Carlton had copped some severe criticism in the media after their poor showing against Collingwood last
week, but the Blues hit back in the only way that matters, putting in a dominant performance to belt an
abysmal Essendon by 76 points at the MCG on Friday night.
It was hard to see that margin eventuating during the early stages of the math. The Bombers had a real
dip early, matching it with their Carlton colleagues around the ground in a physical contest. Ruckman
David Hille had his number taken early, but continued to contest every possession, and the Blues had to
work hard to overcome the physical approach by the Bombers.
But poor kicking let the Bombers down. Essendon had three more scoring shots than the Blues at half
time, yet found themselves 22 points behind. A return of 5.13 cost the Bombers severely, while the Blues
made every post a winner to complete a record of 10.5 for the half. But frustration spilled over for the
Bombers, tempers became frayed, and at half time a mellee broke out including most players from both
sides. Sam Longeran found himself reported, and many other players could consider themselves lucky
not to join Longeran in having a date with the tribunal.
The margin was still 22 points at the last change. The Bombers had been kept to three goals for the
quarter, and every time they had scored the Blues had a quick reply to prevent the Bombers from building
any form of momentum. And the floodgates opened in the final term, with the Blues kicking 10 goals to
one in the final term to turn the contest into a one-sided blowout; the Blues giving their percentage a boost
in the leadup to the finals.
With this result, the Blues have wrapped up a place in this year’s finals, the next question being how high
their position within the top 8 will be, a top 6 position will prevent them having to travel interstate in the first
week of the finals. Jett Garlett was in sensational touch with 6 goals, while Jarrad Waite weighed in with a
bag of 4. The Blues were able to share the goal-kicking honours around, with 13 Carlton players getting a
major score on the board during the afternoon. Around the ground, Chris Judd and Marc Murphy were ball
magnets, ensuring the Blues would have plenty of drive to create numerous opportunities for their
forwards.
Carlton 6.3 10.5 13.8 23.11 (149)
Essendon 3.6 5.13 8.16 9.19 (73)
Goals : Carlton - J Garlett 6, J Waite 4, M Robinson 2, A Carrazzo 2, E Betts, P Bower, D
Ellard, S Grigg, S Hampson, A Joseph, C Judd, M Murphy, K Simpson. Essendon – K
Hardingham 2, T Colyer, D Hille, A Monfries, B Prismall, K Reimers, B Stanton, J Winderlich.
Best : Carlton – J Garlett, M Murphy, C Judd, K Simpson, J Waite, D Ellard. Essendon – B
Stanton, B Prismall, C Dempsey, B Howlett, J Watson, J Winderlich.
Injuries : Carlton – Nil. Essendon – A Davey (suspected broken ulna), D Fletcher
(hamstring tightness).
Reports: Essendon – D Hille (Essendon) for engaging in rough conduct against M Robinson
(Carlton) in the first quarter. S Lonergan for engaging in rough conduct against R Warnock
during half time.
Umpires - McBurney, Meredith, Pannell.
Crowd - 57,095 at the MCG.
week, but the Blues hit back in the only way that matters, putting in a dominant performance to belt an
abysmal Essendon by 76 points at the MCG on Friday night.
It was hard to see that margin eventuating during the early stages of the math. The Bombers had a real
dip early, matching it with their Carlton colleagues around the ground in a physical contest. Ruckman
David Hille had his number taken early, but continued to contest every possession, and the Blues had to
work hard to overcome the physical approach by the Bombers.
But poor kicking let the Bombers down. Essendon had three more scoring shots than the Blues at half
time, yet found themselves 22 points behind. A return of 5.13 cost the Bombers severely, while the Blues
made every post a winner to complete a record of 10.5 for the half. But frustration spilled over for the
Bombers, tempers became frayed, and at half time a mellee broke out including most players from both
sides. Sam Longeran found himself reported, and many other players could consider themselves lucky
not to join Longeran in having a date with the tribunal.
The margin was still 22 points at the last change. The Bombers had been kept to three goals for the
quarter, and every time they had scored the Blues had a quick reply to prevent the Bombers from building
any form of momentum. And the floodgates opened in the final term, with the Blues kicking 10 goals to
one in the final term to turn the contest into a one-sided blowout; the Blues giving their percentage a boost
in the leadup to the finals.
With this result, the Blues have wrapped up a place in this year’s finals, the next question being how high
their position within the top 8 will be, a top 6 position will prevent them having to travel interstate in the first
week of the finals. Jett Garlett was in sensational touch with 6 goals, while Jarrad Waite weighed in with a
bag of 4. The Blues were able to share the goal-kicking honours around, with 13 Carlton players getting a
major score on the board during the afternoon. Around the ground, Chris Judd and Marc Murphy were ball
magnets, ensuring the Blues would have plenty of drive to create numerous opportunities for their
forwards.
Carlton 6.3 10.5 13.8 23.11 (149)
Essendon 3.6 5.13 8.16 9.19 (73)
Goals : Carlton - J Garlett 6, J Waite 4, M Robinson 2, A Carrazzo 2, E Betts, P Bower, D
Ellard, S Grigg, S Hampson, A Joseph, C Judd, M Murphy, K Simpson. Essendon – K
Hardingham 2, T Colyer, D Hille, A Monfries, B Prismall, K Reimers, B Stanton, J Winderlich.
Best : Carlton – J Garlett, M Murphy, C Judd, K Simpson, J Waite, D Ellard. Essendon – B
Stanton, B Prismall, C Dempsey, B Howlett, J Watson, J Winderlich.
Injuries : Carlton – Nil. Essendon – A Davey (suspected broken ulna), D Fletcher
(hamstring tightness).
Reports: Essendon – D Hille (Essendon) for engaging in rough conduct against M Robinson
(Carlton) in the first quarter. S Lonergan for engaging in rough conduct against R Warnock
during half time.
