Brisbane lost two star players to injury as Port Adelaide walloped the Lions by 113 points to continue their horror start to the AFL season.
Lion ruckman Matthew Leuenberger and utility Pearce Hanley were casualties as a ruthless Port logged a crushing 24.15 (159) to 7.4 (46) win at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Leuenberger will have scans on his right knee and Hanley strained a hamstring on another bleak day for the winless Lions.
Port’s Jay Schulz kicked seven goals and Justin Westhoff, Matt White and debutant Sam Gray each kicked three majors.
Power captain Travis Boak (41 disposals), Kane Cornes (38 possessions) and vice-captain Brad Ebert (35 touches) were outstanding before a 36,231-strong home crowd.
Brisbane had no clear winner apart from Tom Rockliff (31 disposals, 14 tackles) and Rohan Bewick, who kicked two goals.
The Lions kept pace in the first term and trailed by eight points at quarter-time in a heartening opening.
But Brisbane were then blown away as Port booted 14 goals to two in the second and third quarters.
Boak, Ebert and Cornes ruled the midfield and fed a hungry forward line, where Schulz and Westhoff were ever-present threats, taking 17 marks between them.
And when the ball hit the ground, goalsneaks White, impressive first-gamer Sam Gray and Robbie Gray (two goals) feasted on the crumbs.
Brisbane’s cause was hampered by the loss of tap-man Leuenberger, who hobbled from the ground in the second term after injuring his right knee in a tangle with opponent Matthew Lobbe.
Lions officials believe Leuenberger avoided damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, with scans to determine the exact nature of his injury.
And Hanley limped off in the third quarter with a hamstring strain and also appears certain to miss games.
Round four update
COLLINGWOOD 4.3 7.5 10.10 16.14 (110)
RICHMOND 1.4 2.7 3.10 10.12 (72)
Goals: Collingwood: D Beams 3 J White 3 S Pendlebury 3 D Swan 2 J Elliott 2 J Blair L Ball S Sidebottom. Richmond: S Lloyd 3 J Riewoldt 2 C Newman D Martin M Arnot M Thomas S Edwards.
Best: Collingwood: S Pendlebury L Ball B Macaffer N Maxwell J White D Beams. Richmond: D Astbury B Houli D Jackson S Lloyd.
Injuries: Collingwood: Nil. Richmond: D Jackson (hip).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Troy Pannell, Robert Findlay, Craig Fleer.
Official Crowd: 62,100 at MCG.
MELBOURNE 3.2 6.7 10.8 12.9 (81)
CARLTON 3.4 5.9 6.11 7.16 (58)
Goals: Melbourne: C Dawes 2 J Frawley 2 J Watts 2 R Bail 2 C Pedersen J Kennedy-Harris L Dunn N Jones. Carlton: C Yarran 2 D Ellard 2 L Casboult L Henderson M Murphy.
Best: Melbourne: N Jones J Frawley D Cross J Grimes T McDonald M Jones. Carlton: B Gibbs E Curnow K Simpson A Walker C Yarran K Lucas.
Injuries: Melbourne: D Terlich (hamstring). Carlton: M Jamison (shoulder) T Menzel (quad).
Reports: Melbourne: Nil. Carlton: R Warnock (Carlton) reported for striking J Spencer (Melbourne) in the third quarter.
Umpires: Jeff Dalgleish, Jacob Mollison, Andrew Mitchell.
Official Crowd: 37,323 at MCG.
PORT ADELAIDE 4.4 10.9 18.13 24.15 (159)
BRISBANE LIONS 3.2 4.3 5.3 7.4 (46)
Goals: Port Adelaide: J Schulz 7 J Westhoff 3 M White 3 S Gray 3 R Gray 2 A Young Brad Ebert J Impey J Polec O Wines T Boak. Brisbane Lions: R Bewick 2 D Zorko J Brown J Clarke J Redden S Mayes.
Best: Port Adelaide: T Boak J Schulz Brad Ebert K Cornes M White J Westhoff R Gray S Gray. Brisbane Lions: T Rockliff B Moloney J Redden.
Injuries: Port Adelaide: Nil. Brisbane Lions: M Leuenberger (knee) P Hanley (hamstring).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Chris Donlon, Sam Hay, Shane McInerney.
Venue: Adelaide Oval.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.1 5.5 10.6 17.8 (110)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 5.3 8.7 11.8 12.11 (83)
Goals: Western Bulldogs: S Crameri 4 L Jones 3 J Tutt 2 D Giansiracusa L Hunter L Picken M Boyd R Griffen R Murphy S Higgins T Young. Greater Western Sydney: J Cameron 3 A Kennedy A Tomlinson C Hampton J Giles J Kelly J Patton L Sumner N Haynes T Greene.
Best: Western Bulldogs: M Boyd L Jones S Crameri J Macrae J Tutt. Greater Western Sydney: J Cameron N Haynes H Shaw J Giles J Patton.
