by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
Ben Cousins returned this week for his first game of the season with the Eagles.
Bulldog Scott West (hip) returned from injury this week.
Bombers Dustin Fletcher and Mark McVeigh returned from one-match suspensions.
Collingwood regained defender Simon Prestigiacomo (foot) and Ryan Lonie (groin) this week. Lonie has been playing in the VFL for the past several weeks.
St. Kilda regained Max Hudghton from injury this week.
The Dockers decided to rest ruckman Aaron Sandilands (groin) this week.
GEEL 8.2 13.6 15.11 20.18 (138)
WB 3.1 4.4 6.8 9.9 (63)
GOALS: GEEL - Mooney 4, D. Johnson 2, Corey 2, Mackie 2, Chapman 2, Selwood 2, Stokes 2, S. Johnson, G. Ablett, Enright, Ling; WB - Johnson 3, Everitt 2, Hargrave 2, Eagleton, Murphy
BEST: GEEL - G. Ablett, Enright, Bartel, Milburn, Mackie, Chapman, Ling, Selwood; WB - Everitt, Johnson, West, Boyd
INJURY: GEEL - Scarlett (illness) replaced in selected side by D. Johnson, Wojcinski (knee); WB - Morris (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by Wight, Hahn (shoulder), Gilbee (calf), West (cramp)
REPORTS: WB - Cooney for striking Ling
UMPIRES: Vozzo, McLaren, Avon
CROWD: 44,688 at Telstra Dome
Geelong came to play, and brother, did they play! The Bulldogs sorely missed the run of the injured Cross and West appeared to be struggling with a sore groin. Ling picked up Cooney and shut him down. Ottens, Mooney, and Hawkins stretched the Bulldog defense while the Cat midfield completely dominated. They gained and retained possession of the ball and delivered it into their forward line with precision. Ten minutes into the first term, the Cats had four goals on the board, three of them from Mooney. Two goals to Bulldog Brad Johnson and a third to Hargrave put the Bulldogs within 13 points, but the Cats slammed home the last three goals for a total of eight for the term and a 31 point lead at 1/4 time.
If the game wasn't over by the first break, the second term virtually killed it off as a contest. Everything went right for the Cats while the Dogs couldn't take a trick. The Cats attacked ball and man ferociously and continued their dominance. As if that weren't enough, the Bulldogs made one error after another to help the Cats to five goals for the term. Two Geelong goals came from 50 meter penalties (55 yards) and two from Bulldog mistakes. Mooney kicked his first from a free kick against Harris. Then Ray looked set to run in for a goal. He held on too long and his kick was smothered by Milburn. The Cats cleared it away, and raced away to the other end where Mackie goaled. Hargrave got the only Bulldog goal late in the term, leaving the Cats 51 points ahead at 1/2 time.
Although only four goals were scored between the two teams in the third term, it did provide a few highlights for both sides. First up was Geelong's Steve Johnson who took a great one-handed catch and followed up with a neat goal. Everitt showed his wares when he got hold of the ball on a wing, raced toward goal and bombed home a goal from 50 meters (55 yards). Eagleton got the Dogs second from a free kick against Ablett, but it was the Cats by 57 points at 3/4 time.
The Cats kept it up in the final term, kicking another five goals to the Dogs' three. The commanding win consolidates their position in first place and gives them their 11th straight win. Not since their premiership year 1963 have they had such a streak.
Bartel and Ablett were brilliantly for the Cats. Ablett had 35 possessions, Bartel 38, and were not alone. Corey (30), Mackie (29) and Milburn (28) all racked up plenty of ball possessions in one of the most dominant displays of the season. Selwood had 23 possessions to enhance his chances for the Rising Star award.
COL 5.4 11.8 15.11 18.14 (122)
ESS 1.2 5.5 13.8 14.9 (93)
GOALS: COL - Rocca 4, Davis 4, Cloke 3, Pendlebury 2, Lockyer, Didak, Licuria, Thomas, Fraser; ESS - Lucas 4, Lloyd 3, McVeigh 2, Lovett 2, Peverill, Monfries, Dyson
BEST: COL - Lockyer, Rocca, Davis, Cloke, Wakelin, Fraser; O'Bree; ESS - McVeigh, Watson, Lucas, Dyson, Peverill, Stanton
UMPIRES: Jeffery, McInerney, Ryan
CROWD: 65,531 at MCG
Magpie forwards Rocca and Davis have had their share of critics over the years, and rightly so when they fail to perform. Both were on fire in this game, and with Cloke showed that Collingwood can be a force with a deadly forward line. Fraser was excellent in the ruck as the Pies dominated in the opening term to jump the Bombers five goals to one for a 26 point lead at 1/4 time.
Collingwood continued to control proceedings through much of the second half. Their long kicking and direct approach from defense was a key element of their play. Although Lloyd and Lucas were proving to be a potent combination for the Bombers, Collingwood kicked six goals to four for the term to grab a 45 point lead. Lucas goaled right on the siren to cut the Magpie lead to 39 points,
The Bombers came out after the main break a vastly different outfit. They challenged the Pies, moving the ball better, faster, longer, and with more efficiency.
