The Giants gave their top-four hopes a big boost, North Melbourne claimed a gripping comeback despite a scare after the siren and Sydney enjoyed a record-breaking outing.

BRISBANE LIONS      6.4        10.5     15.11   21.13 (139)
TASMANIA                 1.2        5.7        9.9        11.12 (78)

Brisbane claimed its first win since Round 4 and did it in style with a 61-point thumping of Tasmania at Brighton Homes Arena on Friday to climb off the bottom of the ladder. The Lions got going in the latter stages of the opening term with five unanswered goals between the 11 and 22-minute marks to lead by 32 points at quarter time. Despite the visitors lifting in the second, they could only reduced the deficit to 28 points by half time. The home side were never really threatened for the remainder of the match, even when the Devils put together a mini surge in the third quarter when they booted three majors in five minutes to make it a 16-ball game. The Lions kicked six majors to two in the last quarter to return to the winners list. Curtis McCarthy (five goals), Cody Curtin (four) and Fergus McFayden (four) were the key focal points inside forward 50, while Sam Marshall had all the answers in the middle with 32 disposals, 10 marks and a goal. Jye Menzie’s brilliant form continued for the Devils, booting five of his side’s 11 majors, while also having 19 disposals.

BEST
Brisbane Lions: Curtis McCarthy, Luke Lloyd, Sam Tilley, Sam Marshall, Luke Beecken, Cody Curtin
Tasmania: Jye Menzie, Joseph Chaplin, Bailey Boag, Harry Elmer, Brandon Leary, Caleb Mitchell
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CARLTON        0.3        2.6        4.9        8.11 (59)
WERRIBEE     3.3        5.3        6.7        9.12 (66)

Werribee fought off a Carlton comeback to jump into second on the Smithy’s VFL ladder, winning by seven points at IKON Park on Saturday. The Tigers started the contest brilliantly with three opening quarter majors whilst keeping the Blues without a goal. Their quarter time lead would decrease slightly to 15 points by half time but the difference could have been slimmer if not for some missed chances but the home side. Inaccuracy would hurt both sides in the third term, particularly the visitors who kicked 1.4 and missed an opportunity to create a more comfortable advantage heading into the final term. It would allow the Blues to make a run in the final quarter as two goals in a minute of play saw them hit the front at the five-minute mark before Werribee aimed to settle with back-to-back goals of their own shortly afterwards. Carlton would charge again with consecutive majors to reduce the deficit to just one point deep into time on before a fourth major from Brady Wright iced the game and made it six games unbeaten for the club. Wright’s four majors as well as 27 disposals and eight inside 50s from Sam Donegan were critical in the victory for the away side whilst Cooper Lord (31 disposals, eight inside 50s, one goal) and Lewis Young (22 disposals, 10 marks, eight intercepts) stood tall for Carlton.

BEST
Carlton: Lewis Young, Harry Charleson, Cooper Lord, Darcy Tucker, Jordan Boyd, Adam Saad
Werribee: Ryan Eyers, Jaelen Pavlidis, Brady Wright, Xavier Ivisic, Cooper Whyte, Sam Donegan
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BOX HILL HAWKS      4.1        9.4        13.7     14.12 (96)
GWS GIANTS              6.1        11.3     13.5     17.6 (108)

The GWS Giants produced a massive victory to help their top four chances in 2026, getting the job done over Box Hill by 12 points at Box Hill City Oval. It looked to be a high scoring affair throughout the opening two terms with 20 majors kicked between the two sides by half time. The Giants had the ascendency for much of that period, highlighted by a run of five straight goals in the latter parts of the first term and the initial stages of the second quarter to get out to a lead of 24 points, which was quickly reduced to 11 points by the Hawks at the main break. The match tightened up in the second half and impressive term from the hosts saw them take a two-point lead into the final quarter before the Giants made their moments count as their last three scoring shots would turn into three goals whilst Box Hill’s would result in three behinds, to allow the away side to take home the four points. In a surprise to few, Jack Ough led the way on the disposal front finishing with 27 touches whilst also amassing 10 clearances and teammate Harvey Hooper impressed with 23 disposals, eight inside 50s and a goal. Up forward, Louie Montgomery produced a season-best effort of five majors and Matt Hill finished with three goals to be one of the Hawks’ better contributors alongside Sam Butler who had 26 disposals, nine clearances and kicked two majors.

