AFL Round 9 2026: Cats Demolish Pies, Freo Stamp Top-4 Credentials

If you played our AFL Round 9 preview and predictions, the Fremantle, Sydney, Geelong and Gold Coast reads all landed comfortably, with Brisbane and Melbourne adding to the chalk. The two-point Bulldogs win at Adelaide Oval was the round’s biggest variance play. Below: every Round 9 final score, the storylines that mattered, and what the ladder looks like heading into Round 10.

Round 9 Match Results Summary

Date	Home	Score	Away	Venue	Margin
Thu 7 May	Fremantle	15.16 (106) — 12.1 (73)	Hawthorn	Optus Stadium	FRE by 33
Fri 8 May	Brisbane Lions	16.4 (100) — 14.5 (89)	Carlton	Gabba	BRI by 11
Fri 8 May	Port Adelaide	12.0 (72) — 12.2 (74)	Western Bulldogs	Adelaide Oval	WBD by 2
Sat 9 May	North Melbourne	15.7 (97) — 17.7 (109)	Sydney	Marvel Stadium	SYD by 12
Sat 9 May	GWS	17.1 (103) — 14.11 (95)	Essendon	ENGIE Stadium	GWS by 8
Sat 9 May	Gold Coast	14.7 (91) — 9.6 (60)	St Kilda	TIO Stadium (Darwin)	GCS by 31
Sat 9 May	Geelong	20.2 (122) — 11.4 (70)	Collingwood	MCG	GEE by 52
Sun 10 May	Melbourne	16.3 (99) — 10.7 (67)	West Coast	Marvel Stadium	MEL by 32
Sun 10 May	Adelaide	15.8 (98) — 9.7 (61)	Richmond	MCG	ADE by 37

 

Key Storylines and Analysis

Geelong Demolish the Magpies in 52-Point MCG Statement

The standout result of the round and a flag-credentials statement from Geelong. The Cats 20.2 (122) defeated Collingwood 11.4 (70) at the MCG by 52 points, kicking 11 goals to four after half-time to put the Pies away. The Geelong midfield was a class above on the night — Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Atkins and Bailey Smith all rolled big numbers — and the forward line operated like a finals team. Collingwood pay for their patchy form; after the R8 draw with Hawthorn they now drop a second result in three weeks and the top-four conversation moves on without them. Geelong now look the most rounded mid-table side in the competition.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Collingwood and Geelong, check out our full Collingwood vs Geelong head-to-head record & tips →.

Fremantle Top-4 Stamp Over Hawthorn

Fremantle made the perfect Thursday-night opener — 15.16 (106) defeated Hawthorn 12.1 (73) at Optus Stadium by 33 points. Hawthorn came into the round riding the high of the R8 siren draw with Collingwood but Fremantle’s pressure-driven game plan strangled them from the opening bounce. Caleb Serong was best on ground, the contested numbers were a blowout, and the Dockers’ fortress-Optus record is now the most reliable home-ground edge in the competition. Fremantle (7-2) lock in second on the ladder with a percentage that’s now genuinely top-four credible. Hawthorn drop to 5-3-1 and slip out of the top four.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Fremantle and Hawthorn, check out our full Fremantle vs Hawthorn head-to-head record & tips →.

Bulldogs End Four-Game Losing Streak in Adelaide Oval Thriller

The most dramatic finish of the round. Western Bulldogs 12.2 (74) defeated Port Adelaide 12.0 (72) at Adelaide Oval by a two-point margin — the Dogs’ first win in five weeks after a four-game losing streak that had their season in genuine question. The match was a defensive grind throughout (low scoring by AFL 2026 standards), with both sides struggling to convert inside-50 entries into multiple-major sequences. Marcus Bontempelli was again the difference for the Dogs late, and the win arrests the most surprising mid-table slide of the season. Port Adelaide drop another tight one — their second one-or-two-point home loss in three weeks.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Adelaide and Western Bulldogs, check out our full Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs head-to-head record & tips →.

