Fremantle edges out Collingwood as Cats, Lions, Giants and Crows record AFL round 11 wins
Updated
A Michael Walters goal inside the final minute saw the Dockers pip the Magpies, while the Cats defeated the Swans, and the Crows, Lions and Giants also posted wins.
Walters steals victory again for Dockers
Fremantle pulled off a stunning four-point win over Collingwood, as Michael Walters proved to be the hero again with a goal to put his side in front with less than 30 seconds left at the MCG.
The Dockers' 11.13 (79) to 11.9 (75) triumph will be much-debated after a Walters's goal in the third quarter was not overturned by the score reviewer despite it appearing to be touched off the boot by Chris Mayne.
Steele Sidebottom's desperate lunge was clearly over the goal line but in a match decided by less than a kick, the Magpies appear hard done by.
Collingwood, who was aiming to make it eight wins in a row, led by as much as nine points in a frantic final term but Brandon Matera kicked two goals to keep the Dockers in the contest.
As the clock ticked down, Nat Fyfe mistimed a torpedo punt that fell fortuitously into Walters lap inside attacking 50, the Dockers star winning a match off his own boot for the second week running.
In a scrappy contest where errors came thick and fast, the few players who were able to maintain their composure and execute skills under pressure stood out more than they usually would.
Brad Hill (29 possessions) and Fyfe (32) were those players for Fremantle, while Scott Pendlebury's class shone out for the Magpies, the skipper finishing with 29 touches and two goals.
Scores were level at the first break, but Jordan De Goey's brilliant second goal helped the Magpies to a 13-point lead at half-time.
The visitors looked set to break the game open with four goals in a row in the third quarter, but De Goey's third late helped slice the margin to four points at the last change, setting up a pulsating finish.
Fremantle finished a player down after Alex Pearce limped off with an ankle injury and failed to return for the final term.
Collingwood will next take on Melbourne in the Queen's Birthday clash, with the Dockers one of six teams not in action as the AFL's bye rounds commence.
Hawkins helps Cats to win over Swans
Tom Hawkins was the centre of attention in Geelong's 22-point victory over Sydney, kicking a match-winning four goals and then collecting impressive young Swan Jordan Dawson with a forearm to the head.
A free kick and 50-m penalty were paid against Hawkins at Kardinia Park, with the incident certain to attract the attention of match review officer Michael Christian.
In the big Cat's favour is that Dawson was back on his feet quickly and played on, making a fine the most likely outcome.
The Cats overcame a slow start to win 13.7 (85) to 8.15 (63), improving their win-loss record to 10-1 and going two matches clear atop the ladder.
Sydney has enjoyed a remarkable run of success at Kardinia Park, winning in each of the previous three years — a record made even more remarkable as the Cats have dropped only one other match at home to any other team in three-and-a-half seasons.
The Swans made another flying start on Saturday, scooting out to an early 15-point lead with three of the first four goals.
The Cats steadied with five-straight majors, including two to Hawkins to edge 16 points ahead.
Again Sydney surged and it needed a big goal right on the siren from Mitch Duncan to give the Cats a narrow six-point advantage at half-time.
The Cats made the decisive break at the start of the third term with three goals inside two-and-a-half minutes.
Shortly afterwards, Hawkins kicked his fourth to push the margin out to 29 points.
The Swans kept plugging away in the final quarter but were never able to get the margin under two goals.
The first matches by enigmatic forwards Gary Rohan and Daniel Menzel against their former sides were mostly non-events.
Rohan was held goalless while Menzel kicked his only major late in the final quarter in his first senior match for the Swans.
The Cats were well served by midfield stars Tim Kelly, Patrick Dangerfield and Duncan, while Dane Rampe and Luke Parker starred for the Swans.
Geelong lost first-choice ruckman Rhys Stanley to an adductor strain before the opening bounce, freeing the way for Zac Smith to play his first senior match of 2019.
Geelong's next match is a Friday night blockbuster against Richmond at the MCG. Sydney hosts reigning premiers West Coast on Sunday week at the SCG.
Crows win thriller against Demons in Darwin
After surrendering a 33-point lead to lose to premiers West Coast last week, Adelaide erased a 31-point deficit to defeat Melbourne in Darwin.
The Demons led from the moment they kicked a behind in the first couple of minutes of the match until time-on in the final quarter.