BEST
Box Hill Hawks: Noah Mraz, Sam Butler, Matthew Hill, Cody Anderson, Aidan Schubert, Will Kellar
GWS Giants: Louie Montgomery, Jack Ough, James Bell, Josaia Delana, Harvey Hooper, Harry Rowston
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SYDNEY SWANS        8.4        11.6     18.9     26.16 (172)
SANDRINGHAM         1.1        1.3        5.6        5.9 (39)

The Sydney Swans jumped into the top six in a big way, putting Sandringham to the sword in a massive 133-point triumph at Blacktown International Sports Park. In a match up that looked one-sided from the early stages, the Swans booted an astounding eight goals to one in the opening quarter and extended their lead to 63 points by half time, whilst keeping the Zebras to just one-point at that stage. The onslaught of goals would continue in the second half with a seven-goal third term and an eight-goal final quarter propelling the Swans to the second highest percentage in the Smithy’s VFL competition and also their highest ever score produced since joining the league in 2021. Eleven of the side’s 26 majors were shared between Hayden McLean and Jevan Phillipou who kicked six and five majors respectively, meanwhile seven individual Swans recorded multiple goals for the afternoon including Billy Cootee who also had 38 disposals, 12 inside 50s, 11 score involvements and eight clearances to go along with his two majors. Kynan Brown (30 disposals, eight tackles, one goal) and Nathan Philactides (24 disposals, seven intercepts) stood out for Sandringham.

BEST
Sydney Swans: Tom Hanily, Hayden Mclean, Billy Cootee, Matt Roberts, Will Green
Sandringham: Nathan Philactides, Kynan Brown, Jess Gedi, Jhett Haeata, Nathan Scollo, Owen Bater
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COLLINGWOOD        1.6        5.9        11.11   19.18 (132)
RICHMOND                  2.5        3.8        6.8        9.8 (62)

Collingwood produced their highest score of the year to comprehensively defeat Richmond by 70 points at La Trobe University Oval on Saturday. Aside from a slow and inaccurate start that saw them trail by five points at quarter time, the late change of venue didn’t look to impact the Magpies as they wrestled back control of the match to lead by 13 points before putting the result of the game beyond doubt with a six-goal third term and a terrific eight-goal final quarter to record just their fourth win of the season and move two games clear off the bottom of the ladder. Mitch Pdohajski was the focal point inside 50 for Collingwood and finished with four majors from nine scoring shots, whilst five players each finished with two goals headlined by Angus Anderson whose brilliant form continued with 31 disposals, 11 clearances, nine tackles and eight inside 50s in the middle. Kaleb Smith was busy in defence for the Tigers and finished with 37 disposals and a game-high nine intercept possessions.

BEST
Collingwood: Angus Anderson, Lachie Sullivan, Jakob Ryan, Wil Parker, Mitch Podhajski, Josh Browne
Richmond: Luke Trainor, Hugo Ralphsmith, Kaleb Smith, Kane McAuliffe, Olli Hotton, Thomas Burton
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SOUTHPORT SHARKS           4.4        7.7        11.10   14.14 (98)
WILLIAMSTOWN                   2.1        5.4        7.6        7.7 (49)

The Southport Sharks got back on the winners list with an upset 49-point victory over Williamstown at Fankhauser Reserve. In their first victory at home since Round 9, the Sharks were able to keep the Seagulls at bay for most of the contest with a three-goal burst to end the first quarter kickstarting their charge towards the triumph. The margin wouldn’t dip below two goals for the remainder of the match as last year’s Grand Finallists put the foot down in the last quarter with a three goal to nil term to sit one-game outside the top 10 at the end of the round. Jacob Dawson had a complete performance for the home side, ending the match with 31 disposals, nine clearances, five intercept possessions and two goals in an excellent display. Teammates Sam Day (eight marks, three goals) and Finn Hay (13 tackles, three clearances) were also impactful in the victory whilst for Williamstown, Jake Gresier was hard to get pass in defence and finished with 29 disposals, 13 marks and 10 intercept possessions.