Umpires - McBurney, Meredith, Pannell.
Crowd - 57,095 at the MCG.
North Melbourne have fought hard this season, and although they remain outside the top 8, the
Kangaroos gave themselves a real chance of moving into the finals zone when they belted Fremantle by
54 points in front of a small crowd of less than 15,000 at Docklands on Saturday.
A look at the scoreboard for the first three quarters would suggest a gale-force wind at one end. There
wasn’t, and although the roof was open conditions were calm. But the Kangaroos got the early jump in an
opening quarter blitz, kicking the first seven goals of the game and leading by 36 points at the first
change. But the Dockers lifted in the second quarter while the Kangaroos eased off the accelerator, the
margin being cut to just 11 points at the long break.
There was no reason for there to be a scoring end, but the Kangaroos again got the ascendancy when
going to the northern end in the third term. A run of six goals to one blew the margin out to 43 points, and
the game was safe. The Dockers went on with the job, winning the last quarter to give their poor
percentage a much-needed boost; although the Kangaroos’ percentage still remains significantly behind
those of the other finals contenders, a statistic that could potentially cost the Kangaroos dearly when
finals places are up for grabs.
Brent Harvey was sensational, racking up 34 possessions and three goals despite the best attentions
the Dockers could give him. Brady Rawlings was unstoppable, accumulating a whopping 39 touches
while tagging Stephen Hill to reduce the Docker to only seven touches for the day. The Kangaroos find
themselves only half a game behind Hawthorn, and still with a chance of qualifying for finals action. But it
was a disappointing afternoon for Fremantle, their top-4 hopes evaporating and although the Dockers will
qualify for finals action for just the third time in their history, they are facing the prospect of having to go
through sudden death to get anywhere during the playoffs.
North Melbourne 7.2 9.5 15.8 19.9 (123)
Fremantle 1.2 7.6 8.7 10.9 (69)
Goals : North Melbourne – B Harvey 3, S Wright 3, R Bastinac 3, H McIntosh 2, A Edwards
2, L Hansen 2, T Goldstein, D Wells, L Adams, L Thomas. Fremantle – M de Boer 2, P
Hasleby 2, D Mundy 2, N Fyfe, J Bollenhagen, M Johnson, K Bradley.
Best : North Melbourne – B Harvey, H McIntosh, B Rawlings, L Adams, N Grima, D Wells.
Fremantle – D Mundy, G Broughton, P Duffield, P Haselby, K Bradley, M Johnson.
Injuries : North Melbourne – Nil. Fremantle – Nil.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Nicholls, Kamolins, Ryan.
Crowd - 14,891 at Docklands.
Sydney’s chances of taking part in the finals this season received a boost when the Swans recorded a 44-
point win over Hawthorn in perfect sunny conditions at the SCG on Saturday afternoon.
Ryan O’Keefe was a dangerous force up forward, three opening quarter goals getting the Swans off to a
flying start, as they led by 27 points at quarter time and extending the lead to 47 points at the long break.
The Swans had shown superior commitment, being first to the ball through the first half and creating
numerous chances.
The Swans had been in complete control during the first half, and seemingly the game was theirs for the
taking. But suddenly in the third term the Hawks sprung to life. Four goals in the first 10 minutes cut the
margin to 22 points and the Hawks were building momentum. But that was as close as the Hawks could
get, as the Swans steadied. The Hawks kept coming, and finished with six goals for the quarter, but the
Swans managed three of their own to stay 30 points clear at the last change. And the lead could have
been a further six points ahead, but Lewis Jetta was just beaten by the three-quarter time siren for what
would have been his first AFL game. Jetta has been a useful addition for the Swans since making his
debut earlier in the season, but a major had eluded him and his career scoring tally had been 0.19.
But early in the last quarter, Jetta finally got the monkey off his back, running in to kick his first career goal
and drawing a standing ovation from the SCG crowd. The goal not only was a key personal milestone, but
put the game firmly out of Hawthorn’s reach, and the Swans went on with the job in the final term to
stretch the winning margin out to 44 points, leap-frogging the Hawks on the ladder and leaving the Hawks
perilously placed in the top 8, just half a game clear of North Melbourne.
Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery from this match.
A Tale of Two Matches.
Sydney 5.4 10.10 13.12 19.15 (129)
Hawthorn 1.1 3.5 9.6 13.7 (85)
Goals : Sydney – R O'Keefe 4, A Goodes 3, B McGlynn 3, T Dennis-Lane 3, J Moore, J
McVeigh, K Jack, J Kennedy, J White, L Jetta. Hawthorn – L Franklin 4, J Lewis 2, J
Roughead 2, B Stratton, R Ladson, C Bateman, G Moss, S Burgoyne.
Best : Sydney – H Grundy, A Goodes, K Jack, B Kirk, J McVeigh, S Mumford. Hawthorn – L
Franklin, S Mitchell, B Guerra, S Burgoyne, J Gibson, C Bateman.
Injuries : Sydney – Nil. Hawthorn – Nil.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Donlon, Chamberlain, Jeffery.
Crowd - 29,431 at the SCG.
Top spot was on the line when Geelong and Collingwood faced off in front of a bumper crowd of 84,401 at
the MCG on Saturday night. And the match was worthy of the hype, with the Magpies pulling away in the
last quarter to record a 22-point victory, their seventh win on the trot.
The first half was worth the price of admission alone, a see-sawing affair that saw multiple lead changes
and the superstars of both teams putting an exhibition of their amazing skills. The Magpies held a 10-
point lead at the first change, but the Cats put on six goals to four in the second term to lead by a point at
the long break.