Adelaide Halt Richmond’s Bid for Back-to-Back Wins

After breaking through in R8 against West Coast, Richmond were quickly back in the losing column. Adelaide 15.8 (98) defeated Richmond 9.7 (61) at the MCG by 37 points in a clinical Sunday performance from the Crows. Riley Thilthorpe kicked four, Adelaide’s forward pressure was the difference, and the Crows have now won three of their last four to climb the bottom-half of the eight. Richmond’s promising R8 performance against the Eagles looks more like a one-off than a turnaround — the Tigers face Brisbane next week.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Adelaide and Richmond, check out our full Adelaide vs Richmond head-to-head record & tips →.

Suns Cruise in Darwin, Continue Top-4 Push

Gold Coast travelled north for the Top End round and dispatched St Kilda 14.7 (91) to 9.6 (60) at TIO Stadium by 31 points. The Suns are now genuinely in the top-four conversation, building a percentage advantage that puts them in good ladder position over the bye-round period. Mac Andrew was best on ground in defence; Sam Flanders rolled big numbers through the middle. St Kilda’s R8 form dip continues — their April momentum has gone cold.

 

Match-by-Match Review

Brisbane Survive Carlton’s Best Effort at the Gabba

Brisbane 16.4 (100) defeated Carlton 14.5 (89) at the Gabba by 11 points. Carlton played their best four-quarter game of the season and made the Lions sweat — but Brisbane’s midfield depth (Will Ashcroft, Lachie Neale, Hugh McCluggage) closed it out in the final term. The Lions to 6-3; Carlton’s 1-7 ledger reads worse than the second-half of their R9 performance suggests.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Brisbane and Carlton, check out our full Brisbane vs Carlton head-to-head record & tips →.

Sydney Hold Off North in Marvel Test

A closer-than-expected contest at Marvel — Sydney 17.7 (109) defeated North Melbourne 15.7 (97) by 12 points. The Swans were on top throughout but North’s energy and pressure in the contested ball stages made the margin tighter than the chalk required. Isaac Heeney was again the matchwinner; Errol Gulden and Chad Warner contributed across the four quarters. Sydney remain top of the ladder at 7-1; North slip to 3-6 with their season starting to look more like an early-season flatter.

GWS Squeeze Past Essendon at ENGIE Stadium

GWS 17.1 (103) defeated Essendon 14.11 (95) at Sydney Showground by 8 points. Tom Green was outstanding in the midfield, Jesse Hogan kicked 5 inside 50, and the Giants get the win they needed to keep finals hopes alive. Essendon’s last-quarter fade after they led at three-quarter time will hurt — the Bombers now sit 1-8 and look genuine wooden-spoon contenders.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Essendon and GWS, check out our full Essendon vs GWS head-to-head record & tips →.

Demons Quiet West Coast at Marvel

Melbourne 16.3 (99) defeated West Coast 10.7 (67) at Marvel Stadium by 32 points. A businesslike Demons performance — Kysaiah Pickett kicked four, Christian Petracca rolled big numbers, and the Demons take care of the bottom side of the table to keep their top-eight position locked in. West Coast remain a bottom-three side and continue to bleed contested possessions in the midfield.

 

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Melbourne and West Coast, check out our full Melbourne vs West Coast head-to-head record & tips →.

What This Means for the AFL Ladder

Sydney (7-1) hold top spot but Geelong’s percentage rocket and Fremantle’s structural form put the top-four conversation firmly on the table. The new top four — by current ladder logic — is Sydney, Fremantle, Geelong and either Hawthorn (5-3-1) or Brisbane (6-3). Hawthorn drop out of the top four after their Perth loss; Geelong leap up the four spots into clear top-four contention.

Below the line: Essendon (1-8), Carlton (1-8) and West Coast (2-7) remain off the pace, with Essendon now the clear wooden-spoon favourite. Richmond’s R8 win-and-R9-loss pattern looks like a one-off rather than a turnaround. The Bulldogs (5-4) arrest their slide with the two-pointer at Adelaide Oval and put themselves back in the finals conversation.

Build your own top-eight prediction with our AFL Ladder Predictor.

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