| * |
A huge throng of more than 90,000 gathered at the Melbourne Cricket
Ground on a glorious autumn Wednesday for one of the grand occasions of
each football season the Anzac Day match between Essendon and
Collingwood.
Paul Gough for Sportal identified that the Magpies,
who went into the game as underdogs given the Bombers had already
accounted for three of last year's finalists in Adelaide, Fremantle and
St Kilda this season, dominated after conceding the first three goals
inside just eight minutes.
Greg Denham noted in The Australian: Collingwood
settled and eventually won by 16 points after having 11 more scoring
shots. The Magpie defence, led by sweeping flanker Heath Shaw,
who was awarded the Anzac Day Medal for the best onfield effort,
was superb. Shaw consistently repelled the Bombers with 32 possessions.
He had seven opponents during the match, including James Hird,
who at best was serviceable in his last Anzac Day appearance.
The AFL website noted Heath's brother Rhyce also did well along with
Tarkyn Lockyer, while Alan Didak and Anthony Rocca
both booted three goals.
Martin Blake observed in The Age: In truth,
Collingwood first checked Essendon's progress and then overwhelmed the
Bombers, reaching equilibrium by half-time then a two-goal lead by the
final change. In a mistake-prone game, the Magpies made fewer bloopers.
Collingwood won by dint of hard work all over the ground. "We worked on
the principle that if we threw everything at them it might fall our way.
It's as simple as that," said James Clement, who was exemplary
down the back.
In the middle Scott Burns' hardness in the contest was pivotal,
down forward Rocca and Travis Cloke provided constant, moving
targets. In his first game back from a knee reconstruction, Didak was
not necessarily his lethal self, but certainly showed some excellent
signs.
Essendon had too many passengers. In the ruck Jason Laycock was
so ineffectual that Kevin Sheedy removed him and had Patrick
Ryder take the centre bounces after a time, but this meant Scott
Lucas had to spend time in defence and unbalanced the Bombers.
Laycock was scarcely alone. The likes of Kepler Bradley and
Courtney Johns and Chris Heffernan had disappointing days. |
|
2007 ROUND 5 GAME
1 |
|
Essendon v Collingwood |
Wednesday,
April 25, 2007
MCG, 2.40pm AEST, crowd:
90,508
Conditions: Very good
Weather: 21C, fine, clear skies |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
|
ESS |
3.4-22 (11) |
6.6-42 () |
8.10-58 |
11.13-79 |
|
COL |
1.5-11 |
6.6-42 () |
9.16-70 (12) |
12.23-95 (16) |
Goals:
Collingwood:
Alan Didak 3,
Anthony Rocca 3,
Tarkyn Lockyer 2, Travis
Cloke, Brad Dick,
Ben Johnson,
Scott Pendleburyy.
Essendon: Alwyn
Davey 3, Matthew Lloyd 3,
Courtney Johns 2,
Mark Bolton, Mark
Johnson, Angus Monfries.
Best: Collingwood: Heath
Shaw, Tarkyn Lockyer,
Scott Burns,
Travis Cloke,
James Clement,
Alan Didak,
Harry O'Brien. Essendon:
Dustin Fletcher, Adam McPhee, Brent Stanton, Patrick
Ryder, Alwyn Davey, Damien Peverill.
Anzac Day Medal: Heath Shaw (Collingwood).
Umpires:
Michael Vozzo,
Scott Jeffery,
Shane McInerney.
Report:
Dale Thomas (Col) was cited for striking Patrick
Ryder (Ess) during the second quarter. Thomas was
offered a reprimand with an early plea. Collingwood
sought adjudication of the Tribunal. The Tribunal on
Wednesday took evidence from field umpire Michael
Vozzo that the action was accidental. The Tribunal
found Thomas not guilty of the charge. |
Football Park was at its wettest on Friday night after rain all day
which continued throughout the match. A hardy 24,438 souls passed
through the gate to watch Port Adelaide and St Kilda grind it out in the
appalling conditions.
The Saints were helpless and registered just 6.7, the lowest score of
their 16 meetings against Port. It is amazing that the Power managed
four goals in the first quarter and six in the third term.