When the Bombers did move it quickly in the third quarter, they became a very different team. Peverill, Watson, Dyson, and McVeigh with two goals, sparked a revival which saw the Bombers pile on eight goals to three to cut the Magpie lead. Thomas snapped a brilliant goal with less than 30 seconds on the clock to give the Pies a breather and a 15 point lead at 3/4 time.
The Bombers again challenged with an early goal in the final term to reduce the margin to a single digit before Rocca took a strong mark and goaled to again give the Pies some relief. Collingwood kicked the final two goals of the game to keep their finals hopes alive and send Essendon spiraling.
FRE 5.0 10.2 16.2 20.6 (126)
ADE 3.7 6.8 12.8 15.11 (101)
GOALS: FRE - Pavlich 5, Drum 4, Hasleby 3, Bell 2, M. Carr, Hayden, Johnson, Black, Gilmore, Thornton; ADE - Burton 4, McLeod 2, Stevens, Welsh, Thompson, Doughty, Maric, Perrie, Johncock, Torney, Douglas
BEST: FRE - Pavlich, Bell, Black, J. Carr, Hasleby; ADE - Burton, Edwards, Goodwin, Thompson
INJURY: FRE - Dodd (collarbone)
UMPIRES: McBurney, Grun, Goldspink
CROWD: 40,190 at AAMI Stadium
It never seems to fail. The team goes into a slump. The Board fires the coach. Suddenly the team remembers how to play the game and wins. There has been talk in recent weeks that the Crows would try to lure Freo forward Pavlich home to South Australia. Based on this performance, that does seem like it will be a reality. It wasn't only Pavlich, though, as Bell, young players Warnock and Drum also were fine contributors.
The Dockers were fired up from the outset and so was Pavlich. He was often double-teamed by the Adelaide defense but still saw off three different opponents in McGregor, Bock and Mattner. The Crows also paid dearly for their first term inaccuracy. They should have been well ahead at the first break, but missed too many shots on goal. The more accurate Dockers, with their five straight goals for the term, led by five points at 1/4 time.
The Dockers continued to work hard in the second term and keep the pressure on the Crows. Adelaide grabbed a couple of goals early in the term but the Dockers regained their momentum halfway through the term to kick four unanswered goals to extend their lead. One goal each late in the term left the Dockers 18 points clear at 1/2 time.
Pavlich started the third term they way he started the first, kicking the opening goal. The Crows finally got their game going with four straight goals. Two of those went to Burton with his second leveling the scores. Stevens got another and it looked as if the Crows would overtake the Dockers but the Dockers fired back with five of the next six goals to lead by 18 points at 3/4 time.
The Dockers kept the pressure on the Crows with strong tackling. They finished off Adelaide with four goals to three in the final term. The win gives the Dockers a slim chance to make the finals and also gave interim coach Mark Harvey an impressive first up win to enhance his chances as senior coach.
STK 3.2 8.4 12.7 14.11 (95)
HAW 2.3 5.8 8.10 11.12 (78)
GOALS: STK - Ball 3, Riewoldt 3, Milne 2, Hayes, Gehrig, Montagna, Koschitzke, Dal Santo, Fiora: HAW - Franklin 5, Dixon 2, Sewell, Taylor, McGlynn, Ellis
BEST: STK - Ball, Riewoldt, Montagna, Dal Santo, Hayes, Blake; HAW - Hodge, Franklin, Sewell, Young, Smith
INJURY: STK - Birss (eye); HAW - Thorp (soreness) replaced in selected side by Little, Ellis (hip)
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Sully, Head
CROWD: 37,847
The Saints and Hawks came under heavy criticism after their Round Five game due the ugly style of game they played. Constant flooding and pack situations had fans booing both sides by half time. This game started almost the same way. Hawk debutant Matt Little, a cousin of James Hird, almost had a dream start when the Hawks won the ball at the first bounce and kicked long to their forward line. He was unable to join the ranks of goal with first kick as his shot was only a point. After that, it took until midway through the term for the first goal. That came as a result of a free kick to Gehrig. The Hawks continued to flood the Saint forward line, leaving themselves no one to kick to when they did win the ball. Franklin finally broke drought when he drilled a tight angle goal from the boundary. Despite a congested forward area, the Saints managed two of the next three goals to take a five point lead at 1/4 time.
The game opened up in the second term. The Saints got on top of the Hawks, but Hawthorn fought its way back into the game. However, Franklin cost his side a chance to take the lead. Gilham was lining up for the goal which would have put the Hawks in front when Franklin foolishly pushed Saint defender Hudghton to the ground in full view of the umpire. From the free kick, the Saints cleared the ball and got it to Riewoldt for a goal. A free against Roughead resulted in a goal to Fiora. The Saints ended the term with five goals to three for a 14 point lead at 1/2 time.
The contest lifted markedly in the third term with the Saints stretching their lead through Ball. However, the Hawks came back with goals to Franklin and McGlynn to cut the lead to eight points. The Saints replied with goals to Ball and Dal Santo. Ball kicked a third goal late in the term to give the Saints a 21 point lead at 3/4 time.
The opening minutes of the final term was an arm wrestle but the Saints finally broke through for two goals to extend their lead to 34 points. The Hawks rallied as Franklin, who had been somewhat wayward in front of goal, kicked the next three. That's as close as Hawthorn would get as the Saints held firm to see off the late challenge.
