Round 20 Review

Collingwood (10.16.76) defeated by Carlton (14.9.93)

1. Charlie Curnow/Nic Newman (137.) Another massive game for Curnow saw him top score for the second week in a row, this week slotting 6 goals from 15 touches and 5 marks, while Newman was equally as good with 27 touches, 10 marks and 7 tackles for the game.
2. Darcy Cameron (127). Second week in a row Cameron has gone big, this week recording 12 touches, 31 hitouts, 5 marks, 4 tackles and 1 goal for the game.
3. Jeremy Howe (118). Ran at 100% DE with his 17 disposals and 10 marks, while being helped along by 3 last quarter goals.
4. Josh Daicos (107). 27 touches at a clean 85% DE for Jaicos, 1 goal too as he notched his twelfth ton of 2023.
5. Jacob Weitering (105). Did his job down back to round out the top 5, finding 18 disposals and 11 marks with plenty of intercept possessions.

Other 100+ scores: Adam Cerra (104), Patrick Cripps (100)

Disappointment: A popular VC pick on the Friday night stage, but it resulted in just 82 points for Nick Daicos due to poor DE% of 53%. Hewett (58) didn’t back up last week.

Rookies: Nothing substantial to cover here, moving along..

Injuries: Mason Cox was subbed out for the Pies after having little impact, while Cerra hit the ton before a hamstring saw him iced up.

Geelong (9.10.64) defeated by Fremantle (10.11.71)

1. Andrew Brayshaw (137). Led an unlikely victory with a very clean 28 touches in the middle of the ground, while also completing 11 tackles. Twelfth ton of the year.
2. Mitch Duncan (118). Found 27 touches (13 contested) plus 482 metres gained off half back for his third ton this season.
3. Lachlan Schultz (115). Guys popped off for a few nice games this year, his fifth ton coming courtesy of 19 touches and 2 goals being the link man, his second goal the eventual game winner.
4. Luke Ryan (112). Another ton for Ryan in 2023, he led the Dockers with 644 metres gained from his 28 touches and 6 marks.
5. Caleb Serong/Corey Wagner (110). Serong was right in the thick of it, having 29 touches (17 contested) plus 6 tackles and 7 clearances, while Wagner had a career game with 23 touches, 8 marks, 4 tackles and no clangers for a career best score.

Other 100+ scores: Alex Pearce (103), Tom Stewart (101)

Disappointment: Going to Jeremy Cameron (57) who kicked 1.5 from 13 touches and 10 marks, could’ve easily been 100+.

Rookies: Hamling (57) played game 3 and had 12 touches and 5 marks for the game while second gamer Stanley was subbed on for 3 touches and 11 points. Wagner has had his praises already.

Injuries: The Swiss Army knife Mark Blicavs was subbed off with a hamstring injury, a blow for the Cats, while Erasmus was the sub for the Dockers. Hawkins was also listed on the injury report with a hamstring concern.

 

Western Bulldogs (10.13.73) defeated by GWS (11.12.78)

1. Tim English (163). Cheat code. Briggs actually had a great battle with him but English dominated scoring again with 25 touches (15 contested), 8 marks, 5 tackles, 33 hitouts and 2 goals for the number 1 player in the SC game.
2. Adam Treloar (144). Best of the season for Treloar, he found 34 touches (15 contested) plus 7 clearances, 7 tackles, 2 goals and 594 metres gained in an elite performance.
3. Bailey Dale (139). Led the game with 793 metres gained from his 37 touches that included 31 kicks. 8 marks and 1 goal too. Up and down season sees him averaging 93.
4. Lachie Whitfield (137). Old school Whitfield game for the third week in a row. 36 touches, 9 marks, 469 metres gained and solid DE of 80%. Back to back 130’s.
5. Tom Liberatore (133). Just did his thing again with 35 touches (20 contested) plus 10 clearances and 5 tackles, fifteenth ton of his incredible 2023 season.

Other 100+ scores: Jack Macrae/Stephen Coniglio (122), Sam Taylor (107), Toby Greene (106), Keiran Briggs (104), Marcus Bontempelli (101)

Disappointment: Tough one to hand out with so many players scoring well, but if you’ve got either Daniel (35) or Himmelberg (72) as PODs between F/D, well these were well below desired.

Rookies: Once again a couple played but nothing noteworthy in this game.

Injuries: Carnage for the Dogs backline with Keath and Bruce finishing the game fairly early with concussion and a knee issue respectively. Cadman subbed off for GWS.

