They had the lead in their AFL matches this weekend, but for various reasons North Melbourne and Adelaide could not pull off badly-needed wins.
That leaves them two games outside the top eight with seven rounds left as the AFL finals race tightens.
THEY SAID IT – “I just had to make sure I didn’t miss this one because last year it was a shocking flight home.” – Richmond ruckman Ivan Maric returns from injury and enjoys redemption after the Tigers busted their Cairns hoodoo against Gold Coast.
STATS THAT MATTER – Melbourne only had 19 inside-50s in their 68-point loss to Geelong. That’s a record AFL low since the statistic was first kept in 1999.
MEN OF THE ROUND – Midfield stars Scott Pendlebury (a career-best 42 disposals) and Dane Swan were immense for Collingwood on Friday night as the Magpies overcame Adelaide’s strong challenge. Fremantle’s Michael Barlow won the Ross Glendinning Medal as best afield in the big Western Derby win over West Coast.
KEY MOMENT – The Western Bulldogs were behind, but challenging Essendon in the final term on Sunday when a goal to Nathan Hrovat was disallowed. The umpire controversially did not pay advantage. The Bombers went on to win by 31 points.
TALKING POINT – Lance Franklin. As usual. The Hawks have put a revised, five-year offer to their star forward and he missed Saturday’s win over Port Adelaide with a knee injury. It’s unclear how long he’ll be sidelined.
TRIBUNAL WATCH – Geelong star Steve Johnson returned from suspension on Saturday and will come under video scrutiny again for dropping his knee onto the chest of Melbourne’s Nathan Jones. Johnson has served two suspensions this season. West Coast veteran Andrew Embley is in trouble for his high bump on Fremantle’s Clancee Pearce. Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich was booked for high contact with Eagles defender Mitch Brown.
KEY INJURIES – C Young (Coll, hamstring), P Dangerfield (Adel, shoulder), C Rioli (Haw, hamstring), B Stratton (Haw, concussion) L Franklin (Haw, knee), M Stokes (Geel, groin), R Thompson (GC, internal), M Murphy (Carl, buttock), M Robinson (Carl, shoulder), A Mullett (NM, ankle) A Swallow (NM, hand) L Hansen (NM, concussion) R Tarrant (NM, knee), C Pearce (Fre, concussion), C Smith (WB, knee), D Zaharakis (Ess, back), B McGlynn (Syd, hamstring), T Scully (GWS, concussion).
COLLINGWOOD 2.2 9.5 13.6 17.9 (111)
ADELAIDE 6.3 8.7 10.11 12.12 (84)
Goals: Collingwood: A Krakouer 3 B Macaffer 2 B Reid 2 D Swan 2 S Pendlebury 2 T Cloke 2 J Witts L Ball M Williams S Sidebottom. Adelaide: J Lyons 4 T Lynch 4 J Porplyzia 3 R Douglas. Best: Collingwood: S Pendlebury D Swan L Ball D Beams C Young S Dwyer A Krakouer. Adelaide: T Lynch B Crouch R Henderson R Douglas J Lyons D Talia R Laird. Injuries: Collingwood: C Young (hamstring). Adelaide: P Dangerfield (AC joint). Reports: Nil. Umpires: Matt Stevic, Stephen McBurney, Shane Stewart. Official Crowd: 54,790 at MCG.
HAWTHORN 6.0 10.4 16.6 19.10 (124)
PORT ADELAIDE 2.2 8.4 10.5 12.7 (79)
Goals: Hawthorn: J Gunston 5 J Roughead 5 I Smith 3 S Savage 3 C Rioli J Lewis L Hodge. Port Adelaide: A Monfries 2 J Neade 2 Brad Ebert C Wingard J Butcher J Schulz K Cornes M Thomas R Gray T Boak. Best: Hawthorn: I Smith J Roughead L Hodge J Gunston B Hill J Lewis S Mitchell J Gibson. Port Adelaide: T Boak C Wingard R Gray Brad Ebert A Moore. Injuries: Hawthorn: B Stratton (concussion) L Franklin (knee) replaced in selected side by K Cheney. Port Adelaide: Nil. Reports: Nil. Umpires: Simon Meredith, Jeff Dalgleish, Mathew Nicholls. Official Crowd: 23,748 at AAMI Stadium.