Ball had a game to remember in his milestone match (#100) as he gathered 31 possessions. He had plenty midfield support from Montagna and Hodge, while Fisher shut out Mitchell and Blake kept Crawford quiet.
WCE 2.6 6.9 13.14 16.16 (112)
SYD 2.3 6.9 9.9 15.10 (100)
GOALS: WCE - Hansen 4, Staker 3, Cox 3, Judd 2, R. Jones, Chick, Hunter, Lynch; SYD - O'Keefe 4, Mathews 2, O'Loughlin 2, Schneider 2, Barry, Jolly, Schmidt, Davis, McVeigh
BEST: WCE - Cousins, Kerr, Cox, Staker, Hansen;
SYD - O'Keefe, Kirk, Dempster, Goodes, O'Loughlin
INJURY: SYD - Hall (groin) and Kennelly (knee) replaced in selected side by Vogels and Grundy
UMPIRES: Margetts, Rosebury, Woodcock
CROWD: 40,014 at Subiaco Oval, Perth
The Eagles and Swans put on another epic battle with the Swans playing their usual choking style to try to halt West Coast's midfield run. The Eagles were bolstered and inspired by the return of Cousins. He began the game on the bench but was on the ground after just six minutes of play. Less than two minutes later he had the ball. The Eagles dominated the start of the match but failed to translate their midfield dominance onto the scoreboard. Both sides kicked just two goals for the term, but the Eagles also added six points to Sydney's three for a three point lead at 1/4 time.
O'Keefe kicked three of Sydney's four second term goals. Hansen, Staker, and Hunter all fired in the potent Eagle attack which fired in four goals of their own. Cousins was again prominent during the term, combining with Kerr, Chick, and Judd as if he had never been gone. The Eagles continually put pressure on the Swans, but the Swans returned the favor in kind and scores were level at 1/2 time.
Barry appeared to have injured a hamstring in the second term and was shifted forward with Grundy going to defense. The Eagles proceeded to blow the game open. Hunter, Staker and Cox slammed on three goals at early in the term. O'Loughlin and Barry kicked a pair to keep Sydney in the game. The Eagles continued their rampage with four of the last five goals of the game to take a 29 point lead at 3/4 time.
The Eagles appeared to put the game out of Sydney's reach with three goals in the first part of the final term. However, the Bloods spirit took over as they kicked six unanswered goals to be within two goals. They continued to challenge but time ran out.
Cousins was back to his awesome best in his first game since the 2006 Grand Final. He was practically everywhere to put constant pressure on the Swans when the ball was in dispute. He ended the match with 38 possessions. His career best is 39.
BRIS 6.2 9.5 17.8 25.13 (163)
CARL 2.4 4.6 6.7 6.10 (46)
GOALS: BRIS - Brown 10, Hooper 4, Adcock 3, Copeland 2, Patfull, Brennan, Charman, Hamill, Harding, McGrath;
CARL - Fevola 3, Houlihan, Murphy, Simpson
BEST: BRIS - Brown, Adcock, Hooper, Charman, Roe, Copeland; CARL - Carrazzo, Houlihan, Blackwell, Bentick
CHANGES: BRIS - Black (knee) replaced in selected side by Harding
UMPIRES: Stevic, Chamberlain, Fila
CROWD: 27,163 at the Gabba
If Carlton's season looked bad and Coach Denis Pagan's job appeared in jeopardy before this game, it was even worse afterward. Defense? What defense? Carlton had none as the Lions practically lined up to kick goals as if at training. Fevola kicked the opening goal of the match, but from there it was all Brisbane. They set up the win with a 6 goal to two term for a 22 point lead at 1/4 time.
Under most circumstances, while a 22 point lead is handy, it is not insurmountable. Carlton at least managed to stem the flow temporarily in the second term, restricting the Lions to just three goals for the term. They still were half a chance with two of their own for the term, leaving the Lions with a 29 point lead at 1/2 time.
Brisbane blew the game apart and sent Carlton reeling in the third term. Hooper kicked three of Brisbane's eight goals. Carlton kicked just two for the term, putting themselves right out of the match. Brisbane's firepower gave them a huge 67 point lead at 3/4 time.
As if the previous three terms weren't embarrassing enough, the Lions continued their rampage in the final term. While the Blues kicked just three points for the term, the Lions piled on a further eight goals to give themselves their biggest ever win over Carlton. It is Brisbane's third straight win, keeping their slim finals hopes alive.
Brown's 10 goals was a personal best. The winning margin easily eclipsed Brisbane's previous best, a 97 point thrashing in a 1996 semi-final. Carlton has not defeated Brisbane at the Gabba since Round 16, 2000.
The Blues have now conceded triple digit scores in 15 straight games, equaling St. Kilda's poor defensive record of 1985. The Blues, since 2002 have now lost 26 interstate games since 2002 and have won just one game and tied in another.
