The AFL’s Gather Round is in full swing in South Australia on Saturday. Harry McKay was in the concussion wars, however, in Carlton’s clash with West Coast while Gold Coast have achieved their best-ever season start, defeating the Kangaroos by 52 points.
The AFL’s Gather Round is in full swing in South Australia on Saturday. Harry McKay was in the concussion wars, however, in Carlton’s clash with West Coast while Gold Coast have achieved their best-ever season start, defeating the Kangaroos by 52 points.
Blues skipper Patrick Cripps has a clear message for his players, despite the team’s rough start across the first six weeks of 2025.
Cripps had 23 disposals and kicked three majors in the win as they improved to 1-4 this season.
“You can’t complain about the weather with a concept like this – I was proud of the boys with where we were, we wanted to attack this game and play with some flair and I think we did that,” Cripps told Fox Footy.
“It sounds weird to say we wanted to control our game inside – we feel like a lot of our footy is in order, we just have a bit of ball movement stuff [to fix] and we got in front of that today.
“My message to the boys is to keep believing as we’re stopping teams scoring and that keeps you in games. I’m really bullish with what we can do but it is nice to get a win.”
Sam Darcy has arrived at Norwood Oval looking to have kicked his second goal of the quarter after beating Harris Andrews in a marking contest.
Andrews claimed he touched the ball as it went over the mark and the score review agreed with him.
That denied goal could turn out to be vital if the Lions fight back in this match but it is all the Dogs who kicked seven goals for the term.
The Bulldogs are on a blazing hot streak as Sam Darcy pulled in a powerful mark and then went back and booted the goal.
It’s the seventh major for the Bulldogs this term.
Just as worrying for the Lions, Lachie Neale looked like he had an opponent fall on his ankle, and it has left him very sore.
It looks like he is still on the park but he was feeling for the injury – losing Neale would be a massive loss.
Dogs 61, Lions 28 with four mins to go in Q2.
That was one of the most bizarre kicks of the season.
Naughton took a mark at centre half-back and tried to switch play to Rory Lobb, but his drop punt was mis-kicked and turned into a torpedo.
Remarkably, he kicked it hard enough that it just sailed to Lobb anyway. Lobb passed to Buku Khamis and the Dogs pushed down the wing into attack.
Joel Freijah, a Horsham export, kicked a goal for the Dogs to cap off the play, moments later Lachie Bramble kicked his second goal for the term.
On review, Sam Davidson soccered it on the line so he will steal Bramble’s goal.
“That’s theft,” Fox Footy’s Jason Dunstall said with a laugh.
The Dogs are winning their contests and the Lions just can’t put consecutive possession together.
Dogs 47, Lions 28 with 10 mins to go in Q2.
UPDATED: Dogs sub Josh Dolan has kicked his first AFL goal, snapping smartly after the ball was brought to ground in front of the goals.
He had no time to think, and that probably helped as he threw the Sherrin on his boot and put it through the middle.
Rhylee West followed up with a running shot from open play that just snuck inside the left goal post,and then Lachlan Bramble kicked a major as well.
The Dogs have made a super start to this second term.
Dogs 34, Lions 21 with 18 mins to go in Q2.
The Dogs were the better side early in this one, but the Lions have battled back and became better-adjusted to the unusual dimensions of Norwood’s playing surface.
Darcy Wilmott has kicked a goal to give the Lions the lead late in the term.
This match could become a battle of attrition and the Dogs are behind in that area as they have already lost James Harmes to a foot injury and have subbed him out of the game.
Bulldogs midfielder James Harmes has been forced off with a foot injury so sub Josh Dolan is coming into the game.
This could be costly for the Dogs, given it’s such a hot day.
Logan Morris has kicked his second goal, this one a booming shot from the 50-metre arc.
Dogs 13, Lions 13 with 10 mins to go in Q1.
The small child asked to toss the coin before the Lions’ clash with the Bulldogs at Norwood Oval was very reticent to do so and give up the limelight, creating one of the funnier highlights of the weekend.
They eventually made it work, with Aaron Naughton and Ryley Sanders slotting goals for the Dogs and Logan Morris kicking one for the Lions in a game that should be a cracker.
Dogs 13, Lions 7 with 12 mins to go in Q1.
Carlton’s drought-breaking 71-point demolition of an utterly inept West Coast was dampened significantly with Harry McKay suffering a concussion in the first quarter of his highly anticipated return to the AFL, and Brodie Kemp sustaining a suspected Achilles injury.
McKay clashed heads with opponent Tom Gross, who was attempting to lay a shepherd for teammate Tyrell Dewar, in the 17th minute of the opening term, before being helped off Adelaide Oval and ruled out of the match.
It was a devastating blow for the star forward, who has a history of recent concussions, and was back at the top level after taking a three-week break for personal reasons.
The Blues, who lost wingman Blake Acres (illness) before the bounce, suffered another cruel blow in the fourth quarter when swingman Kemp crumpled to the ground clutching his lower left leg, which he felt go on him as he pushed off to run.
In searing, summery 34-degree heat, the skill level of both winless sides was ice-cold for much of the afternoon.
This one won’t go down as a Gather Round epic, or even a half-reasonable sporting spectacle. But it won’t matter for Carlton, who are, at long last, off the mark.
The heat will be off Blues coach Michael Voss for at least a week – but only because of how horrendous West Coast were.
Carlton could have racked up a cricket score if it weren’t for a slew of gettable misses in front of goal, and a general lack of polish around the park.
But the Eagles were worse. Much, much worse. Their maiden victory of 2025 seems light years away. The Blues man-handled West Coast around the contest, which they turned into a thorough dominance in every facet.
Sam Walsh was a class above the fumbling, bumbling and slew of errors which went on around him, particularly in the first half in which he matched his career-high with three goals.
SA-born Corey Durdin helped himself to four majors in front of family and friends, and captain Patrick Cripps filled his boots with three after half-time.