The games are coming thick and fast and the players are continuing to put on a show in trying circumstances.
Who were the stand out performers from Round 9 and whose game needs to get a little bit better?
See below who stood out and who must improve from each of the 18 clubs.
Stood out: Tom Lynch
On what was a another dirty day for the Crows, Lynch did as much as he could for his team. He finished with 24 disposals, the most for the side, while providing five inside 50s and gaining over 420 metres. Lynch operated as the link man between defence and attack, getting right up the ground with his elite work rate, as is customary for him. He’s a tireless worker but he didn’t have too many joining him as the Crows were again belted up.
Must improve: Riley Knight
It’s hard to throw just one player under the bus after such a poor team effort but a player with over 50 games of experience should be contributing more. Knight had just three touches in 77% game time and although he tried hard at times with five tackles, his attacking output was nowhere near enough. Even after returning from an achilles injury, which prompts some leniency, no doubt the Crows would expect a little more than less than one possession per quarter. He was a key part of the Adelaide side in its run to the 2017 Grand Final so expect him to bounce back as he’ll be better for the run.
Andrew Slevison
Stood out: Lachie Neale
It feels like a cop-out putting Neale here, but we haven’t actually used him all year, looking to spotlight those who do not normally receive as many plaudits. Neale deserves some applause, however, as barring injury he seemingly has the Brownlow Medal sewn up. He’ll likely poll another three votes following his 33-disposal two-goal effort against the Bombers and some predictors have him almost 10 votes clear of the pack. At this point, it is hard to see anyone catching him.
Must improve: Eric Hipwood
This is being picky, and we have to be given the Lions crushed Essendon and had no passengers in doing so, but they will be hoping Eric Hipwood takes another step forward across the back half of this year and leading into finals. He had eight disposals and kicked a goal, but only took two marks and was mostly absent as the Lions dominated. With Daniel McStay injured, the pressure will come at some stage for Hipwood to be a marking presence and kick a few more goals than he has been of late.
Nic Negrepontis
Stood out: Jack Martin
On a night where the majority of Carlton’s players had poor games, Jack Martin got the job done. He booted two goals and picked up 15 disposals in the loss to Hawthorn. Martin started the game in his usual role across half-forward, but was moved on-ball when it became clear the Hawks were getting on top. His versatility remains key for the Blues going forward. There weren’t many positives for the Blues across the board.
Must improve: Callum Moore
Carlton’s forward line relies on having three key forwards. One stretching the defence deep and two pushing up the ground as marking targets down the line. They create space for each other and force defenders into one-on-one situations. When one isn’t dangerous, the whole system falls apart as we saw against Hawthorn. James Sicily played on Callum Moore and ran off him at every opportunity, making life hard for Harry McKay and Levi Casboult. Moore finished with four disposals, two marks and no scoreboard impact a week after a very similar stat line. Mitch McGovern isn’t likely to face West Coast on Sunday and it might be time for Carlton to give young ruck hybrid Tom De Koning a shot.
Nic Negrepontis
Stood out: Steele Sidebottom
Sidebottom looked like a man who wanted to make it up to his teammates on Sunday night and stepped straight back in like he hadn’t missed a beat following his four-game suspension. He picked up 25 disposals, took four marks, had four inside 50s and kicked two goals in an excellent performance. Sidebottom kicked a goal late in the game to get the Magpies right back in it and looked like being the hero before Fremantle managed to hang on. Without Scott Pendlebury, the onus will be on Sidebottom to lead Collingwood and he did just that in his return.
Must improve: Will Hoskin-Elliott
Putting it simply, Collingwood needs Will Hoskin-Elliott to do more than he has this year. Jordan de Goey is out for the season, Jamie Elliott and Jaidyn Stephenson are picking up more midfield slack, they can’t work out their secondary key forward position and Brody Mihocek can only do so much. Hoskin-Elliott has all the skills to be a reliable forward, but he has only kicked seven goals this year and averages 11 disposals. He kicked one goal against Fremantle, but only touched the ball seven times and took two marks.
