AFL

Snapshot for round three of the AFL season

By AAP Newswire

Apr 3, 2022

Essendon are winless after three rounds of the AFL season. — Struggling Essendon have slumped to a 0-3 for the AFL season, their worst start since 1967. -AAP Image

THEY SAID IT: "Pretty embarrassing. It's really poor, on our standards, that we're trying to create. There's got to be consequences around training. Consequences around skill errors. Close to 80 points on turnovers, it's just unacceptable" - North Melbourne coach David Noble pulled no punches when asked if he'd had a long post-game debrief with his players following a 108-point hiding at the hands of Brisbane.

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PLAYER OF THE ROUND: Brisbane's Lincoln McCarthy kicked a career-best five goals in the Lions' rout of North at the Gabba on Saturday. It continues the 28-year-old small forward's dramatic career turnaround after moving to Queensland in 2019 after an injury-ravaged time at Geelong.

KEY MOMENT: Jordan Dawson was the hero for Adelaide in Showdown 51 when his goal after the siren sunk crosstown rivals Port Adelaide. The Crows' prized recruit looked to have pushed his left-foot kick wide to the right but it swung back late to sail through for the match-winning major. Lachlan Murphy won a free when he was crunched high by Port's Sam Mayes but was unable to take his kick, leaving Dawson to have the final say.

TALKING POINTS: Geelong skipper Joel Selwood broke Stephen Kernahan's long-standing record for most games as an AFL-VFL club captain but was jeered by Collingwood fans throughout Saturday night's clash after a first-quarter incident involving young Magpie Jack Ginnivan. Selwood's teammate Zach Tuohy said the treatment on both sides of the fence made the Cats' come-from-behind win a lot sweeter.

STATS THAT MATTER: Essendon's loss to Melbourne meant they have started a season 0-3 for the first time since 1967. Only three of 37 teams have recovered from that position to play finals since 2010. And one of those was Carlton, who only fell into the 2013 finals because the Bombers were booted out.

TRIBUNAL WATCH: Collingwood's Jordan De Goey received a one-match suspension for a dangerous tackle on Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield.

INJURIES: Z Cordy (WB, concussion) T Hickey (Syd, knee) E Ratugolea (Geel, ankle), D Grimes (Rich, hamstring), J Higgins (St K, concussion), (Haw, shoulder) M Pittonet (Carl, back)

WHAT'S NEXT: Winless Port Adelaide will be under huge pressure against Melbourne on Thursday night before Geelong and Brisbane go head-to-head in a battle of two flag fancies on Friday night. Essendon have a great chance to snap their losing streak at home to Adelaide.