by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
COL 1.5 5.12 9.16 12.23 (95)
ESS 3.4 6.6 8.10 11.13 (79)
GOALS: COL - Didak 3, Rocca 3, Lockyer 2, Cloke, Dick, Johnson, Pendlebury; ESS - Davey 3, Lloyd 3, Johns 2, Bolton, M Johnson, Monfries
BEST: COL - H. Shaw, Burns, Cloke, Clement, Rocca, Thomas, O'Brien, R. Shaw; ESS - Fletcher, Stanton, Ryder, McPhee, Davey, Hird
UMPIRES: Vozzo, Jeffery, McInerney
CROWD: 90,508 at MCG
Lloyd was somewhat hampered by a thigh injury he suffered last week and Slattery playing even though he suffered some muscle tightness during the pregame warm-up. It looked as if the short break for both sides would take its toll. Despite the injury concern, Essendon jumped the Magpies early in the first term with the first three goals of the game. It was only wayward kicking by the Bombers which allowed Collingwood to stay in touch. But the Pies were having their own problems in front of goal and could well have snatched the lead late in the term. As it was, the Bombers were 11 points ahead at 1/4 time.
Collingwood settled and dominated general play in the second term but still had problems shooting for goal. They did manage four goals for the term and with Clement putting the clamps on Lloyd and O'Brien quelling Lucas, the Bombers managed just 3 goals for the term. One of those goals was a highlight of the game. Young Bomber Davey pounced on a loose ball, broke an attempted tackle by Burns, evaded O'Brien, dashed downfield, and drilled a great goal from 40 meters (44 yards). Again, Collingwood should have had a decisive lead, but instead scores were level at 1/2 time.
Laycock was getting thrashed in the center, so much so, he was replaced by Ryder in the ruck. Lucas was relegated to defense which unbalanced the Essendon attack, and the Bombers had too many leaving the work to too few. Collingwood, however, kept at. Rocca and Cloke were constant running targets up forward. Burns, Lockyer, and Rhyce Shaw provided plenty of run through the midfield. Heath Shaw played the role of sweeper across halfback to perfection to halt Essendon's forward forays. It all added up to four goals for the Pies and just two for the Bombers as Collingwood took a 16 lead at 3/4 time.
Essendon looked to be fading fast early in the final term and Collingwood took advantage. Bradley attempted a kick out of defense for the Bombers but it was picked off by Lockyer who then ran into an unattended goal to extend the Pie lead to 18 points. The Bombers mustered enough to grab two goals to cut the lead to six points, but it was Collingwood who finished the stronger with two more goals while Essendon kicked just one. more.
Heath Shaw was voted best on ground to win the Anzac Medal.
PA 4.1 5.6 11.12 14.12 (96)
STK 1.2 3.3 3.4 6.7 (43)
GOALS: PA - Tredrea 3, S Burgoyne 2, Ebert 2, Rodan 2, White, Symes, Chaplin, P Burgoyne, Salopek; STK - Voss 3, Milne 2, Goddard
BEST: PA - C. Cornes, K. Cornes, S. Burgoyne, Surjan, Salopek, Symes; STK - Harvey, Dal Santo, Goddard, M Clarke, Ball, Hayes
INJURY: PA - Brogan (ankle) replaced in selected side by Chaplin, Wilson (torn pectoral muscle); STK - Riewoldt (face), Brooks replaced in selected side by McQualter, Hayes (suspected broken collar bone), Thompson (knee cartilage)
Wilson will miss 6-8 weeks
UMPIRES: McBurney, Stevic, Grun
CROWD: 24,438 at AAMI Stadium
It was pouring rain for most of this game, but Port ignored the wet and played as if it dry as they simply outran and outclassed the Saints. St. Kilda even gave Port its first score when the Saints rushed a point and the Power were not troubled from there on. White goaled for Port a few minutes later and after misses by Hayes and Tredrea, Milne crumbed a goal from a loose ball. Rodan won the ball in the middle and produced a fine running goal. A minute later, Tredrea was in perfect position to mark (catch) the ball for the next Power goal The Saints couldn't buy a trick as Dal Santo also missed late in the term, only for Port to clear the ball with Shaun Burgoyne kicking Port's fourth to set up a 17 point win at 1/4 time.
The second term started with Wilson on the bench after being injured in the first term. It also started with Port gifting the Saints a rushed point. A rare blooper for Port came when Salopek's kick-in was intercepted by Voss for a Saint goal. Voss was in the thick of things two minutes later with another goal, cutting Port's lead to just five points. The rain seemed to take over for the rest of the term as both sides battled each other and the conditions. Tredrea missed another shot late in the term and the Saints drove the ball forward once more only to be foiled by Port's defense. A long kick to the middle found Lade who defied the conditions to launch one of a booming kick to a waiting Tredrea in the goalsquare. His goal put Port 12 points up before a series of misses gave Port a 15 point lead at 1/2 time.
The Saints' woes were compounded with the loss of Riewoldt just before the break. He was accidentally kicked in the face when Burgoyne was slung to ground in a tackle. Hayes also missed much of the term after a heavy bump but returned to play the second half.
If the rain was heavy in the first half, it was an absolute torrent in the third. While the Saints seemed to hesitate in the conditions, Port went in hard as ever, slipping and sliding to the contests to win the ball. Symes stretched Port's lead with a goal sandwiched between two points to Shaun Burgoyne. Burgoyne then won the ball in the middle, passed to Ebert, and dashed forward to take the ball back from Ebert for another goal. While Port constantly went forward, the Saints could not get the ball into their attacking zone as Port constantly repelled them Tredrea roved far afield for the ball and kicked long to Ebert for the next Port goal. Finally, late in the term, the Saints registered their only score - a point to McQualter. It was St. Kilda's first and only score since the start of the second term. Port continued to pound the Saints with another goal to Chaplin. Peter Burgoyne goaled from a 50 meter (55 yard) penalty. The Power won the next bounce through Lade and a series of handballs and kicks wound up with Tredrea again in the goalsquare and Port led by 56 points at 3/4 time.
