In Perth, West Coast Eagles are turning things around with a stunning form turnaround against the Saints in Perth.
GWS deliver a big blow to Melbourne’s top-four hopes, with a narrow win in the wet in Alice Springs.
Earlier, Carlton make it back-to-back wins with a 60-point victory over Hawthorn at the MCG.
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Demons drop key game to Giants in the NT
[Image: Josh Kelly celebrates the winning goal for GWS]
Josh Kelly has kicked a monster winning goal to snatch GWS a dramatic two-point upset win over a wasteful Melbourne and thrust the Giants into the AFL finals chasing pack.
The Giants appeared destined to fall short with about two minutes left in the final quarter in Alice Springs when Kelly marked, played on and launched from close to 60m out.
GWS held on for a dramatic 7.5 (47) to 5.15 (45) victory that puts the Giants (28 points) four points outside the eight and leaves the Demons’ top-four spot vulnerable.
The loss, Melbourne’s second on the bounce, leaves the fourth-placed Demons (36 points) eight points behind third-placed Brisbane and only ahead of the fifth-placed Western Bulldogs on percentage.
The Demons also lost gun forward Bayley Fritsch to a first-quarter foot injury.
Fritsch was caught in a big pack of players when flying for a first-quarter mark and appeared to have his foot stepped on.
He immediately left the field for assessment and was substituted for Jake Melksham.
Unsurprisingly, Melbourne and GWS midfield bulls Viney and Tom Green both got to work in the wet and won plenty of contested ball respectively.
Viney racked up 40 disposals, eight clearances and 607 metres gained and was well-supported by a wasteful Christian Petracca (34 disposals, 556 metres gained) while Angus Brayshaw and Steven May were important.
Green (38 disposals, 16 contested possessions), Kelly (26) and Stephen Coniglio (30) had plenty of the footy for the Giants.
Melksham booted the Demons’ first goal as they endured a wasteful start in difficult conditions, struggling with the Giants’ relentless pressure.
Petracca kicked four behinds in the opening half while Toby Greene booted two second-quarter goals to keep the Giants in the thick of things, with scores level at halftime.
The Giants came out of the main break with greater intensity and it soon paid off.
Xavier O’Halloran put GWS in front with a close-range free kick and Josh Kelly snapped another shortly after.
Isaac Cumming nudged the Giants out to an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter.
But Brodie Grundy and Kysaiah Pickett responded to tighten up the contest.
Ed Langdon kicked a terrific set shot early in the fourth quarter to put the Demons back in front.
The Giants attacked time after time without reward, until Kelly let loose with the decisive long bomb.
Weitering on report as Blues rout Hawks
Star defender Jacob Weitering has been reported for striking during Carlton’s 60-point rout of Hawthorn at the MCG.
After losing eight of nine matches, the Blues backed up their 59-point thumping of Gold Coast before the bye to win consecutive games for the first time in three months and remain in AFL finals contention.
Carlton were back to their attacking best that almost booked them a finals spot in 2022 and they combined it with a strong defensive plan on Sunday as they strangled the 16th-placed Hawks.
Hawthorn failed to register a goal until Mitch Lewis’ major six minutes into the third quarter, their worst first-half in six years, as the Blues cantered to a 17.10 (112) to 7.10 (52) victory.
But vice-captain Weitering faces a nervous wait after being cited for striking Hawthorn ruckman Lloyd Meek in an off-the-ball incident during the third quarter.
“I’ve never placed on report before. I felt like it was an open hand on the chest,” Weitering told Fox Footy.
“I play the game pretty hotly contested so we’ll just see.”
The Hawks enjoyed a brief resurgence after Lewis’ goal, cutting the 56-point margin back to 38, but the match was over when Michael Voss’ team led by 50 at the main break.
Despite enduring a disappointing season well below internal and expectations, the Blues (6-1-8) find themselves just a game-and-a-half outside of the top-eight.
If they can defeat Fremantle in Perth next Saturday night, the Blues will genuinely be back in contention to end their 10-year finals drought.
Hawthorn, who shocked premiership fancies Brisbane at the MCG only a month ago, put in one of their poorer performances since Sam Mitchell became coach ahead of the 2022 season.
The Hawks’ young midfield was shown up by Carlton captain Patrick Cripps (28 possessions, eight clearances), Adam Cerra (27, six) and Sam Walsh, while Charlie Curnow and Jack Martin booted three goals each in a huge improvement up forward for the Blues.
Carlton did it without a recognised ruckman after out-of-contract big man Tom De Koning (knee) was a late withdrawal and joined Marc Pittonet on the sidelines.
Recalled Jack Silvagni, defender Lewis Young, and even Cripps, were forced to handle the ruck contests against the Hawthorn duo of Meek and Ned Reeves.
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