Round 17 Scores

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

GEEL 6.3   8.10   9.12   12.16 (88)
HAW  3.2   6.5    9.8    11.11 (77)

GOALS: GEEL - S. Johnson 3, Chapman 2, Bartel 2, Mooney, Stokes, Gamble, Enright, Rooke;
HAW - Franklin 4, Williams 2, Brown 2, Roughead 2, Bateman

BEST: GEEL - Bartel, Selwood, Enright, Ottens, Corey, Kelly; HAW - Mitchell, Bateman, Brown, Murphy, Croad, Ellis

INJURY: GEEL - Chapman (hamstring), Milburn (virus) replaced in selected side by D. Johnson:
HAW - Osborne (corked buttock)

UMPIRES: McBurney, Rosebury, Schmitt

CROWD: 86,179 at MCG

The intensity of this game lived up the prematch hype surrounding it for the past several weeks. The midfielders from both sides won plenty of the ball and there was plenty of pressure applied by both teams. After several missed shots by both teams, it was almost goal for goal early in the first term. The Cats then put on a burst of four goals through Chapman, Mooney, Chapman again and Steve Johnson to give Geelong a 25 point lead. Williams goaled just before the siren to cut Geelong's lead to 19 points at 1/4 time.

It was more of the same in the second term. Ottens missed an early chance to extend Geelong's lead before Roughead and Brown goaled. Brown added another a few minutes later before Bartel and Franklin traded goals. Chapman and Stokes kicked a pair midway through the term, but Franklin got one back for the Hawks. Gamble followed up a miss with another Cat goal to put the Cats 17 points clear at 1/2 time.

Chapman, who had been playing well, did not take part in the second half due to a hamstring strain The Hawks seized their chance early in the third term with goals to Roughead and Brown putting them within 5 points. Enright goaled to again extend the Cat lead. Again, both sides missed several chances in front of goal before Franklin took a strong mark (catch of the ball) and goaled to cut Geelong's lead to just three points late in the term. The Hawks won the ball again as time ticked away and Rioli took a spectacular mark. He was also awarded a 50 meter (55 yards) penalty, but was still too far out to score. He got the ball to Ladson who kicked long to the forward line where Franklin was waiting. He was surrounded by Geelong defenders and the siren won out as the Cats hung on to a four point lead at 3/4 time.

The Hawks wasted no time with a goal at the start of the final term to take a two point lead. Ladson had a chance to increase that lead, but missed and the Cats were away with a booming long-range goal to Bartel. Rooke followed with another Cat goal a few minutes later.The Hawk defenders were working overtime to stop the Cats' run. They did so briefly, forcing several points. A Cat turnover led to another goal to Franklin and the Hawks were within six points. Brown also missed a chance to level the scores and the Cats hit back with another goal to Steve Johnson. With just a few minutes left to play, Geelong held an 11 point lead. They then forced several stoppages as both sides desperately for the ball. Hawthorn eventually won out and kicked to Franklin but Scarlett spoiled Franklin's chance to take possession. With just 90 seconds remaining, the Cats chipped the ball around to run the clock down. The Hawks had one final chance when Bartel conceded a free kick to Ellis. He found Hodge, but the Cats forced another turnover just seconds before the siren.

ESS  5.7   7.10   12.11   19.14 (128)
COL  1.3    6.7    9.10   11.14 (80) 

GOALS: ESS - Welsh 4, Lloyd 4, Reimers 3, Monfries 2, McPhee 2, Stanton, Jetta, Lovett-Murray, Hille; COL - Cloke 3, Didak 2, Anthony 2, Davis 2, Medhurst 2

BEST: ESS - Welsh, Watson, Peverill, Lloyd, Hille, Fletcher, Reimers, Monfries; COL - Cloke, Thomas, O'Brien, Maxwell, O'Bree, Burns

INJURY: ESS - Lucas (back, knee); COL - R. Shaw (heavy knock)

