Round 21 Scores

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

WB   3.3  10.6  19.8   23.13 (151)
ESS  3.4   5.8   9.11  15.15 (105)

GOALS: WB - Hahn 6, Johnson 4, Akermanis 4, Minson 2, Welsh 2, Cooney, Eagleton, Harbrow, Murphy, Boyd; ESS - Lloyd 4, Michael 2, Stanton 2, Lonergan, Lovett-Murray, McPhee, Monfries, McVeigh, Nash, Dyson

BEST: WB - Hahn, Cooney, Lake, Minson, Cross, Giansiracusa, Griffen, Hill, Akermanis;
ESS - Lloyd, Stanton, McVeigh, Nash, Dyson, Johnson, Monfries

INJURY: WB - Gilbee (flu) replaced in selected side by Everitt, Ray (flu) replaced in selected side by Higgins; ESS - Welsh (hamstring), Watson (ankle)

UMPIRES: Donlon, McLaren, Hendrie

CROWD: 37,294 at Telstra Dome

Several days prior to the game, a Bulldog player commented in the media that the players needed to get there mojo back. The Bulldogs certainly did that in a big way against a struggling Essendon. The Bombers started with retiring defender Mal Michael at full forward and Lloyd at center half forward. Through much of the first term, the Dogs looked like continuing their downward spiral with some sloppy play. Some of that could be attributed to the pressure applied by the Bombers. Lloyd opened up the scoring inside the first two minutes with a 55 yard goal. After a rushed point by the Bombers, the Bulldogs raced the ball to the other end where Murphy booted a goal from a tight angle. Hahn and Akermanis added a pair to give the Bulldogs a 12 point lead. Essendon finally hit back late in the term with goals to Lovett-Murray and McPhee to level the scores. The term ended with the Bulldogs rushing two points sandwiched around a miss by Harbrow and the Bombers in front by one point at 1/4 time.

Lloyd extended the Bomber lead with a goal five minutes into the second term but Cooney got it back for the Bulldogs. Lonergan goaled again for the Bombers but it was all Bulldogs after that. They got their running game going. After a miss by McVeigh, the Bombers had another chance through Dyson to stretch their lead to 14 points but he spilled the ball in an attempted mark (catch) and the Bulldogs were away. Goals to Eagleton, Hahn, Harbrow, Johnson, Welsh and Johnson again had the Bulldogs ahead by 28 points at 1/2 time.

Lloyd again opened the scoring with a goal at the start of the third term and the two sides traded goals until midway through the term. Hahn was dominating across half forward and took over when Johnson had to come off briefly after Hahn landed on his foot. Giansiracusa, Cooney and Cross continued to win the ball out of the center and race forward. Akermanis was also proving a handful as he roamed between midfield and half forward. Minson and Hahn kicked two goals each in less than 10 minutes, blowing the lead out to 53 points before Monfries and Michael added late goals for the Bombers. By this time, Johnson was back on the ground and kicked a goal to give the Bulldogs a 57 point lead at 3/4 time.

The Bombers tried to challenge in the final term, but the Bulldogs kept them at bay. Both kicked two goals each before the Bombers fired in the last four goals of the game. The damage had already been done and there was no way Essendon was going to make up the deficit.

RICH   3.6   8.8   11.12   15.15 (105)
FRE    5.1   10.3  13.5    15.8 (98)

GOALS: RICH - Morton 3, Deledio 2, Richardson 2, Tuck 2, Connors, Foley, Jackson, Newman, Schulz, Simmonds; FRE - Mark Johnson 3, Bradley 2, Murphy 2, Campbell, J Carr, Drum, Headland, Mundy, Palmer, Peake, Thornton

BEST: RICH - Tuck, Deledio, Simmonds, Jackson, Newman, Foley, Connors, White; FRE - Hayden, Duffield, McPharlin, Carr, Palmer, Michael Johnson, Campbell

INJURY: FRE - Pavlich (foot) replaced in selected side by Murphy

UMPIRES: Schmitt, Ellis, Mollison

CROWD: 24,881 at MCG

The Dockers were already missing Solomon and Hasleby and compounded the pregame loss of Pavlich with some ill-disciplined play throughout the game and the Tigers made them pay each time. The Tigers were marginally better in the error department, but it was the Dockers who got the early jump. Headland got the first goal thanks to a 50 meter penalty (55 yards) when McMahon hung on to him for too long. Campbell then set up Drum before kicking one of his own. During this rush, Richmond had only 1 kick from Cotchin and eight handballs. The Tigers finally got going with Deledio setting up Morton for Richmond's first goal, then kicking their next after Murphy goaled for the Dockers. When Foley kicked another, the Docker lead was just three points. The Tigers could have been front but were inaccurate. Palmer goaled to give the Dockers a seven point lead at 1/4 time.