PA 9.3 13.6 19.9 24.11 (155)
RICH 7.4 7.7 10.9 15.10 (100)
GOALS: PA - Ebert 6, Motlop 5, S. Burgoyne 4, Tredrea 3, Boak, Lonie, Rodan, Pearce, K. Cornes, C. Cornes;
RICH - Richardson 4, Riewoldt 3, Edwards 2, Pettifer 2, Simmonds, Brown, Tuck, Hyde
BEST: PA - C. Cornes, S. Burgoyne, Ebert, Motlop, P. Burgoyne, K. Cornes; RICH - Foley, McGuane, Pettifer, Polak, Edwards, Raines
UMPIRES: Farmer, Ellis, K. Nicholls
CROWD: 22,395 at the MCG
Tredrea may be Port's full forward, but it was the smaller players who did most of the damage. It wasn't only forward Ebert, but midfielders Motlop and Shaun Burgoyne as well. Motlop and Ebert each had three on the board in the first term. Burgoyne constantly ran through the lines, wreaking havoc in the midfield. Chad Cornes was everywhere once more, roaming the midfield with ease and dropping back into defense when required. The Tigers were competitive in the opening term as the two sides recorded the fifth highest combined goal tally for a single term. Port led by 11 points at 1/4 time.
By the standard of the first term, the second was low-scoring as Port held the Tigers to just a handful of points. The Tigers did themselves no favors as they constantly turned the ball over. The endeavor may have been there, but too often Richmond botched their attacking moves and the Port defense would race the ball to the other end for goals. By the break, Tiger forward Richardson had just three kicks for the game. Port's five goals for the term was enough to give them a 35 point lead at 1/2 time.
Motlop, Ebert, and Burgoyne continued to torment the Tigers in the third term as Port piled on more goals to race out to a 47 point lead. Richardson finally got his hands on the ball to kick a goal midway through the term. It was Richmond's first since the opening term. Richo goaled again late in the term to reduce Port's lead to 37 points. Enter Burgoyne and Motlop once more. Boak added a third to give Port a nine goal lead at 3/4 time.
The Tigers again found a few ways to kick goals, adding five in the final term. Port also added five more for a runaway win.
KANG 4.2 9.3 14.9 19.12 (126)
MELB 2.3 4.5 7.6 9.8 (62)
GOALS: KANG - Jones 4, Harvey 3, Petrie 3, McMahon 3, Hale 2, Whyman 2, Grant, Brown; MELB - Newton 2, Robertson 2, Jones, Moloney, Buckley, McLean, Neitz
BEST: KANG - Harvey, Firrito, Sinclair, Jones, Simpson, Hale, Rawlings; MELB - Jones, Newton
UMPIRES: Allen, M. Nicholls, Kamolins
CROWD: 20,187 at Telstra Dome
The Kangaroos led throughout, kicking the first four goals of the match. Melbourne got two for the term as the Kangaroos took an 11 point lead at 1/4 time.
Youngster Newton sparked the Demons in the second term. Playing just his fourth senior game, he soared over Neitz to take a contender for mark of the year. He finished off the good work with a goal. The Demons kicked the next as well, reducing the margin to just five points. The Kangaroos took over with the next four goals and a 28 point lead at 1/2 time.
The Kangaroos wrapped the game up in the third term with five goals to three. Defender Godfrey could come under the scrutiny of the review panel for a crude hit on young Kangaroo McMahon. McMahon was briefly stunned but recovered to kick a goal and the Kangaroos led by 45 points at 3/4 time.
The final term was a mere formality as the Kangaroos kicked five goals to two.
STANDINGS
W L D FOR AGST % PTS
GEEL 13 3 0 1796 1153 155.77 52
KANG 11 5 0 1524 1441 105.76 44
HAW 10 6 0 1490 1305 114.18 40
PA 10 6 0 1660 1530 108.50 40
WCE 10 6 0 1433 1330 107.74 40
COL 10 6 0 1482 1391 106.54 40
WB 9 7 0 1635 1682 97.21 36
SYD 8 8 0 1419 1264 112.26 32
ADE 8 8 0 1346 1219 110.42 32
ESS 8 8 0 1600 1671 95.75 32
STK 8 8 0 1287 1379 93.33 32
BRIS 7 8 1 1443 1380 104.57 30
FRE 7 9 0 1593 1556 102.38 28
CARL 4 12 0 1582 2146 73.72 16
MELB 3 13 0 1329 1723 77.13 12
RICH 1 14 1 1404 1853 75.77 6
GOALS
Johnson (WB) 52
Brown (BRIS) 52
Lucas (ESS) 50
Pavlich (FRE) 50
Franklin (HAW) 49
Fevola (CARL) 44
Richardson (RICH) 41
Mooney (GEEL) 40
Lloyd (ESS) 39
Gehrig (STK) 36
Source: Melbourne Age & Herald Sun
Port Adelaide’s Justin Westhoff is the Round 15 Rising Star nominee.
Westhoff has played just six senior games, but has kicked 17 goals. He booted three goals on debut in Round 10 against Hawthorn and kicked four goals in Port Adelaide’s 91-point victory over the West Coast Eagles last week.
Justin came to Port impressing in the seniors with Central Districts in the SANFL. At 20 years old, Justin was a ‘ready made’ player with great endurance but needed to add bulk to his wiry frame over the preseason. Coach Mark Williams said Justin is a great worker who is eager to learn. While he still needs a few years, Williams said Justin just wants to improve, is really into footy, and is enjoying his time working with and learning from the forward group.
Justin is Port's second nominee this season following Robbie Gray in Round 12.
Source: Michelle Clyne, AFL Media Release
Ben Cousins returned this week for his first game of the season with the Eagles.