GEELONG 4.5 7.10 11.12 13.20 (98)
MELBOURNE 1.2 2.4 3.5 4.6 (30)
Goals: Geelong: G Horlin-Smith 2 J Caddy 2 J Podsiadly 2 T Hawkins 2 B Smedts J Stringer M Duncan S Johnson S Motlop. Melbourne: S Byrnes 2 C Dawes J Howe. Best: Geelong: S Johnson J Selwood J Caddy J Bartel G Horlin-Smith H Taylor D Simpson. Melbourne: M Jones T McDonald. Injuries: Geelong: M Stokes (groin) replaced in selected side by G Horlin-Smith. Melbourne: Nil. Reports: Nil. Umpires: Stuart Wenn, Heath Ryan, Brendan Hosking. Official Crowd: 23,172 at Skilled Stadium.
RICHMOND 1.3 4.10 5.13 6.17 (53)
GOLD COAST SUNS 3.3 4.4 5.6 6.8 (44)
Goals: Richmond: D Jackson 2 B Ellis J Riewoldt M Arnot N Foley. Gold Coast Suns: C Brown H Bennell J O’Meara M Shaw S Day T McKenzie. Best: Richmond: D Jackson T Cotchin R Petterd D Martin B Deledio C Newman. Gold Coast Suns: G Broughton G Ablett T Nicholls J O’Meara D Prestia T McKenzie. Injuries: Richmond: Nil. Gold Coast Suns: R Thompson (side). Reports: Nil. Umpires: Chris Donlon, Troy Pannell, Jordan Bannister. Official Crowd: 11,197 at Cazaly’s Stadium.
CARLTON 3.3 7.6 11.10 16.14 (110)
ST KILDA 3.6 5.9 9.11 10.14 (74)
Goals: Carlton: L Henderson 4 J Garlett 3 S Rowe 3 A Walker B McLean C Judd M Kreuzer M Murphy Z Tuohy. St Kilda: T Lee 3 C Jones 2 S Milne 2 J Steven N Riewoldt R Stanley. Best: Carlton: L Henderson C Judd K Simpson S Rowe J Cachia M Kreuzer M Jamison. St Kilda: L Hayes D Armitage F Ray J Steven T Lee. Injuries: Carlton: M Murphy (buttock) M Robinson (shoulder) replaced in selected side by M Watson. St Kilda: Nil. Reports: Nil. Umpires: Chris Kamolins, Brett Rosebury, Andrew Mitchell. Official Crowd: 30,949 at Etihad Stadium.
BRISBANE 2.2 5.5 11.6 18.9 (117)
NORTH MELBOURNE KANGAROOS 5.1 10.1 14.3 17.3 (105)
Goals: Brisbane: A McGrath 3 J Brown 3 P Hanley 3 S Mayes 3 B Staker 2 D Merrett D Zorko J Green R Lester. North Melbourne Kangaroos: D Petrie 5 A Black 3 R Tarrant 3 B Cunnington 2 A Mullett B Harvey D Wells R Bastinac. Best: Brisbane: S Mayes P Hanley T Rockliff D Rich J Adcock R Bewick. North Melbourne Kangaroos: S Gibson D Petrie A Swallow B Harvey S Thompson J Ziebell. Injuries: Brisbane: Nil. North Melbourne Kangaroos: A Mullett (ankle) A Swallow (hand) L Hansen (concussion) R Tarrant (knee). Reports: Nil. Umpires: Justin Schmitt, Jacob Mollison, Sam Hay. Official Crowd: 18,131 at Gabba.
