- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The five Saturday games of Round 22 helped settle the likely make-up of the final eight but did not snuff out completely the fate of the other three contenders – although it would be a brave man who predicted more than one change to the top eight.
Collingwood demolished a competitive Port Adelaide in the Saturday curtain-raiser, which is fast becoming their trademark game. The Magpies had to overcome an early deficit by wearing down the opposition with constant pressure using an army of ten-plus goal-scorers.
One of the goal-scorers was Travis Varcoe, who in his 200th AFL game proved he is just as valuable to Collingwood as he was to Geelong in 138 games for his 130 goals. Although overtaken by Cameron Guthrie on Geelong’s top-100 game-players list yesterday, Varcoe still holds equal 86th position on the list with rover Tony Polinelli. He also still sits 59th on the Cat’s top-100 goal-scorers list.
It is ironic that apart from their two superstars – midfielders Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom – Collingwood has missing from their team the only three current-day top-100 goal-scorers in Jamie Elliott, Alex Fasolo and Jarryd Blair, whose main task is to kick goals.
While none of the other squad of goal-scorers at the club is yet close to the top-100 mark, it is conceivable that up to ten of the current players sharing the goals around will make the list.
For Port Adelaide, single goals to Robbie Gray and Justin Westoff saw the former continue his seven-goal advantage over the latter in the battle to hold the second spot on the Power’s all-time top-100 goal-scoring list. Patrick Ryder and Travis Boak were the multiple goal-scorers, scoring three goals and two goals respectively.
Port Adelaide need the cards to fall their way for them to regain a finals position.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Geelong went on a goal-scoring spree against the hapless Dockers at the Cattery, inflicting a huge loss on Fremantle and giving Geelong’s percentage a boost. Tom Hawkins helped himself to six goals and Gary Ablett scored the one he needed to bring up his 400th goal and draw level with Cliff Rankin in 94th position on the AFL top-100 goal-scorers list. However, Rankin scored all his goals at Geelong, whereas Gazza scored many of his for the Gold Coast Suns.
Fremantle’s three goals can from singles to Tom Sheridan, David Mundy and Stephen Hill.
The ‘battle of the bridge’ had a real sense of deja vu about it. In Round 20, when Sydney played Collingwood, Darcy Moore, who was assigned to Lance Franklin, was doing a good job until struck down by injury. Franklin then cut loose and Sydney won a tight game.
In Round 22 Greater Western Sydney’s Phil Davis was assigned to Buddy and was doing a good job until he too was struck down by injury, allowing Franklin to again cut loose and see Sydney to victory in a tight game.
Apart from Franklin’s five goals, which took him past Leigh Matthews on the AFL’s all-time goal-scorers list, and Kieran Jack’s two goals, which took him to level with Norm Goss on Sydney’s top-100 goal-scorers list, the only goal-kicking highlight was Will Hayward’s 50th goal.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.