A goal to Simmonds and a rushed point by the Dockers leveled the scores early in the second term. A goal to Tuck put the Tigers in front. The Dockers regained the lead with goals to Mark Johnson, Thornton through a 50 meter penalty against Newman, and Mundy from a McMahon error. It would be the pattern for much of the game as the Tigers again hit back. The rest of the term was goal for goal, but the Dockers still led by seven points at 1/2 time.

Jackson goaled early in the third to have the Tigers within one point and a another goal to Morton soon after had Richmond in front once more. The Dockers came again with goals to Murphy, Carr and Peake. Duffield's miss left the Dockers with just a four point lead late in the term. The Tigers rushed another point and could have stolen the lead but Tambling missed and Fremantle held a narrow five point lead at 3/4 time.

Richardson, who had been relatively quiet for much of the game, was in the thick of the action early in the final term. He won the ball from a pack to put the Tigers in front. Newman's goal from 55 yards gave the Tigers a seven point lead. When Richardson goaled again midway through the term, the Tigers were out to a 14 point lead. Schulz virtually sealed the match with another goal and Morton's point gave the Tigers a 20 point lead. The Dockers put in one last flurry with goals to Bradley and Mark Johnson. Even if Crowley's kick had been a goal instead of a point, the Dockers would still have fallen short.

The Dockers now have a dubious record. They have lost eight games this year by nine points or less and 10 games by three goals or less.

PA    6.6   9.10   10.17   18.21 (129)
MELB  1.0   2.4     4.8     7.9 (51)

GOALS: PA - D. Motlop 5, Lade 2, P Burgoyne 2, Pearce 2, J. Westhoff 2, M. Westhoff 2, Rodan, Cassisi, Boak; MELB - Miller 2, Bate, Bruce, Wonaeamirri, Jamar, Newton

BEST: PA - Cassisi, P. Burgoyne, S. Burgoyne, D. Motlop, K. Cornes, Boak, Logan, Pearce;
MELB -Melbourne: Bell, Whelan, Buckley, Wheatley, Morton, Sylvia, McDonald, Garland, Morton

INJURY: PA - Chaplin (knee)

UMPIRES: Margetts, Head, Keating

CROWD: 18,875 at AAMI Stadium

The Demons had just 16 scoring shots to Port's 39. After the game, Coach Dean Bailey summed up what he called the worst performance of the year by saying the side was not competitive enough and when they were, they didn't sustain it. Missed tackles, poor skills missing teammates when they passed the ball all added up to hand Port a commanding win. For two struggling sides, the game was also a chance for veterans such as White and Lade to show they still have something to offer and for the youngsters to impress.

Daniel Motlop goaled within the first two minutes of the opening term and from there it was all one-way traffic. Port's lead could have been greater but for several missed shots on goal. Motlop kicked three of his side's six goals for the term. Miller kicked Melbourne's only goal for the term as Port took a 36 point lead at 1/4 time.

The second term began with a string of seven points from both sides. It took until midway through the term before Motlop marked (caught the ball) and put through a goal. Rodan dashed forward for another a few minutes later. Bruce finally kicked Melbourne's second goal late in the term. Port added another through Justin Westhoff for a 49 point lead at 1/2 time.

Port's inaccuracy continued in the third term but the Demons were unable to capitalize much. Matthew Westhoff kicked Port's only goal for the term while Wonaeamirri and Bate did likewise for Melbourne. The Demons won the term but still trailed by 45 points at 3/4 time.

Port blew the margin out considerably with two goals to Lade and one each to Daniel Motlop and Pearce in the first 10 minutes of the final term. Jamar got one for Melbourne but Justin Westhoff replied for Port a minute later. Port finished the stronger with three of the last four goals of the game.

