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Bombers Cruise to Big Win Over Roos

Troy Thompson — Mon, 20 May 2024 12:26:38 +0000

Bombers Cruise to Big Win Over Roos Troy Thompson Mon, 05/20/2024 - 08:26

Essendon went into this Sir Doug Nicholls Round match against the bottom team on the ladder in 4^th place. It should be noted though, that if they had lost the Anzac Day match against Collingwood a few weeks back and not received 2 points for the draw that day, they would be sitting 10^th on the ladder. Therefore, it was important they keep winning to hold their spot near the top of the ladder. The Roo's, on the other hand, could theoretically have moved out of last place and overtake Richmond if they win this match against their Marvel Stadium co-tenant. A quirk of Australian football is that so many teams share the same venues in Melbourne which reduces any "home" advantage.

While the look of each team was a little different in their indigenous round jumpers for this round, each team was clearly recognizable in their traditional red/black and blue/white colors. What was not recognizable was the good start by the Kangaroos, with Davies-Uniake roving the boundary throw in and snapping over his shoulder in heavy traffic for the first goal of the match. The Bombers were quick to reply though with Guelphi marking a high ball 25 meters out and kicking the first of the match for his team. After a lengthy goal review Toby Pink was awarded with the second for the Kangaroos as players scrambled for the ball at the goal line it seems he got some part of the end of his boot onto the ball as it skipped over the line.

Guelphi Goals (file photo/AFANA)

A trio of goals later in quarter saw the Bombers awake from an apparent slumber. Club captain Zach Merrett took it upon himself to get his team back in the game when he marked and goaled from the set shot on a 45-degree angle. Then Peter Wright was sighted for the first time in the match as he marked on a strong lead and kicked the goal. Elijas Tatas marked just before the siren inside the goal square and put his team two goals clear at quarter time.

Zurhaar gave the Roos the start they would have been looking for in the second quarter when he marked a long shot at goal from Harry Sheezel, and then scored from 10 meters out. Merrett won the next clearance and his run and hit up of Peter Wright from 60 meters away looked like a training drill with the North defenders as witches' hats (Ed: Australian slang for traffic cones often used in training.) Wright evened the ledger for the quarter.

North was able to put up some good resistance for a period, but an intercept turnover by Hobbs saw him chip to an unmarked Harrison Jones and Jones kicked the Bomber's fifth goal from the set shot. Essendon looked to be pulling away as Guelphi marked and goaled from 45 meters out right on the boundary line. North hit back when the long kick to Duursma drew a free kick, and Stephenson roved to take the play-on advantage and kick his first goal of the day. Curtis Taylor backed it up getting on his own inside 50 and marking a chipped kick and going on to kick the Kangaroos' fifth goal.

Misses by Guelphi and Stringer were lost opportunities and left the Kangaroos with an open door. That door opened a little bit more as Duursma marked and goaled from 48 meters out after the siren sounded, to see his side trail by just seven points at the halfway point.

It was Guelphi in his 100th AFL match who opened the scoring in the third quarter after marking on a fast lead he kicked his third goal of the match. Slack defending by North saw Ben Mackay drill Stringer with a pass and he easily kicked the 40m shot from center half-forward. Once again, the Bombers were appearing to be the winners. A bullet like pass by Davies-Uniake to Larkey in the forward pocket beat the Essendon defenders and his goal kept the Kangaroos in touch but still trailing by 14 points. A quick reply by the Bombers though came through Peter Wright, the midfielders finding him with a high kick to his natural advantage inside the 50-meter arc.

Peter Wright (file photo/AFANA)

Luke Davies Uniake kicked his second goal for the day, on the end of a chain of handball, and sold some candy to sidestep two Essendon defenders in one move before snapping truly. But from here it would be all Essendon. Alwyn Davey Jr perhaps brought the biggest cheer of the day from the Essendon fans when he roved a spilled mark, received the dished out handball and kicked his first of the day. The lead extended to a match high 26 points when Gresham kicked the goal after he teased Comben on taking possession, who tackled him without the ball and gave away the free kick.

Peter Wright kicked his fourth straight goal for the day, Jake Stringer kicked his second (from the boundary line outside the 50-meter mark) and Perkins kicked the Bombers fifth goal in a row, roving yet another pack turnover to goal from 30 meters out. At three quarter time the Bombers had dominated that quarter and now lead by 45 points, somewhat closer to the pre-match expectations of most of their fans.

Xerri had rucked well for the Kangaroos, against his old teammate Todd Goldstein, and his day got better when he kicked the first goal of the final quarter. When Eddie Ford kicked the next goal there was still no sense of panic given the Bombers still maintained a 33-point lead. Indeed, they held firm, Langford kicking the final goal of the match with five minutes to play as Essendon coasted to a 40-point win. All in all, an easy four points for the Bombers, but not quite as easy as they would have hoped.

For North Melbourne some "green shoots" as described by coach Alastair Clarkson in the post-match conference, were definitely starting to show and they included Harry Sheezel who continues to build his bonafide's and Tom Powell who is giving the Roos some great drive in the midfield. The Bombers with this win move to second place on the ladder and while a win against the bottom side doesn't give much credibility, their 7 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw record does.