Bulldog Scott West (hip) returned from injury this week.
Bombers Dustin Fletcher and Mark McVeigh returned from one-match suspensions.
Collingwood regained defender Simon Prestigiacomo (foot) and Ryan Lonie (groin) this week. Lonie has been playing in the VFL for the past several weeks.
St. Kilda regained Max Hudghton from injury this week.
The Dockers decided to rest ruckman Aaron Sandilands (groin) this week.
GEEL 8.2 13.6 15.11 20.18 (138)
WB 3.1 4.4 6.8 9.9 (63)
GOALS: GEEL - Mooney 4, D. Johnson 2, Corey 2, Mackie 2, Chapman 2, Selwood 2, Stokes 2, S. Johnson, G. Ablett, Enright, Ling; WB - Johnson 3, Everitt 2, Hargrave 2, Eagleton, Murphy
BEST: GEEL - G. Ablett, Enright, Bartel, Milburn, Mackie, Chapman, Ling, Selwood; WB - Everitt, Johnson, West, Boyd
INJURY: GEEL - Scarlett (illness) replaced in selected side by D. Johnson, Wojcinski (knee); WB - Morris (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by Wight, Hahn (shoulder), Gilbee (calf), West (cramp)
REPORTS: WB - Cooney for striking Ling
UMPIRES: Vozzo, McLaren, Avon
CROWD: 44,688 at Telstra Dome
Geelong came to play, and brother, did they play! The Bulldogs sorely missed the run of the injured Cross and West appeared to be struggling with a sore groin. Ling picked up Cooney and shut him down. Ottens, Mooney, and Hawkins stretched the Bulldog defense while the Cat midfield completely dominated. They gained and retained possession of the ball and delivered it into their forward line with precision. Ten minutes into the first term, the Cats had four goals on the board, three of them from Mooney. Two goals to Bulldog Brad Johnson and a third to Hargrave put the Bulldogs within 13 points, but the Cats slammed home the last three goals for a total of eight for the term and a 31 point lead at 1/4 time.
If the game wasn't over by the first break, the second term virtually killed it off as a contest. Everything went right for the Cats while the Dogs couldn't take a trick. The Cats attacked ball and man ferociously and continued their dominance. As if that weren't enough, the Bulldogs made one error after another to help the Cats to five goals for the term. Two Geelong goals came from 50 meter penalties (55 yards) and two from Bulldog mistakes. Mooney kicked his first from a free kick against Harris. Then Ray looked set to run in for a goal. He held on too long and his kick was smothered by Milburn. The Cats cleared it away, and raced away to the other end where Mackie goaled. Hargrave got the only Bulldog goal late in the term, leaving the Cats 51 points ahead at 1/2 time.
Although only four goals were scored between the two teams in the third term, it did provide a few highlights for both sides. First up was Geelong's Steve Johnson who took a great one-handed catch and followed up with a neat goal. Everitt showed his wares when he got hold of the ball on a wing, raced toward goal and bombed home a goal from 50 meters (55 yards). Eagleton got the Dogs second from a free kick against Ablett, but it was the Cats by 57 points at 3/4 time.
The Cats kept it up in the final term, kicking another five goals to the Dogs' three. The commanding win consolidates their position in first place and gives them their 11th straight win. Not since their premiership year 1963 have they had such a streak.
Bartel and Ablett were brilliantly for the Cats. Ablett had 35 possessions, Bartel 38, and were not alone. Corey (30), Mackie (29) and Milburn (28) all racked up plenty of ball possessions in one of the most dominant displays of the season. Selwood had 23 possessions to enhance his chances for the Rising Star award.
COL 5.4 11.8 15.11 18.14 (122)
ESS 1.2 5.5 13.8 14.9 (93)
GOALS: COL - Rocca 4, Davis 4, Cloke 3, Pendlebury 2, Lockyer, Didak, Licuria, Thomas, Fraser; ESS - Lucas 4, Lloyd 3, McVeigh 2, Lovett 2, Peverill, Monfries, Dyson
BEST: COL - Lockyer, Rocca, Davis, Cloke, Wakelin, Fraser; O'Bree; ESS - McVeigh, Watson, Lucas, Dyson, Peverill, Stanton
UMPIRES: Jeffery, McInerney, Ryan
CROWD: 65,531 at MCG
Magpie forwards Rocca and Davis have had their share of critics over the years, and rightly so when they fail to perform. Both were on fire in this game, and with Cloke showed that Collingwood can be a force with a deadly forward line. Fraser was excellent in the ruck as the Pies dominated in the opening term to jump the Bombers five goals to one for a 26 point lead at 1/4 time.
Collingwood continued to control proceedings through much of the second half. Their long kicking and direct approach from defense was a key element of their play. Although Lloyd and Lucas were proving to be a potent combination for the Bombers, Collingwood kicked six goals to four for the term to grab a 45 point lead. Lucas goaled right on the siren to cut the Magpie lead to 39 points,
The Bombers came out after the main break a vastly different outfit. They challenged the Pies, moving the ball better, faster, longer, and with more efficiency.