Nic Negrepontis
Stood out: Sam Draper
On a dirty night for the Bombers, 21-year-old ruckman Sam Draper’s debut was a shining light for Dons fans. There’s been plenty of hype surrounding Draper, who last year knocked back a big-money offer from St Kilda to re-sign with the club. His qualities as both a tap ruckman, a genuine presence in the middle as well as being dangerous as a marking target around the ground is something Essendon has needed for a while and he showed glimpses of all those aspects against the Lions on Friday night. His big contested grab in the third quarter was a highlight.
Must improve: Essendon’s forward line
There are all manner of questions that Essendon need to answer in the coming weeks as they fight for their place in the finals but what is clear is their current smaller forward line setup isn’t working. They kicked a single goal after half-time in a match that saw them kick just three majors across the entire night. They’ve got to find the right mix up forward because as Friday night proved, it’s clearly impacting the side against really good teams such as Brisbane.
Laurence Rosen
Stood out: Matt Taberner
We’ve called out Matt Taberner this year in weeks where he’s had to improve so it’s only fair he’s lauded when he plays well. He was one of the key reasons Fremantle were able to first blunt Collingwood’s attack early and then after quarter time take control of the match. The Dockers were able to find a good balance in their forward 50 and Taberner’s four straight goals were reward for effort. Between Mitch Crowden and Lachie Schultz as smaller types and Taberner combining with Rory Lobb, Justin Longmuir may have stumbled on a potent forward mix.
Must improve: Brandon Matera
It’s hard to find a negative in Fremantle’s impressive performance on Sunday night but Brandon Matera was quiet and would want to improve on his six-disposal performance, where he was also held goalless. The 28-year-old has had a quiet season so far, only kicking three goals in the five matches he’s played. With his contract up at the end of the year, he’s got a fight on his hands to both keep his place in the side and earn a new deal for 2021 and beyond.
Laurence Rosen
Stood out: Tom Stewart
Tom Stewart’s performance against West Coast was undoubtedly his best this season. Stewart missed several weeks through injury but his return is important to the structure of Geelong’s defence. The dual All-Australian had 11 intercepts, gave the Cats plenty of drive off half-back with 489 metres gained and collected 22 disposals at 86 per cent efficiency. He also took 10 marks against a potent Eagles forward line.
Must improve: Gary Rohan
Gary Rohan was unable to provide a spark in the loss to West Coast. The forward was held goalless for a second consecutive week and finished with a game-low three disposals in a finals-type encounter at Optus Stadium. The former Swan isn’t a big disposal winner but he must find a way to contribute more when it comes to scoring or assisting inside 50.
Alex Zaia
Stood out: Ben Ainsworth
It was a tough day for the Suns but one man who stood out was Ben Ainsworth, who was a potent target in the middle and across half-forward. 14 touches and a season-best nine marks as well as a goal was a healthy return in a side which struggled to deal with the Giants on Sunday. There’s plenty of talk around the exciting next generation of stars building on the Gold Coast and Ainsworth deserves to be mentioned alongside the likes of Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell and more.
Must improve: Ben King
Ben King is one of Gold Coast’s most important players when up and running but for the second straight week, he was unable to make any discernible impact on the game. A goal from the square was his only real contribution on a day where Lachie Keeffe beat him for both size and strength. He’s in no danger of losing his place in the side considering how good he’s looked in matches this season but Stuart Dew will be wanting more out of the prodigious talent.
Laurence Rosen
Stood out: Zac Williams
In his first appearance since Round 4, Williams was a driving force for the Giants in their hard-fought win over the Suns. He amassed a season-high 26 disposals with his customary run off half-back resulting in an equal game-best six rebound 50s. It was evident that the Giants wanted the ball in Williams’ hands, allowing him to kick it 20 times which gave them first look out of defence and saw him gain almost 460 metres. A player of his calibre at his absolute best is vital for the Giants as they look to put an indifferent first half of the season behind them.
Must improve: Toby Greene’s hamstring
The Giants’ main man was struck down with a hamstring injury in the first quarter which must be a worry for the club’s medical staff yet again. Just when it was looking good for GWS, their match-winner goes down in a crucial stage of the season. Injuries to star players have plagued the club for the last few years and they would be ruing the loss of Greene for the next few weeks. Luckily the Giants get a bye in Round 11 and hopefully for them the injury isn’t too serious.
