More than one skipper showed true leadership in times of need, and an electric winger sent a message to All-Australian selectors. But one Docker had a shocker, and what was up with the Adelaide crowd? Here's whose stocks are up and down after the first week of finals.
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: It was a tough night for the Crows, but one man who could walk away from the Adelaide Oval with his head held high was Luke Pedlar. The 23-year-old forward has often been forced to take a backseat to his more accomplished and celebrated teammates throughout his short career, but in Thursday night's qualifying final he was his team's most likely avenue to goal. Pedlar booted three of the Crows' eight majors, took six marks, four of them inside 50, and showed he is a player who doesn't shy away from the finals spotlight.
Stocks down: We could easily fire a shot at the goalless Darcy Fogarty, or perhaps Ben Keays for not filling the Izak Rankine void as expected, but what on earth was going on with the Crows fans at Adelaide Oval?! Booing Isaac Quaynor from beginning to end was just about as low as it gets. Let's not forget, Quaynor was the victim in being the subject of the anti-gay slurs, and it wasn't even Quaynor who reported the slur happening. He's not the one to blame for Rankine copping a four-week suspension. Rankine is. All the excessive booing did on Thursday evening was shine the club in an even poorer light after one of its most difficult two week patches in recent history. Shame.
READ: The Crows desperately missed the mercurial Izak Rankine
Brisbane
Stocks up: It was a rough night for the Lions, but there were still some efforts to be proud of, like that of Josh Dunkley who was busy in the trenches racking up 30 disposals, 11 tackles, and five clearances. Harris Andrews did all he could to try and be the brick wall he's been all season with a game-high seven spoils and team-high three intercept marks, while Jaspa Fletcher shone on the big stage with 20 disposals (80% efficiency), six marks, one epic goal, and many reasons to be bullish about his future.
Stocks down: After a tough qualifying final loss to Geelong, the Lions will now have to pick themselves up and prepare for a home semifinal showdown against the Gold Coast Suns. They'll be calling for reinforcements, too, with both two-time Brownlow Medal winner Lachie Neale and Eric Hipwood ruled out for the rest of the year. Also, what has happened to star small forward Charlie Cameron? Kicked the first goal of the game, but it proved to be his only kick for the night...
READ: There's nothing weaker than a blatant flop
Collingwood
Stocks up: He made a catastrophic early error that led to a Jordan Dawson goal, but Darcy Moore responded in style, turning in a defensive masterclass to help his side advance to a preliminary final. Moore clunked nine intercept marks and had 13 intercepts on the night in what was arguably his best game in two seasons. In fact, it really was a game for the Magpie veterans. Steele Sidebottom wound back the clock with three goals, Brayden Maynard brought his typical hard edge, while the evergreen Scott Pendlebury, chasing the AFL games record, repeatedly demonstrated his class and composure at half back and through the middle.
READ: Collingwood's finals experience cannot be underestimated
Stocks down: Hindsight is a funny thing, sure, but the All-Australian selectors were left looking rather foolish for failing to award Magpie star Jamie Elliott with a much-deserved blazer. Collingwood's forward dynamo was another veteran who delivered against the Crows, booted a game-high four goals from his 13 disposals in arguably a best on ground performance. Elliott has now kicked 56 goals for the season, easily the most of any non-key forward. Yeah, we reckon those selectors would love a do-over!
Fremantle
Stocks up: Geez, Caleb Serong in some player, isn't he? The Noah Anderson-Matt Rowell will receive all of the midfield plaudits from Saturday's elimination final, but Serong certainly wasn't beaten on the night. In fact, he played one of his best games of the season, racking up 35 disposals, 21 contested possessions, 13 clearances, 11 inside 50s, over 700 metres gained, and laying nine tackles. A masterclass from the 24-year-old that will likely be glossed over given the result.
Stocks down: It may be tough for Dockers fans to see it right now, but when the dust finally settles on this heartbreaking one-point elimination final loss, they'll acknowledge their club made enormous strides over the course of the season. But one area Justin Longmuir and his assistants must work in this off-season is their incredibly slow starts. Now granted, Fremantle in 2025 was just the second team in history to win five games when trailing by eight or more points at three-quarter time, but you just cannot continue playing from behind and expect to have success. The Dockers trailed the Suns by 25 points at Optus Stadium before storming back into the contest, taking the lead in the final minutes. But did they spend too many petrol tickets in doing so? And how about Michael Frederick, who had one of the all-time stinkers in a final. Aside from missing a gimme late in the first term, Frederick was also mown down three times while lacking the awareness of his opponent. He had just seven disposals and kicked a behind, and while he has two goal assists to his name, his impact was minimal. You just have to kick those goal when they present themselves, Freddy, especially -- and hindsight is 20/20 -- in a low-scoring game.
