THEY SAID IT: “The competition will punch you in the face if you take your foot off the pedal.” Essendon coach Brad Scott is making an attempt to mood the thrill amongst long-suffering Bombers followers, who’re in collective full voice after rising to 3rd on the ladder with a defeat of Greater Western Sydney.
PLAYER OF THE ROUND: Melbourne’s Christian Petracca kicked 5 targets, had 21 disposals and 4 clearances, and laid seven tackles – however regardless of his heroics, the Demons fell one level in need of Carlton.
THE MOMENT: There have been loads of tears earlier than Fremantle’s sport towards Sydney as the perimeters paid tribute to the late Cam McCarthy, who died on Thursday evening. Dockers Nat Fyfe, Alex Pearce and Luke Ryan have been notably affected by the tragic loss, given their shut relationship with McCarthy. After the match, Fyfe and Pearce walked to the objective sq. to put down flowers in honour of their former teammate, who performed 49 video games for Fremantle between 2017-20 and 21 matches for GWS in 2014/15.
TALKING POINT: Geelong coach Chris Scott and St Kilda’s Ross Lyon turned heads by voicing their opinion on umpiring points, maybe as a deliberate distraction after slender losses. Lyon was notably robust after a defeat to Hawthorn, describing coaches as being “like neutered dogs” relating to delivering messages to gamers beneath new restrictions on what number of instances runners might be despatched on the bottom. Scott wasn’t proud of the appliance of the benefit rule after Jeremy Cameron was controversially denied a late objective within the Cats’ loss to Port Adelaide.
STAT THAT MATTERS: Zero. Melbourne have been held scoreless in a gap quarter towards Carlton for the primary time since 1942, and for the primary time towards any opposition since 2008. Meanwhile, Geelong conceded 8.2 (50) to Port Adelaide of their first time period – the very best rating in a gap quarter towards the Cats on house turf at Kardinia Park since 1983.
TRIBUNAL WATCH: Hawthorn’s Jack Scrimshaw has copped a one-match ban for tough conduct however Carlton pair Lachlan Cowan and Nic Newman escaped with fines for putting and tough conduct respectively in incidents involving Melbourne’s Alex Neal-Bullen. Geelong midfielder Tom Atkins has been fined for tripping Port’s Jason Horne-Francis.
INJURIES: A Cerra (Carl, hamstring), J Cameron (Geel, delayed concussion), N Blakey (Syd, head), L Vandermeer (WB, shin), M Rioli (Rich, ankle), J Graham (Rich, hamstring), S Banks (Rich, concussion), J Archer (NM, foot), J Howe (Coll, groin), H Harrison (Coll, ankle), J Bytel (Coll, concussion), J Petruccelle (WCE, ankle), J McGovern (WCE, ribs), J Worrell (Adel, suspected damaged wrist).
WHAT’S NEXT: Gold Coast open spherical 10 with a nominal house sport towards Geelong in Darwin on Thursday evening, with a Friday evening blockbuster between ladder-leaders Sydney and Carlton to observe. On Saturday, Collingwood host Adelaide; GWS welcome the Western Bulldogs; St Kilda are at house towards Fremantle; and the Brisbane Lions play struggling Richmond. In Sunday’s fixtures, Essendon face North Melbourne; Port Adelaide play Hawthorn; and West Coast host Melbourne.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
