Buddy Franklin lights up SCG in round of upsets
A dominant Lance Franklin lets another left foot bomb fly. Photo: AAP
Sydney’s struggles have been well-documented this season and Lance Franklin’s stunning eight-goal effort against Brisbane came not a moment too soon.
The mercurial superstar was at his breathtaking best as the Swans broke through for their first win of the season – a 54-point drubbing at the SCG.
Testament to Franklin’s star power, his performance outshone two players who passed 500 career goals in the same round.
Adelaide star Eddie Betts’ big moment came when he scrubbed a soccered goal from point-blank range in Hobart and Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt converted a set shot from 40m out at Etihad Stadium.
Milestone man Eddie Betts gets ready to shoot at goal.
However, both of their milestones were soured, the Crows losing to North Melbourne and the Tigers were beaten by the Bulldogs.
The Kangaroos’ 59-point demolition of Adelaide headlined a remarkable weekend of carnage for the AFL’s top-eight teams.
In all, six of the top eight sides heading in to round seven were defeated by teams ranked lower than them on the ladder.
The only top-eight clubs who did manage a win – the Western Bulldogs and West Coast – beat teams above them.
Hawthorn’s hard-fought 14.10 (94) to 14.7 (91) win against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday afternoon put the exclamation point on a bizarre round of upsets.
“We’re all pleased with that because it was a tough week – we were really disappointed with our effort against St Kilda,” Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said referring to last week’s 75-point loss to the Saints.
“But that’s the fickle nature of the game – all those three sides, St Kilda, Melbourne and Hawthorn, have played one another.
“We beat Melbourne, Melbourne beat St Kilda, St Kilda beat us.
“So that’s probably a reflection of the closeness of the season.”
The ladder-leading Crows were the only unbeaten side after six straight wins but they lost that mantle in no uncertain terms at a wind-affected Blundstone Arena in Hobart.
The Kangaroos put Don Pyke’s men to the sword with a mind-boggling 10.4 (64) to 0.0 (0) first term, using their knowledge of the tricky conditions to absolute perfection.
In his first game back from a shoulder injury suffered in round one, Jarrad Waite starred for the Roos with six goals.
“There aren’t too many players who can miss six weeks of footy, even though he’s been able to train really strongly, most players come back rusty,” Roos coach Brad Scott said.
“He just came in like he hadn’t missed a beat.”
However, Waite will be sweating on the match review panel’s assessment on his second-quarter tackle on Tom Lynch that left the Crows forward concussed and out of the game.
The upsets continued when Geelong and Richmond each suffered their second losses in as many weeks, after starting the season with five wins.
The Cats suffered a 25-point defeat to Gary Ablett’s Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, while the Tigers led by as much as 32 points in the second quarter against the Dogs before going down by five points at Etihad Stadium.
The game’s stunning finale produced a contentious deliberate out of bounds free kick that robbed Damien Hardwick’s side of a late chance at victory.
West Coast cast aside their travel woes to upset Port Adelaide 15.7 (97) to 12.15 (87) at Adelaide Oval and St Kilda kicked off a weird weekend of results when they shocked highly-fancied Greater Western Sydney 16.12 (108) to 12.13 (85) on Friday night.
There were some notable results in matches between sides outside the eight too.
Collingwood celebrated their 125th anniversary with a game against old enemies Carlton at the MCG on Saturday, but the Blues spoiled the party with a 23-point win that heaped the pressure right back on embattled Pies coach Nathan Buckley.
Previously winless Sydney broke their 2017 season duck in emphatic style with a 54-point drubbing of the Lions.
Buddy Franklin kicked eight goals as John Longmire’s men dragged themselves off the bottom of the ladder, with the Lions replacing them.
Fremantle bounced back from their heavy local derby defeat to the Eagles with a 37-point win over Essendon at Subiaco on Sunday – 17.14 (116) to 11.13 (79).
-AAP