by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
COL 2.3 4.6 11.10 17.13 (115)
RICH 5.5 7.10 11.10 13.12 (90)
GOALS: COL - Medhurst 4, Rocca 3, Toovey 3, Dick 2, Davis 2, Pendlebury 2, Swan; RICH - Schulz 3, Richardson 3, Krakouer 3, Tivendale 2, Pettifer, Johnson
BEST: COL - Lockyer, Rocca, Thomas, Fraser, Swan, Burns, H. Shaw, O'Bree, Toovey, Medhurst; RICH - Tambling, Deledio, Foley, Tivendale, Richardson, Newman, Johnson, Hyde, Schulz
INJURY: COL - Clement (calf, ill) replaced in selected side by Wakelin Dick (ankle); RICH - Schulz (cut head)
UMPIRES: Stevic, Grun, McInerney
CROWD: 70,569 at the MCG
A bumper crowd was treated to a great contest, at least for 3 terms. First year player Pendlebury kicked off proceedings with a goal for the Magpies. After misses from Toovey for the Pies and Richardson for the Tigers, Richmond seized control with four goals in a seven minute burst, starting with Pettifer, then Schulz with two, and Richo making amends for his earlier miss. Tivendale followed suit with a miss and goal on either side of a point to Cloke for Collingwood. Toovey added a late goal for the Pies, who trailed the Tigers by 20 points at 1/4 time.
The Pies worked their way back into the game, thanks to the dynamic Lockyer on a wing, Burns, O'Bree, and Licuria through the middle, and Thomas and Swan in defense. But neither side could make an impression on the scoreboard as both missed shots on goal early in the second term before first gamer Dick soccered through a goal for the Pies. The misses continued with three consecutive points kicked - two for the Tigers, one for Collingwood - before Krakouer bobbed up for a goal. But Davis soon replied for Collingwood. Richo then had two attempts on goal for a point and a goal to extend Richmond's lead midway through the term. Lockyer had a chance to get the Pies all the closer, but missed. The Tigers were equally guilty in front of goal with misses by Schulz (a poster) and Foley. Instead of a commanding lead, the Tigers held sway by just 22 points at 1/2 time.
Tiger ruckman Simmonds, just back from injury, was on the bench at the start of the third term, allowing Fraser to dominate out of the center for the Magpies. Rocca's strength finally began to take a toll on his minder Bowden. Dick, Rocca, and Swan all kicked goals early in the term to slash Richmond's lead to just two points. Thereafter, it was goal for goal in tense term, starting with Richo going for a ground contest of the ball and slapping it out to Krakouer for a Tiger goal and an eight point lead. Davis marked (caught) the ball and goaled from 40 meters (44 yards) to have the Pies within two points once more. Goals to Johnson and Toovey maintained the status quo, but Tivendale got the ball and kicked a gem of running goal from 50 meters (55 yards) to restore Richmond's eight point margin. The Pies attacked again, but again the Tiger defense held firm to force only a rushed behind. Collingwood won the ball in the middle and once more headed into attack. Rocca was contesting well, leading far up the ground to be a target. He got the ball and fired it into the goalsquare to a waiting Medhurst for another goal, cutting Richmond's lead to just one point. The Pies won the ball again thanks to the ruckwork of Fraser and a string of handballs led to Cloke, but he could only register a point to level the scores. Pendlebury and Schulz traded goals to maintain the tie. The Pies had the ball again from the center bounce and got the ball to Rocca. But his kick after the siren missed everything, leaving the scores level at 3/4 time.
The start of the final term saw Richardson moved out to center half forward and Deledio to full forward in an effort to boost Richmond's firepower. But it was the Pies who had the better start with a miss by Pettifer followed by a mark and goal to Medhurst, giving Collingwood a five point lead. Burns missed, making the difference one straight kick. But Rocca booted two goals in a minute and the Pies were out to an 18 point lead. Richmond's defense forced two more points, leaving the Pies 20 points clear. For the rest of the term, Collingwood simply outclassed, outran, and out possessed Richmond to storm home. The best the Tigers could do was goals to Richardson and Krakouer wrapped around a goal to Medhurst to keep themselves 14 points down with less than 10 minutes remaining. Any hope the Tigers may have had evaporated minutes later when a kick from Krakouer was picked off by Thomas and Richo could only manage a point after a collision with teammate Schulz. The Pies finished off in style with Toovey and Medhurst both kicking goals from free kicks.
WCE 4.1 6.6 9.11 14.17 (101)
FRE 1.2 4.4 8.4 11.4 (70)
GOALS: WCE - Armstrong 3, Embley 2, Lynch 2, Seaby, Hansen, Kerr, Wirrpanda, Rosa, Jones, Judd; FRE - Pavlich 2, J Carr 2, Sandilands, Cook, M Carr, Mundy, Tarrant, Hasleby, Crowley
BEST: WCE - Braun, Kerr, Judd, Stenglein, Glass, Staker, Armstrong, Stenglein; FRE - Hasleby, Bell, Crowley, McPharlin. Mundy, Grover
Ross Glendinning Medal: Michael Braun
INJURY: FRE - Browne (hamstring)
REPORTS: FRE - Headland for striking Selwood
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Wenn, M. Nicholls
CROWD: 42,051 at Subiaco Oval
The first half could be described as a battle of the defense, with ample assistance from the midfield. But it was West Coast's defense which won out. Glass had the better of Pavlich to deny him the space he needed to push further afield for the ball. What ball? And Hunter kept Tarrant quiet. The Eagle midfield did well to also deny Fremantle the ball. Armstrong got the first goal of the match for West Coast. Pavlich broke free of Glass to register one goal for the Dockers in the term, while the Eagles added three through Embley, Kerr, and Hansen for a 17 point lead at 1/4 time.
