It’s that time of the week again – time for HB to roll out the real winners and losers of the week.
Let’s name some names.
THE WINNERS
JACK CRISP
A week after he blew the game after the siren, Crisp was the best Magpie on the ground, slotting two goals and picking up 29 MEANINGFUL possessions against the Dockers.
What a difference a week makes.
JACK SILVAGNI
The heart and soul of the Carlton Football Club.
I am not a fan of Carlton – I have a long memory, but if I needed a reason to want to see them win, it’d be this bloke. I love the way he goes about it, win, lose, or draw.
JACK GUNSTON
What… three Jacks in a row?
It’s a real Jack-Off!
Gunston was the focal point of the Hawks’ big last quarter against the Dees, snagging three of the team’s six goals, as they ran over the top.
ANDREW MCGRATH
I will give credit where it’s due – MCgrath had some great moments against the Swans this weekend, including two big defensive wins against Isaac Heeney in the air. That was not on my 2025 bingo card.
Regular readers will know I am pretty harsh on him, but he was very good in this one, and deserves some love.
BODHI UWLAND
At just 21, he is an unsung hero for the Suns, as he patrols defensive fifty, making big plays and taking on big jobs.
Amazingly, he looked lost in the 2024 pre-season, before finding his feet during the season. Now, he belongs, and more importantly, he knows it.
RILEY THILTHORPE
You know he is playing with four dislocated fingers at the moment?
Dominated the air against Aliir Aliir, and that statement alone is enough to let you know how good he was against the Power.
TOM BROWN
Players make a name for themselves in the c,losing moments of games.
Tom Brown did this when he dragged down Tom Gross to save the game for the Tigers. What a moment!
JESSE HOGAN
A powerhouse against the Cats, as the Giants once again got the chocolates at Kardinia Park.
Marks like a full forward of 25 years ago. A pleasure to watch.
DAYNE ZORKO
The oldest ride in the park… still has the longest line.
At 36 years of age, he is playing brilliant footy, and was one of the reasons the Lions were able to hold off the charging Roos in Tassie
CHARLIE COMBEN
We waited for him to fire as a forward, but it is as a defender that he has found his place. Some of his last-quarter intercepts were off the charts for the Kangaroos.
THE LOSERS
SEAN DARCY
Not because he is injured, but because the bloke who was in the top handful of rucks a couple of years back, is now not the best, or most influential ruck in his team.
BLUES’ SMALL FORWARDS
I’ll state this – they’ll either win the Blues a final by playing out of the box, or lose them one by playing the way they did in this one. Motlop and Evans were horrid.
BAYLEY FRITSCH
Can he only play well in a Melbourne team playing well? When asked to do something that makes a difference, he is found lacking.
SYDNEY’S TALL FORWARDS
If you can call them that.
Hayden McLean, Joel Hamling, and Aaron Francis were about as useless as a hat full of arseholes.
AARON NAUGHTON
Nowhere near the player he was a few years back. What is going on with him? He looks clumsy, and that was something that was not apparent in a game when he first moved forward. If he plays well, the Dogs likely win this game.
OLLIE LORD
Put it this way – Riley Thilthorpe is 22. Ollie Lord, viewed as an up and coming forward at Port, is 23. He needs to come along quickly.
LIAM DUGGAN
Played in a manner not befitting a captain in the last quarter of the loss to the Tigers.
I think a change in leadership is in the offing at West Coast this coming off-season.
OLLIE HENRY
He’s been in this column a few times this season. Half the time, he looks non-competitive, and appears as though he is reliant on talent to get by. Similar to Jye Amiss.
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
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