Cats, Giants get pleasure from contrasting AFL victories as Blues halt Energy’s profitable streak

Geelong’s premiership defence is lastly gathering steam after crushing Essendon by 77 factors in an ominous efficiency at Kardinia Park.

In the meantime, GWS got here from behind to defeat the Crows at Adelaide Oval, whereas Carlton halted the Energy’s 13-match profitable streak.

In Saturday’s earlier matches, ladder leaders Collingwood scored a convincing win over Fremantle, and Gold Coast shocked St Kilda solely days after the sacking of coach Stuart Dew.

As they typically do at Kardinia Park, the Cats ended the competition early after slamming by means of the opening seven targets of the match to guide by 46 factors at quarter-time.

Shell-shocked Essendon was in a position to regular through the second time period nevertheless it was already too late because the Cats inflicted additional ache through the 18.14 (122) to 7.3 (45) triumph.

The consequence lifts Geelong as much as fifth, the best place they’ve sat in all season after dropping the opening three matches of their flag defence.

The sight of a rampaging Cats unit will strike concern into the remainder of the AFL, after Cats coach Chris Scott through the week declared “they’re the hazard”.

The Cats may nonetheless pinch a top-four spot and a double finals probability as they sit simply six factors behind Melbourne.

It’s no coincidence one of many Cats’ strongest performances got here in a match when star ahead Jeremy Cameron, Norm Smith medallist Isaac Smith and premiership defender Jake Kolodjashni returned from damage.

Cameron, who missed the earlier two matches by means of concussion, spent durations off the bottom after being concerned in a number of collisions.

The 30-year-old performed out the match and waited till the dying phases to kick his first and solely aim of the competition.

However fellow star Cats ahead Tom Hawkins picked up the slack with 5 targets, 4 of them within the second half.

Geelong ahead Gryan Miers, in his one centesimal match, booted the primary aim of the match and delivered a memorable celebration after being on the centre of a meme evaluating him to Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi this week.

Giants run down Crows

GWS completed excessive of the Adelaide Crows to file an inspiring 14-point win on the street.

The Giants kicked all 5 targets within the remaining time period to triumph 10.11 (71) to eight.9 (57), having trailed by 17 factors at three-quarter time.

The victory lifts the Giants to ninth place on the ladder, however degree with top-eight sides St Kilda, Western Bulldogs and Essendon on 36 factors.

It was their fifth consecutive win of the season.

In the meantime, the Crows are 4 factors behind the Giants in eleventh place.

Giants skipper Toby Greene led the cost within the remaining time period by kicking the primary aim, earlier than Josh Kelly backed up with a serious of his personal.

Harry Himmelberg, Josh Fahey and Daniel Lloyd additionally joined the get together with targets, because the Giants overpowered the house aspect.

The Crows didn’t kick a serious within the fourth quarter.

Greene led the Giants’ aim kicking with three for the match, to go alongside his 20 disposals and three marks.

Taylor Walker was the one a number of aim kicker for the Crows with two.

Blues finish Energy’s profitable run

Carlton loved its greatest win of the season, stopping lifeless Port Adelaide’s club-record profitable streak with a 50-point belting at Docklands.

Jesse Motlop was an unlikely hero with 4 first-half targets and Charlie Curnow was excellent, because the Blues led from the beginning for a convincing 18.14 (122) to 10.12 (72) win.

It’s the Blues’ fourth-straight win to proceed the resurgence that has put them again in finals rivalry, whereas the second-placed Energy finish their profitable run at 13 matches.

The Blues received simply regardless of key ahead Harry McKay leaving the match within the first quarter with a knee damage.

Solely minutes earlier than the opening bounce of the twilight encounter, Matthew Owies additionally dropped out of the Carlton aspect and Motlop took his place.

The small ahead grabbed his alternative with relish and thrilled the house crowd because the Blues took management.

Jack Silvagni additionally starred with 4 targets for the Blues, whereas Curnow was a shining gentle with a match-high 11 marks and three targets regardless of a robust efficiency from Energy key defender Aliir Aliir.

The Energy had been susceptible, given their seven omissions featured the likes of Jason Horne-Francis and Charlie Dixon.

However it’s nonetheless a serious scalp for the Blues and their hunch — after they went 1-8 from rounds 5 to 13 — is now only a unhealthy reminiscence.

The Blues additionally kicked their second-highest rating this season.

