A review of all the action from Round 17 of the 2024 Smithy’s VFL season.
GWS GIANTS vs GOLD COAST SUNS
GWS GIANTS 2.5 3.7 7.12 11.12 (78)
GOLD COAST SUNS 2.3 3.7 5.9 6.15 (51)
GWS kicked away from Gold Coast in the second half to claim an impressive 27-point victory over the reigning premier at Blacktown International Sports Park on Saturday and provide a big fillip to its hopes of a maiden finals appearance in the competition.
The Giants stated their intentions with the first two goals in difficult conditions before the match turned into a slog that resulted in both teams recording their lowest score against the other at this venue.
Only one goal per team came from the 15-minute mark of the first quarter until Callum Brown split a half-time deadlock 90 seconds after the main break and the home side had all the answers from there, kicking a further three goals to one for the term, including two to Nathan Wardius.
Leading by 15 points at the final change, the Giants booted 4.0 to 1.6 in the final term to run away with their seventh win of the season and remain just one win outside the top ten.
No.12 draft pick Phoenix Gothard turned in a breakout performance with a goal in each quarter on top of 19 disposals and seven clearances to celebrate Ryan Hebron’s 50th game for the Giants in style.
Club great Nick Haynes staked another claim for an AFL recall with a dominant performance off half-back that yielded 38 disposals, 13 marks and 12 rebound-50s, while fellow defenders Conor Stone (33 disposals, 15 marks) and Jacob Wehr (28 disposals, nine marks, eight rebounds) also proved almost impassible.
No.17 draft selection James Leake (25 disposals, 12 tackles) continued his fine form after injury delayed the start to his career and Max Gruzewski kicked two goals, including his 50th at this level.
Rory Atkins (38 disposals, seven marks, 11 rebounds) put in another big performance for the Suns, while Brayden Fiorini (33 disposals, eight tackles) and James Tsitas (26 disposals, nine tackles) worked hard under the packs.
Papuan ace Hewago Oea added another milestone to his groundbreaking career with 18 touches in his 50th VFL game and veteran assistant coach James Frawley made a cameo appearance to be named in the best.
BRISBANE LIONS vs SYDNEY SWANS
BRISBANE LIONS 4.1 8.4 11.7 15.7 (97)
SYDNEY SWANS 8.2 9.7 11.10 13.14 (92)
BRISBANE Lions overcame a brilliant start from a committed but undermanned Sydney to win a heartstopper by five points at Brighton Homes Arena to move back into third spot.
But it was only after young Swans star Gus Sheldrick missed a set shot with less than a minute remaining that would have secure a draw.
The Swans haven’t beaten the Lions at this level since 2018 but it seemed an eight-match drought was destined to end when they slammed on eight goals to four in the first quarter and extended the lead to 31 points when Sam Reid kicked his second just 29 seconds after the break.
But the visitors’ radar deserted them after that, missing four consecutive chances to put the game to bed and kicking 4.12 overall from that point on as the Lions cut the margin to nine points at half-time and responded to a mini rally early from the Swans in the third.
The Lions hit the front when Logan Morris got on the end of a handball chain to boot his fourth goal on return from the AFL team and Liston medallist Jarryd Lyons made it a crucial double goal after Peter Ladhams was penalised for a sling tackle a split second after he had handballed to Morris.
The home team kicked the next two goals and appeared safe but Matty Lloyd nailed his third to cut the difference back to six points, before Sheldrick won the centre clearance before marking a rushed kick from Lloyd 30m out on a slight angle.
Unfortunately for the visitors he pushed the shot across the face, leaving the Swans’ finals hopes hanging by a thread ahead of a difficult return trip to Queensland to face Southport.
Morris was the difference with 22 disposals, nine marks and four goals, while Jaxon Prior (33 disposals, 15 rebounds) racked them up at the back and Darcy Fort (23 disposals, 47 hitouts) dominated the ruck.
That gave first use to James Tunstill (27 disposals), Lyons (25 disposals, one goal) and the returning Noah Answerth (25 disposals), while Harry Sharp (21 disposals, one goal) was his usual busy self in his 50th game.
