Round 16 Review

Port Adelaide (16.14.110) defeated Carlton (8.12.60)

1. Connor Rozee (150). Great stuff to kick off the round. 30 touches with 11 marks and 90% DE for the Port skipper while adding 519 metres gained.
2. Mitch Georgiades (124). Asserted himself up forward with 11 touches and 6 marks but it was the 5 goals which really boosted his score.
3. Zak Butters (123). Got a tag early but ended up breaking it for 30 touches and 6 clearances plus a massive 580 metres gained.
4. Miles Bergman (121). Keeps rising to the occasion, this week collecting 25 touches with 8 marks, 5 clearances, 5 tackles and 2 goals.
5. George Hewett (120). The best of the Blues, Hewett was his usual self at the contest with 21 touches, 5 tackles and 9 clearances.

Other 100+ scores: Kane Farrell (112), Joe Richards/Hugh Jackson (109), Darcy Byrne-Jones (108), Sam Docherty (103)

Disappointment: Not a great return from Cerra, just 66 while his team got hammered.

Rookies: Super game from Jackson (109) who did so much damage with clean touches in the first half, leading Port ahead of Powell-Pepper (66) and Liddy (61). A couple of debuts for the Blues with Wilson (29) and Young (8) getting their shot. Motlop (65) was solid enough.

Injuries: Saad was concussed which saw him subbed in the third quarter, while Horne-Francis was subbed tactically after being very quiet up until 3QT.

 

Sydney (14.12.96) defeated by Western Bulldogs (16.9.105)

1. Brodie Grundy (179). Getting wild now. 4 scores involvements a row of 150+ and this was the best of them. 23 touches (14 contested) with 1 goal, 43 hitouts and 8 clearances.
2. Joel Freijah (151). Still a teenager at 19 but produced a career best game here thanks to 23 touches, 7 marks and 4 goals plus DE of 87%.
3. Errol Gulden (146). Could be a late season target after returning seamlessly from injury. 30 touches (15 contested) plus 6 marks, 7 tackles and a team best 540 metres gained.
4. Isaac Heeney (144). Found 21 touches (10 contested) plus 6 clearances, 5 tackles and importantly 5 goals to keep the Swans in it until the end.
5. Aaron Naughton (130). Best game of Naughtons season on Friday. He found 16 touches and 12 marks plus 3 goals to be important in the win.

Other 100+ scores: Lachlan Bramble (114), Tim English (109)

Disappointment: Bontempelli was a trade target this week but returned just 63.

Rookies: Only Buller (47) for the Swans who have the crew back together. Not much for the Dogs either, Davidson (43) who was just beaten by Hynes (44).

Injuries: Papley (calf tightness) was subbed out for the Swans, while McNeil was tactical for the Dogs.

 

Gold Coast (15.14.104) defeated Melbourne (12.13.85)

1. Matt Rowell (147). Best on by Rowell. 24 touches (19 contested) with 11 tackles and 12 clearances plus 7 inside 50s. 6 tons on the trot now.
2. John Noble (132). Noble racked up with 29 disposals @ 90% DE plus 6 marks and a monster 624 metres gained.
3. Jake Melksham (130). So busy in front of the big sticks, Melksham kicked 5.6 from plenty of shots on goal. Overall had 18 touches and 8 marks.
4. Touk Miller (122). 24 touches (13 contested) plus 1 goal, 6 clearances and 5 tackles for the former Suns captain.
5. Kysaiah Pickett (121). Kept busy in a hybrid role, finding 25 touches (14 contested) with 3 goals, 3 goal assists, 537 metres gained and 5 tackles.

Other 100+ scores: Braydan Fiorini (108), Noah Anderson (105), Christian Petracca (104), Jake Bowey (102)

Disappointment: Witts (87) and Gawn (90) cancelled each other out here.

Rookies: Langford (56) led Lindsay (47), Jefferson (31) and Sharp (24) in overall a poor scoring performance from the Melbourne rookies. Nothing special either for the Suns with Walter (57) and Read (51) being their two rookies.

Injuries: Howes and Petty with a double concussion for the Dees. The Suns were unscathed with Humphrey their sub.

 

Hawthorn (23.12.150) defeated North Melbourne (9.11.65)

1. Jack Gunston (138). The best player in this game with 7 goals from 15 touches, not much else to add to it.
2. Karl Amon (135). Game best 33 touches for Amon on the outside with 85% DE and 11 score involvements. Also a massive 782 metres gained.
3. Nick Larkey (131). The best for North in a big game in front of the big sticks. Kicked 5.3 from 14 touches and 7 marks.
4. Jai Newcombe/Mabior Chol (119). 27 touches for the Nuke with 13 contested touches, also adding in 9 clearances, 5 marks and 2 goals. Chol kicked 5 goals straight from 14 touches and 7 marks.
5. Tristan Xerri (111). Xerri rounds out the top five thanks to 18 touches (12 contested) with 5 marks, 5 clearances and 31 hitouts.

Other 100+ scores: Colby McKercher/Luke Davies-Unaicke (108), Luke Parker (107), Dylan Moore (103), Conor Nash (102)

Disappointment: Harry Sheezel (60) made me walk away from my $18 pint halfway through consumption.