Gold Coast (15.6.96) defeated Brisbane (7.13.55)

1. Jarrod Witts (134). Started the year at +600K and if you picked him, there’s no complaints with a career best 111 point average. Another huge score here from 14 touches, 4 tackles and elite service with his 43 hitouts.
2. Josh Dunkley (133). A massive second half helped along Dunkley to this score, essentially 40 above the next best Lion. 30 touches (13 contested), 9 clearances, 10 tackles and 6 marks for the game.
3. Brandon Ellis (124). Third ton for Ellis in 2023, really solid game of 21 touches, 6 marks, 4 tackles and 1 goal while running at 85% DE.
4. Noah Anderson (118). 548 metres gained from his 29 touches after getting elite service from Witts. Kicked 1 goal too, plus 5 clearances and 7 marks.
5. Matt Rowell (109). Rounded out the five with another strong game at the coalface, 19 touches (12 contested), 13 tackles, 1 goal and 7 clearances.

Other 100+ scores: Rory Atkins (107), Touk Miller (106), Wil Powell (105),

Disappointment: Neale (87) used it well with no clangers and 88% DE, but only found 17 touches in a quiet game.

Rookies: Some nice scores in this one if you had to run these former rookies as cover. Wilmot (89) has been fantastic post bye, McKenna (78) faded but was nice. Humphrey (74) and King (87) hit the scoreboard, while Atkins is in elite form with another 28 touches and 564 metres gained for 107. Tunstill (7) was subbed on in game 2, 187K M.

Injuries: Rookie Fletcher was subbed off tactically, the same as Farrar. Although after the subs were done, McInerney and Coleman had ankle and head concerns.

 

Essendon (15.9.99) defeated by Sydney (15.11.101)

1. Errol Gulden (152). Poor last week but Gulden has been a star this season, this week having a game high 725 metres gained from his 37 touches. Also hauled in 10 marks, had 6 clearances and kicked 1 goal.
2. Zach Merrett (139). Has a history of finishing seasons strong, hopefully this is the start of it! 39 touches (17 contested), 9 clearances, 8 marks and 4 tackles to almost lead the Bombers to a come from behind win.
3. Jake Lloyd (127). First ton since round 14 for Lloyd, courtesy of good use of the footy, running at 87% DE with no clangers from his 31 touches and 8 marks.
4. Chad Warner (117). After three weeks off, Warner was quiet last week but back to his best here with 584 metres gained from his 26 touches (12 contested) plus 1 goal.
5. Dyson Heppell (116). 25 touches (10 contested) plus nice DE of 84% with 6 marks, 4 tackles and his second ton of the season.

Other 100+ scores: Harry Cunningham (105), Darcy Parish (101)

Disappointment: Mills (50) only found 14 touches while Martin (53) has been very quiet since reaching 577K.

Rookies: Bryan (84) has admittedly been doing nice work, this week having 15 touches and 29 hitouts, just wanted to shout that out. The rest of the rookies here didn’t make much impact.

Injuries: Big news footy wise with Franklin being subbed out with a calf injury really early. He was joined on the bench by Rampe for the same reason. Davey Jnr subbed out for Essendon.

 

Adelaide (16.16.112) defeated Port Adelaide (9.11.65)

1. Taylor Walker (157). Took home the showdown medal for his 7 goal performance. Dominated all night with 20 touches and 6 marks as he stays within touching distance for the Coleman.
2. Matt Crouch (144). Who knows why this guy fell out of favour. Clearly still has elite ball finding/AFL capabilities. Had a great game of 32 touches (15 contested), 12 clearances, 6 tackles while running @ 90% DE. Imagine a midfield of Crouch, Laird and Dawson.
3. Zak Butters (134). Cheapest he’s been since round 5 after a lean bunch of scores, Butters led Ports scoring thanks to 32 touches (15 contested) plus 6 clearances and solid DE of 81%.
4. Wayne Milera (132). Career high score for Milera who had 32 touches (13 contested) plus 672 metres gained off a half back flank.
5. Rory Laird (129). Back from a shoulder and showed minimal signs as he completed 13 tackles to pair with 26 touches (11 contested) for his fourteenth ton of the year.

Other 100+ scores: Dan Houston (122), Jordan Dawson (119), Connor Rozee (104), Darcy Fogarty/Mitchell Hinge (101)

Disappointment: Keays (77) was once again quiet, being plonked up forward more often than not.

Rookies: Couple of second gamers here in Nankervis (47) who had 15 touches and 5 marks, plus Visentini (24) who solo rucked for 24 hitouts and 8 touches. Evans (93) had a career high score from 4 goals and 14 touches. Former Collingwood Irish import Mark Keane made a club debut here for the Crows and had a great game of 13 touches, 7 marks and 92% DE for 86 points, he’s priced at 150K-D.

Injuries: Both Butts (foot) and Jones (head) were subbed off early with their respective injury’s. Bergman was also on the injury report with a groin issue.

