The supporters’ spotlight of discontent has shifted to Richmond, Sydney and the hapless Carlton.
Carlton’s loss to Melbourne comes just a couple of weeks after it looked like the Demons would struggle to win a single match for the year.
New coach Paul Roos is relieved, while Carlton’s second-year coach Mick Malthouse is the target of Blues fans who believe the club’s board should never have dumped one of their own, Brett Ratten, for Malthouse.
The political rumblings have started, with club powerbroker Bruce Mathieson calling for wholesale change at the club.
But there is widespread support at the club for Malthouse, who is in his second year with Carlton.
“There’s probably no better person to lead us out of the hole we’re in at the moment,” Murphy said.
Carlton face another major test on Easter Sunday when they play the Western Bulldogs, who have won their last two games.
Senior Blues players Kade Simpson and Lachie Henderson will face the media on Monday morning as the club deals with the media blowtorch.
Murphy also has a media conference at the AFL in the afternoon with Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen.
Essendon’s good run came to a halt in Perth – but there was an element of poor planning involved.
The Bombers took only one emergency player to Perth, David Myers.
He fell ill, and Brendon Goddard tweaked a groin in the warm-up.
Goddard had to take the field, but was benched in the second quarter.
Sydney started this season as possible premiership winners – now they have been written off after a heavy loss to North Melbourne.
Geelong and Hawthorn both looked imposing – and that sets up round five nicely, because the two meet on Easter Monday.
THEY SAID IT: “I don’t like doing any pump ups, but my last seven years in AFL football have all been in finals. The game hasn’t changed dramatically in the space of six months.” Coach Mick Malthouse backs his ability to lift Carlton out of their 0-4 slump.
STATS THAT MATTER: A big day for North Melbourne and their key defender Scott Thompson. North beat Sydney for the first time in nine matches and it was their first win at the SCG in five games. Thompson has the rare distinction of keeping Lance Franklin goalless twice in a row.
MAN OF THE WEEK: Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury rebounded from a quiet match against Geelong to be best afield on Friday night with a midfield masterclass in the big win over Richmond.
KEY MOMENT: Any faint hope Carlton had of a last-quarter rally disappeared when Melbourne’s Jeremy Howe took one of his trademark high-flying marks on a half-back flank.
TALKING POINT: Tagging tactics are well-and-truly back on the AFL agenda after Collingwood’s Brent Macaffer kept Richmond captain Trent Cotchin to only 13 disposals.
TRIBUNAL WATCH: Carlton ruckman Robbie Warnock was booked for striking Jake Spencer, but that might not go ahead. Likewise, the match review panel could overrule Franklin’s match-day report for striking Thompson. Collingwood’s Nick Maxwell will be scrutinised for his bump on Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, as will Cotchin for his tangle with Clinton Young. Western Bulldogs defender Dale Morris appeared to trip Greater Western Sydney’s Will Hoskin-Elliott in an incident that left the two players with leg injuries.
KEY INJURIES: T Vickery (Rich, quad) D Jackson (Rich, hip) T Menzel (Carl, thigh) D Thomas (Carl, shoulder) M Jamison (Carl, shoulder) D Terlich (Melb, hamstring) M Leuenberger (Bris, knee) P Hanley (Bris, leg) W Hoskin-Elliott (GWS, leg) J Hunt (GWS, knee) D Morris (WB, leg) A Mackie (Geel, hamstring) Nic Naitanui (WC, soreness) M Spangher (Haw, ankle) B Goddard (Ess, groin) N Wright (StK, leg).
Results and standings
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.
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.4 4.7 7.10 13.13 (91)
SYDNEY 2.1 3.7 4.9 6.12 (48)
Goals: North Melbourne: A Black 3 D Wells 3 A Mullett 2 D Petrie L Adams L Thomas R Nahas T Goldstein. Sydney: J Laidler 2 H Grundy J McVeigh K Jack R O’Keefe.
