AFL Record Round 15, 2023

THE RISE & RISE OF JACK SINCLAIR

ONE WEEK TIME

News from in and around the AFL

PAUSE ON CATS’ OBITS

Geelong’s loss to Port Adelaide last Thursday was as dispiriting as any by the club in recent years.

After a bright opening and establishing a 20-point lead, the Cats fell in a hole at Adelaide Oval, outscored 14.8 to 5.4 for the rest of the game.

The final margin was 38 points and it was difficult viewing for supporters as they watched their team thoroughly worked over by the Power.

There was the feel of the premiership torch being passed from one team to the next as Port flexed its considerable muscle towards the end of the second term and then blew the Cats away in the third with a burst of football as impressive as any played this season.

It didn’t help the Cats that skipper Patrick Dangerfield, in his first game back for a month, suffered a cracked rib and a partly collapsed lung after a crunching tackle in the second term that will keep him out for up to six weeks.

With ruckman Jonathon Ceglar a pre-game withdrawal, the Cats

u It’s a big week for two teams coming to Melbourne this weekend with the calendar starting to flick over into late June and just a couple of months until finals.

While it’s not exactly a September dress rehearsal for the Brisbane Lions and the Adelaide Crows, their performances this week against St Kilda and

lacked bite around the midfield and Port’s stirring second half, with the benefit of hindsight, was no major surprise.

Coach Chris Scott was concerned enough with what he saw to give his team a rare bake at the final change, but to no avail.

The loss keeps Geelong in 10th place with a 6-7 record, a game out of the eight.

But the obituary writers are nowhere to be found, and rightly so, because the Cats have one remaining ace up their sleeve – six more home games at GMHBA Stadium, starting with Thursday night’s blockbuster against Melbourne.

This was supposed to be the year the fully redeveloped stadium was open with its full 40,000-seat capacity and Thursday night’s game was set to feature it in all its glory.

But construction delays blew it out by 12 months, which means that all but a few hundred of the 21,000 or so at the game on Thursday will be Geelong supporters.

The Cats will need all the help they can get from here as their season continues to flag, but six games on their narrow home deck is a big help.

They’re 2-1 at home this year and 80-14 since Scott took over as coach in 2011.

Their home ground advantage is the most pronounced in the AFL, so if they can win at home from here – North Melbourne, Essendon, Fremantle, Port and the Western Bulldogs also still need to make the trip down the highway – they’ll remain in finals contention until round 24 is done and dusted.

Thursday night won’t come easily. The third-placed Demons won at

Collingwood respectively will be keenly watched and analysed.

The Lions will be thankful their Friday night date is at Marvel Stadium rather than the MCG, where they have won just once in their past 14 starts.

Since starting their finals run under Chris Fagan in 2019, the Lions are a creditable 7-2 at Marvel Stadium while they are 1-7 in the same timeframe

at the MCG – and 45-8 at the Gabba since 2019.

That overall scenario, while a mix of big ticks and some disturbing crosses (read their MCG record), paints a picture of a club that must put a decent stamp on its run home to the finals in 2023.

Geelong as recently as 2021 – albeit without a crowd due to COVID-19 restrictions – and their confidence is sky-high after their epic King’s Birthday win over Collingwood. Clayton Oliver and Harrison Petty should be back to further strengthen the team.

St Kilda enters Friday night’s home game against Brisbane Lions lamenting a similar fate last week to the Cats.

comeback coach Ross Lyon, so the form line suggests a win. If only it was that easy.

The Saints have gone L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W-L since starting with four wins to open their 2023 campaign under

Adelaide is putting together its best season since its Grand Final year of 2017 but has just one win on the road –a three-point escape against Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium in round six.

What better time to shine than on Sunday at the MCG against the Magpies?

ASHLEY BROWNE

It’s been a short journey together. As long as we learn from tonight

ST

KILDA COACH ROSS LYON AFTER LAST WEEK’S

LOSS TO RICHMOND

WOUNDED WARRIOR: Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield will be out for several weeks after suffering a cracked rib and a partly collapsed lung last week.

The Saints started brightly against Richmond but were soon blown away by a Tiger team hellbent on celebrating Trent Cotchin’s 300th game in style.

The loss keeps them in fifth, a game behind the fourth-placed Lions, who overcame their own tardy start to down Sydney at home last week.

The Lions are unbeaten at the Gabba this year, but away from home is a different story.

As recently as a fortnight ago they lost to Hawthorn by 25 points at the MCG and they really need a decent scalp on the road.

That prompted the hard call by veteran pair Daniel Rich and Jack Gunston to drop themselves, but the inclusion of first-gamer Jaspa Fletcher and fellow youngster Kai Lohmann seemed to invigorate the Lions and that

might translate to continued good form at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.

Spud’s Game is always a big occasion for the Saints, but it is the footy itself that really matters for them this week.

Another loss and their hopes of a top-four finish will be severely dented.

The most disappointing team without question last week was Fremantle, which was comprehensively beaten in every aspect of the game by the GWS Giants in Sydney to slump to a second consecutive defeat.

According to Dockers coach Justin Longmuir it started with the preparation leading into the game and it went downhill from there.

The Dockers were smashed in the middle, but the likely return of

AFL Rising Star

DARCY WILMOT BRISBANE LIONS

The Brisbane Lions have received their second AFL Rising Star nomination for the season, with Darcy Wilmot named the round 14 nominee.

He had 19 disposals, four marks and 447 metres gained in last Friday night’s 16-point win over Sydney at the Gabba.

He has been in a good patch of form, having had 18 touches against Hawthorn the week before.

Wilmot made his AFL debut in last year’s elimination final against Richmond and he became just the second player in League history whose first three games were finals.

He has played every game since and this year averages 4.8 intercepts, 268 metres gained and 3.2 marks a game.

He joined the Lions with the 16th selection in the 2021 NAB AFL Draft from the Northern Knights.

He played his club football with Montmorency and juniors with Yarrambat in the Northern Football League.

Teammate Will Ashcroft was the Lions’ other nominee, in round two.

ASHLEY BROWNE

ruckman Sean Darcy on Saturday night should get them going in that part of the ground once more.

They host Essendon at Optus Stadium, with Bomber fans starting to get a bit excited off the back of four successive wins, with arch-rivals Richmond and Carlton among the vanquished.

There are questions about whether Essendon’s game-plan will stack up in big contests later in the year, but in their last match against the Blues before the bye, they welcomed back 2022 best and fairest winner Peter Wright from injury and he booted five goals.

He helps straighten the Bombers up and gives their supporters hope of not just making the finals, but perhaps winning one for the first time since 2004.

Spud’s Game is always a big occasion, but it is the footy itself that really matters

SCOTT JOINS COACHING GREATS

LAURENCE ROSEN

Chris Scott adds another achievement to his bulging resume when he coaches

Geelong for the 300th time on Thursday night against Melbourne.

Scott, a dual premiership coach and one of the Cats’ most defining figures of a generation, will become just the 24th man in AFL/VFL history to coach 300 matches.

The blockbuster will see Scott become the second Geelong coach to reach 300 games behind the legendary Reg Hickey (304).

ROUND 15 MILESTONES

300 GAMES AS COACH

CHRIS SCOTT GEELONG

Scott will become the 24th person to coach 300 VFL/AFL games and the second for Geelong after Reg Hickey.

150 GAMES

BRAD CROUCH ST KILDA/ADELAIDE

SAM DAY GOLD COAST

JAMES HARMES

MELBOURNE

100 GAMES

JORDAN DAWSON

ADELAIDE/SYDNEY

It has been a fruitful 12 months for Scott, who last year guided Geelong to a premiership and broke Hickey’s record for most wins as Cats coach (184).

Scott has one of the most enviable records of any current senior coach – he is going at 71.6 per cent in home and away matches and 69.2 per cent overall.

While Geelong will no doubt quietly acknowledge the important milestone, the Cats have greater business to attend to in the opening game of round 15 as the premiers of the past two seasons square off at GMHBA Stadium.

The Cats are languishing in 10th spot – a game outside the top eight – and are badly in need of a win as they look to keep their chances of defending their premiership alive.

As they continue to battle through injury issues, news of Patrick Dangerfield’s injury setback – he suffered a partially collapsed lung and cracked rib in last Thursday night’s loss to Port Adelaide – will only compound the club’s issues.

“I’ve missed enough footy over the last couple of years, it does

become this frustration and every time you get rolling all of a sudden there’s a hiccup,” the Geelong captain said on SEN’s Whateley.

“This is (a) first-world problem and there have been players that have had far more injury-riddled careers than I have, but I certainly get the frustrations.”

In another coaching milestone, Chris Fagan will oversee Brisbane Lions for the 150th time when they take on St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.

ROWAN MARSHALL ST KILDA

150 GAMES AS COACH

CHRIS FAGAN

BRISBANE LIONS

MOST GAMES – INDIGENOUS PLAYERS

LANCE FRANKLIN

SYDNEY/HAWTHORN

Set to play game No. 351, passing Eddie Betts into outright third most AFL/VFL games by indigenous players behind Shaun Burgoyne (407) and Adam Goodes (372).

CONSECUTIVE GAMES

JACK CRISP

COLLINGWOOD/ BRISBANE LIONS

Crisp is set to play his 202nd consecutive match, moving to equal fourth alongside Richmond’s Jack Titus.

NUMBERS MEN: Chris Scott will coach Geelong for the 300th time while Chris Fagan (inset) brings up game No. 150 for the Brisbane Lions.

CROWS, ROOS SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE

Adelaide and North Melbourne are at various stages of their list rebuilds, but both clubs have received strong endorsements about the direction they are heading with a slew of player re-signings.

At the Crows, they have been headlined by Jake Soligo.

So impressive is his progression through the midfield that the Crows have extended his contract, which was due to expire in 2025, until 2029.

“He’s really added to our midfield with his mixture of toughness and class and we are thrilled he’s committed to the club long-term as our young group emerges together,” Adelaide’s general manager of list management and strategy Justin Reid said.

The Crows have also moved swiftly to extend the contract of Max Michalanney, the club’s first father-son selection.

Defender Michalanney, 19, made his debut in round one, is yet to miss a match and has earned an AFL Rising Star nomination.

He signed a two-year deal after the draft, but another two years has been added to that, keeping him at the club until at least the end of 2026.

Midfielder Harry Schoenberg has also had his deal extended by

two years and will be at Adelaide at least until the end of 2025.

