Source : the age
Aliir Aliir’s 200th game may end with a huge migraine, while Jacob van Rooyen faces a possible holiday through suspension.
A groggy Aliir was helped off Adelaide Oval after copping a huge hit from van Rooyen in the dying stages of the first half.
Aliir was prone for some time before slowly being eased up, after being collected high by van Rooyen.
The Melbourne forward apologised immediately, but will likely face MRO scrutiny for his spoil gone wrong, leaping high in the air and loosely making heavy contact with his hand to Aliir’s head.
Van Rooyen was roundly booed by the Adelaide Oval faithful when he took a mark in attack, before receiving equally loud cheers when his shot slammed into the post as the half-time siren sounded.
That was a much better quarter from the Power, who stemmed some serious bleeding. The home side are well ahead in clearances (21-11) and inside-50s (29-25).
The four leading ball-winners on the ground – Ollie Wines (17 disposals), Joe Richards (15), Jason Horne-Francis (15) and Jase Burgoyne (14) – are all wearing Port colours.
But a lack of efficiency and smarts with the ball has let the home side down. Conversely, the Dees have looked infinitely more classy with footy in hand, while their pressure has forced Port to cough up the footy at key moments.
Melbourne lead 51-20 at half-time
Hawks co-captain James Sicily has lost his cool and conceded a 50m penalty that gifted a goal to Collingwood’s Daniel McStay.
Sicily objected to the free kick given to McStay – it was probably there but McStay drew some attention to it.
More so, the goal has given Collingwood some life and they have made use of it with Dan Houston booting a goal soon after to cut the lead to under two goals.
Hawks 78, Pies 70 with 14 mins to go.
Hawthorn have responded in the nick of time, and it may have saved their spot in the top four.
The Hawks looked a completely different team that quarter to turn a 22-point deficit at half-time into a three-point lead at the final change.
It’s anyone’s game. The Hawks’ small forwards got to work that term. Nick Watson and Connor Macdonald were much better.
Watson threatened to tear the game apart while Isaac Quaynor was on the bench, but couldn’t quite get a clear shot at goal.
Josh Ward has booted a booming goal to start the final term as Hawthorn looks to regain control of this match.
Moments later, Ward had the footy again and snapped a goal around the right post.
He’s doing it from distance and doing it from close.
“Gee he is becoming a player that Josh Ward,” David King said on Kayo Sports.
Hawks 72, Pies 57 with 18 mins left to play.
Bayley Fritsch slotted his third goal, in the opening minute of the third quarter, to extend Melbourne’s huge advantage.
Mitch Georgiades replied quickly for Port, but the Power will have to make do for the entire second half without Aliir Aliir, their best defender.
Aliir’s 200th game ended prematurely, ruled out of taking any further part after copping a heavy high hit from Jacob van Rooyen in the shadows of half-time.
Melbourne 63, Power 26.
The Hawks stormed into the lead and dominated much of the third term but the Pies found some life late in the quarter and it is anyone’s match as we enter the final stanza.
David King sounded convinced that the Pies had run out of energy but this is a very young group who should have something in reserve as shown by the efforts they put into their last goal of the third.
But in the final seconds of the term, the Hawks pushed forward and found Gunston – he missed his shot.
The Hawks have paid for sloppy use of the ball in their defensive half with Will Hayes and Tim Membrey forcing a turnover and Hayes snapping a classy goal.
Collingwood desperately needed that goal.
Hawks 59, Pies 56 with two mins to go in Q3.
Mitch Lewis has just missed a shot for goal from a tight angle but the Hawks still have all the momentum in this match and Collingwood are falling further behind.
“They look spent Collingwood, they look out of tickets,” David King said on Kayo Sports.
Hawks 59, Pies 49 with four mins to go in Q3.
Aliir Aliir’s 200th game may end with a huge migraine, while Jacob van Rooyen faces a possible holiday through suspension.
A groggy Aliir was helped off Adelaide Oval after copping a huge hit from van Rooyen in the dying stages of the first half.
Aliir was prone for some time before slowly being eased up, after being collected high by van Rooyen.
