Essendon has dropped a golden opportunity to lock in its top four credentials with a loss to Melbourne at the MCG.
The result was crucial for the Demons, who moved back into the top eight after another day of shock results.
Check out all the match reports below and look back at the action via the blog below.
Key events
ABC Sport votes for Demons v Bombers
And Nathan Burke’s votes sees us out today for the coverage:
3. E.Langdon
2. S.May
1. J.McVee
We’ll be back to do it all again tomorrow so see you then!
The Sunday ahead
What an odd old round. Huge results abound that will all have big implications on the finals this year.
And we’ve got some big ones again tomorrow, with the Suns hosting the Power, the Tigers taking on the Giants, and the Lions heading to Perth to tackle the Eagles.
We’ll be back on deck with the live blog tomorrow, with the ABC Sport team calling via local radio, the Listen app, and via ABC Sport digital.
Adelaide 10.11 (71) defeats St Kilda 5.9 (39)
Adelaide winger Lachlan Sholl kicked two goals to help his fast-finishing side sink St Kilda by 32 points in a Saturday night slog.
Sholl collected 17 disposals as the Crows booted four goals to none in the last term to win 10.11 (79) to 5.9 (59) at a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval.
The Saints managed only two goals after quarter time and slip to 15th on the ladder, with Adelaide replacing them in 14th spot.
Emerging Crows on-baller Jake Soligo revelled in the wet with 25 disposals, as did stalwarts Jordan Dawson (26 disposals) and triple club champion Rory Laird (31).
St Kilda defender Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera collected a team-high 29 possessions and Mattaes Phillipou was a standout with 20 possessions and a classy third-term goal.
Mason Wood and Cooper Sharman kicked two majors each while Hunter Clark (21 touches) and the recalled Zak Jones (20) were busy.
The Saints led 3.3 to 2.1 at quarter time, with Sharman slotting two set-shots and Phillipou prominent with eight disposals including three clearances.
But the tide turned in the second quarter as the Crows scored three goals to one to take a four-point halftime advantage, 5.5 to 4.7.
Adelaide gained ascendancy around the ball as rain made ball-handling tricky, with the home recording 18 inside 50s to St Kilda’s eight for the quarter.
Heavy rain continued throughout the third term, resulting in a scoring stalemate as both sides failed to kick a major for almost 23 minutes.
The deadlock was broken in style by the Saints’ Phillipou, who bounced through a 55m goal when near the boundary line.
That strike got St Kilda to within one point but the Crows responded two minutes later when Sholl neatly collected a half-volley in the goal square and converted.
Adelaide held an eight-point buffer, 6.10 to 5.8, at three-quarter time and gained precious breathing space 11 minutes into the last term when Billy Dowling goaled.
Comeback Crow Riley Thilthorpe then sealed victory with consecutive goals in his first game of the season since recovering from a knee injury.
Melbourne 13.6 (84) defeats Essendon 10.7 (67)
Melbourne have overcome injured captain Max Gawn’s absence and given their AFL finals hopes a huge boost with a stirring 17-point upset of Essendon.
As Gawn watched on with a chipped fibula, the Demons relished the wet conditions and kicked 41 points clear during the final term before withstanding a late challenge in their 13.6 (84) to 10.7 (67) victory at the MCG.
Trent Rivers (29 disposals, eight clearances) continued his strong midfield form and inexperienced forward Daniel Turner kicked three goals, while Kysaiah Pickett celebrated his 100-game milestone with two majors in front of 52,866 fans.
The result lifted Melbourne (10-7) up to sixth spot on the ladder ahead of Sunday’s matches.
The Bombers (10-6-1) would have moved into outright second place with a win, but could now be as low as seventh by the end of the round.
Key forwards Jacob van Rooyen and Harry Petty shared ruck duties in Gawn’s absence and were outpointed in the air by Essendon’s Sam Draper.
But van Rooyen and Petty held their own around the ground and it was Melbourne who dominated the clearances (44-32) and got on top in the territory battle when it mattered.
Jake Melksham again proved a crucial link player in his second game back from a long-term knee injury, finishing with 2.1 and six score involvements from 12 disposals.
Steven May was outstanding as the Demons’ defensive marshal, and Bayley Fritsch kicked three goals.
Draper (20 disposals, seven clearances) was one of Essendon’s best, Jordan Ridley (29 touches) was busy, and Nic Martin kicked four goals — three in the final term.
But the Bombers were no match for their stronger and hungrier opponents.
Rivers was outstanding in a tight first half and the Demons led 6.6 to 4.5 at the main break.
Essendon were always going to mount a challenge and had all the play early in the second half, but couldn’t make it count.
Pickett made them pay, the elusive speedster dodging and weaving his way out of a contest to set up the first goal of the third quarter to Ed Langdon (31 disposals).
The Demons got out the back of Essendon’s defence twice during the third term, extending their advantage to 17 points by the final change.
Martin breathed life into the contest with his second goal for the Bombers early in the final quarter, but Melbourne shut the gate by slamming on the next five goals in a decisive 11-minute burst.