There was quite a bit to love concerning the Blues, who confirmed no apparent weaknesses and can in all probability finish spherical 18 in ninth spot.

Regardless of continued robust type from Dan Houston and Connor Rozee, the Energy by no means appeared like pegging again Carlton’s scorching begin to the match.

Whereas many of the key workforce statistics had been even, Carlton dominated all through.

Houston was prolific off half-back, racking up a match-high 41 possessions.

Silvagni kicked the primary two targets of the match and Carlton had the primary six scoring photographs to place the early strain on the Energy.

A wasteful 3.6 for the opening time period stored the match tighter than it ought to have been, earlier than the Blues took management for good with six targets to 2 within the second quarter for a 31-point lead on the important break.

Magpies breeze previous Dockers

Jamie Elliott continued his scorching type in assault with 4 targets because the Collingwood juggernaut rolled on in a cushty 46-point win over Fremantle.

The Magpies’ scintillating model was on full present throughout a 10-goal second quarter, which laid the platform for the 18.5 (113) to 10.7 (67) triumph on the MCG.

The consequence stored Collingwood (15-2 win-loss file) on high of the ladder and has all however ended Fremantle’s (7-10) faint finals hopes.

Including to the Dockers’ woes, they misplaced ruckman Sean Darcy (ankle) and younger defender Brandon Walker (knee) to accidents through the third quarter.

Taylor Adams (23 disposals, seven clearances, two targets) and Darcy Moore (19 disposals, 11 intercepts) had been Collingwood’s most influential gamers when the match was up for grabs early, however the premiership favourites had a raft of contributors.

Brownlow Medal fancy Nick Daicos (36 disposals, seven clearances, one aim) was busy, whereas Jordan De Goey celebrated his a hundred and fiftieth match in type with 26 touches.

Ash Johnson (three), Dan McStay and Adams (two every) joined Elliott as a number of aim kickers because the Magpies racked up a triple-figure rating for the seventh time this season.

Moore had 5 intercept marks within the first quarter alone.

The Magpies kicked eight consecutive targets in lower than 23 minutes to interrupt the match large open and piled on 10.1 to 2.1 for the second quarter, leaving the guests shell-shocked.

Such was the Magpies’ dominance, they had been in a position to relaxation veteran midfielder Scott Pendlebury by substituting him out for Tom Mitchell early within the third quarter.

Dockers star Darcy hobbled off through the third time period and play was held up for a number of minutes after Walker landed awkwardly in a marking contest.

The 20-year-old appeared in excessive ache earlier than being taken off the sector on a stretcher.

Collingwood was commanding 47-point leaders at that stage and the break in play took much more sting out of the competition.

Suns stun toothless Saints

 Gold Coast unfold the load in a robust response to the mid-week sacking of Dew to beat St Kilda by 26 factors in Carrara.

Dew was axed throughout his sixth season in cost on Tuesday, with membership bosses describing a spot between expectation and actuality that they believed had widened.

The taking part in group responded with a pressure-filled, even efficiency to close down the Saints, who hung round however by no means really threatened after the hosts jumped to a 19-0 lead.

The 11.11 (77) to eight.3 (51) victory moved the Suns to an 8-9 win-loss for the season.

Regardless of horror losses to high two sides Collingwood and Port Adelaide previously fortnight, the Suns are nonetheless inside attain of a maiden finals look.

With six rounds to play they want simply two extra wins to equal final season’s career-best marketing campaign and probably enter the highest eight, though they are going to probably want three greater than that to consolidate a finals spot.

Jack Lukosius kicked 4 targets, whereas Rory Atkins (32 disposals, two targets) had his greatest match on the membership within the injured Lachie Weller’s absence and Sam Flanders (33 disposals, 5 clearances) continued his robust patch of type.

Bailey Humphrey, Ben Lengthy, Brandon Ellis, Wil Powell all made a distinction and ensured the work was not left to the core of Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson and fit-again Touk Miller.

The Saints fell to a 9-8 win-loss file as they cling to a spot within the high eight, though Cooper Sharman was a standout with three of his aspect’s targets.

St Kilda scored only one level within the first quarter and twice kicked set-shots out on the total.

Brad Hill did his greatest to spark one thing on the street with some courageous, highly effective operating.

However too typically their raids had been damaged down and the Suns had been hungrier when the ball was up for grabs.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Brad Crouch each had 28 disposals, whereas Jack Steele made eight tackles.

AAP/ABC