The Cats suffered some bad luck in the opening minutes of the third term, denied a goal when Shannon
Byrnes was ruled to have touched the ball and not put his boot to the ball before it crossed the line,
although TV replays suggested otherwise. The Magpies ran the ball end to end, and Dayne Beams
scored to put the Magpies in front. It was a key turning point, with the Magpies getting more of the ball and
were never headed again.
Inaccurate kicking kept the Cats within striking distance, as the Magpies kicked 4.6 in the third term and
2.8 in the last. But the Cats were never able to create enough chances to capitalise on the Magpie mis-
kicking, and the Magpies always looked to have enough in hand to take the game. The three-quarter time
margin was 13 points, and with the Cats only able to manage one goal in the final term, the Magpies
were able to increase their lead and victory was assured.
Alan Didak, with 35 possessions, was a ball magnet, while Dane Swan again had another stellar game
in the midfield. Gary Ablett and Paul Chapman were in fine form for the Cats, it what was a game for the
superstars to strut their stuff.
But it was Collingwood who ran out the full four quarters to record a well deserved victory, their grip on the
minor premiership getting stronger as their winning streak gets longer.
Collingwood 4.5 8.9 12.15 14.23 (107)
Geelong 3.1 9.4 11.8 12.13 (85)
Goals : Collingwood – D Beams 3, S Wellingham 2, T Cloke 2, A Didak, L Brown, B
Macaffer, D Swan, D Thomas, B Johnson, D Jolly. Geelong – M Stokes 3, S Johnson 2, J
Podsiadly, P Chapman, T Varcoe, G Ablett, J Selwood, J Corey, S Byrnes.
Best : Collingwood – A Didak, D Swan, B Macaffer, D Thomas, S Wellingham, L Ball.
Geelong – G Ablett, C Enright, P Chapman, J Selwood, C Ling, T Varcoe.
Injuries : Collingwood – B Reid (quad). Geelong – D Wojcinski (achilles) replaced in the
selected side by J Podsiadly.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Rosebury, Stevic, McInerney.
Crowd - 84,401 at MCG.
The bottom two sides were in action when West Coast took on Brisbane at Subiaco; and the Lions
managed to achieve in the West something they hadn’t managed to do on their own side of the Nullabor
since May when they finally recorded a victory, bringing their 8-game losing streak to an end. It wasn’t a
great game, not one where the standard of play reached any great heights, but was redeemed by a close
finish.
The Eagles led by 5 points after a low-scoring first quarter, but the Lions made a breakaway in the
second quarter. Jonathan Brown scored three goals in the second term, as the Lions scored 6 goals to 2
to lead by 18 points at the long break. And the lead could have extended significantly further in the third
term, the Lions missing three gettable shots at goal as they went to a 27-point lead midway through the
third term.
But the Eagles came storming back, with four goals in the latter stages of the quarter to reduce the
margin to 7 points at the last change. And when Andrew Strijk played on after a mark to kick what would
be West Coast’s only goal of the quarter, at the 15 minute mark, the Eagles had taken the lead.
The clock continued to tick down, as the Eagles hung on for dear life. The Lions attempted to find a
winner, but the desperate Eagles frustrated them. But finally, with just seconds left on the clock, the Lions
made one last move forward, and Jonathan Brown took the mark 45 metres out. The siren sounded as
Brown lined up his kick, further adding to the pressure for the Lions’ skipper. But Brown made no
mistake, drilling the ball straight between the posts to complete a remarkable victory and trigger massive
celebrations among the Lions players.
For Brisbane, the relief of finally breaking the losing streak was palpable. But it was despair for West
Coast, now finding themselves two games clear on the bottom of the ladder with only three rounds to go;
and the historically successful Eagles are now all but guaranteed the first wooden spoon in the club’s 24-
season history.
Brisbane 1.3 7.5 9.7 10.10 (70)
West Coast 2.2 4.5 8.6 9.11 (65)
Goals : Brisbane – J Brown 5, R Harwood, P Hanley, T Rockliff, J Brennan, T Banfield. West
Coast – M LeCras 2, A Strijk, B Sheppard, A Embley, A Selwood, K Stevens, Q Lynch, M
Priddis.
Best : Brisbane – M Rischitelli, J Brown, J Brennan, B Staker, J Brennan, A McGrath. West
Coast – S Selwood, M Priddis, A Embley, D Cox, A Smith, A Strijk.
Injuries : Brisbane – Nil. West Coast - B Waters (illness) replaced in selected side by K
Stevens.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Margetts, Armstrong, Keating.
Crowd - 32,587 at Subiaco Oval.
St Kilda returned to the winning list, and ended Port Adelaide’s mathematical finals chances, when the
Saints dominated from start to finish to record a 94-point win at Docklands on Sunday.
For Port to have had any hope, they needed to get an early break and make the Saints chase the game.
And for the first ten minutes, they had the ball camped on their forward line; but were only able to register
four behinds to show for their efforts. And then the Saints drove the ball forward, they hit the lead with their
first movement inside the 50 metre line. Four more quick St Kilda goals would follow, and the Saints were
on their way to a 24-point half time lead.
The St Kilda juggernaut was on a roll, and the Power were unable to stop it. By half time the lead was out
to 47 points, and with a run of 13 goals to 5 in the second half, the margin would double by the end of the
game. It was, in every respect, a display of complete dominance by St Kilda. Gone was the shocking
performance of the Saints in their loss last week, the confidence and momentum was all the way of the
Saints. Port Adelaide were lamentable, showing no sign of the 2-game winning streak that had come
before this game as they were unable to compete with the St Kilda relentless drive.
Nick Riewoldt and Stephen Milne each scored 4 goals for the Saints, while Lenny Hayes’ and Brendan
Goddard’s 34 possesions apiece and Leigh Montagna’s 30 touches were key factors in the Saints
creating chance after chance and locking the hapless Power out of the contest.
