Jack Riewoldt's Weekend Masterclass
Last updated: Mar 4, 2021, 3:02AM | Published: Aug 14, 2018, 2:21AM
It was an action-packed weekend of AFL action, and to celebrate another great round of footy we've picked out the key points that made *this* weekend so great.
We've got the madness of the opening weekend of the Premier League, Little Gary's big day out and Jack Riewoldt's masterclass, 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.
1724 Days Later
It's been a long time coming for Nathan Freeman, who has endured his share of injury woes since being selected at pick 10 in the 2013 National Draft. On Friday night he bagged the first goal of his five-year, two-game career, 1724 days after he was drafted. It was a moment that would've made the entire AFL smile, at least until the latest Alex Johnson horror knee injury on Sunday.
Nathan Freeman kicks his first goal and the Saints get around him!#AFLDonsSaints pic.twitter.com/tE7Onp4Rfd
— AFL (@AFL) August 10, 2018
Gary's Day Out
Gary Ablett Jr has been the target of heavy criticism the past month or so, but he responded with a virtuoso display on Saturday against Hawthorn. Although the Cats ultimately lost the game with not enough players stepping up in support, Ablett Jr can't be faulted. He bagged three goals, gathered 32 disposals, laid eight tackles, had eight clearances, four inside-50s and 152 ranking points. It was magnificent viewing, and probably his best performance since returning to Geelong.
Here's Gary!
— AFL (@AFL) August 11, 2018
Ablett slots it from range and the Cats stay in touch.#AFLHawksCats pic.twitter.com/56SCuf7iEu
Jack's Coleman Medal Charge
Richmond's Jack Riewoldt mercilessly destroyed Gold Coast on Saturday, bagging 10 goals in a 74-point win for the Tigers. His 26 disposals, 14 marks (12 inside 50!), two tackles and two inside-50s amassed an incredible 192 ranking points. It's scary to think how much worse it could've been had Riewoldt not also kicked six behinds.
The Tigers forward bagged the biggest haul of the season to date, and in the process, overtook the four men ahead of him in a Coleman Medal race he now leads outright by four goals, over North Melbourne's Ben Brown. The Tigers have now secured their Top 2 spot on the ladder, and if they win their first final they won't have to play anywhere but the MCG (where they have proved unbeatable) for the rest of the year.
Lightning Strikes Twice
Port Adelaide was left heartbroken by the West Coast Eagles for the second time in twelve months, as a Jeremy McGovern goal after the siren - from the same spot as Luke Shuey last year - shattered Alberton dreams. It also was the Eagles fifth win in a row in Adelaide against the Power, leaving a crowd of 32,534 stunned, as Port's season keeps sliding away from them, after their fourth loss in five games.
JEREMY MCGOVERN YOU STAR!#AFLPowerEagles pic.twitter.com/LFJ3VZzwYf
— AFL (@AFL) August 11, 2018
GWS Running Rampant
Greater Western Sydney continued their march to the AFL Finals amidst an increasing number of injuries to key players, winning their fifth game in a row, and nine of their last 10, as they held on to beat the Adelaide Crows by 14 points. Despite being three players down, the Giants found a way, as they strengthen their push towards a top-four finish.
Who Let the Dogs Out?
The Western Bulldogs staged an astounding comeback on Sunday against North Melbourne, rallying from 28 points down, to beat the surging Kangaroos and potentially put a fatal dent in their Finals hopes.
Lachie Hunter amassed 44 disposals and eight marks, Caleb Daniel and Jack Macrae each tallied 40 disposals, while star Marcus Bontempelli led from the front with 35 disposals and two goals. The Dogs third quarter was again a sight to see, as they banged in eight goals to two in a dominant, tide-turning quarter of footy.
Wasteful Dees
Melbourne missed an excellent chance to solidify their Finals credentials, as they crumbled to a 9 point loss against Sydney on Sunday. They dominated the Inside 50 count 60-43, the hitouts 57-19 and had six more scoring shots (28 to 22) but couldn't capitalise, as a fourth-quarter rally fell short. They'll now head into games with West Coast (2nd on the ladder) and Greater Western Sydney (3rd) badly needing a win if they are to finally participate in the September action.
Premier League Kick Off
Let's take a look at 10 data points from the opening weekend of the Premier League, courtesy of Opta.
- Daniel Sturridge scored just 24 seconds after coming on as a substitute, also scoring with what was his first touch.
- Bernardo Silva has scored five goals in his last seven Premier League starts for Manchester City after failing to score in his first nine.
- Richarlison is the first Everton player to score a brace on his Premier League debut since Jo in February 2009 (v Bolton Wanderers).
- Ruben Neves has scored seven league goals from outside the box since the start of the 2017-18 season, more than any other player in the top four tiers of English football.
- Wilfried Zaha's goal was his 23rd for Crystal Palace in the Premier League - no player has more for the club in the competition (level with Chris Armstrong).
- Roberto Pereyra has been directly involved in each of Watford's last six goals in the Premier League, scoring five and assisting the other one.
- 4108 - Ben Foster is making his first Premier League appearance for Watford since 13th May 2007 vs Newcastle (4108 days ago) - the second-longest gap between two games for a single team in the competition after Wayne Rooney for Everton (4837 days).
- Spurs have never lost a Premier League fixture in which Dele Alli has scored, winning 26 and drawing six of the previous 32 games he has netted in.
- Harry Kane has never scored a Premier League goal in the month of August, despite playing 13 games, 898 minutes and attempting 44 shots.
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their previous 122 Premier League games at Old Trafford when opening the scoring, with their last such defeat coming in March 2009 (1-4 v Liverpool).
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