AAP
From the Melbourne rooms
“We had a really bad game against Fremantle and we wanted to double down in our contest but also in our defence,” Bayley Fritsch tells ABC Sport from the Demons rooms.
Fritsch also pays tribute to Jake Melksham after a cracking performance, saying he has essentially been a coach off the field as he recovered from his ACL injury.
FT: Crows defeat the Saints by 32 in Adelaide
It’s unlikely to matter in the grand scheme of things given it seems every team from first to 13th looks like they could make the finals, but the Crows have seen off the Saints in Adelaide.
Similar to the MCG, it was a soggy, messy game, and the Crows looked like the better team most of the night.
Rory Laird had the most touches for the night with 31. It moves Adelaide up to 14th, but still three games adrift of 8th spot.
Key Event
FT: The Demons defeat the Bombers by 17 points
That is a huge result for the Demons.
Without Max Gawn, without Christian Petracca, they move back into the top eight just half a game behind the Bombers.
Meanwhile, the Bombers had a brilliant chance to move into second on the ladder and completely let it slip.
For ABC Sport, Nathan Burke says players like Jade Gresham, Archie Perkins, and Nic Cox need to improve their defence when they’re not getting many touches.
An awfully disappointing result for the Bombers.
“It’s as bad as I’ve seen from Essendon this year,” Daniel Harford says.
Martin kicks his fourth and it’s back to 17 points!
“The Bombers are now just throwing caution to the wind,” Nathan Burke says.
It’s been a weird old game this one. Three goals in three minutes – still some hope?
Duursma takes a strong mark and converts
It’s back to 23 points!
We’re 22 minutes into the final quarter but there is some life here – they’ll need to move quick though.
Two quick ones for the Bombers
We’re coming up to 20 minutes in the quarter and Nic Martin kicks a goal from a free kick.
Front on contact – it’s there.
Then the Dons get the clearance straight out of the guts and Kyle Langford gets on the end of it.
It’s 29 points. There’s a pulse, but it’s barely there.
And now Fritsch gets in on the party – twice
That makes it 41 points with two quick Fritsch goals.
Percentage might not matter too much given they have the draw in their pocket, but if this result remains, they’ll have the sixth worst percentage in the league – behind even Adelaide.
Speaking of Adelaide, they hold a 15 point lead over the Saints right now.
Turner kicks his third!
Daniel Turner’s set shot kicking has been elite tonight and he makes no mistake after getting on the end of a Jack Viney kick.
That makes it 29 points and it’s hard to see how the Bombers are going to get back into this one.
“Essendon has lost more quarters than they’ve won this year,” Lauren Bordin says on the call.
They’re really blowing a great chance here to solidify their top four hopes.
Pickett puts the Demons up by 23 points!
Kozzy has been the cleanest player on the field tonight.
In game 100 he puts his second goal on the ball with a beautiful kick from about 40m.
The mark was so clean as well. The kick to him hung a little bit, meaning Pickett had to snatch at it, but he snatched cleanly and took a cracking mark.
Absolutely crucial tonight, Pickett.
Melbourne makes its sub
Taj Woewodin is into the game and gets an early touch. Andy Moniz-Wakefield is off. It’s a tactical sub, no injury.
Melksham strikes straight back!
It’s the old chaos goal!
Melksham just belts it on the boot from outside 50m and it slides through for the long snag!
Better lucky than good at time, but Melksham has been really bloody good tonight.
Nic Martin gets the first of the last
That’s a crucial start for the Bombers.
He leans into the Steven May tackle and gets the hand over the shoulder for the free kick.
The umpires have got a tough job umpiring that sort of call. Burke reckons it could be a prior opportunity call but there’s general agreement it’s a tough one to call.
Key Event
3QT: The Demons lead by 17 points at a soggy MCG
That’s a crucial break in these conditions. The Demons have handled the conditions a lot better are winning it via their mid-sized players, particularly the likes of Kozzy Pickett and Jake Melksham.
“It’s going to be a fascinating run home to the finals,” Nathan Burke says for ABC Sport.
“Interesting this game, the Bombers have a chance at second and they’re blowing it right now.
With Max Gawn out, Jacob van Rooyen has been playing the ruck and it’s a move Burke thinks has been instrumental for the Demons.
“The control game didn’t work for Essendon,” Daniel Harford says.
“The Demons didn’t allow the Bombers to attack with any sort of ferocity.
“With this lead in these conditions, I’d prefer to be the Demons right now.”
Checking in to Adelaide
… and it is an ugly one in South Australia.
The rain is playing havoc in Adelaide as well and the Crows lead by a point in an ugly one.
It took 22 minutes in the third quarter for the first goal to be kicked, and it’s via a Mattaes Phillipou belter. How talented is this kid?
Key Event
Bombers make their sub
Peter Wright is off, Nick Hind is on. The conditions clearly playing a huge part in that call, there’s no injury.
Turner kicks his second and they make the Bombers pay
The overlap kills the Bombers again and Turner gets it over the back from a perfect Melksham kick.
He’s not touching it much, but every time he does Melksham is having an impact here.
It’s the mid-sized players making the difference here, Harford says on the ABC Sport call.
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