It was a big round of footy and there were important storylines out of all nine games.
We have selected one positive and one negative from every club’s Round 11 performance.
See our thoughts below:
Positive: Hot start
Adelaide conceded the first goal to Richmond, but after that the first quarter belonged to them.
Led by Taylor Walker, the Crows put the Tigers to the sword by kicking six first-quarter goals to open up a 24-point lead.
The Crows were slick with their ball movement, giving Tex, Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty early looks at it as they went about setting up the game.
Negative: In-game drop off
Following on from the positive, the Crows did similar at the beginning of the final term when booting four unanswered goals, which certainly scared the Tigers into action.
But they just couldn’t sustain it for four quarters and the quality divide between the two sides was plain to see when Richmond had it on their terms.
Adelaide produced enough chances but lacked efficiency going forward which proved costly in the end.
Andrew Slevison
Positive: Robinson the goal kicker
Mitch Robinson had a career day against the Giants on Saturday.
The 31-year-old veteran pushed forward and kicked four goals, as well as collecting 30 disposals and taking 12 marks in a best afield performance.
He’s been a heart and soul player for Chris Fagan for some time now, but an increased impact from him could make playing the Lions an even more formidable task.
Brisbane haven’t kicked under 90 points since Round 4, and new goal kickers seem to be popping up every week.
If Robinson even continues to be half as good as he was on Saturday, it’ll be hard for any team to keep up with their high-powered offence.
Negative: Are we sure they're contenders?
Look, they've won seven straight, so I'm being nitpicky here, but does the football community truly consider Brisbane a premiership contender yet?
You get the feeling the Lions certainly do, but following their torrid start to the season, it’s taking a lot to convince people that they’re better than the 2020 version of themselves.
Win this weekend against a 10-1 Melbourne side, and there won’t be any doubters left.
They could take the number one seed with a big win, or they could consign themselves to the next rung below with a loss.
Friday’s result will tell us a lot about where this side sits, the game looms as must-watch football.
Lachlan Geleit
Positive: Patrick Cripps’ best performance in 12 months
Patrick Cripps is starting to find his best form after 12 months plagued by injury issues.
Whether it was his shoulder or his knee in 2020 or his back this season, Cripps has fought through pain to stay on the park for the Blues.
Not only did he have 27 disposals and seven clearances against Sydney, he booted three goals.
Cripps’ goal kicking, particularly set shots, has long been an issue, but he delivered on the weekend.
It’s a strong step in the right direction for the Carlton co-captain.
Negative: Wilting when it matters most again
Carlton’s season has been defined by three quarters. The final quarter against Collingwood, the final quarter against the Western Bulldogs and the final quarter on the weekend.
In all three instances, the Blues went into the main break either leading or on even footing and in all three Carlton wilted.
The Swans kicked the first three goals of the final quarter to put the game beyond doubt, proving their mettle as a top eight team capable of standing up when it matters most.
Flip those three quarters and Carlton would be in the top eight right now. Instead, they’re staring down the barrel of another season in the wilderness.
Nic Negrepontis
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Positive: The kids look good
One of the only positives for Collingwood this season has been the emergence of various youngsters.
Caleb Poulter and Beau McCreery have impressed, and Trent Bianco got his chance on Saturday against Geelong.
The first gamer has struggled with injury since being drafted two years ago, but looks at home at senior level.
Bianco moves through traffic with ease, and is a classy user with ball in hand.
He gathered 19 disposals, had five inside 50s and six score involvements on debut, and looks assured on the big stage.
While playing the kids isn’t likely to result in wins, it’s crucial for the health of the list going forward.
Negative: It’s somehow getting harder to watch
Since 2018, the Magpies haven’t exactly been an exciting football team to watch.
Nathan Buckley clearly prefers a slow, build up game style that allows his defence to set up behind the ball, and while they’re sometimes hard to score against, they find it even harder to put points on the board themselves.
This proved horribly true against a strong Geelong defence on Saturday, with the Pies kicking one goal to three-quarter time.
Collingwood fans would be envious looking over at Essendon and seeing them play with a clear attacking brand of football.
The supporters aren’t expecting wins at this stage, but kicking more goals would certainly help make them invested again.
Lachlan Geleit
Positive: Midfield duo stand up in the furnace
There’s no shortages of positives after Essendon’s win over West Coast in Perth on Saturday night, but the best bit from a Bombers perspective would have to be their midfield standing up away from home against a good team.
Darcy Parish and Zach Merrett combined for 73 touches and were assisted by both Andrew McGrath (24 disposals) and Kyle Langford (28 disposals), highlighting just how quickly their young midfield brigade has improved.
