Every week during the 2026 season, HB provides the winners and losers of very round based on what he saw over the weekend.
Here are those who made the list in Round Zero.
THE WINNERS
JUSTIN MCINERNEY
Had a party in the third quarter, slotting three goals to be amongst the Swans’ best amid their ruthless onslaught against the Blues. Should have really had four for the quarter but for a poor miss, but when your team is slamming through 12 goals, you expect the occasional hiccup.
The best game I’ve seen from him.
JAI SERONG
Moved to the Swans with the hope of more game time. Not only did he receive that, but he definitely made the most of it.
Had 15 of his 19 touches in the first half, as he patrolled the wing and kept his team in the hunt until the cavalry arrived.
CHRISTIAN PETRACCA
Could not have scripted his Suns debut better.
The highest-rated game of his career saw him rack up 34 touches, slot three goals, and have 12 score involvements to go with his ten inside 50s.
And to make Melbourne fans groan, he was lacing the footy out to teammates all game long, too.
TANNER BRUHN
It’s been a tough 12 months for Bruhn, and his return to the Cats has been impressive through the preseason and into the start of the real stuff.
Bruhn played mostly off half-back, with some runs on the wing as well, and relished the freedom. He had 31 touches and a couple of goal assists, playing like a man who knows what it is like to have footy taken from you.
SAM COLLINS
Playing game 150, the big fella ruled the roost down back, falling one intercept short of a defensive double-double (10+ two of the one-percenters, intercepts, and Rebound 50 categories).
Starved Shannon Neale of opportunities, and spent the final seven-or-so minutes of the game on the bench, enjoying the work of his teammates.
JAKE STRINGER
Anyone say “contract year?”
Just kidding, but I did call this Stringer form after seeing how fit he looked during the GWS preseason. He has obviously taken this year very seriously, and a version of Jake that does not stray from what got him to the dance is one to be very wary of.
Could be in for a massive season.
STEPHEN CONIGLIO
I seriously doubted he had a lot left in the tank, and thought that by the second half of the season, he would be considered injury insurance.
There is still time for that to play out, but he seems like he is determined to turn the clock back, and with 22 touches and two goals, he really snuck up on the Hawks.
CLAYTON OLIVER
The clean hands in tight, the good vision… is Clarrie all the way back?
The jury remains out, but his work in the clinches for the Giants was very good against the Hawks, and he looks like a motivated man this season. Also, he’s smiling. Did you notice that? Even whilst wearing a shiner, he looked like he was enjoying his footy again. Great to see.
ED RICHARDS
Last season, we had every man and his dog supporters telling us that Ed Richards was the number one-rated player in the league. I have to admit, I thought it was Champion Data-driven crap at the time.
However, he was brilliant in this game, running himself into the ground for the Dogs in a frantic finish to kick a goal himself, and put two direct goal assists by his name, as well.
If you doubted Ed last year, he might just make you a believer in 2026.
TIM ENGLISH
Sometimes, you’re the windshield, and sometimes, you’re the fly.
When Darcy Fort threw English out of a ruck contest, grabbed the footy, and slotted a goal, he let the Dogs’ big man know all about it. A little bit premature there, Darcy…
Within minutes, English was dropping the hammer, leaving Fort for dead and pushing hard forward, himself. He marked, goaled, and played a huge role in the Dogs getting over the top of the Lions.
That’s how you answer when challenged.
LACHIE NEALE
Oh, will what happened in the off-season impact his footy? Will he be able to maintain the level we’re used to seeing from him?
People were genuinely asking these questions as we approached the 2026 season, and then Neale came out and delivered a 39-disposal performance with beautiful clean hands, and almost dragged his team over the line with a monster 14-possession final quarter.
Sorry to those who were ready to dance on his grave.
NICK DAICOS
There are some looking to knock him off the throne, and they’ve been waiting for the chance to do it. With Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera on the opposing team, this looked like a real opportunity for another player to claim the spotlight.
But Nick Daicos simply said no.
Collecting 41 touches, he was doing things that other players didn’t know were possible. His work in traffic, twisting and turning to extricate himself from tight squeezes, was first class, and some of his delivery was ridiculously good.
LACHIE SCHULTZ
I actually had him as the best on ground for the Pies. Did absolutely everything you could wish for as a small forward, and with the future of Bobby Hill up in the air, Schultz’s output becomes even more important.
The 20 touches were great. The two goals were vital. But it was his continuous chasing and pressure that were the most important aspects of his game. A genuine, hard-working, small-forward game.
THE LOSERS
PATRICK CRIPPS
Got sucked in by Justin McInerney and by this stage of his career, should probably be a bit smarter than that.
Looked slow in the second half, but he was definitely not on an island in that regard.
MICHAEL VOSS
If he wasn’t already a dead coach walking, coughing up a 12-goal quarter against the Swans rolled him into a coffin like The Undertaker in a casket match.
Whilst his side didn’t look like they had the leg speed to go with the Swans, the Blues’ brains trust didn’t really pull any levers, either.
OISIN MULLIN
Had the job of slowing down Touk Miller. Not Petracca. Not Anderson. But the guy who now slots in and out of the midfield and spends time at half-forward.
And what happened?
Well, Touk had 30 touches and kicked a goal.
And Mullin?
Four disposals. If he is unable to tag someone effectively, he is a liability. Piss, or get off the pot.
BRAD CLOSE
What in the world is going on with this bloke?
I know a lot of you don’t put a lot of thought into the AAMI Series or preseason it outs, but there were alarm bells ringing when he could barely get a touch in the scratch matches, and that form has carried over to the real stuff.
Eight touches, no tackles, and possibly the worst game of his career.
SAM MITCHELL
Mate, if you’re going to play Finn Maginness, play him as a designated run-with player. That’s his wheelhouse. Anything else is a waste of a spot in the team.
That is not meant to denigrate Maginness, at all. However, if you have a guy who is capable of putting the brakes on someone like a Lachie Whitfield or Finn Callaghan, and instead opt to use him as a half-forward… it’s not the wisest of decisions.
COOPER SHARMAN
Might want to invest in a new tube of grippo, after putting more than his share of attempted marks to ground versus the Pies.
In fairness, Sharman is not a genuine first forward, and would be very well-served having a big fella close by to draw the heat. As it stands, the Saints are looking for both him and Mitch Owens to do more than they should, at the moment.
COMMENTATORS
Guys, you don’t have to always mention the obvious players or repeat what everyone just saw. There are other blokes out there too, and they’re doing some amazing things that get swept under the rug far too easily.
Ned Long’s handball in traffic – a 20-25 metre ripper to set up the first goal in footy to Roan Steele, was not even mentioned. When you have players missing the target by hand from five metres away, seeing him hit Steele in stride to gift wrap that goal was a thing of beauty.
Rewind a day or so, and Toby Greene did something similar. On the deck and way off balance, he fired off a beautiful handball to give Jake Riccardi the final shot of the first half. Again, barely a mention.
There are little things in the game that are important, and special comments men are in the box to notice them. They’re paid pretty well, too. They’re there to offer insight, but when it only goes as deep as what anyone watching the coverage already sees, what is te point of them?
And that, amongst about 50 other things, is what I want to whinge about this week.
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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