BOX HILL Hawks spearhead Fergus Greene and Gold Coast full-forward Chris Burgess are set for a one-game shootout to decide the Jim “Frosty” Miller Medal in an interesting side plot to a mouthwatering final round of the Smithy’s VFL home-and-away season this week.

Burgess has led for most of the season but finds himself in second spot on 47 goals after spraying 3.4 in the thrilling win over Southport last week, with Greene’s five-goal haul against Geelong in his 50th VFL game taking him to 49 and within one major of being the first Hawk to kick 50 goals in a season since Mark Passador in 2002.

In fact, if either of them hits what is the new magical milestone in modern footy, they will be the first players to raise the bat in the VFL since Dean Galea kicked 55 for Port Melbourne in 2013, although Aspley’s Matt Hammelmann (42) would almost certainly have got there last year if the season hadn’t been called off halfway through.

Jordan Lisle (40, 2019), Nick Larkey (41, 2018), Lisle (46, 2017), Ahmed Saad (49, 2016), Sam Grimley/Lisle/Liam McBean (42, 2015) and Dan Connors/Grimley (38, 2014) are the medallists since Galea’s 55 (and 65 in 2012).

Jordan Lisle won three Frosty Miller Medals for Port Melbourne. Picture: Port Melbourne Football Club

Casey Demons travel to Queensland to face Brisbane Lions in a top-of-the-table clash which the Lions likely need to win to retain a top two spot and two home finals, with third-placed Southport to start strong favourites against the other Lions from Coburg.

Box Hill Hawks host Sydney with the winner to secure a double chance, while Richmond must beat Frankston at Swinburne Centre on Saturday to put all the pressure on Carlton to knock off Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday to hold onto its spot in the top eight.

Gold Coast's poor percentage means it needs to win the opening game of the round against North Melbourne at Arden St to avoid a nervous 36 hours waiting on other results, while the Magpies could still have a double chance on offer if the Sharks can't beat Coburg.

And Werribee is throwing the gates open to all its supporters and those of the Northern Bullants for their last game of the season at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday.

From last week, the Borough will long remember their 2550th VFA/VFL game after their famous comeback win over Frankston, making the Dolphins’ 200th VFL away game one to forget, while Southport will also want to wipe its 200th NEAFL/VFL game from the memory bank after being run down in the Coast Clash.

Ted Clohesy made his VFL debut for Geelong in the round 21 VFL match between Box Hill and Geelong at Box Hill City Oval on August 13, 2022. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/AFL Photos

And Geelong Falcons youngster Ted Clohesy became the league’s 300th debutant this season when he ran out for the Cats against the Hawks at Box Hill City Oval – claiming that honour on alphabetical order from Nathan Noblett (Port Melbourne), Finn Ryan (Frankston) and Kye Turner (Frankston), whose game was played in the same timeslot.

North Melbourne has extra motivation to put a nail in Gold Coast’s finals hopes, with co-captain Kade Answerth to play his 100th VFL match, while Southport’s Mitch Johnson could bring up his 150th NEAFL/VFL goal if he can kick three against Coburg.

This week’s Carlton v Collingwood MCG showdown – which the Blues need to win to guarantee a finals berth and the Magpies must salute to have a chance to pinch a top four spot back – will be Collingwood’s 50th VFA/VFL match at a neutral venue.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

FROSTY MILLER MEDAL LEADING GOALKICKER

49 Fergus Greene (Box) 5
47 Chris Burgess (GC) 3
37 Ben Cavarra (Box) 1
32 Joel Amartey (Syd) 2
32 Ben Crocker (Car) 0
32 Sam Day (GC) dnp
31 Jacob Townsend (Sou) 2
30 Mitch Brown (Cas) 1
30 Shannon Neale (Gee) 2
29 Billy Gowers (Sou) 2
28 Jacob van Rooyen (Cas) 0
27 Hudson Garoni (Wer) 1
27 Joel Ottavi (Wil) bye
27 Alex Sexton (GC) 3
25 Kade Chandler (Cas) dnp
25 Sam Fowler (Col) dnp
24 Kaine Baldwin (Ess) 0
24 Jack Boyd (NB) bye
24 Noah Cumberland (Ric) bye
24 Jake Gasper (PM) 3
24 Max Pescud (Sou) 2
24 Josh Schache (Foo) bye
23 Ned Cahill (Car) 0
23 Matt Signorello (PM) 1
22 Blake Coleman (BL) 2
22 Tom Fullarton (BL) 3
22 Ollie Henry (Col) 0
22 Bailey Laurie (Cas) 1
22 Brodie McLaughlin (Fra) 3
22 Jean-Luc Velissaris (NB) bye
21 Shaun Mannagh (Wer) 0
21 Ben Ronke (Syd) 1
20 Oliver Lowe (San) 4
20 Mat Walker (NM) dnp

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 21 PLAYER MILESTONES

  • 100 VFL matches: Mitch White (Casey Demons)/67 goals
  • 50 VFL matches: Fergus Greene (Box Hill Hawks-Footscray)/110 goals
  • 50 NEAFL/VFL matches: James Bell (Sydney)/33 goals (33 N/17 V)
  • 50 NEAFL/VFL goals: Sam Wicks (Sydney)/54 matches (39 N/11V)
Port Melbourne Borough's Anthony Anastasio celebrates a crucial goal during the 2022 VFL Round 14 match against Werribee Tigers at ETU Stadium on June 24, 2022. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 21 CLUB MILESTONES