Hawthorn (14.9.93) defeated by St Kilda (19.8.122)

1. Will Day (118). Another great score for Days back end of the season. Was thrown to a few roles but finished with a nice line of 22 touches, 11 marks and 90% DE. 1 goal as well.
2. Brad Crouch (117). Starred for the Saints with 32 touches (13 contested) in the middle of the ground, plus 8 clearances, 514 metres gained and 3 goals.
3. James Worpel (116). Elite game in the middle, collecting 30 touches (19 contested) plus 7 clearances and 4 tackles.
4. Rowan Marshall/Jack Sinclair/Dan Butler (113). Marshall had a cloud over him coming in but showed no signs as he found 22 disposals with 24 hitouts and 1 goal, while Sinclair thrived once a tag was dropped to collect 26 possessions and gaining 508 metres. Butler rounds out the three thanks to his 17 disposal, 4 goal game.
5. Chad Wingard (111). First ton of the year for Chad who found 26 touches in a hybrid role. 7 marks, 5 tackles and 2 goals connected to that made it a good Sunday at Marvel.

Other 100+ scores: Jack Steele (108), Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (107), Lloyd Meek (104), James Sicily (102), Jarman Impey (101), Mason Wood (100)

Disappointment: Tough one to hand out but since I personally decided to play him over Maric, it’ll go to Seamus Mitchell (17), or more specifically to the Hawthorn coaching staff for subbing him out for no apparent reason, costing me a top 4 finish.

Rookies: Only thing I’ll cover is the first game of Brandon Ryan’s career, as he found 8 touches, 5 marks and 1 goal for 40 points.

Injuries: As mentioned, Mitchell was subbed out for the Hawks while the Saints had to deal with injuries to Jones and Sharman.

Richmond (15.8.98) defeated by Melbourne (20.10.130)

1. Max Gawn (174). Enormous game as the Dees bolted home. 28 disposals (22 contested), 11 clearances, 5 marks and 40 hitouts plus over 500 metres gained. Handy three round average of 170.
2. Christian Petracca (141). 29 touches for Petracca plus 5 tackles, 5 marks and 1 goal as he strode towards his sixteenth ton of the year.
3. Harrison Petty (135). 6 big ones for Petty to be the difference in the game. Only 11 touches but 10 marks and he was a presence as he brought up a career high score.
4. Ivan Soldo (128). Competed hard all game and brought up an equal career high score from 10 touches, 6 tackles, 26 hitouts and 1 goal.
5. Jack Viney (124). Typical Viney game to round out the top 5. 32 touches (10 contested), 7 clearances and 9 tackles plus a team high 560 metres gained.

Other 100+ scores: Shai Bolton (120), Trent Rivers (109), Dustin Martin (108), Nick Vlastuin (102)

Disappointment: Too many turnovers for Tim Taranto (75), the story of his past month of football.

Rookies: If you’ve still got Van Rooyen, 4 goals and 82 points was a nice return. Young similarly was solid for 85 from 19 touches. Second game for Coulthard, being the sub again and finishing with 1 goal from 3 touches for 18 points.

Injuries: Nothing on the injury report here, Miller and Tomlinson those subbed off.

 

West Coast (10.12.72) defeated North Melbourne (10.7.67)

1. Luke Davies-Uniacke (127). Another great game from LDU, nearly pulling the Roos over the line with a 30 touch (12 contested), 6 mark, 6 tackle, 1 goal effort plus a near game best 566 metres gained.
2. Jack Darling (125). Best game of Darlings year by some margin as he had slipped to as low as 226K. Had 18 touches, 6 marks, 6 tackles and 1 goal to be very important in the West Coast win.
3. Aidan Corr (124). Nice game from Corr who provided drive from half back, gaining 535 metres from his 18 touches and 5 tackles while running @ 88% DE.
4. Jamie Cripps (119). Provided great link and pressure with 18 touches and 11 tackles for the game, finishing it off with 2 goals as well.
5. Shannon Hurn (118). Averaging a respectable 92 with 4 tons in an injury interrupted campaign. Important in the Eagles win with 21 touches and 9 marks at 100% DE.

Other 100+ scores: Jayden Hunt (116), Bailey Williams/Harry Sheezel (114), Paul Curtis (105)

Disappointment: Tarryn Thomas had an impressive 8 tackles but only 10 touches to finish on just 60 points.

Rookies: First game alert for Robert Hansen Jnr, who was admittedly quiet, finding just 4 touches for 18 points. Sheezel had another great game of 114 from 31 touches and is only the biggest of luxury upgrades. Long (78) the best of the plethora of Eagles rookies.

Injuries: Bazzo was the tactical for the Eagles, while Goater suffered a leg injury that saw him subbed for the Roos.

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