Peter Burgoyne set up Salopek for a tight angle goal to start the final term. Port slowed a bit after that as the Saints finally managed a rare attack for a Voss goal. Rodan answered for Port soon after. Voss then missed an opportunity when he kicked a point at close range after picking off a Salopek kick. Milne got a late goal for the Saints, but it was way too little and way too late.
For Port, the Cornes brothers, the Burgoynes, and Salopek were impressive all over the ground, while Wakelin, Chaplin, and Pettigrew gave nothing away in defense, barely allowing Gehrig near the ball. For the Saints, Harvey, Goddard, and Dal Santo tried hard.
WCE 2.6 8.10 10.13 14.15 (99)
RICH 5.3 6.4 8.7 11.10 (76)
GOALS: WCE - Lynch 4, Wirrpanda 3, Hansen 3, Hunter 2, R. Jones, Glass; RICH - Tambling 4, Hughes 3, Jackson, Deledio, Pettifer, J. Bowden
BEST: WCE - Kerr, Selwood, Embley, Hansen, Rosa, Lynch, Judd, Wirrpanda; RICH - Polak, Raines, Newman, Deledio, Tambling, Richardson, J. Bowden
INJURY: RICH - Krakouer (rested) replaced in the selected side by Oakley-Nicholls
REPORTS: WCE - Stenglein for making front-on forceful contact on Tambling
UMPIRES: Pannell, Ryan, Wenn
CROWD: 27,326 at MCG
Richmond made a blistering start to the game with Tambling kicking four of the Tigers' five first term goals. They were helped by some poor kicking by the Eagles and went to 1/4 time with a 15 point lead.
It was a 21 point margin when Hughes marked (caught the ball) well and goaled early in the second term. The Eagles then tightened up their play, seized control, forced the Tigers into errors, and dictated the tempo to halt Richmond's run. With Lynch, Wirrpanda, and Hansen firing up forward, they piled on six unanswered goals for an 18 point lead at 1/2 time.
The two teams kicked two goals and three points each in the third term to break even. It ensured the Eagles kept Richmond at bay and their 18 point lead intact at 3/4 time.
The Tigers rallied early in the final term with three quick goals, the last to Joel Bowden cutting the Eagle lead to just four points. Richmond had a chance to take the lead when Oakley-Nicholls got the ball 55 meters (60 yards) out from goal. But he opted for a short kick to a teammate which was recovered by the Eagles. They duly rushed it forward to a waiting Hansen who goaled to keep the Tigers at bay. Oakley-Nicholls wasn't the only Tiger to fail as Schulz had four set shots at goal and missed all of them.
The Tigers were also on the wrong end of a lopsided free kick count of 29-13. Captain Kane Johnson let his displeasure be known at a post-game press conference and could find himself in hot water with the AFL for his scathing attack on the umpiring. He said he approached the umpires at half time. At the press conference, he was quoted in part, "It was just unbelievable, the amount of free kicks they were getting.... and I just mentioned...that maybe they should have a look at it … "
Johnson conceded the Tigers fared a bit better in the second term, but also voiced criticism regarding the holding the ball interpretation and the inconsistency of the umpires. He said he saw a number of incidents in which Eagle players deliberately dropped the ball while being tackled but the umpires let it go in some instances and penalized players in others. He also said the rule interpretation was confusing and frustrating players, especially when the umpires are inconsistent in their calls.
SYD 6.2 10.5 12.7 17.7 (109)
MELB 1.2 4.4 6.9 8.12 (60)
GOALS: SYD - Hall 4, Davis 2, Schneider 2, Malceski, J. Bolton, O'Keefe, Goodes, Jolly, McVeigh, Schmidt, Moore, Kirk; MELB - Davey 3, Dunn, Miller, Bate, Bruce, Petterd
BEST: SYD - Kirk, Hall, J. Bolton, Malceski, McVeigh, Barry, Jolly; MELB - Bruce, Davey, Moloney, Godfrey, Petterd
INJURY: SYD - Kennelly (knee), Ablett (knee)
Umpires: Kennedy, Rosebury, M. Nicholls
Official crowd: 23,354 at the SCG.
The Swans took the old adage of practice makes perfect to heart after their poor outing against Adelaide last week. Against the Crows, they scored a dismal 5.14. During training last week, they focused on set shots for goal and reaped the benefits against the injury ravaged Demons.
Hall was unstoppable as he got into the action from the start, setting up Sydney's opening two goals. Malceski was the initial beneficiary and then Jude Bolton unloaded a massive kick from over 50 meters (55 yards) for his first goal of the season. The Demons briefly halted Sydney's run of goals with a rushed behind, then Ablett missed before Dunn finally got the Demons on the board with their only goal for the term. The Demons rushed another point. Hall, Goodes, and Jolly added three more goals to give the Swans a 30 point lead at 1/4 time.
The demolition continued in the second term as the Swans had winners everywhere and slaughtered Melbourne all over the ground. Davey nailed Melbourne's second goal early in the term, but Hall responded with one for the Swans. Miller got the next for Melbourne and after a string of misses and rushed points from both sides, Hall goaled to extend Sydney's lead. McVeigh then intercepted a Brown pass meant for Petterd, ran in to the goalsquare for his first goal of the season. The Demons ended the term the same way as the first with a point, leaving the Swans 37 points in front at 1/2 time.
The third term became more of an arm wrestle as significant scoring dried up for both sides. Bell managed another point for the Demons after which the Swans added two quick goals through Schmidt and Davis. Demons Davey and Bruce got the only other goals for the term, which ended with six points, a combination of Sydney's defense rushing through several points to prevent Melbourne goals and the Demons missing several shots which could have cut Sydney's lead. Instead, it was Sydney by 34 points at 3/4 time.
If the game wasn't over as a contest by the last break, it was when Moore, Hall, and Kirk rammed home three goals early in the final term. Davey booted one for the Demons midway through the term, before Schneider kicked two on either side of a Petterd goal as the Swans streaked to a comfortable win.