St Kilda 5.4 10.10 16.12 23.13 (151)
Port Adelaide 1.4 3.5 6.8 8.9 (57)
Goals : St Kilda – S Milne 4, N Riewoldt 4, A Schneider 3, L Hayes 2, B McEvoy 2, L
Montagna, J Koschitzke, B Goddard, S Fisher, F Ray, R Eddy, J Gram, C Jones. Port
Adelaide – J Schulz 2, R Gray 2, T Logan, J Westhoff, C Hitchcock, D Stewart.
Best : St Kilda – A Schneider, L Hayes, N Riewoldt, B Goddard, C Jones, B Peake. Port
Adelaide – T Chaplin, D Cassisi, T Logan, J Trengove, K Cornes, T Boak.
Injuries : St Kilda – M Gardiner (hamstring). Port Adelaide - P Stewart (hip) replaced in
selected side by M Banner.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - McLaren, Wenn, Avon.
Crowd - 22,467 at Docklands.
For three quarters the game between Melbourne and Richmond at the MCG on Sunday was in the
balance, but Melbourne pulled away in the final quarter for the Demons to record a 29-point win over
Richmond to keep their faint finals hopes alive.
The momentum of the game see-sawed through the first three quarters. The Demons led by 2 points at
the first change, but the Tigers had hit the front in the second term to lead by a point at the long break. The
lead again changed hands several time in the third quarter, which finished with the Demons seven points
ahead. And when the Tigers scored the opening goal of the final term after two minutes, scores were
again level.
But with the game in the balance, it was the Demons who stood up and delivered, while the Tigers faded
under the increasing pressure. The Demons scored the next four goals to open up a match-winning
break, and victory was assured.
Lynden Dunn was a star up forward with 5 goals, but it was the appearance of teenage Aboriginal
sensational Liam Jurrah who attracted the attention. Showing amazing skills, Jurrah landed four goals
himself while setting up opportunities for team-mates. And rising over the pack to take a contender for the
mark of the year, Jurrah showed his potential to be a dynamic excitement matchine.
The win for the Demons sees them move up to 34 premiership points, just one game plus percentage
out of the top 8. With only three rounds to go, the Demons may fall just short of a finals appearance, but
they have shown plenty this season, their wooden spoon days appear to be behind them and the
prospect of challenging for finals in years ahead had been boosted considerably by their run of success
this season.
Melbourne 3.1 7.5 10.10 16.13 (109)
Richmond 2.5 7.6 9.9 11.14 (80)
Goals : Melbourne – L Dunn 5, L Jurrah 4, B Green 3, A Wonaeamirri, N Jones, J Watts, M
Jamar. Richmond - B Cousins 2, M White 2, A Graham 2, M Morton 2, J King 2, J Riewoldt.
Best : Melbourne – L Jurrah, B Green, N Jones, C Bruce, T Scully, L Dunn. Richmond – D
Jackson, B Cousins, M Morton, K Moore, D Connors, C Newman.
Injuries : Melbourne - B Moloney (corked thigh) replaced in selected side by N Jones.
Richmond – Nil.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Vozzo, Schmitt, Jennings.
Crowd - 45,844 at MCG.
AAMI Stadium was soaked on Sunday evening, but the Western Bulldogs swam to victory, defeating
Adelaide by 8 points to consolidate their position in the top 4.
It wasn’t a pretty game to watch. Both sides were held back by the wet conditions, which made it difficult to
handle the ball and virtually impossible to get any form of running game going. Instead, it became a
desperate scrap, both teams being made to work hard for every possession. And it was a close contest,
one in which at no stage during the evening did either side lead by more than 9 points.
The Crows missed some chances in the opening quarter which would come back to haunt them. The
home side’s return of 1.5 for the quarter meant that, although they had enjoyed more possession and
recorded more scoring shots, the Crows trailed by 8 points at the first change. The second quarter saw
the Bulldogs squander chances, and there was only six points in it at half time.
By the third quarter the rain was even heavier, the cross-ground win even stronger and ball-handling was
even more difficult. It was hard to see from one end of the ground to the other, but the Crows managed to
get the ball to their scoring end for two goals which would see them hit the front, before the Bulldogs
rallied with their only goal for the quarter to regain the scoreboard advantage, the teams turning for home
with the Bulldogs a point ahead.
The ground had become a quagmire, and the final quarter was a slog. Jarrad Grant pounced on a ball to
score the only goal of the final quarter, one that made the game safe for the Crows. The Power tried hard,
but could find no way past the tight Bulldogs defence, and time ran down for the Bulldogs to complete
their win.
Western Bulldogs 3.1 6.7 7.11 8.13 (61)
Adelaide 1.5 5.7 7.10 7.11 (53)
Goals : Bulldogs – L Jones 2, B Johnson, N Eagleton, R Griffen, J Hill, D Giansiracusa, J
Grant. Adelaide – J Porplyzia 2, S Stevens, S Thompson, N van Berlo, R Douglas, K Tippett.
Best : Bulldogs – D Giansiracusa, N Eagleton, R Griffen, R Hargrave, B Hudson, B Johnson.
Adelaide – S Thompson, N Bock, B Symes, G Johncock, B Vince, C Knights.
Injuries : Bulldogs – Nil. Adelaide – Nil.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Farmer, Kennedy, Mollison.
Crowd - 29,321 at AAMI Stadium.
Kangaroos gave themselves a real chance of moving into the finals zone when they belted Fremantle by
54 points in front of a small crowd of less than 15,000 at Docklands on Saturday.
