A review of all the action from Round 3 of the 2024 Smithy’s VFL season.
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs ESSENDON
Footscray Bulldogs 4.4 7.9 12.15 16.18 (114)
Essendon 5.2 8.4 9.6 12.8 (80)
FOOTSCRAY stepped up after half-time to overrun a gallant Essendon by 34 points to mark Anthony Scott’s 50th VFL game and retain their undefeated Smithy’s VFL start to the season at Marvel Stadium on Friday.
The Bombers were outstanding early as their big-name recruits Xavier O’Neill, Jack Peris and Jackson Hately kicked the first three goals as their side led almost exclusively through the first half.
Former Giant and Crow Hately was the catalyst, booting three goals by the fourth minute of the second quarter on his way to sensational numbers of 30 disposals, six marks, eight clearances, eight tackles and eight inside-50s on top of the three majors.
But a Dan Orgill goal on the stroke of half-time and a Sam Willoughby strike just 17 seconds into the third term gave the Bulldogs the lead and broke Essendon’s back as they kicked five goals to one to take a 27-point lead into the final change.
The Bulldogs threatened to win big before the Bombers booted the last two to keep the margin in check.
Hately will be hard pressed to beat for the three votes, but the Bulldogs had more winners overall, headed by the red-hot Riley Garcia, who continued to make an undeniable case for AFL selection with another 35 touches, seven marks, five clearances, five tackles, eight entries and a goal.
James Harmes (34 disposals, six marks, six clearances, one goal), Caleb Daniel (26 disposals) and Caleb Poulter (22 disposals, 10 marks) impressed as they strived to win their AFL spots back, Cooper Craig-Peters continues to develop into a very good player with 23 disposals, six clearances, five tackles and a goal and Arthur Jones booted three goals from limited opportunities.
For Essendon, young forward Oskar Smartt was outstanding with four goals in just his third VFL game, capping off the great work of Hately, while Lewis Hayes (22 disposals, 10 marks, seven rebounds) and Matt Foley (21 disposals, six marks, eight rebounds) put in a wonderful effort in defence in the face of 65 inside-50s from the Bulldogs.
GWS GIANTS vs SANDRINGHAM
GWS Giants 4.2 11.3 15.6 19.11 (125)
Sandringham 4.1 6.4 8.6 12.7 (79)
CALLAN Ward didn’t need to prove he was a class above, but he did exactly that with a best-afield display for the GWS Giants in their 46-point defeat of Sandringham at Manuka Oval on Saturday.
The Giants booted seven goals in the second quarter to shrug off a dangerous opponent and claim their first win of the season.
On the comeback from a shoulder injury, Ward had 33 disposals and 12 clearances in his first VFL game for 14 years, with his class crucial as the Giants held firm in the first quarter before building a match-winning lead by half-time and drawing away in the second half for a comfortable victory.
It was 7.1 to 2.3 in that second quarter as a one-point lead became 29 at the main break, with young forward Max Gruzewski dominating the Zebras with four first-half goals in his best game for the club, even though he faded after that to finish with 13 disposals and six marks.
Conor Stone (three goals) also impressed in attack, with local product Josh Fahey (29 disposals, seven marks, eight rebounds, one goal) enjoying his return home. Harry Rowston (30 disposals), Ethan Williams (24 disposals, five marks) and Darcy Jones (22 disposals, two goals) also performed strongly.
Arie Schoenmaker continued to push for an AFL debut for St Kilda and was Sandringham’s best player, winning 32 disposals, eight marks, six rebounds and his first VFL goal.
Zak Jones responded to being dropped with 31 possessions, five marks, five clearances, six tackles and five rebounds. Dougal Howard made a strong return from injury with 18 touches, nine marks and seven rebounds, Vince Zagari had 25 disposals and a goal and co-captain Darby Hipwell picked up 24 possessions.
The Giants did suffer a big blow though, with recruit Marc Sheather offered a four-match suspension by the match review panel for rough conduct on Max Heath in the last quarter.
