A review of all the action from Round 15 of the 2023 Smithy’s VFL season.
There were unbelievable scenes at the beginning and end of Round 15 of the Smithy’s VFL as Queensland’s runaway top two both fell to much lower-ranked opponents in after-the-siren thrillers.
In between, third and fourth won convincingly to close the gap, four challengers made big statements and two others in touch with the top 10 had wins against gallant battlers … but have some cracks appeared at another contender?
BRISBANE LIONS vs RICHMOND
BRISBANE LIONS 2.6, 3.11, 5.12, 7.16 (58)
RICHMOND 1.1, 3.5, 4.10, 8.11 (59)
JACOB Bauer is, quite simply, the calmest man in the VFL – or so it seems.
The Tiger swingman kicked a goal after the siren for the second time in the space of a month to give Richmond a stunning one-point upset win over Brisbane Lions at Brighton Homes Arena’s Michael Voss Oval on Friday.
In fact, this time he kicked the last two goals in the final few minutes as the Tigers’ crazy season continued – a season which has now seen them bank three wins and a draw in four matches decided after time expired to keep them entrenched inside the top 10 two-thirds of the way through the season.
Even more remarkably, Bauer’s match-winning double has given Richmond two vital interstate wins, with the other coming in Round 11 against GWS at Giants Stadium.
On this occasion, the Lions seemed in control for most of the day apart from a stretch in the second quarter when the Tigers grabbed a narrow lead, but their poor conversion in front of goal kept the visitors in the game, even though Richmond was also wasteful at times.
Nevertheless, the Lions did lead by 17 points at the 23-minute mark of the final quarter before Tyler Sonsie and Bauer cut the margin to less than a goal and set up the tense finish – and while the winner against the Giants came from 15m out, this one sailed home from 45m to send his teammates into raptures once again.
Bauer spent most of the game in defence but still finished with three goals from 24 disposals and 12 marks after also delivering 11 rebound-50s to be his team’s most dominant player.
Tyler Sonsie (21 disposals, five clearances, five entries, one goal) and Lachlan Street (20 disposals, five clearances, five entries, five rebounds) went well through the middle and Tom Brown (21 disposals, seven marks, nine rebounds) and James Trezise (20 disposals, seven marks) stood strong in defence, while Ivan Soldo had 46 hitouts and kicked a goal.
Jarryd Lyons must be wondering how his team didn’t win given he had his own footy, piling up 41 disposals, eight marks and five tackles. Kyle Dunkley (28 disposals, six clearances, five tackles), James Tunstill (26 disposals, six entries, one goal) and Jaxon Prior (24 disposals, 10 marks, five entries, five rebounds) joined him in the four most prolific players on the ground, with Harry Sharp (23 disposals, five entries, one goal) and James Madden (23 disposals, eight marks, five tackles) not far behind.
But in the absence of Tom Fullarton and Wylie Buzza, the forward line misfired their team to a match-losing seven goals and 16 behinds.
SYDNEY SWANS vs GEELONG CATS
SYDNEY SWANS 2.4, 4.6, 4.8, 10.9 (69)
GEELONG CATS 4.2, 8.2, 10.3, 12.5 (77)
GEELONG saw off a late surge from Sydney to claim an eight-point win at the SCG on Friday afternoon.
The Cats dominated the game for three quarters with their accurate goal kicking being a feature and they held a seemingly match-winning 38-point lead three minutes into the last quarter before the home team finally awoke from their slumber.
Sydney kicked five goals in 11 minutes and added another six minutes later to get back within two points and could have taken the lead when Dylan Stephens missed a running shot at the 25-minute mark.
Will Gould pulled in what appeared to be a contested mark 30m from goal, only for Geelong to receive a free kick for an infringement by one of Gould’s Swans teammates in the marking contest.
The visitors controlled the last couple of minutes before Brayden Ham kicked his own after-the-siren goal from the boundary to seal the deal.
Mitch Knevitt (20 disposals, 12 tackles, nine inside-50s, one goal) worked overtime for the Cats, with Brandan Parfitt (24 disposals, seven entries) also terrific, while Oisin Mullin (19 disposals, six rebounds) was good in defence, Sam Menegola (19 disposals, five marks) got through his second game back, Jye Chalcraft (19 disposals, six tackles) got down and dirty and youngster Will Christie (17 disposals, eight clearances) impressed. Shannon Neale booted three goals from only five kicks.