The arm wrestle continued in the second term, but Dockers Josh Carr, Sandilands, and Cook grabbed three goals to keep Fremantle in the game. They had a bit of help from the wayward Eagles, who kicked an inaccurate 2.5 for the term to lead by just 14 points at 1/2 time.
The intensity continued in the third term, but the Eagles edged further ahead with the three of the first 4 goals for the term. Rosa got one at the start of the term. Matt Carr replied for the Dockers. Lynch, who was having his own battle with McPharlin, got one from a free kick. Embley soccered through another for the Eagles to give them their biggest lead of the game. The Dockers then managed to cut loose late in the term with a flurry of three goals - to Pavlich, Mundy, and Tarrant on the siren to be within 13 points at 3/4 time.
The Eagles put the game away with three of the first four goals of the final term. Both sides managed two more each for the term, and the final margin could have been worse for the Dockers had the Eagles kicked straighter.
ADE 3.3 8.3 10.7 13.9 (87)
PA 0.6 3.10 7.11 8.15 (63)
GOALS: ADE - Welsh 4, Perrie 3, Stevens 2, Bock, Burton, Porplyzia, Reilly; PA - Lade 2, S. Burgoyne, Ebert, Krakouer, Salopek, Surjan, Tredrea
BEST: ADE - McLeod, Thompson, Bassett, Mattner, Douglas, Knights; PA - C. Cornes, K. Cornes, S. Burgoyne, Cassisi, Salopek, Lade
INJURY: ADE - Bode (leg soreness) replaced in selected side by Vince; PA - Pearce (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Logan; Brogan (sprained ankle) - Brogan will miss two weeks
UMPIRES: Head, Chamberlain, Ryan
CROWD: 36,959 at AAMI Stadium
There can be a lot said about youthful exuberance, but not in this game as it was the experience of the older Crows which prevailed. Port sorely missed the dash of Pearce and Tredrea clearly struggled in his first game back from a knee injury as Rutten had the better of him. Mattner shut down the dangerous Ebert, while McLeod was an absolute force across halfback to stop the Port attack and propel the Crows forward. Adelaide also cut off Port's attack with constant flooding of Port's back half. The end result was a three goal to none fist term, leaving the Crows 15 points in front at 1/4 time.
It took Port seven minutes of play in the second term to slot their first goal, through Shaun Burgoyne after they recorded eight consecutive points. But the three-pronged attack of Perrie, Welsh, and Bock stretched Port's defense. Adelaide midfielders Stevens, Thompson, Reilly, and Edwards kept the flow going with relentless running and teamwork. It resulted in five goals for Adelaide and just three for Port and a 23 point lead for the Crows at 1/2 time. Port suffered another blow in the term with Brogan hobbling off injured, not to return.
With the loss of Brogan, Lade had to shoulder the ruck burden against Hudson. The Crows added two goals early in the third term to extend their lead to 36 points. But Port rallied with Chad Cornes driving the ball out of defense and running through midfield to support Lade, Cassisi, and Shaun Burgoyne. They piled on four straight goals, cutting Adelaide's lead to 14 points at 3/4 time.
The Crows missed a few chances to ice the game early in the final term and Port took advantage with a goal to be within striking distance, But two goals to Welsh and a tight angle shot from Perrie put the result beyond Port's reach.
STK 6.3 7.7 12.10 17.14 (116)
WB 2.2 3.6 6.10 9.12 (66)
GOALS: StK - Riewoldt 4, Milne 3, Koschitzke 2, Gram, X Clarke, Gehrig, Montagna, Goddard, Blake, Harvey, Jones;
WB - Johnson 3, Power 2, Cooney 2, Darcy, Addison
BEST: StK - Dal Santo, Gram, Harvey, Baker, Goddard, Montagna, Riewoldt, Blake; WB - Eagleton, Cross, McMahon, West, Johnson, Morris, Harris, Boyd, Cooney
INJURY: StK - Clarke (hamstring) replaced in selected side by McQualter; WB - Wight (blurred vision)
UMPIRES: Donlon, McBurney, Rosebury
CROWD: 38,474 at Telstra Dome
The Bulldogs may have a reputation as a fleet-footed side, but they are also noted for a serious lack of height in defense. That deficiency was exposed by Riewoldt, Gehrig, and Koschitzke proving too tall and strong for the Bulldogs. Throw in Xavier Ellis and Milne buzzing around at ground level and it proved a lethal combination.
The damage started in the middle with Baker controlling West and Harvey, Thompson, Dal Santo, and debutant Jones controlling the ball. A crunching tackle by Baker on West created a turnover and a goal for Gehrig in the opening minute of play. The Saint midfield matched the Bulldogs for speed and played to an open forward line, giving Riewoldt and Gehrig plenty of room to move. Riewoldt bagged two goals for the term, which ended in a six goal to two barrage and the Saints in front by 25 points at 1/4 time.
The Saints continued to dominate in the second term with Harvey, not a noted goalkicker, slotting the Saints' only goal for the term from 50 meters (55 yards). At the other end, Johnson was the only Bulldog option and scored the only Bulldog goal for the term. To halftime, Johnson had kicked all but three points of his team's total as the Saints maintained their 25 point lead at 1/2 time.
