The top 8 teams changed again after the Sunday games, with Footscray moving to top spot and Northern Blues returning to the eight.
The games were won if very different styles, with the Bulldogs getting the early advantage against Geelong, and Northern Blues fighting back in the second half against Collingwood.
Let's take a look at how each of the games unfolded:
Bulldogs on top
Footscray has moved to top spot on the Peter Jackson VFL ladder after a 52 point win over Geelong.
The win was the Bulldogs’ seventh win in a row, and was the second home loss in a row for the Cats.
Footscray stated its intentions early, kicking 10 unanswered goals to start the game. Geelong was unable to find a goal until just before the half time siren through Jordan Schroder, to cut the margin to 54 points at half time. The Bulldogs amassed nine individual goal kicker to half time, with Clay Smith making a welcome return in the midfield with two first half majors.
Geelong fought back in the third term, kicking four unanswered goals of their own, keeping the Bulldogs goalless to cut the three quarter time margin back to 31 points at the final change. Daniel Gibbs kicked two to give Cats fans some hope of an unlikely victory. However Liam Jones had other thoughts in the final term, giving the Bulldogs a key tall target to help his side finish strongly for a memorable win.
Jones kicked three for Footscray, one of 10 goal kickers for the visitors. Brett Goodes, Sam Darley and Tom Campbell were the best for the Bulldogs, while Joel Hamling, Jesse Stringer and Billy Smedts were best for Cats, with Gibbs their only multiple goal kicker with two.
Blues find unlikely forward
The Northern Blues have continued their roller coaster season, jumping back into the VFL top eight with an 18 point win over Collingwood at Preston City Oval. On the back on three goals apiece to Jarrad Waite and unlikely forward target Matthew Watson, the Blues were able to fight back from a 19-point half time deficit to kick 10 goals to four in the second half to record a hard fought victory.
Collingwood were left with no bench late in the final term, with injuries to Ben Reid (corked calf), Marty Clarke (hand), Mat Suckling (Hamstring) and Nick Maxwell rested early in the final term. The lack of rotations hampered the Magpies against a Northern Blues side that finished full of run with the likes of Tom Wilson (21 disposals) and Jeff Garlett (20 disposals -14 in the final term) finishing the game strongly.
After the home side jumped out to an 18-point lead early in the final term, Patrick Karnezis (four goals)and Caolan Mooney (three) tried to help Collingwood over the line as the Magpies kicked three in a row and grabbed a one point lead at the 21 minute mark. But the Blues proved too strong, kicking the final three goals of the match to help jump back into the eight at the end of the round.
Cameron Wood and Jack Anthony were among the best for the Blues against their old, along with Waite (21, 8 marks, 3 tackles, 3.2), Wilson and Graham (22).
For Collingwood, Ben Moloney, Tim Broomhead and Jake Williams were among their best.
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Photo: Arj Giese
Last Modified on 06/07/2014 18:39