Tom McCartin looks ready to return to AFL duty after another strong performance for Sydney yielded 22 disposals and 10 marks, with acting captain Jake Bartholomaeus (27 disposals, six clearances, five tackles, one goal) and defender Lachlan Rankin (26 disposals, 10 marks, six rebounds) playing their best games of the season and Stephens (23 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles, eight entries) also impressed.
WERRIBEE vs SANDRINGHAM
WERRIBEE 7.4, 10.4, 16.6, 22.9 (141)
SANDRINGHAM 1.4, 4.6, 7.6, 9.11 (65)
A SEVEN-goal masterclass from Shaun Mannagh lifted Werribee to within two points of the top two as it dismantled Sandringham by 76 points at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday.
The Zebras were coming off a draw with Brisbane Lions but were no match for the Tigers after conceding seven goals to one in the opening quarter.
They did win the second term by two points but Werribee quickly re-established control with six goals in each of the third and fourth quarters, as Mannagh booted dominated, while Michael Sodomaco had a rare day out in attack with four goals and Harry Grintell also snagged four.
Mannagh finished with 25 disposals, nine clearances, six tackles and seven inside-50s to go with his 7.1, with Sodomaco (29 disposals, 12 marks, five rebounds) also brilliant on top of 4.0.
Tom Gribble’s dominant season also continued with 36 touches, six marks, 13 clearances, five tackles and seven entries, while Dom Brew (31 disposals, 13 clearances, 12 tackles), Bior Malual (26 disposals, nine marks), Darcy Cassar (20 disposals, six marks, two goals in his second game) and captain Nick Coughlan (17 disposals, 13 rebounds) were also outstanding.
Zak Jones (35 disposals, 10 clearances, seven tackles, one goal) was back to his best in his second game back for Sandringham, with Ben Paton (31 disposals, six entries) also putting his hand up for a St Kilda recall. Tom Highmore (22 disposals, six tackles, six rebounds) and Tyson Milne (21 disposals, seven marks, five rebounds) also battled hard in defence.
BOX HILL HAWKS vs PORT MELBOURNE
BOX HILL HAWKS 3.4, 8.7, 11.10, 12.11 (83)
PORT MELBOURNE 2.2, 3.6, 5.9, 8.12 (60)
BOX HILL closed the gap on the top two and honoured its Mustang legends on its Hall of Fame heritage day with a convincing 23-point win over a fighting Port Melbourne at Box Hill City Oval.
After a tight start, the Mustangs (as they reverted to for the day) took control with five goals to one in the second quarter and had too much poise and skill for a Borough outfit that fought hard but couldn’t make any inroads for most of the game.
Box Hill stretched the lead as far as 50 points late in the third quarter, but Port was able to lift through a terrific performance from captain Harvey Hooper and Nash Holmes, booting five of the last six goals to halve the final margin.
Callum Brown was best on ground for the Mustangs in his 50th VFL game, mopping up in defence and linking well through the midfield on his way to 33 disposals and seven rebounds, taking over from Changkuoth Jiath, who was literally unstoppable in the first half of his return game after seven weeks out with a calf injury before fading a little to finish with 26 touches and five marks.
The other contender was Denver Grainger-Barras, who was thrown forward in a surprise move that also sent Jaylon Thorpe into defence to take six marks and kick four goals while looking like a natural attacker.
Jai Serong (25 disposals, 10 marks, seven rebounds) was also outstanding, with Damian Mascitti (26 disposals, seven marks), Cam Mackenzie (23 disposals, five tackles, two goals) and wingman Ed Phillips (21 disposals, eight marks) also impressing.
Hooper (26 disposals, 10 entries), Holmes (27 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles) and Matt Signorello (17 disposals, nine marks, three goals) were clearly Port’s best, while Tom Cameron (24 disposals, 10 rebounds) and Anthony Anastasio (24 disposals, seven entries) were also good, while the Borough were also disadvantaged by the loss of Josh Green before half-time to a dislocated thumb.
CARLTON vs NORTHERN BULLANTS
CARLTON 5.2, 9.7, 15.13, 18.17 (125)
NORTHERN BULLANTS 2.1, 2.2, 5.2, 6.4 (40)
CARLTON climbed into the top 10 with an 85-point belting of an outclassed Northern Bullants at IKON Park.