BRIS 6.1 13.1 18.4 21.10 (136)
CARL 5.6 14.8 17.11 18.16 (124)
GOALS: BRIS - Johnson 3, Brown 3, Charman 3, Power 2, Notting 2, McGrath 2, Patfull 2, Hadley, Roe, Stiller, Begley; CARL - Simpson 3, Whitnall 3, Betts 3, Fevola 3, Cloke 3, Walker, Murphy, Lappin
BEST: BRIS - Brown, Black, Power, Stiller, Notting, Charman, Johnson; CARL - Houlihan, Scotland, Whitnall, Lappin, Simpson, Betts
INJURY: CARL - Jackson (broken hand)
UMPIRES: Donlon, James, Head
CROWS: 33,598 at Telstra Dome
What do you get when you have two teams with young midfields full of dash, flair, a willingness to take risks and two power forwards supported by smaller goalsneaks at either end? Just what Brisbane and Carlton put on - a huge and highly entertaining shootout.
The Lions played havoc with Carlton’s defensive match-ups by throwing Jamie Charman up forward. And it paid off after Simpson booted the opening goal for Carlton. Charman nailed two in the space of a few minutes. Whitnall and Hadley traded goals before Fevola and Betts booted two in a row for the Blues. Betts missed his next shot of goal before Johnson kicked another for the Lions. Carlton could have had a sizable lead had Fevola, Bentick, and Scotland not sprayed the next three scoring shots. Brown slotted a goal to give the Lions a 2 point lead. Betts had another chance to restore Carlton's lead, but missed again. Then Fevola gave away a free kick for mouthing off at an umpire who didn't pay him a mark (catch of the ball). Brisbane raced away once more but Merrett turned the ball over in defense and Blues took it back the other way for a goal to Murphy and a five point lead. Brisbane rushed through a point to give Carlton a one goal lead. Begley's late goal leveled the scores before Harding kicked long on the run just before the siren to give Brisbane a one point lead at 1/4 time.
Carlton blasted out to a 17 point lead early in the second term with a goal to Whitnall and two to Cloke. The shootout continued with Power, Whitnall, Brown, and Patfull adding goals for their respective sides. That trend was broken midway through the term when the Blues added consecutive goals through Betts and Simpson, giving Carlton an 17 point lead. Scotland added a point and the Blues were up by three goals. But not for long as Power, McGrath, and Brown added three goals to level the scores. Fevola put the Blues 6 points in front with another goal and the Lions made it a seven point lead when they forced a point. Houlihan and Betts added late goals before Stiller marked just before the siren and goaled after to have the Lions within 13 points at 1/2 time.
Brisbane Lions came back hard in the third term, starting with a goal to Roe within the first minute of play. A goal to Fevola and a point to Murphy restored Carton's double-digit lead. Goals to Notting from 50 meters (55 yards) and Charman cut Carlton's lead to just points. The Lions won the ball at the next bounce and Notting kicked long to a leading Brown, then raced forward to accept a pass back from Brown and goal, giving the Lions a 4 point lead. Patfull's goal made it 10 points but Simpson goaled for the Blues, bringing the margin back to four points. Incredibly, to this stage the accurate Lions had kicked 18.1, but Johnson and Brown missed. Instead of having a handy lead, the Lions were just 2 points clear. And the defense rushed through 2 consecutive points. While it kept Carlton down, it still put the Blues within 2 points. When Cloke goaled late in the term, the Blues were back in front. Brown again missed a kick for goal at the siren, leaving Carlton 1 point in front at 3/4 time.
Then it was Carlton's turn to forget how to kick goals with both Lappin and Fevola missing. Notting kicked a point and the Blues rushed through another to keep scores tight. The deadlock was broken midway through the final term when Sherman kicked to the Lions' goalsquare. Carlton defenders O'hAilpin and Scotland collided, allowing speedster McGrath to run between them and soccer through the goal to give Brisbane the lead. Johnson goaled twice to put the game beyond Carlton's reach, as the Blues kicked another three points before Carlton's Matthew Lappin added a late consolation goal just before the siren.
Ace commentator Dennis Cometti was calling the game on one of the radio stations broadcasting through the AFL site. Known for his amusing quips, Dennis commented during the third term that a tape of this game should be placed in a space capsule so any extra-terrestrials who might come upon and watch would see just how great the is.
KANG 6.3 12.5 15.7 18.10 (118)
GEEL 4.3 6.8 10.10 15.12 (102)
GOALS: KANG - Harvey 3, Campbell 2, Grant 2, Swallow 2, Wells 2, Brown, Edwards, Grima, McIntosh, Petrie, Simpson, Sinclair; GEEL - Bartel 3, Ling 3, Mooney 3, Varcoe 2, G. Ablett, Chapman, Mackie, Stokes;
BEST: KANG - Simpson, Firrito, Swallow, McIntosh, Harris, Pratt, Sinclair, Archer; GEEL - Chapman, Bartel, Selwood, Scarlett, Corey
INJURY: KANG - Jones (corked thigh), Pratt (concussion)
UMPIRES: McLaren, Meredith, Sully
CROWD: 21,462 at Skilled Stadium
The Kangaroos were harder in their attack on the ball while Simpson led the midfield brigade. Harvey was dangerous up forward, kicking half the Kangas' first term goals. Firrito and Pratt did the stopping job on key Cats Ling and Gary Ablett. Firrito also proved to be a vital link between defense and attack as he helped set up several goals. Everything clicked for the Kangaroos and they ended the first term with a three goal lead.
McIntosh was controlling the ruck, giving the midfielders plenty of chances to win the ball while Gibson and Archer provided plenty of drive from defense. The Kangaroos broke the game open with six goals to two in the second term, establishing a 34 point lead at 1/2 time.
The lead was out to 44 points when the Roos booted the first two goals of the third term but the Cats clawed their way back into the game with four goals. A late goal to Grima gave the Kangaroos a 27 point lead at 3/4 time.
The Kangaroos set up a seemingly unassailable lead with two goals in the final term, before the Cats rallied with five of their own to get within 10 points, but a snap by Wells just before the siren sealed the win.