The lead blew out to 44 points when the Saints added three goals to start the third term and kept the Bulldogs at bay until Power added two goals late in the term for the Bulldogs. However, the Saints kicked two of the last three goals to head by 36 points at 3/4 time.
The Saints saw off the Bulldogs with a four goal to three final term, with Riewoldt the star of the game. He finished with nine kicks, seven marks (ball catches), and four goals while first gamer Clinton Jones was impressive with his ferocious attack on the ball.
CARL 2.1 8.7 15.11 18.17 (125)
ESS 7.9 12.13 13.16 17.20 (122)
GOALS: CARL - Fevola 8, Lappin 3, Fisher 2, Walker, Carrazzo, Betts, Houlihan Stevens; ESS - Lloyd 5, Lucas 3, Lovett 3, McVeigh 3, Monfries, Watson, Davey
BEST: CARL - Fevola, Scotland, Murphy, Carrazzo, Houlihan, Fisher, Stevens; ESS - Hird, Peverill, Winderlich, Lloyd, Lucas, McVeigh
INJURY: CARL - Cloke (concussion); ESS - Lovett-Murray (groin) replaced in selected side by Dyson
UMPIRES: K. Nicholls, Sully, Vozzo
CROWD: 64,710 at the MCG
The Bombers came out firing with Peverill shutting down Stevens, Lloyd and Lucas grabbing everything coming their way, and Hird as dangerous as ever. They ran circles around the Blues and had the ball 102 times opposed to Carlton's 64 by the first break. Had they kicked straighter, Carlton might well have been dead in the water. It was still ugly for the Blues with Essendon slamming through seven goals to two in the first term for a whopping 38 point lead at 1/4 time.
Essendon's dominance continued for much of the second term as they continued to hammer Carlton, kicking five goals to two for a 48 point lead late in the term. But the Blues fired back with the last three goals of the term - two of them to Fevola - to be five goals down at 1/2 time.
The tide turned dramatically in the third term. The Blues began to win more of the ball out of the middle with Scotland, Murphy, and Bentick firing the ball into attack and Stevens now positioned across half forward to be another option alongside Lappin and Fisher. Thornton became Lloyd's third opponent for the game, replacing Waite and Whitnall. Goals to Lappin and Fisher within the first six minutes pulled the gap back to only 19 points before Fevola exploded into action. He ran hard and fast out of the goalsquare to give teammates a target for the ball, he began hauling in marks, and booted a long-range goal to cut Essendon's lead even more. Lloyd kicked one for the Bombers, but two goals to Fevola and Fisher had the Blues within reach. Fevola struck again with two goals and Carlton found themselves seven points in front at 3/4 time.
Fletcher took over for Michael against Fevola at the start of the final term but it didn't matter as a goal to Stevens had Carlton 12 points in front. Davey reduced the lead back to a single goal. Then Fevola nearly cost his side with two errors. First he dropped a catch he should have taken, then caught the ball but handballed to Stevens just 20 meters (22 yards) in front of goal. Stevens' attempted kick for goal hit the post and the Bombers capitalized as they rushed the ball to the other end where McVeigh reduced the margin to just two points. Enter Fevola again with another goal, only for Lloyd to do the same at the other end. Back to Fevola once more, and once again Lloyd cut Carlton's lead to three points. The final few minutes saw both sides in sheer desperation. Murphy missed a chance to seal the win, but so did Lovett for the Bombers, missing from 40 meters (44 yards) on the run. He got the ball again a minute later, but a tackle from Carlton defender O'hAilpin got Lovett penalized for holding the ball. Free kick to Carlton, but they turned it over and Essendon headed into attack once again with Lloyd getting the ball. However, he was not in a position to score and tried getting the ball to a desperate Hird. That attempt was foiled by a wall of Carlton defenders as the siren sounded. Carlton celebrated as if it were a final while Essendon players slumped to ground.
HAW 1.3 3.6 8.12 13.13 (91)
KANG 2.4 5.4 7.6 10.10 (70)
GOALS: HAW - Williams 4, Franklin 3, Osborne 2, Roughead, Dixon, McGlynn, Mitchell; KANG - Harvey 2, Hale 2, Wells, Swallow, Petrie, Jones, Edwards, Campbell
BEST: HAW - Mitchell, Williams, McGlynn, Brown, Franklin, Birchall, Lewis; KANG - Wells, Harris, Harvey, Swallow, Green
UMPIRES: Farmer, Margetts, Jeffery
CROWD: 28,481 at Telstra Dome
Although the roof at the Dome was closed, the playing surface was still dewy and slippery. Neither side could find any rhythm to their games although the Kangaroos had extra players in defense in an attempt to stifle dangerous Hawk forwards Williams and Franklin. But the Hawk defense was almost equally effective with its ability to clear the ball when the Kangaroos did attack. It resulted in a low scoring first half, with just three goals scored in the first term and the Kangaroos up by just seven points at 1/4 time.
It was more of the same in the second term as the Kangaroos continued to keep the Hawks at bay, kicking three goals to two for a 10 point lead at 1/2 time.
The Hawks could have sealed victory in the third term as they kicked five goals to two, but also missed several gettable goals, giving the Kangaroos chance with just a two goal lead at 3/4 time.
The Hawks kicked the first three goals of the final term to take a 29 point lead, but the Kangaroos kicked the next three to be within 10 points late in the term. Franklin and Mitchell came to the rescue for the Hawks with the last two goals of the match.
