What a weekend of footy. I consider myself blessed this week, as I got to cover four big games, and the cumulative margin across all four was just 17 points, and then there were another two contests with a cumulative margin of ten points.
Trust North and Freo to screw it all up, right?
Anyway, I am tasked with picking the nine best performances across the weekend, so here goes.
DAN CURTIN
I was a little worried about Curtin’s form of Curtin, coming back into the side and doing something close to nothing for the first month.
However, any worries I, and others, may have had about his ability to elevate his game in 2026 was dispelled with a standout performance in Round 13.
Prior to this week, his best output of the season was 11. He was two off it in the first quarter alone this week, on the way to 26 for the game.
Last season, Curtin caused all sorts of headaches on the wing with his size. It’s funny that this season, his re-breakout came in a game where he was matched up against someone who can match him for size, as Mark Blicavs was opposed to him for long stretches.
Welcome back, Dan. I am sure the Crows fans have missed this version of you.
WILL LEWIS
A strange selection if you base your selection on stats, but I base mine of influence.
Lewis was sent to put James Sicily off his game and did so effectively, to the point where the Hawthorn captain seemed more intent with starting spot fires with Lewis, than he was getting his team over the line. Lewis smiled and played along, was physical when he needed to be, and completely sucked Sicily in.
It’s not the first time the Dogs have done this to Sicily, by the way. Bevo has his number, and chose to play it in this contest.
Lewis finished with just four touches and a goal – hardly worth talking about if you base his performance on those numbers, but after halftime, he took Sicily out of his game, and the Hawthorn captain, like the petulant child he can be, fell right into it.
LUKE JACKSON
We could have selected six or seven Dockers to feature here, and we definitely could have picked 20 Kangaroos to whack if the column focused on the negative aspects of the game.
Against Tristan Xerri, Jackson did as he pleased, and in a worrying sign, did it a little too easily. It is something I don’t write often about Xerri, but he could not compete with LJ in the ruck, with the Docker leaping over and around him. Cooper Trembath had better luck, but both the North rucks were completely blown away by Jackson at ground level, as he pushed hard from stoppages to get on the end of the three goals.
The race for the All-Australian ruck position(s) is very interesting. Right now, Gawn has put together another great season, Grundy looks like he is starting to tire, and Jackson… he appears to be on the upswing. Is this the year he leapfrogs his former teammate?
LOGAN MORRIS
At the start of the season, I asked which young forward was going to have the biggest impact this season. Most suggested Sam Darcy.
Most would also now like to reconsider their initial picks.
Morris kicked a career-high seven goals, laying the Suns’ defence to waste… and he probably should have finished with eight or nine.
This bloke is 21, probably undersized compared to some of the monsters that play the key forward roles across the league, but if you don’t see what a force he will be, and what a force he already is, you’re not watching.
He has now got 32 goals for the season and 109 over his career. Not that you want to jinx the bloke, but the way he reads the footy in flight, uses his body, and finds space… he could be the game’s next great forward.
A star already.
LIAM RYAN
A lot of people criticised the Saints’ recruiting in the lead up to this season, but I am not one of them. I genuinely like what they’re building and once everyone has 12 months under their belt together, this team will be a force.
Liam Ryan will be a huge part of this rise, and with five goals against the Swans, he pulled out a number of special moments. His screamer was a ripper, and his kicking at goal immaculate. Not that I am celebrating it, but his hard attack on the contest also rendered Tom McCartin incapable of continuing.
Had it not been for Isaac Heeney, Brodie Grundy, and Jai Serong stepping up in the last minute, Ryan’s performance would have likely been THE talking point from the game.
JAI SERONG
But Ryan’s heroics were not enough…
I could laud Jai Serong’s last minute snap to pinch the game from the Saints, but really,l it was his work across the entire game that deserves credit. His AFL resurrection at Sydney has been one of the highlights of the season, as he has taken ownership of the wing for the club, and put together one of his more complete outings against the Saints.
With 28 disposals and nine intercepts, Sarong worked diligently to get back inside defensive fifty and thwart the Saints’ delivery to their forwards. Playing the role of defensive wingman (and yes, I know he also switched to the half-back flank for a period) is integral to team balance, and not only has Serong embraced the role for the Swans, he is proving to be one of the better players in the league at it.
Personally, I am rapt for him, as after being unable to secure a place at Hawthorn, he has genuinely made a huge difference this season for the Swans. A wonderful recruit.
HARVEY LANGFORD
Speaking of wingmen, Harvey Langford is making great strides playing an attacking game from the position. During the call of the game, he was likened to Ollie Dempsey, and the comparison is fair, as Langford is now pushing hard inside 50 and has the skills both by foot, and in the air, to cause major issues for his direct opponent.
For me, it was his huge defensive act in the last minute of the game that was the stand out. How many players do you see run down Nick Daicos as he tries to step through traffic? The bloke just slips and slides his way in and out of trouble like its second nature.
But Lang=ford was having none of it, got Nick in his sights, and charged him down with a beautiful tackle to swing the momentum the Dees’ way.
Take notice, people – Langford is taking some big steps this season. He is going to be something special for the Dees.
BILLY WILSON
I love seeing an underrated player step up, and this might actually be a bit of a cumulative mention when it comes to Billy Wilson, as I have seen him putting the work in over several weeks.
Last week, I watched him go to Shaun Mannagh and close him down after the “young” Cat had ten touches in the first quarter, and this week, he had a bit more leg rope across half-back to play his natural game.
I had someone call him Temu Hayden Young, but the more I thought about it, the more I concluded that this was not an insult – Young took a while to mature into a matchwinner for Freo. He started at half-back, and has now forced his way into the guts to make a difference. I can see this being the progression for Wilson, as well.
He’s a bit of a hard nut, has clean hands, and is looking like one of those players that just might sneak up on the competition. So, to save you being surprised, I am adding him in this column – keep an eye on him, he has plenty to offer the Blues.
ESAVA RATUGOLEA
The big fella was a brick wall for the Power in defence, putting himself in the right positions and playing arguably his best game as a Port Adelaide player.
He had 12 intercepts and eight one-percenters to give his team enough breathing room to ride out the belated West Coast onslaught in the final quarter.
I have not been the biggest Sav fan over the years, but I have to give the bloke credit this week – he was huge. Without him, I don’t think Port gets over the line.
Plenty of worthy players missed selection this week. Happy to hear your thoughts on who should have got the nod. Cheers.
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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