Cody Weightman and Adam Treloar celebrate one of Weightman’s four goals against Essendon on Sunday. Photo: AFL MEDIA
PORT ADELAIDE 12.14 (86) defeated 5.13 (43) GEELONG
All Australian defender Aliir had a first quarter to remember and was a rock at the back for the Power all night as they held Geelong to its lowest score of the season to date. Fellow off-season recruit Orazio Fantasia kicked four goals for the hosts in front of a capped crowd of 20,000 as Travis Boak, Ollie Wines and Karl Amon ran the show between the arcs. Steven Motlop kicked two goals when he pounced on errors by veteran Cats defender Lachie Henderson, who had a horror night. He wasn’t alone in a Geelong side that produced an uncharacteristic number of skill errors. The Cats lost utility Mark O’Connor to a hamstring injury before half-time in a loss that left them with a poor 1-8 record in week-one finals over the last decade. Tom Hawkins was Geelong’s only multiple goalkicker with two in his 300th game.
SYDNEY 10.13 (73) lost to GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 11.8 (74)
Toby Greene took centre stage for the right and wrong reasons yet again as his three goals helped propel the Giants to a heart-stopping victory in the league’s first final held in Tasmania. Greene appeared to make contact with umpire Matt Stevic at three-quarter time in an incident that took some of the gloss off the result and saw him charged with intentional umpire contact and referred directly to the tribunal. GWS managed just one behind in the final term as the Swans fought back from a 29-point deficit. They registered the last eight scores but couldn’t muster a winning goal. Superstar Lance Franklin had a shot for the lead from 50m that reprised memories of his famous 2007 goal for Hawthorn against Adelaide, but this time it drifted wide with less than three minutes on the clock. Franklin finished with three majors, but will have to wait until next year to become the sixth man to reach 1000. The Giants have now won all three finals meetings with their fierce NSW rivals, with this one by far the closest contest.
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MELBOURNE 13.15 (93) defeated BRISBANE 9.6 (60)
Brownlow Medal favourite Clayton Oliver fired and Bayley Fritsch kicked four goals as the minor premiers booked a preliminary final berth with a strong showing at Adelaide Oval. Christian Petracca and Jack Viney also starred in the middle for the Demons, while Kysaiah Pickett and Ben Brown were ever-present threats in attack. Charlie Cameron kicked five goals for Brisbane and Lachie Neale had 46 disposals, but the Lions struggled to find routes to goal. Key forward Daniel McStay was ruled out early through concussion and Joe Daniher failed to kick a major for the first time this season. Melbourne’s Rising Star winner Luke Jackson had one of his front teeth knocked out from an accidental knee. The match was well within Melbourne’s keeping at half-time, and while the Lions kicked the only two goals of the third term to get within 19 points, the Demons steadied. Petracca kicked the final two goals of the match to put the result beyond doubt and give Dees fans hope that a 57-year premiership drought may be about to come to an end.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 13.7 (85) defeated ESSENDON 4.12 (36)
Fans who are following the infamous social media account that records the number of days since Essendon won a final will see it blow out beyond 6500 next year after the Bombers fell short on the big stage again. It wasn’t through lack of effort in rain-soaked Launceston, where both sides battled in a bruising encounter. Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett racked up touches for Essendon and Jake Stringer kicked two goals in an otherwise quiet display against his old side. But the Bulldogs had too many winners and too much class, kicking eight goals to nil after half-time. Pint-sized forward Cody Weightman booted four majors, all from free kicks, including two midway through the third quarter that helped break the game open. Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae and Bailey Dale were all important for the Bulldogs, who now have just six days to back up for a semi-final against Brisbane.