SYD 5.3 7.6 8.10 13.18 (96)
BRIS 4.3 7.4 10.8 10.9 (69)
GOALS: SYD - Hall 4, O'Loughlin 3, Schmidt 2, Schneider, Mathews, O'Keefe, Barry; BRIS - Brown 3, McGrath 3, Patfull, Begley, Fixter, Harding
BEST: SYD - Hall, Schneider, Buchanan, Fosdike, Jolly; BRIS - McGrath, Brown, Power, Black, Fixter
UMPIRES: Allen, Kamolins, Meredith
CROWD: 24,854 at the SCG
The first term was relatively even with the two sides matching each other well all over the ground. Brown and Hall were equally effective in their respective forward lines but the Swans, on their home turf, were just a bit better to lead by a goal at 1/4 time.
The Lions began to get the better of the Swans in the second term with their speedy midfield giving the Swans a hard time and breaking clear to kick three goals to two for the term to trail by just 2 points at 1/2 time.
Brisbane seized control in the third term, adding three goals to lead by 18 points midway through the term. Sydney managed one goal for the term and trailed by 10 points at 3/4 time.
At the break, Sydney co-captains Kirk and Hall rallied the troops, telling them to give O'Loughlin a milestone to remember. O'Loughlin's 50th 100th, 150th, and 200th games were all losses for the Swans. Time for the boys to deliver a milestone he could remember fondly.
The Lions seemed headed for a win when the Swans reeled off seven consecutive points in the final term. But O'Loughlin marked the ball and kicked the goal which put Sydney in front midway through the term. Schmidt and O'Loughlin two more to ensure the win. Then Barry drifted downfield from his post in defense to kick his first goal, from 50 meters no less, in almost six years.
GEEL 5.8 11.8 14.10 15.19(109)
MELB 2.1 4.4 5.9 8.9(57)
GOALS: GEEL - Hawkins 4, Prismall 3, Bartel, Varcoe, Ottens, Byrnes, Mooney, Chapman, Milburn, Ling; MELB - Green 4, Moloney 2, Johnstone, Godfrey
BEST: GEEL - Bartel, Prismall, G. Ablett, Ling, Hawkins, Chapman; MELB - Green, Bruce, Moloney, Johnstone, McDonald, Carroll
CHANGES: GEEL - N. Ablett replaced by Selwood
UMPIRES: Ellis, Hendrie, Avon
CROWD: 38,438 at the MCG
The Demons entered this game hurting with the loss of Neitz, Robertson, Bartram, and McLean. And it showed as the Cats had a field day. Moloney was the only Demon goalkicker in the first term, and it only some wayward kicking on goal by the Cats which kept them from a bigger lead than 25 points at 1/4 time.
The dominance continued in the second term, with young Hawkins starring up forward with four goals to his name by the end of the half. Mooney and Wojcinski also provided some highlights for Cat fans. Mooney delivered two bone-jarring bumps on Jones and Johnstone, the second allowing Chapman to set up Ling for a goal. Wojcinski then got the ball in defense, dashed downfield, passed the ball to Prismall, who then found Hawkins for the first of his three second term goals. The Cats added two more goals for the term while the Demons managed just two in total and Geelong was out to a 46 point lead at 1/2 time.
Hawkins was double-teamed in the second half and unable to add to his tally for the game, but it didn't stop the Cats, who had too much firepower from the likes of Mooney and Ottens up forward and the midfielders also chipping in. While the goalscoring dried up a bit, Geelong still added three goals to one for a 55 point lead at 3/4 time.
The Cats peppered the goals in the final term, but wayward kicking prevented a bigger margin as they could kick just one more goal for the term while the Demons added three but the damage had been done in the previous three terms.
STANDINGS
W L FOR AGST % PTS
WCE 3 0 262 218 120.18 12
GEEL 2 1 364 254 143.31 8
BRIS 2 1 240 190 126.32 8
SYD 2 1 257 215 119.53 8
ADE 2 1 271 240 112.92 8
STK 2 1 259 230 112.61 8
ESS 2 1 349 311 112.22 8
HAW 2 1 251 233 107.73 8
COL 2 1 272 256 106.25 8
PA 2 1 306 296 103.38 8
CARL 2 1 324 382 84.82 8
WB 1 2 251 319 78.68 4
KANG 0 3 253 295 85.76 0
FRE 0 3 287 344 83.43 0
RICH 0 3 260 318 81.76 0
MELB 0 3 213 318 66.98 0
GOALS
Fevola (CARL) 11
Lloyd (ESS) 11
Pavlich (FRE) 11
Williams (HAW) 10
Brown (BRIS) 9
Mooney (GEEL) 9
Harvey (KANG) 9
Ebert (PA) 9
Source: Melbourne Age, afl.com.au, and Herald Sun
Brisbane's Cameron Wood is the Round Two Rising Star nominee. In just his 10th league match, Wood's ruckwork opposed to the experienced Matthew Clarke helped propel the Lions to their win against St; Kilda. He was also impressive in the Round One game against Hawthorn.
Wood originally played in the South Australian Amateur Football League and was a member of the 2003 AIS-AFL Academy squad. He represented SA in the 2004 Under-18 championships, winning All-Australian selection. Brisbane drafted him in 2004 and he debuted in 2005, playing seven games for the year.
