Last Updated on 26 Jun 2022 5:00 pm (UK Time)
Melbourne made an emphatic statement that they are well and truly back by thrashing Brisbane, under the light at the ‘G’, in the top of the ladder blockbuster.
It had been a tough month for the club both on and off the oval. They went into this game having suffered three straight defeats, found themselves in the news following a bar brawl in Prahran between team mates and then came the recent board drama.
With the pressure on, this was a perfect response from the Demons that kept the Lions to their lowest score of the year and continued their poor run at the venue.
Speaking in the rooms to Demons TV, gun midfielder Christian Petracca said “We’re feeling great. It has been a tough three weeks so good to get a win against a quality opposition. We went in there with a game plan just to have fun, celebrate the little things and I thought the team spirit was awesome.”
He added “Quarter time we were down but +13 in the contest. Goody (Demons coach) said the game was looking ok, just be a bit more cleaner when we are going forward, use our numbers. The pressure was awesome and once you get a bit of momentum it can be hard to stop and I thought we did a really good job with that.”
Jack Henry (pictured below) marked his return to the side, having missed the last two months with a foot injury, by kicking the winner as Geelong got over the line against Richmond.
It proved to be an absolute thriller that went down to the wire, in what some are already calling “the game of the year so far” before a bumper crowd of 59,335.
Jeremy Cameron made his 200th AFL appearance and, with family and friends in stands, hit the scoreboard with three majors as the Cats move up to second place.
The big talking point from the encounter was Tom Stewart’s off-the-ball bump on Dion Prestia that left the Tigers player concussed. The Match Review Officer (MRO) has made the decision to send the defender straight to the tribunal for the offence.
Two teams with top four aspirations met at Marvel Stadium where Carlton avenged their defeat earlier in the season by seeing off the challenge of high-flying Fremantle.
Despite missing a number of players, the Blues, who haven’t played in finals since 2013, put in a strong performance with Michael Voss (pictured below) hailing it a “signature win”.
In the post-match presser, the coach said “It was the best win we’ve been able to have for a number of reasons, not just about method but our ability to sustain that intensity over the course of four quarters was particularly impressive.”
He went on “It wasn’t just against any side; it was against a side that was second on the ladder; they test you in every way. It showed huge growth. I’m very proud of them. It was our best performance clearly for the year. To play all phases well for the entirety of the game, I thought was really impressive.”
Isaac Heeney, Ryan Clarke and Tom Papley were amongst the goals as a rampant Sydney outfit led all evening and ran riot in belting a woeful St.Kilda by 51 points.
A really dirty night for the Saints that put up their lowest ever total under Brett Ratten’s tenure and now sees them slip out of the all-important finals places.
The Western Bulldogs recovered from a sluggish start, which included kicking 13 goals in a row, to fight back and run right over the top of a disappointing Hawthorn.
This result gave Luke Beveridge, in the eighth year at the helm, his 100th victory and makes him the only Bulldogs coach in the club’s long history to accomplish the feat.
Collingwood managed to finish a difficult week on a high, by moving into the eight, after managing to hold on and get over the line against Greater Western Sydney.
Their inaccuracy in front of the big sticks, highlighted by registering 22 behinds, meant they couldn’t put away the Giants who came hard in the closing stages.
The Magpies had found themselves in a bit of a media storm, earlier in the week, following the Jordan De Goey Bali nighclub incident that led to the club giving the midfielder a suspended $25,000 fine for his actions; he has since apologised for it.
There was another tense finish at the Oval where Todd Marshall scored what proved to be the winner as Port Adelaide kept their season alive by defeating Gold Coast.
The Power came into this encounter knowing that a loss would all but likely end their chances of being part of September. They have some big matches on the horizon but it would be some achievement if they made it given their horror zip-five opening.
Speaking to Pirate Life TV, the forward (pictured above) said “We knew it was such an important game for us. They were the form team in the comp at six and one coming into this week. We have been playing some pretty good footy so we knew it would be a good game. To come out with a close win is really good.”
He continued “It is just about winning tough now. We have another big challenge coming up in Perth against Freo; we get a couple of days off now but then in next week to start preparing.”
Down in Tasmania, Taylor Walker had an afternoon out, kicking a bag of six, as Adelaide chalked up a 57-point success over basement side North Melbourne.
The Crows all-time leading goal kicker has still yet to be offered a new contract by the club and this display will serve a welcome reminder. He proved to be a real difference in helping the South Australia side to their biggest victory of the year.
Key forward Josh Kennedy booted five majors as West Coast recorded only their second success of the season by knocking over Essendon at Optus Stadium.
It gave Eagles supporters something to cheer about having seen their side come into this contest on the back of their worst ever losing run; they will be hoping that it is a corner turned and can now look forward to a better second half of the campaign.
Round 15 Results
Melbourne 16.21 (117)
Brisbane 7.11 (53)
Western Bulldogs 19.11 (125)
Hawthorn 12.11 (83)
West Coast 16.11 (107)
Essendon 14.13 (97)
Carlton 12.9 (81)
Fremantle 7.8 (50)
Geelong 13.11 (89)
Richmond 13.8 (86)
Sydney 12.11 (83)
St.Kilda 4.8 (32)
North Melbourne 8.10 (58)
Adelaide 17.13 (115)
Collingwood 11.22 (88)
GWS 12.5 (77)
Port Adelaide 13.15 (93)
Gold Coast 13.13 (91)
Related links
- Stay up to date with all the latest news via the official afl.com.au website.
- AFL Exchange Podcast
- AFL Daily Podcast
- AFL Footy Feed
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