Norm Smith Pie continues climb back to big stage; 140-year drought broken

Bobby Hill continued his climb back towards Collingwood’s big stage, displaying all of the magic that made one of the most exciting players in the AFL a couple of years ago despite the Magpies falling to Box Hill Hawks by nine points at Kennedy Community Centre on Friday night.

But Bobby wasn’t the only Hill to shine, with his cousin Matt Hill starring at the other end for Box Hill with three goals of his own including two stunning strikes.

The Hawks hauled in a 22-point third-quarter deficit with wingmen Kye Declase (three goals) and Cam Nairn (20 disposals) gut-running end-to-end all night, Henry Hustwaite (30), Sam Butler (28) and Trent Bianco (27) starring in the middle and Bailey Macdonald (27) rebounding expertly from defence.

Ed Allan (28, two goals), Jakob Ryan (26, 10 marks) and 2020 No.3 draft pick Will Phillips (23, one goal on Magpies debut) were best for Collingwood.

While Bobby Hill looked ready if Collingwood wants to pick him, the feelgood vibes pulled up short at Ikon Park, where Max King suffered a hamstring injury in his second game back and will return to the sidelines for at least six weeks.

George Hewett (31 disposals, two goals) again showed himself to be above the level and Billy Wilson (28) continued his strong form, but it was possible father-son No.1 pick Cody Walker who turned heads, racking up 27 disposals, five clearances and five inside-50s on debut.

AFL omission Hugh Boxshall (32, 12 marks, seven tackles), ex-Blue Paddy Dow (25, one goal) and the returning Lance Collard (25, 11 marks) were best for the Saints.

Williamstown recorded its first away victory over Essendon since its first match against the ‘Same Olds’ at East Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 8, 1886 – a week short of 140 years ago, with 12 losses in between (remembering they didn’t play each other in 114 of those seasons!)

The Seagulls trailed by 28 points at half-time but pulled the Bombers back with 4.6 to 0.2 in the third quarter before outlasting them in the run home as mid-season draft contender Joel Fitzgerald (40 disposals, two goals) continued his remarkable form against his old club and Elijah Tsatas had 34 for Essendon.

Southport gained a small modicum of satisfaction after overturning Footscray by 10 points at Fankhauser Reserve – the same margin by which the Bulldogs won last year’s Grand Final over the Sharks and the third 10-point margin between them in a row.

Jesse Joyce (33), Liston medallist Jacob Dawson (31), Zac Foot (29, one goal) and Brock Aston (29) starred for the Sharks while Norm Goss medallist Cooper Craig-Peters (24) was again best for the Bulldogs.

Coburg broke a five-year drought against the Brisbane Lions, humbling their Queensland namesake by 65 points in the Jungle Joust on the back of five goals each for former AFL Rising Star Jaidyn Stephenson and Frosty Miller Medal leader Mitch Podhajski, plus 30 touches and two goals from Joel Trudgeon and 29 possessions and eight marks from highly-rated backman Tom Barnett.

Port Melbourne stunned Werribee by 26 points at ETU Stadium to back up its big win over Brisbane Lions a week earlier, with ex-Bulldog Dom Bedendo and Swans Academy graduate Max Rider kicking three each and former Bomber Ben Hobbs having 29 disposals.

Tasmania bounced back from a disappointing loss to Carlton to account for Sandringham by 26 points in a wet-weather shootout in Launceston on Sunday, led by 24 disposals and three goals from former Essendon player Jye Menzie and 21, one goal and a screamer for Brandon Leary, while Andreas Stefanakis gathered 29 and two goals for the Zebras.

And Frankston edged an undermanned Richmond by 12 points at Kinetic Stadium – the Tigers fielded just three AFL-listed players but kicked three goals in the first four minutes and led for all but the last 3½ before finally yielding to Trent Mynott (31, 11 clearances), Jackson Voss (28) and Joe Lloyd (19, eight marks).

Skipper Lachlan Street (25, seven clearances), Mutaz El Nour (24, 10 marks), Olli Hotton (25) and Samson Ryan (20, 34 hitouts, one goal) stood up for Richmond.

Sydney recorded its first win over Casey Demons at the sixth time of asking, dominating the first half and hanging on against a fast-finishing opponent to salute by 17 points at Tramway Oval.

The Swans led by 49 points late in the second quarter with Peter Ladhams (31, nine marks, 33 hitouts) and Caiden Cleary (38) again unstoppable, but Casey flew home as Riley Bonner (36, 11 marks) and Tom McDonald (26, seven marks) threw everything at them, while Jake Bowey got through a full game and had 23 touches in his second game back from injury.

Geelong maintained top spot on the ladder despite woeful goalkicking, beating North Melbourne by 13 behinds thanks to the dominance of George Stevens (34, 12 clearances) and Jhye Clark (32).

And GWS held onto second, leaving Gold Coast rooted to the bottom in a 56-point hiding at People First Stadium on the back of four goals to Max Gruzewski and star turns from Harry Rowston (33, one goal), Jack Ough (31) and Toby McMullin (28, one goal), although Academy draftee Jai Murray ran riot for the Suns with 41 disposals, nine marks and a goal.