Wow! Just wow - what a cracking exhibition of Australian Rules football these two sides put on at the Gabba on Saturday night. The Lions were meant to have more to play for and went in as deserved favourites, but no one told the Blues who came out and took it right up to their hosts from the very start.
Ryan Houlihan was on fire with three first-quarter goals in his first game since April and Cam Cloke stuck his knee in Daniel Merrett's ear for a brilliant mark that led to one of his four goals, but Brisbane was classy enough to absorb all that and run amok in the third term. An 18-point half-time deficit became a 26-point three-quarter time lead and it looked like Brisbane by how far, but Brett Ratten's men have become renowned for their good finishes and this was no exception as they stormed home with 6.3 to one point in the final term to win a thriller.
Player of round … David Hale
The Kangaroos may have gone down to the rampant Cats, but big Haley played his heart out for his side. Dean Laidley has been steadfast in his desire to turn the ruckman into a full-time forward this year with mixed results before Sunday, but now the coach looks like a genius. He called Hale's performance the best he'd seen "by a North Melbourne player in a long, long time" and it's little wonder as the 201 cm giant took on all comers to post a career-best eight goals.
Five sides. One top-four spot. Game on.
This year's close competition has ended the home-and-away season in a unique position, with five sides jostling for the prized possession of fourth position – and the all-important double chance.
With none of the sides currently ranked fourth to eighth playing each other in round 22, there is a mathematical chance that any of them can in fact finish fourth. This includes the eighth-placed Sydney Swans, although the harbour-side dwellers would have to be the only winners from the group in order to do so.
The fact of the matter is, five into one just does not go – and there are four sides about to realise just that.
Clash of the centurions…
The final round is set to throw up a few dead rubbers, but one thing is certain – Saturday night's Carlton-Hawthorn clash at Telstra Dome has a thrilling subplot that will interest almost every football fan.
Buddy Franklin needs two goals to boot his 100th goal. Brendan Fevola needs eight.
To put it simply, spectators at this event could expect to feel like they're at a tennis match as they shift their focus from end to end. With the match meaning little as far as the ladder is concerned (Carlton cannot make the eight and Hawthorn can't fall out of the top three), it will be interesting to see how "centric" both sides become when trying to get their spearhead to three figures first.
Fevola, meanwhile, has to come from a bit further back than Buddy – and he's not likely to receive a handicap akin to the one that claimed him the 2006 Grand Final sprint ahead of this race.
Missed it by that much … you know who it is
Mark Harvey's men have made a name for themselves this season, but not in a way they would have preferred. Sunday's seven-point loss to Richmond was Fremantle's eighth this season with a margin of nine points or less. The first-year coach was understandably testy at what must have seemed like a 'Groundhog Day' press conference at the MCG on Saturday, but he admirably stuck fat with the 'what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger' line.
"Quality not quantity," says Daniel Bradshaw
Well, he didn't actually say it but he sure did demonstrate it. Who needs to gather gaudy double-figure possessions if you can make the ones you do get count on the scoreboard. Bradshaw played his 200th game against the Blues and although he didn't get to celebrate it with a win, he made every single kick count. His first five possessions off the boot were goals and his sixth set up Jonathan Brown for a major of his own. Bradshaw only had seven kicks on the night, but he returned to form with his last splitting the middle for his sixth goal.
Cats beat Roos – and the battle for the Brownlow follows suit
The much anticipated battle between the all conquering Geelong and the in-form North Melbourne took place on Sunday, and while the former did what was expected and claimed the four points, the latter was far from disgraced in the process.
An interesting element of the Cats-Roos clash was the form of Brownlow medal favourites Gary Ablett and Brent Harvey. And, in tune with the current odds in regards to the prize, Ablett (27 disposals) ended a nose in front of Harvey (22).
Tanking? Who us?
Mark Williams' assertions that Port Adelaide could quite possibly have finished in the eight this year if they hadn't decided to try a few things raised a few eyebrows, but there was certainly no whiff of tanking when the Power smashed the hapless Dees on Saturday. Led by Domenic Cassisi and the Burgoyne boys, Port jumped the young Dees side and did not let up as they increased their margin at every change.
Saturday night surety
After the convincing way Collingwood dispatched of the Sydney Swans on Saturday night – with an electric start better than any Magpie display in over five seasons, and the best opening term against the Swans in 25 years – it was hard to believe both sides would still be eligible for a finals berth at the end of the round. But, despite the outstanding differences – and the 45 points – that separated the two sides at the end of the night, the result actually locked both the respective clubs in the top eight after the Brisbane Lions lost to Carlton.
A Brisbane triumph, which seemed a likely prospect at three-quarter time, would have meant next weekend's Swans-Lions encounter would have been a live rubber, but with the Blues staging a momentous final term to knock off the previously highly-touted Leigh Matthews-led side, the Swans' faux pas in Melbourne might have cost them top four, but they're still assured a finals spot – and they have the Blues to thank.
Have fracture will travel…
Stephen Milne cops more than his share of stick, but the mercurial Saints' small forward deserves a round of applause for his efforts in getting up for Robert Harvey's celebration match at Telstra Dome. Milne had to drive and train it back from Perth after cracking his cheekbone against Freo last week and even had to endure a spot of surgery on his arrival back in Melbourne. He took it all in stride, however, and made an important contribution to the win with 20 possessions and two goals.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or the clubs.
