In Round 6 of the 2024 AFL season, two Brownlow medallists rediscovered their best form, and an unheralded Bomber and maligned Pie were difference-makers for their teams. But a young Crow had a horror 10 minutes of footy...
Our footy experts cast their eye over the week's action to find out whose stocks are up -- whether it's a coaching masterstroke or a player having a blinder -- and whose are down.
Adelaide
Stocks up: He's been one of the competition's biggest underperformers in season 2024, but Friday night was a great flashback to what we've come to expect from Jordan Dawson over the past couple of seasons. The Adelaide skipper had 31 disposals, seven marks, nine tackles, 734 metres gained and two goals in the heartbreaking loss to Essendon -- clearly his best game of the year and hopefully the catalyst for a turn in form, because, frankly, the Crows need it.
Stocks down: You wouldn't want to be a guy named Josh Rachele in the team review, that's for sure... Oh boy. Unfortunately for the young gun -- who had some fine moments in this game and was in no way the worst player on the ground -- he dropped two marks in the final term, both times standing under the footy but not fully committing, seemingly expecting contact despite the nearest opponent not being anywhere close. Not his best moments.
Brisbane
Stocks up: Tough night and tough conditions, but the much maligned Jarrod Berry showed why he's a player who can be best 23 for the Lions when everyone is fully fit. Berry had 29 disposals (the equal second-most in any game of his career), 11 intercepts, over 500 metres gained, and kicked a goal in the loss to the Cats.
Stocks down: What happened to the Gabba fortress? You know, the venue Brisbane had won 33 of its past 36 games at before this season, including going a perfect 14/14 in last year's run to a Grand Final. The Lions have now lost three straight at home and the entire league now knows that invincibility at the Gabba has almost completely worn off.
Carlton
Stocks up: Patrick Cripps, two-time Brownlow Medalist. Has a nice ring to it, huh, Blues fans? The Carlton skipper is fit and firing in the early part of the year, and you'd think right now only Isaac Heeney has more votes than him, particularly after his near certain three-vote effort in a win over GWS. Cripps was a colossus, finishing with 39 disposals, 24 contested possessions, 13 clearances, and 11 score involvements.
Stocks down: Blues speedster Zac Williams' returning to the field was one of the best comeback stories early in the season, but the rebound defender could add to an already-long injury list after he was subbed out of the game against the Giants at halftime with an Achilles injury. Fingers crossed it's not too serious!
Collingwood
Stocks up: When the Pies were staring down the barrel of a stunning fourth defeat in six matches, it was maligned Pie Will Hoskin-Elliott who asserted himself on the contest and almost solely changed the momentum. The 30-year-old was used as a pseudo tall in an otherwise undersized Collingwood forward line and played his role to perfection, finishing with 21 touches, nine marks, 13 score involvements, and two goals. It was his highest-rated game in almost two years!
Stocks down: Using Mason Cox in the middle needs to become only a back up plan. Not to say it hasn't been, Darcy Cameron grabbed that No. 1 ruck role with both hands and has started the season very well. In Collingwood's first five games, Cox averaged 42% centre bounce attendances, but attended just five against the Power, instead utilised as a deep key forward target more prominently. The big American looked much better suited in that role, and took five marks (four contested), and slotted two goals in his best performance of the season so far.
With concussions so prevalent and players retiring early, the Red Time Podcast team ask if it's time we stop celebrating courageous acts on the field.
Essendon
Stocks up: Last week it was Sam Durham, this week it's Jye Caldwell we want to highlight in that Essendon midfield. Zach Merrett rightly receives many plaudits, but it's his lesser-named teammates and their improvement that has helped the Dons to a 4-2 start to the year. Caldwell (26 possessions and 10 tackles) was brilliant on Friday night, his toughness in the clinches and clean disposal making him a hot commodity.
Stocks down: No, the umpire didn't pay the free kick. But in any other match, in any other part of the ground, at any other stage of the game, that's a free kick. Sam Draper, you're a professional AFL footballer and you know what you were doing when diving on top of the footy. Why would you even take that risk and potentially put your team in a position where they're facing the prospect of losing after the siren? Got to be smarter than that, one day you'll cost your side the four points.
Fremantle
Stocks up: Not for the first time this year, Nat Fyfe's stocks are soaring. The two-time Brownlow Medal winner was easily the Dockers' best in a horror loss to cross-town rival West Coast. Fyfe amassed 27 disposals and 13 clearances (the most he's had in a game since 2021).
Stocks down: All of that goodwill built up by Justin Longmuir in the first few rounds of the season has well and truly disappeared. You can excuse the tight -- and controversial -- loss to the Blues during Gather Round, and even last week's three-point loss to the Power. But not having your side ready this week and losing to the Eagles, by 37 points(!), well, that's just asking for the club to make a drastic change.
Geelong
Stocks up: Okay, this Cats team is legit. Down early, on the road to a rejuvenated Brisbane, Chris Scott's side worked their way back into the game, hit the front, and never looked back. The win proved one thing: Geelong is a serious premiership threat this year (we're so sorry for ever doubting you!)
Stocks down: Losing Tom Stewart through concussion is the last thing the Cats need ahead of a litmus test against Carlton and their frightening talls in the forward line. Chris Scott is one of the best coaches in the AFL, and he'll have his work cut out trying to figure out a plan to fill the All-Australian's shoes.
Gold Coast
Stocks up: Sam Flanders is having himself a seriously good season. Starting the year in the midfield and more recently moving to the backline, the 22-year-old, who is averaging 30.7 disposals in 2024, picked up another 34 touches, eight marks and seven rebound 50s against the Swans. One of only a few Suns who can hold their heads high this week.