When the Bombers did move it quickly in the third quarter, they became a very different team. Peverill, Watson, Dyson, and McVeigh with two goals, sparked a revival which saw the Bombers pile on eight goals to three to cut the Magpie lead. Thomas snapped a brilliant goal with less than 30 seconds on the clock to give the Pies a breather and a 15 point lead at 3/4 time.
The Bombers again challenged with an early goal in the final term to reduce the margin to a single digit before Rocca took a strong mark and goaled to again give the Pies some relief. Collingwood kicked the final two goals of the game to keep their finals hopes alive and send Essendon spiraling.
FRE 5.0 10.2 16.2 20.6 (126)
ADE 3.7 6.8 12.8 15.11 (101)
GOALS: FRE - Pavlich 5, Drum 4, Hasleby 3, Bell 2, M. Carr, Hayden, Johnson, Black, Gilmore, Thornton; ADE - Burton 4, McLeod 2, Stevens, Welsh, Thompson, Doughty, Maric, Perrie, Johncock, Torney, Douglas
BEST: FRE - Pavlich, Bell, Black, J. Carr, Hasleby; ADE - Burton, Edwards, Goodwin, Thompson
INJURY: FRE - Dodd (collarbone)
UMPIRES: McBurney, Grun, Goldspink
CROWD: 40,190 at AAMI Stadium
It never seems to fail. The team goes into a slump. The Board fires the coach. Suddenly the team remembers how to play the game and wins. There has been talk in recent weeks that the Crows would try to lure Freo forward Pavlich home to South Australia. Based on this performance, that does seem like it will be a reality. It wasn't only Pavlich, though, as Bell, young players Warnock and Drum also were fine contributors.
The Dockers were fired up from the outset and so was Pavlich. He was often double-teamed by the Adelaide defense but still saw off three different opponents in McGregor, Bock and Mattner. The Crows also paid dearly for their first term inaccuracy. They should have been well ahead at the first break, but missed too many shots on goal. The more accurate Dockers, with their five straight goals for the term, led by five points at 1/4 time.
The Dockers continued to work hard in the second term and keep the pressure on the Crows. Adelaide grabbed a couple of goals early in the term but the Dockers regained their momentum halfway through the term to kick four unanswered goals to extend their lead. One goal each late in the term left the Dockers 18 points clear at 1/2 time.
Pavlich started the third term they way he started the first, kicking the opening goal. The Crows finally got their game going with four straight goals. Two of those went to Burton with his second leveling the scores. Stevens got another and it looked as if the Crows would overtake the Dockers but the Dockers fired back with five of the next six goals to lead by 18 points at 3/4 time.
The Dockers kept the pressure on the Crows with strong tackling. They finished off Adelaide with four goals to three in the final term. The win gives the Dockers a slim chance to make the finals and also gave interim coach Mark Harvey an impressive first up win to enhance his chances as senior coach.
STK 3.2 8.4 12.7 14.11 (95)
HAW 2.3 5.8 8.10 11.12 (78)
GOALS: STK - Ball 3, Riewoldt 3, Milne 2, Hayes, Gehrig, Montagna, Koschitzke, Dal Santo, Fiora: HAW - Franklin 5, Dixon 2, Sewell, Taylor, McGlynn, Ellis
BEST: STK - Ball, Riewoldt, Montagna, Dal Santo, Hayes, Blake; HAW - Hodge, Franklin, Sewell, Young, Smith
INJURY: STK - Birss (eye); HAW - Thorp (soreness) replaced in selected side by Little, Ellis (hip)
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Sully, Head
CROWD: 37,847
The Saints and Hawks came under heavy criticism after their Round Five game due the ugly style of game they played. Constant flooding and pack situations had fans booing both sides by half time. This game started almost the same way. Hawk debutant Matt Little, a cousin of James Hird, almost had a dream start when the Hawks won the ball at the first bounce and kicked long to their forward line. He was unable to join the ranks of goal with first kick as his shot was only a point. After that, it took until midway through the term for the first goal. That came as a result of a free kick to Gehrig. The Hawks continued to flood the Saint forward line, leaving themselves no one to kick to when they did win the ball. Franklin finally broke drought when he drilled a tight angle goal from the boundary. Despite a congested forward area, the Saints managed two of the next three goals to take a five point lead at 1/4 time.
The game opened up in the second term. The Saints got on top of the Hawks, but Hawthorn fought its way back into the game. However, Franklin cost his side a chance to take the lead. Gilham was lining up for the goal which would have put the Hawks in front when Franklin foolishly pushed Saint defender Hudghton to the ground in full view of the umpire. From the free kick, the Saints cleared the ball and got it to Riewoldt for a goal. A free against Roughead resulted in a goal to Fiora. The Saints ended the term with five goals to three for a 14 point lead at 1/2 time.
The contest lifted markedly in the third term with the Saints stretching their lead through Ball. However, the Hawks came back with goals to Franklin and McGlynn to cut the lead to eight points. The Saints replied with goals to Ball and Dal Santo. Ball kicked a third goal late in the term to give the Saints a 21 point lead at 3/4 time.
The opening minutes of the final term was an arm wrestle but the Saints finally broke through for two goals to extend their lead to 34 points. The Hawks rallied as Franklin, who had been somewhat wayward in front of goal, kicked the next three. That's as close as Hawthorn would get as the Saints held firm to see off the late challenge.