Adelaide won by two points 14.6 (90) to 12.16 (88) after the kicking 5.2 (32) to Melbourne's wasteful 1.8 (14) in the final quarter.
Crowd favourite Eddie Betts produced some brilliance kicking the ball from the boundary line to Brad Crouch who put the seventh-placed Crows (6-5) in front.
As well as setting up the winning goal Betts also kicked a major in the final quarter, his second for the match.
Key Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins, who was recalled after controversially spending six weeks in the reserves, also kicked a brilliant goal in the final term after he shook off a high tackle.
Sam Weideman had a chance to win the contest for Melbourne inside the final minute but his set shot only produced a behind from a range of 50-metres.
The Demons (3-8) had appeared on course to repeat last year's thrashing of the Crows in Alice Springs and initially looked slicker than they had in what has been a disappointing campaign.
Under scrutiny Melbourne players Nathan Jones and Jack Viney performed well early alongside fellow midfielders Clayton Oliver and James Harmes but the Crows eventually gained control.
Adelaide, backed by a partisan crowd of 10,634 gradually bridged the gap and handled Darwin's energy-sapping heat better down the stretch.
Lions come from behind to beat Hawks
Brisbane showed its finals credentials by withstanding a barnstorming start by Hawthorn to seal a comfortable 19-point win at the Gabba.
The Lions were blown away from the outset, with the Hawks kicking five unanswered goals in the first term.
And the hosts did not hit the lead until after the siren in the third term before surging to a 12.13 (85) to 10.6 (66) victory.
The Lions' 7-4 record showed they were finals contenders by momentarily moving into the top four with their third straight win over the Hawks in front of 25,051 spectators.
Brisbane looked set to again give coach Chris Fagan heart palpitations after enduring one point results in the past fortnight — a win over Adelaide and a heartbreaking last-round loss to Fremantle.
They reeled in a 25-point first term deficit to lock up the scores in the second term 39-39 before threatening a close finish by leading at the final interval by seven points.
Fagan's nerves, however, were finally settled when Cameron Rayner audaciously volleyed a goal before the inspirational Dayne Zorko booted truly moments later to blow the deficit out to 18 with five minutes remaining.
The Hawks (5-6) could not break their Lions hoodoo in a blow to their hopes of staying in touch with the top eight.
Brisbane has now claimed five of their six home matches, winning contested possessions (145-118) and inside 50s (53-46) on Saturday night.
For the Lions, Jarryd Lyons had 33 touches and Lachie Neale 30 while Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Rhys Mathieson and Charlie Cameron all kicked two goals.
For Hawthorn, James Worpel had 24 touches and Mitch Lewis two goals.
Giants crush hapless Suns
GWS vice-captain Stephen Coniglio gave a timely reminder of his value at Giants Stadium, where five goals from Jeremy Cameron helped the hosts hammer Gold Coast by 83 points.
Cameron, Jeremy Finlayson and Harry Himmelberg combined for 10 goals, as GWS shored up their top-four spot, prevailing 19.12 (126) to 6.7 (43) in front of a crowd of 7,581.
Coniglio, who comes off contract at the end of this season, was best on ground with 36 disposals, eight tackles, three clearances and three goals.
The foundation Giant has been linked to clubs in Melbourne but GWS coach Leon Cameron is confident the in-demand on-baller will pen a new deal within a month.
The Suns were in the contest at half-time, trailing by 19 points, but GWS proceeded to grow their percentage thanks to their potent multi-pronged forward line and the class of midfielders Coniglio, Josh Kelly, Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto.
The only downside for the Giants was that stars Lachie Whitfield and Toby Greene both failed to run out the match.
Whitfield suffered a painful knock to his collarbone and shoulder in the fourth quarter when he was bumped by Gold Coast midfielder David Swallow.
Whitfield emerged from the rooms towards the end of the match in good spirits and without a sling.
Greene played no part in the fourth quarter.
Cameron, having booted a combined total of three goals in the preceding three matches, featured prominently as the Giants booted 9.5 in a lopsided final term.
Gold Coast's Jack Bowes suffered a quad injury in the first quarter and played no further part in the match.
AFL ladder
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Topics: australian-football-league, sport, australia, nt, darwin-0800, vic, melbourne-3000, collingwood-3066, geelong-3220, hawthorn-3122, wa, fremantle-6160, nsw, homebush-2140, qld, brisbane-4000, sa, adelaide-5000, sydney-2000
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