Injuries: Western Bulldogs: D Morris (leg). Greater Western Sydney: J Hunt (knee) W Hoskin-Elliott (leg) S Mumford (general soreness) replaced in selected side by A Tomlinson.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Stuart Wenn, Jason Armstrong, Matthew Leppard.
Official Crowd: 7,863 at Manuka Oval.
GEELONG 4.3 10.4 13.9 16.11 (107)
WEST COAST 4.1 4.2 4.5 4.8 (32)
Goals: Geelong: G Horlin-Smith 3 J Selwood 3 T Hawkins 3 J Bartel 2 G Burbury H McIntosh M Duncan S Johnson T Varcoe. West Coast: J Cripps J Darling J Hill J Kennedy.
Best: Geelong: M Stokes C Guthrie H Taylor J Selwood J Rivers S Johnson J Bartel G Horlin-Smith. West Coast: A Gaff S Wellingham S Selwood J Bennell.
Injuries: Geelong: A Mackie (hamstring soreness). West Coast: M Rosa (ill) replaced in selected side by P McGinnity.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Luke Farmer, Nicholas Foot.
Official Crowd: 25,271 at Simonds Stadium.
HAWTHORN 6.4 11.7 16.9 23.10 (148)
GOLD COAST 4.4 6.4 7.5 7.7 (49)
Goals: Hawthorn: J Gunston 5 J Roughead 4 C Rioli 2 L Breust 2 M Suckling 2 S Mitchell 2 B Hill D Hale I Smith J Simpkin L Shiels P Puopolo. Gold Coast: A Hall D Swallow G Ablett J O’Meara M Rischitelli M Shaw T Lynch.
Best: Hawthorn: J Gunston S Mitchell L Hodge J Gibson S Burgoyne. Gold Coast: G Ablett D Swallow D Prestia J O’Meara T McKenzie J Harbrow.
Injuries: Hawthorn: M Spangher (ankle). Gold Coast: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Matt Stevic, David Harris, Leigh Fisher.
Official Crowd: 17,729 at Metricon Stadium.
SUNDAY, April 13
Sydney v North Melbourne at SCG 12.40pm
Head to Head: Swans 81 Kangaroos 71 Drawn 1
Last clash: Round 3 2013 – Swans 20.11 (131) bt Kangaroos 13.14 (92) at Blundstone Arena
Tab Sportsbet: Swans $1.38 Kangaroos $3.05
Sportingbet: Swans $1.40 Kangaroos $3.05
Sydney emerged from their sluggish start to crush the Crows last week for a first win of the season, notable for boom recruit Lance Franklin finding form with four goals. And the Kangaroos held sway against Port in their best performance this year, which all presents a mouth-watering clash on the tight confines of the SCG. North’s defence has been miserly but will be tested again, while Sydney’s battle-hardened midfield may just give them the edge.
Key: North veteran Brent Harvey is winding back the clock to his halcyon days, a key player in consecutive victories for his club. Can Swans tagger Ben McGlynn contain him?
Tip: Swans by 12 points
St Kilda v Adelaide at Etihad Stadium 2,40pm
Head to Head: Saints 15 Crows 20 Drawn 1
Last clash: Round 8 2013 – Crows 12.15 (87) bt Saints 6.11 (47) at AAMI Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Saints $2.25 Crows $1.65
Sportingbet: Saints $2.20 Crows $1.65
Adelaide are in the horrors with three consecutive losses, all by big margins. The Crows have conceded 380 points in three games: some perspective, that’s 110 points more than Melbourne. Their midfield is lacking drive and their forward line is a shambles – lose again, and their season will be all but shot. The Saints, with two wins from three games, will like their chances of another victory if they can generate enough forward sorties – they’re inside 50s average is only 42.
Key: Adelaide’s Daniel Talia faces what, on form, is the biggest challenge for any defender: trying to stop St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt, who is equal-top of the goalkicking list.
Tip: Adelaide by 6 points
Fremantle v Essendon at Patersons Stadium 4.10pm
Head to Head: Dockers 9 Bombers 18
Last clash: Round 3 2013 – Bombers 10.12 (72) bt Dockers 9.14 (68) at Patersons Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Dockers $1.70 Bombers $2.15
Sportingbet: Dockers $1.75 Bombers $2.10
Fremantle and Essendon were at opposite ends of two stunning results last weekend. The Dockers barely turned up in the grand final rematch against Hawthorn, while Essendon gave Carlton an equally-unexpected hiding. While Essendon are off to a great start this season, surely that was a one-off for Freo. The Bombers get the ball more than any other team but their possession-based game plan will be challenged by Fremantle’s renowned pressure.
Key: Essendon skipper Jobe Watson is second, behind Ablett, for possessions and uses them with aplomb – evidenced by his 85 per cent disposal efficiency. Another big job looms for Docker tagger Ryan Crowley.
Tip: Dockers by 12 points