A look at the scoreboard for the first three quarters would suggest a gale-force wind at one end. There
wasn’t, and although the roof was open conditions were calm. But the Kangaroos got the early jump in an
opening quarter blitz, kicking the first seven goals of the game and leading by 36 points at the first
change. But the Dockers lifted in the second quarter while the Kangaroos eased off the accelerator, the
margin being cut to just 11 points at the long break.
There was no reason for there to be a scoring end, but the Kangaroos again got the ascendancy when
going to the northern end in the third term. A run of six goals to one blew the margin out to 43 points, and
the game was safe. The Dockers went on with the job, winning the last quarter to give their poor
percentage a much-needed boost; although the Kangaroos’ percentage still remains significantly behind
those of the other finals contenders, a statistic that could potentially cost the Kangaroos dearly when
finals places are up for grabs.
Brent Harvey was sensational, racking up 34 possessions and three goals despite the best attentions
the Dockers could give him. Brady Rawlings was unstoppable, accumulating a whopping 39 touches
while tagging Stephen Hill to reduce the Docker to only seven touches for the day. The Kangaroos find
themselves only half a game behind Hawthorn, and still with a chance of qualifying for finals action. But it
was a disappointing afternoon for Fremantle, their top-4 hopes evaporating and although the Dockers will
qualify for finals action for just the third time in their history, they are facing the prospect of having to go
through sudden death to get anywhere during the playoffs.
North Melbourne 7.2 9.5 15.8 19.9 (123)
Fremantle 1.2 7.6 8.7 10.9 (69)
Goals : North Melbourne – B Harvey 3, S Wright 3, R Bastinac 3, H McIntosh 2, A Edwards
2, L Hansen 2, T Goldstein, D Wells, L Adams, L Thomas. Fremantle – M de Boer 2, P
Hasleby 2, D Mundy 2, N Fyfe, J Bollenhagen, M Johnson, K Bradley.
Best : North Melbourne – B Harvey, H McIntosh, B Rawlings, L Adams, N Grima, D Wells.
Fremantle – D Mundy, G Broughton, P Duffield, P Haselby, K Bradley, M Johnson.
Injuries : North Melbourne – Nil. Fremantle – Nil.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Nicholls, Kamolins, Ryan.
Crowd - 14,891 at Docklands.
Sydney’s chances of taking part in the finals this season received a boost when the Swans recorded a 44-
point win over Hawthorn in perfect sunny conditions at the SCG on Saturday afternoon.
Ryan O’Keefe was a dangerous force up forward, three opening quarter goals getting the Swans off to a
flying start, as they led by 27 points at quarter time and extending the lead to 47 points at the long break.
The Swans had shown superior commitment, being first to the ball through the first half and creating
numerous chances.
The Swans had been in complete control during the first half, and seemingly the game was theirs for the
taking. But suddenly in the third term the Hawks sprung to life. Four goals in the first 10 minutes cut the
margin to 22 points and the Hawks were building momentum. But that was as close as the Hawks could
get, as the Swans steadied. The Hawks kept coming, and finished with six goals for the quarter, but the
Swans managed three of their own to stay 30 points clear at the last change. And the lead could have
been a further six points ahead, but Lewis Jetta was just beaten by the three-quarter time siren for what
would have been his first AFL game. Jetta has been a useful addition for the Swans since making his
debut earlier in the season, but a major had eluded him and his career scoring tally had been 0.19.
But early in the last quarter, Jetta finally got the monkey off his back, running in to kick his first career goal
and drawing a standing ovation from the SCG crowd. The goal not only was a key personal milestone, but
put the game firmly out of Hawthorn’s reach, and the Swans went on with the job in the final term to
stretch the winning margin out to 44 points, leap-frogging the Hawks on the ladder and leaving the Hawks
perilously placed in the top 8, just half a game clear of North Melbourne.
Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery from this match.
A Tale of Two Matches.
Sydney 5.4 10.10 13.12 19.15 (129)
Hawthorn 1.1 3.5 9.6 13.7 (85)
Goals : Sydney – R O'Keefe 4, A Goodes 3, B McGlynn 3, T Dennis-Lane 3, J Moore, J
McVeigh, K Jack, J Kennedy, J White, L Jetta. Hawthorn – L Franklin 4, J Lewis 2, J
Roughead 2, B Stratton, R Ladson, C Bateman, G Moss, S Burgoyne.
Best : Sydney – H Grundy, A Goodes, K Jack, B Kirk, J McVeigh, S Mumford. Hawthorn – L
Franklin, S Mitchell, B Guerra, S Burgoyne, J Gibson, C Bateman.
Injuries : Sydney – Nil. Hawthorn – Nil.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Donlon, Chamberlain, Jeffery.
Crowd - 29,431 at the SCG.
Top spot was on the line when Geelong and Collingwood faced off in front of a bumper crowd of 84,401 at
the MCG on Saturday night. And the match was worthy of the hype, with the Magpies pulling away in the
last quarter to record a 22-point victory, their seventh win on the trot.
The first half was worth the price of admission alone, a see-sawing affair that saw multiple lead changes
and the superstars of both teams putting an exhibition of their amazing skills. The Magpies held a 10-
point lead at the first change, but the Cats put on six goals to four in the second term to lead by a point at
the long break.
The Cats suffered some bad luck in the opening minutes of the third term, denied a goal when Shannon
Byrnes was ruled to have touched the ball and not put his boot to the ball before it crossed the line,
although TV replays suggested otherwise. The Magpies ran the ball end to end, and Dayne Beams
scored to put the Magpies in front. It was a key turning point, with the Magpies getting more of the ball and
were never headed again.
Inaccurate kicking kept the Cats within striking distance, as the Magpies kicked 4.6 in the third term and
2.8 in the last. But the Cats were never able to create enough chances to capitalise on the Magpie mis-
kicking, and the Magpies always looked to have enough in hand to take the game. The three-quarter time
margin was 13 points, and with the Cats only able to manage one goal in the final term, the Magpies
were able to increase their lead and victory was assured.
