AFL Round 22 in Summary

Buddy Reaches ton, Fevola Falls one Short

AAP Created: Aug 31, 2008

Buddy Reaches ton, Fevola Falls one Short

Lance Franklin of the Hawks reaches a 100 goals for the season. The first time it has been reached in ten years since Tony Locket in 1998. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE—Hawthorn star Lance Franklin reached his AFL "ton" as the Hawks tuned up for the finals with a 78-point whipping of Carlton at Telstra Dome.

Blues spearhead Brendan Fevola nearly made this a tale of two tons with seven goals in the second half, but despite some desperate efforts he went one short of also reaching 100 goals for the season.

Franklin's second goal at 25 minutes into the first quarter made him the first player since 1998 to kick 100 goals in the regular season as the Hawks won 24.15 (159) to 12.9 (81).

Excitement grew in the last term as Fevola closed on the century.

He kicked his seventh at 27 minutes, but then gave away a free and with only seconds remaining, four Hawks defenders stopped him going for a mark.

Franklin, arguably the game's hottest star, finished with 4.5 for the game and 102 for the home-and-away season.

The Hawks will now meet the Western Bulldogs next weekend in a qualifying final.

With the game decided by halftime, the only remaining interest was whether Fevola could also reach triple figures.

Fevola started the night on 92 and if he had reached 100, it would have been the first time in AFL history that two players had passed the milestone in the same game.

Fevola's first-half inaccuracy - four shots for two behinds, one out on the full and one shank that failed to make the distance - cost him.

He finished with 7.3 for the night and was a dejected figure at the final siren.

Team-mates were clearly trying to deliver the ball to Fevola in the final quarter.

Blues fans could not remember Fevola chasing defenders as hard as the pressure he put on Hawks opponents late in the game.

While the game had no bearing on the top eight, the anticipation surrounding "Buddy" Franklin and Fevola meant it attracted more than 49,000 fans.

Franklin's 100 milestone sparked chaotic scenes as thousands of fans ran onto the ground, ignoring pre-match threats of fines and evictions.

Franklin and several other team-mates were quickly taken from the field, while other Carlton and Hawthorn players huddled in the midfield.

Play was held up for eight minutes until the fans left the field.

There were many more security staff than usual, but there appeared to be no arrests.

The game finally resumed when Franklin emerged from the southern race, accompanied by another ovation.

Several security staff ran onto the field with him in case more fans tried to congratulate Franklin, but the game went ahead without further incident.

Tony Lockett, the AFL's all-time leading goalkicker, was the last player to kick 100 in the regular season.

Franklin, 21, also became the first Hawk to reach the milestone since Jason Dunstall in 1996.

While play was stopped, fans held up banners saying "Buddylenko - You Beauty" - in reference to Carlton great Alex Jesaulenko - and "Lance 'Buddy' Franklin - Coleman Medal 2008".

Franklin is set to win his first Coleman Medal as the league's top goalkicker for the season.


AFL players to have kicked 100 goals in home and away season in past 20 years:

1988: Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn) 124
1989: Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn) 128
1992: Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn) 139
1993: Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn) 117, Tony Modra (Adelaide) 119, Gary Ablett Sr (Geelong) 124
1994: Gary Ablett Sr (Geelong) 113
1995: Gary Ablett Sr (Geelong) 118
1996: Tony Lockett (Sydney) 114, Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn) 101
1998: Tony Lockett (Sydney) 107
2008: Lance Franklin (Hawthorn) 102

Hawthorn players to have kicked 100 goals in a season:

Peter Hudson - 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1977
Jason Dunstall - 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996
Lance Franklin - 2008

 

 

Bolton in Trouble but Swans get Home Final


SYDNEY—Sydney scored an important 61-point win over Brisbane ahead of next weeks' finals series but the Swans could be without midfielder Jude Bolton who was reported for rough conduct.

The Swans confirmed they will host a home final next weekend with a 17.12 (114) to 6.17 (53) victory before 24,076 fans at Sydney Cricket Ground tonight, but the win was marred by Bolton's report by umpire Mathew James after a clash with Brisbane's Albert Proud midway through the final term.

The Swans will finish fifth or sixth and host either North Melbourne or St Kilda in next week's elimination final depending on the result of tomorrow's match between St Kilda and Essendon at Telstra Dome.

Sydney's star forward Barry Hall could also be in trouble with the AFL's Match Review Panel.