Sheldrick was Sydney’s best with 29 touches, nine clearances, eight entries and a goal. Support came from Caiden Cleary (21 disposals, nine tackles, one goal) and comeback player Nic Shipley (24 disposals).
Ladhams (20 disposals, two goals) impressed up forward alongside Lloyd (18 disposals, three goals), with Aaron Francis (22 disposals, seven marks, eight rebounds) and Jaiden Magor (24 disposals, six marks) again leading the defence.
FRANKSTON vs CASEY DEMONS
FRANKSTON 1.0 8.2 9.4 10.8 (68)
CASEY DEMONS 2.1 3.3 4.9 5.11 (41)
FRANKSTON produced a seven-goal blitz in the second term to beat the Casey Demons for the first time in 10 years and the first time at Kinetic Stadium in 18 years, cruising home by 27 points to maintain its position in the top 10.
The Dolphins have already recorded their best season since their most recent finals appearance in 2008 but continue to add the accolades under first-year coach Jackson Kornberg, easily accounting for an opponent they had beaten just once in their previous 20 encounters – a six-point upset at Casey Fields in 2014, with the most recent home win being way back on August 13, 2006.
With heavy rain falling and the wind blowing straight down the ground and shaking the goalposts almost from their foundations, the Dolphins only allowed the Demons to kick two goals to one in the first term before exploding in the second term of their 500th match (and 250th home match) of the VFL era, piling on 7.2 to 1.2 in a telling quarter.
Scoring became almost impossible after half-time (2.6 to 2.8) but the damage was done as Frankston held Casey to its lowest score at Kinetic Stadium and kicked more goals than behinds in a game for only the second time this season.
It was an achievement led by the red-hot Matt Johnson, who added four first-half goals to his career-best haul of six last week to move to within one goal of the lead in the Frosty Miller Medal.
Tom Murphy (27 disposals, seven tackles, seven entries, two goals) and Seb Quirk (29 disposals, nine clearances, eight tackles, one goal) again drove Frankston in the midfield, while Jackson Voss (26 disposals, 10 rebounds) starred down back, Angus Grant won a career-best 49 hitouts and Taj Campbell-Farrell stuck 13 tackles.
Casey played one man down after Ben Brown failed a pre-match fitness test, but Melbourne father-son Kynan Brown stepped up to the plate with an unbelievable 24 tackles on top of 27 possessions, 11 clearances and a goal, with skipper Mitch White (24 disposals, 13 tackles, 13 clearances) also working overtime.
Marty Hore (21 disposals, 10 marks, eight rebounds) was at his intercepting best, while Shane McAdam got his hands dirty with 12 tackles but kicked 0.3 and Roan Steele had 23 touches and nine entries in his 50th game.
SANDRINGHAM vs SOUTHPORT SHARKS
SANDRINGHAM 2.3 2.5 6.9 8.12 (60)
SOUTHPORT SHARKS 4.2 6.6 8.8 8.11 (59)
SANDRINGHAM kicked the last six goals of the game run down a 35-point deficit and land a thrilling one-point victory over Southport at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
The result broke a five-match winless run for the Zebras and kept them within striking distance of the top 10.
Southport’s brilliant midfielders Jacob Dawson and Boyd Woodcock controlled the contest for two and half quarters in the frigid conditions that couldn’t have been any further removed from what they are used to in Queensland.
The Sharks grabbed their game-high lead when Ryan Banks-Smith kicked his second goal in the 19th minute of the third term.
But they managed just three behinds from that point on as the Zebras came to life with four goals in time-on to cut the margin to 11 points turning for home and then spent the entire last quarter pounding the ball inside 50.
It was three points when best afield Zaine Cordy outfoxed Southport’s defence to hit Isaac Keeler on the lead for his second goal before Angus Hastie’s kick to the goal square ended in Keeler pulling in a contested clunk, which he converted in the 25th minute to give his side the lead for the first time since opening minutes.