CARL   7.2   11.3   12.4   18.7  (115)
BRIS   3.4    7.9   16.12  16.13 (109)

GOALS: CARL - Cloke 4, Houlihan 3, Fisher 3, Fevola 2, Murphy 2, Waite 2, Stevens, Walker;
BRIS - Bradshaw 6, Brown 4, Power 2, Corrie 2, Hooper, Rischitelli

BEST: CARL - Stevens, Murphy, Judd, Cloke, Gibbs, Grigg; Houlihan; BRIS - Black, Bradshaw, Brown, Dalziell, Brennan

INJURY: CARL - Browne, Jamison (flu), Browne (rested) replaced in selected side by Bentick, Anderson, Bower (corked thigh); BRIS - Adcock (nose)

UMPIRES: Stewart, Meredith, Ryan

CROWD: 34,327 at the Gabba

Nigel Lappin, who announced his retirement several days before this game, was given a lap of honor before the match. The Lions certainly would have liked to farewell Lappin with a win, but Carlton had other ideas. The loss could end Brisbane's finals hopes while leaving Carlton with an outside chance of sneaking into the eight.

The Blues were on fire early with a dominant midfield, Cloke and Kreuzer doing well rotating through the ruck and forward line. While Fevola was well held by the Brisbane defense, Carlton had plenty of other options, including Houlihan. It was Houlihan's first game since Round Four due to hip surgery. Stevens and Cloke got Carlton on the board with two early goals only for Bradshaw and Power to do the same at the other end. Houlihan and Cloke added two more for the Blues. Bradshaw, dangerous up forward alongside Brown, kicked another for Brisbane, but Carlton added two more through Houlihan and Fevola to lead by 22 points at 1/4 time.

The second term opened with wave after wave of attacks from the Lions which netted just two goals to Brown and Power. In between were misses from Rischitelli and Hooper. The Carlton defense, which included young defender Anderson standing Brown, stopped the Lions from gaining any more ground with two rushed points. Then it was Carlton's turn again with Fisher running rampant and kicking three goals in six minutes. Brisbane snared two of the last three goals for the term, leaving Carlton with an 18 point lead at 1/2 time.

The Lions exploded in the third term with Bradshaw and Brown almost unstoppable. Brisbane piled on four goals, including two to Bradshaw, while the Blues missed several shots. Walker goaled midway through the term to keep the Blues in front. Corrie goaled and the Lions were within one point. Carlton rushed a point to level the scores before Hooper goaled a minute later to put Brisbane in front. Bradshaw kicked another two while Brown and Rischitelli each added a goal and the Lions looked home with a 36 point lead at 3/4 time.

Carlton refused to give in and lifted in the final term. Judd and Stevens led the charge through the center as Carlton's midfield shredded the Lions. Carlton's possession count was more than double of their opponents. Fevola goaled early in the term to start Carlton on their rampage. Cloke, Waite and Murphy slammed through goals to cut Brisbane's lead. Cloke and Waite added two more and Carlton was in front again. The shell shocked Lions had no answer. Johnstone had a chance to level the scores but his kick on goal missed. Fevola missed at the other end late in the game and the Lions had one final chance. A long kick to the goalsquare was heading for Brown. Anderson courageously threw himself in front of the oncoming Brown to take a game saving mark.

COL  8.3   11.6   15.8   18.10 (118)
SYD  2.3   4.3     6.7   10.13 (73)

GOALS: COL - Cloke 5, Davis 2, Anthony 2, O'Bree, Medhurst, McCarthy, Pendlebury, Cox, Goldsack, Lockyer, Swan, Clarke; SYD - Hall 3, Moore 3, Jolly, Veszpremi, Jack, Goodes

BEST: COL - Davis, Swan, Cloke, Cox, Pendlebury, Swan, O'Brien, Goldsack, O'Bree; SYD - J. Bolton, Hall, Mattner, Kirk, O'Keefe, Buchanan, Jolly

INJURY: COL - Brown (soreness) replaced in selected side by Cox, Burns (bruised calf)

UMPIRES: Jeffery, Rosebury, Vozzo

CROWD: 45,570 at Telstra Dome

Collingwood went into this game without Anthony Rocca, Alan Didak, Sean Rusling and Dale Thomas. Two younger players, John Anthony and John McCarthy proved to be handy replacements in the forward line. They were also handy foils for Cloke, who had four different opponents in Richards, and out of form Barry, Craig Bolton and Roberts-Thomson. Collingwood beat Sydney at their own game, playing close man-on-man football to choke the life out of the Swans. Midfielders Swan, Pendlebury, O'Bree and Davis led their opponents to the ball and had plenty of targets of forward. Through Davis, Anthony twice, Pendlebury and McCarthy, the Pies slammed on five goals before Sydney could register their first score through Veszpremi. Cloke added two more and Davis chimed in with another while the Swans could get just one more on the board, leaving the Pies with a 36 point lead at 1/4 time.

