Giant rout: Essendon crash to 126-point defeat to GWS

Brent Daniels lit up the contest late in the opening term after marking just inside the boundary and bending a banana kick through from 40m for his second of three goals for the match.

The Giants proved to be too polished from there and were able to manage Toby Greene by subbing out their captain in the third term.

Andrew McGrath (32 disposals), Zach Merrett (27) and Darcy Parish (25) found plenty of the ball for the Bombers but had little impact as the Giants cruised over the top of them.

The Bombers (11-11) swung a late change with Jake Stringer moved from the starting 22 into the sub role on his return from a foot injury and replaced by Jye Caldwell.

Stringer entered the match when the game was already well and truly gone and ended with 11 disposals.

Essendon face ladder leaders Collingwood on Friday night, while GWS will be out to lock in a finals spot in the last game of the round against Carlton on Sunday.

Giant Harry Himmelberg takes the handball receive and boots a goal in the massive win over Essendon.Credit: Fox Footy

Magpies forward McCreery banned for dangerous tackle

AAP

Collingwood could be without Beau McCreery for their final-round AFL clash with Essendon after the pressure forward was offered a one-game suspension for a dangerous tackle.

McCreery was cited by the match review officer after slamming Brisbane Lions defender Darcy Wilmot into the Marvel Stadium turf during the third quarter of the Lions’ 24-point win on Friday night.

The rough conduct incident was graded as careless, medium impact and high contact meaning the 22-year-old can accept a one-game suspension.

Beau McCreery.Credit: Getty Images

Collingwood and McCreery may elect to challenge the ban and take their case to the tribunal.

If McCreery accepts the suspension, he will not be available until Collingwood’s qualifying final.

It is another blow for the ladder-leading Magpies, for whom the defeat was the third in their last four outings.

Collingwood were without superstars Darcy Moore, Jordan De Goey and Nick Daicos for the top-of-the-table showdown with Brisbane.

The Magpies should regain De Goey, as well as small forward Bobby Hill, against the Bombers on Friday.

AFL investigates alleged racist crowd comments

Jon Pierik

The AFL is investigating alleged racial abuse of Brisbane forward Charlie Cameron by a spectator during Friday night’s clash against Collingwood at Marvel Stadium.

A league spokesman said on Saturday the league’s integrity unit, the Magpies and Lions are working together on an investigation.

Charlie Cameron before the match at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.Credit: Getty Images

Any fans found guilty of racial vilification face lifetime bans from attending AFL games.

Cameron was instrumental in the Lions’ four-goal win, booting four goals, and leaving his side in prime position for a top-two finish.

Racism, whether it be online or in person, remains a scourge in the sport, for several AFL players have had abuse directed their way this season.

Swans pip Crows, tighten hold on top-eight finish

AAP

Sydney survived a late charge to pip Adelaide by one point and strengthen their grip on a finals spot. But the Crows’ play-off hopes ended with a heartbreaking 11.8 (74) to 10.13 (73) result on a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

The Swans were 44 points up late in the second quarter but Adelaide stormed home in the last term, booting 4.8 to 0.1 only to fall just short.

Crow Ben Keays thought he’d given his side the lead with 60 seconds to go but his shot hit a goal post.

Sydney take seventh spot by two premiership points into their last home-and-away game – an SCG clash against top-four fancy Melbourne.

But 13th-placed Adelaide’s chances of sneaking into the finals disappear.

Swans winger Errol Gulden continued his fine season with 30 disposals, Chad Warner (25 touches) was a standout and Oliver Florent (21) and Tom Papley (one goal) had patches of influence.

Sydney’s Isaac Heeney celebrates a goal in the Swans’ one-point victory over the Crows.Credit: AFL Photos

Heeney’s scoring polish in attack was supported by Hayden McLean (two goals) while Nick Blakey (21 disposals, seven marks) was prominent in Sydney’s stingy defence.

Adelaide entered the round as the competition’s highest-scoring team but failed to flourish in attack until their last-term press.

Taylor Walker and Josh Rachele kicked two goals each and Crows on-ballers Rory Laird (31 possessions), Matt Crouch (26) and Jake Soligo (28) revelled in the wet.

The Swans found four goalkickers in their strong 4.3 to 1.3 opening term.

And when Heeney slotted two goals in 90 seconds – a roved snap followed by a set shot – Sydney’s lead blew out to a dangerous 30 points.

Adelaide’s Harry Schoenberg replied before the Swans stamped their authority with three consecutive goals creating a 44-point advantage.

Crow forwards Walker and Shane McAdam scored late to reduce Sydney’s lead to 32 points at halftime, 9.5 to 4.3.

Adelaide couldn’t make inroads in a slog of a third quarter although Crow Izak Rankine produced a highlight as both teams scored two goals.

Rankine collected possession on a boundary and, from the tightest of angles, threaded an instinctive checkside goal.

The Crows turned 32 points down and were given a pulse with three consecutive goals inside four minutes of the final term.

After a series of behinds, Keays celebrated what he believed was the go-ahead goal with a minute remaining only for the ball to brush a goal post.

ADELAIDE 1.3 4.3 6.5 10.13 (73)SYDNEY 4.3 9.5 11.7 11.8 (74)GOALS – Adelaide: Walker 2, Rachele 2, Milera, McAdam, Murphy, Rankine, Crouch, Schoenberg.Sydney: Heeney 3, McLean 2, McDonald, Hayward, Papley, Wicks, Campbell, Francis.BEST – Adelaide: O’Brien, Rankine, Smith, Dawson.Sydney: Heeney, Blakey, Gulden, Warner.UMPIRES – Donlon, Power, Haussen, Rosebury.CROWD – 44,817 at Adelaide Oval.