Best: North Melbourne: S Thompson D Wells A Black B Cunnington N Dal Santo L Adams. Sydney: J Kennedy N Smith N Malceski J Laidler J McVeigh.
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: North Melbourne: Nil. Sydney: L Franklin (Sydney) reported for striking S Thompson in the fourth quarter.
Umpires: Ben Ryan, Simon Meredith, Ray Chamberlain.
Official Crowd: 25,505 at SCG.
ADELAIDE 4.4 9.10 15.14 20.16 (136)
ST KILDA 2.2 3.2 6.6 7.8 (50)
Goals: Adelaide: J Jenkins 4 J Podsiadly 3 D Mackay 2 J Petrenko 2 M Wright 2 E Betts L Brown M Crouch P Dangerfield R Douglas R Sloane S Kerridge. St Kilda: N Riewoldt 2 J Gwilt J Saunders J Steven R Stanley S Savage.
Best: Adelaide: R Sloane S Thompson J Jenkins E Betts M Jaensch D Mackay S Jacobs. St Kilda: L Hayes N Riewoldt L Dunstan F Ray S Dempster.
Injuries: Adelaide: J Podsiadly (leg soreness) M Grigg replaced in selected side by B Martin. St Kilda: D Armitage (knee) N Wright (leg).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Scott Jeffery, Chris Kamolins, Heath Ryan.
Official Crowd: 22,923 at Etihad Stadium.
FREMANTLE 2.1 6.3 13.4 18.5 (113)
ESSENDON 2.1 4.2 5.4 9.6 (60)
Goals: Fremantle: M Pavlich 3 D Pearce 2 L Neale 2 M Taberner 2 S Hill 2 D Mundy H Ballantyne L McPharlin N Suban R Crowley T Mzungu Z Clarke. Essendon: K Hardingham 2 B Stanton J Daniher J Melksham J Watson J Winderlich L Jetta M Gleeson.
Best: Fremantle: L McPharlin M Johnson M Pavlich A Sandilands D Pearce S Hill. Essendon: D Heppell B Stanton M Hibberd M Gleeson J Watson.
Injuries: Fremantle: D Mundy (concussion). Essendon: B Goddard (groin) P Chapman (ankle) replaced in selected side by L Jetta, Dustin Fletcher (soreness) replaced in selected side by T Colyer, D Myers (ill) replaced in selected side by D Van Unen.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Mathew Nicholls, Dean Margetts, Brendan Hosking.
Official Crowd: 36,722 at Patersons Stadium.
LADDER AFTER ROUND 4
P W L D For Agst PC Pts
Hawthorn 4 4 – – 168.5 16
Geelong 4 4 – – 158.0 16
Port Adelaide 4 3 1 – 163.7 12
West Coast 4 3 1 – 140.9 12
Fremantle 4 3 1 – 140.1 12
North Melbourne 4 3 1 – 113.8 12
Essendon 4 2 2 – 119.7 8
GWS 4 2 2 – 109.4 8
Collingwood 4 2 2 – 93.3 8
W Bulldogs 4 2 2 – 83.7 8
Gold Coast 4 2 2 – 79.2 8
St Kilda 4 2 2 – 75.7 8
Sydney 4 1 3 – 90.9 4
Richmond 4 1 3 – 88.0 4
Adelaide 4 1 3 – 84.0 4
Melbourne 4 1 3 – 63.7 4
Carlton 4 – 4 – 65.9 –
Brisbane Lions 4 – 4 – 52.7 –
LEADING GOALKICKERS
15: J Schulz (Pt Adel) 7
12: J Roughead (Hawthorn) 4, L Breust (Hawthorn) 2, N Riewoldt (St Kilda) 2
11: J Elliott (Coll) 2
10: J Gunston (Hawthorn) 5, J Westhoff (Pt Adel) 3, T Hawkins (Geelong) 3, J Cameron (GWS) 3
9: S Crameri (Bulldogs) 4, J Kennedy (West Coast) 1, J Darling (West Coast) 1, P Chapman (Essendon) 0, K Hardingham (Essendon) 2