Southport’s defence seemed to crack under the pressure throughout the term, rushing disposals and trying to dump kicks out of the zone as the Zebras tightened the noose.
And although the Sharks desperately tried to find a way in the final minutes, Keeler landed a smother, Gus McLennan intercepted an entry and Matt Allison took a crucial contested mark 15m out with two seconds left to save the game.
Sandringham did it a man down as well after Will Vesely was forced off with concussion on half-time following friendly fire from Tom Campbell, with Cordy proving magnificent with 20 disposals, seven marks, nine rebounds and countless spoils.
Hugo Hall-Kahan (25 disposals, one goal) starred through the middle of the ground, along with Paddy Dow (32 disposals, 11 clearances), Ben Paton (27 disposals, six marks) and Darby Hipwell (23 disposals, one goal).
Meanwhile, talls Keeler (five marks, three goals), Campbell (19 disposals, 34 hitouts, one goal), Max Heath (19 disposals, 20 hitouts) and Allison (18 disposals, nine marks, 0.4) all played well.
Dawson (39 disposals, 13 clearances, one goal) and Woodcock (35 disposals, eight clearances) had their own footy, while Ben Jepson (27 disposals, nine rebounds), Jesse Joyce (25 disposals, nine rebounds) and Rhys Clark (16 disposals, nine marks) played well for three quarters, but their side’s composure let them down when it mattered most.
NORTH MELBOURNE vs BOX HILL HAWKS
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.4 3.6 4.9 5.16 (46)
BOX HILL HAWKS 2.4 4.6 6.8 8.12 (60)
BOX HILL Hawks outslugged North Melbourne by 14 points at Arden Street Oval to record a fifth-consecutive win over the Roos and maintain their spot in the top six.
Conditions were as difficult in the city as they were elsewhere and the Hawks managed to grind the game out a bit better than the Kangaroos to keep their noses in front for most of the day.
North held a narrow advantage for most of the first term and edged ahead on three separate occasions in the second.
However, Jake Arundell put the visitors back in front for good in the 27th minute of the second term, with the Hawks stretching out as far as 22 points midway through the last before the Kangaroos made one last run, only to kick four behinds in time-on.
Seamus Mitchell sparkled for Box Hill with 33 disposals, nine marks and seven rebounds in a best afield display in defence, supported by Jai Serong (26 disposals, 11 rebounds), while Harry Morrison (25 disposals, 10 marks) and Henry Hustwaite (24 disposals) kept knocking on the AFL door and Will McCabe impressed in his second game back as he builds his workload.
Louis Butler (24 disposals, nine marks) stood tall in the backline for North Melbourne alongside Jaidyn Stephenson (30 disposals, 11 marks, seven rebounds). Skipper Jack Watkins (28 disposals, eight clearances, nine entries) and Hugh Greenwood (22 disposals, 11 clearances, nine tackles) were outstanding in the middle and Blake Drury kicked three goals in a lively display up forward.
WERRIBEE vs NORTHERN BULLANTS
WERRIBEE 7.3 7.4 10.10 15.13 (103)
NORTHERN BULLANTS 0.0 3.3 4.3 7.7 (49)
WERRIBEE celebrated Jack Henderson’s 100th VFL match for the club with a comfortable 54-point victory over the Northern Bullants at Avalon Airport Oval.
The Tigers obliterated the Bullants in the first quarter, piling on 7.3 to no score, but were forced to fight for everything else they got as the visitors held the ladder-leaders goalless for 50 minutes and kicked three of their own to fight their way back into the contest.
The game opened up again after Hudson Garoni kicked his second goal 16 minutes into the third and Werribee kicked eight goals to four from then on.
However, the Bullants can still walk away knowing they only lost the last three quarters by nine points to the ladder leader.
Garoni finished with a season-best five goals to join Billy Gowers in the Frosty Miller Medal lead, while Jay Dahlhaus returned from injury to kick four and Aidan Johnson continued his purple patch with seven marks and three goals.
Dom Brew added to his Liston Medal claims with another brilliant display of 32 possessions, 16 clearances and nine tackles, while Henderson (14 disposals) had a quiet milestone game but did kick his 50th career goal in style.