SCORE
Essendon:         4.2 7.5 15.7 16.10 (106)   
North Melbourne:  2.2 6.4  8.4 10.6   (66)   

GOALS    
Essendon:         Wright 4, Guelfi 3, Stringer 2, Merrett, Tsatas, Jones, Davey jnr, Gresham, Perkins, Langford
North Melbourne:  Davies-Uniacke 2, Pink, Zurhaar, Stephenson, Taylor, Duursma, Larkey, Xerri, Forde    
  
BEST  
Essendon:         Merrett, Martin, Caldwell, Guelfi, Perkins
North Melbourne:  Davies-Uniacke, Sheezel, Corr, Powell, Xerri 

INJURIES  
Essendon:         Nil
North Melbourne:  Miller Bergman (hamstring) 

SUBSTITUTES  
Essendon:         Dylan Shiel (replaced Harry Jones in the fourth quarter)
North Melbourne:  Eddie Ford (replaced Charlie Lazzaro in the third quarter) 

Crowd:            43,125 at Marvel Stadium

Sir Doug Nicholls Round

Eagles Ambush Demons

chris kowald — Sun, 19 May 2024 14:29:24 +0000

Eagles Ambush Demons chris kowald Sun, 05/19/2024 - 10:29

The West Coast Eagles launched a surprise attack on the Melbourne Demons to win convincingly by thirty-five points. The Demons were overwhelmed by the Eagles' attack on the ball and the pressure applied in the midfield. The Demons' defense has been the best in the league, but with linchpin defender Jake Lever injured early in the first quarter, the visitors were unable to withstand the repeated entries of the Eagles.

Teams that have defeated Melbourne recently have concentrated on nullifying the influence of Lever, Max Gawn, and Christian Petracca. With Lever out of the equation the Eagles physically targeted Gawn but he was equal to the challenge. He dominated the hitouts and won six clearances, but the physical buffeting he received in packs reduced his marks (catches) tally to just three. When the ball hit the ground the Eagles' Tim Kelly, Harley Reid, Liam Duggan and Reuben Ginbey swooped to initiate Eagle attacks. Clayton Oliver (nine clearances) and Christian Salem were good for the Demons but were outpointed by the combined Eagles midfield who won more contested possessions, particularly in the first half. Jake Waterman and Jack Darling were the Eagles' main targets up forward with Waterman taking thirteen marks and booting five goals. Darling only took four marks but with thirteen tackles, he kept the Melbourne defenders under constant pressure.

Kysaiah Pickett (Dave Woodley/AFANA)

The Eagles set the standard for play early in the first quarter. The Demons were beaten at the ball with the home team winning contested possessions in the midfield and shooting the ball into their attacking zone with precision. Waterman marked strongly for the Eagles first goal. At the other end Caleb Windsor marked and kicked truly from fifty meters to open the Demons' account. An opportunistic goal by Darling was answered quickly when a busy Kysaiah Pickett received a high tackle and converted his free kick into a goal. Former Demon, Jayden Hunt, took a diving mark and booted a goal for the Eagles. At the next center bounce, Harley Reid provided the highlight of the match. Collecting the ball from behind the center circle, he burnt off Petracca and Oliver, took three bounces and booted a running goal from forty-seven meters.

The Eagles continued in the same vein in the second quarter. Tim Kelly, Ginbey, and Reid used pace and physical force to win contests in the midfield. Liam Ryan showed a return to form and confidence and booted an early goal after a flying mark. Petracca stepped up for the Demons and was instrumental in the Demons booting the next two goals through Shane McAdam and Kade Chandler. A forgotten forward, Ben Brown, then slotted a clever goal for the Demons from the boundary to bring the Demon supporters to life. The Eagles didn't get value for effort in the second stanza, with poor goal shooting despite having the upper hand in the midfield. The goal-front accuracy of the Demons had kept the visitors in the game.

After the main break, the Demons contested with more determination and increased their midfield pressure. Kysaiah Pickett was lively and Christian Salem and Alex Neal-Bullen fought with determination to either win the ball or pressure their opponents. Liam Duggan provided a steady outlet from defense for the Eagles and Kelly and Reid matched Melbourne's Clayton Oliver and Todd Viney in the midfield. The Demons worked their way back into the game but missed opportunities as the Eagles defended with desperation. The teams traded pairs of goals with Petracca busy for Melbourne and Reid providing some midfield highlights as he fended off and dodged Melbourne's best players. A clever kick by Tim Kelly found Reid, who was alone with Melbourne's Blake Howard. That was never going to end well for Melbourne. Reid pushed off the defender while gathering the ball and ran into an open goal to boot his second and to extend the Eagles' lead.

Reid kicks (Dave Woodley/AFANA)

The final stanza began with a Waterman goal which was answered immediately by Bailey Fritsch for the Demons, who marked strongly and kicked truly. However, by halfway through the quarter the Demons stopped running, perhaps victims of the relatively warm conditions in Perth. Possibly the ten-day break after their one-point loss to Carlton had them off their usual standard. The Eagles finished with unanswered goals to Waterman, Ryan, and Jamie Cripps to hammer home a stunning turnaround in form, just a week after their ignominious thrashing at the hands of Collingwood.

Next week, the Demons have a chance of redemption when they meet the struggling St Kilda Saints. The Eagles will fly to Adelaide to meet the hungry Adelaide Crows, who narrowly lost to the Collingwood Magpies. A win away from their home nest will be a tough challenge for the Eagles.

Scores
West Coast Eagles: 4.3 7.8 12.8 16.9  (105)
Melbourne Demons:  2.1 6.1  9.8 10.10  (70)

Best
West Coast Eagles: Waterman, Reid, Kelly, Duggan, Darling
Melbourne Demons:  Petracca, Salem, Oliver, Gawn, Neil-Bullen

Goals
West Coast Eagles: Waterman 5, Darling 3, Reid 2, Cripps, Ginbey, Hunt, Maric
Melbourne Demons:  Fritsch 3, Brown, Chandler, McAdam, Neal-Bullen, Petracca, Pickett, Windsor

AFANA's Who's Hot and Who's Not #2

Boris Kilpatrick — Sat, 18 May 2024 01:01:34 +0000

AFANA's Who's Hot and Who's Not #2 Boris Kilpatrick Fri, 05/17/2024 - 21:01

In our second review of the season, we are approaching the halfway mark. AFANA crunches the numbers to bring you the hottest and coldest players in the league.

