Alastair Clarkson insists he would welcome the opportunity to defend himself against racism allegations in Federal Court,as Cyril Rioli and others continue to pursue legal action.
Two losses on the trot - including last week’s heartbreaking two-point defeat to GWS - have left Melbourne’s finals hopes hanging by a thread.
The Western Bulldogs have injected a sense of energy into the finals contest which still has 12 teams jostling for position. Will your team make it?
It was a round of snakes and ladders as some teams that made early running,battle to stay in contention.
The Western Bulldogs stormed into the top eight for the first time since round six after stunning the Swans with a four-goal blitz from Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
A season after enjoying the ultimate success,the Magpies are now battling to make the top eight,joining a list of clubs who have endured a rocky road after a premiership.
Injury-hit Sydney are confident they have the depth to overcome a late-season lull and dent the Western Bulldogs’ top-eight hopes in the process.
Carlton’s tough win over North Melbourne has come at a cost,with a fractured foot to sideline star ruckman Tom De Koning until the end of the home-and-away season. Meanwhile,the Swans are battling their own injury issues.
On an uber-soggy day in Melbourne,Hawthorn had a landmark win over reigning premiers Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs dumped Geelong in the mud. In the early game St Kilda beat up on lowly West Coast.
Charlie Cameron and Toby Bedford have both failed in their bids to overturn three-match bans for rough conduct,while Essendon could benefit from a rule tweak come draft time.
Carlton have conceded their vice-like grip on a top-four slot and suffered a worrying injury blow to creative forward Zac Williams just eight weeks out from the finals.