Source: Michelle Clyne, AFL Media Release
COL 2.3 4.6 11.10 17.13 (115)
RICH 5.5 7.10 11.10 13.12 (90)
GOALS: COL - Medhurst 4, Rocca 3, Toovey 3, Dick 2, Davis 2, Pendlebury 2, Swan; RICH - Schulz 3, Richardson 3, Krakouer 3, Tivendale 2, Pettifer, Johnson
BEST: COL - Lockyer, Rocca, Thomas, Fraser, Swan, Burns, H. Shaw, O'Bree, Toovey, Medhurst; RICH - Tambling, Deledio, Foley, Tivendale, Richardson, Newman, Johnson, Hyde, Schulz
INJURY: COL - Clement (calf, ill) replaced in selected side by Wakelin Dick (ankle); RICH - Schulz (cut head)
UMPIRES: Stevic, Grun, McInerney
CROWD: 70,569 at the MCG
A bumper crowd was treated to a great contest, at least for 3 terms. First year player Pendlebury kicked off proceedings with a goal for the Magpies. After misses from Toovey for the Pies and Richardson for the Tigers, Richmond seized control with four goals in a seven minute burst, starting with Pettifer, then Schulz with two, and Richo making amends for his earlier miss. Tivendale followed suit with a miss and goal on either side of a point to Cloke for Collingwood. Toovey added a late goal for the Pies, who trailed the Tigers by 20 points at 1/4 time.
The Pies worked their way back into the game, thanks to the dynamic Lockyer on a wing, Burns, O'Bree, and Licuria through the middle, and Thomas and Swan in defense. But neither side could make an impression on the scoreboard as both missed shots on goal early in the second term before first gamer Dick soccered through a goal for the Pies. The misses continued with three consecutive points kicked - two for the Tigers, one for Collingwood - before Krakouer bobbed up for a goal. But Davis soon replied for Collingwood. Richo then had two attempts on goal for a point and a goal to extend Richmond's lead midway through the term. Lockyer had a chance to get the Pies all the closer, but missed. The Tigers were equally guilty in front of goal with misses by Schulz (a poster) and Foley. Instead of a commanding lead, the Tigers held sway by just 22 points at 1/2 time.
Tiger ruckman Simmonds, just back from injury, was on the bench at the start of the third term, allowing Fraser to dominate out of the center for the Magpies. Rocca's strength finally began to take a toll on his minder Bowden. Dick, Rocca, and Swan all kicked goals early in the term to slash Richmond's lead to just two points. Thereafter, it was goal for goal in tense term, starting with Richo going for a ground contest of the ball and slapping it out to Krakouer for a Tiger goal and an eight point lead. Davis marked (caught) the ball and goaled from 40 meters (44 yards) to have the Pies within two points once more. Goals to Johnson and Toovey maintained the status quo, but Tivendale got the ball and kicked a gem of running goal from 50 meters (55 yards) to restore Richmond's eight point margin. The Pies attacked again, but again the Tiger defense held firm to force only a rushed behind. Collingwood won the ball in the middle and once more headed into attack. Rocca was contesting well, leading far up the ground to be a target. He got the ball and fired it into the goalsquare to a waiting Medhurst for another goal, cutting Richmond's lead to just one point. The Pies won the ball again thanks to the ruckwork of Fraser and a string of handballs led to Cloke, but he could only register a point to level the scores. Pendlebury and Schulz traded goals to maintain the tie. The Pies had the ball again from the center bounce and got the ball to Rocca. But his kick after the siren missed everything, leaving the scores level at 3/4 time.
The start of the final term saw Richardson moved out to center half forward and Deledio to full forward in an effort to boost Richmond's firepower. But it was the Pies who had the better start with a miss by Pettifer followed by a mark and goal to Medhurst, giving Collingwood a five point lead. Burns missed, making the difference one straight kick. But Rocca booted two goals in a minute and the Pies were out to an 18 point lead. Richmond's defense forced two more points, leaving the Pies 20 points clear. For the rest of the term, Collingwood simply outclassed, outran, and out possessed Richmond to storm home. The best the Tigers could do was goals to Richardson and Krakouer wrapped around a goal to Medhurst to keep themselves 14 points down with less than 10 minutes remaining. Any hope the Tigers may have had evaporated minutes later when a kick from Krakouer was picked off by Thomas and Richo could only manage a point after a collision with teammate Schulz. The Pies finished off in style with Toovey and Medhurst both kicking goals from free kicks.
WCE 4.1 6.6 9.11 14.17 (101)
FRE 1.2 4.4 8.4 11.4 (70)
GOALS: WCE - Armstrong 3, Embley 2, Lynch 2, Seaby, Hansen, Kerr, Wirrpanda, Rosa, Jones, Judd; FRE - Pavlich 2, J Carr 2, Sandilands, Cook, M Carr, Mundy, Tarrant, Hasleby, Crowley
BEST: WCE - Braun, Kerr, Judd, Stenglein, Glass, Staker, Armstrong, Stenglein; FRE - Hasleby, Bell, Crowley, McPharlin. Mundy, Grover
Ross Glendinning Medal: Michael Braun
INJURY: FRE - Browne (hamstring)
REPORTS: FRE - Headland for striking Selwood
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Wenn, M. Nicholls
CROWD: 42,051 at Subiaco Oval
The first half could be described as a battle of the defense, with ample assistance from the midfield. But it was West Coast's defense which won out. Glass had the better of Pavlich to deny him the space he needed to push further afield for the ball. What ball? And Hunter kept Tarrant quiet. The Eagle midfield did well to also deny Fremantle the ball. Armstrong got the first goal of the match for West Coast. Pavlich broke free of Glass to register one goal for the Dockers in the term, while the Eagles added three through Embley, Kerr, and Hansen for a 17 point lead at 1/4 time.