Ashley Porter reported in The Age: Most of the
Power's goals came from sheer desperation; sliding into the contests and
plucking goals off a water-logged surface. It was like old-fashioned
footy without the mud ... one heavy shower throughout the match
players swarming the contest, few scores and non-relenting battles to
get a kick.
Alan Shiell reviewed the night for Sportal: The
Power won because, collectively, it was prepared to work harder than St
Kilda and had more contributors who simply won more of the ball and used
it better.
Port midfielder Chad Cornes won the Peter Badcoe, VC Medal
and was best afield with 32 disposals, while St Kilda veteran Robert
Harvey also revelled in the conditions and piled up 31 possessions.
Port lost Michael Wilson with a right shoulder injury in the
first quarter scans will determine the extent of the damage.
The Saints had two scares Lenny Hayes went off in the second
term with a shoulder injury and resumed before half-time but went off
again after the break. Nick Riewoldt was accidentally kicked in
the face by Peter Burgoyne when flung to the ground in a heavy
tackle he retired to the bench and appeared again only briefly. |
|
2007 ROUND 5 GAME 2 |
|
Port Adelaide v St Kilda |
Friday (n),
April 27, 2007
Football Park, 7.40pm
AEST, crowd: 24,438
Conditions: Wet
Weather: 14C, rain (heavy at times) throughout the
match |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| PA |
4.2-26 (18) |
5.6-36 (15) |
11.12-78 (56) |
14.12-96 (53) |
| STK |
1.2-8 |
3.3-21 |
3.4-22 |
6.7-43 |
Goals: Port:
Warren Tredrea 3, Shaun
Burgoyne 2, Brett Ebert 2,
David Rodan 2, Damon White,
Brad Symes, Troy
Chaplin, Peter Burgoyne,
Steven Salopek.
St Kilda: Brett Voss 3,
Stephen Milne 2, Brendon
Goddard.
Best: Port: Chad
Cornes, Kane Cornes, Steven
Salopek, Shaun Burgoyne, Peter
Burgoyne, Brendon Lade,
Darryl Wakelin, Troy
Chaplin, Nathan Lonie.
St Kilda: Robert Harvey,
Nick Dal Santo, Xavier
Clarke, Brendon Goddard,
Leigh Montagna, Brett
Voss.
Umpires: Stephen McBurney,
Matt Stevic, Stefan
Grun.
Report:
Shaun Burgoyne (PA) was cited with engaging in rough conduct against
Lenny Hayes (StK) during Q2. An early plea for a two-match
suspension was offered to the player. Port Adelaide sought adjudication
of the Tribunal. The Tribunal jury on Wednesday dismissed the case,
finding the actions of Burgoyne was not responsible for the neck injury
sustained by the St Kilda player. |
Richmond remain winless, West Coast stay unbeaten on top of the ladder
after Saturday's contest at the MCG which saw the young Tigers take it
right up to the premiers and were within four points 10 minutes into the
last quarter.
The meeting was tipped to be a monumental thumping of Richmond yet they
almost pulled off a miracle win. Lyall Johnson summarised for
The Age: It was no so much the Eagles' class but the Tigers'
lack of it when it counted. Tiger fans might blame the umpires, but
turnovers and poor decision-making were what killed them.
It had led at quarter-time by 15 points but fell three goals behind as
the Eagles re-established order in the second and third terms. In the
last quarter the Tigers showed enough spirit to give them a sniff of an
unlikely win after Joel Bowden snapped truly 10 minutes into the
last term, But some poise under pressure enabled West Coast to kick the
last three goals of the game.
The game had several highlights a stunning 15-minute purple patch
Richard Tambling kicked four goals in the first quarter for
Richmond ... Quinten Lynch was near his best with four goals for
the Eagles including a monster from 55m ... Daniel Kerr was at
his high-powered best with 27 possessions, while Andrew Embley
(34) and Adam Selwood (34) were well noticed. |
|
2007 ROUND 5 GAME 3 |
|
Richmond v West Coast |
Saturday,
April 28, 2007
MCG, 2.10pm AEST, crowd:
27,326
Conditions: Quite good after rain on Friday and
overnight
Weather: 20C, blue skies; thunderstorms
forecast, but held off |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| RCH |
5.3-33 (18) |
6.4-40 |
8.7-55 |
11.10-76 |
| WCE |
2.6-18 |
8.10-58 (18) |
10.13-73 (18) |
14.14-99 (23) |
Goals: West Coast: Quinten
Lynch 4, David Wirrpanda 3,
Ashley Hansen 3, Adam Hunter 2, Rowan
Jones, Darren Glass.