HOT:

NICK DAICOS (Collingwood Magpies):

After a patch of indifferent form starting in round two, this budding superstar has absolutely torn the competition apart in recent weeks.

With three out of his last four games reaping over 30 possessions and 7+ clearances, Daicos has looked every bit the Brownlow Medal fancy most of us expected to see in 2024. Add the fact that he has hit the scoreboard for four goals in the last three games, what you have right here is the hottest of the hot!

LUKE RYAN (Fremantle Dockers):

Ryan has become the quarterback of the Dockers defense, racking up intercept marks and disposals at will. In round eight he had a whopping 39 possessions to go with a ridiculous 15 marks while hitting targets at a cracking rate out of the backline. It’s no surprise that coach Justin Longmuir entrusts "kicking in" duties to Ryan as he has become the rock of the Dockers backline.

SAM WALSH (Carlton):

After a long layoff from injury, he could have been excused for a slow start as he debuted in round five. However, it didn't happen. The young star has absolutely dominated from the get-go racking up an amazing streak of five straight games of 30 possessions or more. Two of those games included a tackle count of 11 and 13 which has dispelled any doubts about a lingering back issue. Red hot.

NOT SO HOT:

MITCH DUNCAN (Geelong Cats):

Coming off an excellent year the veteran midfielder has had a tough go of it in 2024. While he has performed serviceably there has been none of the dynamic drive and damaging burst that has been a hallmark of Duncan’s career. At almost 33 years of age, coach Chris Scott has taken the extraordinary step of resting him for this week’s big game against the Gold Coast Suns.

JACK GUNSTON (Hawthorn Hawks):

Gunston’s return to the Hawks after a season up North in Brisbane hasn’t gone to plan at all. In six games to date, the one-time elite goal sneak has managed a paltry four goals in six games while registering just four kicks in the Hawks recent win over Saint Kilda. With a young upcoming list at coach Sam Mitchell’s disposal, the writing looks to be on the wall for the ice-cold Gunston.

SHAI BOLTON (Richmond Tigers):

Bolton had a scintillating start to the season however a raft of injuries to his Richmond Tiger teammates has seen resulted in his form heading south in a hurry. A decimated midfield has meant Bolton has been used to plug too many holes and it has affected his output immensely. After a rare patch where he scored 11 goals in a four game stretch to round five, the struggling Bolton has managed just three goals in his last three contests while not registering a single 20 possession game. His form is reflecting the struggling Tigers disaster of a season as they have slumped to 17^th on the ladder.

We will be back with another update in a few week's time to see where things are heading toward the tail end of the season.

Accurate Swans Punish Offline Dockers

chris kowald — Fri, 10 May 2024 15:11:23 +0000

Accurate Swans Punish Offline Dockers chris kowald Fri, 05/10/2024 - 11:11

The Sydney Swans strengthened their position at the top of the ladder with an eight-goal victory over the inaccurate Fremantle Dockers. The Dockers matched Sydney in the midfield with good clearance work but were inefficient in attack. At the other end Sydney were ruthless and kicked accurately to punish any Docker turnovers. The pressure applied by both teams was strong with tackling from both sides a feature of the match. Sydney's Brodie Grundy dominated in the ruck, but the Dockers got first use of the ball through the strong clearance work of Andrew Brayshaw, Luke Jackson, and Caleb Sorong. As the game progressed Chad Warner, Errol Gulden, and James Rowbottom became more involved in play to cement the early good work of the Sydney forwards.

The game started with four forward entries by the Dockers for just two behinds (worth a point each). After ten minutes of the Dockers dominating the midfield, Sydney broke through to launch an attack through with a snapped goal by Logan McDonald. Five minutes later Will Hayward booted the Swans second goal when the Docker defenders were caught out of position. Sydney's pressure on the ball then generated a forward-half intercept and Jake Lloyd goaled. The Dockers booted their first goal after an intercept in their own forward half and some fancy footwork by defender Brandon Walker, who kicked truly.

Brandon Walker (file photo/AFANA)

The second quarter began in the same way with the Dockers attacking and missing easy shots. Joel Amartey provided strong leads in Sydney's forward line and marked and kicked truly after a quick transition from defense by Sydney. When the Dockers went forward, they were always under pressure and the Sydney defenders Aaron Francis, Dane Rampe, and Lewis Melican applied enormous heat on the Docker forwards causing miskicks and turnovers. The Dockers could only add three behinds as Amartey, Chad Warner, and Will Hayward each booted their second goals for the visitors. A period of Sydney scoreboard dominance stretched to its sixth unanswered goal and Hayden McLean's first goal, with the majority of Sydney's goals coming from Docker turnovers. Although the Dockers had made on one less forward entry than Sydney to half time, they had kicked eight goals less.

The third quarter was similar to the first two quarters with Fremantle doing well in the midfield but falling down when they transitioned into attack. The Dockers adopted attacking field positioning and when the ball was turned over through poor delivery or Sydney pressure, their defenders were left wide open. Jemery Sharp booted a behind for the Dockers and then Tom Papley booted the Swans first goal for the term after nearly three minutes of play. Four minutes into the quarter Will Hayward had the dubious distinction of booting the first behind in the match for the visitors. Five minutes later Josh Tracey marked on a lead and (finally) booted the Dockers second goal for the match. Play in the midfield was even and both defenses withstood numerous attacks. The flow of goals for Sydney stopped and Sydney's second goal for the term came from a good snap by Hayward half-way through the quarter.