The arm wrestle continued in the second term, but Dockers Josh Carr, Sandilands, and Cook grabbed three goals to keep Fremantle in the game. They had a bit of help from the wayward Eagles, who kicked an inaccurate 2.5 for the term to lead by just 14 points at 1/2 time.
The intensity continued in the third term, but the Eagles edged further ahead with the three of the first 4 goals for the term. Rosa got one at the start of the term. Matt Carr replied for the Dockers. Lynch, who was having his own battle with McPharlin, got one from a free kick. Embley soccered through another for the Eagles to give them their biggest lead of the game. The Dockers then managed to cut loose late in the term with a flurry of three goals - to Pavlich, Mundy, and Tarrant on the siren to be within 13 points at 3/4 time.
The Eagles put the game away with three of the first four goals of the final term. Both sides managed two more each for the term, and the final margin could have been worse for the Dockers had the Eagles kicked straighter.
ADE 3.3 8.3 10.7 13.9 (87)
PA 0.6 3.10 7.11 8.15 (63)
GOALS: ADE - Welsh 4, Perrie 3, Stevens 2, Bock, Burton, Porplyzia, Reilly; PA - Lade 2, S. Burgoyne, Ebert, Krakouer, Salopek, Surjan, Tredrea
BEST: ADE - McLeod, Thompson, Bassett, Mattner, Douglas, Knights; PA - C. Cornes, K. Cornes, S. Burgoyne, Cassisi, Salopek, Lade
INJURY: ADE - Bode (leg soreness) replaced in selected side by Vince; PA - Pearce (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Logan; Brogan (sprained ankle) - Brogan will miss two weeks
UMPIRES: Head, Chamberlain, Ryan
CROWD: 36,959 at AAMI Stadium
There can be a lot said about youthful exuberance, but not in this game as it was the experience of the older Crows which prevailed. Port sorely missed the dash of Pearce and Tredrea clearly struggled in his first game back from a knee injury as Rutten had the better of him. Mattner shut down the dangerous Ebert, while McLeod was an absolute force across halfback to stop the Port attack and propel the Crows forward. Adelaide also cut off Port's attack with constant flooding of Port's back half. The end result was a three goal to none fist term, leaving the Crows 15 points in front at 1/4 time.
It took Port seven minutes of play in the second term to slot their first goal, through Shaun Burgoyne after they recorded eight consecutive points. But the three-pronged attack of Perrie, Welsh, and Bock stretched Port's defense. Adelaide midfielders Stevens, Thompson, Reilly, and Edwards kept the flow going with relentless running and teamwork. It resulted in five goals for Adelaide and just three for Port and a 23 point lead for the Crows at 1/2 time. Port suffered another blow in the term with Brogan hobbling off injured, not to return.
With the loss of Brogan, Lade had to shoulder the ruck burden against Hudson. The Crows added two goals early in the third term to extend their lead to 36 points. But Port rallied with Chad Cornes driving the ball out of defense and running through midfield to support Lade, Cassisi, and Shaun Burgoyne. They piled on four straight goals, cutting Adelaide's lead to 14 points at 3/4 time.
The Crows missed a few chances to ice the game early in the final term and Port took advantage with a goal to be within striking distance, But two goals to Welsh and a tight angle shot from Perrie put the result beyond Port's reach.
STK 6.3 7.7 12.10 17.14 (116)
WB 2.2 3.6 6.10 9.12 (66)
GOALS: StK - Riewoldt 4, Milne 3, Koschitzke 2, Gram, X Clarke, Gehrig, Montagna, Goddard, Blake, Harvey, Jones;
WB - Johnson 3, Power 2, Cooney 2, Darcy, Addison
BEST: StK - Dal Santo, Gram, Harvey, Baker, Goddard, Montagna, Riewoldt, Blake; WB - Eagleton, Cross, McMahon, West, Johnson, Morris, Harris, Boyd, Cooney
INJURY: StK - Clarke (hamstring) replaced in selected side by McQualter; WB - Wight (blurred vision)
UMPIRES: Donlon, McBurney, Rosebury
CROWD: 38,474 at Telstra Dome
The Bulldogs may have a reputation as a fleet-footed side, but they are also noted for a serious lack of height in defense. That deficiency was exposed by Riewoldt, Gehrig, and Koschitzke proving too tall and strong for the Bulldogs. Throw in Xavier Ellis and Milne buzzing around at ground level and it proved a lethal combination.
The damage started in the middle with Baker controlling West and Harvey, Thompson, Dal Santo, and debutant Jones controlling the ball. A crunching tackle by Baker on West created a turnover and a goal for Gehrig in the opening minute of play. The Saint midfield matched the Bulldogs for speed and played to an open forward line, giving Riewoldt and Gehrig plenty of room to move. Riewoldt bagged two goals for the term, which ended in a six goal to two barrage and the Saints in front by 25 points at 1/4 time.
The Saints continued to dominate in the second term with Harvey, not a noted goalkicker, slotting the Saints' only goal for the term from 50 meters (55 yards). At the other end, Johnson was the only Bulldog option and scored the only Bulldog goal for the term. To halftime, Johnson had kicked all but three points of his team's total as the Saints maintained their 25 point lead at 1/2 time.