Hall, who has served seven-week and one-week AFL Tribunal suspensions this year and also a club ban for anger-management issues, may face scrutiny over a clash with Daniel Merrett in the eighth minute of the third quarter when he appeared to punch the Lions defender in the shoulder.

Small forward Jarred Moore and teenager Patrick Veszpremi each kicked four goals for the Swans, who were missing forwards Michael O'Loughlin, Ryan O'Keefe and Adam Goodes.

Brisbane co-captain and key forward Jonathan Brown, who is yet to commit to the club for next season, didn't kick a goal and also endured a frustrating night.

Swans coach Paul Roos said Hall had handled himself well despite some "play-acting" from Brisbane's defenders.

"A forward is always going to be frustrated when they've got two or three guys on him. I think he just responded really well like he did last week," Roos said of Hall.

"The opposition is going to be throwing themselves on the ground and jumping around and carrying on every time he gets near the ball.

"There's a little bit of play-acting I think going on from opposition teams, which is a bit disappointing but that's what Hally has to put up with at the moment."

Roos was upbeat about the performances of Veszpremi and Moore but added O'Keefe (flu) and Goodes (groin) would return for next week's final, likely to be on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium.

O'Loughlin is set to miss next week however and is only running at 90 percent, Roos added.

Roos said his key objectives tonight including getting recalled duo Luke Ablett and Nick Malceski back into form and resting Goodes and O'Keefe and for the team to lift after a run of poor form, with two wins from eight matches going into the Brisbane clash.

"So I think we got everything we possibly could out of the game which was terrific," he said.

Roos said securing a home final was a bonus.

"It's great to be able to play up here. It gives the guys a lot of confidence," he said.

A deflated Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews said the Lions gave an "average" performance, although he did find some praise for Merrett.

"There's not much positives to take out of round 22," he said.

The Swans kicked three goals to one in the opening term and grabbed a 7.8 (50) to 3.9 (27) advantage at halftime. A five-goal-to-two third term set up the win for the home side who were 38 points clear at three-quarter time before steamrolling the Lions in the last quarter.

Ruckman Peter Everitt, 34 years old and playing for his future, was dominant early for the Swans.

Simon Black gave a fine display for the Lions with 26 possessions while Bradd Dalziell was also prominent and Merrett held Hall to one goal.


Laidley Apologises for North's 'Disgraceful' Performance

Kangas Coach Dean Laidley. (Robert Prezioso/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE—North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has apologised to the club's faithful and the family of 300-gamer Shannon Grant for the team's shock 76-point capitulation to Port Adelaide at the MCG.

Despite having the chance to secure fourth spot and earn a double chance in the finals, the Roos put in a very much "un-North Melbourne" like performance to succumb to the lowly-placed Power 23.10 (148) to 10.12 (72).

Laidley said his players simply did not work hard enough.

"I'm here to apologise firstly to our supporters and secondly to Shannon Grant's family and his supporters," Laidley said.

"It was a disgraceful effort and it all comes down to effort required and it was non-existent.

"That was one of the things that we spoke about all week - the effort and again we spoke about last night's game and the effort required and (today) it was just non-existent.

"It's a mental application and about your desire to work hard within your role and your team role.

"We've blown an opportunity to finish fourth but we have another opportunity (in the finals)."

Laidley said the performance of the side's leaders was horrible and admitted youngsters Gavin Urquhart and Lindsay Thomas were struggling to maintain consistency after a long season.

He also questioned whether they could afford to play Aaron Edwards and Hamish McIntosh in the finals after both had missed much of the second half of the year through injury.

"Some of the guys who have served us so well have been on a slippery dip and some of the guys who have performed poorly today and who performed poorly last week make themselves vulnerable," he said.

"Do we take them (Edwards and McIntosh) into a finals series probably not being match hardened?

"That's the question we have to look very closely at and pick the best side to win a final.

"It's important to be able to realign yourself, refocus and get yourself ready."

Despite booting the first three goals of the match, North had no answer to Port's running game as they piled on eight unanswered goals in the third term before booting another five goals to one in the final quarter.

Peter Burgoyne was clearly best afield after collecting a career high 45 possessions. But he was ably supported by Kane Cornes, who curtailed Daniel Wells' influence on the game as well as picking up 30 touches of his own.

David Rodan was unstoppable around the packs, booting a career-best five goals, while in attack Daniel Motlop was elusive as ever and Toby Thurstans provided a good target to kick to. The duo kicked three goals apiece.

