Melbourne’s streak of 17 straight wins has ended Fremantle with a five-goal deficit to achieve a momentous 38-point victory at the MCG.
The defeat leaves the Demons just one win ahead of the Brisbane Lions, who defeated GWS 14 points on Saturday.
Geelong also enjoyed a seven-goal win over Adelaide, while the Western Bulldogs thrashed West Coast by 101 points and Gold Coast got a 67-point win over Hawthorn.
The Demons advanced to the start of 11-0 in 2022 after advancing by 30 points at the end of the second quarter before Fremantle sank the last 10 goals of the game to make an all-powerful statement.
The Dockers, who were coming off disappointing defeats against Gold Coast and Collingwood, produced an eight-goal burst in the third quarter to stun the top rulers.
Justin Longmuir’s side led by 17 points in the final change and absorbed pressure from Melbourne to flee the winners, 14.10 (94) to 7.14 (56), scoring 13 of the last 14 goals.
It was Melbourne’s first defeat since losing to the Western Bulldogs in round 19 last year.
Melbourne was shaken by the early loss of superstar defender Steven May, who was replaced in the fourth quarter after a friendly firefight with fellow Prime Minister Jake Lever.
In a big blow for the Demons, May will miss next week’s clash with the Sydney Swans under AFL concussion protocols.
But the fall of Melbourne and the rebirth of Fremantle did not stem solely from May’s absence, as the Dockers muttered around the open spaces to embarrass the demons’ star midfielder’s drive.
Undoubtedly, the Demons’ defensive structure was shaken without May, but Andrew Brayshaw, Will Brodie, Caleb Serong and Sean Darcy set up the comeback from the middle.
Brownlow medal favorite Clayton Oliver had 24 eliminations in the half, but remained silent after the main break when the Dockers reigned supreme.
Fremantle’s Sean Darcy (left) gets physical with Melbourne captain Max Gawn. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)
The slanderous Rory Lobb kept the Dockers in the competition early, scoring two of Fremantle’s first three goals and asserting himself on the ground.
Lachie Schultz finished with four goals, the maximum of the game, Lobb threw three, while the exciting Michael Frederick made two and played an influential role in the creation of many others, including a classy cap at the end of the game. third quarter.
The performance confirms Fremantle (record of 8-3 wins and losses) as a true candidate for the premiere, adding to the rare victory they achieved in Geelong in the seventh round.
The only downside for the Dockers was the important striker Matt Taberner who was replaced in the last term by Bailey Banfield.
The Dockers face another huge challenge next Sunday when they host second-placed Brisbane in Perth.
The lions gather to defeat the giants
Lachie Neale was again prominent when the Lions returned to defeat the Giants. (Getty Images: Chris Hyde)
Brisbane overcame a bombing in the first quarter of the GWS to claim a victory over the Giants in the Gabba.
The Lions, who were down by up to 30 points while the Giants scored eight goals in the first season, took control of the next three quarters of Saturday’s game to stay with 16.14 (110) to 15, 6 (96) winners.
Lincoln McCarthy scored four goals for the Lions while key forward Dan McStay made a double on his return from an ankle injury.
Lachie Neale and attractive youngster Deven Robertson also got two majors each for the hosts.
Toby Greene finished with four own goals for the Giants, while James Peatling repeated his efforts last week against the West Coast with three majors.
Josh Kelly, with 31 rebounds, six rebounds and two goals, was arguably the best of the visitors, while five other giants picked up more than 20 rebounds.
Jesse Hogan also got a double for the visitors.
Jarrod Berry (33 eliminations, one goal) had a great influence in the middle of the Lions field, while Neale was classy, adding 39 discards and six innings to his two goals.
The win comes after last weekend’s five-point loss to the Hawthorn by the Lions and elevates Chris Fagan’s team to 9-2 for the season.
The early response to this defeat to the Hawks did not reach the early stages, as the Giants accumulated six goals to one in the first 20 minutes.
When Greene fired in the third quarter, the Giants had five clear goals before McCarthy brought his own account for the season to three so the Lions were just two goals behind in the first half.
In a penalty shootout in the first quarter, a total of 14 goals were fired from just 27 in the 50.
GWS was also forced to replace Callan Ward after the midfielder suffered a concussion in a contest with Eric Hipwood where the giant grabbed Hipwood’s knee next to his head.
After settling in after their slow start, the Lions flexed their muscles for the next two quarters and hit the front for the first time early in the third period, when McStay received his second goal of the day via a free throw of 50 m.
Brisbane never looked back from that point, Robertson provided a highlight with his second goal of the day before Brandon Starcevich and Neale hit the scoreboard with long bombs from outside the 50 to have a 21-point lead in the last turn.