Alan Didak, with 35 possessions, was a ball magnet, while Dane Swan again had another stellar game
in the midfield. Gary Ablett and Paul Chapman were in fine form for the Cats, it what was a game for the
superstars to strut their stuff.
But it was Collingwood who ran out the full four quarters to record a well deserved victory, their grip on the
minor premiership getting stronger as their winning streak gets longer.
Collingwood 4.5 8.9 12.15 14.23 (107)
Geelong 3.1 9.4 11.8 12.13 (85)
Goals : Collingwood – D Beams 3, S Wellingham 2, T Cloke 2, A Didak, L Brown, B
Macaffer, D Swan, D Thomas, B Johnson, D Jolly. Geelong – M Stokes 3, S Johnson 2, J
Podsiadly, P Chapman, T Varcoe, G Ablett, J Selwood, J Corey, S Byrnes.
Best : Collingwood – A Didak, D Swan, B Macaffer, D Thomas, S Wellingham, L Ball.
Geelong – G Ablett, C Enright, P Chapman, J Selwood, C Ling, T Varcoe.
Injuries : Collingwood – B Reid (quad). Geelong – D Wojcinski (achilles) replaced in the
selected side by J Podsiadly.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Rosebury, Stevic, McInerney.
Crowd - 84,401 at MCG.
The bottom two sides were in action when West Coast took on Brisbane at Subiaco; and the Lions
managed to achieve in the West something they hadn’t managed to do on their own side of the Nullabor
since May when they finally recorded a victory, bringing their 8-game losing streak to an end. It wasn’t a
great game, not one where the standard of play reached any great heights, but was redeemed by a close
finish.
The Eagles led by 5 points after a low-scoring first quarter, but the Lions made a breakaway in the
second quarter. Jonathan Brown scored three goals in the second term, as the Lions scored 6 goals to 2
to lead by 18 points at the long break. And the lead could have extended significantly further in the third
term, the Lions missing three gettable shots at goal as they went to a 27-point lead midway through the
third term.
But the Eagles came storming back, with four goals in the latter stages of the quarter to reduce the
margin to 7 points at the last change. And when Andrew Strijk played on after a mark to kick what would
be West Coast’s only goal of the quarter, at the 15 minute mark, the Eagles had taken the lead.
The clock continued to tick down, as the Eagles hung on for dear life. The Lions attempted to find a
winner, but the desperate Eagles frustrated them. But finally, with just seconds left on the clock, the Lions
made one last move forward, and Jonathan Brown took the mark 45 metres out. The siren sounded as
Brown lined up his kick, further adding to the pressure for the Lions’ skipper. But Brown made no
mistake, drilling the ball straight between the posts to complete a remarkable victory and trigger massive
celebrations among the Lions players.
For Brisbane, the relief of finally breaking the losing streak was palpable. But it was despair for West
Coast, now finding themselves two games clear on the bottom of the ladder with only three rounds to go;
and the historically successful Eagles are now all but guaranteed the first wooden spoon in the club’s 24-
season history.
Brisbane 1.3 7.5 9.7 10.10 (70)
West Coast 2.2 4.5 8.6 9.11 (65)
Goals : Brisbane – J Brown 5, R Harwood, P Hanley, T Rockliff, J Brennan, T Banfield. West
Coast – M LeCras 2, A Strijk, B Sheppard, A Embley, A Selwood, K Stevens, Q Lynch, M
Priddis.
Best : Brisbane – M Rischitelli, J Brown, J Brennan, B Staker, J Brennan, A McGrath. West
Coast – S Selwood, M Priddis, A Embley, D Cox, A Smith, A Strijk.
Injuries : Brisbane – Nil. West Coast - B Waters (illness) replaced in selected side by K
Stevens.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Margetts, Armstrong, Keating.
Crowd - 32,587 at Subiaco Oval.
St Kilda returned to the winning list, and ended Port Adelaide’s mathematical finals chances, when the
Saints dominated from start to finish to record a 94-point win at Docklands on Sunday.
For Port to have had any hope, they needed to get an early break and make the Saints chase the game.
And for the first ten minutes, they had the ball camped on their forward line; but were only able to register
four behinds to show for their efforts. And then the Saints drove the ball forward, they hit the lead with their
first movement inside the 50 metre line. Four more quick St Kilda goals would follow, and the Saints were
on their way to a 24-point half time lead.
The St Kilda juggernaut was on a roll, and the Power were unable to stop it. By half time the lead was out
to 47 points, and with a run of 13 goals to 5 in the second half, the margin would double by the end of the
game. It was, in every respect, a display of complete dominance by St Kilda. Gone was the shocking
performance of the Saints in their loss last week, the confidence and momentum was all the way of the
Saints. Port Adelaide were lamentable, showing no sign of the 2-game winning streak that had come
before this game as they were unable to compete with the St Kilda relentless drive.
Nick Riewoldt and Stephen Milne each scored 4 goals for the Saints, while Lenny Hayes’ and Brendan
Goddard’s 34 possesions apiece and Leigh Montagna’s 30 touches were key factors in the Saints
creating chance after chance and locking the hapless Power out of the contest.
St Kilda 5.4 10.10 16.12 23.13 (151)
Port Adelaide 1.4 3.5 6.8 8.9 (57)
Goals : St Kilda – S Milne 4, N Riewoldt 4, A Schneider 3, L Hayes 2, B McEvoy 2, L
Montagna, J Koschitzke, B Goddard, S Fisher, F Ray, R Eddy, J Gram, C Jones. Port
Adelaide – J Schulz 2, R Gray 2, T Logan, J Westhoff, C Hitchcock, D Stewart.