Andrew Slevison
Stood out: Tom Mitchell
Saturday was Mitchell’s most damaging game of the season by far. He led the way in the come-from-behind win over Carlton, collecting 28 possessions which amassed almost 460 metres gained - well above his season average coming into the round. He is such a vital player for the Hawks and he showed why with his ability as both an inside and outside midfielder. The 2018 Brownlow Medallist provided five inside 50s, had five clearances and laid eight tackles, providing plenty in attack and defence. Mitchell’s contested work, along with that of James Worpel, was one of the major factors as to why the Hawks were able to get the game back on their terms.
Must improve: Jack Scrimshaw
The normally composed Scrimshaw did not use the ball as well as he would have liked. He had it 11 times and went at just 45% efficiency, while giving away a few free kicks in what was a somewhat untidy performance. That’s two games in a row his disposal efficiency has been at 50% or below and he’ll no doubt want to clean that up given his usual high standards with his ball use.
Andrew Slevison
Stood out: Steven May
It’s hard to find a positive out of Melbourne’s heavy defeat on Port Adelaide but May’s defensive job on Charlie Dixon was a clear standout on a disappointing night for Simon Goodwin side. May also had 17 disposals at an impressive 82 per cent kicking efficiency, highlighting his ability to win the ball while also keeping Port Adelaide’s most dangerous forward to just one goal and five touches.
Must improve: Ball use inside 50
‘Connection’ has been the buzz word at Melbourne so far this season. When they’ve got forward connectively right, they’ve usually won but when things break down forward of centre, they’re struggled badly. Unfortunately for an under-fire Simon Goodwin, their forward line broke down again on Wednesday night. Port Adelaide had 17 more inside 50s but when Melbourne did go forward, they had just 12 shots from 31 entries. It remains an area of significant concern.
Laurence Rosen
Stood out: Luke Davies-Uniacke
It was a glorious afternoon to be a Roos fan, with stand outs across the board. Cam Zurhaar booted three goals, Luke McDonald got as much of the footy as he wanted, Majak Daw made a triumphant return, but North Melbourne fans would be especially pleased with Luke Davies-Uniacke. Drafted in the top five of the 2017 National Draft, the Kangaroos would have high hopes for the midfielder long-term, but he has had a slow start to his career. Against Adelaide he kicked two goals and found 17 disposals in what was a great sign of things to come.
Must improve: Aiden Bonar
The Roos hardly put a foot out of place on Saturday in their 69-point win over Adelaide. The only player who had a relatively quiet day was Aiden Bonar, who was the inclusion who replaced the omitted Jared Polec. Playing on-ball and across half-back, he finished with 12 disposals and 78 metres gained. Given the big win and Polec’s standing in the side, it’s hard to see how he keeps his place ahead of him.
Nic Negrepontis
Stood out: Travis Boak
Travis Boak was hugely influential in Port Adelaide’s belting of Melbourne. After a quiet outing in the Round 8 loss to St Kilda, Boak bounced back in a big way with an equal game-high 25 disposals, eight clearances, nine score involvements, 363 metres gained and a last quarter goal to put an exclamation mark on a superb performance against the Demons.
Must improve: Brad Ebert
It was difficult to single out a Port Adelaide player because it was such an even team performance on Thursday night. Brad Ebert can certainly improve on his 10-disposal output going forward. The Power veteran’s numbers have been slightly down since he was suspended in Round 6 and he was below his best against the Demons before copping an injury that ruled him out of Monday night's game against the Western Bulldogs.
Alex Zaia
Stood out: Noah Balta and Dustin Martin
Developing youngster Balta is nicely growing into his role as a key defender in the absence of David Astbury. Against the Bulldogs, he showed why there are comparisons to Tigers favourite Alex Race with his athleticism and raw football ability. Included in Balta’s 15 disposals were a team-high nine intercepts, a pair of crucial contested marks and some quality rebound not usually reserved for players of his build. The Tigers have been patient with the 20-year-old and that patience is starting to pay dividends.