The Giants refused to leave in the final quarter and when Hogan threw his second with five minutes left to play, the margin was just nine points in favor of the Lions.
McCarthy’s fourth of the day calmed the nerves of local fans as the Giants fell to a 3-8 record.
Bulldogs humiliate eagles in the west
Bulldog duo Taylor Duryea (left) and Aaron Naughton show off their joy after a goal against the Eagles. (Getty Images / AFL Photos: Will Russell)
Western Bulldogs ruckman Tim English has made an impressive comeback from injury and illness to lead his team to victory on the unfortunate west coast of Perth.
The Englishman had been sidelined since the fifth round after a hamstring injury was followed by a severe flu attack that required hospitalization.
But the 24-year-old showed no harmful effects of these diseases, with 25 discards, the maximum of his career, with eight discards and 28 hits in the defeat of 25.11 (161) to 9.6 (60) against 31,838 spectators.
Such was the dominance of the Bulldogs, they finished the game with 16 individual pitchers, a record equal to the history of VFL / AFL.
West Coast was interested in attracting English to Perth, but the 207-centimeter-tall ruckman will be back with the Bulldogs.
And according to the evidence presented in Perth, the English star is ready to burn intensely for years to come.
He dominated the air against the inexperienced West Coast ruck duo, and even acted as an additional midfielder at times with his outside career.
Star striker Aaron Naughton scored four goals and Josh Dunkley (25 eliminations, two goals) was also critical, as the Bulldogs gave his percentage a much-needed boost.
The Bulldogs’ third victory in the trot improved their record of wins and losses of the season to 6-5 and placed them in the top eight, while the West Coast (1-10) remains stuck at the foot of the table.
The Eagles lost star defender Jeremy McGovern in the middle of the second quarter due to a back injury.
West Coast striker Jack Darling bounced back with four goals, his highest record of the season, while Tim Kelly (38 dismissals, 11 touchdowns, one goal) was influential in midfield.
The soles outperform the Hawks in the Top End
Izak Rankine (left) and the Suns had reason to smile during their victory over the Hawks. (Getty Images / AFL Photos: Michael Willson)
Gold Coast is just one game away from the top eight after dismantling the Hawthorn in their comfortable victory at Darwin.
Three goals in the first half from Mabior Chol, a scandalous end from hometown hero Joel Jeffrey and a 24-point lead, two goals and Brandon Ellis’ best ground display helped the Suns reach their fifth. victory of the campaign.
They scored nine of their first 11 goals, and the Hawks couldn’t get past their slow start.
It turned out to be a real party for the Suns, with Malcolm Rosas enjoying his time back home with three goals.
It was a third win in four games for the Suns, and with North Melbourne, Adelaide and Port Adelaide on deck for the next three weeks, they are becoming a true contender for the final.
Ben Ainsworth were the first to reach the corner kick, but their header was blocked by the keeper.
Rosas quickly found another before Isaac Rankine’s third pinched them a 19-1 break in 15 minutes.
Hawthorn’s Luke Breust got his team on the board shortly afterwards with a clever shot, but a seven-pointer from Chol kept the Suns 18 points ahead in the first half.
The Suns center-forward hit twice in the second season when his team broke up, but a long bomb from Jeffrey knocked the house down and gave his team a 40-point lead.
The hits continued to come when a Touk Miller delivery allowed Levi Casboult to hit the scoreboard, with even two Hawthorn goals in the end only keeping them at 41 points in the half.
Ainsworth got a second at the end of the third to get a 55-point lead, from a free kick after Jarman Impey appeared to put him on his knees in the back of the ball, while Rosas’ second had the margin beyond 10 goals.
Ellis was the best for the Suns, but received a lot of support with Miller (24 eliminations) and Lachie Weller (27) among his best.
It was a bad night for the Hawks after their discomfort in Brisbane last weekend and they have now lost five of their last six games.
Tom Mitchell was in magnetic form with 29 touches, while Chad Wingard was the only multiple pitcher on his team with two majors.
Cameron in the song as Cats Trump Crows
Jeremy Cameron (right) and Gryan Miers celebrate a goal during Geelong’s victory. (Getty Images: Martin Keep)
Jeremy Cameron scored four goals to help Geelong bolster his claims for a place in the top four with his victory over Adelaide.
Highly favored at home, the Cats took on a big challenge during their third term to win 15.7 (97) to 7.13 (55) at Kardinia Park.
The result gave them first-round wins in the third and fourth rounds, and they improved their record of wins and losses to 7-3 before a clash with the Western Bulldogs next Friday …