Sydney wrapped up the Minor Premiership (McClelland Trophy), their 10th in club history, with a strong second half performance to see off the challenge of Essendon.
It means that they have guaranteed themselves a double chance and a home advantage route through to a potential Grand Final (GF) at the end of September.
Although they won a flag back in 2012, you have to go all the way back to 1918 for the last time the Swans finished top of the ladder and then went on to win it.
Isaac Heeney put in yet another best on ground display to earn a perfect ten coaches’ votes to secure the first Carey-Bunton medal of his career. He also becomes the first New South Wales player since 2004 to pick up the accolade.
Speaking in the presser, coach John Longmire (pictured above) lauded the achievement saying “It’s an outstanding effort. It is such a tough competition. If we are all sitting here last year, would we have taken it or not. In the position we are in and even in the last couple of weeks, I have been so pleased with the way we have gone about it.”
He went on “You know, just putting the overalls on and getting to work. You are not going to be playing at your best all the time; you have just got to find a way.”
Hogan leading the Coleman Medal table
Jesse Hogan (pictured below) continued his scintillating goalscoring by kicking another bag (six) as Greater Western Sydney bested Fremantle in an entertaining, high scoring affair.
It takes the 29-year-old key forward’s tally to 67 for the season, a personal best, and he is in with a great chance of winning a first Coleman medal of his career.
The result makes it seven straight victories for the Giants, whilst also guaranteeing a top four spot which will help in their quest for a first Premiership in their club history.
Power take honours in Showdown 56
Port Adelaide are another side to get themselves two bites of the cherry after coming out on top with a strong final-term to beat their arch-rivals Adelaide in Showdown 56.
It has been quite a turnaround in form by Ken Hinkley’s outfit, especially as it was only a couple of months ago that some supporters were calling for the coach to go.
A big flash point from this encounter came, in the third quarter, when Power defender Dan Houston collected Isak Rankine with a nasty looking bump, in an incident that will go straight to the tribunal next week, and now faces a lengthy ban.
Zak Butters won the first Showdown Medal of his career, with a best on ground display (15 votes), and also broke the record for most disposals (42) in a derby.
Talking to reporters, post-siren, the vice-captain (pictured above) said “The win means much more. I feel like, obviously losing the last couple (of Showdowns), as a team we just really wanted to win and most of all just keep our season rolling. We have been in some good form and we look forward to the next few weeks.”
“Our mantra this week has been about us, the journey we are on and what we are trying to achieve. I feel we handled the high-pressure moments very well tonight.”
He added “It helps build foundations and belief amongst the group. The competition has been as even and close as ever; every game there is something riding on it. You have to play well to keep things ticking along and I feel that hold us in good stead moving forward.”
Cats crash to St.Kilda
Geelong, though, will have to wait until the final round of the home-and-away season to see if they can clinch that final top four spot after crashing to lowly St.Kilda.
Even more of a missed opportunity considering that they were going really well in the first half and held a decent lead. However, the Cats were completely blown away by a devastating third quarter from the Saints that went on to score an upset victory.
Skipper Jack Steele and Rowan Marshall were excellent in the midfield, whilst defender Josh Battle showed exactly why he has been the subject of such a lot of trade speculation by doing a decent job in keeping Jeremy Cameron pretty quiet.
Magpies get up in Grand-Final re-run
Beau McCreery (pictured below) scored the winner as reigning Premiers Collingwood came from the clouds to get up over Brisbane in an exhilarating contest before 61,218 at the MCG.
In what was a GF re-run from last year, it certainly lived up to the billing by going down to the wire. The Magpies scoring the last three goals of the match, within a 90 second spell in the latter stages, to pull one off one of their trademark comebacks.
It keeps their very slim hopes alive of being able to go back-to-back, next month, but even if they were to win next week, other results would have to go their way as well.
In the rooms for Magpies TV, the forward said “Nick (Daicos) was calling for the ball but I took it upon myself to have a crack and we got it done. I was thinking don’t miss, I was pretty stressed. Bobby (Hill) was like “you’re going to kick the game winner” and I didn’t even want it but it spilled out me and we got it done; I am happy.”
Difficult week for the Dees
Daniel ‘Disco’ Turner (pictured below) booted a career-high four majors as Melbourne put a difficult week behind them as well as ending Gold Coast’s impeccable home record.
With talk of there being some unrest amongst their star players and the future of a couple of others at the club, CEO Gary Pert wrote a letter to the club’s members to address these issues as well as acknowledge that it’s been a disappointing season.
So, this was the perfect response with coach Simon Goodwin keen to highlight that it really showed “the unity and connection that’s pretty strong in our footy club”.
Darcy kicks a career-high seven
Sam Darcy scored a career-high seven goals as the Western Bulldogs secured their biggest winning margin of the season by thrashing a disappointing North Melbourne.
The Rising Star nominee, pick number 2 in the 2021 AFL Draft under the father–son rule, making it the second biggest haul by any player this season (Joel Amartey – 9).
Another side putting up a big score were Hawthorn, giving their percentage a health boost, as they put bottom side Richmond to the sword in a 63-point mauling.
Jack Gunston (five), Nick ‘The Wizard’ Watson and Calsher Dear (three each) amongst the scorers for the rampant Hawks that enjoyed a comfortable afternoon.
It does look like it might have come at a cost, though, with key midfielder Will Day sent to hospital after a heavy collision with teammate Jai Newcombe. The club will be sweating on the results of the scans to ascertain the extent of the damage.
Big win for the Blues in the west
Closing out the weekend’s action, over in WA, an injury-ravaged Carlton are now back in that all-important eight after getting the job done against West Coast.
They have no fewer than 17 players out on the sidelines, which led to both Cooper Lord and Ashton Moir being called up to make their senior AFL debuts for the club.
The decision to put defender Brodie Kemp up in an offensive role paid off as he returned a career-high four snags and offers coach Michael Voss another option.
Round 23 Results
Essendon 8.11 (59)
Sydney 15.8 (98)
Gold Coast 9.9 (63)
Melbourne 18.9 (117)
GWS 15.11 (101)
Fremantle 14.8 (92)
Collingwood 11.13 (79)
Brisbane 11.12 (78)
Port Adelaide 11.14 (80)
Adelaide 8.10 (58)
St.Kilda 16.11 (107)
Geelong 14.5 (89)
Western Bulldogs 20.18 (138)
North Melbourne 6.6 (42)
Hawthorn 19.17 (131)
Richmond 10.8 (68)
West Coast 4.10 (34)
Carlton 14.15 (99)
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