AFL LIVE updates: Crows topple Kangaroos, Blues and Cats off and running; Power star out for season

Welcome to Danny Russell, our expert at the MCG today.

Danny reports the Blues brought in first gamer Jaxon Binns as a late change.

The Blues had to call up Binns after mercurial forward Orazio Fantasia was a late withdrawal because of illness.

Binns, who was pick 32 in the 2022 national draft, will start as the sub. Recruited from the Dandenong Stingrays, the 19-year-old has made an impression at VFL level with his -running capacity.

Geelong has handed the subs vest to tough midfielder Tom Atkins.

The Crows have prevailed by 57 points for their second win of the season, leaving North with their seventh loss.

That was hard going in the final term, for the Kangaroos were never going to deliver a shock uprising in front of 4727 supporters in Hobart.

Taylor Walker (15 disposals, nine marks, two goals, three goal assists) will surely earn Brownlow Medal votes, while skipper Jordan Dawson (27 touches) and Rory Laird (34 disposals, 13 clearances) were also superb.

We now move on to the game of the round, the Blues and Cats set to rumble at the MCG.

Our man Andrew Wu has reported on David King’s comments today about the incident involving Jack Higgins and Aliir Aliir.

As we wait for the match review’s findings on Jack Higgins, the St Kilda forward has found an unlikely ally in DAvid King, who has become an advocate against head-high hits.

King said Aliir had left himself vulnerable by attempting to kick the ball instead of bracing for impact and protecting his head from hitting the ground.

“I don’t think at any stage was he intending to dump him until Aliir put himself in some weird position kicking the ball,” King said on SEN.

“Allir is a big frame, you have to put all of your effort into getting him down. I don’t think Higgins was trying to get him down on his head but because he went in that kicking motion, there was no other option … he basically put himself into that position.

“I think he’d be unlucky to be suspended in my opinion because there are mitigating circumstances.

“To be cited he has to say he’s put him into a dangerous tackle. For me, I can see reasons why it was more on Aliir than Higgins.”

At 1-5, several commentators said the Crows’ season was over after last week’s controversial loss to Essendon. Remember, Sam Draper? But this big win over the Kangaroos means they may only be two games outside the top eight come the end of this elongated round. There’s a major rush to judgement in this industry, many forgetting it’s a long, long campaign.

A win over a banged-up Port Adelaide on Thursday night (it’s great when the Showdown is given a standalone platform to shine) will have the Crows firmly back in the finals hunt. Brisbane (Adelaide Oval) and Collingwood (MCG) then await, before strugglers West Coast Eagles (Adelaide), Hawthorn (MCG) and Richmond (Adelaide) await. The Swans (Adelaide) complete the run into the round-15 bye.

Former skipper Taylor Walker is having another fine season, skipper Jordan Dawson is always finding the ball, while Rory Laird is heading for another top-three finish in the best and fairest.

The Kangaroos are undergoing arguably the toughest rebuild in league history, and the club is under no illusions of the magnitude facing coach Alastair Clarkson and his staff. But the stat-line, in what, ultimately, is a wins and losses business, is horrifying.

They have had only 12 wins – and have had five senior coaches (including caretakers Leigh Adams and Brett Ratten) – since the start of the 2020 season. When will their next win come?

That’s a tough question, for St Kilda, Gold Coast (TIO Stadium), Essendon and Port Adelaide await before the round-12 bye. It’s hard to see a win during that period.

Western Bulldogs’ games record holder Brad Johnson wants to see Sheezel spend more time in the midfield. So do many Kangaroos’ fans. Coach Alastair Clarkson has done that to start the final term, but was it too late? As Johnson said on Fox Footy’s coverage, the Kangaroos need to build layers in their midfield, and having Sheezel in there for longer periods provides greater flexibility.

Yes, the scoreboard isn’t pretty heading into the final term, but the Kangaroos’ next generation of talent has done well. Harry Sheezel has 17 disposals to the final break (and has started the final term in the centre square), George Wardlaw, spending time as a forward, has a goal, while Colby McKercher has 17 touches, and 394m gained, behind only star Crow Jordan Dawson. Luke Davies-Uniacke has also been strong.

Clarkson has made the move, injecting substitute Zac Fisher for midfielder Will Phillips (five disposals).

The Crows have raised their bat, acknowledging a half-century lead.

Now Rankine finds himself on the opposite side of the ground, where he marks on the lead on the right half-forward line. He then shapes the ball back from right to left for a superb 40m goal. The Crows, with their half-back line also dominating, lead by 46 points.