While the Lions dropped out of the eight with an eight-point loss to the Kangaroos on the weekend, the Hawks were on the right end of a rather more lop-sided scoreline – thoroughly out-pointing Collingwood by 54 points at the MCG.
Keys to the rout were star forward Buddy Franklin, who booted 8.6 in a dominant display, and Brownlow Medal fancy Sam Mitchell, who effortlessly accumulated 35 possessions and eight clearances.
After Hawthorn started the better of the two sides (six goals to one in the opening term), the Magpies desperately tried to work their way back into the game and a running Heath Shaw goal briefly narrowed the deficit to 10 points early in the third quarter.
However, that proved as close as Collingwood would get. The Hawks steadied and with Jonathan Brown’s likely opponent Trent Croad in imperious form across half-back and Franklin on fire, it was all one-way traffic from there on.
In other weekend results, Essendon maintained its winning ways with a hard-fought 16-point victory over Melbourne, Adelaide held off a fast-finishing Carlton by eight points and Geelong was in a dominant mood against Richmond, winning by 63 points.
The Western Bulldogs accounted for Sydney by 16 points, St Kilda replaced the Lions in the eight with an eight-point win over Port Adelaide and Fremantle won the western derby by 33 points against West Coast.
Franklin and Mitchell would both be worthy contenders for the weekend’s best performance. But the honour should probably lie with Matthew Lloyd, whose eight goals and mark of the year contender were crucial to Essendon’s sixth win from the last seven games.
Hawthorn 17.14 (116) d Collingwood 8.14 (62)
The Lions’ round 19 opponent Hawthorn continues to firm as the most likely challenger to Geelong after accounting for Collingwood by nine goals at the MCG on Friday night. Kickstarted by a six goal-to-one first quarter, the Hawks had too many winners all over the park and Buddy Franklin’s eight goals took his season tally to 85. After looking a top-four contender only a few weeks ago, the Magpies now look no certainties for the eight.
Essendon 19.10 (124) d Melbourne 17.6 (108)
It’s no great surprise that Matthew Lloyd’s fortunes have mirrored that of Essendon’s this year – nor that the skipper’s eight goals and towering mark coincided with a 16-point win over Melbourne that keeps the Bombers within reach of the finals. Melbourne still look destined for the wooden spoon but a succession of plucky displays will have given Demons fans hope for the future.
Adelaide 13.16 (94) d Carlton 12.14 (86)
If Carlton end up missing the 2008 finals, then the Blues and their supporters are likely to be left ruing this close defeat. After allowing the Crows to kick six goals in the third term and turn for home 24 points to the good, Carlton then unleashed its trademark final quarter surge. Only problem was the radar wasn’t switched on – six straight behinds to end the match and a flood of inaccurate entries into the forward 50m. Gold Coast product Brad Moran booted four goals to be among Adelaide’s best.
Geelong 20.14 (134) d Richmond 10.11 (71)
The in-form Tigers started well, kicking the first two goals of the game and trailing by only two points at quarter-time. But from then on the Cats showed why they are very deserving premiership favourites, kicking 18 goals to eight and clearing out to win by 63 points. Geelong had 12 goal-kickers accounting for its 20 majors.
Western Bulldogs 17.11 (113) d Sydney Swans 14.13 (97)
The Bulldogs weren’t completely at peak form but they still managed to break a two-game losing streak and return to second spot with a 16-point win over the Swans. The Swans actually kicked the first four goals of the game at Manuka Oval, but with Scott Welsh (five goals) and Brad Johnson (four) in fine fettle, the Bulldogs bit back hard and fast – leading by 28 points at half-time on their way to a 14th win of the season.
St Kilda 14.17 (101) d Port Adelaide 14.9 (93)
Any thoughts of Port Adelaide putting the cue back in the rack for the rest of the season were laid to rest with a fighting effort against the now seventh-placed Saints. In a highly entertaining match, the Power led by as much as 21 points in the third quarter against an inaccurate St Kilda, before some inspirational heroics from Luke Ball, Jason Gram and Nick Riewoldt helped the Saints home.
Fremantle 17.14 (116) d West Coast 12.11 (83)
Fremantle farewelled favourite son Shaun McManus in a fitting manner with a 33-point victory over arch-rival West Coast. Freo’s third consecutive win – which took it above Port Adelaide into 13th on the ladder – was set up with a nine-goal first term blitz. Skipper Matthew Pavlich kicked four goals in winning a second straight Glendinning Medal, while foundation squad member McManus bowed out after 228 games.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or the club.
