The Blues get around Charlie Curnow after one of his five goals against West Coast on Sunday. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
GEELONG 12.19 (91) defeated MELBOURNE 9.9 (63)
It wasn’t that Melbourne’s acclaimed midfield played poorly in this first-versus-second blockbuster. In fact, star trio Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney and Christian Petracca all put up solid numbers and had some big moments. It’s just that Geelong’s engine room was even better. The Cats dominated key statistical areas – including clearances (54-36) and inside-50s (66-46) – to make a huge statement in the premiership race and leave Simon Goodwin scratching his head. Tom Atkins, Cam Guthrie, Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood were all strong contributors. Mark Blicavs was important in a dual role, giving Rhys Stanley a ruck chop-out and keeping watch on Petracca at stoppages. Geelong could have won by more if it had kicked straight, with Dangerfield booting 0.4. Gary Rohan, Mitch Duncan and Guthrie booted two goals each as leading goal-kickers Tom Hawkins, Jeremy Cameron and Tyson Stengle managed just two between them. Petracca booted three for Melbourne, while Max Gawn notably didn’t take a single mark on return from injury. Oliver suffered a fractured thumb that will likely sideline him for one week.
SYDNEY 17.18 (120) defeated WESTERN BULLDOGS 9.13 (67)
The first quarter told the story as the Swans laid an early platform for this thumping, piling on 7.8 to 2.1. The Bulldogs were blown away by five Sydney goals in 15 minutes and never looked in the hunt. Luke Beveridge later conceded his side was “flattered” by the scoreline. Isaac Heeny kicked four goals for the Swans as Chad Warner (25 disposals, two goals), Luke Parker (28 disposals), Tom Papley (24 disposals, two goals) and Callum Mills (23 disposals, 15 tackles) ran riot. Papley played out the match with a sore right shoulder and was later cleared over a matchday report for forceful front-on contact against Josh Dunkley, while Peter Ladhams was substituted out with a broken thumb in his first match back from suspension. Anthony Scott (concussion) and Aaron Naughton (knee) were hurt for the Bulldogs.
COLLINGWOOD 13.10 (88) defeated NORTH MELBOURNE 12.9 (81)
Down but not out at three-quarter time, the Magpies rallied to pile on 5.5 to 0.2 and run over the top of the lowly Kangaroos. Collingwood’s big names stood up when it counted. Taylor Adams (28 disposals) and Scott Pendlebury (23) were superb late in the match, Steele Sidebottom kicked a clutch goal and Nick Daicos slotted a beauty from the pocket. Darcy Cameron finished with three majors. Ben McKay did his best to stop the onslaught with a series of defensive marks but his efforts were in vain. North was the better side for most of the day as Nick Larkey (five goals) and Luke Davies-Uniacke (33 disposals, 12 clearances, 11 tackles) stood out. It was the Kangaroos’ most competitive display in three months but whether it is enough to save David Noble’s job for another week remains to be seen.
GOLD COAST 14.10 (94) defeated RICHMOND 13.14 (92)
Noah Anderson did a Karmichael Hunt to sink the Tigers after the siren and keep the Suns’ finals flame flickering. Gold Coast looked dead when Richmond went 40 points clear early in the third quarter, and should have been buried when the final term ticked into time-on. But Jason Castagna’s shot was unbelievably smothered by Charlie Ballard and Maurice Rioli and Jake Aarts both missed shots they would later rue. The Suns kicked the last four goals of the match to pinch a thriller, with former Tiger Mabior Chol giving them hope before Anderson’s ice-cool match-winner. Touk Miller (27 disposals, 13 clearances) was superb, Chol kicked three goals, and Ben Ainsworth and Anderson were outstanding with 26 disposals and two goals apiece. Shai Bolton (29 disposals, three goals) shone for Richmond, which lost Tom Lynch (hamstring), Ivan Soldo (broken thumb) and Toby Nankervis (knee) to injuries on a dirty night.
