Sydney are a game clear on top of the AFL ladder after a tumultuous weekend of upset results and drama.

The Swans broke clear of West Coast in the last term on Sunday for a hard-fought 28-point win in Perth.

Geelong then survived a big scare from the Western Bulldogs, with the 13-point win leaving them outside the top four only on percentage.

Sydney extended their winning streak to 11, one short of the club record that has stood since 1935.

They improved from third to top after Hawthorn and Port Adelaide suffered surprise losses.

West Coast trailed by only six points late in the third term before the Swans won 10.19 (79) to 7.9 (51).

Adam Goodes kicked three goals in his 341st game, breaking the record of Adelaide great Andrew McLeod for the most matches by an indigenous player.

“Today was a really good test for us over here in Perth,” Goodes told Channel Seven.

“It was a real slug out here with the conditions … it’s good to win like that, it’s fantastic.”

The Cats’ 10.9 (69) to 7.14 (56) win also opened up a two-game gap to sixth-placed Collingwood, who are in trouble after their one-goal loss to Gold Coast.

Collingwood have lost three of their last four games.

Just as Geelong (fifth) are on the same number of wins as second-placed Hawthorn, so only one win and percentage separate the Magpies from 10th placed Essendon.

Gold Coast’s fighting win featured one of the biggest moments of the season, when their captain Gary Ablett suffered a dislocated shoulder in a tackle from opponent Brent Macaffer.

Brownlow Medal betting was suspended ahead of Monday, when scans are expected to reveal how long Ablett will be out of action.

Ablett has been the outright favourite to win his third Brownlow, but no player has won the award after missing four games that season.

At best, the Suns star will be sidelined for three to four games.

THEY SAID IT: “He has been pretty good for us, but he was pretty average tonight and we are disappointed with that”. Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson does not hold back when asked about Brian Lake’s third-term antics in the surprise loss to North Melbourne.

STATS THAT MATTER: Between 2002-10, Essendon had a horrendous 7-36 record on the road. Saturday night’s outstanding win over Port Adelaide at the “Portress” further improved their interstate record over the last four seasons to a very respectable 13-6.

KEY MOMENT: Brent Macaffer’s tackle on Gary Ablett left the Gold Coast captain with a dislocated shoulder and prompted bookies to suspend their Brownlow Medal betting. One of the biggest moments of the season.

TALKING POINTS: What a weekend – where do we start? Gold Coast’s greatest win, Essendon’s best win of the season; North Melbourne are back (for the time being at least); and the jostling for top eight spots has a big shakeup.

TRIBUNAL WATCH: Essendon veteran Paul Chapman is on report for striking. Hawthorn defender Brian Lake is certain to face scrutiny for his much-publicised wrestle with North Melbourne key forward Drew Petrie. West Coast forward Josh Kennedy is in trouble for a high bump that left Sydney’s Zak Jones subbed out of the game with concussion.

KEY INJURIES: B Sewell (Haw, hamstring) B Hill (Haw, knee) A Rance (Rich, ankle) D Zorko (Bris, ankle) S Thompson (Adel, leg) D Talia (Adel, buttock) B Rutten (Adel, concussion) P Dangerfield (Adel, knee) J Jenkins (Adel, mouth) G Ablett (GC, shoulder) C Dixon (GC, calf) T McKenzie (GC, hamstring) S Lemmens (GC, concussion) A Carrazzo (Carl, quad) D Menzel (Carl, shoulder) B Jack (Syd, concussion) M Rosa (WC, shoulder).

UNDER PRESSURE: Port Adelaide have lost three of their last four matches, dropping from top to third on the ladder. Are Port’s younger players starting to feel the effects of a big season?

Full results

NORTH MELBOURNE 5.3 7.6 14.7 16.12 (108)
HAWTHORN 4.2 6.6 10.9 13.10 (88)
Goals: North Melbourne: D Petrie 5 A Black 3 B Brown 2 L Greenwood 2 A Swallow L Thomas R Bastinac S Gibson. Hawthorn: J Gunston 6 J Roughead 2 J Lewis L Breust R Schoenmakers S Burgoyne T Duryea.
Best: North Melbourne: D Petrie L Hansen N Dal Santo B Harvey B Jacobs S Wright L Greenwood A Swallow. Hawthorn: J Gunston S Burgoyne L Hodge S Mitchell.
Injuries: North Melbourne: Nil. Hawthorn: B Sewell (hamstring) B Hill (knee, replaced in selected side by B Ross).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Matt Stevic, Troy Pannell, Chris Kamolins.
Official Crowd: 35,025 at Etihad Stadium.

RICHMOND 5.2 7.3 10.4 12.7 (79)
BRISBANE LIONS 3.3 4.5 6.10 7.12 (54)
Goals: Richmond: T Vickery 4 J Riewoldt 2 S Edwards 2 J Batchelor M Arnot R Conca R Petterd. Brisbane Lions: D Zorko 2 J Green L Taylor M Close R Bewick S Mayes.
Best: Richmond: A Rance T Cotchin T Vickery B Ellis D Martin S Edwards I Maric. Brisbane Lions: T Rockliff P Hanley J Clarke D Gardiner.
Injuries: Richmond: Nil. Brisbane Lions: D Zorko (ankle).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Robert Findlay, Craig Fleer, Leigh Fisher.
Official Crowd: 34,560 at MCG.