WILLIAMSTOWN vs SOUTPORT SHARKS
Williamstown 3.4 6.7 14.7 17.10 (112)
Southport Sharks 2.2 6.6 6.10 8.18 (66)
WILLIAMSTOWN enjoyed returning to familiar surrounds and celebrated Justin Plapp’s 50th game as coach with a 46-point spanking of an undermanned Southport at DSV Stadium.
The Seagulls were forced to fight all the way to see off Frankston and Coburg in the first two rounds but after Jovan Petric gave them the lead with a left-foot snap after the half-time siren they filleted the Sharks with a stunning 8.0 to 0.4 third-quarter onslaught.
That turned a tight contest into a comprehensive victory that will make rival teams sit up and take notice.
The Sharks were without dangerous forward Max Pescud, the suspended Jay Lockhart and important utility Jack Sexton but would still be disappointed with how the Seagulls took them apart in the second half, with their poor kicking for goal (11.3 to 2.12) helping the result blow out.
Williamstown’s win was built on its ability to shut down Southport’s stars, with Jacob Dawson held to 19 disposals and seven clearances and Boyd Woodcock restricted to just 13 touches and a goal.
Zac Foot did his best to pick up the slack with a game-high 26 disposals, seven marks and nine entries but blotted his copybook with 1.4.
Meanwhile while Jesse Joyce (25 disposals, five marks, six tackles), Jacob Heron (24 disposals, seven clearances, six tackles, eight entries) and Ben Jepson (23 disposals, five marks, five rebounds) also played their part, as did ruckmen Brayden Crossley and Riley Bowman, who double-teamed and got the better of Tom Downie.
But the Seagulls were too even, starting with defenders Aiden Bonar, Fin O’Dwyer, Jake Greiser and Joel Fitzgerald having 86 touches, 29 marks and 20 rebounds between them.
Midfielders Riley Collier-Dawkins, Will Fordham, Toby Triffett and Cam Polson all passed 20 disposals and Corey Rich kicked three goals in a forward line that had seven multiple goalkickers.
PORT MELBOURNE vs CASEY DEMONS
Port Melbourne 4.2 6.4 10.7 11.9 (75)
Casey Demons 2.4 5.8 7.11 13.12 (90)
CASEY Demons overcame a blistering first half from Billy Gowers to get their season underway and consign Port Melbourne to a 0-3 start with a come-from-behind 15-point victory at Kinetic Stadium.
In a terrific contest from start to finish, the Borough kicked the first two goals and controlled general play throughout the first half as they reacted positively to the four unforced changes made by selectors, headed by the brilliant Gowers, who turned back the clock, kicking them from everywhere to have five majors by the main change.
Port only led by two points at that stage, however, and could have been behind if Casey had kicked straighter, but the Borough came out of the rooms breathing fire, kicking four goals in 13 minutes – including the first two of club debutant Jacob Conlan’s Port career to lead by 26 points and look like winners.
But Kynan Brown and the ever-dangerous Tom Fullarton halved the deficit by three quarter-time and with Port having lost Anthony Anastasio – who was impressive in the first half – to a hamstring injury, the Borough didn’t have the experience or run in the legs to stop the Demons when they lifted in the last quarter.
Casey kicked six goals to one in the final term as Oliver Sestan and Brown capped impressive performances with their third majors and Josh Schache completed an imposing performance.
Having appeared to dislocate his shoulder early and copped a cut to the chin shortly after, Schache recovered and threw everything into the contest, pulling in some crucial grabs among his seven marks and finishing with 15 disposals and three goals in a game that was much more important than the numbers indicated.
Bailey Laurie threw himself into every contest in a match-winning contribution, winning 11 clearances among his 24 disposals and laying a Jimmy Munro-style 20 tackles.
Young ruckman Will Verrall is fast emerging as the heir apparent to Max Gawn with a powerhouse display of 21 disposals, six clearances, six entries and 32 hitouts and Lachie Hunter stepped up when his team needed him most, recovering from a two-disposal first half to finish with 23 quality touches.
Port could hold its head high, led by skipper Harvey Hooper’s 26 disposals, eight clearances and eight tackles. Tom Hird had 30 touches in a strong link-up role, Josh Green busted his boiler through the middle and Matt Signorello worked tirelessly up the ground in an unfamiliar role.
