by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
STK 4.3 8.8 13.11 18.17 (125)
CARL 2.5 4.11 10.14 11.16 (82)
GOALS: STK - Gehrig 6, Milne 3, Gilbert 2, Gram 2, Dal Santo, Koschitzke, Riewoldt, Fiora, Harvey; CARL - Fevola 6, Whitnall 3, Betts, Walker
BEST STK - Dal Santo, Ball, Gehrig, Harvey, Montagna, Gilbert; CARL - Waite, Fevola, Scotland, Whitnall, Walker, Thornton
UMPIRES Rosebury, Allen, Jeffery
CROWD 45,513 at Telstra Dome
With their best defenders Hudghton and Fisher out injured, it was left to second year player Gwilt to take on Fevola while Goddard opposed Whitnall. Both relied on teammates to help double-team the Carlton forwards and generate drive and attacking moves from defense. The Saints also employed flooding tactics, often clogging Carlton's forward area with up to nine players for extended periods of the game.
Koschitzke got the Saints off to a good start with a goal inside the first two minutes of the game. After misses from both sides, Milne and Dal Santo goaled to give the Saints an early break. Dal Santo, influential throughout the game, had a hand in setting up the first two before kicking his own. It was only after a miss by Fiora for the Saints that the Blues got their first goal through Whitnall. Betts then had a chance to get the Blues closer, but also missed before a goal to Gilbert gave the Saints some breathing room. The Blues were not doing themselves any favors, however, as they sprayed several shots on goal under pressure from the ultra-defensive ploy from the Saints. Fevola finally broke clear to accept a handball and goal just before the break, but the Saints were in control with a 10 point lead at 1/4 time.
Gehrig extended that lead at the start of the second term with a goal, but Whitnall quickly replied for the Blues after being in perfect position to get the ball after Clarke knocked it away from a contest. Neither side could gain a clear advantage after that. Although the Blues were getting their hands on the ball as much as the Saints, both teams failed on the scoreboard, kicking five consecutive points between them, the worst being a 35 meter (38 yards) kick on the run from Cloke. After the Blues rushed a point through, Gilbert plucked the ball out of the air at a ball-up contest, threw it onto his boot, and snapped a goal in one swift movement. The Blues again had chances, but Whitnall and Simpson both missed shots before Gehrig and Milne goaled to again stretch the Saint lead. Another string of misses came from both sides, but Fevola's point resulted in a goal when a Saint turnover ended up with Whitnall who passed to Fevola for a goal just before the siren. However, the streak of errant kicking by Carlton left the Saints with a 21 point lead at 1/2 time.
The errant kicking for goal continued at the start of the third term, before Fevola goaled for Carlton. But the Saints hit back with goals to Riewoldt and Gram on the run for a 34 point lead midway through the term but Walker got one back for the Blues. Dal Santo was involved again when he got hold of the ball and found Voss, but the effort went begging when Voss' kick hit the post from close range. The Blues finally found some run and a way through the Saint defense to slam through four goals in five minutes, slashing St. Kilda's lead to just four points. The Saints steadied, flooded some more, and set up Gehrig for two more goals through Carlton turnovers to lead by 15 points lead at 3/4 time.
Gehrig missed two chances to bury the Blues at the start of the final term, but a goal to Fiora put the Saints 23 points in front. Ball kicked a point and the Blues were able to rush the ball forward from the kick-in for Fevola to mark strongly despite being double-teamed. His goal would be the only Carlton goal for the term while the Saints added four more through Gram, Gehrig, Milne, and Harvey to run over the top of a tiring Carlton outfit.