Rookies: A pretty popular downgrade on Butler (31) struggled for the Hawks but Ramsden (2K extra) was very good with 87. Just the subbed on Seamus Mitchell (25) after that. North was led by Konstanty (59), then Dawson (51), Hardeman (46), O’Sullivan (42) and finally Hansen Jnr (34).

Injuries: Wardlaw (concussion) didn’t last long unfortunately, but the Hawks escaped the injury front with just Moore being the tactical sub.

 

Collingwood (13.10.88) defeated West Coast (8.11.59)

1. Nick Daicos (131). Didn’t catch this game but assuming no tag came Daicos’s way as he found 34 touches with 10 marks, 707 metres gained, 9 inside 50s and 1 major for a worthy C score.
2. Scott Pendlebury (129). Still getting it done over 400 games in. 28 touches (13 contested) with 1 goal, 9 clearances, 576 metres gained, 6 tackles and 10 inside 50s.
3. Liam Baker (121). The best of the Eagles as Baker found 35 disposals with 10 intercepts and 6 tackles across half-back.
4. Jack Crisp (113). Crisp found 27 disposals with 7 marks, 6 tackles and 587 metres gained to add another ton to his 2025 campaign.
5. Darcy Cameron (111). Good again from DCam, keeping the big scores against WCE rucks going. 19 touches (15 contested) plus 8 clearances and 36 hitouts.

Other 100+ scores: Brady Hough (110), Tom McCarthy (101)

Disappointment: Nothing super horrid here, maybe if you held Flynn (75) across the byes this wasn’t the ideal end.

Rookies: Another ton for McCarthy (101) from 29 touches across the backline. Clay Hall (78) was also very solid, leading a crop of Eagles rookies scores that included Brock (66), Shanahan (56), Hewett (46) and Allan (39). The Pies had a debut to Charlie West (27) and then the usual suspects of Long (72) and Allan (79).

Injuries: Clean reports here with West and Cripps the subs.

 

Richmond (8.6.54) defeated by Adelaide (18.14.122)

1. Daniel Curtin (153). Annoyed himself with a massive game of 26 touches, 495 metres gained, 8 marks, 5 tackles and 2 goals with a best on performance.
2. Sam Banks/Riley Thilthorpe (129). Banks has made leaps and bounds this season, this time a career best score from 25 touches, 822 metres gained and 1 goal. Thilthorpe was a factor up front with 5 goals from 16 touches and 6 marks.
3. Josh Worrell (121). Unheralded down back, Worrell was great with 24 touches and 11 marks plus nearly 500 metres gained.
4. Rory Laird (118). Laird was typical Laird with 26 touches and 8 marks with no clangers and 84% DE.
5. Jordan Dawson (112). The Crows skipper rounds it all out thanks to 26 disposals, 5 marks, 6 tackles and 7 clearances on the afternoon.

Other 100+ scores: Mark Keane/Mirch Hinge (110), Brodie Smith (103), Jack Ross (102)

Disappointment: Really nothing that bad here, so I’ll give it to Vlastuin (48) who is usually much better than that.

Rookies: Only Curtin at the Crows and he has had his time. Nothing great for the Tigers with their best being Alger (62), just ahead of Trainor (57). Others included Faull (43), Lynch (9) and Green (7).

Injuries: Lefau returned for the Tigers after an ACL but unfortunately suffered a calf issue here which saw him subbed. Rachele the tactical for the Crows.

 

Fremantle (11.15.81) defeated St Kilda (9.15.69)

1. Rowan Marshall (159). Despite playing the double ruck setup, Marshall top scored here thanks to 22 touches (13 contested) plus 10 clearances, 6 tackles, 26 hitouts and 1 major for the game.
2. Jordan Clark (145). Drove it forward plenty with 517 metres gained from his 31 touches and 10 marks, slotting 1 goal as well.
3. Max Hall (120). Under the radar roomie this season but has been very good. Season best here thanks to 21 touches 6 marks and 1 goal.
4. Sean Darcy/Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (117). Darcy was solid in the ruck battle, finding 17 touches (13 contested) with 7 clearances, 1 goal and 41 hitouts. NWM was great again thanks to 28 touches, 7 marks, 1 goal and a game best 796 metres gained.
5. Luke Jackson (116). Rounds out this games top five with a massive last quarter boosting him. Overall had 15 touches (11 contested) with 8 tackles, 16 hitouts and 2 goals.

Other 100+ scores: Zilch

Disappointment: Serong and Brayshaw finished on twin 84s which wasn’t ideal, while Ryan (82) was down on recent form.

Rookies: After Hall, the Saints had Tauru (77) who will be a popular pickup this week. Travaglia (67) was also solid while Keeler kicked 2 goals for 47. Some solid stuff from the Freo rookies in Erasmus (97), O’Driscoll (73), Reid (70) and Worner (63). Dudley (40) was quiet up forward while McDonald (38) returned for his third game.

Injuries: No subbed used for Fremantle, and Butler was the sub for the Saints.