1. Essendon 16.12 (108) d St Kilda 11.9 (75) at Etihad Stadium
Game analyser - watch the moment or the full replay
The moment: Adam Schneider led Mark McVeigh to a high ball. Both waited under it and Schneider was just in front of McVeigh. Somehow McVeigh managed to squeeze the mark out of nothing. The marking contest was a reflection of the game. Barely anyone gave Essendon a chance but out of nowhere they easily won the contest and the Saints were left bamboozled.
2. Collingwood 15.15 (105) d Carlton 9.3 (57) at the MCG
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The moment: Collingwood combined for a brilliant team goal in the third quarter. Chris Dawes executed an impressive volleyball-like tap while hard against the boundary to Brent Macaffer, who looked up and could have blazed away, but he saw Leon Davis in the goal-square and opted to use him. Davis outmuscled Bryce Gibbs to finish off the team play with a mark and goal.
3. Port Adelaide 13.14 (92) d Hawthorn 12.12 (84) at AAMI Stadium
Game analyser - watch the moment or the full replay
The moment: Port Adelaide and Hawthorn engaged in a serious melee at AAMI Stadium. Just seconds before three quarter time, Cyril Rioli and Nick Salter exchanged punches in a fierce scuffle in the centre of the ground. The off-the-ball incident then sparked a large brawl which involved nearly every player from of both sides. The match review panel will be very interested in the footage.
4. Geelong 20.5 (125) d Sydney Swans 9.18 (72) at ANZ Stadium
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The moment: Steve Johnson put on a show at ANZ Stadium. He pulled out all the party tricks in his six-goal haul, but the best came late in the third term when he bodied up on an unfortunate Paul Bevan, taking a one-handed grab and then calmly snapping around his body. Just another day at the office for Johnson.
5. Melbourne 11.8 (74) d Brisbane Lions 9.10 (64) at the Gabba
Game analyser - watch the moment or the full replay
The moment: After watching a 31-point lead whittled away to just five points late in the game, Melbourne was in need of inspiration. After receiving a 50m penalty that took him to the edge of the arc, Lynden Dunn was the man for the occasion. The 23-yearold went back and slotted the goal that sealed Melbourne’s win and kept their finals hopes alive.
6. Richmond 15.10 (100) d Adelaide 11.14 (80) at the MCG
Game analyser - watch the moment or the full replay
The moment: Ben Nason would usually have expected a few stern words from his coach for spraying his set shot from well inside 50 out of bounds on the full late in the game, but at least he had an excuse this time around. The torrential hail storm that hit the MCG meant he could barely see the goals let alone guide the footy through.
7. Western Bulldogs 22.11 (143) d North Melbourne 10.12 (72) at Etihad Stadium
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The moment: The Kangaroos had a brief moment of glory in the first quarter. A slick Lindsay Thomas outran Ryan Hargrave, who slipped over in pursuit, and got a handpass out to lumbering giant Hamish McIntosh from deep in the pocket. McIntosh instinctively threw the ball on his boot and kicked an impressive snap goal that got the Roos within five points.
8. Fremantle 24.16 (160) d West Coast 13.7 (85) at Subiaco Oval
Game analyser - watch the moment or the full replay
The moment: After a bad handball from Andrew Embley in the middle early in the first quarter, Fremantle pounced and the usually unreliable boot of Matt de Boer found Matthew Pavlich. He fired off the handball and Hayden Ballantyne ran into the open goal to the delight of the Freo crowd.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