HAW 3.3 9.5 15.8 20.11 (131)
ESS 4.2 8.3 11.3 15.6 (96)
GOALS: HAW - Franklin 9, Boyle 3, Dixon 3, Roughead 2, Hodge, Lewis, Murphy; ESS - Davey 2, Johns 2, J. Johnson 2, Stanton 2, Welsh 2, Lovett, Lucas, Michael, Ryder, Winderlich
BEST: HAW - Franklin, Crawford, Brown, Ladson, Dixon, Lewis, Sewell; ESS - J. Johnson, McVeigh, Stanton, Welsh, Davey
UMPIRES: Grun, McBurney, Stevic
CROWD: 52,047 at MCG
Had the Bombers not lost Lloyd, it could well have been an epic shootout similar to that which occurred between Carlton and Brisbane a few weeks ago. But it was not to be with Brown blanketing Lucas, despite conceding 15 cm (6") in height against the big forward. With Hird, McVeigh, Jason Johnson, Welsh, and Peverill working hard throughout the game, and McPhee holding Franklin goalless the Bombers were able to outscore Hawthorn in the opening term for a 5 point lead at 1/4 time.
However, the Hawks had their own hard toilers in Dixon, Crawford, and Ladson among others. The Bombers worked hard early to snatch the lead in the second term. But it was Franklin who stole the show in a blistering 15 minutes Everything he touched turned to gold. With excellent service from the midfield, Franklin had the better of McPhee, marking just about everything coming his way and kicked five goals to restore Hawthorn's lead. His fifth epitomized a game in which he could do no wrong. Roughead had marked the ball but his kick for goal hit McPhee who was standing the mark. The ball ricocheted away from the pair straight to Franklin who slammed it through for a goal, leaving the Hawks 8 points clear at 1/2 time.
The Bombers fought back in the third term, by which time McPhee had been replaced on Franklin by Fletcher and while he fared a bit better, Franklin still booted two of Hawthorn's six goals. Essendon could managed just three for the term and the Hawks had a handy 29 point lead at 3/4 time.
Essendon again challenged in the final term, but Franklin virtually sealed the game with his eighth goal late in the term, helping the Hawks to a five goal to four term,. And, of course, it was Franklin who kicked the final goal in the dying minutes of the game. The last Hawk to kick nine goals against Essendon was Jason Dunstall, who kicked 12 against the Bombers in 1992.
WCE 3.5 6.7 9.12 10.17 (77)
WB 3.1 6.4 8.6 9.8 (62)
GOALS: WCE - Priddis 3, Lynch 2, LeCras 2, Judd, Hunter, Armstrong; WB - Giansiracusa 3, Johnson 2, Murphy, Ray, Akermanis, McMahon
BEST: WCE - Priddis, Judd, Glass, Lynch, LeCras WB - Giansiracusa, Boyd, Johnson, Cross, Harris
UMPIRES: Donlon, Vozzo, Margetts
CROWD: 40,668 at Subiaco Oval
While the Eagles have probably the best midfield unit going around, the Bulldogs are not far behind with their quick and classy ball movement into attack. However, the Eagles are just that little bit better at winning the ball out of contests. So it was a case of strength versus speed. The Eagles used that strength to harass and pressure the Bulldogs, giving themselves the first three scoring shots in the opening minutes of the game. Unfortunately, all three gettable shots on goal resulted in only three points. The Dogs then used their speed and skill to get the ball to Johnson, who soccered through the first goal. The Eagles quickly made amends with three goals to Priddis, Lynch, and Judd to grab the lead. Late goals to Murphy and Ray cut the Eagle lead to just four points at 1/4 time.
Bulldog Coach Rodney Eade shuffled his players around a bit, sending Johnson into the midfield in an effort to counter Judd while Boyd went to Kerr. That ploy and some inaccuracy from the Eagles worked for a time with the Dogs kicking the first two goals of the term to take an eight point lead. But the Eagles kicked three of the last four goals for a three point lead at 1/2 time.
The lead reverted to the Eagles at the start of the third term with two quick goals to Priddis. The Bulldogs got one back but the Eagles replied in kind with a goal to Armstrong as the Eagles took control. Giansiracusa's goal late in the term had the Dogs within 12 points at 3/4 time.
Both sides went in hard in the final term, pressuring each other, putting space and scoring at a premium. The first and only Bulldog goal came when McMahon dashed half the length of the field for his kick on goal. However, LeCras kicked the answering goal and the Eagles kept the pressure on to quell any all challenges from the Bulldogs.