The Blues kicked five goals to two in the first term and were never threatened, leading by 47 points by half-time before a four-goal blast in the space of four minutes in the third blew it out to 68 and raised fears of a massive margin.
The Bullants fought the game out and stemmed the Blues’ avenues to goal but couldn’t lay a hand on their opponents (only 45 tackles) as Carlton piled up 62 inside-50s to 26 despite having 22 less disposals.
Paddy Dow added goal kicking to his usual stack of disposals, slotting three from 29 touches, eight clearances and nine inside-50s, with Jaxon Binns also banging down the AFL door with 29 disposals, five clearances, six tackles, six entries and a goal.
Jesse Motlop did likewise with 23 disposals, five marks, six tackles and four goals, while Jack Carroll (23 disposals, eight marks, five tackles, seven entries), Lachie Plowman (21 disposals, eight marks) and Lachie Cowan (25 disposals) also contributing strongly.
Patrick Fairlie (38 disposals, eight marks, eight clearances, one goal) and Jean-Luc Velissaris (35 disposals, 11 marks, eight clearances, one goal) couldn’t have done any more for the Bullants but they fell away quickly behind Dylan Laurie (24 disposals, seven marks) and Cam Wild (23 disposals, seven marks).
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS vs COBURG
FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS 2.2, 7.2, 13.2, 17.6 (108)
COBURG 1.2, 5.5, 8.9, 11.10 (76)
FOOTSCRAY closed to within a game of the top 10 after seeing off a concerted first-half challenge from an improving Coburg to win by 32 points at DSV Stadium.
The Lions stuck with their more fancied opponents for long periods and twice grabbed the lead through Kyle Weightman and Daniel Johnston approaching half-time.
However, late goals from Buku Khamis and Arthur Jones re-established a nine-point lead for the Bulldogs before Cody Raak and Sam Darcy added two more in the opening two-and-a-half minutes of the third to build a lead that wouldn’t be hauled in.
The Bulldogs’ accuracy (13.2 to three quarter-time) was critical to them keeping their noses in front, with Khamis (4.1) and Darcy (3.0) particularly efficient as they cashed in on the brilliance of Lachie Sullivan (37 disposals, 16 clearances, seven entries, one goal).
Robbie McComb (25 disposals, nine entries, one goal), Joel Garner (25 disposals, six clearances, five tackles), Oskar Baker (23 disposals, five marks, six entries), Ewan Macpherson (22 disposals, five clearances, eight tackles) and Jarrod Gillbee (22 disposals, nine marks, five entries, five rebounds) showed just how deep the Bulldog midfield bats underneath Jordon Sweet (49 hitouts).
Ben Jepson (23 disposals, seven rebounds) would be close to leading Coburg’s best and fairest in what has been a terrific season, with Luke Nelson (22 disposals, seven marks, six rebounds) also in the mix.
Hugo McGlashan (21 disposals, eight tackles) is having a fine debut year, Lachlan Walker (20 disposals, five marks, five rebounds) continues to work hard in defence and Johnston kicked three goals in his best VFL performance.
FRANKSTON vs COLLINGWOOD
FRANKSTON 0.1, 1.3, 3.5, 4.7 (31)
COLLINGWOOD 3.6, 12.8, 16.10, 18.18 (126)
COLLINGWOOD is also back in the top 10 after smashing a disappointing Frankston by 95 points in front of a big crowd at Kinetic Stadium on Sunday.
About 3500 flooded through the gates, but the Dolphins were uncompetitive against a red-hot Magpie outfit boasting 17 AFL-listed players.
The signs were there when Collingwood kicked 3.6 to 0.1 in the first quarter before the floodgates opened in the second with nine goals to one setting up a 71-point margin by the main break.
While Frankston reduced the bleeding in the second half, it was more the visitors’ kicking (2.8 in the last) that kept the margin under triple figures.
Reef McInnes had a field day in attack for the Magpies, pulling in seven marks and kicking 6.3, while Josh Carmichael added 3.1 from 22 touches, finishing off the work of Fin Macrae (27 disposals, 10 tackles, one goal), co-captain Campbell Hustwaite (25 disposals, 10 tackles, six entries), Trent Bianco (24 disposals, six marks, five rebounds), Arlo Draper (22 disposals, seven tackles) and Trey Ruscoe (20 disposals, five rebounds).
James Rendell put in a mammoth effort for Frankston with 17 disposals, 42 hitouts and 10 clearances, courageously playing following the sad death of his father Matt last week.
