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The moment: From the same pocket in which Gary Ablett Sr took the ball from the ruck in the 1989 decider, Josh Fraser did likewise. The big man had probably been treating the clash like a grand final, given his pillorying after Paddy Ryder’s best afield performance on Anzac Day. He celebrated his goal with gusto; his vintage performance a catalyst in the Pies’ sixth straight win.
2. Melbourne 17.10 (112) d West Coast 13.14 (92) at the MCG
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The moment: If Melbourne supporters were in doubt as to the reason behind their team’s passionate performance on Saturday, those doubts were erased as the siren sounded. James McDonald and Aaron Davey left the ground proudly bearing one of Jim Stynes' jumpers. The club president, who revealed this week he is battling cancer, watched from his hospital bed after undergoing major surgery.
3. Port Adelaide 19.14 (128) d Brisbane Lions 11.14 (80) at AAMI Stadium
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The moment: With the game in the balance in the final quarter, Port began to get under the Lions' collective skin. They succeeded in drawing a reaction when Josh Carr and Jared Brennan’s confrontation ended in a nasty off-the-ball headbutt from Brennan. The forward was reported and – coincidentally or otherwise – the Lions soon lost their way.
4. Adelaide 15.12 (102) d Richmond 13.7 (85) at Gold Coast Stadium
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The moment: Despite conceding the match’s first five goals, Jade Rawlings’ men never stopped fighting. At the 10-minute mark of the last quarter, Jack Riewoldt gave the Tiger faithful plenty to cheer about. While providing Richmond a valuable forward spark in the final term, Riewoldt rose high to take a memorable grab in the final game at the venue before it is redeveloped.
5. Western Bulldogs 19.19 (133) d Hawthorn 6.9 (45)
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The moment: The Dogs could do no wrong as they smashed the Hawks in the first term. With the ball sent long into the 50 by Matthew Boyd, Jason Akermanis gathered. Aker missed his target in the square but Scott Welsh somehow kept the ball in. Callan Ward tried to soccer a goal but missed, so Aker followed up and finally bagged the six-pointer. Pure class and hard work.
6. Sydney Swans 15.10 (100) d North Melbourne 13.7 (85)
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The moment: After missing the first half of the season with an injured finger, Patrick Veszpremi let the SCG crowd know just how happy he was with his first goal of the year. The lively Swans half-forward roved a marking contest at full pace and snapped with his left foot from the boundary line. The ball split the middle and Veszpremi’s subsequent leap of joy was relief and delight in their purest form.
7. St Kilda 14.7 (91) d Geelong 13.7 (85) at Docklands
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The moment: With less than 90 seconds remaining, the scores were level and the fence-sitter tipsters seemed justified in backing a draw. Luke Ball pumped it long into the corridor, a big pack formed and the long tentacles of Michael Gardiner reached higher than the rest. Harry Taylor’s injury gave Gardiner plenty of thinking time – but that wasn’t enough to put him off the shot.
8. Carlton 16.19 (115) d Fremantle 15.10 (100) at Subiaco
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The moment: Fremantle goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne would have long dreamed of kicking his first AFL goal, but couldn’t possibly have imagined how he’d kick it. While Luke McPharlin’s first-quarter set shot sailed through for the home side’s fifth goal of the term, the 2008 Sandover medallist was being flattened by a Carlton defender. From the subsequent free kick and 50m penalty, Ballantyne booted the first of three first-half goals.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