The lead blew out to 44 points when the Saints added three goals to start the third term and kept the Bulldogs at bay until Power added two goals late in the term for the Bulldogs. However, the Saints kicked two of the last three goals to head by 36 points at 3/4 time.
The Saints saw off the Bulldogs with a four goal to three final term, with Riewoldt the star of the game. He finished with nine kicks, seven marks (ball catches), and four goals while first gamer Clinton Jones was impressive with his ferocious attack on the ball.
CARL 2.1 8.7 15.11 18.17 (125)
ESS 7.9 12.13 13.16 17.20 (122)
GOALS: CARL - Fevola 8, Lappin 3, Fisher 2, Walker, Carrazzo, Betts, Houlihan Stevens; ESS - Lloyd 5, Lucas 3, Lovett 3, McVeigh 3, Monfries, Watson, Davey
BEST: CARL - Fevola, Scotland, Murphy, Carrazzo, Houlihan, Fisher, Stevens; ESS - Hird, Peverill, Winderlich, Lloyd, Lucas, McVeigh
INJURY: CARL - Cloke (concussion); ESS - Lovett-Murray (groin) replaced in selected side by Dyson
UMPIRES: K. Nicholls, Sully, Vozzo
CROWD: 64,710 at the MCG
The Bombers came out firing with Peverill shutting down Stevens, Lloyd and Lucas grabbing everything coming their way, and Hird as dangerous as ever. They ran circles around the Blues and had the ball 102 times opposed to Carlton's 64 by the first break. Had they kicked straighter, Carlton might well have been dead in the water. It was still ugly for the Blues with Essendon slamming through seven goals to two in the first term for a whopping 38 point lead at 1/4 time.
Essendon's dominance continued for much of the second term as they continued to hammer Carlton, kicking five goals to two for a 48 point lead late in the term. But the Blues fired back with the last three goals of the term - two of them to Fevola - to be five goals down at 1/2 time.
The tide turned dramatically in the third term. The Blues began to win more of the ball out of the middle with Scotland, Murphy, and Bentick firing the ball into attack and Stevens now positioned across half forward to be another option alongside Lappin and Fisher. Thornton became Lloyd's third opponent for the game, replacing Waite and Whitnall. Goals to Lappin and Fisher within the first six minutes pulled the gap back to only 19 points before Fevola exploded into action. He ran hard and fast out of the goalsquare to give teammates a target for the ball, he began hauling in marks, and booted a long-range goal to cut Essendon's lead even more. Lloyd kicked one for the Bombers, but two goals to Fevola and Fisher had the Blues within reach. Fevola struck again with two goals and Carlton found themselves seven points in front at 3/4 time.
Fletcher took over for Michael against Fevola at the start of the final term but it didn't matter as a goal to Stevens had Carlton 12 points in front. Davey reduced the lead back to a single goal. Then Fevola nearly cost his side with two errors. First he dropped a catch he should have taken, then caught the ball but handballed to Stevens just 20 meters (22 yards) in front of goal. Stevens' attempted kick for goal hit the post and the Bombers capitalized as they rushed the ball to the other end where McVeigh reduced the margin to just two points. Enter Fevola again with another goal, only for Lloyd to do the same at the other end. Back to Fevola once more, and once again Lloyd cut Carlton's lead to three points. The final few minutes saw both sides in sheer desperation. Murphy missed a chance to seal the win, but so did Lovett for the Bombers, missing from 40 meters (44 yards) on the run. He got the ball again a minute later, but a tackle from Carlton defender O'hAilpin got Lovett penalized for holding the ball. Free kick to Carlton, but they turned it over and Essendon headed into attack once again with Lloyd getting the ball. However, he was not in a position to score and tried getting the ball to a desperate Hird. That attempt was foiled by a wall of Carlton defenders as the siren sounded. Carlton celebrated as if it were a final while Essendon players slumped to ground.
HAW 1.3 3.6 8.12 13.13 (91)
KANG 2.4 5.4 7.6 10.10 (70)
GOALS: HAW - Williams 4, Franklin 3, Osborne 2, Roughead, Dixon, McGlynn, Mitchell; KANG - Harvey 2, Hale 2, Wells, Swallow, Petrie, Jones, Edwards, Campbell
BEST: HAW - Mitchell, Williams, McGlynn, Brown, Franklin, Birchall, Lewis; KANG - Wells, Harris, Harvey, Swallow, Green
UMPIRES: Farmer, Margetts, Jeffery
CROWD: 28,481 at Telstra Dome
Although the roof at the Dome was closed, the playing surface was still dewy and slippery. Neither side could find any rhythm to their games although the Kangaroos had extra players in defense in an attempt to stifle dangerous Hawk forwards Williams and Franklin. But the Hawk defense was almost equally effective with its ability to clear the ball when the Kangaroos did attack. It resulted in a low scoring first half, with just three goals scored in the first term and the Kangaroos up by just seven points at 1/4 time.
It was more of the same in the second term as the Kangaroos continued to keep the Hawks at bay, kicking three goals to two for a 10 point lead at 1/2 time.
The Hawks could have sealed victory in the third term as they kicked five goals to two, but also missed several gettable goals, giving the Kangaroos chance with just a two goal lead at 3/4 time.
The Hawks kicked the first three goals of the final term to take a 29 point lead, but the Kangaroos kicked the next three to be within 10 points late in the term. Franklin and Mitchell came to the rescue for the Hawks with the last two goals of the match.