No longer a flashy side off half-back, the Bombers’ win on Saturday night was full of substance.
Negative: N/A
Nothing negative to come out of Saturday night from an Essendon perspective, with a clean bill of health and a big win banked ahead of their Dreamtime game against Richmond at Optus Stadium next Saturday night.
Laurence Rosen
Positive: The usual suspects
Fremantle knows what it’s going to get from its top-end players.
Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra once again were prolific, while David Mundy continues what might be a career-best season.
Nathan Fyfe was impactful forward of the ball when the opportunities came and James Aish continued his good season.
Negative: Unable to stop Port’s ball movers
Fremantle was outgunned by Port Adelaide in many ways, but they had no answers for their uncontested style.
The Power were +52 in uncontested possessions and +51 in marks across the evening. Karl Amon did as he pleased, particularly early in the game.
Ollie Wines, Travis Boak, Dan Houston and Robbie Gray found all the space they wanted, while Port’s defenders chipped the ball around freely.
The Dockers must correct this or they risk losing their mantle as a sound defensive team.
Nic Negrepontis
Positive: Winning without several key names
Saturday’s game against Collingwood wasn’t pretty, but it would have pleased Chris Scott to see his side notch up an important four points without some of his side’s best midfielders in action.
Cam Guthrie was a late withdrawal due to a shoulder injury, while Mitch Duncan and Patrick Dangerfield didn’t play either.
In their absence, Brandan Parfitt was fantastic with 30 touches as well as Quinton Narkle, who once again impressed with 25 touches.
Negative: Game style
Saturday’s game was a dour affair, with Geelong finally sealing victory in the final term after a low-scoring contest that didn’t reach any great heights.
The Cats continue to bank wins when they’re not at the peak of their powers, a trait that should hold them in good stead as the season unfolds.
But make no mistake, they’ll have to play a lot better when it matters if they want to push the very best sides in the competition.
Laurence Rosen
Positive: Young guns fire Suns to victory
Izak Rankine and Ben King kicked four goals each in Gold Coast’s 37-point win over Hawthorn.
Rankine, who has struggled for form this season, booted a career-best haul while King now sits third in the Coleman Medal race with 32 majors for the year.
Touk Miller (37 disposals and seven tackles) and Jack Lukosius (27 disposals, 14 marks) was also outstanding for the Suns.
It snapped a three-game losing streak for Gold Coast who kicked their highest score (113) since Round 15, 2017.
Negative: Anderson subbed out
Noah Anderson sustained an ankle injury that forced him to be subbed out late in Saturday night's match.
Anderson came off during the third quarter after landing awkwardly on his left ankle before returning to the field.
It’s not yet known how serious the midfielder’s injury is.
King (ribs) also had an injury scare in the third quarter but successfully played out the rest of the match.
Alex Zaia
Positive: Defence held up
GWS may have conceded 19 goals but it wasn’t for a lack of effort and intent from their undermanned defence.
The Giants were already without former skipper Phil Davis and key tall Lachie Keeffe before Sam Taylor went down with the dreaded syndesmosis last weekend.
That scenario saw the undersized likes of Jack Buckley, Matt Buntine and Nick Haynes perform solid jobs on Brisbane’s three keys Joe Daniher, Eric Hipwood and Dan McStay.
That trio only kicked four goals between them which the Giants definitely would have taken given they were rolled by almost 11 goals.
Negative: First and third quarters
The Giants had no chance after they dished up what they did early in proceedings.
They allowed the Lions to skip away with a 34-point quarter-time lead which could have been worse if not for a late goal from Bobby Hill.
The second quarter was more competitive before the visitors were put away in the third term.
It was bound to happen this way for the Giants at some point given their injuries, but the Lions were at times given free rein to seemingly do as they pleased.
Andrew Slevison
Positive: Ned Reeves at AFL level
For the second straight week, the young ruckman was Hawthorn’s highlight in an overall disappointing performance.
Reeves was comfortably the dominant ruckman on the ground, winning 35 hit-outs up against veteran Suns ruck Zac Smith.
While he is still finding his feet around the ground, the 22-year-old kicked a goal and brought energy to the side.
Negative: Almost everything else
The Hawks were punished after quarter-time by a Gold Coast team that has not set the world on fire so far this season.
Their high-profile midfield was beaten again and they struggled to hit the scoreboard with the exception of a few junk-time opportunities late.
Hawthorn knows they’re a mile away from contending and they will have the second pick in the mid-season draft, but there aren’t many other positives around at the minute.
