A thigh injury to two-time Brownlow medalist Nat Fyfe has added to Fremantle’s suffering. The Dockers lost 13 points to the Gold Coast in a fiery AFL clash in Carrara.
Important points:
- Gold Coast won its third game in a row by defeating Fremantle
- Carlton sneaked home with a point against Essendon in the MCG
- St. Kilda defeated Richmond and Port Adelaide remains undefeated
In the meantime, Carlton won with a 1-point win over Essendon in the MCG, and St. Kilda and Port Adelaide also celebrated victories.
On the Gold Coast, the winless Dockers are now 0-4 after the Suns won 10.4 (64) to 8.3 (51).
Both teams had a wild hand-to-hand fight when they left the field at half-time, which is likely to result in multiple players being fined by the AFL, while Dockers striker Matthew Taberner remained shirtless when he went into the shed.
Fyfe had just over five minutes in the third quarter and played the rest of the game on the bench with an ice pack on the right Achilles tendon.
Without their captain, the Docker could not overcome the form-fitting Suns, who have not scored two goals in the last season to score their third consecutive win and advance to second place on the ladder.
The sensation in first year Matt Rowell was again brilliant for the Suns. He made 20 departures and scored two goals, although Fyfe had made a narrow impression at times in the first half.
Ben Ainsworth also had two goals for the hosts, including a crucial right-footed shot last season that ensured victory.
Touk Miller and star recruit Brandon Ellis also made 20 departures, while Jarrod Witts made the most of the Dockers understaffed Ruck division with 38 goals.
Brett Bewley scored two goals for the Dockers, as did Michael Walters, while Darcy Tucker had 20 departures and Jesse Hogan was more influential after his long absence in his second AFL match.
Blues hold back bombers in MCG thriller
Jacob Townsend of Essendon missed a long set shot in the last seconds when Carlton overcame Jack Silvagni’s early defeat and took a breathtaking 1-point win.
The bombers were the fresher team after the third round match was postponed after Conor McKenna’s positive COVID-19 test, but the blues got stronger, winning 7.10 (52) to 8.3 (51) .
The blues were 12 points behind at the start of the finals, but the goals from Jack Martin and Levi Casboult made for a hectic final.
When the seconds ran out, Eddie Betts issued a 50-meter penalty that allowed Adam Saad to send a long ball into the 50, where Townsend scored a diving mark.
Townsend’s set shot from the 50-meter arch was bundled for a rush, two points behind his team, and the Carlton players cheered only seconds later when the last siren sounded.
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It was a great effort as they played without Silvagni most of the night.
Bomber star Zach Merrett is scrutinized after swinging his left arm on Silvagni’s back when he kicked the ball in the beginning of the first quarter.
Silvagni grimaced in pain and immediately went to the bench for an examination. A club official confirmed that he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance shortly before the break.
Sam Docherty was outstanding in defending Carlton, the co-captain who collected 31 possessions.
David Cunningham (28 exits), Sam Walsh (23) and Patrick Cripps were important in the middle, while Levi Casboult finished with three goals.
Andrew McGrath (20), Dylan Shiel (19) and Devon Smith (18) had an impact on the bombers who had difficulty finding a reliable target within 50.
Noble saints shock tigers
Dustin Martin’s return could not spark Richmond as his Premier League defense scored another goal in a 26-point loss to St. Kilda in the Docklands.
The Brownlow medalist collected 19 exits after a week’s break with injured ribs, but had little impact as the Saints ran away with a win from 15.3 (93) to 10.7 (67).
Jack Billings (25 exits) and Jack Steele (21) played through the middle when Jake Carlisle did a great job defending the saints.
Trading season recruit Dan Butler, who was picked up by the Tigers last October, scored three goals in his first game against his old team.
Tim Membrey also kicked three majors when Jack Lonie, Rowan Marshall and Dean Kent jumped in with two to distribute the cargo.
A suspected thigh injury from Zak Jones was the only bad news for St. Kilda, who stuck to her task with a run-and-gun play style and scored her highest score of the season so far.
The result left Richmond outside the top 8 with two losses and a draw since the restart of the season.
Richmond had the hottest start when Shane Edwards scored the first goal in just 10 seconds.
But many of the same problems that have plagued them since the resumption of the season were evident again because they failed to match the speed and intensity of their opponents around the ball.
St. Kilda burned the tigers with their fast ball movement and led several times with up to 19 points before the break.
Butler was a pervasive threat, and Bradley Hill (19 exits, one goal) hit the wing at will until a rolled ankle caused a brief fright in the saints’ camp during the second term.
Richmond challenged in the third quarter, but never came closer than 10 points after the main break and the Saints kicked three goals one with the match on the line last season.
Dixon kicks six against Eagles
Charlie Dixon dominated forward and helped Port Adelaide continue his unbeaten start to the season with a convincing 48-point loss to West Coast.
Dixon scored six goals and scored six when Power in Carrara posted a win of 13.11 (89) to 6.5 (41).
The Power now holds a 4-0 win-loss record, while the defeat prolonged the Eagles’ wait for a win at their Queensland hub.
Dixon, who made his AFL debut for Gold Coast, enjoyed the familiar boundaries at the Suns’ home stadium, marked strongly and kicked right when the midfield of power peppered his territory in a dominant first half.
The defense of power also caused their opponents’ grief when the Eagles struggled to go forward or even sideways until a three-goal run in season three brought the lead back to 11 points.
But Dixon’s fourth, another booming shot from 50 meters away, was the first of four in an emphatic answer.
Will Schofield then seemed to be playing against Zak Butters when power players celebrated the goal, a lack of discipline that Eagles coach Adam Simpson didn’t miss.
Butters missed the shot from the penalty spot, but Todd Marshall made no mistake for the power when the Eagles shot the ball away again.
Karl Amon then drilled a goal with his left foot to achieve a 37-point game that was approaching the finals.
Dixon ended his day with a fifth and a sixth of two other strong points in the last quarter, giving him eleven out of three games this season.
Josh Kennedy (four goals) took his chances for the Eagles while Tim Kelly and Liam Ryan fought hard.
Brad Ebert scored two goals for the power and, along with Hamish Hartlett, was among the best in his 250th AFL match.
ABC / AAP
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