ADELAIDE 5.6 10.9 15.14 20.20 (140)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 0.8 2.10 5.14 9.18 (72)
Goals: Adelaide: E Betts 5 J Podsiadly 3 J Jenkins 2 M Wright 2 R Sloane 2 B Crouch B Martin B Smith D Mackay S Jacobs T Lynch. Greater Western Sydney: R Palmer 2 J Cameron J Patton S Coniglio S Mumford T Bugg W Hoskin-Elliott Z Williams.
Best: Adelaide: R Sloane B Crouch D Talia E Betts B Martin S Thompson. Greater Western Sydney: S Coniglio D Shiel T Mohr A Treloar.
Injuries: Adelaide: B Rutten (concussion) D Talia (buttock) J Jenkins (mouth) P Dangerfield (knee) S Thompson (leg). Greater Western Sydney: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Scott Jeffery, Sam Hay, Nicholas Foot.
Official Crowd: 8,383 at Spotless Stadium.

GOLD COAST 2.2 5.3 8.7 11.14 (80)
COLLINGWOOD 4.3 6.8 6.13 10.15 (75)
Goals: Gold Coast: S Day 4 C Dixon 2 T Lynch 2 A Hall D Prestia H Bennell. Collingwood: B Kennedy 2 C Young 2 T Cloke 2 J Thomas P Seedsman S Sidebottom T Goldsack.
Best: Gold Coast: D Swallow S Day H Bennell D Stanley T Lynch J Harbrow. Collingwood: S Sidebottom D Beams S Pendlebury C Young T Cloke B Kennedy.
Injuries: Gold Coast: C Dixon (calf) G Ablett (shoulder) S Lemmens (concussion) T McKenzie (hamstring). Collingwood: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Ben Ryan, Jacob Mollison, Mathew Nicholls.
Official Crowd: 24,032 at Metricon Stadium.

FREMANTLE 2.1 6.3 13.5 15.7 (97)
MELBOURNE 0.2 1.5 3.7 4.10 (34)
Goals: Fremantle: H Ballantyne 3 D Pearce 2 T Mzungu 2 Z Clarke 2 A Sandilands C Mayne C Sutcliffe L Neale M Barlow N Suban. Melbourne: C Dawes D Kent M Jamar R Bail.
Best: Fremantle: N Fyfe L Neale M Barlow H Ballantyne N Suban Z Clarke. Melbourne: N Jones M Jones B Vince D Tyson C Garland.
Injuries: Fremantle: M Pavlich (illness) replaced in selected side by M Apeness. Melbourne: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Jeff Dalgleish, Dean Margetts, Jordan Bannister.
Official Crowd: 9,290 at TIO Stadium.

ESSENDON 2.4 6.8 7.12 8.14 (62)
PORT ADELAIDE 1.4 2.8 4.14 7.18 (60)
Goals: Essendon: J Carlisle 2 B Goddard D Heppell D Myers J Merrett P Ambrose P Ryder. Port Adelaide: J Schulz 3 K Mitchell M White R Gray T Boak.
Best: Essendon: D Zaharakis D Myers J Winderlich Z Merrett P Ryder B Stanton B Goddard. Port Adelaide: H Hartlett R Gray M White J Schulz J Polec C O’Shea T Jonas.
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Shane McInerney, David Harris.
Official Crowd: 46,786 at Adelaide Oval.

CARLTON 6.2 10.2 17.6 24.7 (151)
ST KILDA 2.0 7.5 9.5 10.6 (66)
Goals: Carlton: L Casboult 4 L Henderson 4 S White 4 C Yarran 3 A Everitt 2 S Docherty 2 T Menzel 2 C Judd R Warnock T Bell. St Kilda: N Riewoldt 3 R Stanley 2 S Savage 2 A Schneider D Minchington J Billings.
Best: Carlton: A Everitt A Walker L Henderson L Casboult M Murphy E Curnow M Jamison B McLean. St Kilda: D Armitage J Billings S Savage N Riewoldt M Weller.
Injuries: Carlton: A Carrazzo (quad) T Menzel (shoulder). St Kilda: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Justin Schmitt, Jason Armstrong, Tristan Burgess.
Official Crowd: 29,297 at Etihad Stadium.

SYDNEY 3.4 5.12 7.14 10.19 (79)
WEST COAST 2.2 4.5 6.7 7.9 (51)
Goals: Sydney: A Goodes 3 B McGlynn 2 L Parker 2 D Rampe L Franklin S Reid. West Coast: J Kennedy 2 J Cripps J Darling L Shuey M Priddis S Lycett.
Best: Sydney: L Parker B McGlynn J Kennedy J McVeigh C Bird T Richards D Rampe. West Coast: M Priddis L Shuey A Gaff E MacKenzie M Hutchings S Lycett.
Injuries: Sydney: B Jack (concussion). West Coast: M Rosa (shoulder).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Ray Chamberlain, Luke Farmer, Robert O’Gorman.
Official Crowd: 25,076 at Patersons Stadium.

GEELONG 3.3 7.5 9.8 10.9 (69)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.4 3.6 6.11 7.14 (56)
Goals: Geelong: M Duncan 2 S Kersten 2 T Hawkins 2 A Christensen J Bartel J Murdoch S Johnson. Western Bulldogs: M Bontempelli 2 S Crameri 2 L Dahlhaus L Hunter R Griffen.
Best: Geelong: J Bartel S Johnson H Taylor S Motlop M Duncan. Western Bulldogs: R Griffen T Liberatore M Bontempelli L Picken M Honeychurch.
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: Chris Donlon, Andrew Mitchell, Brendan Hosking.
Official Crowd: 24,776 at Simonds Stadium.
LEADING GOALKICKERS
48: J Schulz (Pt Adel) 3
43: T Hawkins (Geelong) 2
41: J Riewoldt (Richmond) 2, L Franklin (Sydney) 1
40: J Roughead (Hawthorn) 2
39: L Breust (Hawthorn) 1
37: N Riewoldt (St Kilda) 3, J Kennedy (West Coast) 2
36: J Gunston (Hawthorn) 6
33: E Betts (Adelaide) 5, H Ballantyne (Fremantle) 3