The game slowed in the final quarter. The Dockers were exhausted, and Sydney was content to retain the use of the ball. Oliver Florent and Hayward added two goals for Sydney midway through the stanza and then Jeremy Sharp responded with two for the Dockers. However, the game had been effectively over at halftime. Perhaps it was a five-day break or news of the death of former teammate Cam McCarthy (which broke the afternoon before the match), which affected the Dockers' game. Perhaps it was the unrelenting pressure applied by the Swans and the inability of the Dockers to kick straight at crucial times, which saw the Swans run out convincing winners.

Chad Warner (file photo/AFANA)

Next week Sydney return home to meet the Carlton Blues in a Friday night blockbuster at the SCG. The Dockers have eight days to recover and then travel to Marvel Stadium in Melbourne where they meet St Kilda and will try to get their season back on track.


Scores
Fremantle Dockers: 1.5 1.8  2.13  4.15 (39)
Sydney Swans:      3.0 9.0 11.2  13.9  (87)

Best
Fremantle Dockers: Serong, Ryan, Sharp, Brayshaw, Pearce
Sydney Swans:      Florent, Lloyd, Heeney, Warner, Blakey

Goals
Fremantle Dockers: Sharp 2, Treacy, Walker
Sydney Swans:      Hayward 4, Amartey 2, Warner 2, Florent, 
                   Lloyd, McDonald, McLean

Blues Hold Off Fast Finishing Demons

Troy Thompson — Fri, 10 May 2024 12:24:40 +0000

Blues Hold Off Fast Finishing Demons Troy Thompson Fri, 05/10/2024 - 08:24

A cool drizzly night made it easy for fans to watch from home but the match saw a good crowd of 58,472 turn up to the MCG. The drizzle was falling early but not enough to make it too slippery at the start. After an early arm wrestle the Blues struck first after six minutes of play, where each team worked cautiously to feel each other out. Walsh broke the shackles, snapping around the body from 35 meters out, straight in front, for the Blues.

While the Blues midfielders were looking for Harry and Charlie, it was the big man from the middle in Pittonet who marked and goaled at the top of the 50. Martin made it three goals in 5 minutes for the Blues when he marked at the top of the goal square. The rain grew heavier halfway through the quarter. Neither team could score again for another seven or eight minutes, but Harry McKay was able to get a better read on a bad kick to evade the defending Lever and mark and goal from 20 meters out.

Melbourne did go forward, but the Carlton defenders like McGovern, Weitering, and Newman and the hard work of Akers were able to repeatedly foil the Demon forwards and clear the ball from their defensive 50. Late in the quarter big Melbourne defender Jake Lever was beaten again, this time by De Koning who started deep and lead hard to mark and kick the set shot goal from 48 meters out, in the final minute of the quarter. A great start by the Blues kicking five unanswered goals.

The second quarter ran scoreless for eight minutes, before Owies was able to mark and add to the Demon's woes with another accurate kick for goal. Petracca had been quiet in the midfield but now he'd been moved up forward. And that was about to change. The drought was finally broken when the Demons won the center clearance and Petracca on the lead, was able to leap high one handed and pull the ball down to mark and goal from 20 meters out. He almost added another a few minutes later, shooting from a standing start but he only scored the first minor score (behind) for the night. Then a minute later he again marked and from the pocket, kicked his second goal of the night.

Hollands and Curnow blemished Carlton's scoresheet with behinds and it looked like the door might be ajar for a Melbourne comeback, before Cripps was able to rove a ball that went over the forward pack and belt home a goal. Owies kicked his second goal short after to put the Blues in front by 37 points. Daniel Turner kicked his first goal for the night to improve the Demon's lot slightly but that still left them 31 points behind at half time.

The start to the third quarter was more eventful than the first two. In the first 30 seconds the ball came inside 50 and Curnow gathered the ball one handed in the pocket and turned onto his right boot to snap the ball home. The answer at the other end was almost as quick as Pickett dropped the mark at the top of the 50 but then received the ball from his teammate and kick a goal on the run from 40 meters out.

Tom McDonald and Judd McVeigh will want to forget the scenes where they dithered in front of goal allowing Owies to slip between them to gather and kick his third goal from close range. Bailey Fritsch might want to forget his set shot hitting the post from 20 meters out straight in front at the other end. Despite all that, Petracca continued to be a bright light when he could get near the ball. He roved the ruck contest and kicked his third of the night. It seemed Carlton would not allow the Demons back-to-back goals, and quickly got the ball up forward to Curnow who kicked his second for the night. The Demons weren't helped with Pickett and Chandler both missing shots at goal.

Just when you thought it was all over, it again was Petracca doing the damage for the Demons hit Fritsch on a quick lead in the pocket and this time Fritsch made amends with a nice snap on the left boot. With two minutes left in the quarter, he again willed himself into the game pushing past defenders and scrubbing a kick through for a goal to reduce the margin to 22 points and just maybe a chance to pull this one out of the fire for the Demons.

The Blues on the other hand, needed to do what they had done all game and that quickly snuffed out any chance Melbourne had. It looked like things were going to plan when Hewett ran onto a loose ball and goaled from 25 meters out. Melbourne, of course, did come again though and this time it was Petty who clunked a big pack mark 20 meters out but his set shot was wide to the right. The rain that stopped around halftime, returned. Melbourne kept coming too, getting the ball in their forward half. Carlton's defenders and assisting midfielders, took the blows and gave little away.