Richmond: Richard Tambling 4,
Cleve Hughes 3, Brett
Deledio, Kane Jackson, Joel
Bowden, Kayne Pettifer.
Best: West Coast:
Daniel Kerr, Matt Rosa,
Andrew Embley, David
Wirrpanda, Quinten Lynch,
Adam Selwood. Richmond:
Graham Polak, Brett
Deledio, Richard Tambling, Joel
Bowden, Chris Newman,
Andrew Raines.
Umpires: Stuart
Wenn, Shaun Ryan,
Troy Pannell.
Report:
Tyson Stenglein (WCE) by umpire Troy
Pannell for high contact on Richard Tambling (Rch)
during Q1.
After a review by the MRP the report was withdrawn. |
Fans were treated to an entertaining shootout when the Blues and Lions
met on Saturday night under the closed roof at Docklands. Both sides
were happy to go head-to-head rather than guard space and Brisbane came
away with the win in large part due to their straight shooting which saw
them kick 12 goals without a miss at one point.
Martin Boulton reviewed the match for The Age:
Superior fitness in the dying stages helped the Lions get over the line
for their third win of the season, but not before both sides staged one
of the most exciting encounter of the season. The match produced a
return to form for Carlton skipper Lance Whitnall, a dominant
performance from Lions forward Jonathan brown and more than a few
contenders for goal of the year.
The lead changed eight times before the final break, by which time seven
players had kicked three goals. By the end of the game eight players had
registered three majors. After 18 scoring shots in the first term, the
margin was a solitary point in the Lions favour. If that wasn't enough,
the second quarter produced another 18 scoring shots and the Blues went
to the main break 13 points ahead.
In between players were queuing for shots, the opening half was played
at lightning pace and tackling from both sides, particularly the Blues,
was fierce and relentless.
Sam Lienert observed for the AFL website: The Lions had 18.1 on
the board at one stage in the third quarter and had eight fewer scoring
shots than the Blues in the first half. Carlton piled on 14.8 to
half-time, including nine goals in the second quarter. But the game
turned Brisbane's way in general play in the third quarter, thanks
mainly to Simon Black and Luke Power, with Cheynee
Stiller and Tim Notting also providing some good run.
Oddly, given Brisbane's excellent kicking for goal for most of the
match, it was only a string of missed set shots by the Lions late in the
third quarter, two of them to Brown, that allowed Carlton to hold onto a
one-point lead at the last change. But the Blues could manage only 1.5
in the last term as the Lions pulled away. |
|
2007 ROUND 5 GAME 4 |
|
Carlton v Brisbane |
Saturday
(n),
April 28, 2007
Docklands, 7.10pm AEST,
Roof: closed; crowd: 33,598
Conditions: Good; slippery from humidity; 22C inside
Weather: 18C, showers |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| CAR |
5.6-36 |
14.8-92 (13) |
17.11-113 (1) |
18.16-124 |
| BRI |
6.1-37 (1) |
13.1-79 |
18.4-112 |
21.10-136 (12) |
Goals: Brisbane: Jonathan
Brown 3, Jamie Charman 3,
Chris L Johnson 3, Joel Patfull 2,
Ashley McGrath 2, Tim
Notting 2, Luke Power 2,
Richard Hadley, Jason
Roe, Cheynee Stiller,
Colm Begley. Carlton: Fevola 3, Betts
3, Cloke 3, Simpson 3, Whitnall 3, Walker, Murphy, Lappin.
Best: Brisbane:
Jonathan Brown, Luke Power,
Simon Black, Cheynee
Stiller, Tim Notting,
Richard Hadley, Chris L Johnson.
