THEY SAID IT: "I am not a coward when it comes to owning a mistake, and that was what it was. I let Connor down by letting him play." Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley on captain Connor Rozee, who was injured again in their Showdown loss.
PLAYER OF THE ROUND: Nick Daicos really was the difference on Friday night as Collingwood beat arch-rivals Carlton. The 21-year-old Magpies wunderkind kicked the winning goal with a superb snap from a stoppage and racked up 32 disposals to be best afield.
THE MOMENTS: Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch is in pole position for goal of the year after his outrageous dribbled shot from an acute angle, at a crucial stage late in a tight win over Geelong. Late in his team's upset seven-point loss to Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs young gun Jamarra Ugle-Hagan had a shot at goal that would have levelled the scores. But his shot hit the point post for out of bounds on the full. At the other end, Hawthorn captain James Sicily overcame a dislocated shoulder and an ankle injury to kick a crucial last-quarter goal.
TALKING POINT: On the weekend that the AFL highlighted the scourge of domestic violence with a moment of silence before each game, and several coaches made strong comments about the issue, league chief executive Andrew Dillon rang Wayne Carey. Dillon told Carey the AFL was blocking Carey's elevation to legend status in the newly created NSW football Hall Of Fame. An AFL statement on the Carey decision referred to domestic violence.
STAT THAT MATTERS: Melbourne and Geelong kicked 14 consecutive behinds between them in dewy conditions on Saturday night, from late in the first term until early in the third. Their second term was the first goalless quarter in the AFL since Port Adelaide v Essendon in round 11, 2022.
TRIBUNAL WATCH: GWS forward Callum Brown has been banned for three games after his high bump on Sydney defender Tom McCartin. Collingwood forward Lachie Schultz punched Carlton's Blake Acres and that's earned him a one-game striking ban. Magpies defender Brayden Maynard was cleared for his tackle on Matthew Owies that cost Collingwood a free kick and a goal.
INJURIES: C Rozee (PA, hamstring), M Georgiades (PA, knee), T Marshall (PA, ankle), J Sicily (Haw, shoulder), T Bruhn (Geel, shoulder), E Yeo (WC, groin), N Long (WC, knee), J Caldwell (Ess, tight calf), T Green (GWS, ankle), T Liberatore (WB, head), J Sicily (Haw, shoulder and ankle), B Starcevich (BL, calf), L McCarthy (BL, knee), D Gardiner (BL, knee), N Answerth (BL, concussion).
WHAT'S NEXT: Carlton and Melbourne open round nine with a Thursday night MCG blockbuster. After their first loss of the season, Geelong host Port Adelaide and Fremantle face a major test at home against top side Sydney. Hawthorn host St Kilda in Launceston and Essendon will have another gauge of their progress when they take on GWS at Marvel Stadium. Saturday night features the Western Bulldogs in a must-win game against Richmond at the MCG and Gold Coast in Darwin against North Melbourne. Collingwood at home against West Coast and Adelaide hosting Brisbane are the Sunday games.
