The AFL season is now through four rounds. Stay abreast of all the Round 5 results, reaction and video as they come to hand below.
Jump ahead to a particular game:
Blues vs. Saints
Magpies vs. Bombers
Eagles vs. Swans
Cats vs. Suns
Dogs vs. Kangaroos
Lions vs. Power
Crows vs. Dockers
Demons vs. Tigers
Giants vs. Hawks
Thursday, July 2
Carlton vs. St Kilda, Marvel Stadium, 7:40pm (AEST)
Team news: Key forward Harry McKay returns for the Blues with Jack Silvagni set to miss with injury. Zac Fisher also returns in the place of Sam Philp. At St Kilda, skipper Jarryn Geary returns for the injured Zak Jones.
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Prediction: The Blues and Saints received the late call up for Thursday night football and both sides will be relishing the rare opportunity to play in a marquee timeslot. Both clubs will be searching for a third win of the season which would likely have them in the top eight after five rounds. St Kilda has won five of its last six games against Carlton, and gets the nod here by one straight kick.
Score: Saints 73 def. Blues 55
Recap: Another week, another poor Carlton start, but this time there was no coming back. The Saints booted seven of the first eight goals to take a commanding lead at Marvel Stadium, eventually running out 18 point winners to claim another four points. Max King, Dan Butler and Jarryn Geary each bagged two goals on the night, while Jack Billings and Jack Steele had productive nights in the midfield.
Friday, July 3
Collingwood vs. Essendon, MCG, 7.50pm (AEST)
Team news: Star midfielder Adam Treloar returns for the Pies, but out goes Steele Sidebottom through suspension. Collingwood will also be without Jeremy Howe as Travis Varcoe rejoins. For the Bombers, Zach Merrett is out with suspension and Aaron Francis in injured. Mitchell Hibberd and Andrew Phillips will both make their debuts.
Prediction: A game which would normally have 90,000+ fans in attendance will have zero, but still expect an epic contest. Both sides are coming off losses in Round 4 and will be eager to make amends and return to the winners' list. But Collingwood simply has too many weapons through the midfield and should get the job done. Pies by 20 points.
Score: Bombers 63 def. Magpies 48
Recap: Collingwood's tough week looked to be improving early on Friday night as they kicked the first three goals of the game against the Dons, but the Bombers soon burst into life and leveled the scores by the end of the first term. And they never looked back thereafter, Essendon kicking five goals across the next two terms while the Magpies could only manage five behinds. There was, however, a moment of controversy late in the third quarter as a bouncing ball struck the goal umpire; the score review team overturning the on-field call and instead awarding the Pies only a behind. Nathan Buckley's side did rumble back to within a kick late on, but the Bombers pulled away once more to ice the 15-point win.
WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Saturday, July 4
West Coast vs. Sydney, Metricon Stadium, 1.45pm (AEST)
Team news: Both sides have made a host of changes for this clash. The most notable inclusion for the Eagles is star defender Jeremy McGovern who returns from injury. For the Swans, Sam Gray is back in the side.
Prediction: This fixture would have had us licking our lips about 15 years ago, however it's not quite the must watch game in 2020. Still, there's plenty up for grabs. The Eagles, who many had tipped as their premier, have had an awful start to the season and will be desperate to avoid a 1-4 record after five games. We think they will bounce back, after all there's too much talent in the squad. Eagles by 14 points.
Score: Eagles 77 def. Swans 43
Recap: West Coast finally managed to notch their second win of the season and the first since moving into the Gold Coast hub, snapping a three-game losing streak in the process. The Swans raced out to an early lead after kicking the first two goals of the game before Jake Waterman answered back with a long-range bomb at the bottom of the quarter. Captain Luke Shuey didn't return to the field for the second quarter due to a hamstring complaint, but it did nothing to slow down the Eagles who would lead by 21 points at three-quarter time. Tom Barrass pulled off a beautiful Mark of the Year contender as his side limited Sydney to just two goals after halftime.
WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Geelong vs. Gold Coast, GMHBA Stadium, 4.35pm (AEST)
Team news: The Suns will line up unchanged in Round 5, while the Cats bring back Harry Taylor and Quinton Narkle who replace the injured pair of Tom Stewart and Tom Atkins.
Score: Cats 89 def. Suns 52
Recap: The Cats shook off a stern test from the young Suns, who lost young star Matt Rowell in the second quarter to a dislocated shoulder. The visitors got out to a brief lead before the class of the Cats -- including Gary Ablett in his 350th game and Joel Selwood in his 300th game -- rose to the top, and they ran out 37-point winners on the back of a three goal to none last quarter. Spearhead Tom Hawkins kicked three majors, as did young Sun Ben King, while Mitch Duncan picked up 25 touches.
WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Western Bulldogs vs. North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 7.40pm (AEST)
Team news: Some big name inclusions for both sides here. The Dogs have named Easton Wood, Josh Schache and Lin Jong, at the expense of Aaron Naughton and sam Lloyd (both injured). Meanwhile, Ben Cunnington and Jamie Macmillan are back for North, skipper Jack Ziebell and Paul Ahern will both miss.
Score: Bulldogs 87 def. Kangaroos 38
Recap: It was the Josh Bruce show, with the Saint-turned-Dog booting a career-best six majors against a listless North Melbourne. Roos coach Rhyce Shaw admitted it might have been the wrong call to play a clearly underdone Ben Cunnington, who finished the game on the bench, while exciting youngster Tarryn Thomas also sat out a lot of the match with concussion.
WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Brisbane vs. Port Adelaide, Gabba, 7.40pm (AEST)
Team news: No changes for the undefeated Power, but the Lions have been forced to make a change with skipper Dayne Zorko out of the team through injury. Stefan Martin and Thomas Berry both come in, while Archie Smith joins Zorko on the sidelines.
Score: Lions 85 def. Power 48
Recap: It was a performance that will have the Lions back in the 'premiership favourites' talk. They were irresistable, attacking with ease from the back half of the ground, and led ably by Lachie Neale, dominated Port's midfield getting first use of the ball. But for some later inaccuracy in front of goal, the Lions could have run away with a bigger margin, but a 37 point win over the ladder leaders is a monster effort all the same.
WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Sunday, July 5
Adelaide vs. Fremantle, Metricon Stadium, 1:05pm (AEST)
Team news: Dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe won't play this weekend. Named in the Dockers' extended side is Bailey Banfield, Connor Blakely, Sam Sturt, Sean Darcy and Taylin Duman. The Crows have provisionally named Andrew McPherson, Ben Davis, Kyle Hartigan and Matt Crouch.
Prediction: Based on what we've all seen from the Crows in 2020, do we really need to provide a prediction? The Dockers have shown some great signs of development and shouldn't have any trouble getting the chocolates in the early Sunday game. Dockers by 25 points.
Score: Dockers 54 def. Crows 34
Recap: No Nat Fyfe, no worries for the Dockers who managed to keep the Crows winless in 2020. Adelaide kicked just four goals on Sunday afternoon, despite solid support from the Crouch brothers in midfield, but it was Freo who walked away with the four points to move into 16th on the ladder.
WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS HERE
Melbourne vs. Richmond, MCG, 3:35pm (AEST)
Team news: An injured David Astbury is out for the Tigers, along with Jack Ross and Sydney Stack who have both been omitted from the side. Daniel Rioli, Jack Graham, Jake Aarts, Mabior Chol, Marlion Pickett, Noah Balta and Ryan Garthwaite are in line to replace. For the Demons, Charlie Spargo, Luke Jackson, Mitch Brown and Oscar McDonald have been named in the extended squad.
Prediction: The Tigers have been struggling since the competition restart. Damien Hardwick's side has lost twice and had a draw in their three games and enter the round in 14th position. A bit like West Coast on Saturday, there's too much talent for the Tigers to lose another game, especially against an opponent in Melbourne who is unlikely to play finals football. Tigers by four goals.
Score: Tigers 79 def. Demons 52
Recap: At one stage it looked as though the margin could blow out, but in the end the scoreline was somewhat respectable. Richmond returned to winning ways with a 27 point victory over the Dees, in what will be the last AFL game played at the MCG for some time. Kane Lambert was the star of the game, booting three goals and accumulating 27 disposals. The win sees Richmond keep within touching distance of the top eight.
WATCH THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS HERE
GWS vs. Hawthorn, Giants Stadium, 6:10pm (AEST)
Team news: Both clubs will be without key players on Sunday evening. Luke Breust and Zac Williams will both be unavailable (injury). The Hawks have provisionally named Harry Jones, Harry Morrison, James Cousins, Jonathon Patton and Paul Puopolo, while the Giants have named Daniel Lloyd, Jye Caldwell, Lachlan Keeffe, Matt Buntine, Sam Jacobs and Tommy Sheridan.
Prediction: Take out that woeful second half against Geelong and the Hawks have been an impressive outfit in 2020. The Giants on the othr hand have been a little more inconsistent, but are starting to find their feet, thanks to a few handy inclusions. Both sides are coming off nail-biting wins in Round 4, but the fact GWS has more to play for gives them the edge here. Giants by 8 points.
Score: Giants 83 def. Hawks 49
Recap: The Hawks started poorly and ended the game in the same way, as GWS notched up a win and moved back into top eight contention. Led by Jeremy Finlayson (four goals), Harry Himmelberg (four goals) and Jeremy Cameron (two goals), the Giants overpowered and out-gunned the Hawthorn in western Sydney, playing the brand of football we expect from last year's grand finalists. Giants midfielder Josh Kelly was in sublime form, racking up 30 disposals in a trademark silky display.