While Port coach Mark Williams was pleased his team had started to master strategies which make them more flexible, he gave a veiled swipe at the umpires, saying Port were getting the raw end of the deal around the stoppages.

The free kick count was in favour of North 28-13.

"We got absolutely smashed (in free kicks around the stoppages.)

"We're not blaming anyone, we're just saying it's a fact. We need to spend more time with the umpiring department because I think we have had 90 free kicks the wrong way this year."

North's loss was further soured with Leigh Harding to miss the club's first final after re-injuring the knee that had been reconstructed in 2006.

Laidley said he had strained the medial ligament after he got tangled up in a tackle with Port's Robbie Gray in the first term.

 


AFL Results and Ladder-Round 22

 

Goals: Fremantle: K Bradley 3 J Farmer 3 A Campbell J Carr P Duffield D Headland R Palmer B Schammer. Collingwood: J Anthony 2 T Cloke 2 M Clarke L Davis J Fraser T Goldsack.
Best: Fremantle: R Palmer J Farmer L McPharlin C Mayne K Bradley R Hayden. Collingwood: L Davis S Cox S Prestigiacomo S Pendlebury J Fraser.
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: C Donlon B Rosebury S Ryan.
Official Crowd: 35,106 at Subiaco Oval.

 

Goals: Port Adelaide: D Rodan 5 R Gray 3 D Motlop 3 T Thurstans 3 D Cassisi 2 P Burgoyne S Burgoyne B Lade T Logan M Motlop D Pearce P Stewart. North Melbourne: D Hale 4 S Grant 2 M Campbell L Harding C Jones D Pratt.
Best: Port Adelaide: P Burgoyne D Rodan K Cornes T Logan T Thurstans D Pearce. North Melbourne: B Harvey D Hale D Petrie D Pratt B Rawlings.
Injuries: Port Adelaide: Nil. North Melbourne: L Harding (knee).
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: L Farmer J Schmitt J Mollison.
Official Crowd: 22,144 at MCG.

 

Goals: Geelong: S Johnson 6 T Lonergan 4 C Mooney 2 B Prismall 2 M Stokes 2 G Ablett S Byrnes C Enright R Gamble J Hunt B Ottens H Taylor T Varcoe. West Coast: M LeCras 2 B McKinley 2 A Embley C Fletcher A Hansen J McNamara M Priddis A Selwood.
Best: Geelong: S Johnson J Selwood G Ablett C Ling J Bartel H Taylor. West Coast: D Glass B McKinley D Cox Q Lynch A Embley M Priddis.
Injuries: Geelong: J Corey (elbow) S Johnson (hand) A Mackie (back) replaced in selected side by S Byrnes). West Coast: Nil. Reports: M Stokes (Geelong) reported by field umpire S Jeffery for allegedly striking C Fletcher in the third quarter.
Umpires: S Stewart J Armstrong S Jeffery.
Official Crowd: 21,752 at Skilled Stadium.

 

Goals: Adelaide: T Edwards 3 J Porplyzia 2 N Van Berlo 2 S Stevens S Thompson K Tippett. Western Bulldogs: J Akermanis N Eagleton D Giansiracusa L Gilbee R Griffen J Harbrow S Higgins R Murphy S Welsh.
Best: Adelaide: N Van Berlo M Doughty T Edwards A McLeod B Symes S Stevens I Maric. Western Bulldogs: N Eagleton D Cross L Gilbee D Giansiracusa A Cooney J Akermanis.
Injuries: Adelaide: Nil. Western Bulldogs: B Hudson (hamstring) replaced in selected side by W Skipper).
Reports: B Lake (Western Bulldogs) reported by field umpire M Vozzo for high contact on S Stevens (Adelaide) in the second quarter.
Umpires: M Vozzo S Meredith S McInerney.
Official Crowd: 37,543 at AAMI Stadium.

 

Goals: Sydney: J Moore 4 P Veszpremi 4 K Jack 2 J McVeigh 2 C Bird P Everitt B Hall N Malceski T Richards. Brisbane Lions: D Bradshaw 2 J Charman S Clouston L Henderson T Selwood.
Best: Sydney: J Moore J McVeigh J Bolton A Buchanan P Veszpremi P Everitt C Bolton. Brisbane Lions: S Black B Dalziell D Merrett J Sherman D Bradshaw.
Injuries: Sydney: R O'Keefe (flu) replaced in selected side by P Veszpremi). Brisbane Lions: Nil.
Reports: J Bolton (Sydney) reported by field umpire M James for rough conduct on A Proud (Brisbane) in the fourth quarter. Umpires: S McBurney M James R Chamberlain.
Official Crowd: 24,076 at SCG.