WB 5.2 11.4 16.7 16.14 (110)
HAW 3.7 7.11 10.13 13.15 (93)
GOALS: WB - Murphy 3, Higgins 3, Darcy 2, Ray 2, Johnson, Gilbee, Eagleton, Power, Cooney, Robbins; HAW - Franklin 6, Roughead 2, Bateman, Sewell, Hodge, Boyle, Brown
BEST: WB - West, Harris, Cross, Gilbee, Higgins, Akermanis; HAW - Franklin, Lewis, Sewell, Brown, Ladson, Crawford
INJURY: HAW - Bateman (calf)
UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Avon, K. Nicholls
CROWD: 31,982 at the MCG
The Hawks had the better start, at least in general play, but managed just 2 goals from the first five scoring shots. The Bulldogs took their time but finally added two quick goals through Darcy and Higgins. Boyle also missed for the Hawks and the fleet-footed Dogs got on top with two goals to Robbins and Murphy. In the latter stages of the term, both sides lost their way in front of goal with a series of misses before Brown added a late goal for the Hawks, leaving the Dogs with a seven point lead at 1/4 time.
Ray opened the second term with another Bulldog goal but, once again, the players seemed to have a serious case of the goal yips as Akermanis missed a shot followed by three consecutive points to the Hawks. Roughead broke the run with a goal but Murphy added two more for the Dogs, followed by Higgins' second for the match. The Hawks finally found their kicking boots with Boyle and Roughead kicking a pair for the Hawks but the Dogs finished off the term with goals to Murphy and Gilbee to keep their seven point lead at 1/2 time.
The Hawks cleared the ball from the center at the start of the third term, but the effort was wasted with Dixon missing after taking a strong grab. Then it was Bateman for the Hawks, Cooney for the Dogs, and Franklin for the Hawks again all adding goals. Dixon and Darcy each missed before Cross gathered the ball and kicked to a leading Johnson who goaled. Darcy and Eagleton added goals as the Dogs ran around their opponents. Franklin managed a late goal from a free kick in the dying minutes of the term, but it was the Dogs by five goals at 3/4 time.
The Hawks worked hard in the final term while the Dogs suddenly seemed to be plagued by the goal yips which hit Hawthorn in the previous three terms. Three goals to nil for the term gave the Hawks some hope of a comeback but the Bulldog defense held firm as the Dogs hung on for the win.
FRE 2.3 3.7 5.13 7.16 (58)
ADE 3.0 4.2 6.5 8.9 (57)
GOALS: FRE - Cook 3, Tarrant, Crowley, Solomon, Bell;
ADE - Stevens 3, Perrie 2, Thompson, Bock, van Berlo
BEST: FRE - Cook, Solomon, Tarrant, Webster, Dodd;
ADE - Stevens, Mattner, Rutten, Thompson, Edwards
INJURY: ADE - Reilly (ankle)
UMPIRES: Margetts, Allen, Ellis
CROWD: 37,172 at Subiaco Oval
This game was important for both sides with Adelaide trying to hang in and keep its season alive despite a long injury list. Fremantle just to get its season back on track. Adelaide had the better of the Dockers with Rutten keeping Pavlich goalless and Bassett restricting Tarrant to just one goal for the game. In a dour struggle the Crows led by just three points at 1/4 time.
With Tarrant and Pavlich well-held and Farmer banished for his nightclub row the night before, it left the Dockers with few options up forward. Enter Troy Cook. The hard-tackling midfielder played a key role as the Dockers main goalkicker. But the Dockers were wayward in front of goal in the second term kicking only one goal. They did well to hold Adelaide to just one goal for term as well and could have had a handy lead. Instead, they were down by a single point at 1/2 time.
The third term continued the trend of tight, dour play with both sides adding just two goals each. However, Fremantle added six behinds for the term. Had they been more accurate, it could have been a different story, but those points were enough to give the Dockers a two point lead at 3/4 time.
The final term was a repeat of the previous terms, with neither side able to gain a clear advantage. Both sides scored two goals, but it was the points which made the difference. Scores were level in the dying stages of the game. With just 20 seconds remaining on the clock, Tarrant punched a boundary throw-in into the path of Webster who sealed the win with the story of the day - another single point.
STANDINGS
W L FOR AGST % PTS
WCE 5 0 461 333 138.44 20
PA 4 1 486 405 120.00 16
SYD 3 2 410 336 122.02 12
ADE 3 2 389 342 113.74 12
ESS 3 2 527 474 111.18 12
BRIS 3 2 439 401 109.48 12
COL 3 2 433 419 103.34 12
HAW 3 2 420 415 101.20 12
WB 3 2 493 512 96.29 12
GEEL 2 3 538 448 120.09 8
KANG 2 3 458 460 99.57 8
FRE 2 3 482 493 97.77 8
STK 2 3 370 425 87.06 8
CARL 2 3 487 618 78.80 8
RICH 0 5 436 549 79.42 0
MELB 0 5 365 564 64.72 0
GOALS
Lucas (ESS) 18
Lloyd (ESS) 17
Pavlich (FRE) 17
Fevola (CARL) 15
Johnson (WB) 15
Ebert (PA) 14
Franklin (HAW) 14
Harvey (KANG) 13
Williams (HAW) 13
Brown (BRIS) 13
Source: Melbourne Age, Herald Sun, & afl.com.au
Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury is the Round Four Rising Star nominee for his 20 ball disposal performance against Port Adelaide. He also laid five tackles.
Pendlebury was an elite junior basketball player, representing Australia at the Youth Olympics and was even offered a basketball scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), which also has football scholarships and runs the AIS-AFL Draft Camp. He instead accepted a football scholarship, represented Vic Country at the Under-18 tournament and was a member of TAC team Gippsland's premiership in 2005. He impressed everyone at the draft camp and was the fifth selection at the 2005 draft.
Scott debuted for the Magpies last year in Round 10 against the Brisbane Lions and scored a goal with his first AFL kick. He completed the 2006 season with nine matches and has played all four matches this year for a total of 13.