Cloke, O'Bree and Medhurst added goals in a ten minute burst to extend Collingwood's lead to nine goals midway through the second term. Hall then tangled with Cox and seemed ready to explode after the umpire awarded a free kick against him. He was quickly benched and received what appeared to be some stern words from Coach Paul Roos. Moore and Jolly then added late goals for Sydney, but the Pies were well and truly in control with a 45 point lead at 1/2 time.

Sydney tried harder in the third term. They couldn't stop the Pies, who piled on four unanswered goals before the Swans could reply. Goodes and Hall added late goals, but the game was all but over with Collingwood holding a 55 point lead at 3/4 time.

Sydney salvaged some pride out of the game, winning the final term four goals to three. They can also thank Carlton for their win over Brisbane as that kept the Swans in the final eight. The win also secured Collingwood's place in the top eight. Should the Kangaroos lose to Port Adelaide next week and Collingwood defeats Fremantle, the Magpies could claim a top four spot for the finals.

GEEL  3.3   10.6   13.10   17.13 (115)
NM    4.3    6.4    9.4    13.4  (82)

GOALS: GEEL - Chapman 4, Mooney 4, Ottens 3, S. Johnson 2, Ling 2, Lonergan, Rooke;
NM - Hale 8, Thomas 2, Harris, Jones, McIntosh

BEST: GEEL - Bartel, Ling, Corey, Mooney, Ottens, Chapman, Ablett; NM - Hale, Pratt, Wells, Firrito

INJURY: GEEL - Stokes (general soreness) replaced in selected side by Varcoe, Kelly (general soreness) replaced in selected side by Prismall; NM - Nathan Thompson (ankle) replaced in selected side by Scott Thompson, Campbell (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Sinclair

UMPIRES: James, McInerney, M. Nicholls

CROWD: 24,288 at Skilled Stadium

Although the Kangaroos challenged the Cats early, they couldn't sustain it. Their defense stood up early against Geelong's multi-pronged attack but Hale was proving a handful against young Cat defenders Mackie and Taylor and had three goals of his team's four goals on the board in the first term. The Cats got their goals through Ottens, Chapman and Ling. Ling's goal leveled the scores but Hale's third put the Kangaroos in front by six points at 1/4 time.

The second term belonged to the Cats. Ling, who restricted Harvey, Ablett, Bartel and Corey were constant ballwinners in the middle and propelled the Cats forward to put the Kangaroo defense under siege. While Petrie and Watt tried to stem the tide and stop Mooney, it was to no avail as the Cats kicked seven goals to one. Hale broke the run with a late goal only for Chapman to kick Geelong's eighth for the term to give them a 26 point lead at 1/2 time.

Thomas goaled early in the third term to cut Geelong's lead to 20 points but the Cats added another three to extend their lead. The Kangaroos kept themselves in the contest with two more goals to Hale and McIntosh. Although the Cats were a bit inaccurate in the term, they still held a 30 point lead at 3/4 time.

The Kangaroos matched the Cats goal for goal for much of the final term. The Cats kicked two of the last three to run out comfortable winners. Should the Kangaroos defeat Port next week to clinch fourth place, they will again play Geelong in a qualifying final.

STK  1.4   7.6   9.11   13.17 (95)
ADE  3.4   4.5   6.9     6.11 (47)

GOALS: STK - Riewoldt 3, Schneider 2, Goddard 2, Milne 2, Gram, Hayes, C. Gardiner, Harvey;
ADE - Thompson 2, Johncock, C. Knights, Douglas, Stevens

BEST: STK - Montagna, S. Fisher, Harvey, Milne, Hayes, Gram, Riewoldt; ADE - McLeod, Bock, Symes, Edwards

INJURY: STK - McQualter (stomach virus) replaced in selected side by Birss

REPORTS: ADE - Knights for head high contact on Birss

UMPIRES: McBurney, Stevic, Chamberlain

CROWD: 33,811 at Telstra Dome

Prior to the start of the game, retiring veteran Robert Harvey was surprised by a guard of honor consisting of almost 100 former teammates as he ran onto the ground with his three children. Harvey started the game on the bench and the Saints were slow to get going. The Crows were winning the ball from contests and pouncing on Saint errors. Stevens and Knights had goals on the board for Adelaide within the first few minutes. Midway through the term, Johncock added a third. The Saints' only scores to that stage were three rushed points by Adelaide's defense. Harvey then came on and received a thunderous cheer from the crowd when he won the ball and passed to Riewoldt for the Saints' only goal of the term. Misses to Reilly for Adelaide and Riewoldt for the Saints left the Crows with a 12 point lead at 1/4 time.