Spearhead Nick Larkey is the key re-signing at the Kangaroos.

He has turned his back on free agency with a five-year deal that keeps him at Arden St until the end of 2029.

He is one of the great draft steals in North’s history after it selected him with pick No. 73 in 2016 and he has gone on to kick 159 goals in 85 games.

“It’s an awesome feeling … I can’t believe I’m going to be a player here for that long,” he said.

“I never would have thought my career would go this way or I’d have the chance to play at North Melbourne until I’m at least 30.

“So, I’m really humbled, honoured and excited for the next five years.”

Teammate Jy Simpkin has also made a long-term commitment to the Kangaroos, with a five-year deal until the end of 2029.

The midfielder is North’s co-captain and a dual Syd Barker medallist.

Rapidly emerging midfielder George Wardlaw and promising key forward Charlie Comben have also signed two-year contract extensions.

ASHLEY BROWNE

u FOOTY FUNNIES – Bob Dikkenberg

LONG-TERM ROO: Exciting forward Nick Larkey will be a Kangaroo for at least five more years.

NO-GO CROW: Jake Soligo has extended his contract until the end of 2029.

GATHER ROUND DATES CONFIRMED

Footy fans across the country have been rushing to travel websites this week after the AFL and the South Australian government announced the dates for Gather Round 2024 on Monday.

The second Festival of Footy, where all nine matches are played in South Australia, will be held one round and two weeks earlier next year, from Thursday-Sunday, April 4-7.

The earlier date has been locked in early to coincide with the middle weekend of Victorian, Queensland and West Australian school holidays and to give footy fans plenty of time to make their plans.

All nine matches sold out this year, with more than 60,000 people travelling from interstate and a combined 268,000 people attending the footy – no mean feat when you consider the AFL’s 49th and 50th venues – Norwood Oval (two matches) and Mount Barker’s Summit Sports Park (one) – only hold 12,000 and 7500 respectively.

And it really was a Festival of Footy, with supporters of all 18 clubs enjoying a wonderful weekend where friendship, camaraderie and bantering were on show wherever you looked – in fact, at one hotel on the Saturday night, drinkers spent two hours singing the club songs of their rival clubs virtually without taking a breath.

“South Australia really turned it on (this year) – all the activity across the state, the nine matches, the footy festival and the community football engagement were some of the best days and events the AFL has ever delivered,” AFL CEO elect Andrew Dillon said.

“It was said to me so many times that the city itself felt like a Grand Final week, 18 times over, because every club in the competition was part of the build-up, the energy and the delivery, and every supporter base had their moment in the sun for their particular game.

“The opportunity ahead is to build on this, and by locking it in to South Australia and today announcing the dates for 2024, we are giving everyone a longer runway to put together a bigger and even better event, and our fans certainty around booking travel and accommodation.”

Monday’s announcement coincided with the release of the documentary Inside Gather Round: A Festival of Footy, which takes people inside the fun and excitement of Gather Round 2023, both on and off the field, which can be viewed at AFL.com.au.

South Australian Premier and active footballer Peter Malinauskas urged footy fans not to wait if they wanted to be part of what is a weekend to savour for anyone who follows the greatest game of all.

“The inaugural Gather Round was a success beyond anyone’s expectations,” he said.

“The event contributed tens of millions of dollars into the state’s economy and helped fill hotels, bars and restaurants.

“The atmosphere was simply incredible and the only way to truly experience it is by being here.

“Book your flights, book your accommodation and start planning your trip to South Australia because Gather Round 2024 promises to be even bigger than this year.”

PICTURESQUE: Those who packed Summit Sports Park at Mount Barker (above and bottom) enjoyed a great country footy atmosphere, while thousands crammed into the Footy Festival back in Adelaide (right and below).

BRENDAN RHODES

As St Kilda prepares for a big week to celebrate Spud’s Game, star defender

Jack Sinclair is helping to drive the standards that could produce September action for the Saints.

ASHLEY BROWNE

The 2020 season was like no other in the history of the game.

It was long and interrupted. It was dislocated. It was a season that most AFL players could not wait to put behind them.

But for St Kilda’s Jack Sinclair, 2020 was the season that made him.

It wasn’t as though he hadn’t played much until then.

He entered that season with 84 games under his belt, but he had been thrown around a fair bit – half-forward, wing and inside midfielder; his name appeared all over the team sheet and then in games all over the field.

It even took some time off in 2020.

He was named an emergency for the first seven games and with no other real football being played that year, he had to bide his time.

Upon his return to the team, he played every game for the rest of the season, one which ended with the Saints playing finals for the first time since 2011.

The move to half-back came about late in the pre-season of 2021.

As Sinclair explained in an interview with the AFL Record, it was simply a matter of then coach Brett Ratten telling him it was something he wanted to try for a couple of weeks.

“I guess I haven’t moved out of there since,” he said.

The Saints had an abundance of pure midfielders, but Sinclair was too good a player not to carve a niche for himself elsewhere on the ground.

He took his game to another level in 2021, finishing second in the best and fairest, and went one better last season, claiming the best and fairest and his first All-Australian blazer.

Since 2019, his average disposals a game have leapt from 16.8 to 28.2.

With his speed on the ball, footy smarts and ability to pinch-hit through the middle, he has become an essential ingredient at the Saints and a key part of what Ross Lyon is trying to build in the first year of his second stint as St Kilda coach.

The coaches love him.

It’s a cerebral brand of footy required by Lyon, especially by the back six, and Sinclair said only partly in jest that, “we bring the notebooks to the meetings and we take notes.”

He hears the talk about how smartly he plays the game, which

St Kilda assistant coach Lenny Hayes recently told The Age was at the level of former Hawthorn champions Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell.

Hayes, of course, was no slouch in that department either during his decorated career with the Saints.

“I feel like naturally I’m a pretty composed player so I make good decisions and I think naturally people think you’ve got footy smarts,” Sinclair said.

“But what are footy smarts? It’s kind of hard to say.

“Certainly moving into defence the past couple years, I wouldn’t have been too confident down there initially in terms of my decision-making and things like that.

“But it’s definitely developed over the past few years and playing a number of positions helps.

“I think I’m just someone who’s probably got a good awareness of the state of the game and what’s required to challenge the opposition and to sort of play without risk at times.”

Half-back is the new glamour position of the AFL. Those with brains, speed and skill need apply. Interceptors are welcome as well.

“These days it is a pretty good spot to be, certainly up around the footy a lot as the highest defender,” Sinclair said.

“So the opportunity’s been massive and I guess there’s a lot of belief, not just within myself but also for my teammates to trust me to play there, to be a good defender first and foremost and to get the ball in my hands when it’s appropriate.”

What are footy smarts? It’s kind of hard to say

JACK SINCLAIR

YOUNG STAR: Sinclair in action for the Oakleigh Chargers in 2014, the year before he was drafted.

DOWNPLAYS HIS ‘FOOTY SMARTS’ TAG

RISK-FREE SAINT: Jack Sinclair says he likes to “play without risk” at times.

He has learned plenty from his line coach Corey Enright, who played in three Geelong premierships and won six All-Australian blazers while plying his trade across half-back.

“At the end of the day, you can’t defend everything,” he said of Enright’s main coaching mantra.

“He’s just about managing the risk of it, being smart, let the opposition have it in certain spots, but we can’t give up everything.

“It’s about trying to be smart about the way we defend, not giving easy goals out the back and really trying to make the opposition have to work to score.

“He’s given me a lot of belief in my ability to defend.”

Enright is the main holdover from Ratten’s coaching staff from last season.

Ratten’s departure, both its nature and timing, shocked the players and Lyon’s arrival left them a bit on edge.

“The new coach, what’s he going to think of you? Does he rate you, does he not?” is what Sinclair remembers pondering at the time.

“But at the end of the day, I just had to come back to training and show why I’ve been playing well

the past few years. So nothing really changed for me.”

So far, so good. Through 13 games, the Saints are 8-5 and in fifth place and looking reasonable things for a return to the finals.

When asked what the team is doing best so far in 2023, Sinclair said it was work rate.

“Our ability to support the ball and get numbers to the footy was a real strength of ours and when it dropped off recently, we had some really poor performances,” he said.

SUPER TUTOR: Sinclair has five All-Australian blazers to go to match his assistant coach and former Geelong star Corey Enright (above), but he won a maiden one in 2022 (right); and (below) showing the style that suggests he is on target for more honours in 2023.

“If we can get numbers to the ball, we’re able to use it and I think we’re strong defensively.”

Sinclair, 28, is in his first year as part of the leadership group at the Saints.

When he looks around the locker room he sees that only Jack Billings – his best mate from their days at the Kew Comets and Scotch College – Seb Ross, Tim Membrey and Jimmy Webster have been at the club for longer.

He feels a sense of responsibility towards St Kilda through family ties as well.

While he grew up a Carlton supporter, his late grandfather Bill Gleeson played 14 games for the Saints in the mid-1950s.

Sinclair lives in Melbourne’s inner southeast, in the heart of the club’s supporter base, and he doesn’t need to stray too far from home to understand it is a region with deep affection for the club.

He gets the romance of St Kilda and admits how great it would be to be part of the team that wins that elusive second premiership.

“If we were the next group to do it, yeah, I think it’d be pretty special,” he said.

“But you can’t look too far ahead.

“I know last year we had a really good first half of the year and we probably got ahead of ourselves and it all unravelled, so as good as it is to think about it, we haven’t really achieved anything yet.”

JACK SINCLAIR

Born: February 2, 1995

Recruited from: (Vic)/Old Scotch (Vic)/ Oakleigh U18

Debut: Round 1, 2015, v GWS Giants

Height: 181cm

Weight: 82kg

Games: 154

Goals: 51

Honours: best and fairest 2022; 2nd best and fairest 2021; All-Australian 2022. Brownlow Medal: career votes 9.

THE MANE MAN

Jack Sinclair’s first conversation with his new coach wasn’t about the footy.

Perhaps it is another sign of his new, cuddly approach that Ross Lyon, like so many in footy, first wanted to discuss his new half-back’s luscious mane –Scotch College-style short sides at the front, full-flowing mullet at the back.

“I’d been away so I missed his presser here when he was first announced, so I just introduced myself and he said, ‘Oh, your hair’s long, isn’t it?’” Sinclair recalled of their first meeting the opening day of pre-season training at St Kilda last summer. His hairstyle is a remaining vestige of 2020, when the Saints relocated to Noosa for the duration of the COVID-affected season.