COL 3.5 5.8 10.15 11.20 (86)
ADE 2.1 6.1 8.5 9.8 (62)
GOALS: COL - Bryan 3, T. Cloke 2, Lockyer 2, R. Shaw, Pendlebury, Thomas, Fraser; ADE - Perrie 3, Douglas 2, Welsh, Vince, Stevens, Thompson
BEST: COL - Lockyer, Swan, Johnson, Burns, Davis, Ryan;
ADE - Goodwin, Rutten, Knights, Thompson, McLeod, Edwards
INJURY: COL - Didak (knee soreness) replaced in selected side by Egan, Clement (calf), Prestigiacomo (ankle);
ADE - Hinge (hamstring)
UMPIRES: McLaren, Chamberlain, Meredith
CROWD: 43,915 at AAMI Stadium.
Several factors can be attributed to helping the Magpies win this game. The Pies had a 10 day break since their Anzac Day game against Essendon while the Crows had just five days to recover from the grueling trip to Perth. The Crows are still severely undermanned with a long injury list, and even had some players in the game who were not fully fit or saw out the match despite suffering minor injury during. Collingwood also had a number of younger players in the side - Thomas, Egan, and Pendlebury among others.
Adelaide employed their typical physical tactics and defense which has served them so well in the past few seasons. However, the Magpies applied enough pressure to choke the Crow midfield, open up their own forward line, and have four scoring shots. Before Adelaide could do anything, goals to Thomas and Lockyer had the Pies 23 points in front. The Crows managed two late goals to reduce the lead to 10 points at 1/4 time.
Young Crow Douglas was shifted into attack at the start of the second term and provided support to Perrie. However, it was the Magpies who started better with a pair of goals to again establish a 23 point lead. But the Crows came back strongly with four goals to grab the lead. A late goal to the Magpies gave them a 1 point lead at 1/2 time.
Adelaide surged again in the third term, with goals to Stevens and Thompson putting them in front. But just two goals from 6 scoring shots was a poor return. The Pies put on their own burst, kicking five goals in the space of 11 minutes, including three to Bryan for a 22 point lead at 3/4 time.
A goal to Perrie early in the final term gave the Crows a slim chance, but Welsh then missed a relatively easy shot and the Pies rebounded for a goal to Fraser to seal the win.
KANG 7.3 8.7 12.13 16.15 (111)
SYD 1.5 3.7 8.7 14.11 (95)
GOALS: KANG - Grant 4, Jones 3, Campbell 3, Petrie 2, Harris, Brown, Grima, Edwards; SYD - Hall 4, Mathews 2, O'Loughlin 2, Malceski, Everitt, Schneider, Jolly, Ablett, Crouch
BEST: KANG - Grant, Wells, Jones, Harris, Edwards, Firrito;
SYD - Fosdike, Jolly, Barry, Kirk, Goodes, Ablett
INJURY: SYD - Buchanan (knee) replaced in selected side by Moore
UMPIRES: Sully, Ellis, McInerney
CROWD: 27,045 at the Telstra Dome
Sydney got off to a typically slow start and paid the consequences. Firrito held Hall goalless in the opening term while the Kangaroos blitzed the Swans with the first six goals of the game, setting up a 34 point lead at 1/4 time.
Sydney did marginally better in the second term and were helped by some wayward kicking from the Kangaroos who kicked a lowly 1.4 for the term. But with Hall unable to break free of Firrito, the Swans could kick only two goals, leaving the Kangaroos with a five goal lead at 1/2 time.
The lead was out to 39 points early in the third term before Sydney fought back, kicking five goals to four. The Kangaroos again missed a number of shots which could have put the game beyond Sydney's reach. All those points, however, still combined with the goals, to keep the Kangaroos five goals in front at 3/4 time. The term also saw Swan defender Leo Barry take a contender for mark of the year. Leapin' Leo's high-flying grab was as good if not better than the game-saving grab he took in the dying minute of the 2005 Grand Final.
The Swans rallied in the final term to outscore the Kangaroos with 6 goals. It would have been enough to level the scores or even pinch the game but the Kangaroos booted four to hold off the fast-finishing Swans.