The usual suspects Kai Owens (27 disposals, five clearances, five tackles), Ryley Stoddart (27 disposals, six marks, six rebounds), Will Fordham (25 disposals, eight clearances), Jackson Voss (24 disposals, 10 marks, five rebounds) and Connor Riley (23, seven tackles) all won plenty of the footy, but they just didn’t have the depth across the ground after losing Matt Johnson to injury early on.
CASEY DEMONS vs GWS GIANTS
CASEY DEMONS 3.7, 8.9, 12.12, 20.14 (134)
GWS GIANTS 1.3, 2.6, 3.12, 4.14 (38)
CASEY Demons were in similarly devastating form, crushing the GWS Giants by 96 points at Casey Fields to move into fifth spot.
The Giants have battled on their trips to Melbourne this year and it was more of the same as the reigning premiers did as they pleased, kicking 3.7 to 1.3 in the first term and extending their lead at every change before blowing the game apart with eight goals after the 12-minute mark of the last term.
GWS’s lack of competitiveness was borne in the tackle count as it lost by 16 goals while laying a paltry 35 tackles to Casey’s 56 to drop out of the top 10 for the first time this season.
Casey had seven of the top nine possession getters on the ground with James Jordan playing on a different plain to everyone else on his way to 41 disposals, seven marks, seven clearances, five tackles, nine inside-50s and a goal.
Taj Woewodin (31 disposals, six marks, three goals), Luke Dunstan (33 disposals, six marks, five entries), 149-gamer Jimmy Munro (29 disposals, five marks, seven clearances, seven tackles, five entries, one goal), Blake Howes (28 disposals, nine marks) and Bailey Laurie (27 disposals, five entries) also had a field day.
Meanwhile, Dan Turner (23 disposals, seven marks, nine rebounds) turned back almost every Giant attack, while Josh Schache kicked two goals in his 50th NEAFL/VFL match.
James Peatling tried to stem the tide for the Giants with 27 touches, nine clearances, six tackles and six entries, but he had little support apart from Matt Flynn (19 disposals, five clearances, 33 hitouts, one goal), Barry O’Connor (21 disposals, six clearances, five tackles, five entries) and Cam Fleeton (21 disposals, eight marks, six rebounds).
NORTH MELBOURNE vs WILLIAMSTOWN
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.4, 6.8, 10.13, 12.15 (87)
WILLIAMSTOWN 1.0, 3.1, 3.2, 5.4 (34)
A FAMOUS North Melbourne name was front and centre as the Kangaroos climbed into the top six and announced themselves as a premiership contender after belting a surprisingly off-colour Williamstown by 53 points at Arden Street Oval.
The Kangaroos, who lost five important players to the Seagulls in the off-season only to replace them with five men fresh off AFL lists, were a class above throughout, with Cooper Harvey, the son of AFL games record holder Brent, lighting it up with his second five-goal haul of his debut season.
The home side took control with four goals in 10 minutes to start the second quarter and held the visitors to just one behind from the 20th minute of that term to the fifth minute of the last, including a second salvo of four goals in six minutes late in the third to end any hopes of a renaissance.
North won disposals by 89, inside-50 entries by 26, clearances by 18 and marks by 13 as Williamstown was held to just five goals in its second flat performance in a row after a five-goal home loss to Footscray before the bye.
Harvey’s 5.3 came from 20 disposals and nine marks as he ran riot over the star-studded Seagull defence, capping off the dominance of ruckman Tristan Xerri (29 disposals, seven marks, 11 clearances, seven tackles, 31 hitouts, eight inside-50s) who easily had the better of Williamstown champion Tom Downie (11 disposals, 21 hitouts).
Dan Howe (32 disposals, six clearances, seven tackles), Charlie Lazzaro (25 disposals, five tackles, seven entries, one goal), Aaron Hall (25 disposals, 10 marks) and Lachie Young (21 disposals, eight marks) also played well for North.
Ex-Roo Marty Hore did his best to spark Williamstown with 28 touches, 11 marks and seven rebounds, as did Ben Jolley (24 disposals, seven marks), Jake Greiser (24, nine marks, five rebounds) and Jack Toner (23 disposals, nine marks).
But there were few others in the contest, with seven Seagulls finishing with seven touches or less, including the luckless James Cousins who broke down again in his 50th game on his latest injury comeback.