WERRIBEE vs RICHMOND
Werribee 4.2 8.4 10.5 11.7 (73)
Richmond 0.4 3.8 5.9 7.10 (52)
WERRIBEE moved to the top of the Smithy’s VFL ladder and recorded its 300th victory at Avalon Airport Oval with a workmanlike 21-point win over a decimated Richmond.
The seemingly cursed AFL Tigers sadly lost yet another young star to a season-ending injury. The previously undefeated Richmond was able to field just seven AFL-listed players as long-term injuries cripple their 2024 hopes and will now be without Judson Clarke for the rest of the season after he tore his ACL during the contest.
The Bees took advantage, winning disposals (+120) and marks (+57) but without ever really putting the Tigers to the sword, with Richmond bravely fighting out a game it was never likely to win due to personnel.
But Werribee had to get the job done and that is exactly what it did, headed by a remarkable performance at full back from captain Nick Coughlan, who had 33 disposals, nine marks and 11 rebound-50s.
Kye Declase, Jack Henderson, State captain Dom Brew, Daly Andrews, Corey Preston and Jaelen Pavlidis all racked up at least 20 disposals, more than Richmond’s most prolific player, third-gamer Lachlan Wilson, who showed up his more experienced teammates with 19 touches and 10 tackles.
Samson Ryan is making it extremely hard for Adem Yze to hold him out of the AFL team, doing his best to keep the Tigers in the game with seven marks, 17 hitouts and four goals, while Sam Naismith was the dominant ruckman with 15 touches, 11 clearances and 38 hitouts.
GOLD COAST SUNS vs BOX HILL HAWKS
Gold Coast Suns 5.2 8.7 9.9 13.10 (88)
Box Hill Hawks 0.2 0.3 2.6 6.9 (45)
THE importance of AFL-listed availability is more important at Gold Coast than anywhere else, and the Suns produced their absolute best in the first half to spank a previously unbeaten Box Hill Hawks by 43 points at People First Stadium.
The Suns had a lot of troops out when convincingly beaten by Richmond in Round 1 but were able to bring experienced players back into the team to face the Hawks – and it showed as they banged on eight unanswered goals in the first half to lead by 52 points at the main change, stretching that to 58 with the first of the third.
The visitors finally got their teeth into the game after the break and won both the last two quarters, adding six of the last 10 goals, but the damage had been done.
Gold Coast played a high-possession game, racking up 118 more disposals than Box Hill and taking a scarcely believable 150 marks to 75 as they never let the visitors into the game.
Rory Atkins played one of the great VFL games, piling up 37 disposals and taking a ridiculous 20 marks, while James Tsitas (27 disposals), Caleb Graham and Finn Hay all recorded double figure marks.
Ben Long (five) and Levi Casboult (three) starred up forward with eight goals between them and Academy talent Harry Sullivan won 25 touches and eight marks in just his second game.
The win did come at a cost, with Sean Lemmens offered a four-match suspension for a dangerous tackle in the fourth quarter.
Frank Johnson medallist Callum Brown tried hard to hold the premiers back with 28 possessions, while Josh Bennetts, Cooper Stephens and Harry Morrison all played well in an unsuccessful bid to mark skipper Cal Porter’s 50th Hawks game with a win.
NORTH MELBOURNE vs BRISBANE LIONS
North Melbourne 4.0 8.2 9.3 12.4 (76)
Brisbane Lions 4.8 5.12 6.16 9.21 (75)
NORTH Melbourne took full advantage of the Brisbane Lions’ poor kicking at goal at Arden Street Oval as a supremely accurate Sam Lowson kicked the winning goal to claim a thrilling one-point win on Sunday.
The Lions dominated just about every facet of the game but wasted countless opportunities in the face of desperate pressure, losing despite having 30 scores to 16 and dominating disposals (+50), marks (+23), inside-50s (+25), hitouts (+26) and clearances (+18).
While the Lions were spraying 9.21, Lowson was spot on, kicking 4.0 out of 12.4 including the winner at the 29-minute mark of the last term after Lions club debutant Brandon Ryan had given his team the lead with his third goal just two minutes earlier.