REPORTS: ESS - Reports: Lucas for striking O'Brien; COL - Davis for front-on contact on Watson, Didak for striking Slattery

UMPIRES: Donlon, James, Head

CROWD: 64,785 at the MCG

The Bombers got off to a flying start with the first two goals to Lloyd and Welsh. Midway through the term, Welsh had two more on the board for Essendon. To that stage, Collingwood had yet to register a score and their first came at the Fletcher who rushed through a point. Monfries added another Bomber goal before the Pies managed to score on their own, albeit just two points to Davis and Swan. Cloke finally got the Pies on the board with a goal late in the term when an interchange mix up briefly left the Bombers one player short in defense. Slattery and Jetta finished off with several more points for the Bombers to give Essendon a 28 point lead at 1/4 time.

Collingwood fought back in the second term and bombarded the goals. Didak was first up with a goal before Cloke and Wood missed. Essendon rushed through another but Anthony added another goal for Collingwood as did Cloke and Davis. Two goals to Lloyd and Stanton in as many minutes gave Essendon some breathing space with a 15 point lead before Cloke goaled again late in the term to make it a nine point margin at 1/2 time.

Didak goaled from the first bounce of the third term to have the Pies within a kick. The Bombers hit back as they slammed through five straight goals through the efforts of  Monfries, Lloyd, Jetta, Lovett-Murray and Reimers. A point to Reimers moments later had the Bombers out to a 34 point lead. The Magpies kept themselves in the contest with goals to Anthony and Davis cutting the Bomber lead to 19 points at 3/4 time.

The margin was just 13 points when Medhurst bobbed up with the opening goal of the final term. But Reimers goaled twice to spark another Bomber burst of five goals, it was game over. Medhurst goaled again late in the term, but Essendon's victory was already assured, and even more so when McPhee and Hille finished off the game with two more Bomber goals.

WCE  2.3   6.5   9.11   15.13 (103)
STK  4.5   6.6   9.9    12.14 (86)

GOALS: WCE - LeCras 4, Ebert 3, Staker 3, McKinley, Lynch, S. Selwood, Seaby, Nicoski;
STK - Riewoldt 5, Milne 2, Goddard, Montagna, Ball, Armitage, Gram

BEST: WCE - Ebert, Staker, LeCras, Lynch, Braun, Cox, Seaby, McNamara; STK - Riewoldt, Hayes, Goddard, Fisher, Montagna, Eddy

INJURY: WCE - Dean Cox (cramp); STK - Max Hudghton (calf),

Umpires: M. Nicholls, Kamolins, Ellis

Crowd: 34,037 at Subiaco Oval

It was all St. Kilda through much of the first term after Riewoldt and Milne kicked the opening goals. The Eagles managed just a solitary point and the Saints rushed another. In between, Goddard added a third goal for the Saints and Montagna did likewise. The Saints' lead could have been greater but Riewoldt missed twice. The Eagles just couldn't put the score on the board with Cox also missing a shot on goal. The Eagles finally put two goals on the board late in the term as the Saints took a 14 point lead at 1/4 time.

The second term saw the Saints without Hudghton in defense and seemed to unsettle their backline. They still started well enough with Riewoldt and Milne putting through a pair of goals. Unlike the first term, the Eagles fired back with goals to LeCras, Ebert and Staker. LeCras and Milne then both missed before McKinley goaled to have the Eagles with one point at 1/2 time

Ball extended the Saints' lead with the first goal of the third term, but the Saints seemed to wilt under an Eagle onslaught. A goal to LeCras cut the margin to just five points and Ebert put the Eagles in front with another goal. Gram's miss leveled the scores midway through the term but a point to LeCras put the Eagles back in front. Riewoldt goaled to again give the Saints a five point lead. It didn't last long as Spangher kicked a point and Seaby goaled to give West Coast a 2 point lead at 3/4 time.