Liam Mackie (27 disposals, six marks, eight rebounds) and Patrick Fairlie (24 disposals, five marks, 14 tackles) led the way for the Bullants, while Jean-Luc Velissaris was held to 18 disposals but still contributed strongly with 10 tackles as their side showed great improvement from their massive losses to Werribee of 144, 181 and 160 points over the past three seasons.
GEELONG CATS vs FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS
GEELONG CATS 4.3 5.4 6.7 8.9 (57)
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS 1.3 5.4 6.6 8.9 (57)
SATURDAY’s heavyweight showdown at the Cattery proved fitting in more ways than one as the Cats and Dogs couldn’t be split on a day where it rained cats and dogs.
Geelong made an early statement with three goals in the first five minutes to lead by 18 points at quarter time, but Footscray hit back hard in its first turn with the wind, banging on four majors without a miss in the second term before Marcus Herbert squared the scores by half time.
As ground started to chop up in the horrid conditions, the two premiership contenders settled into a desperate slog with one goal each in the third to set up a must-see finish.
James Willis opened the scoring in the last term only for Charlie Clarke to get it straight back and the Bulldogs hit the lead through Oskar Baker’s third goal, before Willis ran into an open goal for his second to lock it up again.
Willis had barely touched the ball for three quarters but went close to being the hero, missing a set shot and then skewing a soccer off the ground out on the full.
The Bulldogs defended desperately for the last five minutes, hanging on as an enterprising Rhys Stanley unsuccessfully tried to thump a hitout through for a behind and Caleb Daniel produced a brilliant smother on Jhye Clark, before an Oisin Mullin snap saw Alex Keath spoil Dan Capiron in the goal square as the siren sounded.
Tanner Bruhn returned from a broken hand to star for Geelong with 35 touches, nine clearances, nine entries and a goal.
He had support from Mitch Hardie (32 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles), while Jed Bews (26 disposals, 10 rebounds) was magnificent in defence and Stanley (18 disposals, 47 hitouts, one goal) was a class above in the ruck.
Daniel (32 disposals, eight clearances, eight tackles) and Cooper Craig-Peters (22 disposals, 10 clearances, seven tackles) were brilliant for Footscray, with Keath (23 disposals, seven marks, seven rebounds), Riley Garcia (22 disposals, 11 tackles, one goal), Jarrod Gilbee (23 disposals, six marks, six rebounds) and Baker (18 disposals, three goals) also shining through the gloom as these teams drew for the first time since the old scoring system in 1896.
WILLIAMSTOWN vs RICHMOND
WILLIAMSTOWN 0.1 4.7 5.7 8.10 (58)
RICHMOND 2.0 2.0 3.6 5.6 (36)
WILLIAMSTOWN lives for days like these at DSV Stadium and the Seagulls kept themselves within percentage of the top six with a grinding 22-point win over Richmond in icy conditions on Saturday night.
The Tigers had first use of the wind but neither team was able to score more than a behind until Jacob Bauer struck twice for Richmond, the second one on the siren, to set up 12-point lead.
The Seagulls, however, were much more prolific with their turn, kicking 4.6 to 0.0 to grab a 19-point lead at the main break that they were never going to see hauled in as Tom Downie bounced back to form with a powerhouse display.
The big man had had his colours lowered a couple of times in recent weeks but reminded everyone how good he is with 27 disposals, 70 hitouts, 11 clearances, six tackles, eight inside-50s and two goals.
Will Fordham (19 disposals, eight clearances, one goal) and Riley Collier-Dawkins (19 disposals, 11 tackles) got their hands dirty, while Noah Gadsby had 16 touches and seven tackles in his 50th game as a Seagull.
Richmond unveiled Vic Metro’s U18 National Championships captain Jagga Smith and he produced a Will Ashcroft-like debut to raise his draft stocks, gathering a game-high 31 possessions and adding five marks, eight clearances and six rebounds.
