Hawthorn have overturned a big margin to snap their four-match AFL losing streak with a stunning five-point upset of Brisbane.
The Hawks looked gone when they conceded four consecutive goals out of the half-time break and trailed by 22 points midway through the third term.
But with returning star Tom Mitchell (36 disposals) and young gun Jai Newcombe (27) influential in the middle, they surged home to win 18.9 (117) to 17.10 (112) on Sunday.
It was the Hawks' first victory since Easter Monday and the highest score Brisbane have conceded this season, coming in just their second loss of the campaign.
There was one concern for Hawthorn, when ruckman Max Lynch was taken from the field in the dying stages after an accidental clash of heads with Darcy Fort.
The Hawks' can ill-afford to lose another ruckman, with Ben McEvoy (neck) and Ned Reeves (shoulder) already sidelined.
In an epic arm wrestle in Launceston, the lead changed hands nine times, including five times during a see-sawing final term.
Impressive Brisbane youngster Jaxon Prior put his side in front from one of many soft free kicks paid throughout the day before Mitch Lewis replied almost instantly to snatch back the lead for the last time.
Hawthorn kicked three straight goals to break clear in a match-winning burst as the Lions lost Hugh McCluggage to a hamstring injury.
Lewis stood tall against a Brisbane defence that sorely missed Marcus Adams, who was out through virus protocols.
Key forward Lewis kicked four goals, with Chad Wingard (three), Sam Butler and Dylan Moore (both two) also contributing.
Stand-in Hawks captain James Sicily kept Brisbane spearhead Eric Hipwood quiet.
Charlie Cameron kicked 3.3 for the Lions and could've given them a sniff with just enough time remaining.
But his dribbled shot from the boundary missed with teammates appealing for a pass in the corridor.
Dayne Zorko's goal put Brisbane back within a kick with just two seconds left on the clock.
Prior finished with three goals in an impressive display and Lincoln McCarthy kicked two, the first in each half.
Jarryd Lyons (32 disposals) and Daniel Rich (33) were among the Lions best, while Brownlow Medal fancy Lachie Neale started strongly but drifted out of the game, finishing with 25 and a goal.
Hawthorn had a 36-27 free-kick advantage in a game that featured a raft of soft decisions by the trio of whistle-happy umpires.
AAP
Collingwood upsets Fremantle in Perth
Collingwood's teenage supersub Oliver Henry has amplified Fremantle's wet-weather worries as the Magpies bucked the odds to post a 36-point AFL win at Perth stadium.
The Dockers struggled for fluency in last week's 36-point loss to Gold Coast in the wet, and a pre-match downpour on Sunday ensured another slippery affair.
The Magpies were dealt a blow midway through the second quarter when ruckman Mason Cox was subbed off with a finger injury.
But his replacement Henry became an unlikely hero, with the 19-year-old booting four second-half goals to help propel Collingwood to the 12.8 (80) to 6.8 (44) victory.
Will Hoskin-Elliott, Brody Mihocek and emerging star Jack Ginnivan shared the load up forward with two goals apiece, with Henry dominating after half-time.
Ginnivan earned the ire of Fremantle fans in the final term when he outmarked Brennan Cox and celebrated in front of the Dockers' faithful while he strolled in to kick the easiest of goals.
The win improved Collingwood's record to 5-5 ahead of next Sunday's MCG blockbuster against arch rivals Carlton.
Fremantle started the season with a stunning 7-1 record, but back-to-back losses in the wet have raised serious questions about whether their game plan can hold up in slippery conditions.
Big splashes of water were seen whenever a player hit the turf early in Sunday's match.
Collingwood forward Jamie Elliott almost took a mark-of-the-year contender in the first quarter, while Nathan Murphy was forced off briefly for treatment after being crunched by Andrew Brayshaw.
Jordan De Goey's class ensured scores were tied at quarter time, and the Magpies pulled clear in the second quarter on the back of three unanswered goals.
Hoskin Elliott's pack mark and goal early in the third term set alarm bells ringing for Fremantle, but a clever snap from Michael Walters in the opening minutes of the last quarter saw the Dockers close the margin back to 16 points.
Henry starred from that point on, booting three goals in the last term to kill off Fremantle's resistance.
Will Brodie (36 disposals, 11 clearances) and David Mundy (35 possessions) led the way for Fremantle.
Collingwood lost the possession count by 49 and contested possessions by 23.
But their efficiency with the ball meant they won the inside 50m count 60-46, allowing their forwards to kick a winning score.
AAP
GWS hammer hapless West Coast by 52 points
Greater Western Sydney have started their new era under Mark McVeigh in style with a 52-point thumping of West Coast at Giants Stadium.
The Giants outclassed the undermanned Eagles from the opening bounce to give McVeigh the best possible start as interim coach with a 21.12 (138) to 13.8 (86) victory on Sunday.
The Eagles will also be sweating on the fitness of Luke Shuey after their captain was substituted out of the match in the final term.
Both teams were missing several stars, especially after the Giants made nine changes to their team from last week, but the hosts settled quicker with four unanswered goals in the opening nine minutes that set the tone for the match.
The Giants went on to post their biggest first-half score since round 4, 2016 — and their second-highest ever — to lead 14.3 to 5.4 at the main break.
The most identifiable change made by McVeigh and the coaching group that now includes his former Essendon teammates James Hird and Dean Solomon was to switch Harry Himmelberg from the forward line to defence.
Himmelberg looked comfortable in the back line and enjoyed the freedom to launch some torpedoes when kicking in after behinds, with one long bomb in the second term flying beyond the centre circle.
He was also able to add to the 17 goals he had already booted this season, after a 50m penalty on the wing set up a shot from the 50m arc that Himmelberg slotted.
With Himmelberg pushed to the back line, Jarrod Brander spent more time forward in his third match for the Giants since being delisted by the Eagles at the end of last season.
Brander finished with 16 disposals and a goal against the club that drafted him from the Giants Academy with a first-round pick in 2017.
Co-captain Stephen Coniglio starred in an on ball role with 36 disposals at 92 per cent efficiency, while fellow co-captain Josh Kelly (29 disposals) continued his strong form in the Giants midfield.
The Giants shared the goals around with youngster James Peatling kicking three majors and six players including Toby Greene and Jesse Hogan finishing with two.
Tim Kelly (23 disposals) and Jack Redden (20) battled hard in the Eagles midfield and Alex Witherden (18) looked to provide some run out of defence.
Andrew Gaff made a slow start on his return to the Eagles line-up with only five disposals in the first half before spending more time on ball to finish with 19 touches.
The Giants face a tougher test when they take on Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday while the Eagles will play the Western Bulldogs at home.
AAP