The margin was seven points when LeCras goaled at the start of the final term. A point to Hayes, a rushed point by the Eagles and a goal to Riewoldt leveled the scores again. From there, the Eagles took over with goals to Lynch, Staker, Selwood, Nicoski and LeCras ending St. Kilda's day. The best the Saints could do were two consolation goals to Gram and Riewoldt.

ADE  3.6   8.7   8.10   11.11 (77) 
SYD  2.3   4.9   4.12    6.17 (53)

GOALS: ADE - Porplyzia 5, Goodwin 2, Campbell, Gill, Mackay, Symes; SYD - Jolly, Ablett, Bird, O’Dwyer, Hall, Mathews

BEST: ADE - Porplyzia, Rutten, McLeod, Vince, Knights; SYD - O'Keefe, Kirk, Kennelly, Bird

INJURY - ADE - Massie replaced in selected side by Moran, Van Berlo (concussion); SYD - Malceski (calf) replaced in selected side by Mathews, Playfair (suspected hamstring)

UMPIRES: Armstrong, McInerney, Vozzo

CROWD: 26,260 at SCG

The Swans are noted for their hard running and fierce tackling, but so are the Adelaide Crows who beat the Swans at their own game with their own disciplined brand of play. Much of the game was an arm wrestle with just one goal scored in the first half of the first three terms. That goal came in the opening term to Jolly for the Swans. Both sides missed numerous shots on goal before the Crows managed three in a row late in the first term. The Swans finally got their second after Adelaide's burst and it was the Crows by nine points at 1/4 time.

The Swans missed several chances early in the second term to steal the lead which was extended further when Porplyzia marked (caught the ball) and goaled. Goodwin then goaled from a free kick to give the Crows a 20 point lead. The Swans then managed consecutive goals to Bird and first year player O'Dwyer. The Crows replied with two more of their own to Mackay and Porplyzia to take a 22 point lead at 1/2 time.

The third term was a desperate tussle with no goals scored. The Swans registered six posters in the second half. The Crows and Swans broke even for the term. Each side rushed through a point and kicked two points each. It left the margin at 22 points in favor of the Crows at 3/4 time.

It was five minutes into the final term before Symes extended Adelaide's lead with a goal. Bock, McVeigh and Hall then missed more shots on goal before Porplyzia goaled again for Adelaide. Hall, well held by Rutten for most of the game, finally kicked his only goal for the match, but Porplyzia sealed the win with a late goal before Matthews kicked one last goal for Sydney.

RICH  2.2   8.4   10.7   18.9 (117)
BRIS  3.6   7.8   13.14  16.18 (114)

GOALS: RICH - N. Brown 4, Bowden 4, Richardson 3, Riewoldt 2, Deledio, Simmonds, Schulz, White, Morton; BRIS - J. Brown 3, Bradshaw 3, Sherman 2, Johnstone 2, Brennan, Corrie, Charman, Black, Copeland, Drummond

BEST: RICH - Richardson, Bowden, Deledio, Johnson, Tuck, Brown; BRIS - Drummond, Brown, Patfull, Johnstone, Black, Dalziell

UMPIRES: Stevic, H. Ryan, S. Ryan

CROWD: 31,275 at Telstra Dome

The Lions had the better of the Tigers around the ground for most of the first term, but wasted chances in front of goal. Those misses proved crucial in the end as more accurate kicking would have given them what could have been a match winning lead. Bradshaw, the main offender with 1.3 for the term, got the first goal of the match. Several misses from both sides followed before Nathan Brown got one for the Tigers. Brisbane then kicked two of the last three goals. Corrie had a chance to extend Brisbane's lead after the Lions intercepted a Tiger kick in. He missed as well, leaving the Lions with a 10 point lead at 1/4 time.