Lachlan Wilson (30 disposals, 17 tackles, 13 clearances), Joel Garner (26 disposals, seven clearances) and Cam Olden (19 disposals, 11 tackles) were also terrific for the Tigers.
COLLINGWOOD vs CARLTON
COLLINGWOOD 1.2 5.4 5.6 7.8 (50)
CARLTON 4.2 8.5 16.12 20.13 (133)
JAXON Binns exploded with a performance that normal people can only dream of as Carlton turned Josh Fraser’s 150th state league game as a coach into a nightmare in dealing out a record-breaking 83-point thumping at IKON Park on Sunday.
Binns nearly broke Champion Data’s keyboard with a ridiculous 47 disposals, 13 marks and three goals as the Blues recorded their highest score and biggest win against the Magpies at IKON Park in this competition, snapping a 24-year-old mark in the process.
In what was nominally a Magpies home match, Collingwood hung on to a 19-point deficit in the first half before the Blues burst out of the sheds with eight unanswered goals in the third quarter to turn the game into a rout.
Zavier Maher (36 disposals, eight clearances, nine entries, three goals) and Will Hayes (35 disposals, 10 clearances, seven marks, five tackles) also stuffed the stats sheets in an effort to match Binns’ prolific showing.
Heath Ramshaw (24 disposals, one goal), Cooper Lord (23 disposals, two goals), Luke Nelson (22 disposals, two goals) and Archie Stevens (24 disposals) also did as they pleased, with Lachlan Young having 19 touches and 14 marks in his 50th VFL game and Ned Cahill picking up 19 disposals, six marks, seven entries and three goals in his 50th for Carlton.
Rookie Harry Mahoney (22 disposals, two goals) was Collingwood’s best, with Jack Bytel (31 disposals, nine clearances) having a busy day and Fin Macrae (21 disposals, one goal) also doing well, with Mason Cox having 11 touches and 23 hitouts in his return from a knee injury.
COBURG vs PORT MELBOURNE
COBURG 0.4 2.7 5.9 11.9 (75)
PORT MELBOURNE 3.2 7.5 9.8 10.10 (70)
COBURG completed a weekend of comebacks with an amazing fightback to stun Port Melbourne by five points at Piranha Park, celebrating Flynn Gentile’s 50th game and leaving a big Vicki Cleary Memorial Day crowd in raptures.
The Borough had full command of the contest in the first half, kicking seven of the first eight goals to lead by as much as 35 points when Archi Manton kicked his third major in the 24th minute of the second term.
The Lions managed to stem the momentum in the third quarter with three goals to two but still trailed by 23 at the final change, which Felix Flockart extended to 29 four minutes into the last term.
But then the match turned on its head as Coburg banged on five goals in 15 minutes to level the scores when Max Thompson booted his third in the 22nd minute to set up a nerve-wracking finish.
The otherwise outstanding Manton pushed a set shot across the face from under the scoreboard to regain Port Melbourne’s lead on 25 minutes, before the milestone man showed his class, hitting unlikely forward Ryan Sturgess with a 40m pass as the clock ticked towards 28 minutes.
Sturgess calmly went back and drilled his fourth goal from 40m to grab the lead for the first time since the opening minutes and the Lions held on for the last four minutes to score a famous victory.
The regular defender had 17 disposals for his four goals, which all came in the second half, and capped a career-best effort from new midfielder Josh D’Intinosante (31 disposals, 10 clearances).
Gentile (26 disposals, seven clearances) rode shotgun, Jesse Corigliano (26 disposals, 10 rebounds), Lachlan Walker (27 disposals) and Braedyn Gillard (26 disposals) were in sparkling touch and Cooper Keogh (20 disposals, 35 hitouts) was a powerhouse in the ruck.
Tom Highmore couldn’t have done more to get the Borough over the line with 23 possessions, 15 marks and a goal, alongside Fraser Rosman (21 disposals, six marks, eight rebounds), while Manton booted four goals from seven disposals. Owen Mulady (three goals) had his best VFL game and Jimmy Miller (16 disposals, 29 hitouts) worked overtime against Keogh.