SYDNEY 3.8 10.10 15.19 24.27 (171)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY GIANTS 1.3 3.7 3.9 5.12 (42)
Goals: Sydney: J White 3 K Tippett 3 M Pyke 3 T Mitchell 3 B McGlynn 2 C Bird 2 J Kennedy 2 D Rampe J Bolton L Parker N Malceski R O’Keefe S Mumford. Greater Western Sydney Giants: J Cameron 3 D Smith S Darley. Best: Sydney: N Malceski J McVeigh D Rampe D Hannebery J Kennedy C Bird. Greater Western Sydney Giants: L Whitfield J Cameron C Ward A Treloar. Injuries: Sydney: B McGlynn (hamstring). Greater Western Sydney Giants: T Scully (concussion). Reports: Nil. Umpires: Dean Margetts, Gary Fila, Nicholas Foot. Official Crowd: 21,757 at SCG.
ESSENDON 6.4 9.7 13.11 18.13 (121)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.2 6.2 12.4 14.6 (90)
Goals: Essendon: J Winderlich 4 C Dempsey 3 D Heppell 2 J Melksham 2 T Bellchambers 2 B Goddard B Stanton D Myers J Carlisle P Ryder. Western Bulldogs: L Dahlhaus 3 D Giansiracusa 2 L Jones 2 B Goodes C Smith J Grant J Tutt K Stevens T Liberatore W Minson. Best: Essendon: J Winderlich D Heppell C Dempsey B Stanton D Fletcher J Carlisle T Colyer. Western Bulldogs: A Cooney T Liberatore D Morris L Dahlhaus D Giansiracusa N Hrovat W Minson. Injuries: Essendon: D Zaharakis (bruised back). Western Bulldogs: C Smith (knee). Reports: Nil. Umpires: Robert Findlay, Jason Armstrong, Tristan Burgess. Official Crowd: 32,500 at Etihad Stadium.
FREMANTLE 4.2 6.4 11.6 19.7 (121) WEST COAST 2.3 6.5 11.8 14.9 (93) Goals: Fremantle: C Mayne 3 M Pavlich 3 M Walters 3 M Barlow 2 S Hill 2 C Sutcliffe D Pearce N Fyfe R Crowley T Mzungu T Sheridan. West Coast: J Darling 5 J Cripps 2 J Kennedy 2 M LeCras 2 W Schofield 2 A Embley. Umpires: Scott Jeffery, Shane McInerney, Luke Farmer. Official Crowd: 39,839 at Subiaco.
AFL ladder after r16: P W L D For Agst % Pts
1 Hawthorn 15 13 2 0 1769 1246 142.0 52
2 Geelong Cats 15 13 2 0 1654 1246 132.7 52
3 Essendon 15 12 3 0 1604 1232 130.2 48
4 Sydney Swans 15 11 3 1 1550 1090 142.2 46
5 Fremantle 15 11 3 1 1322 1047 126.3 46
6 Richmond 15 10 5 0 1440 1234 116.7 40
7 Collingwood 15 10 5 0 1432 1309 109.4 40
8 Port Adelaide 15 8 7 0 1396 1282 108.9 32
9 Carlton 15 7 8 0 1441 1293 111.4 28
10 West Coast Eagles 15 7 8 0 1497 1398 107.1 28
11 North Melbourne 15 6 9 0 1540 1327 116.1 24
12 Adelaide Crows 15 6 9 0 1372 1339 102.5 24
13 Brisbane Lions 15 6 9 0 1250 1556 80.3 24
14 Gold Coast Suns 15 5 10 0 1241 1394 89.0 20
15 Western Bulldogs 15 4 11 0 1192 1554 76.7 16
16 St Kilda 15 3 12 0 1203 1447 83.1 12
17 Melbourne 15 2 13 0 1011 1873 54.0 8
18 GWS Giants 15 0 15 0 1045 2092 50 0
LEADING GOALKICKERS 47: J Kennedy (West Coast) 2, J Roughead (Hawthorn) 5 43: J Riewoldt (Richmond) 1, T Cloke (C’wood) 2 39: L Thomas (Kangaroos) 0, J Cameron (GWS Giants ) 3 38: L Franklin (Hawthorn) 0 36: D Petrie (Kangaroos) 5, T Hawkins (Geelong) 2 35: J Darling (West Coast) 5, N Riewoldt (St Kilda) 1