Aside from Lowson’s four majors from 12 touches and six marks, Roos captain Jack Watkins was a key reason for the win, gathering 25 disposals, seven marks, seven tackles, six entries and a goal. Support came from Cooper Lord (22 disposals, nine tackles), Jarrod Lienert (20 disposals, six marks, nine rebounds) and Will Phillips (21 disposals, 13 tackles).
J.J. Liston medallist Jarryd Lyons was everywhere for the Lions, gathering 38 disposals, five marks and 11 clearances, while Deven Robertson and James Tunstill staked a claim for AFL recalls and Harry Sharp, Henry Smith and Jaxon Prior also put their hands up.
CARLTON vs COLLINGWOOD
Carlton 2.4 5.6 9.9 12.10 (82)
Collingwood 3.3 4.7 9.8 12.11 (83)
COLLINGWOOD overcame a late scare to grab a one-point over Carlton in one of the early games of the Smithy’s VFL season at IKON Park on Sunday.
The momentum swings were remarkable as the arch-rivals traded blows all day in a classic contest where the biggest margin all day was just 16 points, with Carlton leading by a point at three quarter-time.
The Magpies needed a hero in their 300th match in the VFL era and they found one in Josh Carmichael, who booted two quick goals split by one to John Hutchinson to take a game-high 16-point lead midway through the term.
But this was Carlton v Collingwood and another twist was inevitable, with club debutant Bailey Lambert kicking two goals and fellow recruit Luke Nelson another to put the Blues back in front entering time-on.
Nelson’s major proved to be last of the game, but it was Collingwood who pressed hard, and missed opportunities from Aiden Begg and Ned Long were enough to see the visitors pinch the points in a desperate finish.
Midfielders Fin Macrae and Long were critical for the Magpies, the former winning 31 disposals and six clearances while laying 11 tackles and the latter booting 1.3 from 28 touches and 10 marks.
Sam Glover (23 disposals, 10 marks, seven rebounds) was terrific in defence for Collingwood, while Ed Allan and Jack Bytel were also important.
Former Magpie Tom Phillips impressed for Carlton with 26 possessions, six marks and five entries, with support coming from Jaxon Binns, Lachie Cowan and Lachie Young.
NORTHERN BULLANTS vs GEELONG CATS
Northern Bullants 2.1 4.3 5.6 5.6 (36)
Geelong Cats 4.3 7.8 9.11 12.17 (89)
GEELONG saw off a gallant Northern Bullants to run away with a 53-point victory at Genis Steel Oval on Sunday.
There was nothing between the teams for three quarters and it was only a little bit of extra class and composure that saw the Cats win each of those quarters to eke out a 29-point lead at the final change.
The efforts ended up telling on the Bullants, however, and the Cats answered the challenge by kicking 3.6 to no score to blow the final margin out to nine goals.
Norm Goss medallist Shaun Mannagh once again showed himself to be above the level in his first VFL game for his new club, and it was only his free spirit and willingness to take risks that cost himself a bigger haul than 3.3 from 15 disposals and seven marks.
Toby Conway also proved his AFL standard with 17 disposals, five clearances and 38 hitouts, including a kick into the forward line that saw James Willis pull in one of the most amazing high marks seen at VFL level in recent years.
Mitch Hardie (30 disposals, eight marks, seven clearances and two goals) and Mitch Knevitt (23 disposals, seven marks, five tackles) loved the armchair ride from Conway, while Lawson Humphries (25 disposals, seven marks, one goal) produced a third-straight starring role to add to impressions that he might prove to be another Stephen Wells special at the Cattery.
Saad El-Hawli and Josh Hamilton provided great drive to be the Bullants’ best, while star mid Jean-Luc Velissaris and co-captain Matthew King also played important roles. Patrick Fairlie kicked two outstanding goals from his 18 disposals, William Wallace and Alex Jacobs worked hard in defence and John Jorgensen provided a strong target up forward.
But two of the Bullants stars are looking at suspensions as co-captain Liam Mackie was offered a four-week ban for allegedly tunnelling Mitch Herbert in a marking contest, while hard man John Roumeliotis was offered two weeks with an early plea for a high bump on Herbert in the second term.