OH NO FREDDY ðŸ˜#AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/pk8tIhZpxd
— 7AFL (@7AFL) September 6, 2025
READ: The Dockers need to seriously address their defensive woes
Geelong
Stocks up: It's pretty hard not to marvel at Ollie Dempsey, who was electric at the MCG. The 22-year-old booted three goals to go with 25 disposals, six marks, and nine score involvements in one of the standout performances. His elite endurance allows him to run all day, and he's proven to be one of Geelong's most dangerous weapons and will continue to do so this September. Big ups to Mark Blicavs and Sam De Koning, too, who had to fill the ruck void left by the injured Rhys Stanley and did it with aplomb. The versatility in this team is something most other sides could only dream of.
READ: It's now Geelong's premiership to lose
Stocks down: Anyone who thinks taggers aren't important. Mark O'Connor reminded everyone of their value (in the first half, at least) with a superb shutdown job on Cam Rayner, keeping the explosive Lion to just one handball nearing half time before Rayner got involved via a couple of free kicks. Likewise, Oisin Mullin went to work on All-Australian Hugh McCluggage and restricted him to just four kicks for the night in another huge win. These efforts underline how crucial taggers can be in September, and you can bet coach Chris Scott already has his next set of targets lined up.
Gold Coast
Stocks up: Where to do we begin!? The Suns won a heart-stopping all-time classic in what was the club's first ever final on Saturday evening. Skipper Noah Anderson and midfield star Matt Rowell led from the front, dominating in the middle and showing why they are two of the favourite to take out this year's Brownlow Medal. But how about Mac Andrew and David Swallow? With the Dockers taking the lead late in the final term, Andrew was swung forward and kicked a clutch game-tying goal with 90 seconds to play. Then, as if it had been drawn up by a Hollywood scriptwriter, club games record holder Swallow, the man who was controversially recalled to the side, kicked the winning point to send the Suns into delirium, and the second week of finals.
READ: These Suns don't -- and won't -- wilt in September
Stocks down: So much for all of these footy experts claiming a comfortable win for Fremantle. Seriously, did anyone give the Suns a chance of knocking them off in the west? And, yes we at ESPN admit we got it wrong, too! But we certainly didn't get it this wrong. How about this all time gaffe from The West Australian they'll never be able to live down!
GWS
Stocks up: It's always disappointing to see a team's season come to an end, especially when they're capable of so much, but now we do get to reflect on the incredible seasons of midfielders Finn Callaghan and Tom Green. Callaghan gave the Giants so much run and dash this season and was again prolific in the elimination final with 34 disposals, eight tackles, eight score involvements, seven inside 50s, and six clearances, while the battering ram Green had a massive influence on the inside with 34 and a whopping 12 clearances against the Hawks. Injury-interrupted campaigns to counterparts Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio didn't help them, but with those two in the engine room again in 2026, we can expect the Giants to feature in September once more.
Stocks down: We flagged him as a potential X-Factor for the Giants coming into September, given some of his hot performances throughout season 2025, but Aaron Cadman had a couple of moments he'd like back, namely inexplicably playing on and missing from 15 metres out down 29 midway through the third term with the Giants building. However, Cadman was not alone in the Giants' front half, Jake Stringer finished with two behinds from 10 touches, Callum Brown was scoreless from 11, and skipper Toby Greene posted 0.2 from just 12 disposals.
Hawthorn
Stocks up: It's fair to say Jai Newcombe is building a serious finals reputation. The star Hawk finished with 32 disposals, 17 contested possessions, 12 clearances, and booted the first goal of the game to set the tone at Engie Stadium. In a midfield group missing Will Day, others had to lift, and it's no surprise we're giving praise to the same player who also had 35 and a goal in a final against the Bulldogs last year, and 31 the following week in a semifinal loss to the Power. Yeah, look for him to lead the way again as the Hawks face the Crows on Friday night.
Stocks down: Overall, there's not a lot to be down about for the Hawks after their gutsy 19-point win over the Giants on the road, but there will be a little concern of over the inability to bury their opponents while in a commanding position. Yes, momentum swings happen, but allowing a streak of seven straight goals across the back half of the third term and early in the fourth quarter had fans biting their nails. Something to mull ahead of Friday night's clash with Adelaide.