BRIS 5.5 9.10 12.15 17.18 (120)
FRE 4.5 7.8 9.14 10.15 (75)
GOALS: BRIS - McGrath 5, Johnson 2, Power 2, Sherman 2, Brown 2, Patfull, Begley, Stiller, Rischitelli; FRE - Pavlich 3, Tarrant 3, Cook, Warnock, Headland, Bell;
BEST: BRIS - McGrath, Power, McDonald, Lappin, Black;
FRE - Bell, Pavlich, Black, J. Carr, Mundy
REPORTS: BRIS - Johnson for allegedly headbutting Parker; FRE - Grover for attempted trip on McGrath
UMPIRES: James, M. Nicholls, Wenn
CROWD: 27,175 at the Gabba
Brown, who kicked seven goals against the Dockers last year, was held goalless in the first half, but the Lions had plenty of others to fill the void. After several missed shots, Power, Patfull, and Sherman banged through three goals to give the Lions a fast and early break. But the Dockers, mainly through Pavlich and Tarrant, kicked four of the last six goals of the term to trail by just 6 points at 1/4 time.
The Dockers took the lead with the first three goals of the second term, including a great tight-angle snap from Headland. But the Lions went on a four goal spree to snuff out the Docker lead and put themselves in front by 14 points at 1/2 time.
Fremantle reduced the Brisbane's lead midway through the third term with a goal to Tarrant, but again the Lions saw off the challenge with three of the next four goals - including one to Brown late in the term - to take a nine point lead into 3/4 time.
Brisbane finished off the game and the Dockers with a five goals to one in the final term.
PA 3.4 7.7 9.11 10.16 (76)
MELB 2.1 6.6 8.12 9.17 (71)
GOALS: PA - Pearce 3, Tredrea 2, Motlop 2, S. Burgoyne, Krakouer, Ebert; MELB - Jones 2, Bate 2, Neitz 2, Yze, Brown, Warnock
BEST: PA - C. Cornes, K. Cornes, P. Burgoyne, Lade, Pearce; MELB - Bate, Yze, Dunn, Davey, Brown, McDonald, Godfrey
INJURY: PA - K. Cornes (concussion), Chaplin (foot)
UMPIRES: Farmer, Hendrie, Ryan
CROWD: 16,266 at the MCG
Very little separated the two teams throughout most of the game with the Demons putting in one of their better performances of the season. Straighter kicking would have had Port further ahead in the opening term. As it was, the lead was a mere nine points.
Port got their biggest lead - 15 points - late in the second term with four of the first seven goals. But a late goal to the Demons reduced Port's lead to seven points at 1/2 time.
The third term was a low-scoring affair with just 2 goals apiece, and the Demons would be regretting their inaccuracy which left them five points down at 3/4 time.
A goal to Jones in the opening minutes of the final term leveled the scores for the first time. Port and Melbourne then proceeded to kick eight points between them to tie the scores three more times. Midway through the term, Kane Cornes was wrapped up in a tackle by Pickett. Unable to break his fall, Cornes' neck whiplashed into the ground and he was knocked out cold. Play was delayed as he was stretchered off.
A late goal to Davey just a few minutes before the end, which would have put the Demons in front, was disallowed when Wakelin was awarded a free kick after a push in the back from Neitz. It was one of several decisions which had Demon fans in an uproar and booing the umpires. Demon fans were also furious when a deliberate out of bounds was paid against McDonald while he was clearly trying to handball to a teammate. Motlop kicked the only goal of the term just before the end to seal the Port win.
GEEL 10.2 20.6 29.9 35.12 (222)
RICH 1.1 2.7 5.9 9.11 (65)
GOALS: GEEL - Chapman 4, Mackie 4,N. Ablett 4, Hawkins 4, G. Ablett 3, Varcoe 3, Ling 3, S. Johnson 2, Mooney 2, Ottens, Enright, D. Johnson, Selwood, Bartel, Tenace; RICH - Hughes 3, Richardson 2, Tuck 2, White, Pettifer
BEST: GEEL - G. Ablett, Chapman, S. Johnson, N. Ablett, Enright, Blake, Scarlett, Kelly; RICH - Foley, Raines, Pettifer
UMPIRES: Avon, Kennedy, K. Nicholls
CROWD: 34,584 at Telstra Dome
It was a mauling of the highest order. Varcoe, Chapman twice, and Mooney all goaled within the first 10 minutes of the game, racing out to a double digit lead. Three goals later and it was 43 to nil before Tiger youngster White got Richmond's only goal for the term, leaving the Cats with a 55 point lead at 1/4 time.
