Sydney Swans 106 vs. Richmond 100
Friday nights game was two teams flexing their muscles and pushing each other to go one better. This was a lot fun to watch. While Sydney did win in the end it appeared the Tigers were remembering how to play the SCG. Wide kicks that would be safe on the wide wings of the MCG became out of bounds at the smaller narrow Sydney oval. Or was that just the pressure of the game?
Six points separated the two teams at the final siren, however controversy erupted immediately after. Young Swan Chad Warner launched the football over the boundary and into the crowd in celebration. Warner seemed to be oblivious to the free kick that was awarded just before the siren sounded. Which was how the umpire called it, much to disgust of the Richmond players who sought a 50 metre penalty.
Brisbane Lions 110 vs. GWS Giants 96
The story surrounding this game is that the Lions gave the Giants a twenty minute head start and then soundly ran over the top of them. Lachie Neal is in full Brownlow winning form again. The questions about wether two teams can exist in Sydney is getting more traction. Think about it, the Tasmanian Giants?
Geelong Cats 97 vs. Adelaide Crows 55
The Crows are in that space at the beginning of a rebuilding phase when the wins are sparse. Not rare just sparse. Confronting the Cats in Geelong is rare and wining against, what was that about a snowball in hell? Eight goals to three be half time showed how rare a win it can be.
Crows coach Mathew Nicks is trying out the draft picks, and there are some promising players. With a hundred games in these kids the Crows will get back to finals contention. The Cats are doing what they always do. Top up on some talent, hope the old guys don’t break down and make finals again.
Melbourne 56 vs. Fremantle 94
Doomsday for Freo if they got thumped by Melbourne. At half time doomsday was at the door Melbourne was 6.8 to Fremantle’s 2.7. Then came the third quarter comeback no one expected. Fremantle kicked 8 goals in the quarter while Melbourne only scored 1.
Fremantle began the fourth quarter with a 17 point lead and a whole lot of momentum. Melbourne were unable to find a goal in the fourth while Fremantle kicked four more. The 2021 premiers finally defeated ending a winning streak of 17 games. Freo once again look finals bound after two hiccups in the wet.
West Coast Eagles 60 vs. Western Bulldogs 161
The Western Bulldogs did what they always do. Win the clearances, get the ball forward, kick goals. At times it was a goal fest. However for every three goals the Bulldogs kicked the Eagles could only get one. Unfortunately that ratio increased as the game progressed, twenty five goals to nine by the end. Problems abound for the Eagles.
The last time an Eagles team played like this was in the previous century. You have to look far back, to before Mick Malthouse for so many losses this early in the season for West Coast. This horrible year is going to leave scars, lets hope they are not lasting.
Gold Coast Suns 121 vs. Hawthorn 54
More games should be played in Darwin, though I doubt Hawthorn thinks so. Twenty seven degrees and seventy percent humidity is jumper weather for locals. For people from Melbourne, its devastating just to walk in let alone play a game of football.
Gold Coast are in Darwin for two games in a row. Three of the Suns players are locals, to say the conditions favoured them is obvious. It was Suns domination across the ground, in air and on the scoreboard. Hard night for Sam Mitchell and the Hawks. I can only imagine what comes next week when North Melbourne travel north.
St Kilda 103 vs. North Melbourne 50
North Melbourne had the better jumper design. It was the one of the few wins of the game for the Kangaroos. Yes they could have made a contest out of it, read the stats. All but the scoring, which is how you win. St. Kilda looks finals bound. North Melbourne go to Darwin next weekend.
Collingwood 79 vs. Carlton 75
80 thousand people or more filled the MCG to watch the immortal enemies play each other. Media played up the fact that both Carlton and Collingwood have new coaches, who played in premierships together at the Brisbane Lions. But football is football and Craig McRae and Micheal Voss coached to win.
The game seesawed changing leaders at each break. Collingwood ahead at quarter time, Carlton up at half time. Collingwood ahead by five points at three quarter time and the fans were loud and proud. It was good for football.
The final quarter saw a final desperate push from Carlton. Jack Silvagni having a final shot in hope to win the game for the Blues, missed. Siren and “Good old Collingwood..” resounds arounf the MCG. Did I say this was good for football, well it was.
Port Adelaide 66 vs. Essendon 50
Rain effects games. Usually if you can get ahead before the rain falls you can keep that lead. While this is what happened during the game between Port and Essendon it was a closer than that. Port got their lead and at half time were up 8.4 (52) to 2.9 (21). The win was assured, was it?
Essendon played better than Port in the rain. Their game came to life in the wet conditions and they kicked four goals to Ports one. It looked likely that the home team were going to get rolled. For a while it was possible but scoring dried up for both sides. Neither team scoring a goal in the fourth quarter. It was a fortunate Port that ended up winners, question remain wether they are contenders or something else.
Phillip Hall has been too long in Melbourne to see AFL in the same light as those back in Fremantle. East Fremantle born and bred, he would love to see the Dockers back in the eight. But would settle for just beating West Coast twice a year.