As we saw all night though, Petracca only needs a little space and he got the ball on the flank and hit Van Rooyen with a bullet like pass from 50 meters away. Van Rooyen's goal reduced the margin to 20 points. Viney slid into a ball that looked certain to be a behind, but he managed to knock it back to Windsor in the goal square and Windsor toe poked the ball home for a goal. This brought the margin to 13 points with four minutes playing time remaining.

Melbourne didn't get a clean center clearance, but they did work it to Petracca in the pocket. He marked, and as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow, he snapped the goal for his fourth of the night. A "holding the ball" decision in the middle of the ground set the Demons forward, but the ball stalled in the big pack 20 meters from goal. Pickett emerged from the cluster to snap at goal, but the ball was out of bounds on the full.

Gawn marked at CHF and quickly went back to kick the goal from outside 50 and the margin was one point with 40 seconds on the clock. Melbourne won the final clearance of the match and ball came inside their forward 50, it was roved by Petracca, but he was tackled by Nick Newman in what probably turned out a match saving effort and the free kick was paid by the umpire. His clearing kick saw the Blues hold on by one solitary point.

Michael Voss will take the four points but could not be happy his charges gave up such a solid lead, while Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin would be disappointed with his forwards tonight, save for Pertracca who almost won the match off his own boot.

CARLTON:   5.0 8.2 11.4 12.5  (77)
MELBOURNE: 0.0 3.1  7.6 11.10 (76)

GOALS
Carlton:   Owies 3, Curnow 2, Walsh, Pittonet, Martin, McKay, De Koning, Cripps, Hewett
Melbourne: Petracca 5, Turner, Pickett, Fritsch, van Rooyen, Windsor, Gawn

BEST
Carlton:   Cripps, Walsh, Weitering, Kennedy, O. Hollands, Curnow
Melbourne: Petracca, May, Neal-Bullen, Gawn, Viney

INJURIES
Carlton:   Pittonet (finger), Cerra (hamstring)
Melbourne: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Carlton:   George Hewett (replaced Cerra in the third quarter)
Melbourne: Taj Woewodin (replaced Bowey in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 58,472 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

Bombers Survive Late Eagle Challenge

chris kowald — Sat, 04 May 2024 15:10:52 +0000

Bombers Survive Late Eagle Challenge chris kowald Sat, 05/04/2024 - 11:10

The Essendon Bombers survived a late challenge by a determined West Coast Eagles to win by one goal in a thriller at Optus Stadium. The Bombers had more of the play for three quarters but couldn't finish scoring opportunities off the strong work of their midfield. Whereas the Eagles launched less attacks but were more efficient in attack. The Bombers used handball to break out of packs but the Eagles' players were more inclined to "roll the dice" and take on the tackler to get out of tight situations. Veteran ruckman Todd Goldstein, was dominant in for Essendon and for three quarters the Bombers won more clearances through his combination with Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett at ground level. Goldstein tired in the last stanza and an improved second half by Tim Kelly of the Eagles in the packs brought the hosts back into the game.

Kelly Kicks (file photo/AFANA)

Both teams started the first quarter cautiously, dropping a spare man into defense once the ball passed the center. This left an extra man in attack for the opposing team but the defenders for each side were up to the task. It took fourteen minutes of play before the Bombers scored the first goal through a strong leading run and mark (catch) by Peter Wright. Wright had too much height for both Eagles defenders Tom Barrass and Jeremy McGovern, who played from behind, allowing Wright to make leads. While they focused on stopping Wright, Kyle Langford worked into space to also present as a marking target. At the other end Jake Waterman marked strongly for West Coast, despite Ben McKay's strong in defensive work for the Bombers. Wright and Langford finished the quarter with a goal each and Jake Waterman booted one for the Eagles.

Waterman started the second quarter with a strong mark and fifty-five-metre set shot to inspire the Eagles. Elliot Yeo was busy for West Coast when packs formed around the ball. He goaled three minutes later to put the Eagles in front for the only time in the match. Sam Durham was dominant in close for Essendon using his pace to break out of packs and launch attacks. Goals to Langford, Wright, Stringer, and Durham himself had the Eagles under pressure. The Dons applied more pressure around the ball forcing turnovers and transitioning directly into attack to apply scoreboard pressure on the home side. The Eagles' third goal for the quarter came from a quick transition from defense to Jack Williams who marked and kicked truly. A late goal to Merrett who marked a good kick from Parish gave the Bombers a useful lead at the long break.

Merrett Kicks (file photo/AFANA)

A brain fade by Goldstein, early in the third term gifted the Eagles a fifty meter penalty and the opening goal of the quarter. Goldstein had knocked the ball out of Jack Darling's hands after Darling had taken a mark and hence the penalty. Merrett goaled at the seven-minute mark after another quick transition from defense by the Bombers. The Bombers then made repeated entries into the attack but couldn't score due to the strong Eagle defense led by McGovern, Barrass, and Liam Duggan. Successive goals to Campbell Chesser (a scrambled kick on the goal line), Jack Williams, and Darling (both strong marks) brought the Eagles back to within ten points. A brilliant snap by Merrett from near the boundary line once again gave the Bombers some breathing space. Xavier Duursma marked after a Merrett entry disorganized the Eagles' defense to give the Essendon a fifteen-point lead at the final break.

Jack Darling goaled from a free kick early in the final stanza narrowing the margin. Langford marked and goaled nine minutes later for the Bombers, only to see the Eagles push forward through strong work by Tim Kelly who kicked to Waterman, who marked and goaled with ten minutes on the clock. Both teams slugged it out for the next nine-minutes with the visitors scoring two more behinds (worth a point each). The Eagles didn't surrender and clever work at a stoppage near goals resulted in Jack Williams scoring a goal with a minute left. Essendon slowed play to chew up time and held-off the Eagles to win by one goal in a tense finish on the Eagles fifty-meter arc.

