2, Malceski, McVeigh, Richards,
Veszpremi. Kangaroos - Grant 2, Hale 2, Harvey 2, Lower 2, Petrie, Sinclair, Thompson.
Best : Sydney - Kirk, Richards, Goodes, McVeigh, O'Keefe, Hall, Jack. Kanagaroos - Harvey, Petrie,
Pratt, Harris, Lower, Hale.
Injuries : Sydney - Bird replaced in selected side by Veszpremi. Kangaroos - Hansen replaced in
selected side by Urquhart.
Reports - Nil. Umpires - Vozzo, McBurney, Chamberlain.
Crowd - 19,127 at ANZ Stadium.
Geelong's relentless pursuit of back-to-back premierships continued on Sunday afternoon when the
Cats were far too good for St Kilda, leading all the way to take out the match by 58 points.
Despite early inaccuracy, the Cats were never headed and led by 18 points at quarter time before
extending the margin to 32 points at the half. The premiership quarter saw a devastating burst by the
Cats, as they scored 9 goals to 2 to lead by 76 points at the last change; and although St Kilda won the
last quarter the damage was done.
The match was the Cats' 14th win in a row. Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Darren Milburn and Joel Corey all
picked up more than 30 touches for the day, while Cam Mooney and Brad Ottens scored 3 goals. For
the Saints, Brendan Goddard and Sam Fisher tried hard, but the Saints were outclassed by a red-hot
Geelong side keen to make a statement to their rivals to open their finals campaign.
Geelong now have a week's rest, giving the injured Paul Chapman and Steven Johnson time to recover
from their injury woes before the preliminary final. St Kilda will take on Collingwood next week for the
right to play Hawthorn for the other grand final spot.
Geelong 3.7 7.10 16.15 17.17 (119)
St Kilda 1.1 3.2 5.5 8.13 (61)
Goals : Geelong - Mooney 3, Ottens 3, Bartel 2, Lonergan 2, Ablett, Chapman, S.Johnson, Ling, Rooke,
Stokes, Varcoe. St Kilda - Milne 2, X Clarke, R Clarke, Goddard, Montagna, Riewoldt, Schneider.
Best : Geelong - Bartel, Ottens, G Ablett, Mooney, Corey, Milburn, Taylor, Ling. St Kilda - Goddard, S
Fisher, Jones, Hayes.
Injuries : Geelong - Prismall (knee), Chapman (hamstring), S.Johnson (corked hamstring), Milburn
(thumb). St Kilda - Blake (wrist)
Reports : St Kilda - Hayes for striking Selwood in the third quarter.
Umpires - Kennedy, Meredith, McInerney.
Crowd - 71,653 at MCG.