Eagles rout the Tigers, Lions stun Hawks for first win
West Coast forward Jack Darling booted a career-best six goals to lift his team to a crushing 47-point victory over Richmond in Sunday's top-of-the-table clash at Perth Stadium.
The win capped a big Sunday of football that included a stunning win for Brisbane over Hawthorn, and a thrashing for Carlton at the hands of Melbourne.
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Darling kicked 6.2 and snared 15 marks (six contested) to inspire West Coast to the 20.10 (130) to 12.11 (83) win in front of 57,616 fans — a new record for the venue.
Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras chipped in with three goals each, while Jeremy McGovern starred in defence to help extend West Coast's winning run to eight matches.
Elliot Yeo shook off an early knee injury to finish with 29 disposals and 10 clearances.
West Coast are now a game clear on top of the ladder, putting the Eagles in prime position to launch an assault on the flag.
The Tigers were left to rue a series of missed chances in the second term, when they won the inside-50m count 23-4 but could only manage 4.5 for the term.
External Link: West Coast Eagles v Richmond summary
Scores were level at half-time, with West Coast sealing the win courtesy of a seven-goal third quarter.
Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt toiled hard for five goals, while Dustin Martin finished with 26 disposals and eight clearances.
But the Tigers were outclassed for most of the match against a hungry West Coast outfit.
Darling booted two goals and set up another for Kennedy to give West Coast a 22-point lead at quarter-time.
Richmond dominated play in the second term, but a host of poor errors in attack cost them dearly.
External Link: West Coast Eagles v Richmond stats
A freak soccer goal from Riewoldt late in the quarter and Jason Castagna's close-range effort ensured Richmond levelled the scores by half-time.
But from there it was all one-way traffic as West Coast flexed their muscle.
With Darling unstoppable up forward and Yeo dominant through the midfield, West Coast surged to a 49-point lead.
West Coast's tackling pressure was immense, with Richmond unable to handle the heat.
Any hopes of a Richmond comeback were snuffed out early in the final quarter as West Coast went on another goal blitz.
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Lions break their duck with win over Hawks
Brisbane has stormed home to thump Hawthorn by 56 points for their first AFL win this season, with former Hawk Luke Hodge instrumental in the upset.
Hodge's young Lions looked like being blown off the park when Hawthorn kicked four easy goals in the first 10 minutes on Sunday.
But the Lions rallied in the Gabba shoot-out, sprinting clear in the third term and showing no nerves despite eight losses to start the year to thump the powerhouse club 20.9 (129) to 11.7 (73).
The Lions kicked four straight goals in a decisive third quarter, with Hugh McCluggage's career game powering the hosts forward.
Eric Hipwood (four goals), Tom Cutler (three) and Charlie Cameron (two) were the major benefactors.
Cameron ran into an open goal after McCluggage (27 disposals) split the pack before captain Dayne Beams' set shot moments later helped the Lions to a 27-point lead at the final break.
Hodge rebounded expertly and his teammates did the rest despite another 46-disposal hall from Hawks ball magnet Tom Mitchell and four goals to Jack Gunston.
External Link: Lions v Hawthorn summary
The former Hawthorn premiership captain soaked up the occasion, twice interviewed by Channel 7 on the sideline during play in an AFL first.
The Hawks, fifth at the start of the round, fell to 5-4 this season.
The Lions had been close in six of their eight previous losses this season but there was no repeat this time, with 28-year-old rookie defender Matt Eagles capping a perfect night with his first AFL goal.
Former Adelaide Crow Cameron's pressure was immense and he was rewarded with a snapped goal early as the 20,628-strong crowd started to believe.
The Hawks relied on long-range efforts from James Sicily and Isaac Smith to stay close in the second quarter.
External Link: Lions v Hawthorn stats
But Beams finished a terrific sequence through the corridor to help his side to an 11-point half-time lead, both teams having kicked an accurate 7.1 at one point.
The efficient Lions defied the statistics in the first quarter, keeping within five points despite the Hawks notching more than double the amount of disposals and nearly double the tackles.
Gunston still ensured a fast start, kicking two and setting up another as the visitors kicked four in 10 minutes.
Cameron's hanger in defence was a sign of things to come though, as Hipwood kicked a quick couple.
Then Dayne Zorko, who had 30 touches and 11 tackles, goaled to get the Lions rolling.
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Demons make life hell for Blues at MCG
Melbourne has dished up a history-making shellacking of Carlton, defeating the Blues by 109 points at the MCG.
The Demons moved into the top four by destroying their young opponents 25.9 (159) to 7.8 (50) on Sunday.
After emerging clear of a first-quarter tussle, the major point of interest quickly became Melbourne's winning margin.
To the delight of the Dees fans among 44,122 at the MCG, they earned a first triple-figure win by kicking the last seven goals of the game.
Tom McDonald kicked four first-half goals and by fulltime he was joined by four other multiple goal-kickers.
External Link: Carlton v Melbourne summary
Jake Melksham tallied five majors and Alex Neal-Bullen was full of run and finished with four himself.
More than half of Melbourne's side featured on the goalkickers list — though spearhead Jesse Hogan left his run late and joined them with the last goal of the game.
At times their dominance bordered on brutal.
Between Patrick Cripps' second-term goal and Jed Lamb's long bomb in the third term, Melbourne tallied seven straight goals to hit the century and rip the contest away from the Blues.
Carlton offered pressure-free football in a significant setback for Brendon Bolton's developing side after a season-first win last week against Essendon.
It was Bolton's worst loss as an AFL coach.
External Link: Carlton v Melbourne stats
Patrick Cripps (31 disposals, eight tackles) never stopped trying but the Demons were rampant.
Max Gawn won his duel with Matthew Kreuzer, Angus Brayshaw (12 tackles) shined and Nathan Jones led from the front.
The margin was Melbourne's biggest win at the MCG since a 1993 belting of Richmond, then coached by John Northey.
But Demons fans are getting used to seeing these sort of results.
The demolition job was Melbourne's fourth big win in a row and came after a 69-point belting of Gold Coast on the road last week.
While they'll play plenty of sides better than the Blues between now and round 23, it seems certain that the Demons are bound for a first finals appearance in 12 years.
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External Link: AFL 2018 ladder
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