SYD 5.3 7.6 8.10 13.18 (96)
BRIS 4.3 7.4 10.8 10.9 (69)
GOALS: SYD - Hall 4, O'Loughlin 3, Schmidt 2, Schneider, Mathews, O'Keefe, Barry; BRIS - Brown 3, McGrath 3, Patfull, Begley, Fixter, Harding
BEST: SYD - Hall, Schneider, Buchanan, Fosdike, Jolly; BRIS - McGrath, Brown, Power, Black, Fixter
UMPIRES: Allen, Kamolins, Meredith
CROWD: 24,854 at the SCG
The first term was relatively even with the two sides matching each other well all over the ground. Brown and Hall were equally effective in their respective forward lines but the Swans, on their home turf, were just a bit better to lead by a goal at 1/4 time.
The Lions began to get the better of the Swans in the second term with their speedy midfield giving the Swans a hard time and breaking clear to kick three goals to two for the term to trail by just 2 points at 1/2 time.
Brisbane seized control in the third term, adding three goals to lead by 18 points midway through the term. Sydney managed one goal for the term and trailed by 10 points at 3/4 time.
At the break, Sydney co-captains Kirk and Hall rallied the troops, telling them to give O'Loughlin a milestone to remember. O'Loughlin's 50th 100th, 150th, and 200th games were all losses for the Swans. Time for the boys to deliver a milestone he could remember fondly.
The Lions seemed headed for a win when the Swans reeled off seven consecutive points in the final term. But O'Loughlin marked the ball and kicked the goal which put Sydney in front midway through the term. Schmidt and O'Loughlin two more to ensure the win. Then Barry drifted downfield from his post in defense to kick his first goal, from 50 meters no less, in almost six years.
GEEL 5.8 11.8 14.10 15.19(109)
MELB 2.1 4.4 5.9 8.9(57)
GOALS: GEEL - Hawkins 4, Prismall 3, Bartel, Varcoe, Ottens, Byrnes, Mooney, Chapman, Milburn, Ling; MELB - Green 4, Moloney 2, Johnstone, Godfrey
BEST: GEEL - Bartel, Prismall, G. Ablett, Ling, Hawkins, Chapman; MELB - Green, Bruce, Moloney, Johnstone, McDonald, Carroll
CHANGES: GEEL - N. Ablett replaced by Selwood
UMPIRES: Ellis, Hendrie, Avon
CROWD: 38,438 at the MCG
The Demons entered this game hurting with the loss of Neitz, Robertson, Bartram, and McLean. And it showed as the Cats had a field day. Moloney was the only Demon goalkicker in the first term, and it only some wayward kicking on goal by the Cats which kept them from a bigger lead than 25 points at 1/4 time.
The dominance continued in the second term, with young Hawkins starring up forward with four goals to his name by the end of the half. Mooney and Wojcinski also provided some highlights for Cat fans. Mooney delivered two bone-jarring bumps on Jones and Johnstone, the second allowing Chapman to set up Ling for a goal. Wojcinski then got the ball in defense, dashed downfield, passed the ball to Prismall, who then found Hawkins for the first of his three second term goals. The Cats added two more goals for the term while the Demons managed just two in total and Geelong was out to a 46 point lead at 1/2 time.
Hawkins was double-teamed in the second half and unable to add to his tally for the game, but it didn't stop the Cats, who had too much firepower from the likes of Mooney and Ottens up forward and the midfielders also chipping in. While the goalscoring dried up a bit, Geelong still added three goals to one for a 55 point lead at 3/4 time.
The Cats peppered the goals in the final term, but wayward kicking prevented a bigger margin as they could kick just one more goal for the term while the Demons added three but the damage had been done in the previous three terms.
STANDINGS
W L FOR AGST % PTS
WCE 3 0 262 218 120.18 12
GEEL 2 1 364 254 143.31 8
BRIS 2 1 240 190 126.32 8
SYD 2 1 257 215 119.53 8
ADE 2 1 271 240 112.92 8
STK 2 1 259 230 112.61 8
ESS 2 1 349 311 112.22 8
HAW 2 1 251 233 107.73 8
COL 2 1 272 256 106.25 8
PA 2 1 306 296 103.38 8
CARL 2 1 324 382 84.82 8
WB 1 2 251 319 78.68 4
KANG 0 3 253 295 85.76 0
FRE 0 3 287 344 83.43 0
RICH 0 3 260 318 81.76 0
MELB 0 3 213 318 66.98 0
GOALS
Fevola (CARL) 11
Lloyd (ESS) 11
Pavlich (FRE) 11
Williams (HAW) 10
Brown (BRIS) 9
Mooney (GEEL) 9
Harvey (KANG) 9
Ebert (PA) 9
Source: Melbourne Age, afl.com.au, and Herald Sun
Brisbane's Cameron Wood is the Round Two Rising Star nominee. In just his 10th league match, Wood's ruckwork opposed to the experienced Matthew Clarke helped propel the Lions to their win against St; Kilda. He was also impressive in the Round One game against Hawthorn.
Wood originally played in the South Australian Amateur Football League and was a member of the 2003 AIS-AFL Academy squad. He represented SA in the 2004 Under-18 championships, winning All-Australian selection. Brisbane drafted him in 2004 and he debuted in 2005, playing seven games for the year.
Source: Michelle Clyne, AFL Media Release
Article last changed on Monday, April 16, 2007 - 2:08 PM EDT