Next Saturday the Bombers have a tough challenge against the Giants at Marvel Stadium. Whichever team wins will be in the top four. The Eagles met the Collingwood Magpies on Sunday at the same venue. The Magpies must win to stay in touch with the top eight. The Eagles will be seeking a win in Melbourne, something that hasn't happened much in recent seasons.

Scores
West Coast Eagles: 1.1 4.2  8.5 11.5  (71)
Essendon Bombers:  2.2 7.6 10.8 11.11 (77)

Best
West Coast Eagles: Kelly, Duggan, Barrass, Waterman, Yeo
Essendon Bombers:  Parish, Merrett, Martin, McKay, Goldstein

Goals
West Coast Eagles: Waterman 3, Williams 3, Darling 2, B.J. Williams, 
                   Yeo, Chesser
Essendon Bombers:  Merrett 3, Langford 3, Wright 2, Stringer, 
                   Duursma, Durham

Adelaide Star Sloane Retires

Lisa Albergo — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 21:48:21 +0000

Adelaide Star Sloane Retires Lisa Albergo Mon, 04/29/2024 - 17:48

In late April, Adelaide star Rory Sloane announced his immediate retirement from football due to ongoing issues with an eye injury. Sloane, 34, made the decision after consulting eye specialists. He required surgery for a detached retina in 2021 and required a second surgery this past January after suffering the same injury during preseason training. He also suffered a torn retina in 2013 and a fractured eye socket in 2017.

He said he did everything he could to return to playing, including exploring goggles options, but felt the risk to his health was just too great. In making the announcement he said, ... I really wanted to make sure I'd left nothing in the tank. And I tried absolutely everything to get back. And yeah, I was close ... "I love my job. I've loved being a part of this for 16 years. And it's probably the realization that you've got to let that go ... for the betterment of my future health was just pretty tough for me ... ". He also said he was "spooked" by stories of detached retinas. He said in the end, goggles would not have worked as detached retinas are caused by head knocks rather than pokes in the eye.

Sloane played 255 games in 16 seasons with the Crows. He was named best and fairest in 2013 and 2016 and was named All-Australian in 2016. The following year, he was named the AFLPA's Most Courageous Player. In 2019, Sloane was named co-captain alongside good friend Taylor Walker in 2019 and became sole captain in 2020. He relinquished the captaincy to Jordan Dawson in 2023.

Senior Coach Matthew Nicks said he was fortunate to have seen Sloane's career as an opposition coach and then up closely in recent years, "It's hard to actually come up with the appropriate words to describe Sloaney's impact ... other than to say he will go down as one of the most influential people to have ever come through the doors. I challenge anyone to find a more positive person and his courage and strength of leadership - in good and tough times - is right up there with the very best. His on-field achievements speak for themselves but it's also his genuine care for others which stands out ... ".

This season was most likely going to be his last in any case. He went on to say, "Everyone's got an ultimate way of how they want to retire ... I said to the boys I was gonna play until I slowed down, I was running around and couldn't get a kick in the twos (reserves) and then they'd have to throw me out of the club ... ".

Shortly after his announcement, he was interviewed by Kane Cornes on SEN Radio. Here are a few of the questions and answers:

Cornes: "Who was the best player you played with? Because there's been some champions."
Sloane: "'Danger' (Patrick Dangerfield)."

Cornes: "Toughest opponent?"
Sloane: "Josh Kennedy from Sydney."

Cornes: "What was your career highlight? Was it that 2017 run?"
Sloane: "Yes, my first game and that 2017 run. But it's probably people really, to be honest, people and moments. Those ones behind closed doors that no one sees but the enjoyment you get from winning games."

Cornes: "The most underrated staff at a footy club?"
Sloane: "Oh wow, it's our staff upstairs definitely. Administration, marketing, everyone that helped us get out there and play."

Cornes: "The game, the way it's changed with the sling tackles, the bumps and the crackdown on that because you love the competitive stuff ... have those changes been good, or do you prefer the way it was perhaps 10 years ago?"
Sloane: "It's good for the head injuries, but I certainly loved my footy in those early days."

Cornes: "You have a couple of young ones at home, would you advise them to take up AFL footy for a living when they're older?"
Sloane: "Absolutely. I've had the most incredible life to this point and a huge part of it has been my football career. 16 years at Adelaide. I can't imagine living in or being part of a funner environment and a better industry. I'm indebted to the club, but also to the whole AFL industry. I've had an absolute ball so I'll try to repay everyone whenever I can."

Source: sen.com.au, news.com.au, afl.com.au

Dockers Even Hotter Than Hot Dogs

chris kowald — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 04:28:10 +0000

Dockers Even Hotter Than Hot Dogs chris kowald Sun, 04/28/2024 - 00:28

The Western Bulldogs have been hot and cold this year. At Optus Stadium they were hot, but they met a group of Dockers who were stinging from a loss to West Coast the week before. The two desperate teams, with three wins each, put on a thrilling display of everything that Australian football should be. Kicking skills came to the fore as players passed with precision. High marking contests thrilled at each end of the ground and play transitioned with lighting speed from defense into attack. The tackling from both sides was brutal and the pressure on the ball carriers was relentless. Scoring consisted of brilliant snaps contrasted with dramatic near misses. In addition, there were periods of open play where skillful players shone. The Dockers were not going to let this game slip. The Dogs were hampered by the loss of Tom Liberatore through illness and then young gun Cody Weightman late in the first quarter, but that gave it their all.