ESSENDON vs GOLD COAST SUNS
ESSENDON 2.3, 6.3, 8.5, 11.11 (77)
GOLD COAST SUNS 2.1, 4.3, 7.4, 12.4 (76)
CULT hero Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti made himself a hero by kicking a behind after the final siren to hand Essendon a remarkable one-point win over Gold Coast Suns in the upset of the season at Windy Hill.
McDonald-Tipungwuti, who was a huge presence around the contest all day, found space and took an uncontested mark 30m out directly in front as the siren sounded with scores level. While he sprayed the kick to the right, the Bombers didn’t care as they broke a nine-match losing streak against a team that had 21 AFL-listed players and had lost just twice in its past 22 matches.
However, the Bombers would have been extremely stiff to lose, having been the better team all day as they handled all the punches the Suns threw at them with aplomb.
They got out by as much as 24 points in the third quarter as Nick Bryan broke even with Ned Moyle in the ruck in the first half and then took over when the big Sun didn’t reappear after the main break to finish with 38 hitouts, five marks, six tackles and 15 disposals.
Gold Coast gradually worked its way back and took the lead through a remarkable effort from 18-year-old debutant Finn Hay, who spoiled a marking attempt on the wing and then put his skates on to charge forward, eventually receiving a handball in the goal square to kick the goal in the 12th minute.
The sides traded goals thereafter and it looked like the visitors would escape with victory when leading late. But nobody read the script to the Bombers as they levelled the scores with long range behinds to Nick Hind and Nik Cox, setting the scene for McDonald-Tipungwuti to be the ultimate hero.
Elijah Tsatas was brilliant in the clinches for Essendon, declaring himself ready for an AFL debut with 35 disposals, six clearances, eight clearances and five inside-50s.
Hind was outstanding off half-back with 23 disposals, six marks, five entries and six rebounds, Alwyn Davey (23 disposals, five clearances, seven tackles, five entries) was a livewire around the ball and McDonald-Tipungwuti was at his harassing best with 18 touches and nine tackles.
Charlie Constable started like a house on fire and remained strong throughout for the Suns to pick up 25 touches, nine marks, five tackles and six rebounds. Bodhi Uwland (18 disposals, six marks, six tackles) also impressed down back, while Alex Davies (22 disposals, eight tackles) and Thomas Berry (19 disposals, 12 tackles) were terrific through the middle.
Burgess didn’t get a lot of opportunities but was still almost a match winner with four goals and Frosty Miller Medal leader Brodie McLaughlin was forced up the ground to get most of his touches but still finished with 15 disposals, six marks, eight entries and two goals in two minutes in the third term.
BYE: Southport Sharks
ROUND 16 FIXTURE
Thursday, July 6: Richmond vs Sydney (2:05pm, Swinburne Centre). Friday, July 7: Footscray vs Collingwood (4:05pm, Avalon Airport Oval). Saturday, July 8: Gold Coast Suns vs Frankston (12:05pm, Heritage Bank Stadium); Northern Bullants vs Brisbane Lions (12:05pm, Genis Steel Oval); GWS Giants vs Box Hill Hawks (12:55pm, Giants Stadium – AFL curtain raiser); Coburg vs Carlton (1:05pm, Piranha Park); Port Melbourne vs Werribee (3:05pm, ETU Stadium). Sunday, July 9: Williamstown vs Southport Sharks (12 :05pm, DSV Stadium – VFLW double header); Sandringham vs Casey Demons (1:05pm, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval); Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne (5:35pm, GMHBA Stadium – AFL curtain closer). Bye: Essendon.
Click here to view full fixture and ladder.
Broadcast and streaming: All matches in the 2023 Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via the AFL website (AFL.com.au) and AFL Live Official App. Smithy’s VFL broadcast partner, the Seven Network, will continue to show one weekly game live and free on the Seven Network in Victoria and on 7Plus nationally. Casey Radio 97.7FM and 3WBC 94.1FM are also broadcasting matches.
Live scoring and stats: Live scoring and stats will be available via both the AFL Live Official App and VFL App. Download the VFL App from the Apple or Google Play stores.
Ticketing: Where Smithy’s VFL matches are ticketed, entry is $10 for adults, $5 for concession holders and kids under 15 are free. Some venues don't charge for entry. AFL ticketing prices will apply for VFL matches played as curtain-raisers and curtain-closers to AFL matches at AFL venues.
