Sport

AFL Irish round-up: GWS coach praises Callum Brown after goal sees Giants seal crucial win

Conor McKenna’s Brisbane keep finals hopes alive with win over Saint Kilda

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 16: Callum M. Brown of the Giants celebrates kicking a goal with team mates during the round 14 AFL match between Greater Western Sydney Giants and Port Adelaide Power at ENGIE Stadium, on June 16, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 16: Callum M. Brown of the Giants celebrates kicking a goal with team mates during the round 14 AFL match between Greater Western Sydney Giants and Port Adelaide Power at ENGIE Stadium, on June 16, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images) (Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
By AHMER KHOKHAR

Callum Brown produced one of the goals of the season for the Greater Western Sydney Giants in their crucial 73-51 home victory over Port Adelaide in Round 14 of the AFL season on Sunday.

Mid-way through the second-quarter, Brown danced his way through the bewildered Port defence inside the Giants forward 50m arc and finished in the manner of a well-taken penalty kick.

After losing five of their previous seven matches and falling outside of the top eight finals spots, GWS are now up to fifth, just a win behind Carlton in second.

Brown collected 9 disposals (8 kicks & 1 handball), 4 marks, and 1 tackle. His two second quarter goals in as many minutes gave GWS a platform to win the game after a goalless first term.

“Last week Callum Brown was a bit rusty because he hadn’t played for a week and sometimes that can be very hard, particularly in his situation because he hasn’t played a lot of games, he hasn’t grown up with the game, so we give him a little bit of break on that, and it was pleasing for him to come out and really perform tonight,” GWS coach Adam Kingsley said.

“I thought he contributed really strongly, he was good in the contest, his defence was very good, he created his first goal, so I was really pleased with how he went.”

On Friday, the Brisbane Lions kept their finals hopes alive with a valiant 126-106 defeat of Saint Kilda at the Gabba.

The fast-finishing Saints gave the host’s an all-mighty fourth quarter scare when they reduced Brisbane’s 37-point lead to just seven points in the closing minutes.

McKenna was subbed out of the game at the end of the third quarter as a tactical substitution for teammate Noah Answerth for the second consecutive week.

The Tyrone Sam Maguire winner finished with 7 disposals (4 kicks & 3 handballs), 3 marks, and a behind.

The Lions in 13th spot on the season ladder are only one win outside of the top eight but a 6-6 record for the season leaves them with no margin for error and every game is a final from now until Round 24.

On Saturday Hawthorn moved to within two points of a finals spot after crushing Richmond 49-97 in front of over 90,000 supporters at the MCG.  Meath midfielder Conor Nash collected 16 disposals (8 kicks & 8 handballs), 4 marks, 2 tackles, and also kicked a behind.

On Saturday, the Adelaide Crows lost 67-109 to runaway leaders and premiership favourites, the Sydney Swans at the Adelaide Oval. Cork dual star Meark Keane tallied 14 disposals (12 kicks & 2 handballs) and 7 marks.

On Sunday, Tyrone’s Aidan Corr featured in one of the games of the season when lowly North Melbourne coughed up a 54-point lead to lose 118-119 against reigning premiers Collingwood at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.

Corr finished with 12 disposals (9 kicks & 3 handballs) and 5 marks for the Kangaroos.