Finals contenders continue to drop like flies.  First it was Port Adelaide, then it was Collingwood, now it was the GWS Giants’ turn with an intriguing twist from Geelong.  Want details?  READ ON!

Welcome to Balls of Steel’s AFL Beat!

I keep telling you guys that the thing I love about the AFL is that you can always be surprised each week.  Things do not go according to plan, as Hawthorn painfully learned on Friday night in Australia.  Their game against Port Adelaide kicked off Round 21 and it was widely expected that Hawthorn would cruise in their last three games, forcing the West Coast Eagles to win their games against much tougher competition in order to hang on to the coveted #2 spot.  The Power had already been pretty much eliminated from finals contention and was just playing out the string.

I hate the fact that the AFL website actually quoted Chris Berman in one of their previews for the weekend, so I’m not going to do that.  Instead, I’ll invoke the ghost of Herm:

and that’s exactly what Port Adelaide did, winning by 22.  Port were sharp from the start:

and frustrated Hawthorn enough to get them to commit penalties and gift the Power easy goals.

That looked like it hurt.  Luckily, Chad Wingard was ok, despite getting his head squished between the pole and Luke Hodge’s torso.  PHRASING!

On US Friday night, Collingwood started off the action against Richmond at the MCG.  The largely pro-Magpies crowd went home hugely disappointed as the Pies continued their downward slide and fell to the Tigers by 91.  Sadly, this is the second consecutive year in which Collingwood has missed the finals after starting the season 8-3.  At least they did get this big hit in:

even though it means that he’ll probably get a one-week suspension for it.  It was a rough game.  My favorite mullet got a kick to the face:

but Richmond had the last laugh:

Almost simultaneously, the Sydney Derby was being held at Spotless Stadium (inside info:  not that clean!). The Swans dominated throughout and took home a well-earned 89 point victory that greatly boosts their hopes of holding on to their top four spot.  Here, Kurt “Just the” Tippett booms a big kick and goal early in the game:

Swans fans were all smiles as the game got out of hand and James Rose scored his first ever AFL goal:

The next game featured the Gold Coast Suns hosting the Essendon Bombers.  Essendon’s coach, James Hird, had resigned earlier in the week, so it was unknown how the team would react.  They played well and fought hard, but ultimately succumbed to the Suns by a tiny 2 point margin.  A bad kick from Essendon led to an easy Suns goal:

but two could play that game:

In the late late night games, Geelong were visiting St. Kilda while the Adelaide Crows hosted the Brisbane Lions. Both Geelong and Adelaide were expected to continue winning to set up an epic Win and In scenario for Round 23.  Adelaide did their part, crushing the Lions by 87.  Geelong, on the other hand, has forced me to post this:

to illustrate the fact that they TIED the Saints 97-97.  While this does not eliminate the Cats from finals contention,

Let’s just move to the highlights.  The Lions had a nice start:

but that was about it. So, remember last week when the GWS Giants pulled the Boner of the Round?  Well, the Cats’ Stevie J could not let someone else take the spotlight:

It’s not like we needed the points or anything…  Steven Motlop played a phenomenal game and tried his best to get Geelong the victory:

As did rookie Nakia Cockatoo:

Alas, that was the last score for Geelong as the Saints got a late behind to produce the final score.  Here are the frantic final two minutes:

I’m glad I was asleep for that one.  Wow.

Moving on, Saturday night brought more surprises!  In the first game, league-leading Fremantle faced the North Melbourne Kangaroos.  The Roos had gotten themselves into the top eight but were now facing much tougher competition in order to ensure they could keep their finals spot.  Despite the Dockers starting off the game red hot with 7 goals in the first term, the Roos chipped away, chipped away, and eventually ran out to an 11 point victory.  It was a tremendous victory that virtually assures North a finals spot.  In order for them to fall out, they would have to lose their last two and Geelong would have to win their last two by a large margin.

North’s veteran Brent Harvey scored a nice goal here to spark the comeback:

Later that night, Carlton were looking for their first win in a looooooong time as they were facing the Melbourne Demons.  They got out to a torrid start and led by 54 at one point early in the third.  They then seemed intent on giving the lead right back as Melbourne closed to within 17.  Luckily for Blues fans (King Hippo, we missed you on the thread last night!), Carlton held on and scored the 23 point win that just might allow them to avoid the Wooden Spoon.

Have you ever wanted to see a shoulder dislocate in slow motion?  Watch this clip!

Here is a beautiful goal from Carlton after a great steal and pass from Andrew Walker:

The last game of the Round was a good one as the West Coast Eagles hosted the Western Bulldogs in a game that would tell exactly how finals-ready the Doggies are.  It was  close and exciting for the entire first half and then I went to bed and apparently all hell broke loose as the Eagles put their foot down and thoroughly thrashed the Bulldogs by 77.  Here, Western pulls to within 17 late in the third:

The fourth was all Eagles, though, as even the sub scored:

Let’s take a look at the ladder, shall we?

Carlton’s win means the Brisbane Lions will most likely end up as the Wooden Spoon.  Up top, the battle for the top spot has heated up as Fremantle’s loss combined with West Coast’s big win means there are only two points separating those teams.  The Eagles visit the Adelaide Crows next Saturday night which, depending on how Geelong does against Collingwood on Friday Night Footy (Friday AM for us), would set up a Win and In game on the final week between the Crows and the Cats.  Fremantle, meanwhile, get Melbourne but have to travel to Adelaide on the last week to face Port who have already shown this week they will play hard until the end.

It’s getting really good.  See you next week!