Geelong's Record Breaking Display
Last updated: Mar 4, 2021, 2:59AM | Published: Aug 20, 2018, 6:02AM
It was an action-packed weekend of AFL and Premier League action, and to celebrate another great round of sport we've picked out the key points that made *this* weekend so great.
We'll look at the chaotic second weekend of the English Premier League, while Richmond continued their MCG win-streak, and Geelong's record-setting performance plus much more.
This is Data Road Trip - investigating the key data points and numbers that formed what we saw in the week that was in sports.
Richmond Keeps On Rolling
The Tigers kept their AFL Finals momentum going with yet another win at the MCG - this time over Essendon - as they registered their 20th in a row at the 'G. This sealed their first minor Premiership since 1982, as Dustin Martin ran riot on the Bombers with 26 disposals, 10 marks and four goals in a best on ground display.
Dusty Martin!
— AFL (@AFL) August 17, 2018
The superstar kicks his second.#AFLTigersDons pic.twitter.com/sxTdgSe9Mm
Fast Finishing Pies
Collingwood continued their march towards a first Finals appearance since 2012; steamrolling Port Adelaide in the final quarter to seal a 51-point win. Steven Motlop gave away a decisive 50m penalty in the third quarter from which the Power never recovered, only kicking one goal the rest of the way as the Pies kicked seven goals in the final term in a dominant display.
Brodie Grundy was superb for Collingwood, tallying 147 ranking points as he gathered 25 disposals, had 42 hitouts, eight clearances, nine tackles and a goal.
Record-Breaking Cats
It was a day of record-breaking by Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, as they obliterated the Dockers by 133 points, handing them their biggest loss in the club's history, and Ross Lyon's biggest defeat as a coach. Fremantle led the game at quarter time, before conceding a VFL/AFL record 23 goals straight the rest of the game. The previous record was just 16.
It was also Geelong's biggest win since 2011, as a 10-goal second quarter headlined their dominant display. Gary Ablett Jr. also set a record of his own, becoming just the third player, behind Brent Harvey and Kevin Bartlett, to kick 400 goals and tally 8,000 disposals.
Buddy Brilliant... Again
Buddy Franklin turned it on once again when the Sydney Swans needed it most, spearheading a fourth-quarter surge that overwhelmed the injury-ravaged GWS Giants on Saturday night. Franklin kicked five goals in a vintage display, while his fourth on the night took him past VFL/AFL legend Leigh Matthews into the eighth spot on the all-time goalkickers list with 916 goals. He also won the Brett Kirk Medal for best on ground as the key inspiration in the 11.14 (80) to 8.12 (60) victory.
Buddy has kicked his fourth!#AFLGiantsSwans pic.twitter.com/E3gSESyagh
— AFL (@AFL) August 18, 2018
Beams' Big Night Out
Dayne Beams continued his red-hot form in the second half of the 2018 season, tallying 38 disposals, eight marks, nine clearances, two tackles, four inside-50s and a goal to win the Marcus Ashcroft Medal for best on ground in the Q-Clash. It was also Beams third best on ground display in the last 4 clashes between the teams, as the Lions won 10.18 (78) to 11.8 (74).
Gunston Stars
Jack Gunston might be the AFL's most underrated star. The versatile swingman was brilliant for a below-par Hawthorn outfit on Saturday night against the Saints, dragging them to a win with a brilliant forward display. Gunston kicked four goals while tallying 24 disposals and seven marks in what continues to be an All-Australian worthy campaign.
The Dogs' Dirty Thirties
The Western Bulldogs won a grinding encounter with Carlton on Sunday, kicking away in the final termto win by 17 points at Etihad Stadium. A week after becoming the first team in AFL history to have three players gather 40 disposals or more, it was again the Dogs' midfield that starred against the Blues.
Marcus Bontempelli had 37 disposals as his brilliant form continued, while Josh Dunkley had 36 as he dominated in midfield for the second week running, and Lachie Hunter and Jack Macrae both amassed 33 disposals of their own, as the Dogs won their third game in a row.
Dees' Finals Delight
Melbourne will return to the promised land - or at least the first week of it. The Demons are back in the AFL Finals for the first time since 2006 (of current players, only Nathan Jones was on their list back then) with a brilliant victory over West Coast, away at Optus Stadium on Sunday. Angus Brayshaw led the way for the visitors, as he dominated with 26 disposals, eight marks, seven clearances, 10 tackles and three inside-50s.
Crouch's No Slouch
Matt Crouch had a day to remember against North Melbourne on Sunday, racking up an eye-opening 46 disposals at the Adelaide Oval. This included a record 35 handballs, a feat never achieved before in AFL history. Rory Laird again had a day out, with 41 disposals of his own, as the Crows barely hung on following a final-term Roos surge.
Meanwhile, Eddie Betts also did this to seal the win:
A towering mark to close out the game from Eddie Betts!
— AFL (@AFL) August 19, 2018
🎥: @FOXFOOTY #AFLCrowsNorth pic.twitter.com/EXrFbpKAe3
Premier League, Round 2
Let's take a look at 10 data points from the second weekend of the Premier League, courtesy of Opta.
- Newcastle winger Kenedy failed to complete a single pass in the first half against Cardiff City - he is the first outfield Premier League player to fail to complete a single pass in 45+ minutes of play since Nikola Kalinic against Birmingham City in March 2010.
- Neil Etheridge is only the second goalkeeper to save a penalty in both of his first two Premier League appearances, after Erik Thorstvedt for Tottenham in August 1992.
- Richarlison has scored three goals in his opening two Premier League games for Everton, more than he did in his last 31 PL games for Watford.
- Since his debut for Fulham in February, Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 13 league goals; only Mohamed Salah (14) has more in the top four tiers of English football in that time.
- Since 2015/16, no player has picked up more red cards in the Premier League than Jamie Vardy (3, also Miguel Britos, Simon Francis, Sadio Mané and Victor Wanyama).
- Harry Kane scored a Premier League goal in August for the first time ever, in what was his 15th game in the month.
- Marcos Alonso has been directly involved in 19 Premier League goals since his Chelsea debut in September 2016 (13 goals, 6 assists); six more goals than any other defender.
- Alex Iwobi's goal for Arsenal yesterday ended a sequence of 19 passes and involved 10 of their players (all except Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang); the longest move for a goal so far in the 2018-19 Premier League.
- Sergio Aguero has now scored nine Premier League hat-tricks - only Alan Shearer (11) has scored more in the competition's history.
- There were 16 goals scored in the Premier League on Sunday - the most ever scored on a day with three games or fewer played.
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