It was a round where winless Port Adelaide put in a better effort after giving up a big lead to eventual winners Carlton, Hawthorn surprised the pundits on Easter Monday against the Cats and players were left wondering how to raise their arms on the mark for fear of giving away a 50 metre penalty for dissenting an umpire's decision:
THEY SAID IT:
"Does it matter when you lose your five in a row if you can win enough? I don't know, but my history tells me that you can lose five in a row and still make finals"
- coach Ken Hinkley hasn't given up hope of turning winless Port Adelaide's season around.
PLAYER OF THE ROUND: Adelaide's Taylor Walker kicked five goals in a best-afield performance as his side registered an upset 19-point win over Richmond. Walker has now kicked nine goals in two games since returning from a six-match racism ban.
KEY MOMENT: Hawthorn veteran Luke Breust has been front and centre of many marking contests over the journey but the latest was more important than most. The Hawks led Geelong by a goal in the dying stages of a tight Easter Monday contest when Breust got to the right spot and kept his cool to find Mitch Lewis with his kick. Lewis was all alone and popped through the sealer in a major upset.
TALKING POINTS: Essendon were touted as premiership smokies ahead of the season, but the Bombers face an uphill battle to even make the finals. Without stars Jake Stringer and Zach Merrett, they have slumped to 1-4 and have conceded more than 95 points in all five games this year to be the league's worst defensive team. There is a week of soul-searching ahead at Tullamarine after the Bombers' capitulation to Fremantle.
STATS THAT MATTER: 56-0. That was the scoreline midway through the second quarter of Sydney's thumping win over West Coast. The Good Friday fixture was the first time in their 36-year history the Eagles had been held to a scoreless opening quarter at home.
TRIBUNAL WATCH: Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins will come under scrutiny for appearing to exaggerate contact from Hawthorn's Sam Frost in an incident that could attract a fine for staging. Richmond star Trent Cotchin escaped with a fine for kicking Taylor Walker in an incident that left the Adelaide veteran fuming. Melbourne defender Steven May was fined for tripping Bobby Hill, while Brisbane's Darcy Gardiner and Collingwood's Mason Cox were bother fined for crude late hits on opponents in marking contests.
INJURIES: R Sloane (Adel, knee) M Chol (GC, adductor) D Swallow (GC, dislocated finger) A Hall (NM, hamstring) R Garcia (WB, knee) A Phillips (Ess, leg) J Lever (Melb, ankle) N Reeves (Haw, shoulder) J Henry (Geel, foot) J Bews (Geel, shoulder).
WHAT'S NEXT: Toby Greene makes his long-awaited return from suspension for struggling GWS in the crunch clash with St Kilda on Friday night. Port Adelaide could break their duck against undermanned West Coast, Fremantle host Carlton in a battle of two in-form sides and Richmond take on Melbourne in the late Anzac Day Eve blockbuster. The round wraps up on Anzac Day Monday with two games, including the traditional Essendon-Collingwood clash.
LADDER:
Team | Points | Percentage |
Melbourne | 20 | 155% |
Fremantle | 16 | 141% |
Brisbane | 16 | 138% |
St Kilda | 16 | 132% |
Sydney | 16 | 130.3% |
Carlton | 16 | 102.6% |
Geelong | 12 | 110% |
Hawthorn | 12 | 106% |
Collingwood | 8 | 106% |
Western Bulldogs | 8 | 100% |
Richmond | 8 | 99% |
Gold Coast | 8 | 98% |
Adelaide | 8 | 94% |
GWS Giants | 4 | 73% |
Essendon | 4 | 70% |
West Coast | 4 | 69% |
North Melbourne | 4 | 62% |
Port Adelaide | 0 | 75% |
Melbourne 16, 100%
Brisabne 16, 138%