  • Port Melbourne played its 2550th VFA/VFL match (1512-988-50)
  • Frankston played its 200th VFL away match (65-134-1)
  • Southport played its 200th NEAFL/VFL match (115-85)
  • Sydney/South Melbourne extended its winning run v Collingwood to 126 years (last loss October 3, 1896)
  • Casey Demons extended their winning run v Carlton to 21 years (last loss August 18, 2001)
  • Box Hill Hawks defeated Geelong for the sixth time in a row (last loss June 19, 2016)
  • Casey Demons v Carlton happened at Casey Fields for the first time (1-0)
  • Casey Demons took the lead v Carlton (3-2)
  • Collingwood squared its VFL away record (63-63)
  • Essendon defeated Werribee at Windy Hill for the first time (1-2)
  • Gold Coast v Southport happened at Metricon in the VFL for the first time (1-0)
  • Gold Coast squared its VFL record v Southport (1-1)
  • North Melbourne extended its undefeated record v Coburg to 5-0
  • Sandringham v Brisbane Lions happened for the first time (0-1)
  • Southport fell behind on NEAFL/VFL away matches (46-47)
  • Sydney took a lead in its VFL record (14-13)
  • Sydney/South Melbourne extended its undefeated home record v Collingwood to 5-0-1

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 21 RECORDS

(Figures in brackets are the previous record)

  • 5.3 33 Carlton's lowest score v Casey Demons (6.11 47, Princes Park, 2001)
  • 9.10 64 Coburg's lowest score v North Melbourne at Coburg City Oval (9.18 72, 2018)
  • 9.10 64 Collingwood's highest score v Sydney/South Melbourne (8.5 53, SCG, 2021)
  • 10.14 74 Essendon's lowest score v Werribee at Windy Hill (11.9 75, 2015)
  • 58 North Melbourne's biggest win v Coburg (57, Chirnside Park, 2018; 52, Coburg City Oval, 2018)
  • 10.7 67 Sydney's lowest score v Collingwood at the SCG (13.8 86, 2021)
  • 10.9 69 Werribee's lowest score v Essendon at Windy Hill (16.6 102, 2016)

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 21 DEBUTS

(Round 21 total: 7. Season total: 304. NEAFL games counted)

  • Brisbane Lions (7): Darryl McDowell-White
  • Essendon (24): Alwyn Davey Jnr
  • Frankston (13): Finn Ryan, Kye Turner
  • Geelong (27): Ted Clohesy
  • North Melbourne (18): Paddy Cross
  • Port Melbourne (8): Nathan Noblett
Zach Reid of the Bombers and Luke Parker of the Swans collide during the round nine AFL match between the Sydney Swans and the Essendon Bombers at Sydney Cricket Ground on May 14, 2022. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images via AFL Photos

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 21 FIRST GOALS

(Round 21 total: 7. Season total: 260. NEAFL goals counted)

  • Box Hill Hawks (14): Max Walton (7th)
  • Carlton (15): Patrick Dozzi (5th)
  • Casey Demons (15): Jake Bowey (11th)
  • Essendon (24): Alwyn Davey Jnr (debut), Zach Reid (15th)
  • Frankston (10): Lachy Riley (8th)
  • Geelong (17): Ted Clohesy (debut)

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 22 MILESTONES

  • 50 VFA/VFL neutral matches: Collingwood (22-27)

SMITHY’S VFL POSSIBLE ROUND 22 MILESTONES

  • 350 VFA/VFL losses: North Melbourne (448-349-69)
  • 50 VFA/VFL away losses: Sydney (77-49-24)
  • 100 VFL matches: Kade Answerth (North Melbourne/Sandringham) 41 goals
  • 100 NEAFL/VFL matches: Nil
  • 50 VFL matches: Charlie Constable (Gold Coast/Geelong) 14 goals. Jay Lockhart (Southport/Casey Demons) 27 goals. Sam McLarty (Coburg/Essendon/Williamstown/Collingwood) 26 goals. Jack McHale (Sandringham/Frankston) 9 goals.
  • 50 NEAFL/VFL matches: Sam Naismith (Sydney) 44 goals – 47 N/2 V
  • 150 NEAFL/VFL goals: Mitch Johnson (Southport) needs 3
  • 100 VFL goals: Wylie Buzza (Brisbane Lions/Werribee/Geelong) needs 1; Billy Gowers (Southport/Footscray/Northern Bullants) needs 2; Corey Rich (Williamstown/Frankston/Sandringham) needs 8
  • 100 NEAFL/VFL goals: Mike Manteit (Southport/Sydney Uni/Sydney/Collingwood) needs 7
  • 50 VFL goals: Jed Anderson (North Melbourne/Box Hill Hawks) needs 1; Matt Hanson (Werribee) needs 1; Chris Burgess (Gold Coast) needs 2; Joe Maishman (Werribee) needs 2; Bayley Fritsch (Casey Demons) needs 4; Matt Signorello (Port Melbourne) needs 4; Mitch Wooffindin (Port Melbourne) needs 4; Dan Butler (Sandringham/Richmond/North Ballarat) needs 5; Bailey Dale (Footscray) needs 5; Hudson Garoni (Werribee) needs 5; Paddy McCartin (Sydney/Essendon/Sandringham) needs 5; Jackson McLachlan (Geelong) needs 5; James Stewart (Essendon) needs 6; Kade Chandler (Casey Demons) needs 8; Jesse Hogan (GWS/Casey Demons) needs 9.
  • 50 NEAFL/VFL goals: Tom Fullarton (Brisbane Lions) needs 2; Chris Burgess (Gold Coast) needs 3; Reuben William (Werribee/Footscray/Brisbane Lions) needs 6

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

All Smithy’s VFL matches in 2022 are live streamed free. Two matches this week will be screened on Channel 7 and 7Plus, while all other matches are live and available on demand via afl.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. Radio stations 3WBC 94.1 and Casey Radio 97.7FM also broadcast matches.
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