Perhaps former teammate Dean Kent can be credited (or blamed depending on your taste in hair) but he was the appointed in-house barber at the Saints and he was cutting the players’ hair.

“I just started growing it out really because of that and he kept giving me a little freshen up on the sides,” he said.

“After that I just kept growing it and maybe, I think it was February 2021, I just cut the top and left the back.

“There was never a moment of real inspiration. I just wanted to do something different.”

It might also be a touch of rebellion.

“Being a Scotch College boy, I had to keep it pretty clean for all my school years,” Sinclair said.

“I probably didn’t think it was going to hang around, but yeah, here we are three years later.”

ASHLEY BROWNE

BEFORE AND AFTER:

Sinclair preferred a short-look hairstyle back in 2016 (top) but now his locks are of the free-flowing variety.

@hashbrowne

BILL GLEESON

HONOURING SPUD

Friday night’s game between St Kilda and the Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium will also be the third annual Spud’s Game.

The Saints will honour the memory of their beloved former skipper Danny Frawley, who died in 2019 after a long battle with his mental health.

Events in the lead-up and during the evening, including a two-minute delay to the start of the game, will provide support for all those in the community who have and are experiencing mental ill-health.

St Kilda is helping to raise money to support community impact and achieve better mental health outcomes for the community – and it started with the second annual Spud’s Lunch last Friday, which raised $222,000.

Speakers included Emma Murray, Garry Lyon, Jason Dunstall, ‘Spud’s’ wife Anita and daughter Chelsea and Justin Koschitzke.

Statistics show two in five Australians will experience mental health issues at some stage in their lifetime. Suicide is the leading cause of death among Australians aged 15-44, while nine Australians lose their life to suicide every day.

Stage two of the Danny Frawley Centre has opened at St Kilda’s RSEA Moorabbin headquarters and now includes a gym, meditation and Pilates studios as well as consulting suites for DFC

Psychology which will launch in the coming months.

Money raised over the past two years has helped facilitate more than 200 mental health programs and reached more than 8000 people from local and regional schools, sporting clubs and businesses – many of these programs were delivered by Frawley’s daughters Chelsea and Danielle together with Koschitzke, a former Saints player.

Long-term, the DFC staff are looking to further establish and grow their suite of mental fitness programs, which includes training more facilitators.

Their aim is to also increase awareness of the benefits of preventative mental health tools.

A key part of Friday night’s activities will be the first Spud’s

To make a donation, visit shoutforgood.com/fundraisers/spudsgame

CODY WEIGHTMAN

NORTH MELBOURNE v WESTERN BULLDOGS Marvel Stadium, June 18

u Last Sunday marked 50 AFL matches for Cody Weightman. But more importantly for Western Bulldogs fans, it also produced a career-high six goals for the small forward as Luke Beveridge’s team registered its eighth win of the season.

The Bulldogs struggled throughout the first quarter, with North Melbourne jumping out of the blocks.

Weightman, 22, mirrored his team early on, looking good but booting just two behinds in the first quarter.

The wheels started to turn in the second term, with Weightman kicking his first two goals of the game.

The Kangaroos fought back in the third term, but again the difference was Weightman with another three goals leading into the final break.

One more major in the final term helped seal the deal, with the forward pocket’s haul of 6.3 a game-high.

Weightman also brought his teammates into the clash as they saw off a determined North Melbourne challenge.

From his 13 disposals, he produce 11 score involvements. Marcus Bontempelli and Adam Treloar had 14 and 13 respectively, but each had more than 30 disposals.

In a game that was only decided by 21 points, Weightman’s performance kept the Bulldogs within a game of the top four.

SEB MOTTRAM

AFL TRIVIA QUESTION #9

Who won the 2022 Norm Smith Medal (best player in the Grand Final)?

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WHO’S FLYING

Each week throughout the 2023 season we will present Who’s Flying, a series of stories which will encapsulate everything that is good about our great game. It could be a star player, a coach who has inspired his men or a team that is – pardon the pun – flying. BRENDAN RHODES looks at star Carlton duo Sam Docherty and Adam Cerra.

Si x losses in a row and eight in nine weeks, with the only outlier a thumping of what was basically an average WAFL team (an injury-riddled West Coast) – Carlton’s form could not have been worse.

Despite starting the season as predicted top-four contenders, the Blues kicked themselves out of several games and reached their ocean floor with a disappointing effort in a round 13 loss to Essendon.

Then they were completely outplayed in the first quarter by Gold Coast at the MCG last Sunday, with only the Suns’ profligacy keeping them closer than 10 points.

Then it happened.

Harry McKay kicked his first goal in his 100th AFL match in the opening minute of the second quarter and Carlton exploded with arguably the most devastating single quarter this year.

The Blues kicked 9.3 to 0.3 and at one stage added four goals without the visitors even touching it.

It was irresistible.

Carlton had winners everywhere – McKay kicked three goals, Tom De Koning two in his 50th game, Patrick Cripps burst his

malaise with 27 touches and three goals, Sam Walsh had 29 and five clearances, Matthew Kennedy 27 and nine clearances and Jacob Weitering blanketed Ben King for three-and-a-half quarters.

But the stars of the show were Adam Cerra and Sam Docherty, who sparked the remarkable revival and dragged their teammates along for the ride.

Docherty’s rebounding work off half-back was a sight to behold as he regularly set up Carlton forward thrusts on his way to 32 disposals, nine marks, eight rebound 50s and a game-high 518 metres gained.

Cerra’s work in the middle, meanwhile, was unbridled class – most of his eight clearances were won in that second quarter onslaught, and whenever the Blues needed a hero he was there, dominating for 27 disposals and 459 metres gained while sneaking forward for two crucial goals. While it is still a long way back for the Blues to save their season, especially with a largely difficult fixture to come, if they can find more 30-minute bursts like the one last Sunday it will take a special effort from a special team to stop them.

FOOTY FUN FACTS

A Boeing 737800 carries 174 passengers, meaning it could carry almost eight AFL teams at the same time.

MIDFIELD BEAST: Adam Cerra had five centre clearances in the second quarter alone to spark Carlton’s season to life.

STARRING ROLE: Sam Docherty led from the front, with his overlap and gut running starting many of the Blues’ forward thrusts.

What I’m thinking

with Ashley Browne

Hit and miss Suns still in mix

Not for the first time, Gold Coast missed an opportunity at the MCG last weekend. Carlton was down and almost out, having lost its previous six games and with the general mood of its supporters shifting from anxiety to downright anger.

Had the Suns kicked straight, their 10-point lead at quarter-time could have been considerably greater, but based on general play in the opening stanza, they appeared to be 90 minutes off ending the weekend out of the eight only on percentage.

But what followed was a rampage, a 9.3 to 0.3 second term by the Blues, the second-most dominant quarter by any team this season.

It was the Blues who left the ground at the end of the game to rapturous applause while the vanquished Suns were soon the subject of more commentary around their wretched history, highlighted as always by their failure to make the finals since entering the AFL in 2011.

Gold Coast’s capitulation was even more disappointing considering what a fine fortnight it had enjoyed coming into last week’s game.

Playing out of their second home at TIO Stadium, the Suns enjoyed impressive wins over Western Bulldogs and Adelaide.

They outmuscled and out-hunted two clubs firmly in the mix to play finals this year.

But where the external noise around the Suns projected all sorts of doom and gloom, and not withstanding that there is a real urgency within the club to smash that finals hoodoo once and for all, what was telling in the aftermath of the loss to the Blues was the messaging, one of it being a “missed opportunity”. Nothing more. Nothing less.

It was just a bad day at the football, the type every club, even ladder leaders Port Adelaide and Collingwood, have experienced this year.

Coach Stuart Dew handled the post-match questions with aplomb.

He’s had plenty of practice at facing up after difficult defeats, but he spoke earnestly and with confidence last Sunday.

There was no suggestion he is a coach under pressure because in his mind he isn’t.

“I don’t think we’ve failed the test; we’ve lost a game of footy that we’d like to have won,” he said.

“Could we have played a lot better? Certainly. If we were to lose, we would have liked to have lost with a little bit more fight than we showed today.”

The post-match questions were the right ones.

The Suns are one of a bunch of mid-table teams that could yet make the finals, or flounder to a bottomfive finish.

Look at Fremantle – world-beaters after knocking over Melbourne three weeks ago and now mired in 13th place after dreadful outings against Richmond and GWS Giants.

It is probably time for the narrative around the Suns to change and it starts with the coach. He shouldn’t be seen as soon-to-be-unemployed with every defeat.

Nor should there be this assumption that Damien Hardwick is ready and waiting to take his job. What often gets forgotten in the hysteria around coaching tenures is the incredibly deep ties many AFL coaches share.

Dew and Hardwick are close friends –Port Adelaide premiership teammates in 2004 who later reunited as player and assistant coach in Hawthorn’s 2008 premiership year and who more recently chose to pair up on Fox Footy’s AFL360 coaches’ night appearances. When Hardwick stepped away from the Tigers last month, Dew sent him a cheeky text with the understanding of the media intrigue about his own future that it would inevitably spark.

Hardwick is yet to outright declare he wants to coach again, but would he take over at the Suns if he believed his mate Dew was unjustly treated? Unlikely.

So cool the jets on talk of Dew warming the seat for Hardwick.

The Suns are going OK. Perhaps even better than that. Mind you, they need a win over Hawthorn back at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.

The Hawks are also coming along well. But right now, Gold Coast is a better team and the scoreboard this week needs to reflect that.

@hashbrowne

Gold Coast blew a big chance last Sunday –but perhaps it was just a bad day at the footy.

DON’T WRITE THEM OFF: The Suns dropped the ball, so to speak, in losing to Carlton last Sunday but coach Stuart Dew (below) handled post-match questions with aplomb.

