5 hits and flops in Naarm's victory over Euro-Yroke at the MCG

Naarm comfortably put away cross-town rival Euro-Yroke in a 38-point (100-62) win at the MCG in the Indigenous Round on Sunday. A crowd of 37,403 gathered for the Demons' home game in Round 11 of the 2024 AFL season.

The Demons dominated the first quarter despite wayward kicking limiting their lead to only 25 points at quarter time, with 4.7 reflecting some wasted opportunities as the game was played mostly in their forward half.

The Saints doggedly fought their way back into the contest, with Max King booting two goals to narrow the margin to 12 points at the half.

However, the Dees piled on nine of the next 11 goals to put the contest to bed in the second half, with the Saints finding three junk time goals to make the final score a little more respectable.

AFL Rd 11 - Narrm v Euro-Yroke

5 hits and flops in Naarm's victory over Euro-Yroke

#5 Flop - Saints coach killing turnovers

St. Kilda coughed up a massive 80 turnovers in the match, which was never going to end well. The Demons' pressure and staunch backline kept repelling and intercepting, then sending the ball back over their heads. It was a parade for the Dees in the last quarter and they stepped off the gas toward the end with the game all but over.

#4 Hit - Demons backline holds up sans Jake Lever

Naarm had the luxury of calling up Adam Tomlinson from Casey to replace injured Jake Lever, which, combined with evergreen Steven May and a re-invented backman Tom McDonald, saw them have 31 interceptions across the defensive line. May gave up three goals to Max King but he wandered forward to kick a goal of his own and had six score involvements to at least halve the contest.

#3 Hit - Max King offers some hope

On a dirty day for the Saints, Max King made the most of limited opportunities as he played a lone hand against one of the toughest backlines in the competition. He kicked three goals straight, had six score involvements, and contested the ball all game. It is hardly a bag, but it has been a while since he has shown this kind of form, and fans can only hope it continues.

Max King in action

#2 Flop - Lance Collard enduring a rough start to AFL career

2023 draftee Lance Collard was subbed out of the game after just three disposals and nil effect on the game. The pick #28, which was the Saints' compensation pick for Jack Gresham, came from the West Coast Eagles Next Generation Academy and nursery Subiaco.

After a forgettable debut in Round 1 as a sub where he had only the faintest presence on the stat sheet, he went on to play well for Sandringham, with 11 goals in six games to earn a recall, but the pace of the game is beyond him at this stage.

#1 Hit - Max Gawn puts on a clinical performance

In an era of highly productive ruckmen who have broken all the records, one player has stood head and shoulders above the rest. Max Gawn thrashed Rowan Marshall, who is one of the better rucks in the AFL, with 10 clearances and 34 hitouts to 16, 27 disposals, and 10 score involvements. It was imperious and ominous at the same time as the premiership captain looks to claim a seventh All-Australian jacket this year and is showing no signs of slowing down.