Ultimate form guide: How every Collingwood and Brisbane player has performed in 2023 finals series
Are you wondering who is in form and who has struggled to find the footy in September ahead of the 2023 AFL Grand Final?
We've got you covered.
After every game this finals series, SEN.com.au has graded all players on the ground for their performances.
Collingwood and Brisbane have both played two finals on their way to the final Saturday in September.
Here's how we saw every performance for all players set to take to the field on Saturday.
EVERY PLAYER GRADED IN THE COLLINGWOOD VERSUS MELBOURNE QUALIFYING FINAL EVERY PLAYER GRADED IN THE BRISBANE VERSUS PORT ADELAIDE QUALIFYING FINAL
EVERY PLAYER GRADED IN THE BRISBANE VERSUS CARLTON PRELIMINARY FINAL
EVERY PLAYER GRADED IN THE COLLINGWOOD VERSUS GWS PRELIMINARY FINAL
Collingwood
Nathan Murphy (B-, C+):
Qualifying Final: Beat Jacob van Rooyen. Job done.
Preliminary Final: Kept Jake Riccardi goalless, can’t ask for much more as a key defender.
Darcy Moore (B+, C+):
Qualifying Final: Solid down back as always.
Preliminary Final: Was solid down back, nothing to rave about.
Isaac Quaynor (A, A+):
Qualifying Final: Makes this Collingwood side tick. Another good performance.
Preliminary Final: How solid is this kid, week in week out.
Brayden Maynard (B, C+):
Qualifying Final: Faces a very nervous wait for the Match Review officer findings tomorrow. Still very good.
Preliminary Final: One of his quieter games, but he did his job as a defender.
Oleg Markov (C+, C+):
Qualifying Final: Preferred over John Noble. Didn't really impact, but didn't matter.
Preliminary Final: What a moment he had in that third quarter on the members wing, he didn’t do much attacking from defence, however.
Scott Pendlebury (D, A-): Quiet night by his standards.
Qualifying Final: Quiet night by his standards.
Preliminary Final: Typical Pendlebury performance, bloke's a star, what do you expect.
Steele Sidebottom (A, B-):
Qualifying Final: Ageing like fine wine. Such a finals footballer.
Preliminary Final: Did some silly things which we aren’t used to, but his intelligence was a clear feature of his game tonight.
Josh Daicos (D-, C ):
Qualifying Final: Dirty night for the All-Australian.
Preliminary Final: Started the game in fine style but eased out of the contests in the middle part of the game.
Bobby Hill (A, C ):
Qualifying Final: One of his side’s best on a night where his class shone out.
Preliminary Final: Kicked an important goal to stop the orange tsunami in the third quarter but like Elliott, he probably needs to get into the game more.
Brody Mihocek (B, C):
Qualifying Final: Battled hard all night and importantly didn’t allow Steven May to dominate.
Preliminary Final: Kicked a goal and offered a contest for the whole game, they need him to kick more goals next week.
Jeremy Howe (B, B+):
Qualifying Final: Another strong performance from one of Collingwood’s most important defenders.
Preliminary Final: Typical Jeremy Howe performance, 17 touches and 10 marks, he’s one of the best intercept defenders the game has ever seen.
Jamie Elliott (C-, C+): Missed a couple of gettable shots. Not his night.
Qualifying Final: Missed a couple of gettable shots. Not his night.
Preliminary Final: Wasn’t sighted apart from the third, needs to add another string to his bow.
Jordan De Goey (C+, A+):
Qualifying Final: Looked sore after hurting his knee. Still was decent and kicked an important goal.
Preliminary Final: What a player, best on ground by a mile.
Mason Cox (B, B):
Qualifying Final: One of Collingwood’s best. Was beaten by Max Gawn but matched him early when the game was there to be won.
Preliminary Final: Started the game incredibly well and kicked a crucial goal in the last quarter.
Beau McCreery (B, C+):
Qualifying Final: Did his job. Looked dangerous at times.
Preliminary Final: One of his quieter performances for the year, expected more from the high pressure forward in a close Preliminary Final.
Jack Crisp (A, A+):
Qualifying Final: Massive performance from the consistent performer. Drove with the legs all night and kicked a massive goal.
Preliminary Final: Was the fire starter for the Pies. He constantly took the game on as he’s done all year. When they were struggling, he inspired his teammates to play like they've played all year. Star.
Patrick Lipinski (D, C+):
Qualifying Final: Never really was a factor.
Preliminary Final: Poor first half but lifted significantly in the second half.
Tom Mitchell (B, B):
Qualifying Final: Knows his role and plays it well.
Preliminary Final: Worked his way into the game, was really composed late in the game.
Darcy Cameron (C+, C):
Qualifying Final: Cox the better of the two Pies ruckmen. Was subbed out for Jack Ginnivan in the final term.
Preliminary Final: Cox was definitely the better ruckman out of the two, but Cameron was still okay.
Will Hoskin-Elliott (A, D+):
Qualifying Final: Much maligned by some Collingwood fans but in a big final, he stood up superbly.
Preliminary Final: 10 disposals as a winger doesn’t really cut it, does it?
Nick Daicos: (C+)
Qualifying Final: N/A
Preliminary Final: Worked into the game but wasn’t at is normal silky best.
Jack Ginnivan (Sub, Sub):
Qualifying Final: A ball of energy. Always finds a way to impact, even after coming on in the final quarter.