Stocks down: There are many players we could put under the spotlight after a 53-point drubbing of that nature, but Bodhi Uwland had no impact on the game whatsoever. He's only 20 and has just nine games next to his name, but one kick from six touches (at only 50%) means his spot shouldn't be safe ahead of a clash with the Eagles in Round 7.
GWS
Stocks up: It's rare for a player to not play and yet his stocks soar, but that's exactly what's happened with Sam Taylor this week. The star key defender missed the clash against the Blues due to concussion and his side dearly missed him, struggling to contain the size of Carlton's bigs inside forward 50. Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, and Tom De Koning each kicked three goals, but combined for 16 shots at the big sticks.
Stocks down: Toby Greene. Need we say more? Also, Callum Brown is prone to the monster game -- just ask Hawthorn and Collingwood fans -- but consistency is really hurting his value to the Giants. Against the Blues, Brown was held to just two kicks. He laid one tackle and contributed a solitary point. Every impressive outing seems to be followed by a shocker.
Jordan Boyd was awarded a free kick after this incident with Toby Greene.#AFLBluesGiants pic.twitter.com/7JqALaKEeA
— AFL (@AFL) April 20, 2024
Hawthorn
Stocks up: Sam Mitchell was after a response, and he got just that from Irish midfielder Conor Nash. The 25-year-old had underwhelmed in Hawthorn's first five games, but bounced back from a 10-touch performance last week against the Suns to record a season-best 32 possessions (15 contested), 10 clearances and eight tackles against the Roos.
Stocks down: He sure looked good up forward against the Pies in Gather Round, but Blake Hardwick was nowhere to be seen in his side's first win of the season. The swingman had just six touches (only three effective) and four clangers on Sunday afternoon. Yikes...
Melbourne
BYE
North Melbourne
Stocks up: Fair play to North ruck Tristan Xerri who finished Sunday's game as the highest ranked player on the ground. Xerri couldn't have done any more, finishing with 44 hit outs, 18 disposals, 10 tackles and 10 clearances. He's become the best clearance-winning ruck in 2024.
Stocks down: It's harsh, because it's always great to expose your inexperienced list to the top level during a rebuild, but young key forward Tyler Sellers has more than struggled in his first two AFL games. We'll acknowledge it's difficult to have an immediate impact playing in his position, but two handballs and two frees against is not a stat line he -- or any Kangaroos fan -- would like to read.
Port Adelaide
Stocks up: Zak Butters was on fire in the first term against the Magpies and although he and the rest of the team were poleaxed for nearly three quarters thereafter, the midfield gun and Brownlow fancy couldn't have done too much more. Thirty-one disposals, five tackles, five marks and a goal is a strong game, and he finished with more Rating Points than any other Power player.
Stocks down: The off-season recruits of Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher weres supposed to fix Port's glaring weakness -- the defense -- and make this side a legitimate premiership contender. But that defensive unit doesn't appear to be much improved, after all. Coughing up 123 points to Collingwood takes the season points against number to 81 (four points better than in 2023). But forget the numbers, the way the Magpies mauled them, at one point piling on 16 consecutive scores, has to be hugely concerning for Ken Hinkley.
Richmond
BYE
St Kilda
Stocks up: At least St Kilda fans could walk away from Marvel Stadium knowing they've got a good one in Hugo Garcia. The youngster played his second AFL game and looks at home at the top level, finishing with 15 touches (10 contested), nine tackles and a goal in an effort that should see him stay in the side.
Stocks down: What's happened to Jack Sinclair? The All-Australian defender looks a shell of himself and, although he wasn't the only player we could single out following Thursday night's disaster, it's fair to say Saints fans should expect more from one of their better players. The 29-year-old had 19 touches against the Bulldogs and has been well down from his usual output. Also, only one player on the ground (that wasn't subbed) had fewer metres gained than Jack Steele (98). That's poor. That's really, really poor.
Sydney
Stocks up: Don't lock away those All-Australian ruck spots just yet! Brodie Grundy turned back the clock at the SCG with a 24-disposal, 29-hit out, 11-tackle (the equal most he's ever had in a game) outing against the Suns. Grundy was simply dominant in his 200th match and reminded us just what impact he can have around the ground.
Stocks down: Anyone's chances of beating the swans at the SCG. This road trip might have just become one of the most daunting tasks in football. Sydney is three from three with an average winning margin of 35 points -- against capable opposition, mind you -- at the venue. If John Longmire can turn it into a Gabba-like fortress (at least what it used to be), watch out!
West Coast
Stocks up: Could another contract extension be coming Adam Simpson's way? Two wins in two weeks feel like as much success as the Eagles have had since winning that premiership in 2018. There's noticeable improvement and buy in from the playing group, and you have to say much of it has come from the recruitment of Harley Reid. Don't be surprised to see Simpson sticking around a little longer...
Stocks down: Let's face it, the priority pick talk is dead. West Coast is not getting one. Enough said.
Western Bulldogs
Stocks up: How do you ensure you don't start as the sub again the week after your coach handed you the green vest? Well, you just do what Bailey Dale did against the Saints! Dale was colossal in the Bulldogs' bounce back win, finishing with a whopping 39 disposals (92% efficiency), 15 marks, 867 metres gained and a long-range goal to remind us -- and Bevo -- just what he is capable of as a quarterback out of defence.
Stocks down: It wasn't a great night to be a Bulldogs naysayer, that's for sure! They may be up and down, but the Dogs will be just fine. Clearly still a finals contender. Don't listen to what the skeptics have to say.