AFL 2021 LIVE updates St Kilda Saints v Fremantle Dockers Essendon Bombers v Collingwood Magpies Adelaide Crows v North Melbourne Kangaroos
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Essendon sit eighth at the moment. Fremantle are 10th, but are equal on points.
If Fremantle win and Essendon lose, then the Dockers take eighth spot.
If Fremantle win and Essendon win then the Bombers make the finals on percentage.
A Fremantle loss means they miss finals.
It’s been an unpredictable round so far ... hopefully that continues today.
Can Ben Rutten take Essendon to the finals in his first year as senior coach?Credit:AFL Photos
Are Fremantle still operating on West Australian time? There can be few other explanations for their poor first half performance against the Saints in a game in which victory would have given them the chance to play finals.
Of course that would depend on whether Collingwood can cause an upset against the Bombers later in the day, but as the old saying goes, to win the lottery you have to buy a ticket. In part their problems were caused by their inaccuracy, particularly as their opponents were kicking at almost maximum efficiency.
But it wasn’t just that. Quite simply the Saints, with little to play for, looked like the team who had a finals berth on the line in a first half in which they seemed quicker, faster and harder than their opponents.
Fortunately for them they did manage to get a late goal to narrow the gap to 15 points at the main interval, but the West Australians will have to improve considerably in the second period if they want to be in the finals conversation.
With little to play for, St Kilda are performing well. High pressure, good running and great ball movement.
Freo need to win to make finals and they could hardly be playing worse. Their skills, ability to defend the ground and pressure are all nowhere near good enough.
A late 50m penalty and goal to Matt Taberner was one of the few things that went right for the Dockers.
Half time: STK 6.2.38 FRE 3.5.23
Blake Acres of the Dockers kicks the ball.Credit:Getty Images
Jack Bytel kicks his first AFL goal and the Saints lead by 20 points.
Plenty of Freo skill errors in the lead up to that goal, with St Kilda applying really good pressure.
It is going to take a huge turnaround now for Freo to win (granted there’s plenty of time) and for them to make finals and Essendon to miss.
But you never know. Sean Darcy back on for Freo which is good news. Freo’s kicking has been abysmal.
Q2 STK 37 FRE 17
Jack Sinclair of the Saints and Darcy Tucker of the Dockers compete for the ball.Credit:Getty Images
Again, the Saints just waltz up the field with the ball. It’s stunning how easy it has been for them to do that.
The finish comes from Dean Kent who kicks it from 50m.
St Kilda have scored FIVE goals from chains that began in their back half. That’s all of their goals.
That is off the charts.
Cooper Sharman kicks his second. He has been really impressive so far today.
That one was another set shot following a mark where he soared over a couple of Freo defenders.
It’s worrying now for Fremantle. Sure a 14-point lead can change quickly, but they don’t look at all into this game, in which they need to win to stay in the finals hunt.
But they respond quickly from the centre bounce and it is now eight points. A nice baulk and finish from Sam Switkowski is the Dockers tonic.
Q2 STK 24 FRE 16
Q2 STK 18 FRE 10
Can the Saints continue their sharp start?
Jack Higgins of the Saints celebrates a goal.Credit:Getty Images
The Saints lead by eight points, 3.0.18 to 1.4.10.
Fremantle wasted a few good looks on goal but even still the Saints had a better handle on the game.
They have been moving the ball from end-to-end a lot better and save for some better passing inside 50 might have scored more.
Fremantle need to win to have any chance of making finals. At the moment they’re not playing well enough to deserve that spot.
A decent game in front of a decent crowd in Tasmania.
Cooper Sharman, the Saints pick up in the mid-season draft, kicks his side’s third goal.
That adds to his score involvement for the Jack Higgins goal.
The kick to him was excellent, perfectly to his advantage, and Sharman rose well to meet the ball at a high point.
Saints have been efficient so far. Freo really need to lift with finals on the line. They’re also wasting chances.
Q1 STK 18 FRE 10
Mitch Crowden gets Fremantle the settler.
Some nice run through the middle off the back of a quick play on sees Crowden end with the mark, then take a set shot from 45m out from directly in front.
Game on.
Q1 STK 12 FRE 7
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