Bailey Dale (file photo/AFANA)

The Dogs had a height advantage in their forward line, particularly when tall young Docker defender Josh Draper, went off early with a hamstring injury. Their midfielders Bailey Williams, Adam Treloar, and James Harmes booted long and high to their tall forwards Aaron Naughton, Rory Lobb, and young tyro Sam Darcy. However, Fremantle captain Alex Pearce worked overtime at fullback to spoil numerous marking (catching) attempts. Former Docker Rory Lobb had a dirty night, managing just two marks and failing to score for the visitors. The slack was taken up by the maturing Sam Darcy who finished with three goals, two of them in the tense third quarter. Aaron Naughton was the main target most of the night, but he was well held by Docker defenders Luke Ryan and Alex Pearce. The Dogs most effective player was Bailey Dale, who marked strongly and booted two goals while picking up thirty possessions around the ground. Until the twenty-minute mark of the final quarter the teams were never more than twelve points apart. In the second quarter the lead changed four times and the scores leveled midway through the third quarter to keep the crowd on the edge of their seats.

The game was tilted in the Dockers' favor at the stoppages. Sean Darcy beat Tim English in the ruck (38 taps) and he was well supported by Luke Jackson (9 taps). Caleb Serong gorged himself on an incredible seventeen clearances and he was supported by Nat Fyfe and Andrew Brayshaw who had seven each, to give the Dockers first use of the ball. The Dogs' Adam Treloar managed nine clearances with English and Marcus Bontempelli chipping in with six and five respectively, to keep the visitors in the game. English also took advantage of Sean Darcy's lack of match fitness to use his mobility to take seven marks around the ground and collect twenty-three possessions and boot one goal. So, although the Dockers had the edge at stoppages, this was matched by the Bulldogs' height and marking ability around the field. When the ball hit ground level, the desperate Dockers gained the advantage in the midfield. Caleb Serong won an outstanding twenty contested possessions and Nat Fyfe won eighteen with his strength and skill in packs. Fyfe's clever use of handball freed up his outside runners, as the Dockers used leg speed and handball to break through the Dogs' defense. Josh Treacy played another strong game for the Dockers taking eight important marks and booting three goals. Michael Frederick was lively at half forward and the Dogs had no answer to his pace. Liam Jones defended well in the air for the Bulldogs and Ed Richards played a solid defensive game.

Banfield line up (file photo/AFANA)

It was Bailey Banfield who sealed the deal for the Dockers, booting his second goal at the twenty-two-minute mark; and then following up with another fifty-meter bomb four minutes later. A goal in the last minute to a busy Michael Walters extended the margin to an unlikely three goals in an enthralling game which could have gone either way.

The win has put the Dockers back in the top eight after an embarrassing loss the previous round and will play the struggling Richmond Tigers at the MCG next Sunday. The Bulldogs are now one game out of the eight but will meet the Hawthorn Hawks at Marvel Stadium next Sunday and will be favored to come away with a win.

Scores
Fremantle Dockers: 4.4 7.6 10.9  14.11 (95)
Western Bulldogs:  3.2 7.3  9.10 10.11 (71)

Best
Fremantle Dockers: Fyfe, Serong, Pearce, Young, Tracey
Western Bulldogs:  Dale, English, Bontempelli, Treloar, Darcy 

Goals
Fremantle Dockers: Treacy 3, Jackson 2, Banfield, Frederick, 
                   Fyfe, Voss, Walters, Young
Western Bulldogs:  Darcy 3, Naughton 2, Dale, English, 
                   Vandermeer, West

Moore's Four Leads Hawks to First Win This Season

Troy Thompson — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 13:11:52 +0000

Moore's Four Leads Hawks to First Win This Season Troy Thompson Mon, 04/22/2024 - 09:11

The bottom of the ladder clash rounded out this footy weekend. Both teams winless, with the Hawks in 17^th and the Kangaroos in 18^th position. Fans from both teams arrived today hoping to see their club's first win for the season. The Kangaroos were quick out of the blocks and a long kick to the goal square saw Eddie Ford rove at the back of the pack and snap it home from a tight angle to open the scoring. The Roos backed it up when again the long kick in traveled over the top of the pack and was scooped up by the quick running Jy Simpkin who ran into goal to score from point blank range.

Hawthorn finally found some composure and Macdonald's kick over the top to find Gunston deep in the pocket, making for an easy set shot around the body for the veteran. A minute later he marked at the top of the 50 meter line and dished off to Amon who was running past and easily cleared the goal line to put the Hawks in front for the first time today. The Hawks began to dominate around the ground, but their kicking was letting them down a bit. A nice hit up of Moore 30 meters out straight in front though, saw them kick their 3rd goal and take a seven point lead to the first break.

The Hawks had won the first quarter for the first time this year and they took that momentum into the second quarter. Mackenzie's set shot outside 50 grazed the post and it took the video review to clarify and deny the goal. Then Gunston's long shot from deep in the pocket drifted to the right of the goal post and the Hawks were starting to look wasteful. A high snap around the body under pressure by Ginnivan also had to be reviewed and was concluded to be a goal improving the Hawks accuracy a little.

McKenzie marked a scrambled kick at the top of the 50 meter arc and again dished off the handball to the runner, this time the runner was Weddle, and his long high checkside kick also had to be reviewed for a maximum return for the Hawks. Out of the middle, Newcombe hit Moore on the lead and his kick did not require review as it went between the big posts. If this reads like North Melbourne weren't having much input into the game so far in the second quarter, you'd be right. Morrison, Macdonald and Ginnivan lined up to kick consecutive goals for the Hawks.