 

Goals: Hawthorn: J Roughead 5 L Franklin 4 C Brown 3 M Osborne 3 M Williams 3 C Bateman R Campbell L Hodge J Lewis C Rioli B Sewell. Carlton: B Fevola 7 B Gibbs 2 C Cloke C Judd J Russell.
Best: Hawthorn: L Hodge J Lewis B Sewell C Bateman M Osborne L Franklin S Mitchell G Birchall. Carlton: B Gibbs M Murphy C Judd B Fevola.
Injuries: Hawthorn: C Stokes (illness) replaced in selected side by X Ellis). Carlton: A Carrazzo (knee) replaced in selected side by M Austin) H Scotland (hip) replaced in selected side by D Pfeiffer).
Reports: N Stevens (Carlton) reported by emergency umpire K Nicholls for wrestling C Bateman (Hawthorn), C Bateman (Hawthorn) reported by emergency umpire K Nicholls for wrestling N Stevens (Carlton) .
Umpires: H Kennedy M Stevic S McLaren.
Official Crowd: 49,075 at Telstra Dome.

 

Goals: Richmond: B Deledio 4 J Bowden 3 D Jackson 2 J Riewoldt 2 D Connors N Foley J McMahon M Morton G Tivendale S Tuck M White. Melbourne: J White 2 B Green B Holland C Sylvia M Whelan.
Best: Richmond: B Deledio J Bowden S Tuck C Newman G Tivendale L McGuane. Melbourne: A Yze M Warnock.
Injuries: Richmond: A Pattison (back) replaced in selected side by D Connors). Melbourne: R Petterd (hamstring) C Sylvia (ankle).
Reports: B Miller (Melbourne) reported by emergency umpire S Wenn for wrestling M Morton (Richmond) in the second quarter, M Morton (Richmond) reported by emergency umpire S Wenn for wrestling with B Miller (Melbourne) in the second quarter.
Umpires: D Margetts H Ryan M Ellis.
Official Crowd: 37,046 at MCG.

 

Goals: St Kilda: S Milne 7 N Riewoldt 4 J Gram 3 A Schneider 2 R Eddy C Gardiner B Goddard S King L Montagna. Essendon: J Johnson M Lloyd R Magin P Ryder J Watson.
Best: St Kilda: L Hayes B Goddard S Milne J Koschitzke N Riewoldt J Gram. Essendon: S Lonergan A Ramanauskas J Johnson H Hocking J Nash B Stanton.
Umpires: M Nicholls M Head T Keating.
Official Crowd: 46,161 at Telstra Dome.

 

 

AFL Ladder P W L D For Agst PC Pts

  1. Geelong 22 21 1 - 2672 1651 161.8% 84
  2. Hawthorn 22 17 5 - 2434 1846 131.9% 68
  3. Western Bulldogs 22 15 6 1 2506 2112 118.7% 62
  4. St Kilda 22 13 9 - 2126 1923 110.6% 52
  5. Adelaide 22 13 9 - 2017 1838 109.7% 52
  6. Sydney 22 12 9 1 2095 1863 112.5% 50
  7. North Melbourne 22 12 9 1 2121 2187 97.0% 50
  8. Collingwood 22 12 10 - 2267 2038 111.2% 48
  9. Richmond 22 11 10 1 2228 2288 97.4% 46
  10. Brisbane Lions 22 10 12 - 2156 2200 98.0% 40
  11. Carlton 22 10 12 - 2217 2354 94.2% 40
  12. Essendon 22 8 14 - 2130 2608 81.7% 32
  13. Port Adelaide 22 7 15 - 2118 2208 95.9% 28
  14. Fremantle 22 6 16 - 1988 2121 93.7% 24
  15. West Coast 22 4 18 - 1670 2535 65.9% 16
  16. Melbourne 22 3 19 - 1629 2602 62.6% 12



LEADING GOALKICKERS

102: L Franklin (Hawthorn) 4
99: B Fevola (Carlton) 7
75: D Bradshaw (Brisbane) 2
70: J Brown (Brisbane) 0
67: M Pavlich (Fremantle) 0
66: J Roughead (Hawthorn) 5
62: M Lloyd (Essendon) 1
56: N Riewoldt (St Kilda) 4
55: D Motlop (Pt Adel) 3
54: S Milne (St Kilda) 7