Nic Negrepontis
Positive: Conquering top-of-the-table clash
After winning nine games in a row, Melbourne’s loss to Adelaide last week came as a shock, but the Dees sweeping aside any doubts about how good they are in the win over Western Bulldogs has to be the biggest positive out of Round 11.
Their defensive structure and ability to force the Dogs to make basic skill errors was highly impressive and further vindication that they’re going places in 2021.
Friday night’s clash may have taken place in front of no fans, but that shouldn’t discount just how impressive a performance way from a pure structural point of view against a side that prides themselves on adapting tactically in-game.
Negative: N/A
No negatives at Melbourne this week after they passed their biggest test of the season.
Laurence Rosen
Positive: Bailey Scott
The Roos gave Bailey Scott the opportunity to run with Brad Hill on Saturday afternoon and the young midfielder took the chance with both hands.
Scott has received plaudits for his defensive role on one of the game’s most attacking players from the likes of Garry Lyon and Kane Cornes.
He held Hill to a team-low six disposals in the 20-point loss and proved that he is up to the task when called upon.
It’s the little wins that will get North Melbourne through what will be a tough season.
Negative: Third quarter drop off
North was able to keep within arm’s length of St Kilda for the majority of the afternoon, with the exception of the third term.
The Saints were inaccurate and could have put the game beyond doubt early, but the Roos kept in the fight until the margin blew out from 25 points to 43 in a 10-minute patch.
Given North controlled the final quarter and got it back to 20 points, that patch before three quarter time was the difference between another loss and potentially giving St Kilda a scare.
Nic Negrepontis
Positive: Fast start sets up win
Port Adelaide’s 46-point win over Fremantle was ignited by a blistering seven goals to zero opening quarter.
The Power took a 40-point lead into quarter time and led at every change to run out comfortable winners to make it back-to-back victories.
Improved wingman Karl Amon was the architect behind Port’s dominant first term racking up 16 disposals – the most ever by a Power play in an opening term.
Amon finished with 27 touches and was ably supported by the ever-reliable Ollie Wines (35 disposals and eight clearances) and Travis Boak (31 and seven).
Another four points banked for Ken Hinkley’s side
Negative: Injuries to key duo
Ryan Burton and Orazio Fantasia both picked up knee injuries during Sunday’s win.
Burton was subbed out after hurting his left knee during the final quarter, while Fantasia felt soreness in the same knee that sidelined him for the Round 10 win over Collingwood.
Hinkley provided an update on the injured Power pair after the match.
“Fantasia's knee is a bit grumbly, so there will be some scans needed there and Burton is the same,” Hinkley said post-game.
“Fantasia has had a few battles with that knee over the last couple of weeks and we might have to do something (minor surgery) there if that is what it ends up being.
“We will investigate that thoroughly over the next day and will make some decisions.”
Alex Zaia
Positive: Coleman-Jones bags four
It was a long time between drinks, but Callum Coleman-Jones finally played his second AFL game, and it was worth the wait.
Having debuted in Round 10, 2019, the talented tall took his most recent opportunity with both hands and one right foot. He took five marks and kicked four goals in a performance that would have Tigers fans feeling calm in Tom Lynch’s absence.
He overcame an off-field incident last year and worked his way back from more than two years out of the senior side to contribute so importantly at the top level.
All of Richmond’s returnees, led by captain Trent Cotchin and including Dion Prestia, Shai Bolton, Josh Caddy and Mabior Chol had a positive influence in the 28-point win.
Negative: Outplayed early, last-quarter lapse
It took the Tigers a while to get going.
Despite Cotchin kicking the first goal of the game, they were outplayed for the rest of the first term.
The Crows took control out of the middle and used the ball well going forward which really stretched Richmond’s David Astbury-less defence.
Damien Hardwick’s message after that tardy start clearly got through as the Richmond players went to work.
There was also a lapse in the final term when the Crows kicked four in a row, but Jack Riewoldt made sure that was just a late-game blip.
Andrew Slevison
Positive: Much-needed win
St Kilda did what they needed to do against North Melbourne.
It wasn’t the most convincing of performances, but the win keeps the Saints in touch with the top eight and snapped a run of two consecutive defeats.
Luke Dunstan (26 touches, 13 tackles and seven clearances) took his opportunity after banging down the door at VFL level, while Mason Wood kicked three goals against his former club.
Sterner tests lie ahead for the Saints with the sixth-placed Swans their next assignment.
Negative: Last quarter
It was another wasteful display from St Kilda with more inaccurate goalkicking limiting the final margin to 20 points.
Leading by 43 points at three-quarter time, the Saints had the chance to give their poor percentage a significant boost with a big last quarter.