The Harvey-inspired Saints rallied in the second term. Goals to Gardiner and Riewoldt had the Saints within a point early in the term. Midway through the term, Harvey received an ovation from the Saint faithful when he goaled from a free kick to give the Saints the lead. Riewoldt then goaled from a 50 meter penalty (55 yards). Goddard and Milne chimed in and the Saints led by 19 points at 1/2 time.

The Saints maintained their intensity in the third term and the early stages were a bit of a defensive scrap. Thompson booted an early goal to cut St. Kilda's lead. Schneider goaled a few minutes later to stretch the Saints' lead to 20 points. Thompson again goaled to get the Crows close. A string of missed shots followed before Milne kicked a late goal to keep the Saints in front by 20 points at 3/4 time.

The Saints wrapped up the win in the final term. Hayes started the four goal burst when he evaded an opponent and kicked a long goal on the run. The Saints restricted the Crows to just two points while adding three more goals through Goddard,. Gram and Schneider. After the game, both teams lined up to form another guard of honor for Robert Harvey. 

HAW   4.4   7.6   16.10   19.19 (133)
WCE   1.1   4.3    7.6     9.8 (62)

GOALS: HAW - Franklin 4, Brown 4, Williams 3, Young 2, Roughead 2, Bateman, Stokes, Sewell, Birchall; WCE - McKinley 3, Davis 2, Seaby, Armstrong, Lynch, Embley

BEST: HAW - Lewis, Guerra, Mitchell, Brown, Birchall, Sewell, Franklin, Williams, Rioli;
WCE - Glass, Priddis, Armstrong, Embley, Fletcher, Cox, Mackenzie, McNamara

UMPIRES: Ryan, Wenn, Armstrong

CROWD: 37,040 at Subiaco Oval

There were two points of interest in this game. Eagle fans paid tribute to the retiring Michael Braun and then there was the added spice of whether or not Hawk star Franklin would reach 100 goals. Franklin needed six to top the "ton" but was again slightly off target partly due the strong defensive efforts of Glass. Franklin started the game further up the ground on a wing but was soon dispatched to the forward line. Seaby opened the scoring with the first goal but the Hawks dominated through the midfield and kicked two goals through Eagle errors in defense. It wasn't until late in the term that Franklin kicked his first two goals to give the Hawks a 21 point lead at 1/4 time.

The Eagles missed several chances early in the second term before goals to Bateman and Franklin had the Hawks out to a 31 point lead. The Eagles hit back with two goals to McKinley. The Hawks kept the Eagles at arm's length, adding another goal through Brown. A late goal to Armstrong had the Eagles within 21 points at 1/2 time.

The Hawk midfield of Guerra, Lewis, Crawford, Young and Mitchell seized control and ran rampant in the third term. Glass was doing superb job in keeping Franklin quiet, but the Hawks had plenty of others who did all the scoreboard damage. Franklin missed an early shot to extend Hawthorn's lead, but Williams followed up with a goal a few minutes later. After McKinley goaled, the Hawks went a scoring spree with the next eight goals to end the game as a contest. One of those was Franklin's fourth from a free kick. The Eagles added a pair of late goals, but the Hawks had the game won with a 58 point lead at 3/4 time.

The final term was a fizzer with the off-target Hawks scoring just three goals to the Eagles' two. The win secured second place for the Hawks and Franklin needs just two more goals to reach 100. The Hawks play Carlton next week and Carlton's Fevola needs 8 more goals to reach 100. There has never been a game in league history in which two players have reached the 100 goal mark in the same match.

GOALS
Lance Franklin (HAW)   98
Brendan Fevola (CARL)  92
Daniel Bradshaw (BRIS) 73 
Jonathan Brown (BRIS)  67
Matthew Pavlich FRE)   67
Matthew Lloyd (ESS)    61

Source: Melbourne Age, Herald Sun, afl.com.au, author notes