Flips, Kicks and Goals: The Top Five Moments of AFL Round Three

Young guns stood tall this week.

Round three of the AFL is done and dusted – this weekend boasted a couple of cross-town rivalries, some huge upsets and some absolutely stellar goalkicking moments.

Here’s the top five moments of round three, ranked.

5. The Saints get 150.

Playing footy for 150 years is no easy feat – but on Saturday evening, the Saints reached a mighty milestone.

Established way back in 1873, St Kilda is the seventh-youngest AFL club.

Despite having won just one premiership over the past century and a half, the Saints turned it on to celebrate in a big way.

There was some appearances from Saints royalty, including legendary players like Nicky Winmar and the rarely-seen all-time goals record-holder, Tony Lockett.

The Saints backed up their big day with a win over Essendon, remaining undefeated in 2023.

4. Riley Thrill-thorpe.

The SA Showdown always boasts some massive moments, and this year’s Port Adelaide-Adelaide clash was no exception.

Memories are still fresh of Jordan Dawson’s massive after-the-siren kick to win last year – Jordan Dawson may have picked up the Showdown Medal on the weekend, but our props have to go to Riley Thilthorpe.

Thilthorpe kicked five goals in Adelaide’s 31-point win, but it was the huge backwards kick for a goal that caught our eye.

Textbook. Perfection. Thrill-thorpe.

3. The Freddy Flip.

Over in WA, another cross-town clash took place as West Coast and Fremantle clashed in the Western Derby.

West Coast were embattled by injuries throughout, and Fremantle stood tall in the end. But one player flew higher than the rest.

After kicking his second goal of the night, Fremantle speedster Michael Frederick, very casually, but with perfect form, performed a backflip in celebration.

*Chef’s kiss*.

2. Three on Debut for Roo.

In a potentially top-four clash, Melbourne absolutely dominated Sydney at the MCG on Sunday, defeating the Swans by 50 points.

There was heaps of multiple-goal scorers for Melbourne, but one young gun stood tall.

The 19-year-old Jacob Van Rooyen played his first AFL game, and impressed all round, kicking three huge goals and supplied a goal to Alex Neal-Bullen.

1. Jamarra Stands Up.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan had a potentially tough week ahead of him, after he was unfortunately the subject of racism at last week’s clash against St Kilda.

Facing a potentially tough opponent in Brisbane, the former number-one pick had one of the best games of his career, kicking five goals, and taking his side to a win with the final goal of the game.

The highlight of the night came when Jamarra lifted his shirt akin to Nicky Winmar’s now iconic stand against racism in 1993.