Best : St Kilda – A Schneider, L Hayes, N Riewoldt, B Goddard, C Jones, B Peake. Port
Adelaide – T Chaplin, D Cassisi, T Logan, J Trengove, K Cornes, T Boak.
Injuries : St Kilda – M Gardiner (hamstring). Port Adelaide - P Stewart (hip) replaced in
selected side by M Banner.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - McLaren, Wenn, Avon.
Crowd - 22,467 at Docklands.
For three quarters the game between Melbourne and Richmond at the MCG on Sunday was in the
balance, but Melbourne pulled away in the final quarter for the Demons to record a 29-point win over
Richmond to keep their faint finals hopes alive.
The momentum of the game see-sawed through the first three quarters. The Demons led by 2 points at
the first change, but the Tigers had hit the front in the second term to lead by a point at the long break. The
lead again changed hands several time in the third quarter, which finished with the Demons seven points
ahead. And when the Tigers scored the opening goal of the final term after two minutes, scores were
again level.
But with the game in the balance, it was the Demons who stood up and delivered, while the Tigers faded
under the increasing pressure. The Demons scored the next four goals to open up a match-winning
break, and victory was assured.
Lynden Dunn was a star up forward with 5 goals, but it was the appearance of teenage Aboriginal
sensational Liam Jurrah who attracted the attention. Showing amazing skills, Jurrah landed four goals
himself while setting up opportunities for team-mates. And rising over the pack to take a contender for the
mark of the year, Jurrah showed his potential to be a dynamic excitement matchine.
The win for the Demons sees them move up to 34 premiership points, just one game plus percentage
out of the top 8. With only three rounds to go, the Demons may fall just short of a finals appearance, but
they have shown plenty this season, their wooden spoon days appear to be behind them and the
prospect of challenging for finals in years ahead had been boosted considerably by their run of success
this season.
Melbourne 3.1 7.5 10.10 16.13 (109)
Richmond 2.5 7.6 9.9 11.14 (80)
Goals : Melbourne – L Dunn 5, L Jurrah 4, B Green 3, A Wonaeamirri, N Jones, J Watts, M
Jamar. Richmond - B Cousins 2, M White 2, A Graham 2, M Morton 2, J King 2, J Riewoldt.
Best : Melbourne – L Jurrah, B Green, N Jones, C Bruce, T Scully, L Dunn. Richmond – D
Jackson, B Cousins, M Morton, K Moore, D Connors, C Newman.
Injuries : Melbourne - B Moloney (corked thigh) replaced in selected side by N Jones.
Richmond – Nil.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Vozzo, Schmitt, Jennings.
Crowd - 45,844 at MCG.
AAMI Stadium was soaked on Sunday evening, but the Western Bulldogs swam to victory, defeating
Adelaide by 8 points to consolidate their position in the top 4.
It wasn’t a pretty game to watch. Both sides were held back by the wet conditions, which made it difficult to
handle the ball and virtually impossible to get any form of running game going. Instead, it became a
desperate scrap, both teams being made to work hard for every possession. And it was a close contest,
one in which at no stage during the evening did either side lead by more than 9 points.
The Crows missed some chances in the opening quarter which would come back to haunt them. The
home side’s return of 1.5 for the quarter meant that, although they had enjoyed more possession and
recorded more scoring shots, the Crows trailed by 8 points at the first change. The second quarter saw
the Bulldogs squander chances, and there was only six points in it at half time.
By the third quarter the rain was even heavier, the cross-ground win even stronger and ball-handling was
even more difficult. It was hard to see from one end of the ground to the other, but the Crows managed to
get the ball to their scoring end for two goals which would see them hit the front, before the Bulldogs
rallied with their only goal for the quarter to regain the scoreboard advantage, the teams turning for home
with the Bulldogs a point ahead.
The ground had become a quagmire, and the final quarter was a slog. Jarrad Grant pounced on a ball to
score the only goal of the final quarter, one that made the game safe for the Crows. The Power tried hard,
but could find no way past the tight Bulldogs defence, and time ran down for the Bulldogs to complete
their win.
Western Bulldogs 3.1 6.7 7.11 8.13 (61)
Adelaide 1.5 5.7 7.10 7.11 (53)
Goals : Bulldogs – L Jones 2, B Johnson, N Eagleton, R Griffen, J Hill, D Giansiracusa, J
Grant. Adelaide – J Porplyzia 2, S Stevens, S Thompson, N van Berlo, R Douglas, K Tippett.
Best : Bulldogs – D Giansiracusa, N Eagleton, R Griffen, R Hargrave, B Hudson, B Johnson.
Adelaide – S Thompson, N Bock, B Symes, G Johncock, B Vince, C Knights.
Injuries : Bulldogs – Nil. Adelaide – Nil.
Reports – Nil. Umpires - Farmer, Kennedy, Mollison.
Crowd - 29,321 at AAMI Stadium.
| HARBOURSPORT |
| AFL |
|
HARBOURSPORT PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Essendon v Carlton – J Garlett (Carl) 6, M Murphy (Carl) 5, B Stanton (Ess) 3, C Judd (Carl) 3, B Prismall (Ess) 2, K Simpson (Carl) 2, C
Dempsey (Ess) 1, J Waite (Carl) 1.
North Melbourne v Fremantle – B Harvey (NthM) 11, H McIntosh (NthM) 6, B Rawlings (NthM) 5, D Mundy (Freo) 3, L Adams (NthM) 3, G
Broughton (Freo) 2, N Grima (NthM) 1.
Sydney v Hawthorn – H Grundy (Syd) 7, L Franklin (Haw) 5, A Goodes (Syd) 5, K Jack (Syd) 3, S Mitchell (Haw) 2, B Kirk (Syd) 2, B Guerra
(Haw) 1.