The Suns are going OK. Perhaps even better than that

2023 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON

ROUND 13

Thursday, June 8

Syd 9.12 (66) v StK 12.8 (80) (SCG) (N)

Friday, June 9

WB 13.7 (85) v PA 16.11 (107) (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, June 10

Haw 15.8 (98) v BL 11.7 (73) (MCG)

Adel 27.12 (174) v WCE 8.4 (52) (AO) (T)

Frem 10.10 (70) v Rich 12.13 (85) (OS) (T)

Sunday, June 11

NM 11.9 (75) v GWS 15.13 (103) (BA)

Carl 6.16 (52) v Ess 13.8 (86) (MCG) (N)

Monday, June 12

Melb 8.18 (66) v Coll 9.8 (62) (MCG)

Byes: Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns

ROUND 14

Thursday, June 15

PA 16.14 (110) v Geel 11.6 (72) (AO) (N)

Friday, June 16

BL 13.19 (97) v Syd 12.9 (81) (G) (N)

Saturday, June 17

GWS 16.10 (106) v Frem 5.6 (36) (GS) (T)

Rich 13.12 (90) v StK 11.4 (70) (MCG) (N)

Sunday, June 18

Carl 18.12 (120) v GCS 8.13 (61) (MCG)

NM 13.6 (84) v WB 15.15 (105) (MRVL) (T)

Byes: Adelaide Crows, Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Melbourne, West Coast Eagles

ROUND 15

Thursday, June 22

Geelong Cats v Melbourne GMHBA (N)

Friday, June 23

St Kilda v Brisbane Lions (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, June 24

Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles (SCG) (T)

Fremantle v Essendon (OS) (T)

Sunday, June 25

Collingwood v Adelaide Crows (MCG)

Gold Coast Suns v Hawthorn (HBS) (T)

Byes: Carlton, GWS Giants, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond, Western Bulldogs ROUND 16

Thursday, June 29

Brisbane Lion s v Richmond (G) (N)

Friday, June 30

Sydney Swans v Geelong Cats (SCG) (N)

Saturday, July 1

Western Bulldogs v Fremantle (MRVL) (N)

Adelaide Crows v North Melbourne (AO)

Gold Coast Suns v Collingwood (HBS) (T)

Essendon v Port Adelaide (MCG) (N)

Sunday, July 2

Hawthorn v Carlton (MCG)

Melbourne v GWS Giants (TIO)

West Coast Eagles v St Kilda (OS)

ROUND 17

Thursday, July 6

Richmond v Sydney Swans (MCG) (N)

Friday, July 7

Western Bulldogs v Collingwood (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, July 8

Brisbane Lions v West Coast Eagles (Gabba)

GWS Giants v Hawthorn (GS)

St Kilda v Melbourne (MRVL) (N)

Port Adelaide v Gold Coast Suns (AO) (N)

Sunday, July 9

Geelong Cats v North Melbourne (GMHBA)

Essendon v Adelaide Crows (MRVL)

Fremantle v Carlton (OS) (T)

ROUND 18

Thursday, July 13

Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs (SCG) (N)

Friday, July 14

Melbourne v Brisbane Lions (MCG) (N)

Saturday, July 15

Collingwood v Fremantle (MCG)

Gold Coast Suns v St Kilda (HBS)

Carlton v Port Adelaide (MRVL) (T)

Geelong Cats v Essendon (GMHBA) (N)

Adelaide Crows v GWS Giants (AO) (N)

ROUND 19

Friday, July 21

Essendon v Western Bulldogs (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, July 22

Richmond v Hawthorn (MCG)

Carlton v West Coast Eagles (MRVL)

Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats (G) (T)

Port Adelaide v Collingwood (AO) (N)

Fremantle v Sydney Swans (OS) (N)

Sunday, July 23

GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns (MO)

Melbourne v Adelaide Crows (MCG)

St Kilda v North Melbourne (MRVL) (T)

ROUND 20

Friday, July 28

Collingwood v Carlton (MCG) (N)

Saturday, July 29

Geelong Cats v Fremantle (GMHBA)

Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants (MARS)

Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions (HBS) (T)

Essendon v Sydney Swans (MRVL) (N)

Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide (AO) (N)

Sunday, July 30

Hawthorn v St Kilda (MRVL)

Richmond v Melbourne (MCG)

West Coast Eagles v North Melbourne (OS) (T)

ROUND 21

Friday, August 4

Western Bulldogs v Richmond (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, August 5

Essendon v West Coast Eagles (MRVL)

Adelaide Crows v Gold Coast Suns (AO)

Hawthorn v Collingwood (MCG) (T)

Geelong Cats v Port Adelaide (GMHBA) (N)

GWS Giants v Sydney Swans (GS) (N)

Sunday, August 6

North Melbourne v Melbourne (BA)

St Kilda v Carlton (MRVL)

Fremantle v Brisbane Lions (OS) (T)

ROUND 22

Friday, August 11

Collingwood v Geelong Cats (MCG) (N)

Saturday, August 12

North Melbourne v Essendon (MRVL)

Sydney Swans v Gold Coast Suns (SCG)

Brisbane Lions v Adelaide Crows (G) (T)

Carlton v Melbourne (MCG) (N)

West Coast Eagles v Fremantle (OS) (N)

Sunday, August 13

Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs (UTAS)

St Kilda v Richmond (MRVL)

Port Adelaide v GWS Giants (AO) (T)

ROUND 23

Friday, August 18

Collingwood v Brisbane Lions (MRVL) (N)

Saturday, August 19

Richmond v North Melbourne (MCG)

Gold Coast Suns v Carlton (HBS)

GWS Giants v Essendon (GS) (T)

St Kilda v Geelong Cats (MRVL) (N)

Adelaide Crows v Sydney Swans (AO) (N)

Sunday, August 20

Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles (MRVL)

Melbourne v Hawthorn (MCG)

Fremantle v Port Adelaide (OS) (T)

ROUND 24

Round starts Friday, August 25*

Brisbane Lions v St Kilda (G)

Carlton v GWS Giants (MRVL)

Essendon v Collingwood (MCG)

Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs (GMHBA)

Hawthorn v Fremantle (MCG)

North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns (BA)

Port Adelaide v Richmond (AO)

Sydney Swans v Melbourne (SCG)

West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows (OS)

2023 TOYOTA AFL FINALS SERIES

Date TBC

Week One – Qualifying & Elimination Finals (4)

Date TBC

Week Two – Semi-Finals (2)

Date TBC

Week Three – Preliminary Finals (2)

Date TBC

Byes: Brisbane Lions, Fremantle, St Kilda, Sydney Swans

Sunday, July 16

North Melbourne v Hawthorn (MRVL)

West Coast Eagles v Richmond (OS) (T)

Week Four – Toyota AFL Grand Final

*Matches in round 24 are listed alphabetically with timeslots to be determined at a later date.

SCOREBOARD – ROUND 14

Port Adelaide 2 .6

Geelong

BEST: Port Adelaide – Houston, T. Marshall, Powell-Pepper, Finlayson, Butters, Rozee, Wines. Geelong – Holmes, Z. Guthrie, Tuohy, Rohan, Duncan.

GOALS: Port Adelaide – Finlayson 4, T. Marshall 3, Powell-Pepper 2, Narkle 2, Butters, Byrne-Jones, Drew, Burton, McEntee. Geelong – Rohan 3, Hawkins 2, Smith, O’Connor, Dangerfield, Henry, Cameron, Close.

Substitutes: Port Adelaide – Bonner (replaced Sinn); Geelong – Bowes (replaced Bruhn).

AFL Coaches Votes: 9 Houston (PA), 5 Finlayson (PA), 4 T. Marshall (PA), 3 Rozee (PA), 3 Butters (PA), 2 Wines (PA), 2 Lycett (PA), 1 Powell-Pepper (PA), 1 Rohan (Geel).

Umpires: J. Broadbent, R. Findlay, C. Fleer, J. Mollison.

Crowd: 36,316 at Adelaide Oval.

Brisbane

Sydney Swans

BEST: Brisbane Lions – Bailey, Neale, Dunkley, K. Coleman, Wilmot, Starcevich. Sydney Swans – Lloyd, Rowbottom, Cunningham, Gulden, Campbell, Blakey.

GOALS: Brisbane Lions – Hipwood 2, Daniher 2, Berry 2, Bailey 2, Robertson, Rayner, McKenna, McInerney, Fletcher.

Sydney Swans – Sheldrick 2, Gulden 2, Wicks, Rowbottom, Parker, Papley, McInerney, Hayward, Campbell, Amartey.

Substitutes: Brisbane Lions – Ah Chee (replaced Fort); Sydney Swans – Stephens (replaced Buller).

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 Bailey (BL), 6 Neale (BL), 5 Cunningham (Syd),

4 Ashcroft (BL), 3 McInerney (BL), 1 Dunkley (BL), 1 Lester (BL).

Umpires: C. Donlon, A. Gianfagna, R. O’Gorman, A. Stephens.

Crowd: 28,561 at the Gabba.

GWS Giants 4.1 8.4

Fremantle

BEST: GWS Giants – Kelly, Greene, Green, Riccardi, Coniglio, Briggs, Idun.

Fremantle – Serong, Clark, Brayshaw, Henry, Sturt.

GOALS: GWS Giants – Riccardi 5, Greene 4, Kelly 3, Brown 2, Whitfield, Lloyd. Fremantle – Sturt 2, Walters, Fyfe, Serong.

Substitutes: GWS Giants – Angwin (replaced Haynes); Fremantle – Erasmus (replaced Johnson).

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 Kelly (GWS), 5 Coniglio (GWS), 5 Greene (GWS), 5 Riccardi (GWS), 5 Green (GWS).

Umpires: M. Nicholls, N. Toner, B. Wallace, A. Whetton.

Sydney University 6.4 7.8 7.13 10.20 (80) East Coast 2 .1 3.1 8.2 10.4 (64)

Best: Sydney University – Barton, Fitzroy, Lees, Davis, Hiscox, Dimery. East Coast – Johns, Harding, Edwards, Foxall, Poynter, Delana.

Suburbs 5.2 10.3 12.7 14.10 (94)

Manly-Warringah

Goals: UNSW-Eastern Suburbs – Robin 7, Tikkeros 3, Emery, Jack, Romensky, Tricks. Manly-Warringah – Adams 2, Gabila 2, Youlten 2, Fraser, Marsh, McClennan, McGrath.

Hills 4.7 4.8 8.12 10.15 (75)

0.2 3.6 4.6 8.6 (54)

Goals: Pennant Hills – Moraitis 4, Boag 2, Maguire 2, Browne, Mudge. Inner West – Tiziani 3, Deller, Evans, Jamieson, Penna, Rauter.

North Shore

7.4 11.5 17.10 2 1.13 (139)

4

Best: North Shore – Law, Grace, Meacham, Robertson, Brewer, Woodman. St George – Crossle, Coenen, Cabor, Maher, McKellar, Hodgson.