BEST
Southport Sharks: Finn Hay, Charlie Rowe, Elijah Reardon, Jacob Dawson, Sam Day, Rhys King
Williamstown: Not submitted
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NORTH MELBOURNE            5.1        6.4        9.6        14.8 (92)
ESSENDON                            1.5        4.7        11.9     13.11 (89)

North Melbourne completed an excellent come-from-behind win to stay within touching distance of the top 10, defeating Essendon in a three-point thriller at Arden Street Oval on Sunday. The Roos almost couldn’t have started the match much better as they kicked five goals to one in the opening term to lead by 20 points at quarter time, despite having the same number of scoring shots as their opposition. That advantage would reach a game-high 29 points in the second term before the Bombers got busy with a three-goal run to reduce the deficit to nine points at the main break. Within six minutes of the second half, the away side would hit the front and would proceed to produce a seven-goal quarter to lead by 15 points at three quarter time. The margin to blew out to 21 points at the 12-minute mark of the final quarter before the Roos kicked into gear. Three consecutive goals brought the margin back to three points deep into time on before Taylor Goad brilliantly tapped to Zac Banch from a forward 50m stoppage, with the small forward snapping through the goal with less than 20 seconds remaining. There was still more drama to be had, with the Bombers taking the ball forward from the last stoppage, with Solly McKay winning a hold-the-man free kick on the final siren. Unfortunately, his shot after the final siren skewed wide which saw the Kangroos hold on. Matthew Keast was terrific for the victors with 34 disposals, eight clearances, five tackles and two goals, while Bailey Scott was also brilliant, finishing with 31 touches, six inside 50s and a goal. The Bombers were led by Elijah Tsatas (36 disposals, 11 clearances) and Jade Gresham (three goals).

BEST
North Melbourne: Matthew Keast, Bailey Scott, James Tarrant, Griffin Logue, Oliver Griffin, Oliver Lowe
Essendon: Not submitted
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PORT MELBOURNE                4.2        5.4        6.7        9.9 (63)
GOLD COAST SUNS               1.2        4.6        6.8        8.9 (57)

We were then treated to a second heart stopper on Sunday as Port Melbourne squeezed their way back into the top 10 with a six-point triumph over Gold Coast at North Port Oval. The result wasn’t trending towards a close finish in the initial stages of the contest with the Borough responsible for four of the first five majors to lead by what would be a game-high margin of 18 points at quarter time. The Suns would respond with three straight majors in the second term and while they would still trail at half time, they would edge out their opponents in a low scoring third term to take an important one-point advantage into the last quarter. That lead would last for only 90 more seconds once Dom Bedendo kicked his second major of the afternoon, and the hosts would not trail for the remainder of the match despite Gold Coast kicking two of the last three goals of the game. Bedendo was one of his side’s best players for the match as he also produced nine tackles, seven of those coming inside the forward 50. Ben Hobbs had eight clearances from his 22 touches and Flynn Penry dominated in the ruck with 39 hit outs and 15 disposals. The away side were led well by Caleb Graham (21 disposals, 14 marks, five contested marks, 11 intercepts) and Dylan Patterson (18 disposals, 12 tackles, one goal).

BEST
Port Melbourne: Dominic Bedendo, Ben Hobbs, Flynn Penry, Tom Highmore, Charlie Clarke, Fraser Rosman
Gold Coast Suns: Dylan Patterson, Ethan Read, Miles Enders, Hugh Greenwood, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Caleb Graham
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