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The AFL could not have scripted a better ending to the home-and-away season if they had tried, with two season-defining games decided by less than a goal.
Even the one-sided game Brisbane-West Coast match was exciting as they built their score to the level they needed to oust the Western Bulldogs from the top four and deprive them of the double chance, while all games featured either farewells to some of the modern-day champions or milestones for those still playing on.
Shaun Burgoyne, who nearly featured in the last play of the day in the draw between Hawthorn and Richmond, played over 400 games of AFL football – he’s one of only five players ever to do so – and finished his career neatly at Hawthorn on exactly 250 games.
Another of the weekend’s retiring legends, Carlton’s Eddie Betts, did it the other way: his 218th game at Carlton, which drew him level with Tom Alvin and Robert Walls, meant he retired on exactly 350 games and became the 19th player to achieve this mark.
Mark Blicavs (Geelong) took nine seasons to reach the 200-game mark, whereas Jordan Roughead took 12 seasons at two different clubs (Western Bulldogs and Collingwood) to reach the same total.
Tom Mitchell played his 150th AFL game in the drawn match between Richmond and Hawthorn – the first draw between the two clubs – and Harry Cunningham played his 150th for the Swans in their big win against the Suns.
Along with Blicavs, Cunningham is the only player of those mentioned who has so far played all his career at the club he started with – a testament to the high level of player movements in recent times.
Another dual-club player, Lance Franklin, is the clubhouse leader so far in goals kicked in the round, totalling six. That means his total combined at Hawthorn and Sydney is now 992, and the 1000-goal total is now in his sights. His total goals for Sydney is now 412, which takes him to level with Bob Skilton.
Although in every case except one (Charlie Cameron), the goal-kicking milestone achievers were on the losing side, but they still had something to celebrate in this season of achievements. Jack Darling (West Coast) scored three goals to bring up a total of 450, and two of his teammates also achieved traditional milestones: Liam Ryan (100 goals) and Jake Waterman (50 goals).
Gold Coast’s poor end to the season was softened slightly by Alex Sexton’s 150th goal for the club that he has always remained loyal to, and he is now the third greatest game player and the second greatest goalscorer for them.
With Joe Daniher (Brisbane), Ed Curnow’s four goals made for the second-best total of the round so far and took him to 50 AFL and club goals at Carlton, where Corey Durdin started off what will hopefully be a long and fruitful career with his maiden goal.
As well as the retiring top-100 AFL game players, there were a number of top-100 club game players who played their last match: Jarrod Harbrow (Gold Coast Suns), the ‘other’ Tom Lynch (Adelaide), Bacher Houli, David Astbury (Richmond) and Levi Casboult (Carlton).
Others were forced into retirement by injury or form and therefore didn’t get the opportunity to bow out in the most exciting round of the season: Daniel Talia, Tom Rockliff, Jake Carlisle, Chris Mayne and Cale Hooker.
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