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Snapshot for round 12 of the AFL season

3 minute read

A look at round 12 of the AFL season, where West Coast's losing streak extended to eight matches and Melbourne lost their second game on the trot.

THEY SAID IT: "It's bloody tough at the moment. It's tough for the club and the players and our supporters and we understand the frustration" -mWest Coast coach Adam Simpson on his club's worst start to an AFL season, 1-11.

PLAYER OF THE ROUND: Melbourne lost a second-straight match but captain Max Gawn could not have done any more to get the Demons over the line. In one of the great individual performances, Gawn gathered 28 possessions, kicked three goals and had 30 hit-outs. The Sydney Swans might have prevailed by 12 points in a classic encounter but Gawn should poll the three votes come Brownlow Medal night.

THE MOMENT: Oliver Henry had missed one chance to put Collingwood in front against Hawthorn but didn't waste the second from an identical position. The 19-year-old forward's calm set shot from 40 metres ultimately decided a thrilling contest. There was plenty of time left but neither side managed to score in the desperate final stages.

TALKING POINT: Gold Coast are finally taking serious strides in Stuart Dew's fifth season as coach. The Suns sit just percentage outside of the top-eight at 6-6 and are well on track eclipse their best season back in 2014 when they won 10 games. They're winning playing an attractive brand of football, too, with players like Izak Rankine, Joel Jeffrey and Malcolm Rosas playing key roles.

STATS THAT MATTER: Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury (9015 possessions) became just the fourth player to pass 9000 career possessions during his team's thrilling four-point win over Hawthorn. Only Kevin Bartlett (9151), Brent Harvey (9213) and Robert Harvey (9656) have tallied more.

TRIBUNAL WATCH: Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has been offered a two-match ban for headbutting Geelong defender Zach Tuohy. The two engaged in a scuffle on the three-quarter-time and Smith clearly made contact with Tuohy, leaving a slight mark on the Irishman's head. A host of Fremantle and Brisbane players are set to receive fines for the second-quarter melee at Optus Stadium. Gold Coast's Ben Ainsworth was cleared of any wrongdoing over his high hit on North Melbourne's Ben McKay.

INJURIES: J McGovern (WC, back - late withdrawal), P Parnell (Adel, corked thigh), T McDonald (Melb, foot - late withdrawal), H Petty (Melb, shoulder), C O'Riordan (Syd, concussion), T Stewart (Geel, concussion), L Weller (GCS, knee), B McKay (North, head), R McInnes (Coll, shoulder), J Gunston (Haw, ankle), D Gardiner (Bris, ribs), D Zorko (Bris, hand)

WHAT'S NEXT: Thursday night footy is back when Richmond host Port Adelaide at the MCG. Embattled Essendon will celebrate the club's 150th anniversary in a Friday night showdown with rivals Carlton. The Brisbane Lions are at home to St Kilda on Saturday night in a battle for top-four supremacy, while Melbourne will be desperate to rebound from back-to-back losses in their traditional Queen's Birthday clash with Collingwood.