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Posted: 2019-06-30 03:50:44

Updated June 30, 2019 20:24:26

Carlton have caused a huge boilover to bring round 15 to a close, going goal for goal in the final minutes before beating Fremantle Dockers in Perth.

Earlier, the Brisbane Lions beat the Demons thanks to a great performance from Eric Hipwood, and the Tigers got the better of the Saints at Docklands.

More to come.

Fremantle v Carlton

Carlton veteran Marc Murphy has booted the match-winning goal with just 35 seconds remaining to guide his team to a four-point triumph over Fremantle at Perth Stadium.

The Dockers looked to have the game in the bag after Michael Walters' goal with six minutes remaining put Fremantle 15 points ahead.

But in a dramatic finish, the Blues booted three goals in as many minutes to snatch the lead.

The drama didn't end there.

With just 70 seconds remaining, Fremantle goalsneak Sam Switkoswki snapped what appeared to be the match-winner.

But there was a final twist to the tail.

Carlton sent the ball forward, where Blues forward Levi Casboult somehow fired off a handball while being mobbed by Fremantle defenders.

The ball made its way to Murphy, who faked one way before unleashing a swift banana kick from 20m out to steal the 11.13 (79) to 11.9 (75) win.

The victory was all the more meritorious given Carlton entered the match without midfield bull Patrick Cripps and forward Harry McKay.

Their victory hopes were dealt another blow when star forward Charlie Curnow went down with a suspected medial ligament knee injury after just 12 minutes.

The Blues trailed by 30 points late in the first quarter, but turned the game on its head with six of the next seven goals to hit the lead in the third term.

Dockers forward Cam McCarthy, who was only selected after Jesse Hogan injured his foot last week, booted two goals in the opening term to get the ball rolling for the home side

And when Carlton hit the lead 10 minutes into the third quarter, McCarthy booted another two goals to wrest the momentum back for Fremantle.

The Blues kept challenging in the final quarter, but a bullet pass from McCarthy to Michael Walters set up what appeared to be the sealing goal with just six minutes remaining.

But Carlton refused to give up.

Goals to Kade Simpson, Matthew Kennedy, and Dale Thomas gave Carlton back the lead, before Dockers goalsneak Switkowski pounced.

But it was Carlton who had the last laugh, with Murphy's dummy and goal in the dying seconds sending Blues players wild.

The result dragged Carlton (3-11) off the bottom of the ladder.

Fremantle (7-7) are clinging to eighth spot following two straight losses.

Murphy finished with 35 disposals, seven clearances and the match-winning goal.

Fremantle skipper Nat Fyfe battled hard for 29 disposals and six clearances.

Hipwood kicks a bag as Lions beat Dees

Brisbane forward Eric Hipwood's four-goal burst in the third quarter has sparked the Lions to a 33-point win over Melbourne.

In front of 24,809 fans at the Gabba, Hipwood turned a scrappy affair on its head with four majors including one after the three-quarter siren as the Lions claimed a 15.17 (107) to 11.8 (74) win.

It's Brisbane's ninth win of the campaign and keeps them firmly in the top eight.

Melbourne led at the end of the first and second quarters but once Hipwood put the home team in front they didn't look back.

Lions skipper Dayne Zorko, who was brilliant throughout, sparked the goalscoring spree with a sensational outside of the boot right-foot pass which Hipwood marked right in front of the goals.

He then scored three much harder efforts from the right boundary pocket before using his right foot at the start of the final term for his fifth major.

Zorko finished with three majors himself as well as 31 disposals and seven clearances.

Fellow midfielder Lachie Neale was also heavily involved for the Lions, picking up a game-high 38 disposals and 12 clearances.

Christian Petracca had two first-quarter goals to be the only multiple goalscorer for the Demons, while Christian Salem and Clayton Oliver both picked up over 30 disposals each.

To compound the defeat, Demons ruckman Max Gawn finished the match on the bench after injuring his ankle in the second term.

The ruckman rolled his ankle coming down from a contest with Lion Stef Martin and despite returning late in the term, did not have much impact and spent most of the final quarter sitting on the pine.

Brisbane also had an injury concern with tall Oscar McInerney copping a heavy head knock in the second quarter.

McInerney's head collided with the hip of Demon Salem, leaving him bloodied and groggy.

The 205cm ruckman was helped off the field by trainers but did not return due to concussion, although he was later cleared of a broken nose.

Brisbane face a major test when they next travel to Sydney to play GWS while Melbourne take on Carlton.

Tigers stack up against the Saints

The pressure is ramping up on St Kilda coach Alan Richardson, after Richmond broke clear in the last term for a 33-point win.

Tigers ruck-forward Mabior Chol starred in his third senior game as Richmond broke their three-game losing streak and returned to the top eight with the 16.7 (103) to 10.10 (70) win on Sunday at Docklands.

The Saints have made it clear the team needs to claim a big scalp or two for Richardson to retain his job beyond this season.

They lacked nothing for effort — and it was a significant improvement on last week's shocker against Brisbane — but they could not maintain a promising first half.

After starting the game with 7.0, St Kilda butchered their chances in the last term and sprayed a wasteful 2.7 as the Tigers piled on seven goals.

Chol sealed the win in the last quarter when he capitalised on St Kilda's mix-up at a boundary throw in, grabbing the ball and kicking an easy goal.

The Sudanese-born big man took nine marks and kicked three goals.

Sydney Stack also kicked four goals and Dustin Martin racked up 36 disposals.

Richmond, who came out of the mid-season bye with seven changes, looked scratchy early.

Josh Bruce kicked the first goal of the game after a minute as the Saints made a bright start.

They kicked the opening three goals of the match - the first time St Kilda have managed that this season - and Richmond were on the back foot.

Stack and Chol made early statements, kicking the Tigers' first two goals to keep it tight at quarter-time.

After Stack also kicked the opening goal of the second term, St Kilda went on a four-goal run and they broke out to a 23-point lead.

But again Chol and Stack kicked goals and the Tigers were only four points down at the main break as the 2017 premiers started finding their groove.

Richmond kicked another four goals in the third term and the dam wall was creaking.

Cult figure Matt Parker's goal late in the third term stalled the Richmond surge, but the seven-point Tigers lead at three-quarter time felt like a lot more.

AFL ladder

AAP

Topics: australian-football-league, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, brisbane-4000, qld, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted June 30, 2019 13:50:44

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