Instead, the Kangaroos kicked five goals to one to add some respectability to the score.
St Kilda lacked a ruthless edge by failing to put North to the sword. It could come back to bite them at the end of the year.
Alex Zaia
Positive: Heeney back to his best
Sydney forward Isaac Heeney started the year on fire, kicking eight goals in the opening three rounds to thrust him into All-Australian contention.
He then hit a road block in Round 4 when he broke his hand and endured two quiet weeks upon his return, but the 25-year-old gun is well and truly back to his best.
Heeney is averaging 2.3 goals and more than 22 disposals a game in the last three weeks, and is proving to be a match-winner for John Longmire’s side.
We know how important game breakers have proven in finals, and Sydney certainly have their man as they look to make a top eight return this season.
Negative: Strong record could be so much better
Sydney took their season record to 7-4 with their win over Carlton on Sunday.
The victory has them firmly in sixth place, but looking back to over their recent stretch of games, the Swans must wonder what could have been.
They went down narrowly to GWS, Melbourne and Fremantle in games they could have won, and could have easily sat in the top four with games to come against St Kilda and Hawthorn in the next fortnight.
Had they won those games, they’d just about be looking to lock in their finals berth before the bye, while having their eyes firmly set on a top four spot.
Instead, the Swans are in a battle to secure their place in the bottom half of the eight, alongside dangerous teams in Richmond, West Coast and Port Adelaide.
It’ll be interesting to see if those tight losses cost them later in the season.
Lachlan Geleit
Positive: The centre bounce trap
The second quarter was reminiscent of the Eagles’ third term against the Western Bulldogs, played months ago in Melbourne.
In those moods, Nic Naitanui is the most influential player in the league. His taps to advantage, follow-up efforts and clearances served as the bedrock of the field position held by West Coast over the quarter.
Essendon had to travel the length of the ground, increasing the span in which something can go wrong, and the Eagles were set up to score off the turnovers.
It may be unsustainable to rely on the flurry of scores over the duration of a match, but it is exhilarating to watch.
Negative: What can this team do when challenged?
It may be that West Coast are overwhelmed by their losses; on the night they regained Elliot Yeo, both Tim Kelly and Oscar Allen disappeared down the tunnel before the long break.
The match appeared well within the Eagles’ grasp in the shadows of half-time, but late goals to Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Kyle Langford jangled their nerves. From there, West Coast were simply swept away.
Having blunted the Eagles’ preference to pick opponents apart by foot (78 marks, well below a season average of 133 at home) and capitalised on their opportunities in the third to remain in the game, the Dons gritted their teeth and took the groundball ascendancy away from the hosts.
It flowed into handball chains that saw the visitors notch a colossal +16 forward entry differential in the final term alone, and Jake Stringer and Alec Waterman went on to bolt the gate shut.
Adam Simpson’s side was undermanned, but they had opened up a healthy lead with Kelly and Allen already in the sheds. They just don’t possess the resolve to protect the building blocks of a lead.
Nathan John
Positive: It’s going to get better
The loss to Melbourne seemed more comprehensive as it unfolded than in retrospect. The Dogs’ paralysis outside the contest was the deciding factor, more a consequence of confronting a truly excellent structure than a meltdown under finals-like intensity.
While primed for a premiership tilt at 9-2, their electrifying movement is still taking shape. Luke Beveridge will challenge his side to learn to break the stasis we saw on Friday night, to trust in their instruments.
Adam Treloar and Josh Dunkley will return to fortify the contested ball game underpinning it all, as will Stefan Martin to frustrate the elite rucks. Similarly, Easton Wood will ensure the leading lanes Tom McDonald and Sam Weideman thrived in aren’t open as often.
On an individual note, Tim English made a wonderful return after missing a month with a concussion. The 23-year-old recorded 15 disposals, nine marks and two goals to go with a competitive display in the centre.
Negative: Unravelling again
From the second quarter of the Dogs’ first test of the season against Richmond a few weeks back, Luke Beveridge’s side melted under pressure, conceding the centre clearances and handing the ball back for repeat entries.
The early running was similar against Melbourne. Simon Goodwin’s men cut off the supply to Marcus Bontempelli and Bailey Smith, and the dancing dominance of Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca saw the Dogs pinned back, allowing the Demons deeper entries.
With ball in hand, the Bulldogs were blunt. Rather than trust talls down the line or look for overlap run to penetrate the Dees’ press, they attempted high-risk, low-reward kicks across the ground and were punished accordingly.
It can all be fixed, and they did reassert field position for long stretches of the rest of the game, but they can’t bring that standard of contest and tactical discipline to a final, even for one quarter.
Nathan John