Carlton: Ryan Houlihan,
Heath Scotland, Lance
Whitnall, Kade Simpson,
Matthew Lappin, Cameron
Cloke, Eddie Betts.
Umpires: Chris
Donlon, Mathew James,
Matthew Head.
Report:
Andrew Carrazzo (Car) and Kade Simpson (Car) were cited for
making negligent contact with umpire Matthew Head during Q3. The
pair were offered fines of $2400 each with an early plea. Both admitted
guilty and accepted the fines imposed by the MRP. |
When the Swans played host to Melbourne on Saturday night Sydney's
forwards found their kicking boots again after their round of yips in
Adelaide. In front of a minor SCG crowd of 23,354 it was well below even the
reduced capacity during grandstand extensions. Temporary lighting from a
crane and on the Bill O'Reilly stand at the south-western corner
which replaced two light towers to have come down.
Sydney gained its third win of the season and sent the Demons away with
another humbling loss. Michael Gleeson accurately reported for
The Age: Sydney brushed Melbourne aside and the Demons played
like kids on a school excursion. For most of the match the best that
could be said of Melbourne's loss was that no one was injured. At least
no one wearing red and blue. But even that small mercy was dashed in the
final minutes when Matthew Bate hobbled from the ground with a
twisted ankle.
The Swans meanwhile sweated on reports after Tadhg Kennelly and
Luke Ablett both went off within minutes of each in the final
quarter with right knee injuries. Kennelly dislocation will keep
him out four to six weeks Ablett is not as severe.
James Dampney noted for the AFL website that Barry Hall
was unstoppable throughout, setting up a number of Sydney's avenues to
goal and finishing with four of his own, while Nick Davis also
impressed on his return from a foot injury. Demon Aaron Davey
kicked three goals in a promising effort, but the Swans had winners all
over the ground. |
|
2007 ROUND 5 GAME 5 |
|
Sydney v Melbourne |
Saturday
(n),
April 28, 2007
SCG, 7.40pm AEST, crowd:
23,354
Conditions: Good; slippery from recent rains
Weather: 18C, showers forecast but contest was
rain free |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| SYD |
6.2-38 (30) |
10.5-65 (37) |
12.7-79 (34) |
17.7-109 (49) |
| MEL |
1.2-8 |
4.4-28 |
6.9-45 |
8.12-60 |
Goals: Sydney: Barry Hall 4,
Nick Davis 2, Adam
Schneider 2, Nick
Malceski, Jude
Bolton, Ryan O'Keefe,
Adam Goodes, Darren
Jolly, Jarrad
McVeigh, Tim Schmidt,
Jarred Moore, Brett
Kirk.
Melbourne: Davey 3, Dunn, Miller, Bate, Bruce, Petterd.
Best: Sydney: Nick
Malceski, Brett Kirk,
Barry Hall, Nick
Davis, Adam Schneider.
Melbourne: Aaron Davey, Cameron Bruce, Ricky Petterd.
Umpires: Hayden
Kennedy, Brett Rosebury,
Matthew Nicholls.
Report:
Adam Goodes
(Syd) was cited for intentionally charging Simon Godfrey
(Mel) during Q4. With an unblemished record Goodes was offered a
one-match suspension with an early plea. Sydney sought adjudication of
the Tribunal. The Tribunal on Wednesday yielded to the plea to have the
charge downgraded to striking, such process reducing the points
allocation. Goodes pleaded guilty to striking to which he received a
reprimand and 70.31 demerit points carried over. As the base points for
the strike were 125 they were 225 for charging any offence worth
more than 100 base points makes the player ineligible for the Brownlow
Medal in this season. |
The Bulldogs allowed Hawthorn to almost pull one back when they met at
the MCG on Sunday afternoon. Conditions were damp after thankful rains
but there was little to affect the game. Both the Dogs and Hawks are 3+2
after five rounds.
For three quarters the Bulldogs were in control chiefly from the
experience provided out of the middle by the dynamic Scott West
who racked up 41 possessions for the match. In contrast, the Hawks were
wasteful of their range of opportunities.
