1. Geelong 12.14 (86) d Collingwood 6.14 (50) at the MCG
Game analyser
The moment: Looking for a safe route out of the goal square, Pie defender Heath Shaw made the perplexing decision to kick short to Brent Macaffer. Macaffer spilled the sitter, Cameron Mooney pounced and placed the ball on the chest of teammate Tom Hawkins for a simple goal. As gaffes go it was a pearler, and summed up Collingwood’s see-sawing Friday night.
2. Western Bulldogs 19.7 (121) d North Melbourne 7.15 (57) at Etihad Stadium
Game analyser
The moment: Barry Hall’s direct opponent, Scott Thompson, had been niggling all day and when the big man stooped to tie up a shoelace, Thompson pounced with a hip and shoulder. It took three Roos players to bring Hall to the ground and the ground erupted as the full-forward seethed under a pack of blue and white. Hardly anybody noticed that a 50m penalty to Matt Campbell delivered North's first goal of the game.
3. Fremantle 14.16 (100) d Sydney Swans 9.9 (63) at the SCG
Game analyser
The moment: In a match where all the focus was on Aaron Sandilands' expected dominance in the ruck, it was Fremantle second-string tall Kepler Bradley who caught the eye. A deft tap from Bradley led to a sensational overhead snap from talismanic captain Matthew Pavlich to put Freo out to an early lead that they would comfortable maintain.
4. Essendon 19.16 (130) d Richmond 14.11 (95) at the MCG
Game analyser
The moment: The match had barely begun when Jack Riewoldt received a free kick from roughly 40 metres out, after Bomber Tayte Pears was penalised for tangling with the Tiger. But that's where Richmond's fortune ended. Riewoldt's shot hit the post, Essendon piled on seven opening-quarter goals before the Tigers had their first, and Richmond's Dreamtime quickly became a nightmare.
5. Melbourne 17.9 (111) d Port Adelaide 16.14 (110) at TIO Stadium
Game analyser
The moment: A frenetic finale rarely looked on the cards in Darwin, but a late Port comeback ensured scores were level inside the final few minutes. Melbourne’s Mark Jamar was denied a one-handed mark in the goal square, then Jack Trengove's punch scored an all-important point. Alipate Carlile then sabotaged his team's chance to pinch it by stepping outside the goal square on the kick-out - the footballing equivalent of a no-ball.
6. Adelaide 13.15 (93) d Brisbane Lions 11.15 (81) at AAMI Stadium
Game analyser
The moment: Would injury concerns affect Jonathan Brown and Brendan Fevola? Brown - yes. Fev? Injury certainly didn't prevent him kicking one of the goals of the year. Under a close check from Ben Rutten, Fevola gathered and dribbled an optimistic check-side kick along the ground. It bounced forever, Michael Doughty missed the ball and collected the goalpost - and Fevola made friends in the crowd with disgruntled Crows supporters.
7. Hawthorn 16.14 (110) d Carlton 8.12 (60) at Etihad Stadium
Game analyser
The moment: The Blues had surged back during the third term. A goal would have put them within 21 points and with momentum - had Setanta O'hAilpin not picked that moment to have a classic brainsnap. The big Irishman marked a metre from the centre of the goalline, but mystifyingly turned and tried to play on. He was immediately tackled and the ball dribbled through for a behind.
8. St Kilda 13.13 (91) d West Coast 8.8 (56) at Subiaco Oval
Game analyser
The moment: West Coast’s Ben McKinley has struggled for form since an outstanding 2008, but his third goal against the Saints suggested he might have rediscovered his old goal sense. Reading the ball off a pack that Josh Kennedy crashed, he had one air swing under pressure, but got another chance and soccered it through with his in-step to help the Eagles open up a handy lead.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