Goals to Sherman and Drummond gave the Lions a 22 point lead at the start of the second term. The Tigers started to win more of the ball and get it forward. Nathan Brown nailed a goal, then set up Riewoldt for another. When Morton goaled from a free kick, the Tigers were within four points. The Lions got one back through Jonathan Brown but the Tigers kept fighting. They rushed a point and from the kick in, rushed it to the other end where Bowden goaled. Simmonds goaled to give the Tigers the lead and it was Richmond by eight points when Riewoldt added another. Brennan kicked a late goal for Brisbane to have the Lions within two points at 1/2 time.

Brisbane hit back at the start of the third term with three goals and as many misses to extend their lead to 21 points before Schulz pulled one back for Richmond. Again, the Lions pulled away with goals to Johnstone, Jonathan Brown and Copeland. Nathan Brown won the ball out of the middle and slammed through a late goal from beyond 50 meters (55 yards). It was small consolation for the Tigers who trailed by 25 points at 3/4 time.

Richardson, who spent much of the game, roaming around the ground, went to the forward line in the final term. He was one of the keys to the Tiger turnaround, kicking several goals and setting up several others. He kicked the opening goal of the final term and set up Nathan Brown for the next one a few minutes later. It cut Brisbane's lead to 14 points. A series of errors from both sides followed before the Tigers took control again with Bowden kicking another goal. He was followed by Richardson and the Tigers were within two points. Deledio was in the thick of the action soon after with a handball setting up White for a goal to give the Tigers the lead. Brisbane then rushed a point. Power blew the kick in, sending the ball straight to Bowden for another Tiger goal. The Lions finally managed to get their hands on the ball for a decant passage of play ending in a goal to Charman. Bradshaw goaled minutes later to restore Brisbane's lead. Sherman goaled to give the Lions an eight point lead, but the margin was back to two points after Richardson slotted a goal. Jonathan Brown kicked from 60 meters (65 yards). Had it gone through, it might well have proved the match winner, but it was touched on the line for a point. Both sides has one more roll of the dice but it was the Tigers who won out when defender Moore took a strong mark (catch of the ball) and the Tigers were away. They got the ball to Tambling and he delivered to Bowden with just 22 seconds remaining. Bowden, whose defensive tactics of walking the ball over the line for two consecutive points last week sparked debate, did not disappoint. His matchwinning goal gives the Tigers an unlikely chance for a finals spot.

FRE  6.3   8.6   15.9   20.9 (129)
PA   0.3   6.5   11.6   15.11 (101)

GOALS: FRE - Mark Johnson 3, McPharlin, Crowley, Carr, Grover, Sandilands, Murphy, Head, Mayne, Mundy, Ibbotson, Tarrant, Peake, McManus, Palmer, Thornton; PA - Tredrea, Westhoff 4, Cassisi, Motlop 2, Brogan, Pearce, S. Burgoyne

BEST: FRE - Palmer, Crowley, Schammer, Sandilands, Mark Johnson; PA - Westhoff, Tredrea, K. Cornes, Cassisi, Pearce

INJURY: FRE - Pavlich (knee) replaced in selected side by Palmer; PA - Salopek (Achilles), Tredrea (shoulder), Chaplin (ankle)

REPORTS: PA - Lower for making head-high contact with Peake

UMPIRES: Stewart, Chamberlain, Jeffery

CROWD: 19,072 at AAMI Stadium

Luke McPharlin proved to be an excellent replacement up forward for the Dockers. They also showed what they are capable of, especially through the midfield with the onballers matching and bettering their opponents. The Dockers had the advantage of a strong breeze in the first tern and were helped by some bad errors from Port. After Mark Johnson got the first Docker goal, Port rushed a point. Thurstans had the kick in duty, but botched the kick and Carr pounced for the second Docker goal. Port's first score of the game was a rushed point by the Dockers. Westhoff got Port's next score, another point. The Dockers then slammed through four goals, the second from a 50 meter penalty (55 yards) awarded to Grover. Port managed one more point for the term as the Dockers took a 36 point lead at 1/4 time.

