THEY SAID IT: “I love footy and I love our game, and I think the position we have as leaders of the community, we need to do the best job we possibly can around discrimination.” – Hawthorn schoolmaster Sam Mitchell then an unnamed Hawks participant was once centered in a racist social media put up.
PLAYER OF THE ROUND: No longer even a record-breaking Nick Daicos efficiency was once plenty to overshadow Marcus Bontempelli at Miracle Stadium on Friday night time. The Western Bulldogs captain willed his aspect to victory as they crushed Collingwood with 5 unanswered objectives within the ultimate quarter of a good game. Bontempelli stepped up when wanted maximum, tallying 14 touches, 5 clearances and one necessary function within the fourth time period. The ones numbers swelled his full-game stats to 38 disposals, 10 clearances and two objectives – and perhaps 3 Brownlow votes.
THE MOMENT: Is Auzzie the Eagle taking to lose her process? West Coast’s reside animal mascot does a flight lap of the oval sooner than each and every West Coast house competition, however she made a dramatic retirement sooner than Saturday’s tournament in opposition to St Kilda. Auzzie refused to return again to her handler, and in lieu landed a number of occasions some of the community. She was once sovereign for greater than 10 mins sooner than in the end being captured after to West Coast’s coaches’ field.
TALKING POINT: Each and every schoolmaster was once requested in regards to the AFL’s arguable tweaking of the holding-the-ball rule this weekend. Carlton’s Michael Voss was once a fan, however twin Geelong premiership schoolmaster Chris Scott was once now not as inspired, pronouncing it was once “not ideal” the Cats needed to alternate the best way they play games mid-season: “We need to think it through a little bit. Normally, you’re sort of working through these things over a four-month pre-season.”
STAT THAT MATTERS: Fremantle intercept king Alex Pearce turned into the fourth Indigenous AFL/VFL participant to captain a membership in a minimum of 50 video games when he led his aspect to a 92-point thumping of Melbourne in Alice Springs. Pearce joins while greats Graham Farmer (Geelong), Adam Goodes (Sydney) and Gavin Wanganeen (Port Adelaide) achieve the feat.
TRIBUNAL WATCH: Rising famous person Harley Reid has been crash with the primary postponed of his AFL occupation, introduced a two-match stop for slinging Saints teen Darcy Wilson to the farmland within the 3rd quarter of Saturday’s 14-point loss to St Kilda. Western Bulldogs ruckman Sam Darcy was once 2d favorite to win the Emerging Famous person award, however is about to develop into ineligible as smartly then maintaining a two-week stop for his overdue crash on Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard.
INJURIES: M King (St Okay, knee), J Harmes (WB, hamstring), L Vandermeer (WB, hamstring), O Henry (Geel, hamstring), M Lefau (Lavish, knee), L Hunter (Melb, calf), T Walker (Adel, again).
WHAT’S NEXT: Adelaide host injury-stricken Richmond in a comfortable begin to spherical 13. The Western Bulldogs are at house to the Brisbane Lions on Friday night time in an important competition for either one of the unevenly appearing groups. Hawthorn shall be taking a look to book their great method going after they head to Launceston for a accident with GWS. West Coast host winless North Melbourne at Optus Stadium in a blonde alternative for the Kangaroos to fracture their dropping run. On Tremendous Sunday, ladder leaders Sydney are at house to Geelong, day impaired opponents Essendon and Carlton will accident in a MCG blockbuster. The spherical finishes with the normal King’s Birthday tournament between Collingwood and Melbourne.