The biggest AFL crowd of the year will be on hand to witness the expected return of Collingwood bad boy Jordan De Goey in Thursday night’s blockbuster clash with Geelong in Perth.
The Magpies decided to leave De Goey out of Friday’s 32-point win over Hawthorn after he was charged with indecent assault over an alleged incident in 2015.
De Goey flew to the club’s new Perth hub ahead of his teammates, and it’s expected he will be available for selection against the Cats.
The match will see a welcome return to big crowds, with up to 30,000 people allowed to attend the clash.
The number dwarfs what has been seen in the first six rounds, which featured games ranging from no spectators up to just a few thousand.
Geelong enter the clash on the back of wins over Melbourne, Gold Coast and Brisbane, while Collingwood regained their mojo with their demolition of Hawthorn.
The Hawks managed just 3.9 (27) in their Friday-night flop – their lowest score under coach Alastair Clarkson, and the club’s lowest mark since round nine, 1975.
Port Adelaide shot a game clear on top of the ladder following their 17-point win over GWS on Sunday.
The result left the Giants outside of the top eight with a 3-3 record.
“We’ve got to go back to the drawing board and look at some things that aren’t quite right,” Giants coach Leon Cameron said.
“We really rate Port as a footy club. They sit on top for a reason. But we’re just a rung off the top sides at the moment.”
Undermanned Richmond booted three early goals before the rain set in to see off Sydney by eight points in a dour clash at the Gabba.
The teams managed just three goals between them after quarter-time, with the Tigers leading from start to finish on the way to the 4.10 (34) to 3.8 (26) victory.
It was the second-lowest combined match total in the AFL era.
Swans co-captain Josh Kennedy limped from the field with a knee injury in the opening term.
Fremantle left their Gold Coast hub on the back of two straight wins after coming from 36 points down at quarter time to beat St Kilda by six points.
The fitness of Nat Fyfe will be a big talking point heading into Sunday’s western derby after the Dockers skipper spent the entire second half playing as a forward.
West Coast also enter the derby on the back of two straight victories after disposing of winless Adelaide by 33 points.
Essendon (4-1) shot up to fourth spot with their 14-point win over North Melbourne, but defender Conor McKenna is set for another stint on the sidelines after breaking his finger.
Melbourne are back in the finals hunt after beating Gold Coast by 17 points.