A nod must go to Dustin Martin who was by far the best player on the ground. He was in a rampaging mood, finishing with 26 touches and three goals - two of which were quite outrageous. He also had eight inside 50s, nine score involvements and at times bullied his Dogs opponents. It was an ominous warning to the rest of the competition from Dusty.
Must improve: Sydney Stack’s confidence
The defensive side of Stack’s game was great, leading the way with seven tackles and finishing the night as Richmond’s best pressure player. But that assuredness with ball in hand last season appears to be missing. Stack had just eight touches and chose to handball on six occasions. We have come to know him as a smooth mover with nice kicking skills but he looked to be lacking a little bit of confidence in his return to the side. His cleanliness with the ball was not quite there and his decision making left a bit to be desired. There’s no doubting his talent, however, and with some continuity in the team that confidence will surely return sooner rather than later.
Andrew Slevison
Stood out: Nick Hind
St Kilda livewire Nick Hind had a breakout game in the win over Sydney. Hind’s explosive pace and infectious energy adds to the Saints’ revamped forward line setup and his three-goal performance against the Swans was his best return from his 15 matches at AFL level. Signed as a mature-aged recruit from Essendon’s VFL side, the 25-year-old had a career-high best 16 disposals, six score involvements and 320 metres gained against the Swans.
Must improve: Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker’s hasn’t quite grabbed his chance since his senior recall in Round 8. Parker battled hard against Sydney laying four tackles and contributing to three score involvements, but the forward failed to hit the scoreboard for a second consecutive week. With Jack Lonie waiting in the wings the 24-year-old’s spot is likely to be a topic of discussion at selection ahead of Thursday night's match against Gold Coast.
Alex Zaia
Stood out: James Rowbottom
The development of youngster James Rowbottom has been one positive Sydney can take out of what has been a trying season so far. The 19-year-old brings bundles of energy and youthful exuberance to the table and that was again on show against St Kilda. Rowbottom led the Swans for tackles (six) and clearances (seven), providing much-needed midfielder support to co-captain Luke Parker.
Must improve: Nick Blakey
Nick Blakey’s struggles continued in Sydney’s heavy defeat to the Saints. The young Swan’s confidence took another hit when he missed a sitter in front of goal late in the first quarter. It proved very costly as St Kilda answered with back-to-back goals to take an eight-point lead into the first change. With one goal in his last six matches the youngster could be taken out of the firing line for Thursday night’s match against Collingwood.
Alex Zaia
Stood out: Dom Sheed
When the Eagles were struggling in the first half, Sheed was their shining light. He helped keep them within striking distance of the Cats with a pair of first-half goals doubled with some big contested ball wins. He finished the game with 24 possessions (15 contested), plus six clearances, six score involvements and four inside 50s. It wasn’t his cleanest game by any means, as he went at less than 60% efficiency, but Sheed cracked in all night and although some others - namely Josh Kennedy and Nic Naitanui contributed heavily to the winning result at the end - the midfielder did his best work early when West Coast needed him most.
Must improve: Jackson Nelson
Nelson has been building a nice season but his performance against Geelong was certainly not his best. He had just two kicks, eight touches total, zero rebound 50s and a team-low four metres gained. He has been growing in confidence as the season has gone on so this was perhaps just a little blip on the radar. Cannot be too critical though as Nelson has played a key role out of the back half for Adam Simpson in 2020.
Andrew Slevison
Stood out: Jack Macrae
On what was a down night for the Bulldogs, Jack Macrae accumulated a ridiculous 37 disposals. This is even more impressive given the reduced quarter length. Macrae took on a huge load in the midfield and did it despite Ivan Soldo controlling the ruck. He finished with seven score involvements, four tackles, four clearances and four inside 50s for the night. Macrae has become an ultra-consistent performer for the Bulldogs and performs regardless of the team’s inconsistencies.
Must improve: Sam Lloyd
Lloyd returned from injury and didn’t have any impact against his old side. The Bulldogs lacked potency going forward and need players to stand up. They only had three goal kickers in Mitch Wallis, Josh Bruce and Laitham Vandermeer and need a veteran like Lloyd to stand up. He finished with just the six disposals, one mark and no impact on the scoreboard.
Nic Negrepontis