In a big day of VFL action, winners were Williamstown, Geelong, Collingwood, Sandringham and Casey Scorpions.
The results provided plenty of movement in the top eight, and hampered sides like Essendon and Northern Blues making a move into the eight at the end of the round.
Read about all the Saturday games below:
Magpies step closer to finals
Collingwood has knocked Box Hill Hawks from the top two with an 11-point win at Victoria Park.
After leading for the majority of the afternoon, Collingwood found themselves trailing seven points nearing time on in the final term.
Ben Kennedy goaled to cap off a best on ground performance in his return from the AFL, and Luke Ball levelled the scores. While Box Hill found the lead by a point once more 27 minutes into the final term, Collingwood finished strongly with Callum Matheson kicking his second to give his side back the lead, then Cory Gault put the game beyond doubt to give the home side an 11-point win.
Ball (28 disposals) and Kennedy led the way for the Magpies, along with Clint Young and Lachlan Ferguson.
Kyle Cheney continued his great season at VFL level in defence to be the Hawks best, along with Jordan Kelly and David Mirra.
Seagulls move to top two
Williamstown has moved to second spot on the VFL ladder with a convincing 71 point win over Essendon.
A six goal to one second term helped set up the win, as the Bombers were unable to combat the tall timber of Williamstown, with the multiple options of Sean Tighe (three goals), Scott Clouston, Ben Casley and Dylan Conway (two each).
The Seagulls also had the advantage in the engine room, with the likes of Kane Lambert, Willie Wheeler, Adam Marcon and Mitch Banner setting up plenty of the play in the middle of the ground.
Tayte Pears started forward for the Bombers, but the back six of the visitors, especially David Fahey, worked well to repel each attack.
Lambert (three goals), Ben Jolley and Leigh Masters were among the best for Williamstown, while for the Bombers, Orazio Fantasia, Pears and Leroy Jetta were their best, with Jetta and Jake Melksham their only multiple goal kickers with two each.
Casey finally wins at home
Casey Scorpions have broken through for their first win at home in season 2014 with a 42-point win over Northern Blues.
Leading by two points at quarter time against an inaccurate Blues outfit, the Scorpions kicked away over the next two terms, kicking six goals to nil in the second term to set up a 37 point half time lead, then extended it to 46 points at the final change. Max Gawn was the dominant big man on the ground in the ruck and drifting forward with three goals, along with Jack Fitzpatrick and Jake Best with three each as well.
Northern Blues struggled for tall targets up forward with Ben Walton their only multiple goal kicker with three.
Gawn was the best on ground for the Scorpions, along with Viv Michie, James Strauss, Dom Barry and Matt Jones in defence.
Denis Armfield (28 disposals) was best for Northern Blues, along with Tom Wilson (18) and Joel Wilkinson.
Zebras remain in finals race
Sandringham remains in the finals race after winning a 34 goal shoot out with Richmond. A strong final term by the Zebras provided them with a 13 point win, all but ending Richmond’s finals hopes.
After leading by a goal at half time, Sandringham had nothing to stop the Tigers’ eight goal onslaught in the third term, as they entered the final term trailing by 18 points.
Early goals to Darren Minchington and Sam Dunell got the Zerbas off to the right start in the final term, but it was their finish that was most impressive. Back to back goals to Terry Milera gave Sandringham the lead 23 minutes into the final term, then back to back Seb Ross goals clinched the victory as they finished full of run.
Dunell finished with four, Milera, Minchington and Spencer White kicked three each, with Josh Saunders, Dunell and Cook among the best for the visitors.
Liam McBean kicked four, Aaron Edwards and Matt McDonough three each, with Shaun Grigg, Ross Young and Matt Arnot the best for Richmond.
Cats in form
Geelong is starting to mount its 2014 finals attack, disposing of Frankston by 61 points at Simonds Stadium. The Cats sit inside the top eight for another week, but at the same time ended the Dolphins slim finals hopes.
The match was won in the first term as Geelong added the first six goals of the game, with the Dolphins only registering their first major close to quarter time through Russ Gabriel. Mitch Brown kicked two of his four goals for the game in the first term to give the home side the advantage they were after.
Frankston answered well in the early stages of the second term with the first two goals, but again it was a string of majors to the Cats that saw them out to a 39 point half time lead.
The Cats led by 85-point going into the final term, with the likes of Billy Smedts, Jordan Schroder and Dom Gleeson all with 20 plus disposals. But to the Dolphins credit they dug deep in the final term to show the form that had seen them win three in a row. The Dolphins won the final term with six goals to two to bring the final margin back to 10 goals. Michael Lourey and Ziggie Alwan the leading goal kickers on the day for Frankston with three each.
Schroder, Jesse Stringer and Brown were the best for the Cats, while Ben Cavarra, Leigh Kitchin and Jordan Pollard were named best for Frankston.
CLICK HERE for the Round 17 results, with best and goals
CLICK HERE for the updated Round 17 ladder
Photo: Dave Savell
Last Modified on 02/08/2014 22:11