Ball had a game to remember in his milestone match (#100) as he gathered 31 possessions. He had plenty midfield support from Montagna and Hodge, while Fisher shut out Mitchell and Blake kept Crawford quiet.
WCE 2.6 6.9 13.14 16.16 (112)
SYD 2.3 6.9 9.9 15.10 (100)
GOALS: WCE - Hansen 4, Staker 3, Cox 3, Judd 2, R. Jones, Chick, Hunter, Lynch; SYD - O'Keefe 4, Mathews 2, O'Loughlin 2, Schneider 2, Barry, Jolly, Schmidt, Davis, McVeigh
BEST: WCE - Cousins, Kerr, Cox, Staker, Hansen;
SYD - O'Keefe, Kirk, Dempster, Goodes, O'Loughlin
INJURY: SYD - Hall (groin) and Kennelly (knee) replaced in selected side by Vogels and Grundy
UMPIRES: Margetts, Rosebury, Woodcock
CROWD: 40,014 at Subiaco Oval, Perth
The Eagles and Swans put on another epic battle with the Swans playing their usual choking style to try to halt West Coast's midfield run. The Eagles were bolstered and inspired by the return of Cousins. He began the game on the bench but was on the ground after just six minutes of play. Less than two minutes later he had the ball. The Eagles dominated the start of the match but failed to translate their midfield dominance onto the scoreboard. Both sides kicked just two goals for the term, but the Eagles also added six points to Sydney's three for a three point lead at 1/4 time.
O'Keefe kicked three of Sydney's four second term goals. Hansen, Staker, and Hunter all fired in the potent Eagle attack which fired in four goals of their own. Cousins was again prominent during the term, combining with Kerr, Chick, and Judd as if he had never been gone. The Eagles continually put pressure on the Swans, but the Swans returned the favor in kind and scores were level at 1/2 time.
Barry appeared to have injured a hamstring in the second term and was shifted forward with Grundy going to defense. The Eagles proceeded to blow the game open. Hunter, Staker and Cox slammed on three goals at early in the term. O'Loughlin and Barry kicked a pair to keep Sydney in the game. The Eagles continued their rampage with four of the last five goals of the game to take a 29 point lead at 3/4 time.
The Eagles appeared to put the game out of Sydney's reach with three goals in the first part of the final term. However, the Bloods spirit took over as they kicked six unanswered goals to be within two goals. They continued to challenge but time ran out.
Cousins was back to his awesome best in his first game since the 2006 Grand Final. He was practically everywhere to put constant pressure on the Swans when the ball was in dispute. He ended the match with 38 possessions. His career best is 39.
BRIS 6.2 9.5 17.8 25.13 (163)
CARL 2.4 4.6 6.7 6.10 (46)
GOALS: BRIS - Brown 10, Hooper 4, Adcock 3, Copeland 2, Patfull, Brennan, Charman, Hamill, Harding, McGrath;
CARL - Fevola 3, Houlihan, Murphy, Simpson
BEST: BRIS - Brown, Adcock, Hooper, Charman, Roe, Copeland; CARL - Carrazzo, Houlihan, Blackwell, Bentick
CHANGES: BRIS - Black (knee) replaced in selected side by Harding
UMPIRES: Stevic, Chamberlain, Fila
CROWD: 27,163 at the Gabba
If Carlton's season looked bad and Coach Denis Pagan's job appeared in jeopardy before this game, it was even worse afterward. Defense? What defense? Carlton had none as the Lions practically lined up to kick goals as if at training. Fevola kicked the opening goal of the match, but from there it was all Brisbane. They set up the win with a 6 goal to two term for a 22 point lead at 1/4 time.
Under most circumstances, while a 22 point lead is handy, it is not insurmountable. Carlton at least managed to stem the flow temporarily in the second term, restricting the Lions to just three goals for the term. They still were half a chance with two of their own for the term, leaving the Lions with a 29 point lead at 1/2 time.
Brisbane blew the game apart and sent Carlton reeling in the third term. Hooper kicked three of Brisbane's eight goals. Carlton kicked just two for the term, putting themselves right out of the match. Brisbane's firepower gave them a huge 67 point lead at 3/4 time.
As if the previous three terms weren't embarrassing enough, the Lions continued their rampage in the final term. While the Blues kicked just three points for the term, the Lions piled on a further eight goals to give themselves their biggest ever win over Carlton. It is Brisbane's third straight win, keeping their slim finals hopes alive.
Brown's 10 goals was a personal best. The winning margin easily eclipsed Brisbane's previous best, a 97 point thrashing in a 1996 semi-final. Carlton has not defeated Brisbane at the Gabba since Round 16, 2000.
The Blues have now conceded triple digit scores in 15 straight games, equaling St. Kilda's poor defensive record of 1985. The Blues, since 2002 have now lost 26 interstate games since 2002 and have won just one game and tied in another.