Source: Michelle Clyne, AFL Media Release
COL 1.5 5.12 9.16 12.23 (95)
ESS 3.4 6.6 8.10 11.13 (79)
GOALS: COL - Didak 3, Rocca 3, Lockyer 2, Cloke, Dick, Johnson, Pendlebury; ESS - Davey 3, Lloyd 3, Johns 2, Bolton, M Johnson, Monfries
BEST: COL - H. Shaw, Burns, Cloke, Clement, Rocca, Thomas, O'Brien, R. Shaw; ESS - Fletcher, Stanton, Ryder, McPhee, Davey, Hird
UMPIRES: Vozzo, Jeffery, McInerney
CROWD: 90,508 at MCG
Lloyd was somewhat hampered by a thigh injury he suffered last week and Slattery playing even though he suffered some muscle tightness during the pregame warm-up. It looked as if the short break for both sides would take its toll. Despite the injury concern, Essendon jumped the Magpies early in the first term with the first three goals of the game. It was only wayward kicking by the Bombers which allowed Collingwood to stay in touch. But the Pies were having their own problems in front of goal and could well have snatched the lead late in the term. As it was, the Bombers were 11 points ahead at 1/4 time.
Collingwood settled and dominated general play in the second term but still had problems shooting for goal. They did manage four goals for the term and with Clement putting the clamps on Lloyd and O'Brien quelling Lucas, the Bombers managed just 3 goals for the term. One of those goals was a highlight of the game. Young Bomber Davey pounced on a loose ball, broke an attempted tackle by Burns, evaded O'Brien, dashed downfield, and drilled a great goal from 40 meters (44 yards). Again, Collingwood should have had a decisive lead, but instead scores were level at 1/2 time.
Laycock was getting thrashed in the center, so much so, he was replaced by Ryder in the ruck. Lucas was relegated to defense which unbalanced the Essendon attack, and the Bombers had too many leaving the work to too few. Collingwood, however, kept at. Rocca and Cloke were constant running targets up forward. Burns, Lockyer, and Rhyce Shaw provided plenty of run through the midfield. Heath Shaw played the role of sweeper across halfback to perfection to halt Essendon's forward forays. It all added up to four goals for the Pies and just two for the Bombers as Collingwood took a 16 lead at 3/4 time.
Essendon looked to be fading fast early in the final term and Collingwood took advantage. Bradley attempted a kick out of defense for the Bombers but it was picked off by Lockyer who then ran into an unattended goal to extend the Pie lead to 18 points. The Bombers mustered enough to grab two goals to cut the lead to six points, but it was Collingwood who finished the stronger with two more goals while Essendon kicked just one. more.
Heath Shaw was voted best on ground to win the Anzac Medal.
PA 4.1 5.6 11.12 14.12 (96)
STK 1.2 3.3 3.4 6.7 (43)
GOALS: PA - Tredrea 3, S Burgoyne 2, Ebert 2, Rodan 2, White, Symes, Chaplin, P Burgoyne, Salopek; STK - Voss 3, Milne 2, Goddard
BEST: PA - C. Cornes, K. Cornes, S. Burgoyne, Surjan, Salopek, Symes; STK - Harvey, Dal Santo, Goddard, M Clarke, Ball, Hayes
INJURY: PA - Brogan (ankle) replaced in selected side by Chaplin, Wilson (torn pectoral muscle); STK - Riewoldt (face), Brooks replaced in selected side by McQualter, Hayes (suspected broken collar bone), Thompson (knee cartilage)
Wilson will miss 6-8 weeks
UMPIRES: McBurney, Stevic, Grun
CROWD: 24,438 at AAMI Stadium
It was pouring rain for most of this game, but Port ignored the wet and played as if it dry as they simply outran and outclassed the Saints. St. Kilda even gave Port its first score when the Saints rushed a point and the Power were not troubled from there on. White goaled for Port a few minutes later and after misses by Hayes and Tredrea, Milne crumbed a goal from a loose ball. Rodan won the ball in the middle and produced a fine running goal. A minute later, Tredrea was in perfect position to mark (catch) the ball for the next Power goal The Saints couldn't buy a trick as Dal Santo also missed late in the term, only for Port to clear the ball with Shaun Burgoyne kicking Port's fourth to set up a 17 point win at 1/4 time.
The second term started with Wilson on the bench after being injured in the first term. It also started with Port gifting the Saints a rushed point. A rare blooper for Port came when Salopek's kick-in was intercepted by Voss for a Saint goal. Voss was in the thick of things two minutes later with another goal, cutting Port's lead to just five points. The rain seemed to take over for the rest of the term as both sides battled each other and the conditions. Tredrea missed another shot late in the term and the Saints drove the ball forward once more only to be foiled by Port's defense. A long kick to the middle found Lade who defied the conditions to launch one of a booming kick to a waiting Tredrea in the goalsquare. His goal put Port 12 points up before a series of misses gave Port a 15 point lead at 1/2 time.
The Saints' woes were compounded with the loss of Riewoldt just before the break. He was accidentally kicked in the face when Burgoyne was slung to ground in a tackle. Hayes also missed much of the term after a heavy bump but returned to play the second half.
If the rain was heavy in the first half, it was an absolute torrent in the third. While the Saints seemed to hesitate in the conditions, Port went in hard as ever, slipping and sliding to the contests to win the ball. Symes stretched Port's lead with a goal sandwiched between two points to Shaun Burgoyne. Burgoyne then won the ball in the middle, passed to Ebert, and dashed forward to take the ball back from Ebert for another goal. While Port constantly went forward, the Saints could not get the ball into their attacking zone as Port constantly repelled them Tredrea roved far afield for the ball and kicked long to Ebert for the next Port goal. Finally, late in the term, the Saints registered their only score - a point to McQualter. It was St. Kilda's first and only score since the start of the second term. Port continued to pound the Saints with another goal to Chaplin. Peter Burgoyne goaled from a 50 meter (55 yard) penalty. The Power won the next bounce through Lade and a series of handballs and kicks wound up with Tredrea again in the goalsquare and Port led by 56 points at 3/4 time.
