GWS blitzes Carlton in comeback win, Fremantle belts Richmond, Geelong ends Hawthorn's run and North Melbourne upsets Gold Coast

Some significant results today.

Is Port Adelaide back? Are the Bulldogs done? Can the Cats contend? How horrible is Dimma Hardwick going to make Suns training this week? Are the Giants about to go a run? Can the Dockers win the flag?

Questions I can't answer but will leave you with anyway. On behalf of Chris and Luke as well, thanks for your company today. We'll see you again tomorrow.

Josh Treacy has kicked a career-high five goals as Fremantle overpowered a Shai Bolton-inspired Richmond to post a 51-point AFL win at Perth Stadium.

Treacy kicked three goals in the opening term of Saturday night's match and finished with 5.0, 16 disposals, nine marks and 484-metres gained as the Dockers eased to a 16.9 (105) to 7.12 (54) win.

The result kept Fremantle (10-5-1) in third spot, while Richmond (2-14) are rock bottom following North Melbourne's shock four-point win over Gold Coast earlier in the day.

Bolton kicked his third and fourth goals early in the third quarter as Richmond twice closed to within 18 points.

Dockers ruckman Sean Darcy was subbed out at halftime after being concussed late in the second term, allowing Luke Jackson (21 disposals, nine tackles) more time to show his athleticism in the middle.

The concussion means Darcy will miss next week's clash with Hawthorn in Launceston.

Dockers defender Josh Draper is also an injury concern after he hurt his groin when clattered into during a second-quarter marking contest.

Tigers ruckman Toby Nankervis finished with 26 disposals, 36 hitouts, seven tackles, 11 clearances and one goal in a performance full of heart.

Richmond scored the opening two goals of the match, via Bolton and Nankervis, but the remainder of the first quarter was the Treacy show as the bustling forward kicked three majors in the rain.

Treacy's first two goals came from marks and his third courtesy of a free kick against new Richmond recruit Jacob Blight.

As good as Treacy was with his three goals and five marks, Fremantle defender Heath Chapman produced the highlight of the term, nailing a 50m set shot from the boundary line.

Fremantle dominated most of the key stats to take a deserved 15-point lead into quarter time, and Richmond only had themselves to blame as the margin swelled to 24 by halftime.

The Tigers controlled territory for large parts of the second quarter but they kicked a wasteful 1.5 to Fremantle's 3.2.

Bolton was unstoppable early in the third, with his two quick goals giving the Dockers a scare.

But Fremantle wrestled back momentum soon after, with two goals to sub Michael Walters and other majors to Treacy, Jye Amiss and Michael Frederick extending the margin to 46 points by the final change.

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Greater Western Sydney has fought back from 39 points down against Carlton to claim a dramatic 12-point upset win and kickstart their bid to play AFL finals.

The Giants appeared set for a thumping defeat when Michael Voss's Blues, on a five-game winning streak, enjoyed a scintillating eight-goal first quarter.

But GWS booted seven second-quarter goals to revive the contest, then another seven in the third term to blow the game open.

The Giants had to withstand a late Carlton surge but held on for a 18.8 (116) to 16.8 (104) win.

The victory lifts GWS (9-7, 36 points) to seventh on the ladder, snapping their two-game losing run, while second-placed Carlton (11-5, 44 points) keep their noses in front of the chasing pack.

Jesse Hogan stood tall up forward to boot five goals for the Giants, while Carlton's Charlie Curnow (one goal) was blanketed by Jack Buckley.

Giants ruckman Kieren Briggs (40 hitouts, 22 touches) monstered Tom De Koning, while Tom Green (33 disposals), Finn Callaghan (24 touches), Lachie Whitfield and Callan Ward (both 30 disposals) also stood tall.

Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps (33 disposals and two goals) worked desperately hard to lift the Blues, while Harry McKay booted five goals.

Key defender Jacob Weitering battled through the game after suffering a corked right thigh late in the first term.

McKay booted three goals inside the opening 10 minutes as the Blues flew out of the blocks.

Former Giant Zac Williams chipped in with three of his own, while Toby Greene, Toby McMullin and livewire Darcy Jones kicked the only majors for GWS.