Port recovered and fought back in the second term and also had the breeze. Brogan goaled from a free kick within a few minutes of the start. Westhoff kicked two in the space of a few minutes and Tredrea got another. In between, the Dockers wasted several chances with Tarrant missing a gettable close range shot. Johnson won the ball in contest in the forward line for the Dockers, but Tredrea soon replied at the other end. Murphy goaled from a free kick. After McManus missed, Murphy goaled late in the term to give the Dockers a 13 point lead at 1/2 time.

Port surged in the third term with goals to Westhoff, Tredrea and Cassisi to take the lead. The Dockers then rallied as the midfield seized control once more and tool back the lead with goals to Tarrant, Peake and Mayne. A brilliant snap by Pearce was matched by an equally clever goal to Mundy. Head and Ibbotson added late goals to give the Dockers a 27 point lead at 3/4 time.

Port had the breeze in the final term and came out firing, but were matched by the Dockers, who never stopped running. It was goal for goal until midway late in the term when the Dockers kicked clear. Palmer, Thornton and Johnson added goals t close the door on any chance for Port.

NM     7.3   9.6   11.9   14.14 (98)
MELB   1.3   3.4    6.8   10.10 (70)

GOALS: NM - Thomas 5, Jones 4, Harvey 2, Petrie, Hale, Campbell; MELB - Miller 3, Newton 2, Davey, Valenti, P. Johnson, Sylvia, Morton

BEST: NM - Harvey, Hale, Jones, Thomas, Gibson, Simpson, Rawlings; MELB - Buckley, Jones, Valenti, Davey, McDonald, P. Johnson

REPORTS: MELB - Dunn for striking Harvey

UMPIRES: McLaren, Fila, Hendrie

CROWD: 21,330 at the MCG

Wet and chilly conditions saw a paltry attendance. Those who did turn up were treated to an impressive display by the Kangaroos who have yet to lose at the G this season. They have now won four of their past five. They set up the win with a stunning seven goal first term. Harvey and Simpson were prolific ball winners through the middle. The Kangaroos kicked two of the first three goals of the game with Miller snagging Melbourne's only goal for the term. Melbourne squandered what few other chances they had in front of goal, leaving the Kangaroos with a six goal lead at 1/4 time.

Miller got Melbourne's second at the start of the second term, but the Kangaroos soon hit back through Campbell. Miller booted another for Melbourne in the low-scoring term which saw both sides miss shots on goal. Thomas snared a late goal for the Kangaroos who led by 38 points at 1/2 time.

The lead blew out to 43 points when Thomas opened the third term with a goal, but the Demons put up some fight. Davey goaled to bring the margin back down but Jones goaled for the Kangaroos. Several more misses by both sides were sandwiched between two goals to Newton. It was the first time the Demons had kicked consecutive goals, but the Kangaroos still held a comfortable 31 point lead at 3/4 time.

The Demons rallied early in the final term with three of the first four goals to be within 19 points. In between more misses, Thomas and Morton traded goals. A turnover late in the game proved costly for the Demons as Thomas goaled to put the result beyond doubt.

CARL  2.4   5.8   12.13   18.18 (126) 
WB    3.3  10.4   15.6    15.8 (98)

GOALS: CARL - Fevola 6, Wiggins 4, Kreuzer 3, Betts, Judd, Murphy, Stevens, Scotland; WB - Hahn 3, Johnson 3, Harbrow 2, Hill 2, Boyd, Giansiracusa, Gilbee, Minson, Murphy

GOALS
Lance Franklin (HAW)   77
Brendon Fevola (CARL)  77
Matthew Pavlich (FRE)  59 
Daniel Bradshaw (BRIS) 58
Jonathan Brown (BRIS)  57
Jarryd Roughead (HAW)  54

Source: Melbourne Age, Herald Sun, afl.com.au, author notes from live broadcasts