Jordan Clark and Jack Henry celebrate after combining for a critical last-quarter goal for Geelong. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
COLLINGWOOD 11.6 (72) lost to BRISBANE 11.7 (73)
The Lions were robbed against Geelong, stranded in Victoria as a COVID-19 outbreak gripped their home city and staring down the barrel of a 0-3 start to the season. Then the footy gods smiled on Zac Bailey. Six days after he should have been awarded a free kick and simple shot at a match-winning goal in a one-point loss to the Cats, Bailey marked 40 metres out and kicked truly after the siren to sink Collingwood. Brodie Grundy’s ruck work was a talking point as he dominated the hit-out count against Tom Fullarton and Connor Ballenden, but Nathan Buckley called the stat a “furphy” after Brisbane was able to set up to and read Grundy’s taps. The Pies led by 25 points during the second quarter and 14 early in the last, and Josh Daicos brought the crowd (including famous dad Peter and younger brother Nick) to its feet with a superb goal before the Lions made their final charge. Hugh McCluggage was massive for Brisbane in the final term with 11 disposals and 232 metres gained. Joe Daniher kicked three goals in an entertaining battle with Darcy Moore. There was a sour note to the aftermath when Collingwood had to investigate a situation where a security guard was forced to intervene as an irate supporter berated the umpires after the siren.
NORTH MELBOURNE 5.9 (39) lost to WESTERN BULLDOGS 25.17 (167)
Josh Bruce kicked a career-best 10 goals in a record-breaking 128-point thumping that was so comprehensive that it sparked further debate – fairly or otherwise – over North’s hosting rights for the Good Friday feature match. Josh Dunkley, Jack Macrae, Caleb Daniel and Bailey Smith ran rings around the Kangaroos in the biggest win in Footscray/Western Bulldogs history. Ruck pair Tim English and Stefan Martin were influential and Adam Treloar kicked three goals from 27 disposals in his best performance since crossing from Collingwood. Bruce continued his love affair with North Melbourne, cashing in on his teammates’ dominance to kick a rare double-figure tally of goals and make it 22 in his last three matches against the Kangaroos. Bruce’s was the competition’s first 10-goal haul since Ben Brown for North against Port Adelaide in 2019, and the Bulldogs’ first since Simon Beasley against the Brisbane Bears in 1987. The only downside for the Bulldogs was defender Ryan Gardner’s “significant” shoulder injury, while North lost Jared Polec to a hamstring issue.
ADELAIDE 14.11 (95) defeated GOLD COAST 12.13 (85)
Taylor Walker won Adelaide’s goalkicking last year with a paltry 15 majors. At the end of the coronavirus-affected season, he conceded his career might be over. Fast forward to April 2021 and Walker is back in something close to career-best form in one of the season’s great stories so far. This year, he leads the Crows’ goalkicking with 17 majors in just three games. Suddenly, and more importantly, last year’s wooden spooners are not only competitive but look capable of doing some serious damage. Rory Sloane, Brodie Smith and Rory Laird were all influential as the Crows gradually overpowered Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval, where they have now won four of their last five games. Noah Anderson continued his strong form for Gold Coast and Ben King kicked a career-best four goals, but the Suns’ already-serious injury concerns worsened when co-captain Jarrod Witts hurt his left knee, adding to a growing list of talls on the sidelines.
RICHMOND 10.12 (72) lost to SYDNEY 17.15 (117)
The ugly ducklings lambasted by Damien Hardwick less than a year ago, have truly become beautiful Swans, and they rubbed the Richmond coach’s nose in it. Sydney has kicked three straight scores of 100-plus points to open 2021 and reached triple figures against the Tigers before three-quarter time in the biggest shock of the year to date. Emerging teenager Chad Warner is every chance to join first-year teammates Errol Gulden and Braeden Campbell as a Rising Star nominee this week after a scintillating display in the comprehensive 45-point win. The Swans were without Lance Franklin and had seven players appearing at the MCG for the first time against the reigning premiers. But it mattered little as Sam Wicks (three goals) and Logan McDonald (two) stood up in attack alongside Tom Papley (four). For all the youngsters’ skill and energy, it is Tom Hickey who might just be the biggest surprise packet this season after he produced another superb display for his fourth AFL club. Richmond lost premiership star Dion Prestia to a right hamstring in the first term and skipper Trent Cotchin finished the match on the bench icing his hamstring and groin areas after a dirty day.
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ESSENDON 22.11 (143) defeated ST KILDA 9.14 (68)
What a difference a week made for the injury-hit Bombers as fit-again Jake Stringer returned with a bang, firing on all cylinders with four goals in the rout of St Kilda. Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett (34 disposals each) starred in the midfield and Cale Hooker kicked five goals in attack. First-round draft pick Nik Cox announced himself as one to watch and Jordan Ridley underlined his status as an emerging star with a strong performance in defence. Co-captain Jack Steele (35 disposals) stood up for the Saints but had few helpers as they lost Jade Gresham to an achilles injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season. Fourteen St Kilda players laid just one tackle or less despite Essendon having more than 100 more disposals. It was arguably the Saints’ worst display since Brett Ratten took the reins. “Defensively that’s as bad as we’ve been … It was hard to watch,” the coach said.