ST KILDA 10.10 (70) lost to FREMANTLE 17.9 (111)
St Kilda’s 10-2 centre bounce clearance differential told a big part of the story in the first half as the home side dominated field position but failed to put the score on the board. The result was an eight-point lead at half-time that quickly vanished after the restart as Fremantle flicked a switch. Nat Fyfe was thrust into the centre square and when the contested game evened up, the Dockers got going. Seven third-quarter goals gave the visitors the upper hand. Fyfe (21 disposals, three goals), Andrew Brayshaw (36 disposals), Caleb Serong (25) and Will Brodie (29, two goals) were outstanding and Michael Fredercik kicked three goals, while Brennan Cox and Griffin Logue kept the Saints’ tall forwards relatively quiet after Alex Pearce (calf tightness) was a late withdrawal. Jack Steele and Brad Crouch were good for the Saints but lacked support after half-time.
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PORT ADELAIDE 12.12 (84) defeated GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 3.11 (29)
GWS veteran Phil Davis suffered a possibly career-ending hamstring injury during the third term on a tough night for the visitors at Adelaide Oval. Connor Rozee’s stunning four-goal haul was better than the three goals put up by the Giants’ entire team. Zak Butters (26 disposals), Sam Powell-Pepper (25) and Travis Boak (24) were important contributors as Port kept its finals hopes well and truly alive in the dominant performance. Kane Farrell and in-form tall forward Todd Marshall kicked two goals each. Giants co-captains Stephen Coniglio (32 disposals) and Josh Kelly (27) battled hard against the tide and Jesse Hogan booted two goals. But they couldn’t prevent the heaviest defeat GWS has suffered in Mark McVeigh’s short tenure, which did the caretaker coach no favours in his bid to win the full-time position.
BRISBANE 13.12 (90) lost to ESSENDON 15.10 (100)
Peter Wright kicked five goals and Kyle Langford added four as the Bombers took full advantage of a virus and injury-ravaged Brisbane side. The Lions were forced into nine changes and were within a kick in the dying stages but couldn’t get the job done, dropping their first game at the Gabba since last year’s semi-final. Essendon led for most of the day – though never by more than 19 points – with Zach Merrett (31 disposals), Nick Hind (27) and Jye Caldwell (26, one goal) all performing well in the tight contest. Hugh McCluggage (29 disposals) and Lincoln McCarthy (three goals) battled hard for Brisbane. The result was Essendon’s third win in four games as it posted consecutive victories for the first time since August last year.
HAWTHORN 13.8 (86) defeated ADELAIDE 8.6 (54)
Mitch Lewis slammed on five first-half goals as the Hawks dominated a sloppy Crows outfit early, bursting out to a 31-point lead at the first change. Adelaide enjoyed a brief period of ascendancy in the third term and cut the margin to 20 points in the last, but never looked likely to run over the top. Hawks captain Ben McEvoy made a successful return after three months out rehabilitating his fractured neck and inspired his side simply by being out there. Jai Newcombe (25 disposals, eight clearances), Dylan Moore (29, five) and Tom Mitchell (28, six) were important contributors, while James Sicily and James Blanck were strong in defence. Adelaide midfielders Rory Laird (42 disposals), Ben Keays (30) and Matt Crouch (28) posted big numbers but weren’t as damaging as their Hawthorn counterparts.
WEST COAST 8.5 (53) lost to CARLTON 17.14 (116)
Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay booted five goals each as the Blues dominated early, rode a challenge and finished strongly in their first win over West Coast in Perth since 2013. The visitors had 5.4 to 0.0 on the board at quarter-time as the Eagles posted their third goalless opening term of the season. They didn’t hit the scoreboard until Jack Darling kicked their first major three minutes into the second term. But they were back within 10 points by half-time as Luke Shuey, Tim Kelly and Andrew Gaff got to work in the middle. Josh Kennedy became the first West Coast player to kick 700 goals for the club, fittingly reaching the mark against his old side. But it was all the Blues in the final term as they finished with seven unanswered goals to run out comfortable winners. Adam Cerra, Matt Kennedy and Sam Docherty all found plenty of the ball for Carlton.