Goals: North Shore – Law 8, Rayner 3, Campbell 2, Grace 2, Loone 2, Thomas 2, Hill, Tidemann. St George – Cabor 2, Kenny, Maunder, McKellar, Nabaki.

BYE: UTS.

LADDER: North Shore 36 (272.5%), UNSW-Eastern Suburbs 28 (199.1%), Pennant Hills 28 (139.9%), Sydney University 28 (126.6%), Manly-Warringah 12 (92.8%), St George 12 (63.8%), UTS 8 (50.3%), Inner West 4 (77.7%), East Coast 4 (39.5%).

Richmond

Kilda

.0

GOALS: Richmond – Bolton 3, Short 2, Miller 2, Cotchin 2, Vlastuin, McIntosh, Baker, Taranto. St Kilda – Butler 3, King 2, Higgins 2, Gresham, Caminiti, Byrnes, Battle.

Substitutes: Richmond – Ralphsmith (replaced Ryan); St Kilda – Sharman (replaced Howard).

AFL Coaches Votes: 10 Taranto (Rich), 8 Cotchin (Rich), 6 Martin (Rich), 4 Vlastuin (Rich), 1 Bolton (Rich), 1 Sinclair (StK).

Umpires: R. Chamberlain, C. Deboy, H. Gavine, B. Hosking.

Crowd: 62,686 at the MCG.

Carlton 1.2 10.5 13.8 18.12 (120)

Gold Coast Suns 2 .6 2 .9 5.11 8.13 (61)

BEST: Carlton – Cerra, Cripps, Kennedy, Weitering, Docherty, Walsh, McKay. Gold Coast Suns – Ainsworth, N. Anderson, Ballard, Witts.

GOALS: Carlton – McKay 3, Cripps 3, C. Curnow 2, Cottrell 2, Cerra 2, Owies 2, De Koning 2, Kennedy, Fogarty. Gold Coast Suns – Casboult 2, Ainsworth 2, Swallow, Lukosius, King, Humphrey.

Substitutes: Carlton – Dow (replaced Martin); Gold Coast Suns – Sexton (replaced Berry).

AFL Coaches Votes: 9 Cerra (Carl), 8 Cripps (Carl), 7 Docherty (Carl), 4 Walsh (Carl), 1 Kemp (Carl), 1 De Koning (Carl).

Umpires: N. Foot, D. Johanson, B. Rosebury, N. Williamson.

Crowd: 29,602 at the MCG.

Western Bulldogs 1.5 5.8 10.9 15.15 (105)

North Melbourne 4.1 5.2 8.5 13.6 (84)

BEST: Western Bulldogs – Weightman, Treloar, Bontempelli, Liberatore, Macrae, English. North Melbourne – Sheezel, Phillips, Goldstein, McKay, Scott, Stephenson.

GOALS: Western Bulldogs – Weightman 6, Bontempelli 3, Naughton 2, Daniel, Lobb, Treloar, English. North Melbourne – Stephenson 3, Larkey 3, Greenwood 2, Powell 2, Simpkin, Curtis, Zurhaar.

Substitutes: North Melbourne – Bergman (replaced Spicer); Western Bulldogs – McNeil (replaced L. Jones).

AFL Coaches Votes: 9 Bontempelli (WB), 9 Weightman (WB), 3 Liberatore (WB), 3 Treloar (WB), 3 English (WB), 2 Thomas (NM), 1 Sheezel (NM)

Umpires: A. Heffernan, S. Meredith, M. Rodger, M. Stevic.

Crowd: 23,829 at Marvel Stadium.

Central District 1.3 3.5 6.7 6.7 (43) Woodville-West Torrens 1.1 3.1 3.1 4.2 (26)

Best: Central District – Iles, Whitelum, Grant, McCormack, Little. Woodville-West Torrens – Ballenden, Sinor, Beecken, Rowe, Lehmann.

Norwood 2 .5 4.8 6.10 8.12 (60) Port Adelaide 2 .1 7.3 7.3 8.5 (53)

Best: Norwood – Tranfa, Surman, Rokahr, Stockdale, Seymour. Port Adelaide – Evans, Burgoyne, Mead, Weidemann, Jonas.

Adelaide

Sturt 2 .6 2 .6 8.11 9.13 (67) North Adelaide 1.1 3.5 4.6 7.9 (51)

Best: Sturt – Voss, Coomblas, Wilson, Breuer, Doyle. North Adelaide – Spina, McInerney, Wilsdon, Szekely.

Goals: Sturt – Breuer 2, Wilson 2, Burrows, Hone, Rentsch, Slimming, Voss. North Adelaide – Lockyer 2, McInerney, Ramsey, Turner, van Huistedde, Wilsdon.

SPLIT ROUND: This week: West Adelaide v Glenelg, South Adelaide v Adelaide.

LADDER: Sturt 18 (52.6%), Glenelg 16 (60.8%), Adelaide 12 (60.1%), Central District 10 (49.1%), Woodville-West Torrens 8 (49.7%), Port Adelaide 8 (47.5%), North Adelaide 8 (45.9%), West Adelaide 6 (47.0%), South Adelaide 6 (44.5%), Norwood 4 (42.0%).

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Votes Player Club 76 Zak Butters Port Adelaide 63 Nick Daicos

Collingwood

62 Christian Petracca Melbourne

62 Tim Taranto Richmond 53 Marcus Bontempelli Western Bulldogs 52 Toby Greene GWS Giants 52 Zach Merrett Essendon 49 Jack Sinclair St Kilda 48 Connor Rozee Port Adelaide 47 Jordan Dawson Adelaide 47 Jordan De Goey Collingwood 47 Lachie Neale Brisbane Lions

LION ROARS: Brisbane Lion Zac Bailey polled the maximum 10 AFLCA votes last week.

LEADING GOALKICKERS

VFL –ROUND13

Geelong 3.3 5.7 7.8 10.12 (72)

Frankston 0.0 4.3 8.4 11.4 (70)

Best: Geelong – Dempsey, Lucas, Cousins, Whyte, Simpson, Parfitt. Frankston – Fordham, O’Leary, Lloyd, Davies, C. Riley, Johnson.

Goals: Geelong – Dempsey 3, Annand 2, J. Chalcraft 2, Byrne, Lucas, Riccardi. Frankston – Johnson 3, O’Leary 2, Davies, Florent, Fordham, Rendell, Stern, Szybkowski.

Best: Brisbane Lions – Madden, Lyons, Prior, Fullarton, B. Coleman, Brain. Sydney – Clarke, Stephens, McAndrew, Corey Warner, Gould, Arnold.

Goals: Brisbane Lions – Brain 4, Buzza 4, B. Coleman 4, Fullarton 2, Ah Chee, Answerth, Cockatoo, Glass, Lane, Madden, Sharp. Sydney – Cleary, Harry Morrison, Owen, Rider.

Best: GWS – Cumming, Fleeton, Aleer, Flynn, Peatling, Rowston. Southport – Finch, Dawson, Edwards.

Goals: GWS – Derksen 4, Creighton 3, Gruzewski 3, McCaffrey 3, Fahey, Flynn, Peatling, Rowston, Stone, Wehr. Southport – Finch 3, Banks-Smith, Crossley, J. Joyce, Manteit, McQueen, Offermans, Sexton, Thurlow.

Best: Richmond – Banks, Brown, Olden, A. Johnson, Street, Dow.

Sandringham – Heath, Paton, Cordy, Zagari, T. Owens, Bytel.

Goals: Richmond – Bradtke 2, Coulthard 2, Olden 2, Banks, Faimalo, Hicks, A. Johnson, Lefau, Melville. Sandringham – Bytel, N. Gown, Harms, Heath, Lohman, Peris, Seaton.

Best: Werribee – Coughlan, T. Gribble, Sodomaco, Mannagh, Cooper, Lever.

Carlton – Binns, Hewett, Fisher, Young, Silvagni, Ramshaw.

Goals: Werribee – Mannagh 3, Boyd 2, Coughlan, Declase, T. Gribble, Keast, Lever, Porter. Carlton – Cahill 2, Crocker, Fisher, Kuipers, Lemmey, McMahon, Motlop, O’Keeffe, Ramshaw.

QAFL –ROUND12

Best: Broadbeach – Bishop, Nicholas, McInnes, Dawson, Masters, Lower. Noosa – Buntain, Laskey, Bowes, Mills, Evenden, Donlan.

Goals: Broadbeach – Nicholas 4, Dempsey-Ceh 3, Erickson 2, McInnes 2, Townsend 2, Bishop, Butler, Filippone, O’Neill, Reeves. Noosa – O’Dwyer 2, Airey-Bamback, Buntain, Fitzpatrick.

Best: Maroochydore – Fleming, Scholard, Jones, Stone, McLachlan, Thomas. Sherwood – Fletcher, Prest, Mitchell, Collins, Rundell-Gordon, Cruice.

Goals: Maroochydore – Scholard 6, McLachlan 5, Kangur 2, Robinson 2, Tomas 2, Eva, Govan, Vivian. Sherwood – Austin 2, Fletcher, Mitchell, Ryan. Wilston

Best: Wilston Grange – Westerberg, Rosenbrock, Martyn, Campbell, Fidler, Wilson. Mt Gravatt – Licht, Torney, Smith, Tome, Young, Carbone.

Goals: Wilston Grange – Fidler 4, McFadyen 2, Gordon, Martyn, McGregor, Pettigrew, Richardson, Stevenson, Westerberg. Mt Gravatt – Smith 5, Licht 3, Moncur, Pearce, Young.

Aspley 4.4 10.10 16.14 17.20 (122)

Labrador 0.3 2 .5 3.8 4.8 (32)

Best: Aspley – Hayden, Stackelberg, Watson, Toye, Batchelor, Henderson. Labrador – Cecchin, Brown, Wright, Young, Simpson, Robinson.

WAFL – ROUND 10

Best: Footscray – Garner, Bruce, Macpherson, Drummond, Sullivan, Willoughby. Williamstown – Toner, Hore, O’Dwyer, Gadsby, McDonald, Pickess. Goals: Footscray – Raak 3, Khamis 2, C. Smith 2, Chatfield, Clarke, Gallagher, Macpherson. Williamstown – Colenso, Cox, Ebinger, Gadsby, Henderson, Jury.

Best: Gold Coast – Flanders, Ellis, McLaughlin, Oea, Hollands, Burgess. Northern Bullants – O’Dwyer, Velissaris, Kolar, Kelly, Maley, Mantas.