The second term was just as brutal for the Tigers. The Cats continually sucked them in to fall for evasive ploys. Richmond's skill errors let them down badly and the Cats continued the onslaught with another 10 goals to establish a massive 107 points at 1/2 time.
The demolition continued with nine goals in the third term, although the Tigers managed to almost double their goal tally of the first half.
They came out of their third term lethargy in the final term to stave off the biggest thrashing in league history kicking four goals to the Cats' six.
The final margin equaled the 11 highest in league history while Geelong's total equaled the eighth highest in history. Ironically, the Cats fell just 17 points short of the all time highest score in league history their own 37.17 (239) against Brisbane in 1992. It was Geelong's second highest overall score and their biggest ever win against Richmond. It is the first time a team has kicked 200 or more points since North Melbourne's 30.24 (204) against Fitzroy in Round 22, 1995.
STANDINGS
W L FOR AGST % PTS
WCE 6 0 538 395 136.20 24
PA 5 1 562 476 118.07 20
BRIS 4 2 559 476 117.44 16
COL 4 2 519 481 107.90 16
HAW 4 2 551 511 107.83 16
GEEL 3 3 760 513 148.15 12
SYD 3 3 505 447 112.98 12
ADE 3 3 451 428 105.37 12
ESS 3 3 623 605 102.98 12
KANG 3 3 569 555 102.52 12
STK 3 3 495 507 97.63 12
WB 3 3 555 589 94.23 12
FRE 2 4 557 613 90.86 8
CARL 2 4 569 743 76.58 8
MELB 0 6 436 640 68.13 0
RICH 0 6 501 771 64.98 0
GOALS
Franklin (HAW) 23
Fevola (CARL) 21
Pavlich (FRE) 20
Lucas (ESS) 19
Lloyd (ESS) 17
McGrath (BRIS) 16
Ebert (PA) 15
Hall (SYD) 15
Brown (BRIS) 15
Mooney (GEEL) 14
Source: Melbourne Age, afl.com.au, Herald Sun
Geelong's Joel Selwood is the Round Five Rising Star nominee.
Selwood debuted in Round Two and was playing just his fourth senior game against the Kangaroos last week. He had 12 kicks, 13 handballs, six marks, and laid nine tackles to be named one of the best on ground. He had a variety of opponents rotated on and off him during the game, including Shannon Grant, Daniel Harris, and Andrew Swallow.
Coach Mark Thompson said Selwood had inspired teammates and had displayed excellent leadership qualities and "...put his body on the line for the entire match"
Despite a knee injury which restricted him to just three games in 2006, his stellar junior career ensured Selwood would be a top 10 selection at the draft. He was the seventh and Geelong's first pick.
A member of the AIS-AFL Academy Squad, Joel captained the Under-17 Australian side against Ireland in 2005 and won the Barassi Medal for best on ground. He also represented Vic Country at the 2005 Under-18 tournament and was named All-Australian.
He is the third Selwood to make it into the AFL. His older twin brothers were drafted several years ago - Adam to West Coast and Troy to Brisbane. A younger brother Scott is currently playing for Bendigo and is already seen as a chance to be drafted this year or next.
Joel is Geelong’s second nominee this year, following Tom Hawkins in Round Three.
Michelle Clyne, AFL Media Release
And from Marc in NC, the latest footy scores:
Bal-Wash Eagles 1.6 4.7 6.11 9.14 (68)
NC Tigers 2.3 3.6 5.11 9.12 (66)
Article last changed on Tuesday, May 08, 2007 - 9:39 AM EDT