Paul Gough noted for Sportal: Hawthorn's
goalkicking woes were at their worst in the opening term when they
squandered five opportunities inside their forward 50 four of them
gettable set shots and the other a miss from just 20 metres by
Michael Osborne.
After kicking the first two goals of the game, the Hawks could have been
four goals in front before the Dogs even got warm yet found themselves
trailing by seven points at quarter-time. It was a costly lapse and one
the Bulldogs made them pay for as players like Robert Murphy and
impressive youngster Shaun Higgins made the most of the chances
with both of them bagging three goals.
Hawthorn continued to press and it was almost as if the teams in the
final term had changed jumpers as the Dogs failed to kick a goal and
managed just seven behinds. The Bulldogs were the better side on the day
and the Hawks could have lost by a lot more had it not been for the six
goals kicked by the lean loper Lance Franklin. |
|
2007 ROUND 5 GAME 6 |
|
Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs |
Sunday,
April 29, 2007
MCG, 1.10pm AEST, crowd:
Conditions: Generally good; damp and slippery
Weather: 18C, cloudy later turning to sunshine |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| HAW |
3.7-25 |
7.11-53 |
10.13-73 |
13.15-93 |
| WB |
5.2-32 (7) |
11.4-70 (17) |
16.7-103 (20) |
16.14-110 (17) |
Goals: West.B'dogs:
Shaun Higgins 3, Robert
Murphy 3, Luke Darcy 2,
Farren Ray 2, Brad
Johnson, Lindsay Gilbee,
Nathan Eagleton, Sam Power,
Adam Cooney, Matthew
Robbins. Hawthorn: Lance Franklin 6,
Jarryd Roughead 2, Chance
Bateman, Brad Sewell,
Tim Boyle, Luke
Hodge, Campbell Brown.
Best: West.B'dogs:
Scott West, Lindsay
Gilbee, Daniel Cross,
Robert Murphy, Shaun Higgins,
Brian Harris, Nathan
Eagleton. Hawthorn:
Lance Franklin, Jordan Lewis,
Brent Guerra, Brad
Sewell, Sam Mitchell,
Campbell Brown.
Umpires: Ray
Chamberlain, Michael Avon,
Kieron Nicholls. |
The Kangaroos thoroughly deserved their win over Geelong on a mainly
sunny Sunday afternoon at Kardinia Park where 21,468 fans rolled in.
Though the Cats came back in the last quarter the Kangas held on.
Jason Phelan reported for Sportal: The Kangas led
for most of the day and endured some testing moments when the Cats
threatened to pinch the match. The visitors were 33 points up early in
the final term, but Cameron Ling booted three goals to spark the
late charge. Cameron Mooney had a shot on goal to make the margin
four points with just 1:27 left on the clock, but he pulled his shot and
the danger passed.
Having discussed the question if goal-kicking potency really begins not
in attack but in the centre square, Stephen Rielly in The
Age noted: Going into the match, Dean Laidley's team had
kicked only 45 per cent of its goals from set shots, the lowest figure
in the competition. This is supposed to be a serious flaw and, in truth,
probably remains one. But five of its first six goals were in play and
the vast majority of the 12 that followed were also passage goals. In
other words, the Roos by passed the traditional reliance on a dominant
tall forward by substituting it with hard won first possession and run.
Only three Kangaroo goals were kicked by the taller players stationed
near goal, the rest flowed for the most part out of the middle.
Bruce Matthews in the Herald Sun assessed the Roos
win by reasoning there was a defined desperation which the Cats couldn't
match around the stoppages. The bullocking work of Roos ruckman
Hamish McIntosh and the burrowing Daniel Harris exposed
Geelong's soft underbelly when the pressure was at its most intense.