Goals: Gold Coast – Burgess 5, McLaughlin 3, Oea 3, Day 2, Ellis 2, Flanders 2, Tsitas 2, Chol, Lemmens, Uwland. Northern Bullants – Ryan

Best: North Melbourne – Tucker, Watkins, Harvey, Sellers, Xerri, Cunnington. Coburg – Clarke, D’Intinosante, B. Jepson, Dammersmith, Walker, Corigliano.

Goals: North Melbourne – Harvey 2, Sellers 2, Tucker 2, Watkins 2, Hall, Hansen, Lowson, McCormick, Young. Coburg – Clarke 4, Bella 2, Boucher, D’Intinosante, McKenzie.

BYE : Box Hill Hawks, Casey Demons, Collingwood, Essendon, Port Melbourne.

LADDER: Gold Coast 40 (176.2%), Brisbane Lions 40 (169.4%), Werribee 36 (143.7%), Box Hill Hawks 32 (150.2%), Williamstown 32 (124.4%), North Melbourne 32 (120.3%), Casey Demons 28 (118.1%), GWS 28 (96.0%), Richmond 26 (98.4%), Carlton 24 (107.3%), Geelong 22 (75.7%), Southport 20 (113.2%), Collingwood 20 (103.1%), Footscray 20 (94.8%), Port Melbourne 16 (86.5%), Sandringham 12 (83.6%), Frankston 12 (79.5%), Essendon 8 (83.4%), Northern Bullants 8 (57.8%), Sydney 4 (59.2%), Coburg 0 (49.6%).

Best: East Fremantle – O’Reilly, Dixon, H. Marsh, J. Marsh, Walker. Swan Districts – Blakely, Stephens, Clarke, McLachlan, Cipro.

Goals: East Fremantle – O’Reilly 6, H. Marsh 2, J. Marsh, Jansen, Montauban, Lawler, Dixon. Swan Districts – Palmer 2, Edwards 2, Noble 2, Ottaviano, Jones, Kemp.

Best: Peel Thunder – Kuek, Colyer, Wagner, Blight, Reidy. Perth – Hayward, Clarke, Avery, Davis, Hill, Stubbs.

Goals: Peel Thunder – Kuek 6, Colyer 2, Barnes, Wilson, Smith, Corbett, Emmett. Perth – Sinclair 2, Cary 2, Hayward 2, Evans 2, Stubbs, Shannon.

Best: Subiaco – Heal, Borchet, W. Hickmott, Sokol, Schofield, Clarke. West Perth – Black, Nelson, Keitel, Hinder, Moulton.

Goals: Subiaco – Sokol 5, Borchet 2, Faraone 2, Kitchin, Schofield, Giro, Walters, Clarke, Morgan, Alone, Golding. West Perth – Keitel 5, Meadows, Nelson, Pierce.

North Launceston 3.3 4.5 6.13 6.13 (49)

Clarence 1.1 4.4 4.4 5.6 (36)

Best: North Launceston – Lee, Avent, Simpson, Nicholas, Chugg, Manshanden. Clarence – Bealey, Howard, Anderton, Holmes, Preshaw, Callinan.

Goals: North Launceston – Ives 2, Avent, Cox-Goodyer, Griffiths, Pearce. Clarence – Dolliver 2, Alomes, Harper, Ryan.

Lauderdale 2 .1 4.3 8.3 9.7 (61)

Kingborough 2 .1 2 .3 3.5 5.9 (39)

Best: Lauderdale – Franklin, Bellchambers, Sookee, Hooker, Blackburn, Winter. Kingborough – Clifford, Webb, Reardon, Lovell, Zeitzen, Cole.

Goals: Lauderdale – Francis 2, Perkins 2, Bellchambers, Bennett, Blackburn, Christensen, Stanley. Kingborough – Carter, Clifford, Cole, Collidge, Griggs.

Goals: Aspley – Stackelberg 7, Dodge 3, Watson 3, Batchelor, Freeman, Harker, O’Dwyer. Labrador – Coombes 2, Brown, Johnson.

Best: Redland-Victoria Point – Lemana-Pakau, Franks, O’Sullivan, Johnson, Miller, Christensen. Surfers Paradise – Prestegar, Beardsell, Nieass, Woodburn, Scott, Broadbent.

Goals: Redland-Victoria Point – Brown 4, Hammelmann 3, Christensen 2, Benson, Franks, Huddy, Matthews. Surfers Paradise – Beardsell 2, Ireland 2, Smith 2, Corbett, Ford, Shea.

Best: Palm Beach-Currumbin – Frawley, Dawson, Thynne, Harrison, Buykx-Smith, Cornish. Morningside – Wille, Pendlebury, Cameron-Reeves, McCarthy, Taylor, O’Toole.

Goals: Palm Beach-Currumbin – Buykx-Smith 4, Cahill 4, Nicholson 3, Beama 2, Cornish, Dumas, Graham, White. Morningside – Downie 3, Cole, Dadds, Martin, Peak.

LADDER: Aspley 42 (230.8%), Redland-Victoria Point 36 (162.5%), Broadbeach 30 (130.6%), Wilston Grange 28 (109.1%), Surfers Paradise 24 (108.4%), Palm Beach-Currumbin 24 (87.7%), Labrador 20 (83.4%), Morningside 20 (80.6%), Mt Gravatt 16 (89.4%), Maroochydore 12 (93.9%), Noosa 12 (73.9%), Sherwood 0 (51.6%).

Best: North Hobart – Barrow, Monks, Jackson, Hilder, Norton, Keeling. Glenorchy – Blowfield, Meredith, Arnold, Nicholson, C. Ling, L. Ling.

Goals: North Hobart – Bingham 2, Jackson 2, McLeod 2, Barrow, McGinniss, Payne, White. Glenorchy – L. Ling, Manson, McInnes, Meredith, Nicholson.

BYE: Launceston.

LADDER: Kingborough 32 (213.1%), North Launceston 28 (150.0%), Launceston 20 (121.4%), Clarence 20 (85.1%), Lauderdale 16 (95.1%), North Hobart 16 (86.8%), Glenorchy 0 (32.9%).

East Perth

(82) South Fremantle

Best: East Perth – Schumacher, Crowden, Scott, Robertson, Msando. South Fremantle – Kelly, Florenca, T. Blechynden, Dragovich.

Goals: East Perth – Van Diemen 3, Schofield 3, Hille 2, Tedesco 2, Scott, Bonomelli. South Fremantle – Kelly 2, Main 2, Wessels, Z. Strom, Donaldson, Parker, Stephens.

BYE: Claremont, West Coast.

LADDER: Subiaco 32 (136.2%), Claremont 28 (141.0%), Peel Thunder 28 (138.1%), East Perth 28 (126.8%), East Fremantle 24 (121.5%), West Perth 20 (118.6%), Swan Districts 12 (100.1%), South Fremantle 8 (99.7%), Perth 8 (72.1%), West Coast 0 (31.7%).

AFL NAT. U18 C’SHIPS – RD 3

Best: South Australia – Ryan, Welsh, Dignan, Goad, Draper, Hargrave. Victoria Country – Stevens, Duursma, H. Reid, Demattia, Shipp, Rudd.

Goals: South Australia – Welsh 5, Delean 4, Moir 2, Goad, Hargrave, Luck, Montgomery. Victoria Country – H. Reid 3, Rudd 2, D. Wilson 2, Charleson, De La Rue, Stevens.

BYE: Allies, Victoria Metro, Western Australia.

LADDER: Allies 8 (218.2%), Victoria Metro 4 (278.9%), South Australia 4 (75.5%), Victoria Country 0 (79.8%), Western Australia 0 (18.5%).

AFLW ACADEMY MATCH

Best: All Stars – Smith, Simpson, Adams, Carbone, Campbell.

AFLW Academy –Staunton, Grigg, Young, Williamson, McMullen.

Goals: All Stars – Carbone 2, Adams, A. Jordan, L. Jordan, Dojiok. AFLW Academy – Young 2, Pisano 2, Keck, Clark.

IN CONTROL: AFLW Academy ruck Jess Vukic in action during last week’s game against the Under 23 All Stars.

OFFICIAL 2023 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON LADDER

AFL UMPIRES 2023

Nick Foot Games 200 F inals

BOUNDARY: Jordan Andrews, Michael Baker, Michael Barlow, Simon Blight, Chris Bull, Ian Burrows, Sean Burton, Adam Coote, Patrick Cran, Damien Cusack, Brett Dalgleish, Chris Delany, Patrick Dineen, Nathan Doig, Ty Duncan, Chris Esler, Benjamin Fely, Kieran Ferguson, Daniel Field-Read, Joshua Furman, Josh Garrett, Christopher Gordon, Matthew Jenkinson, Matthew Konetschka, Drew Kowalski, Mitchell Le Fevre, Tim Lougoon, Ben MacDonald, Damien Main, Michael Marantelli, Josh Mather, Jason Moore, Sean Moylan, Nicholas Phillips, Lachlan Rayner, Adam Reardon, Jordan Russell, Michael Saunders, Sam Stagg, Nick Swanson, Shane Thiele, Matthew Tomkins, David Wood.

GOAL: Jesse Baird, Dylan Benwell, Sally Boud, Matthew Bridges, Peter Challen, Michael Craig, Matthew Dervan, Luke Edwards, Daniel Hoskin, Sam Hunter, Brodie Kenny-Bell, Callum Leonard, Matt Maclure, Taylor Mattioli, Angus McKenzie-Wills, Rhys Negerman, Steven Piperno, Simon Plumridge, David Rodan, Chelsea Roffey, Brett Rogers, Tom Sullivan, Sam Walsh, Stephen Williams, Adam Wojcik, Jason Yazdani.

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u In a first for the Bachar Houli Foundation in Western Australia, children with multicultural backgrounds were given the opportunity to take part in the NAB AFL Auskick half-time experience at the round 13 match between Fremantle and Richmond.

A total of 24 Auskickers enjoyed the wonderful experience of playing in front of more than 46,000 fans.

The lucky Auskickers had an amazing time, with eight-year-old Talal Houran saying: “I felt like I was a famous footy player, and it was the best thing ever.”

Moosa Hourani was also excited to be out on the Optus Stadium turf.

“It was an amazing experience to be involved in something so special and something all those kids will probably never forget,” Moosa said.

For your chance to play on the big stage, just like your football heroes, register for Auskick today at play.afl/Auskick.