Peter Burgoyne set up Salopek for a tight angle goal to start the final term. Port slowed a bit after that as the Saints finally managed a rare attack for a Voss goal. Rodan answered for Port soon after. Voss then missed an opportunity when he kicked a point at close range after picking off a Salopek kick. Milne got a late goal for the Saints, but it was way too little and way too late.
For Port, the Cornes brothers, the Burgoynes, and Salopek were impressive all over the ground, while Wakelin, Chaplin, and Pettigrew gave nothing away in defense, barely allowing Gehrig near the ball. For the Saints, Harvey, Goddard, and Dal Santo tried hard.
WCE 2.6 8.10 10.13 14.15 (99)
RICH 5.3 6.4 8.7 11.10 (76)
GOALS: WCE - Lynch 4, Wirrpanda 3, Hansen 3, Hunter 2, R. Jones, Glass; RICH - Tambling 4, Hughes 3, Jackson, Deledio, Pettifer, J. Bowden
BEST: WCE - Kerr, Selwood, Embley, Hansen, Rosa, Lynch, Judd, Wirrpanda; RICH - Polak, Raines, Newman, Deledio, Tambling, Richardson, J. Bowden
INJURY: RICH - Krakouer (rested) replaced in the selected side by Oakley-Nicholls
REPORTS: WCE - Stenglein for making front-on forceful contact on Tambling
UMPIRES: Pannell, Ryan, Wenn
CROWD: 27,326 at MCG
Richmond made a blistering start to the game with Tambling kicking four of the Tigers' five first term goals. They were helped by some poor kicking by the Eagles and went to 1/4 time with a 15 point lead.
It was a 21 point margin when Hughes marked (caught the ball) well and goaled early in the second term. The Eagles then tightened up their play, seized control, forced the Tigers into errors, and dictated the tempo to halt Richmond's run. With Lynch, Wirrpanda, and Hansen firing up forward, they piled on six unanswered goals for an 18 point lead at 1/2 time.
The two teams kicked two goals and three points each in the third term to break even. It ensured the Eagles kept Richmond at bay and their 18 point lead intact at 3/4 time.
The Tigers rallied early in the final term with three quick goals, the last to Joel Bowden cutting the Eagle lead to just four points. Richmond had a chance to take the lead when Oakley-Nicholls got the ball 55 meters (60 yards) out from goal. But he opted for a short kick to a teammate which was recovered by the Eagles. They duly rushed it forward to a waiting Hansen who goaled to keep the Tigers at bay. Oakley-Nicholls wasn't the only Tiger to fail as Schulz had four set shots at goal and missed all of them.
The Tigers were also on the wrong end of a lopsided free kick count of 29-13. Captain Kane Johnson let his displeasure be known at a post-game press conference and could find himself in hot water with the AFL for his scathing attack on the umpiring. He said he approached the umpires at half time. At the press conference, he was quoted in part, "It was just unbelievable, the amount of free kicks they were getting.... and I just mentioned...that maybe they should have a look at it … "
Johnson conceded the Tigers fared a bit better in the second term, but also voiced criticism regarding the holding the ball interpretation and the inconsistency of the umpires. He said he saw a number of incidents in which Eagle players deliberately dropped the ball while being tackled but the umpires let it go in some instances and penalized players in others. He also said the rule interpretation was confusing and frustrating players, especially when the umpires are inconsistent in their calls.
SYD 6.2 10.5 12.7 17.7 (109)
MELB 1.2 4.4 6.9 8.12 (60)
GOALS: SYD - Hall 4, Davis 2, Schneider 2, Malceski, J. Bolton, O'Keefe, Goodes, Jolly, McVeigh, Schmidt, Moore, Kirk; MELB - Davey 3, Dunn, Miller, Bate, Bruce, Petterd
BEST: SYD - Kirk, Hall, J. Bolton, Malceski, McVeigh, Barry, Jolly; MELB - Bruce, Davey, Moloney, Godfrey, Petterd
INJURY: SYD - Kennelly (knee), Ablett (knee)
Umpires: Kennedy, Rosebury, M. Nicholls
Official crowd: 23,354 at the SCG.
The Swans took the old adage of practice makes perfect to heart after their poor outing against Adelaide last week. Against the Crows, they scored a dismal 5.14. During training last week, they focused on set shots for goal and reaped the benefits against the injury ravaged Demons.
Hall was unstoppable as he got into the action from the start, setting up Sydney's opening two goals. Malceski was the initial beneficiary and then Jude Bolton unloaded a massive kick from over 50 meters (55 yards) for his first goal of the season. The Demons briefly halted Sydney's run of goals with a rushed behind, then Ablett missed before Dunn finally got the Demons on the board with their only goal for the term. The Demons rushed another point. Hall, Goodes, and Jolly added three more goals to give the Swans a 30 point lead at 1/4 time.
The demolition continued in the second term as the Swans had winners everywhere and slaughtered Melbourne all over the ground. Davey nailed Melbourne's second goal early in the term, but Hall responded with one for the Swans. Miller got the next for Melbourne and after a string of misses and rushed points from both sides, Hall goaled to extend Sydney's lead. McVeigh then intercepted a Brown pass meant for Petterd, ran in to the goalsquare for his first goal of the season. The Demons ended the term the same way as the first with a point, leaving the Swans 37 points in front at 1/2 time.
The third term became more of an arm wrestle as significant scoring dried up for both sides. Bell managed another point for the Demons after which the Swans added two quick goals through Schmidt and Davis. Demons Davey and Bruce got the only other goals for the term, which ended with six points, a combination of Sydney's defense rushing through several points to prevent Melbourne goals and the Demons missing several shots which could have cut Sydney's lead. Instead, it was Sydney by 34 points at 3/4 time.
If the game wasn't over as a contest by the last break, it was when Moore, Hall, and Kirk rammed home three goals early in the final term. Davey booted one for the Demons midway through the term, before Schneider kicked two on either side of a Petterd goal as the Swans streaked to a comfortable win.