Once again, Geelong loaded up its forward set-up with strong hands and
strong bodies. But backmen like Glenn Archer and Michael
Firrito never fear conceding height and weight and Mooney was the
only Cat to regularly trouble them. |
|
2007 ROUND 5 GAME 7 |
|
Geelong v Kangaroos |
Sunday,
April 29, 2007
Kardinia Park, 2.10pm AEST, crowd:
21,468
Conditions: Gooey in places
Weather: 17C, cloudy, later turning to sunshine |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| GEE |
4.3-27 |
6.8-44 |
10.10.70 |
15.12-102 |
| KAN |
6.3-39 (12) |
12.5-77 (33) |
15.7-97 (27) |
18.10-118 (16) |
Goals: Kangaroos: Brent Harvey 3,
Shannon Grant 2, Matt
Campbell 2, Andrew Swallow 2,
Daniel Wells 2, Hamish
McIntosh, Drew Petrie,
Adam Simpson, Jess Sinclair,
Leigh Brown, Aaron Edwards,
Blake Grima.
Geelong: Cameron Mooney 3,
Cameron Ling 3, Jimmy
Bartel 3, Travis Varcoe 2,
Paul Chapman, Mathew Stokes, Nathan Ablett,
Andrew Mackie.
Best:
Kangaroos:
Adam Simpson, Brent Harvey,
Daniel Harris, Jess Sinclair,
Daniel Wells, Hamish McIntosh. Geelong:
Cameron Ling, Paul Chapman,
Andrew Mackie, Jimmy Bartel,
Joel Selwood, Joel Corey.
Umpires: Scott
McLaren, Damien Sully, Simon Meredith. |
A one-point result may become the defining time of the season for both
Fremantle and Adelaide. The two fought out a tight battle on Sunday
afternoon at Subiaco Oval which had considerable morning rain that
thankfully stayed away for the game. A breeze to the city end may have
been a slight advantage.
Justin Chadwick for Sportal identified Freo's
Luke Webster as sharking the loose ball from the tap to slam it on
his boot and kick the winning point with less than 30 seconds remaining.
Fremantle's second win on the trot was a fitting tribute to club
stalwart Shaun McManus, who picked up 20 disposals in his 200th
game for the Dockers.
But it was Webster who stole the show, kicking the winning score after
restricting Andrew McLeod to just 19 touches in an admirable
shutdown role.
Jay Clark recorded in the Herald Sun: The Crows led
for much of the afternoon, smothering Fremantle's forward thrusts with
their trademark defensive tactics. The lead changed nine times up until
three-quarter time, when Fremantle going into the wind were able to
maintain possession after struggling all day.
Troy Cook kicked his third goal early in the last term to give
the home side a seven-point buffer. Then, Adelaide's Scott Stevens
snapped truly to tie scores at the 8-minute mark of the last. Scores
remained tied, as Chris Tarrant found Peter Bell 30m out,
and then Ian Perrie replied for the Crows 24 minutes in.
But the Dockers held on to the ball, working it forward in the final
minutes to claim the win.
The late inclusion Troy Cook was the unlikely hero up forward with three
goals for the Dockers, with Matthew Pavlich held goalless when
double-tagged by Ben Rutten and Nathan Bassett. Scott
Thompson, Nathan van Berlo and Tyson Edwards were
strong contributors for the Crows, who were robbed of run by the early
loss of Brent Reilly to an ankle injury. |
|
2007 ROUND 5 GAME 8 |
|
Fremantle v Adelaide |
Sunday,
April 29, 2007
Subiaco Oval, 4.40pm AEST, crowd:
37,172
Conditions: Good after morning showers lights on at
half-time
Weather: 21C, windy to city end generally sunny;
late cloud |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| FRE |
2.3-15 |
3.7-25 |
5.13-43 (2) |
7.16-58 (1) |
| ADE |
3.0-18 (3) |
4.2-26 (1) |
6.5-41 |
8.9-57 |
Goals: Fremantle: Troy Cook 3,
Chris Tarrant, Ryan
Crowley, Dean Solomon,
Peter Bell. Adelaide:
Scott Stevens 3, Ian
Perrie 2, Scott Thompson,
Nathan van Berlo, Nathan Bock.
Best: Fremantle:
Luke Webster, Troy Cook,
Heath Black, Peter
Bell, Chris Tarrant, David
Mundy, Ryan Crowley.
Adelaide: Scott Thompson,
Ben Rutten, Chris
Knights, Scott Stevens,
Tyson Edwards.
Umpires: Dean
Margetts, Brett Allen,
Martin Ellis. |
|
|