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RIVALRY FOR THE AGES

It was one of the greatest rivalries the game has seen and, fittingly, Sydney and West Coast go head-to-head in this round at the SCG. While the fortunes of both have fluctuated in recent times, the mid-2000s saw the Swans and the Eagles play out the most consecutive thrillers in AFL/VFL history – six (see table below).

It started with the 2005 qualifying final when West Coast held on by four points to defeat Sydney at Subiaco Oval.

Three weeks later, the Swans reversed that result in the Grand Final by the same margin in a low-scoring but absorbing contest.

The game ebbed and flowed and it was not until Sydney’s Leo Barry took a match-saving mark in the final seconds that the Swans prevailed by four points. It was Sydney’s first premiership since 1933.

The teams didn’t meet the following season until round 15, but it was another cliff-hanger as the Eagles got home by two points at Subiaco.

Almost two months later, they met again in the qualifying final at Subiaco, but this time the Swans prevailed by the barest possible margin.

Surely they couldn’t do it again in a Grand Final?

Well, the 2006 decider was another classic.

After a blistering first half, the Eagles held off the fast-finishing Swans to win a third flag, and their first since 1994, gaining revenge for the previous season’s heartbreaking defeat.

It was the fifth consecutive match between the teams to be decided by less than a goal, and the first Grand Final to be decided by a point since St Kilda edged out Collingwood in 1966.

But wait – there was more!

The AFL’s fixturing department knew they were on to a good thing, so they wisely scheduled the Swans and Eagles to meet in the opening round of 2007.

And it was almost a carbon copy of the previous year’s Grand Final with West Coast getting up by the same margin – one point.

There was somewhat of an anti-climax in the return clash in 2007 as the Eagles won by a ‘whopping’ 12 points in round 16 at Subiaco.

FLYING HIGH: The Eagles turned the tables the following year, winning the 2006 decider by just one point.

AT LAST: The Swans broke a 72-year premiership drought when they edged out the Eagles by four points in the 2005 Grand Final.

MOST CONSECUTIVE THRILLERS IN AFL/VFL HISTORY SYDNEY v WEST COAST

Say Yes to giving it a second chance

’’ ’’

Just because it's broken, doesn't mean it's rubbish!

REACHING FOR THE SKY

ADELAIDE OVAL, JUNE 15, 2023

u Big bulls Mark Blicavs and Scott Lycett go head-to-head in a ruck contest during Thursday night football at Adelaide Oval last week. Geelong’s Blicavs just got the better of this contest, but it was

Lycett and Port Adelaide who took control after half-time to claim another win and top spot on the AFL ladder heading into their bye. The Power big man outpointed the Cat 35 hit-outs to 16 and did

enough to limit Blicavs’ one-wood of his influence around the ground – he was held to just 13 disposals as the reigning premiers slipped a game outside the top eight with Melbourne lying in wait.

PHOTO: SARAH REED/ AFL PHOTOS

THIS WILL BE ME ONE DAY, DAD

MCG, JUNE 17, 2023

u Little Parker Cotchin farewells Trent on Saturday night as he realises there’s no kick-to-kick with Dad just yet. Parker, 3, is still a little too young to realise the significance of what happened in

the pouring rain at the MCG, when Trent played a blinder in his 300th AFL match to help Richmond upset St Kilda and continue its run back towards the top eight. It ended up being a straight-to-the-poolroom

photo opportunity as Parker and his sisters Harper and Mackenzie were chaired off alongside Dad after the monumental victory. And no doubt that kick-to-kick wasn’t far away.

PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/ AFL PHOTOS

theTRADeRS

PIG OF THE WEEK

DANE SWAN MEDAL

CASH COW OF THE

WEEK

5 Harry Sheezel NM, DEF/FWD – 98

u A nother five-vote performance has seen Sheezel eclipse Nick Daicos’ total votes from last year and he’s got nine games to go. How many coaches will still have him after the bye?

4 Angus Sheldrick SYD, MID/FWD – 82

u T he most traded in player last round delivered at the Gabba, racking up a season-high score. His two goals in quick succession made sure his score counted in coaches’ best 18.

3 Dylan Williams PA, DEF/FWD – 76

MICHAEL BARLOW MEDAL

u Rinse and repeat. Tim Taranto (MID/FWD, $1.1M) rolls into his bye round after a season-best performance, dominating the Saints with 38 possessions, 10 tackles and a goal. Producing a Fantasy season for the ages, Taranto was everywhere in round 14 and there’s no reason to suggest he’ll slow down after Richmond’s week off. It’s too early to throw ‘Timmy T’ into the pen with the other Fantasy pigs, but he’s certainly building his case. A popular Bulldogs pair were right among the best performers last week with Marcus Bontempelli (MID, $994,000) producing a round-high 158 points. The ‘Bont’ was on fire in the second half against the Roos with a staggering 107 points coming after half-time, ending the clash with a stat line of 32 possessions, six marks, 11 tackles

Warnie

WARNE DAWGS

ROUND 14 1814 pts

Honestly, where do I start?

and three goals. His Bulldogs teammate Tim English (RUC, $991,000) wasn’t too far behind, bouncing back from a dud the previous week to record 130-plus for the fourth time this year. Another premium heading to his week off, Carlton’s Sam Docherty (DEF, $851,000), will be an intriguing trade target for coaches after his bye following a score of 124.

TOP ROUND 14 SCORERS

u For the four per cent of Fantasy Classic coaches who own Williams, his cash generation has been a thing of beauty. He is always reliable for his marks in the back half of the ground.

2 Bailey Humphrey GCS, MID/FWD – 75

u W hile it was a modest disposal count, his 10:1 kick-to-handball ratio, together with four marks, six tackles and a goal, made Humphrey a good cash cow play for the bye rounds.

1 Will Ashcroft BL, MID – 71

u C ontinuing to tick along with weekly votes, the second-placed Lion is having a great season. Ashcroft found the ball 23 times, 16 of which were contested, plus he had four tackles.

Roy DESTROY

ROUND 14 1903 pts

Calvin CALVINATOR

This year has been a disaster … and the bye rounds have followed suit. Some bad luck which has manifested into bad decisions means I will be playing a lot of catch up to win a Fantasy flag in 2023!

Jack Sinclair and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera with my trades helped me keep pace with the top coaches and continued the trend of improving my team for the long-term. The round 15 bye remains a challenge and Sam Walsh may get

ROUND 14 1955 pts

Is my job as the nation’s best captain picker redundant?

Tim Taranto is making it feel like that due to his stellar season that has seen him average 125 after 14 games. Just make him skipper this week? Oh wait, the Tigers are on the bye.

LEADERBOARD: 52 – Harry Sheezel; 27 – Will Ashcroft; 11 – Reuben Ginbey; 10 – Kade Chandler, Will Phillips; 9 – Alex Cincotta, Ollie Hollands, Dylan Williams; 8 – Bailey Humphrey; 7 – Cam Mackenzie, Josh Weddle; 6 – Seamus Mitchell, Angus Sheldrick.

THE TRADERS’ FANTASY CLASSIC STOCK MARKET

STOCKS UP

The stocks couldn’t be much higher for Zach Merrett (MID, $994,000), who is the pick of the bunch if you’re chasing a player coming off the round 14 bye. Don’t be spooked by his score of 97 last time he was in action, Merrett still has the fifth-best average for the season. The Bombers skipper is already owned by nearly 19 per cent of the competition, so if you’re chasing a player who isn’t as popular, you could turn to another midfield gun in Tom Mitchell (MID, $875,000). Collingwood’s ball magnet churned out a pair of 120s before his week off and the Fantasy favourite was getting his snout dirty by laying 23 tackles in those two games. Mitchell hasn’t scored at the same level as we’ve seen in the past, but you can never count out a Fantasy pig. The form of St Kilda’s Brad Crouch (MID, $853,000) is becoming hard to ignore after he helped himself to another 30-plus disposals last week. You can save yourself about $100K by trading for Crouch over the top-tier fantasy MIDs and a friendly Fantasy fixture to run out the year only adds to the appeal. If you want to save even more cash, you could roll the dice on Elliot Yeo (DEF, $605,000) now he seems to have put his injury woes behind him. A three-round average of 91 for the West Coast defender makes him mighty tempting, even if he has caused us to pull our hair out at times.

STOCKS DOWN

Another dud score coupled with his round 15 bye will see Sam Walsh (MID, $828,000) given the flick by a lot of coaches – and I don’t blame them. Trading away premium players is usually considered taboo, but the gut-running Carlton midfielder owns an uninspiring three-round average of 76. We need more. ‘Walshy’ won’t be the only premium moved on this week, with Jack Ziebell (FWD/ DEF, $802,000) also in the firing line. Possessing handy FWD/DEF status, Ziebell could be swung around the ground to help you field 18 players this week, although there’s nothing wrong with trading the rebounding Roo after just one 100-plus score in his past five games. North Melbourne’s Jy Simpkin (MID, $626,000) has also been a letdown over the past few weeks, with his sub-affected score of seven damaging his season average. Even if we ignore that, the Kangaroos co-captain is only averaging 81 points in 2023, making him hard to trust going forward. Sticking with underperforming premiums, Jack Steele (MID, $794,000) continues to frustrate owners following his season-low score. The ‘Man of Steele’ only laid four tackles in the loss to Richmond, failing to record a mark with 16 handballs among his 21 possessions.

1

HEALTHY BODY

The importance of exercise in our daily lives in order to maintain a strong and healthy body! Participants will partake in a range of group cardio fitness activities and challenges.

2 HEALTHY FOOD

To keep our body and mind healthy, we need to fuel ourselves with a range of nutritious and delicious foods. Participants’ knowledge will be challenged in multiple food activities that will test andproblem-solvingtheirskills understanding of food.

HEALTHY TEAM

Theimportanceofworking together,supportingone anotheranddeveloping relationships.Participants willplayarangeof team-buildinggames, with the inclusionofcompetitions andchallenges.

4 HEALTHYMIND needTotrulybehealthy,wetocareforourmind justasmuchasourbody. ParticipantswilllearnBox tacticsBreathingstrategiesand tohelpregulatetheiremotions.

Coles Healthy Kicks aims to educate, activate and motivate students to become more physically active, eat nutritious foods and develop a healthy mind while having fun with others.

Cardio

Training your cardio abilities not only keeps you in the game longer but helps strengthen your heart and lungs. Cardio exercises also increase your energy and mood, helping your brain stay focused and ready.

