Sport
AFL exports ǀ Elliott breaks Blues’ hearts, Oliver and Hawkins earn All Australian selections
Carlton hearts broke across the country in unison on Sunday night as they watched on in horror as Euroa product Jamie Elliott slotted a match-winning goal which would deny their side an AFL finals spot.
Elliott came in clutch again for the Pies and enjoyed a big night up forward, registering 12 touches, four turnovers and two goals.
His match-winner is the second for his side in the past month, after he booted an incredible after-the-siren goal against Essendon only weeks ago.
Tallygaroopna’s Steele Sidebottom kicked an important goal, but would spend the majority of his day in the Pies’ defensive half, collecting 17 disposals, six contested possessions and nine uncontested.
Benalla’s Caleb Marchbank fought hard to repel the Pies’ forwards with six intercept possessions, four turnovers and five one percenters.
Mooroopna’s Clayton Oliver rounded out his home and away season for Melbourne in superb fashion, chalking up a game-high 30 disposals and 20 contested possessions in the Dees’ 18.7 (115) to 8.9 (57) dismantling of Brisbane.
Oliver also saluted with selection in the 44-man All Australian squad.
Joining him in contention for a blazer is Finley’s Tom Hawkins, who helped Geelong to an 85-point thumping of West Coast in the final round.
Hawkins and his fellow Cats forwards feasted in the Eagles match-up, with Hawkins finishing his day with a bag of four to his name.
In more positive news for Geelong, Cobram export Esava Ratugolea made a return to the side for the first time since round three, after injury had interrupted most of his 2022 season.
Ratugolea made his return through the VFL, where he was deployed down back and registered a whopping 22 intercepts across two games.
Fremantle will kick-start its finals campaign in a fortnight and will be looking to a key group of GV exports to steer it deep into finals.
The Dockers overcame GWS by 20 points on Saturday and Shepparton’s Will Brodie, Seymour’s David Mundy and Moama’s Lachie Schultz featured.
Mundy and Brodie had a day out in the Dockers’ midfield, both registering 30 touches.
Brodie was in everything with 10 contested possessions and seven tackles, while Mundy racked up 12 contested and 18 uncontested possessions.
Schultz slotted a goal and racked up 20 touches.
Western Bulldogs scraped through to finals after the Collingwood-Carlton result went their way and with a 23-point win over Hawthorn in Hobart.
Mooroopna’s Laitham Vandermeer picked up 13 disposals and 11 uncontested possessions, while Benalla’s Harry Morrison finished his season strong for the Hawks, registering 17 disposals, 14 uncontested possessions and six turnovers.
Port Adelaide saluted with a 56-point showdown win over Adelaide and Deniliquin’s Todd Marshall and Echuca’s Ollie Wines featured prominently.
Marshall slotted four goals with 16 disposals, while Wines registered a game-high 35 disposals and six tackles.