Trailing by 33 points at quarter-time, the Giants responded with the first four goals of the second quarter.

The Blues kicked two steadying goals, but the Giants snared the next three to cut the half-time deficit to two points.

Hogan put the Giants in front for the first time a minute after the break, booting his third after a strong mark.

The Giants nudged their way out to a six-goal lead before McKay kicked his fourth from a 50-metre penalty to end Carlton's 46-minute goal drought.

But Hogan booted his fifth just before three-quarter-time to restore a 36-point lead at the final change.

Carlton kicked a late flurry of goals to make the Giants nervous, but Adam Kingsley's charges held on.

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The Dockers are third on the AFL ladder.

That was a professional win from Fremantle in a game that never hit any great heights. But when you're a good team at home to a struggling side, sometimes you just need a few wins like that. There were a couple of injury worries there for Sean Darcy and Josh Draper, but on the whole it's a good night for the Dockers.

Next up for Freo is a trip to Tassie to face the Hawks. Win that, and the boys will really start to believe.

Another good crumb and snap from the gun midfielder takes the lead to a game-high 58 points.

About 90 seconds left on the clock in what will be another big Dockers win, and one that will cement their top-four status for another week at least.

The Tigers defence had pretty much shut down there, so it was just a matter of Freo keeping their composure and picking their way through the maze.

They did it perfectly, with Sturt delaying the handball to find O'Meara in space and in a position to kick the goal.

The heat has very much come out of this game, and with a little over five minutes to play it seems like both sides are playing with an eye on next week.

The margin is 47 points and the result has long since been settled.

Freo have looked really dangerous in open space in this second half especially. Their defence has been typically tight but the Dockers have found avenues to goal easier to come by after half-time.

Frederick dribbles home another one to take the lead beyond 50 points.

Carlton dominated the first quarter and won the last, but the two terms in between were an absolute GWS masterclass. That is a win that will give the Giants confidence that anything is possible as they move back into the top eight.

It will be some cause for Carlton concern though, as when the Giants got their run on in the second and third quarters they looked completely powerless to stop it. The last-quarter fightback was spirited but always likely to be in vain.

Crazy game. Fantastic GWS win.

Surely not...

It's a two-goal game with about 3:30 on the clock. That excellent snap from Acres gives the Blues half a sniff. Can the Giants lock this down?

Another Michael Walters goal late came from back-to-back 50m penalties, which just about sums up Richmond's third quarter.

It's getting out of hand for the Tigers now, who are in damage limitation mode with a quarter to play.

Really crafty banana in congestion from Kennedy, and it's an 18-point margin now.

4:23 on the clock. It's not quite impossible, and that's enough to keep the Blues interested.

The Dockers are thinking about percentage now, and the chance to run away to a very handy win indeed.

It's out to 41 points now late in the third, and Freo are showing no signs of slowing down.

A bit of good fortune there for Charlie, who has had a very quiet night but now has a goal to his name.

It really did just fall into his lap there in the goalsquare, but he acted quickly to chuck it on the boot and through the big sticks. Jack Buckley is furious with the defensive lapse.

Any Carlton comeback is going to be extra tough from here. And it won't surprise you to learn that goal came from another big Jesse Hogan contested grab.

Instead of lining up for his sixth, Hogan squared it to Ward directly in front and 20 metres out. Never in doubt.

The sub has made it a 36-point game at Perth Stadium, sneaking out the back to crumb and goal.

A bit of spice in the celebration from Sonny too, which is very much his style. The Dockers are taking the game away from Richmond now.

Back to 24 points now thanks to an accurate set shot from Kennedy, with 13 minutes still left to play.

You can never say never in a game like this. But the Blues will have to be perfect from here.

How many efforts from Freddy in that play? He popped up in every part of that chain from half-back to full forward and eventually finished the job with a cool snap.

The Dockers are out by five goals now and it's looking pretty tough for Richmond.

That goal gets it back to 29 points, under five goals. Possible, in theory.

The kick from Curnow to find McKay in the goalsquare was fantastic, an absolute laser from 60 metres out from goal.