BRIS 6.1 13.1 18.4 21.10 (136)
CARL 5.6 14.8 17.11 18.16 (124)
GOALS: BRIS - Johnson 3, Brown 3, Charman 3, Power 2, Notting 2, McGrath 2, Patfull 2, Hadley, Roe, Stiller, Begley; CARL - Simpson 3, Whitnall 3, Betts 3, Fevola 3, Cloke 3, Walker, Murphy, Lappin
BEST: BRIS - Brown, Black, Power, Stiller, Notting, Charman, Johnson; CARL - Houlihan, Scotland, Whitnall, Lappin, Simpson, Betts
INJURY: CARL - Jackson (broken hand)
UMPIRES: Donlon, James, Head
CROWS: 33,598 at Telstra Dome
What do you get when you have two teams with young midfields full of dash, flair, a willingness to take risks and two power forwards supported by smaller goalsneaks at either end? Just what Brisbane and Carlton put on - a huge and highly entertaining shootout.
The Lions played havoc with Carlton’s defensive match-ups by throwing Jamie Charman up forward. And it paid off after Simpson booted the opening goal for Carlton. Charman nailed two in the space of a few minutes. Whitnall and Hadley traded goals before Fevola and Betts booted two in a row for the Blues. Betts missed his next shot of goal before Johnson kicked another for the Lions. Carlton could have had a sizable lead had Fevola, Bentick, and Scotland not sprayed the next three scoring shots. Brown slotted a goal to give the Lions a 2 point lead. Betts had another chance to restore Carlton's lead, but missed again. Then Fevola gave away a free kick for mouthing off at an umpire who didn't pay him a mark (catch of the ball). Brisbane raced away once more but Merrett turned the ball over in defense and Blues took it back the other way for a goal to Murphy and a five point lead. Brisbane rushed through a point to give Carlton a one goal lead. Begley's late goal leveled the scores before Harding kicked long on the run just before the siren to give Brisbane a one point lead at 1/4 time.
Carlton blasted out to a 17 point lead early in the second term with a goal to Whitnall and two to Cloke. The shootout continued with Power, Whitnall, Brown, and Patfull adding goals for their respective sides. That trend was broken midway through the term when the Blues added consecutive goals through Betts and Simpson, giving Carlton an 17 point lead. Scotland added a point and the Blues were up by three goals. But not for long as Power, McGrath, and Brown added three goals to level the scores. Fevola put the Blues 6 points in front with another goal and the Lions made it a seven point lead when they forced a point. Houlihan and Betts added late goals before Stiller marked just before the siren and goaled after to have the Lions within 13 points at 1/2 time.
Brisbane Lions came back hard in the third term, starting with a goal to Roe within the first minute of play. A goal to Fevola and a point to Murphy restored Carton's double-digit lead. Goals to Notting from 50 meters (55 yards) and Charman cut Carlton's lead to just points. The Lions won the ball at the next bounce and Notting kicked long to a leading Brown, then raced forward to accept a pass back from Brown and goal, giving the Lions a 4 point lead. Patfull's goal made it 10 points but Simpson goaled for the Blues, bringing the margin back to four points. Incredibly, to this stage the accurate Lions had kicked 18.1, but Johnson and Brown missed. Instead of having a handy lead, the Lions were just 2 points clear. And the defense rushed through 2 consecutive points. While it kept Carlton down, it still put the Blues within 2 points. When Cloke goaled late in the term, the Blues were back in front. Brown again missed a kick for goal at the siren, leaving Carlton 1 point in front at 3/4 time.
Then it was Carlton's turn to forget how to kick goals with both Lappin and Fevola missing. Notting kicked a point and the Blues rushed through another to keep scores tight. The deadlock was broken midway through the final term when Sherman kicked to the Lions' goalsquare. Carlton defenders O'hAilpin and Scotland collided, allowing speedster McGrath to run between them and soccer through the goal to give Brisbane the lead. Johnson goaled twice to put the game beyond Carlton's reach, as the Blues kicked another three points before Carlton's Matthew Lappin added a late consolation goal just before the siren.
Ace commentator Dennis Cometti was calling the game on one of the radio stations broadcasting through the AFL site. Known for his amusing quips, Dennis commented during the third term that a tape of this game should be placed in a space capsule so any extra-terrestrials who might come upon and watch would see just how great the is.
KANG 6.3 12.5 15.7 18.10 (118)
GEEL 4.3 6.8 10.10 15.12 (102)
GOALS: KANG - Harvey 3, Campbell 2, Grant 2, Swallow 2, Wells 2, Brown, Edwards, Grima, McIntosh, Petrie, Simpson, Sinclair; GEEL - Bartel 3, Ling 3, Mooney 3, Varcoe 2, G. Ablett, Chapman, Mackie, Stokes;
BEST: KANG - Simpson, Firrito, Swallow, McIntosh, Harris, Pratt, Sinclair, Archer; GEEL - Chapman, Bartel, Selwood, Scarlett, Corey
INJURY: KANG - Jones (corked thigh), Pratt (concussion)
UMPIRES: McLaren, Meredith, Sully
CROWD: 21,462 at Skilled Stadium
The Kangaroos were harder in their attack on the ball while Simpson led the midfield brigade. Harvey was dangerous up forward, kicking half the Kangas' first term goals. Firrito and Pratt did the stopping job on key Cats Ling and Gary Ablett. Firrito also proved to be a vital link between defense and attack as he helped set up several goals. Everything clicked for the Kangaroos and they ended the first term with a three goal lead.
McIntosh was controlling the ruck, giving the midfielders plenty of chances to win the ball while Gibson and Archer provided plenty of drive from defense. The Kangaroos broke the game open with six goals to two in the second term, establishing a 34 point lead at 1/2 time.
The lead was out to 44 points when the Roos booted the first two goals of the third term but the Cats clawed their way back into the game with four goals. A late goal to Grima gave the Kangaroos a 27 point lead at 3/4 time.
The Kangaroos set up a seemingly unassailable lead with two goals in the final term, before the Cats rallied with five of their own to get within 10 points, but a snap by Wells just before the siren sealed the win.
