Opinion
Round 18 will be remembered for one of the best leaders, Scott Pendlebury, playing his 350th game but the highlight was Essendon ruckman Sam Draper kicking a freakish goal.
Check out what each team can take away from Round 18.
Adelaide Crows: they gave it a red-hot crack
The Crows proved what a close competition we have this season against a Magpies team that won their eighth game in a row, albeit narrowly. It was great to see Rory Laird and Sam Berry combine for 37 tackles, which epitomised the endeavour of their players, while Taylor Walker kicked five goals.
Brisbane Lions: the second=half display was what we’ve come to expect
The Lions may have led the game by only seven points at half-time against the Giants, but they won comfortably in the end. They did it all without No. 1 ruckman Oscar McInerney. The performance of Hugh McCluggage was head-and-shoulders above the rest as he kicked four goals.
Carlton Blues: plenty to improve on
The Blues started the game reasonably well as they took a three-point lead into quarter-time against the Cats. They lost the territory battle, as they had nine fewer inside 50s than Geelong, and lost the game by five goals. A positive was that they won stoppage clearances by eight. It was great to see Sam Walsh and Zac Fisher perform well in a 30-point loss against a top team.
Collingwood Magpies: close win for the milestone man
The Magpies and the Crows played in a game where there were plenty of momentum shifts. Collingwood’s five-point win can be put down to the players being desperate to clinch a victory in Scott Pendlebury’s 350th game. Credit to Nick Daicos, whose contribution was unbelievable, with 40 disposals and three goals, while Pendlebury was also outstanding, leading from the front.
(Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Essendon Bombers: they played an attacking brand of footy
The Bombers were brave with their ball movement as they switched the ball with relative ease. They are clearly a team on the rise; there’s a good mix between youth and experience. It was a game in which Sam Draper, Mason Redman and Zach Merrett excelled. Credit to coach Ben Rutten for implementing an attacking style of play. It was great to watch from a neutral perspective.
Fremantle Dockers: weren’t at their best
The Dockers were outplayed by the Swans. The only real, genuine winner on the ground was Griffin Logue, who kept Lance Franklin to one goal. It was disappointing to see Nat Fyfe finish with only one kick from his 15 disposals. Potential Brownlow medalist Andrew Brayshaw was down on his usual output.
Geelong Cats: the team to beat
The Cats displayed why they are head-and-shoulders above every other team in the competition as it stands. They conceded only 30 points after quarter time. They had ten fewer turnovers than the Blues because they put plenty of pressure on them when the game was in the balance. Sam De Koning was pivotal, as he helped keep Harry McKay goalless.
(Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Gold Coast Suns: a morale-sapping loss
The Suns conceded the first four goals against the Bombers. Despite kicking the next four goals, there weren’t any more momentum shifts, and Essendon annihilated and embarrassed them. The stats told some of the story, as they had 74 turnovers and allowed the Bombers to have 265 uncontested possessions.
GWS Giants: outclassed
The Giants were outplayed by a Lions team that was well prepared and up for the fight. Despite that, Toby Greene kicked four goals, as he endeavoured to keep the Giants in the contest. They relied heavily on Sam Taylor and Harry Himmelberg, who combined for 25 intercepts.
Hawthorn Hawks: a good mix between experience and youth
The Hawks may have had an 11-point deficit at quarter time, but they clicked after that, kicking seven goals straight in the second quarter. They didn’t rely on one player to kick their goals despite Luke Breust kicking six. The Hawks youngsters led the way, with Jai Newcombe, Dylan Moore and Josh Ward a pivotal part of their 25-point win.
Melbourne Demons: the difference between the two teams was Pickett
The Demons went into their Round 18 game against the Power without arguably their best player, Clayton Oliver. They failed to kick a goal in the first quarter, registering just four behinds. Kysaiah Pickett had an outstanding game and proved to be the matchwinner, with six of Melbourne’s 12 goals, which keeps the Demons in the hunt for a top-four finish.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
North Melbourne Kangaroos: finally a win to give the fans some hope
The Kangaroos goal-kicking accuracy was outstanding, as they kicked eight goals straight at one stage. Cameron Zurhaar stole the show with six goals, including a goal that sealed an unlikely win over the Tigers, who sit in eighth place. North Melbourne finished with nine more contested possessions, and they out-tackled the Tigers, which showed that they were up for the challenge.
Port Adelaide Power: failed to ignite
The Power would’ve been pleased going into quarter-time with a nine-point lead and having kept the Demons goalless. Port Adelaide had 13 more clearances than Melbourne despite having 15 fewer hit-outs. The standouts were Connor Rozee and Travis Boak. Unfortunately they had no-one who could stop Kysaiah Pickett, as their defence failed to curtail his influence.
Richmond Tigers: they didn’t take their opportunities
The Tigers were poor in the first half. They had a 32-point deficit despite having three more scoring shots than the Kangaroos. They lost the game predominantly due to poor goal kicking. Despite that, they had 11 fewer clearances and were outworked defensively, with the Kangaroos finishing the game with 12 more tackles.
St Kilda Saints: lack of effort and vigour
The Saints looked like they weren’t prepared for the early onslaught from the Bulldogs. The only two players who could hold their heads up high were Callum Wilkie and Jack Sinclair. The Saints lost by only 28 points, which was due to a four-goal-to-one fourth quarter in their favour.
Sydney Swans: patient and precise
The Swans weren’t up for the challenge for the majority of the first half, as the Dockers led by 23 points at one stage, but they fought back, and it was great to see their youngsters lead the way. Errol Gulden and Chad Warner were both key contributors to an integral win for them. They took 138 marks, and when the game was close in the fourth quarter, the Dockers allowed them to control the tempo of the game.
West Coast Eagles: the senior players stood up
The Eagles showed great endeavour and they kept themselves within striking distance throughout the game, as their system held up against the Hawks. They were led by Tom Barrass and Luke Shuey, who performed admirably. Their goal-kicking accuracy was impressive, as they kicked 12 goals from 17 scoring shots.
Western Bulldogs: dominant when it mattered – it helps when you have Bontempelli
The Bulldogs can thank inspirational captain Marcus Bontempelli for this win. Bontempelli was exemplary, as he finished with 34 disposals, five clearances and two goals. He is one of the best leaders in the game. This win may bring life into their season if he can stay injury free and replicate his Round 18 display in the next five games.
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