Preliminary Final: Was monumental when subbed into this game, finished with seven touches for the quarter.
Billy Frampton (N/A): Yet to play this finals series
Brisbane
Hugh McCluggage (A+, C+)
Qualifying Final: Did the damage by foot. Clearly the best player on the ground alongside Rayner when the game was on the line.
Preliminary Final: Missed a couple of chances to shut the door on Carlton and finished with 0.2 from 15 touches. Still creative with ball in hand.
Cam Rayner (A+, D)
Qualifying Final: The former number one draft pick was the difference maker, with three goals. Kane Cornes labelled his performance "Leigh Matthews like".
Preliminary Final: A quiet game from the former no.1 pick with no discernable influence on the contest, despite looking a presence on occasions.
Joe Daniher: (A+, B+)
Qualifying Final: Took his opportunities, booted 5, looked dangerous all game.
Preliminary Final: Was involved in everything Brisbane did as they got on a role early in the second term. Two goals.
Josh Dunkley (A, A)
Qualifying Final: With Neale well held, Dunkley stepped up.
Preliminary Final: Did a fantastic role shutting down Patrick Cripps while having an influence back his own way. The pick of Brisbane’s midfielders.
Jaspa Fletcher (A, C+)
Qualifying Final: Breakout game for Fletcher in his first final.
Preliminary Final: Didn’t appear to have an influence on the contest with his 11 touches but ran hard and made plenty of space to take eight marks.
Oscar McInerney (B+, A)
Qualifying Final: Didn't win the hit-out numbers wise, but was clearly the better ruckman and gave his midfield better supply.
Preliminary Final: In Brisbane’s top three players, if not his side’s best. Got the better of Carlton’s ruck duo, kicked two goals and had six clearances.
Keidean Coleman (B, A+)
Qualifying Final: N/A
Preliminary Final: What a game to play on the biggest stage of your career. Barely made a mistake at all, whether by execution or decision. But it wasn’t just his offensive game that had him among the best afield given he also had a game-high 11 intercepts.
Conor McKenna (B, A)
Qualifying Final: Provided a lot of drive out of defence all game.
Preliminary Final: Some of his foot skills to get Brisbane out of trouble simply can’t be measured. An elite game.
Brandon Starcevich (B, C+)
Qualifying Final: N/A
Preliminary Final: Not the elite defensive efforts he can deliver but was part of a backline that conceded just nine majors for the game.
Lincoln McCarthy (B, A)
Qualifying Final: Hit the scoreboard. Most of his touches were score involvements.
Preliminary Final: Laid a game-high seven tackles and had plenty of pressure acts. His two goals complemented a perfect small forward’s game.
Darcy Wilmot (B, B+)
Qualifying Final: N/A
Preliminary Final: This kid is growing in front of our eyes. Never took a backwards step and didn’t just intercept, but rebounded strongly when it was his turn.
Eric Hipwood (C+, B)
Qualifying Final: Missed early chances, but had an impact generally.
Preliminary Final: An important game from the key tall. Got Brisbane’s first when nothing was going to plan while his speed and agility were on show for much of the contest.
Callum Ah Chee (C+, N/A)
Qualifying Final: N/A
Preliminary Final: Played through a corked quad before being subbed off late for Jarryd Lyons.
Harris Andrews (C+)
Qualifying Final: Wasn't a hugely impactful night for the skipper, but a good second half when the sting was out of the game.
Preliminary Final: An outstanding game. Wore Carltons tall forwards like a glove for much of the contest and played a massive role in Carlton’s stuttering attack in the middle stages.
Dayne Zorko (C+, B-)
Qualifying Final: Not a high disposal game, but was impactful in moments.
Preliminary Final: Had over 300 metres gained in the second term as Brisbane got on a roll. Quietened down from there but when the whips were cracking, he had an impact.
Charlie Cameron (C+, B)
Qualifying Final: Well-held by Ryan Burton, but got free for a moment and snagged two crucial goals.
Preliminary Final: 1.3 from 10 possessions tells the story of how Saturday’s contest could have been one Cameron tore to shreds. Lucky some misses didn’t come back to bite.
Zac Bailey (C, B-)
Qualifying Final: Quiet after the opening goal of the game
Preliminary Final: No scoreboard impact but 19 disposals tells the tale of another consistent performance from the Lions small forward.
Jarrod Berry (C, B+)
Qualifying Final: N/A
Preliminary Final: One of the toughest players on the ground who was the difference maker in several chains for the Lions.
Ryan Lester (C, A-)
Qualifying Final: N/A
Preliminary Final: A surprise contender to be among Brisbane’s best. The unsung hero even kicked a goal from defence and played a key role in thwarting the Blues.
Lachie Neale (C-, B+)
Qualifying Final: Successively negated by Willem Drew. Had a few late possessions.
Preliminary Final: 23 disposals but had more impact than that given his ball use. Won the most clearances (eight) of any player on the ground.
Deven Robertson (D+, C-)
Qualifying Final: A mostly quiet game for Robertson.
Preliminary Final: A quiet game for the young midfielder with only 11 possessions despite enough time on ground to have a bigger influence. Largely pushed to half-forward.
Darcy Gardiner (B-)
Qualifying Final:
Preliminary Final: Came in as Jack Payne’s replacement and had an influence himself with six intercepts and three score involvements down back.
Jarryd Lyons (Sub, Sub)
Qualifying Final: The sub. Kicked a goal with his first touch of the evening.
Preliminary Final: N/A