WEST COAST 16.12 (108) defeated PORT ADELAIDE 11.5 (71)
It was billed as the match of the round between two genuine flag contenders, but it seemed nobody told the Power it wouldn’t be as easy as their soft kills of North Melbourne and Essendon in the opening two rounds. The Eagles had four goals on the scoreboard inside the first 10 minutes to whip their home fans into a frenzy as Nic Naitanui led their dominance through the midfield and at stoppages. Andrew Gaff, Jack Redden, Tim Kelly and Luke Shuey starred as the ageless Josh Kennedy (four goals), Jack Darling (three) and Oscar Allen (five contested marks) provided targets in attack. Liam Ryan grabbed the headlines with yet another mark of the year contender – this one of the frequent flyer’s best on the shoulders of Darcy Byrne-Jones – and underrated Jamie Cripps provided more than nuisance value. The only downside was another hamstring injury for Luke Shuey on his return – his fifth such issue inside 12 months. Port Adelaide’s guns were all down in its first big test of the season, six days out from another tough fixture against Richmond.
CARLTON 16.13 (109) defeated FREMANTLE 9.10 (64)
Under-fire skipper Patrick Cripps returned to form and Harry McKay kicked a career-best seven goals as the Blues’ opened their account for 2021 in fine style, kicking their highest score in six years. Cripps racked up 34 disposals, 11 clearances and two goals as the key figure in a dominant midfield alongside emerging star Sam Walsh. Liam Jones starred in defence and veteran forward Eddie Betts got the crowd fired up with a sublime goal. The Blues’ physical approach reaped benefits as they roughed up Andrew Brayshaw and the rest of Fremantle’s on-ball division, leaving Dockers coach Justin Longmuir fuming. “We can’t be a team that hangs our teammates out to dry,” he said. “I thought, by the end of the second quarter, it wasn’t just Andy. They were being more physical with us all over the ground.” The Dockers lost Hayden Young (hamstring) and Lachie Schultz (concussion) in their heaviest defeat of Longmuir’s tenure.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 11.2 (68) lost to MELBOURNE 15.12 (102)
Livewire forward Kysaiah Pickett continued his hot start to the season, kicking a career-best four goals as Melbourne went 3-0 for the first time since 2005. Captain Max Gawn and a midfield unit led by Christian Petracca, Jack Viney and Angus Brayshaw gradually ground down the Giants in the nation’s capital, with the Dees kicking nine goals to four after the main break. GWS lost Stephen Coniglio (ankle), Matt de Boer (hamstring) and Phil Davis (calf) to injuries in a series of cruel blows. Toby Greene kicked five goals and will likely lead the Giants as stand-in captain with Coniglio set for an extended stint on the sidelines.
GEELONG 10.9 (69) defeated HAWTHORN 9.10 (64)
Hawthorn’s late fightback turned a tame encounter into another classic episode of one of the competition’s great rivalries. Jack Henry’s interception backward of centre and gut-busting run to set up a Jordan Clark goal gave Geelong breathing space as the last quarter ticked into time-on. Even then, with a 17-point lead, the Cats were forced to defend grimly as the Hawks got back within a kick through goals from Tyler Brockman and Mitch Lewis. But it wasn’t quite enough for Alastair Clarkson’s men to cause what would have been a major boilover. Hawthorn promised to get stuck into Isaac Smith but the anticipated fiery clash never eventuated as the former Hawks premiership wingman got one over his old side in their first meeting since his off-season free agency move. Mark O’Connor starred again in his tagging role and found plenty of the footy himself as he limited the impact of Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell. The Hawks’ ball magnet was driven to frustration and conceded an off-the-ball free kick when he retaliated to O’Connor’s physical treatment. Geelong midfielder Mitch Duncan returned from injury and slotted back into the midfield seamlessly, playing an important role alongside fellow star Cam Guthrie. Tom Hawkins kicked 2.4 and copped an old-school “ear massage” from Kyle Hartigan that will be scrutinised by the match review officer. The Cats lost experienced recruit Shaun Higgins to a hamstring injury after youngster Francis Evans (ankle) had already been subbed out of the game early.
For the North fans among us (and those that have dismissed us as a basketcase), yes, the Dogs were awesome. But here are some of the takeaways from what I saw at the game. We were competitive, especially between the 50metre arcs in the first quarter, and had we taken our chances, we could have been in front at quarter time. Nobody has mentioned it, but the score reversal on Larkey’s second “goal” in minutes, after a fantastic passage of play from the backline, robbed them of building momentum. Instead of going into half time, competitive and a couple of goals off the pace, they were well beaten. Its a young inexperienced team, and these are the things that hurt and cause the shoulders to slump. Larkey was starting to assert himself, but it fell away, and too often he them found himself 3 deep at the contest. The loss of Anderson also meant that there was no pressure in the middle after half time. Most people don’t realise how important and effective he is at making players worry once they have the ball in their hands. And of course, we were undersized and under strength with out Tarrant, Corr, McDonald, Bonar (who was coming off his best game for the club) and not to mention a not fit Cunnington and no Dumont.
Tom Powell continues to impress. Charlie Lazzaro was good.Neither look overwhelmed. Ben McKay continues to improve, and for a 20 gamer to be anchoring the backline is a big ask. Larkey looks good when he gets to the front of the pack. He just doesn’t get there often enough. The forward line structure is not working. Larkey is probably at least another season or 2 away from being a dangerous CHF. North need to get more out of the 3rd year players like LDU, Thomas, and Scott, all high draft picks, but not taking the game on like, say the youngsters at the Swans. Maybe its about learning a new game plan
None of this is take anything away from the Dogs, they came to play, and they did, and they reaped the rewards with the percentage. There is nothing better than seeing The Bont wheel out of the centre and bomb a goal from 65. North were undermanned in an undermanned season. It is going to be long, but as Paul Kelly once sang, the darkest hour is before the dawn.