EXERCISES

All of these exercises are to be done for 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest.

• Squat Jumps to a Ground Ball – Start standing up with a footy in front of you. Squat down and grab the footy with two hands. On the way back up, jump in the air with the footy. Once landed, squat back down and place the footy back on the ground. Once you are back standing up again, repeat.

• Side to Side Handballs – Start standing up. Take three sidesteps in one way and practise a handball from each hand without a footy on the spot. Now take three sidesteps in the other direction and practise the handballs again. Keep repeating this.

• Russian Twists – Start sitting on the ground holding a footy. Find a spot where you can balance sitting with your feet in the air. Keeping your hands on the footy and your head straight forward, move the footy to each side of your body, touching it on the ground each time.

• Mountain Climbers – Start in a push-up position. Keeping your hands where they are, bring one leg up so your knee is near your elbow. Now in almost a jump, swap legs. Continue doing this.

• Sprinter Sit-Ups – Start laying on your back and begin a normal sit-up. When your body is leaving the ground, bring one knee to your chest and raise your opposite arm to the knee. When doing this, you will look like a sprinter! Continue this, changing sides on each sit-up.

The program is built on four key pillars –Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Food and Healthy Team.

Healthy Body is all about physical activity and movement.

• Skipping on the Spot – Staying in the same spot, start skipping where you are. Make sure that on each skip you get your knees high in the air.

Keeping fit and active is a great way to stay healthy and have fun with friends.

Be it kicking the footy or checking out one of the Coles Healthy Kicks training videos, there are heaps of easy ways to have a Healthy Body.

• Butt Kicks – Start standing up. Start running on the spot but with each step, try to kick your foot to your butt. You don’t have to do this on the spot, you can try running around the backyard with butt kicks!

To find out more Mobility and Strength exercises for other parts of the body visit afl.com.au/video

SKIPPING ON THE SPOT

MOUNTAIN CLIMBS

RUSSIAN TWISTS

Can you identify the players with these mullets?

Can you identify the players with these mullets?

WORD FIND

Can you find the surnames of these ‘Lachie’ players and the healthy body words?

Cardio

Lachie Ash

Lachie Cowan Challenge

Lachie Fogarty

Smile

Lachie Hunter

Skill

Lachie Jones

Lachie Whitfield

Lachie Neale

Lachie Plowman

Lachie Motivated

Lachie Effort

Lachie

HXTNCOWANRSLNWREAS

LNWVVCHDSENOJGRWSK

TSYGGVPRJOERLWNMWI

XDFTCHALLENGEEIULL

YUWNRKMMODCNKLIWOL

ADOEUAOFUWMNELDXAY

QQMAWVGJLJMHSELNPA

QBYLRAFOSYVAFRXGFS

XDIEOHEFFORTNPUAQH

CZTLUHCSIDLEIFTIHW

OIDRACMOTIVATEDZFL HUNTERTDUIMPSACKCD

FACE FACE FACEMASH MASH MASH

Can you name the two players who have been merged to create these new faces?

Hint: A – Fremantle, B – Essendon

MYSTERY MULLET: A: Bailey Smith B: Jack Sinclair C: Josh Rachele D: Lachie Jones

FACE MASH: A: Jaeger O’Meara, Hayden Young B: Peter Wright, Zach Merrett

Scores are level and your team has the ball from a kick-in.

Can you help them?

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: Geelong’s Zach Guthrie’s arm band has been removed from his left arm; the GMHBA logo on Guthrie’s shorts has been removed; the KFC logo

on the top of Port Adelaide’s Darcy Byrne-Jones’ guernsey has been removed; the stripes on Geelong’s Jed Bews’ right sock have been removed; the security guard in the background has been removed.

ANSWER MAN

It was disappointing that Swans co-captain Luke Parker missed playing in Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin’s 350th career match recently. A suspension from an incident in round 12 ruled him out of playing 100 consecutive games, leaving him stranded on 99. How many players have managed to string together at least 100 matches without missing through injury, illness, omission or suspension?

R.C. CASTLES, PADDINGTON, NSW

CH: From the 1930s until the 1970s, state representative matches were often played during the same weekends as club matches. Players selected in these games had to miss a club match. However, their sequence of consecutive matches was deemed to be unbroken. During the past 127 seasons, there have been 134 instances of players racking up at least 100 games without a miss, involving 131 individuals. Remarkably, Kevin Murray (Fitzroy), Kevin Bartlett (Richmond) and Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda and North Melbourne) each achieved the feat on two separate occasions. Parker has joined five other players who have finished one short of a century of consecutive appearances. Current Saint Callum Wilkie has appeared in all 98 matches since he made his debut in the opening round of 2019. If luck is on his side, he will become just the 10th person to play his first 100 games consecutively.

CAN YOU ASSIST?

u Shane O’Bree, who is a member of Geelong’s coaching panel, represented Brisbane Lions and Collingwood with distinction in 246 matches between 1998 and 2010. His maternal grandfather Arthur Edwards made his debut for Footscray in 1951. During 10 seasons, Edwards played 120 games and was a member of the Bulldogs’ 1954 premiership team. One of O’Bree’s great grandfathers was Frank ‘Dolly’ Aked, who wore the Bulldogs’ colours at AFL level between 1925 and 1932 before switching to Hawthorn for a season. He played a total of 116 career games.

If you know of other examples of relatively recent AFL players who have ancestors with a different surname who also played in the equivalent competition, please contact col.hutchinson@afl.com.au.

ROUND 15, 2022

SWAN SO CLOSE: A suspension meant

Parker was stranded on 99 consecutive games.

STRANDED ON 99 C0NSECUTIVE MATCHES

2011 – R14, 2015 Injury

Shaun Atley NM R12, 2015 – R19, 2019 Injury

MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES FROM DEBUT

Luke Parker Syd EF, 2018 – R11, 2023 Suspension Games Player Club

u Melbourne ended a three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion, downing Brisbane Lions by 64 points at the MCG. Stand-in skipper Jack Viney covered for the injured Max Gawn with a team-lifting performance. The Friday night double-header saw the Western Bulldogs comfortably account for Hawthorn, while West Coast recorded just its second win, taking down Essendon by 10 points at Optus Stadium. Veteran Eagle Josh Kennedy booted five goals. A depleted Carlton was too good for Fremantle with Sam Walsh (40 disposals) putting himself in Brownlow Medal contention. Geelong gave up a 35-point lead to Richmond before a Jack Henry mark and goal in the last minute gave the Cats a three-point win in one of the games of the season. It came at a cost though, with star defender Tom Stewart outed for four weeks for a high hit on Dion Prestia. Sydney was too strong for St Kilda, Adelaide took out North Melbourne with Taylor Walker kicking six goals, Collingwood held on by 10 points over GWS and Port Adelaide won a thriller against Gold Coast.

*Missed one game during sequence due to state selection **Missed two games during sequence due to state selection

Sydney’s Luke

IT’S NOT JUST A GAME.. IT’S A WAY OF LIFE!

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AFL

1

When was the last time both grand finalists have missed the finals the following year?

A 1943 B 1963 C 1983 D 2003

2

How much did Geelong lead Port Adelaide by midway through the second quarter?

A 11 B 16 C 21 D 26

3

Who was best on ground according to coaches Ken Hinkley and Chris Scott in Port Adelaide’s win over Geelong?

A Dan Houston B Zak Butters

C Connor Rozee D Jeremy Finlayson

4

Who was responsible for Brisbane Lion Charlie Cameron going goalless against Sydney?

A Dane Rampe B Aaron Francis

C Oliver Florent D Harry Cunningham

5

Who kicked a goal on debut at the Gabba last Friday night?

A Angus Sheldrick B Jack Buller

C Jaspa Fletcher D Will Ashcroft

Wereyou payingattention?

6

7

8

9

Who kicked five goals in the GWS v Fremantle match?

A Toby Greene B Jake Riccardi

C J esse Hogan D Harry Himmelberg

Who was the clear coaches MVP top votegetter in the Giants’ win?

A Toby Greene B Stephen Coniglio

C J osh Kelly D Lachie Whitfield

How many goals did Trent Cotchin kick against St Kilda in his 300th game?

A 0 B 1 C 2 D 3

And who racked up 35 disposals in the Tigers v Saints game?

A Dustin Martin B Tim Taranto

C Trent Cotchin D Brad Crouch

Blastfrom thepast

Name: Barry Goodingham

Games: 188 (NM 158/SM 30)

Goals: 59 (NM 47/SM 12)

WITH LACHLAN ESSING

Club span: North Melbourne 1967-75/South Melbourne 1976-77

Player honours: NM premiership 1975; NM 2nd best and fairest 1972; NM 3rd best and fairest 1970, 1973; NM captain 1971

Recruited from Edithvale-Aspendale, Goodingham was a tall, lean ruckman, who played 188 matches for North Melbourne and South Melbourne. He carried the ruck duties at North for nine seasons and was named captain in 1971. Goodingham played in the Kangaroos’ losing Grand Final team in 1974 but was part of the historic premiership – the club’s first – in 1975. He crossed over to the Swans in 1976 and spent two seasons in the red and white.

How many games had Carlton lost in a row before its big win over Gold Coast?

A 5 B 6 C 7 D 8

How many unanswered goals did the Blues kick in the second quarter?

A 9 B 8 C 7 D 6

Who kicked a Goal of the Year contender in the final quarter at the MCG?

A Sam Walsh B Joel Jeffrey

C L evi Casboult D Jack Martin

Who kicked six goals in Western Bulldogs’ win over North Melbourne?

A Aaron Naughton B Tim English

C M arcus Bontempelli

D C ody Weightman

In which quarter did the Bulldogs kicked four goals to one to take control?

A 1st B 2nd C 3rd D 4th

Which month has the AFL scheduled Gather Round 2024 to be played in?

A March B April C May D June

whoamI?

6pts: I was born in Adelaide in 1953.

5pts: I started my career in radio in 1976 before moving to television in 1978.

4pts: I was the chief sports newsreader in Adelaide from 1981-83.

3pts: I have been involved in the telecast of every summer Olympic Games since 1980, except London 2012.

2pts: Inducted into television’s Hall of Fame last year, I will enter the Australian football equivalent next week.

1pt: The greatest sports broadcaster in Australian history, I celebrated my 70th birthday on Thursday.

Who Am I?: Bruce McAvaney

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