Australia

In-form Saints score upset win over Lions as Cats, Dockers celebrate victories


St Kilda’s finals dreams are well and truly alive with the Saints upsetting Brisbane by 32 points on the Gold Coast.

Earlier, Geelong defeated Carlton by 26 points and Fremantle celebrated a 62-point triumph over Hawthorn.

In Carrara, it proved to be a horror night for the Lions, who lost forward Eric Hipwood to a suspected ACL injury.

The Saints recorded a third straight win to spoil Lions captain Dayne Zorko’s 200th AFL match in the club’s best performance of the season.

A Lions comeback looked to be on early in the third quarter in their home match, which was shifted from the Gabba to Carrara due to Queensland’s COVID-19 situation.

But the Saints quickly reclaimed the lead and stormed out winners 14.11 (95) to 8.15 (63).

The Saints move to an 8-8 win-loss record, with only a poor percentage keeping them outside of the top eight.

As joyous as the result was for St Kilda, the Lions’ (11-5) premiership hopes could be in tatters due to Hipwood likely missing the rest of the season.

It was just Brisbane’s second loss in its past 12 matches.

After enjoying a relatively injury-free run during 2019 and 2020, Hipwood could become the second Lions ace to go down with an ACL injury this year.

Dynamic forward Cameron Rayner hurt his knee during a preseason match in Carrara in March and was ruled out for the year.

Hipwood went off late in the first quarter, landing awkwardly after going up for a mark.

If scans confirm a season-ending knee injury, it would leave a giant hole in the Lions’ forward line with Hipwood having kicked 26 goals this season.

As deflating as Hipwood’s injury was for the Lions, St Kilda outplayed them in all areas as the Saints’ midfield group of Luke Dunstan (31 disposals), Jack Steele (29) and Zak Jones (26) dominated Brisbane’s on-ball brigade.

After trailing by two points at the first change, St Kilda powered ahead thanks to young forward Max King’s three second-quarter goals.

Zorko was Brisbane’s clear stand-out player in his milestone appearance with three first-half goals and setting up another major.

Cats get past Blues

Carlton’s Liam Stocker (right) attempts to get a kick away against Geelong.(

AAP: Rob Prezioso

)

Geelong has overcome a slow start to beat Carlton by 26 points at the MCG, leaving the Blues to rue a wasteful day in front of goal.

The Blues more than held their own in the opening half but kicked just two goals — and 13 points — across the first three quarters, with the Cats finding another gear after half-time to kick away for a 10.10 (70) to 5.14 (44) victory in front of 31,834 spectators.

The victory keeps Geelong in touch with the top two, while the manner of the defeat would have been bitterly disappointing for the Blues, who were coming off back-to-back wins.

Tom Stewart (24 disposals, 12 marks) was excellent behind the ball for Geelong and Zach Tuohy (24 disposals, two goals) was busy throughout.

Carlton’s Sam Walsh (35 disposals, two goals) was brilliant and Jacob Weitering kept Geelong sharpshooter Tom Hawkins goalless.

Carlton lost key defender Liam Jones (back) and veteran forward Levi Casboult (knee) before the bounce, with Will Setterfield and Tom Williamson late inclusions.

But David Teague’s side were arguably the better team early without scoreboard reward, with Sam Petrevski-Seton, who kicked their only first-quarter major, among those to miss easy shots.

Esava Ratugolea and Jed Bews gave the Cats a two-point edge at the first break, while Isaac Smith snapped a nice goal early in the second quarter.

It would prove the term’s only goal.

Gary Rohan provided a rare highlight when he leapt over Tom De Koning for a spectacular mark but his snap was off-target, summing up a dour quarter. 

Carlton spurned multiple opportunities to get the match back on their terms in the third quarter.

Harry McKay sprayed an early shot, while Matthew Owies missed two more attempts and the Cats put their foot down.

Brandan Parfitt drew first blood in the third quarter before Rohan and Shaun Higgins nudged the Cats’ lead out to four goals.

McKay finally kicked truly late in the quarter to draw the Blues back within three goals heading into the final change.

But Tuohy kicked two goals early in the last quarter to put the result beyond doubt while Walsh snared two late goals on a dire day for Carlton.

Dockers smash Hawks

A Fremantle AFL player pumps both his fists as he celebrates kicking a goal against Hawthorn.
Fremantle’s Bailey Banfield pumps himself up after kicking a goal against Hawthorn.(

AAP: James Ross

)

Fremantle has marked captain Nat Fyfe’s 200th AFL match with a dominant 62-point win over Hawthorn that keeps the Dockers in the finals mix.

Dockers forward Rory Lobb slotted an equal career-best four goals, including three in the first term, in Launceston.

Fyfe was outstanding in the opening exchanges, picking up 13 disposals in the first quarter before finishing with 31 for the match.

Lobb took a number of strong pack marks early as the Dockers opened a 35-12 quarter-time lead before inflicting plenty of pain late.

Fyfe added his name to the score sheet early in the fourth quarter amid a run of six-straight Fremantle goals.

The 16.12 (108) to 6.10 (46) win puts the Dockers in the top eight as of Saturday afternoon with other teams around them on the ladder still to play in round 17.

It was Fremantle’s biggest win over Hawthorn, surpassing their 61-point victory at Subiaco Oval in 2002.

Hawthorn kicked just two goals in the second half.

They had some promising passages but it was not the response the club was seeking after revealing the succession plan for coach Alastair Clarkson earlier this week.

The club announced Clarkson would depart at the end of 2022 and hand the reins to Sam Mitchell.

Hawthorn lost Jack Scrimshaw at half-time when he was medically subbed out of the match due to concussion concerns.

The Hawks remain in second last with just four wins for the season and have lost three of their four matches in Tasmania this year.

Ladder

AAP



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