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By Adrian Warren
SYDNEY, June 12 AAP – Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron has rated the club’s win over local rivals Sydney as one of their best, while the Swans and Kangaroos are licking their wounds after damaging losses.
A significant round which pitted eight of the top nine clubs against each other produced some minor upsets with the top two sides both losing.
The Kangaroos held on to top spot despite a 31-point loss on Saturday at Etihad Stadium to Geelong, who moved to second above Sydney after the Swans suffered a 42-point away defeat to the Giants on Sunday
“There’s been some really good victories in our club in our short time, but it’s probably one of the top three or four,” Cameron said, after a venue record of 21,545 witnessed the Spotless Stadium encounter,.
Sydney would have gone top on percentage if they won, but coach John Longmire admitted they were outplayed in all areas.
Compounding Sydney’s woes, were potentially significant injuries to two key players, ruckman-forward Kurt Tippett and speedy utility Gary Rohan
“It (Tippet’s injury) is a hamstring behind the knee, I think it’s going to be a significant one,” Longmire said
“Gary had a corky that bled down into his hamstring, we’re hoping he’ll be okay, but once again we don’t know.”
The Kangaroos also suffered a significant injury toll in their loss with captain Andrew Swallow (concussion), Ben Cunnington (cork leg), Nick Dal Santo (groin), Robin Nahas (compound fracture of a finger) and Shaun Atley (ankle) all in some doubt for their next match against Hawthorn.
Patrick Dangerfield tallied a club-record equalling 48 possessions for Geelong, whose injury-prone forward Daniel Menzel kicked four goals, but hurt an ankle and could miss next weekend’s clash with the Bulldogs.
GWS remain sixth, but only one win out of the four after going 2-2 in a tough four-week stretch against other top eight teams.
“It was really pleasing our boys can just keep backing up and backing up,” Cameron said.
In Sunday’s other games, St Kilda beat Carlton by 32 points at Etihad Stadium and Richmond overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat the Suns by 17 at the MCG.
Western Bulldogs overhauled a nine-point three-quarter time deficit and a medial ligament knee injury to Luke Dahlhaus to shade Port Adelaide 15.10 (10) to 14.13 (97) in an Adelaide Oval thriller on Saturday.
The Crows trailed the Eagles by 26 points midway through the third quarter in Perth but kicked the last eight goals of the game and held West Coast scoreless in the final quarter in their 29-point win.
“We just weren’t up for the fight, we just rolled over, (and left) too much to too few,” said Eagles’ coach Adam Simpson, who suggested there would be changes to his side as a result.
Hawthorn picked up a whopping 10.1 percentage points and handed Essendon the biggest defeat of their difficult season with an emphatic 23.13 (151) to 6.7 (43) drubbing of the Bombers in a Friday night in a Friday night fizzer at Etihad Stadium.
Brisbane coach Justin Leppitsch was upset with more questioning over his position after his side’s 83-point home loss to fellow straggler Fremantle.
“Ask someone who decides it not me, stop asking me,” Leppitsch told the media.
Melbourne have the opportunity on Monday to score their first Queen’s Birthday win over Collingwood since 2007 and record two victories in the same season over the Pies for the first time since 1988.