PA 9.3 13.6 19.9 24.11 (155)
RICH 7.4 7.7 10.9 15.10 (100)
GOALS: PA - Ebert 6, Motlop 5, S. Burgoyne 4, Tredrea 3, Boak, Lonie, Rodan, Pearce, K. Cornes, C. Cornes;
RICH - Richardson 4, Riewoldt 3, Edwards 2, Pettifer 2, Simmonds, Brown, Tuck, Hyde
BEST: PA - C. Cornes, S. Burgoyne, Ebert, Motlop, P. Burgoyne, K. Cornes; RICH - Foley, McGuane, Pettifer, Polak, Edwards, Raines
UMPIRES: Farmer, Ellis, K. Nicholls
CROWD: 22,395 at the MCG
Tredrea may be Port's full forward, but it was the smaller players who did most of the damage. It wasn't only forward Ebert, but midfielders Motlop and Shaun Burgoyne as well. Motlop and Ebert each had three on the board in the first term. Burgoyne constantly ran through the lines, wreaking havoc in the midfield. Chad Cornes was everywhere once more, roaming the midfield with ease and dropping back into defense when required. The Tigers were competitive in the opening term as the two sides recorded the fifth highest combined goal tally for a single term. Port led by 11 points at 1/4 time.
By the standard of the first term, the second was low-scoring as Port held the Tigers to just a handful of points. The Tigers did themselves no favors as they constantly turned the ball over. The endeavor may have been there, but too often Richmond botched their attacking moves and the Port defense would race the ball to the other end for goals. By the break, Tiger forward Richardson had just three kicks for the game. Port's five goals for the term was enough to give them a 35 point lead at 1/2 time.
Motlop, Ebert, and Burgoyne continued to torment the Tigers in the third term as Port piled on more goals to race out to a 47 point lead. Richardson finally got his hands on the ball to kick a goal midway through the term. It was Richmond's first since the opening term. Richo goaled again late in the term to reduce Port's lead to 37 points. Enter Burgoyne and Motlop once more. Boak added a third to give Port a nine goal lead at 3/4 time.
The Tigers again found a few ways to kick goals, adding five in the final term. Port also added five more for a runaway win.
KANG 4.2 9.3 14.9 19.12 (126)
MELB 2.3 4.5 7.6 9.8 (62)
GOALS: KANG - Jones 4, Harvey 3, Petrie 3, McMahon 3, Hale 2, Whyman 2, Grant, Brown; MELB - Newton 2, Robertson 2, Jones, Moloney, Buckley, McLean, Neitz
BEST: KANG - Harvey, Firrito, Sinclair, Jones, Simpson, Hale, Rawlings; MELB - Jones, Newton
UMPIRES: Allen, M. Nicholls, Kamolins
CROWD: 20,187 at Telstra Dome
The Kangaroos led throughout, kicking the first four goals of the match. Melbourne got two for the term as the Kangaroos took an 11 point lead at 1/4 time.
Youngster Newton sparked the Demons in the second term. Playing just his fourth senior game, he soared over Neitz to take a contender for mark of the year. He finished off the good work with a goal. The Demons kicked the next as well, reducing the margin to just five points. The Kangaroos took over with the next four goals and a 28 point lead at 1/2 time.
The Kangaroos wrapped the game up in the third term with five goals to three. Defender Godfrey could come under the scrutiny of the review panel for a crude hit on young Kangaroo McMahon. McMahon was briefly stunned but recovered to kick a goal and the Kangaroos led by 45 points at 3/4 time.
The final term was a mere formality as the Kangaroos kicked five goals to two.
STANDINGS
W L D FOR AGST % PTS
GEEL 13 3 0 1796 1153 155.77 52
KANG 11 5 0 1524 1441 105.76 44
HAW 10 6 0 1490 1305 114.18 40
PA 10 6 0 1660 1530 108.50 40
WCE 10 6 0 1433 1330 107.74 40
COL 10 6 0 1482 1391 106.54 40
WB 9 7 0 1635 1682 97.21 36
SYD 8 8 0 1419 1264 112.26 32
ADE 8 8 0 1346 1219 110.42 32
ESS 8 8 0 1600 1671 95.75 32
STK 8 8 0 1287 1379 93.33 32
BRIS 7 8 1 1443 1380 104.57 30
FRE 7 9 0 1593 1556 102.38 28
CARL 4 12 0 1582 2146 73.72 16
MELB 3 13 0 1329 1723 77.13 12
RICH 1 14 1 1404 1853 75.77 6
GOALS
Johnson (WB) 52
Brown (BRIS) 52
Lucas (ESS) 50
Pavlich (FRE) 50
Franklin (HAW) 49
Fevola (CARL) 44
Richardson (RICH) 41
Mooney (GEEL) 40
Lloyd (ESS) 39
Gehrig (STK) 36
Source: Melbourne Age & Herald Sun
Port Adelaide’s Justin Westhoff is the Round 15 Rising Star nominee.
Westhoff has played just six senior games, but has kicked 17 goals. He booted three goals on debut in Round 10 against Hawthorn and kicked four goals in Port Adelaide’s 91-point victory over the West Coast Eagles last week.
Justin came to Port impressing in the seniors with Central Districts in the SANFL. At 20 years old, Justin was a ‘ready made’ player with great endurance but needed to add bulk to his wiry frame over the preseason. Coach Mark Williams said Justin is a great worker who is eager to learn. While he still needs a few years, Williams said Justin just wants to improve, is really into footy, and is enjoying his time working with and learning from the forward group.
Justin is Port's second nominee this season following Robbie Gray in Round 12.
Source: Michelle Clyne, AFL Media Release
Article last changed on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 1:42 AM EDT