North finally kicked their first major of the quarter when Blake Drury got a quick handball receive 15 meters out from goal and dribbled the ball home. After offering little for much of this quarter North now went on a run, a missed shot by Curtis and then Zuurhar before they added a second goal when Curtis marked 40 meters out. Meek kicked a long goal from inside the centre square when his long kick cleared the leading pack and shepherded through after it bounced by Gunston. The ball traveled over 70 meters. Moore kicked his second goal after he marked just 15 meters out from the goal line. Larkey, who might have been hoping for a big day out, made his first mark on the board with a late goal. He marked 20 meters out with seconds on the clock and despite this late goal, the Hawks still took a 37 point lead into the half time break.

North fought hard to hold the Hawks after the long break and it took until halfway through the third quarter before the first goal came, this time through Chol. He marked a long kick from Meek at center halfback and played on from outside 50 to clear the defender on the line. The teams would trade goals all quarter. Darcy Tucker returned fire for the Roos at the other end of a sharp pass from Fisher and kicking the set shot goal from 50 meters out.

The Hawks kept coming though, and this time they got the ball on the quick turnover down to Gunston who unselfishly gave the ball off to Dylan Moore for his fourth goal of the match. Larkey became North's first multiple goal scorer of the day when he ran inside 50 and his long shot at goal was successful. Chol was presenting regularly in the forward 50 and he was rewarded by a nice pass from Ginnivan. He made no mistake from 30 out straight in front. Then it was the Roos turn again when Curtis kicked his second for the day when he marked 25 meters out on a slight angle. Chol marked just before the siren but missed the shot after the siren to see his Hawks with a 38 point lead at three quarter time.

Curtis got the Roos off to a good start in the final quarter when he kicked his third goal early in the term after Frost took him high 20 meters out from goal. The Hawks looked for an avenue to goal and eventually it came through Amon who kicked his second goal for the day roving the ball deep in the forward line. Maginness broke the chain of alternate team goals when he marked and goalled from 25 meters out. Some smart work from the Roos again caught the Hawks on the turnover. Larkey was able to get close to the square on the lead, mark and goal for his third. At the other end, in the final minute, Meek found himself marking in the open and calmly lobbing a drop punt successfully toward goal for his second major and the final score of the day.

While the Hawks won big today and will no doubt celebrate appropriately, other than the second quarter the match was very even on the scoreboard. They may take some confidence from the win but have plenty of areas to work on before they become a serious threat to team higher up the ladder week to week. For North and Alastair Clarkson, it becomes another long hard season where nobody can see where their first win will come from.

NORTH MELBOURNE: 2.2  5.5  8.6 10.8   (68)
HAWTHORN:        3.3 11.6 14.8 17.11 (113)

GOALS
North Melbourne: Curtis 3, Larkey 3, Ford, Simpkin, Drury, Tucker
Hawthorn:        Moore 4, Ginnivan 2, Chol 2, Amon 2, Meek 2, Gunston, Weddle, Morrison, Macdonald, Maginness

BEST
North Melbourne: Sheezel, Xerri, Curtis, Davies-Uniacke
Hawthorn:        Newcombe, Nash, Macdonald, Morrison, Impey 

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Ford (hip)
Hawthorn:        Nil

SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Charlie Lazzaro (replaced Eddie Ford in the third quarter)
Hawthorn:        Henry Hustwaite (replaced Massimo D'Ambrosio in the third quarter)

Crowd:30,648 at Marvel Stadium

Concussion Claims 2023 Premiership Player

Lisa Albergo — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 21:13:42 +0000

Concussion Claims 2023 Premiership Player Lisa Albergo Sun, 04/21/2024 - 17:13

2023 Collingwood premiership player Nathan Murphy succumbed to the after-effects of concussions (including his 10^th in the 2023 Grand Final) and announced his retirement. He is only 24 years old. Earlier in the year, he stepped away from the club in an attempt to recover and return to play. However, on advice from the medical concussion panel, he has decided to retire. In making the announcement, he said, “I feel it is the right time and the right decision for me to hang up my footy boots. I love my football, but my priority is on my future and ensuring I live a full and healthy life. I’d like to thank the Club, coaches, teammates, staff, and the Magpie Army for all their support throughout my playing career and for allowing me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream of playing AFL. To my family and friends, I couldn’t have gone through this journey without your continued love and support which I am so grateful for. It is not lost on me how fortunate I am to have been able to experience premiership success ... I hope I did the jumper proud and thank the many people and supporters who helped me along the way. I will forever cherish the memories and friends I’ve made ...”.

An all-round talent, Murphy was a promising cricketer, representing Australia at junior level before focusing on footy. Murphy was drafted by Collingwood in 2017 and played 57 games for the Pies. He battled injuries in 2019 but bounced back strongly in 2020, winning the VFL best and fairest that year. The 2021 and 2022 seasons saw Murphy play 15 and 16 games, respectively, before solidifying his role in the senior side in 2023, a campaign which saw him play 24 AFL matches including the 2023 Grand Final. Across his footy career, he reportedly had 10 concussions. His retirement is yet another reminder at the toll concussions are taking on Aussie rules players. The AFL and AFLPA have not commented on the situation.

General Manager Brendon Bolton thanked Murphy for his contribution to Collingwood, “... we thank Nathan for his contribution ... and commend him on the maturity he has shown ... Nathan will be remembered as a player who showed sheer courage on the field. His one-on-one efforts and ability to intercept and spoil were second to none. In the backline, Murph had an outstanding ability to read the game, lead, and direct teammates ... A fun and light-hearted character, Nathan also showed great generosity which is what made him a much-loved member of our club. Away from the field, he made significant contributions within the community space from community coaching to the working in his café ... a credit goes to Nathan’s resilience and perseverance to come back and perform to a high standard on many occasions ...".

Source: Tash Lewis, Collingwood Media Release

Concussion