Geelong v Collingwood – A Didak (Coll) 7, D Swan (Coll) 6, G Ablett (Geel) 4, B Macaffer (Coll) 3, C Enright (Geel) 3, D Thomas (Coll) 2, P
Chapman (Geel) 1, L Ball (Coll) 1, S Wellingham (Coll) 1.
West Coast v Brisbane – S Selwood (WCE) 7, M Rischitelli (Bris) 5, M Priddis (WCE) 3, J Brown (Bris) 3, A Embley (WCE) 2, J Brennan
(Bris) 2, D Cox (WCE) 1, B Staker (Bris) 1.
St Kilda v Port Adelaide – A Schneider (St K) 11, L Hayes (St K) 7, N Riewoldt (St K) 6, B Goddard (St K) 4, T Chaplin (Port ) 1, C Jones (St
K) 1.
Melbourne v Richmond – L Jurrah (Melb) 5, D Jackson (Rich) 5, B Green (Melb) 4, B Cousins (Rich) 4, N Jones (Melb) 2, C Bruce (Melb) 1,
M Morton (Rich) 1.
Adelaide v Western Bulldogs – D Giansiracusa (WBul) 8, S Thompson (Adel) 6, N Bock (Adel) 5, B Symes (Adel) 4, N Eagleton (WBul) 3, R
Griffen (WBul) 2, G Johncock (Adel) 2, R Hargrave (WBul) 1.
Essendon v Carlton – J Garlett (Carl) 6, M Murphy (Carl) 5, B Stanton (Ess) 3, C Judd (Carl) 3, B Prismall (Ess) 2, K Simpson (Carl) 2, C
Dempsey (Ess) 1, J Waite (Carl) 1.
North Melbourne v Fremantle – B Harvey (NthM) 11, H McIntosh (NthM) 6, B Rawlings (NthM) 5, D Mundy (Freo) 3, L Adams (NthM) 3, G
Broughton (Freo) 2, N Grima (NthM) 1.
Sydney v Hawthorn – H Grundy (Syd) 7, L Franklin (Haw) 5, A Goodes (Syd) 5, K Jack (Syd) 3, S Mitchell (Haw) 2, B Kirk (Syd) 2, B Guerra
(Haw) 1.
Geelong v Collingwood – A Didak (Coll) 7, D Swan (Coll) 6, G Ablett (Geel) 4, B Macaffer (Coll) 3, C Enright (Geel) 3, D Thomas (Coll) 2, P
Chapman (Geel) 1, L Ball (Coll) 1, S Wellingham (Coll) 1.
West Coast v Brisbane – S Selwood (WCE) 7, M Rischitelli (Bris) 5, M Priddis (WCE) 3, J Brown (Bris) 3, A Embley (WCE) 2, J Brennan
(Bris) 2, D Cox (WCE) 1, B Staker (Bris) 1.
St Kilda v Port Adelaide – A Schneider (St K) 11, L Hayes (St K) 7, N Riewoldt (St K) 6, B Goddard (St K) 4, T Chaplin (Port ) 1, C Jones (St
K) 1.
Melbourne v Richmond – L Jurrah (Melb) 5, D Jackson (Rich) 5, B Green (Melb) 4, B Cousins (Rich) 4, N Jones (Melb) 2, C Bruce (Melb) 1,
M Morton (Rich) 1.
Adelaide v Western Bulldogs – D Giansiracusa (WBul) 8, S Thompson (Adel) 6, N Bock (Adel) 5, B Symes (Adel) 4, N Eagleton (WBul) 3, R
Griffen (WBul) 2, G Johncock (Adel) 2, R Hargrave (WBul) 1.
LEADING GOALKICKERS :
66 - Jack Riewoldt (Rich)
65 - Barry Hall (WBul)
60 - Mark LeCras (WCE)
52 - Matthew Pavlich (Freo)
49 - Jonathan Brown (Bris)
48 - Steven Johnson (Geel)
48 - Brendan Fevola (Bris)
48 - Lance Franklin (Haw)
47 - Brad Green (Melb)
45 - Stephen Milne (St K)
42 - Jarryd Roughead (Haw)
40 - Adam Goodes (Syd)
66 - Jack Riewoldt (Rich)
65 - Barry Hall (WBul)
60 - Mark LeCras (WCE)
52 - Matthew Pavlich (Freo)
49 - Jonathan Brown (Bris)
48 - Steven Johnson (Geel)
48 - Brendan Fevola (Bris)
48 - Lance Franklin (Haw)
47 - Brad Green (Melb)
45 - Stephen Milne (St K)
42 - Jarryd Roughead (Haw)
40 - Adam Goodes (Syd)
| WEEK 20 FIXTURES Michael Shillito's tips in bold (100/152 to Date) Friday 13th August Essendon v Collingwood (7:40pm, MCG) Saturday 14th August Carlton v Richmond (2:10pm, MCG) Fremantle v Sydney (3:10pm, Subiaco Oval) Western Bulldogs v Geelong (7:10pm, Docklands) Port Adelaide v West Coast (7:40pm, AAMI Stadium) Sunday 15th August Brisbane v Adelaide (1:10pm, Gabba) Hawthorn v Melbourne (2:10pm, MCG) North Melbourne v St Kilda (4:40pm, Docklands) |
| HARBOURSPORT PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Standings Dane Swan (Coll) - 118 Gary Ablett (Geel) - 74 Matthew Boyd (WBul) - 71 Leigh Montagna (St K) - 71 Luke Hodge (Haw) - 67 Paul Chapman (Geel) - 64 Brendan Goddard (St K) - 59 Brent Harvey (NthM) - 58 Michael Barlow (Freo) - 57 Jimmy Bartel (Geel) - 54 Scott Pendlebury (Coll) - 54 Brian Lake (WBul) - 51 |
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