WB 5.2 11.4 16.7 16.14 (110)
HAW 3.7 7.11 10.13 13.15 (93)
GOALS: WB - Murphy 3, Higgins 3, Darcy 2, Ray 2, Johnson, Gilbee, Eagleton, Power, Cooney, Robbins; HAW - Franklin 6, Roughead 2, Bateman, Sewell, Hodge, Boyle, Brown
BEST: WB - West, Harris, Cross, Gilbee, Higgins, Akermanis; HAW - Franklin, Lewis, Sewell, Brown, Ladson, Crawford
INJURY: HAW - Bateman (calf)
UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Avon, K. Nicholls
CROWD: 31,982 at the MCG
The Hawks had the better start, at least in general play, but managed just 2 goals from the first five scoring shots. The Bulldogs took their time but finally added two quick goals through Darcy and Higgins. Boyle also missed for the Hawks and the fleet-footed Dogs got on top with two goals to Robbins and Murphy. In the latter stages of the term, both sides lost their way in front of goal with a series of misses before Brown added a late goal for the Hawks, leaving the Dogs with a seven point lead at 1/4 time.
Ray opened the second term with another Bulldog goal but, once again, the players seemed to have a serious case of the goal yips as Akermanis missed a shot followed by three consecutive points to the Hawks. Roughead broke the run with a goal but Murphy added two more for the Dogs, followed by Higgins' second for the match. The Hawks finally found their kicking boots with Boyle and Roughead kicking a pair for the Hawks but the Dogs finished off the term with goals to Murphy and Gilbee to keep their seven point lead at 1/2 time.
The Hawks cleared the ball from the center at the start of the third term, but the effort was wasted with Dixon missing after taking a strong grab. Then it was Bateman for the Hawks, Cooney for the Dogs, and Franklin for the Hawks again all adding goals. Dixon and Darcy each missed before Cross gathered the ball and kicked to a leading Johnson who goaled. Darcy and Eagleton added goals as the Dogs ran around their opponents. Franklin managed a late goal from a free kick in the dying minutes of the term, but it was the Dogs by five goals at 3/4 time.
The Hawks worked hard in the final term while the Dogs suddenly seemed to be plagued by the goal yips which hit Hawthorn in the previous three terms. Three goals to nil for the term gave the Hawks some hope of a comeback but the Bulldog defense held firm as the Dogs hung on for the win.
FRE 2.3 3.7 5.13 7.16 (58)
ADE 3.0 4.2 6.5 8.9 (57)
GOALS: FRE - Cook 3, Tarrant, Crowley, Solomon, Bell;
ADE - Stevens 3, Perrie 2, Thompson, Bock, van Berlo
BEST: FRE - Cook, Solomon, Tarrant, Webster, Dodd;
ADE - Stevens, Mattner, Rutten, Thompson, Edwards
INJURY: ADE - Reilly (ankle)
UMPIRES: Margetts, Allen, Ellis
CROWD: 37,172 at Subiaco Oval
This game was important for both sides with Adelaide trying to hang in and keep its season alive despite a long injury list. Fremantle just to get its season back on track. Adelaide had the better of the Dockers with Rutten keeping Pavlich goalless and Bassett restricting Tarrant to just one goal for the game. In a dour struggle the Crows led by just three points at 1/4 time.
With Tarrant and Pavlich well-held and Farmer banished for his nightclub row the night before, it left the Dockers with few options up forward. Enter Troy Cook. The hard-tackling midfielder played a key role as the Dockers main goalkicker. But the Dockers were wayward in front of goal in the second term kicking only one goal. They did well to hold Adelaide to just one goal for term as well and could have had a handy lead. Instead, they were down by a single point at 1/2 time.
The third term continued the trend of tight, dour play with both sides adding just two goals each. However, Fremantle added six behinds for the term. Had they been more accurate, it could have been a different story, but those points were enough to give the Dockers a two point lead at 3/4 time.
The final term was a repeat of the previous terms, with neither side able to gain a clear advantage. Both sides scored two goals, but it was the points which made the difference. Scores were level in the dying stages of the game. With just 20 seconds remaining on the clock, Tarrant punched a boundary throw-in into the path of Webster who sealed the win with the story of the day - another single point.
STANDINGS
W L FOR AGST % PTS
WCE 5 0 461 333 138.44 20
PA 4 1 486 405 120.00 16
SYD 3 2 410 336 122.02 12
ADE 3 2 389 342 113.74 12
ESS 3 2 527 474 111.18 12
BRIS 3 2 439 401 109.48 12
COL 3 2 433 419 103.34 12
HAW 3 2 420 415 101.20 12
WB 3 2 493 512 96.29 12
GEEL 2 3 538 448 120.09 8
KANG 2 3 458 460 99.57 8
FRE 2 3 482 493 97.77 8
STK 2 3 370 425 87.06 8
CARL 2 3 487 618 78.80 8
RICH 0 5 436 549 79.42 0
MELB 0 5 365 564 64.72 0
GOALS
Lucas (ESS) 18
Lloyd (ESS) 17
Pavlich (FRE) 17
Fevola (CARL) 15
Johnson (WB) 15
Ebert (PA) 14
Franklin (HAW) 14
Harvey (KANG) 13
Williams (HAW) 13
Brown (BRIS) 13
Source: Melbourne Age, Herald Sun, & afl.com.au
Collingwood's Scott Pendlebury is the Round Four Rising Star nominee for his 20 ball disposal performance against Port Adelaide. He also laid five tackles.
Pendlebury was an elite junior basketball player, representing Australia at the Youth Olympics and was even offered a basketball scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), which also has football scholarships and runs the AIS-AFL Draft Camp. He instead accepted a football scholarship, represented Vic Country at the Under-18 tournament and was a member of TAC team Gippsland's premiership in 2005. He impressed everyone at the draft camp and was the fifth selection at the 2005 draft.
Scott debuted for the Magpies last year in Round 10 against the Brisbane Lions and scored a goal with his first AFL kick. He completed the 2006 season with nine matches and has played all four matches this year for a total of 13.
Source: Michelle Clyne, AFL Media Release
Article last changed on Friday, May 04, 2007 - 9:09 PM EDT
