Geelong ruckman Hamish McIntosh has revealed on AFL 360 he feared his career was over after a string of injuries.
Hawk Luke Hodge is held at bay by Steve Johnson. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
HOT: Matthew Jaensch: Has not put a foot wrong this campaign, Jaensch collected 29 disposals against Greater Western Sydney to take his season average to 24 — up 12 on last year.
NOT: James Podsiadly: Is yet to make the most of his second chance at a club devoid of fit and firing key forwards. J-Pod has kicked six goals in five games, inflated on the back of three against St Kilda.
Lion Dayne Zorko is relishing the opportunity to spend more minutes in the midfield. Picture: Simon Cross Source: News Corp Australia
BRISBANE
HOT: Dayne Zorko: Has thrived spending more time in the midfield with Simon Black (retired) and Daniel Rich (knee) out of the side. Zorko is doing plenty with and without the ball in hand.
NOT: Matthew Leuenberger: The big ruckman's numbers leave a lot to be desired, ranked 17th with 80 in hit-outs through the first month of football. Injuries don't help.
What you missed on TV last night
The Barometer- Round 6
SuperCoach Studs and Duds
CARLTON
HOT: Robbie Warnock: The 206cm ruckman has emerged as the pick of the tall stocks at Visy Park with Matthew Kreuzer going down injured. Warnock is currently the third most prolific tap ruckman in the business behind barnstorming Aaron Sandilands and 2013 All Australian Will Minson.
NOT: Jeff Garlett: Expected to make inroads following Eddie Betts' departure, Garlett, currently banished to VFL duties, has hardly fired a shot, kicking three goals in as many games.
Magpie Jack Frost brings down Aaron Black. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
COLLINGWOOD
HOT: Jack Frost: Swimming like a pro after being thrown in the deep end, Frost's scalps include Lance Franklin and Drew Petrie. He held Tom Hawkins for three quarters and was far from disgraced against barrage of Fremantle attacks in Round 1.
NOT: Taylor Adams: Made a handy debut in Round 1, but has struggled since for consistency. The sub's vest and a one-match ban for an off-the-ball hit on Joel Selwood hasn't helped his cause.
ESSENDON
HOT: Michael Hurley: Looks to be relishing his move in defence and for the time being — touch wood — his body is holding up to the rigours of AFL footy. If only he'd get a haircut.
NOT: Jake Carlisle: Was an All Australian contender when allowed to play solely in defence. Fast forward 12 months, Carlisle is being asked to play forward, back and pinch-hit in the ruck as the Bombers move to counter injuries and departures. Put simply, he doesn't look comfortable.
FREMANTLE
HOT: Matthew Pavlich: He's fit and firing on all cylinders. Pav has wound back the clock kicking 11 goals the past three weeks. Will need to continue in similar fashion if he's to spearhead an attack missing All Australian Michael Walters.
NOT: Nick Suban: Enjoyed a breakout season as the Dockers marched to their first Grand Final last year. This time around looks to be struggling, missed Round 1 (suspended) and started as the substitute on Saturday.
GEELONG
HOT: Hamish McIntosh: Working up to full fitness after spending the best part of two years on the sidelines injured. The former North Melboourne no. 1 ruckman gives Cats coach Chris Scott greater flexibility to play running machine Mark Blicavs around the ground. McIntosh is a strong contested and goalkicker when used deep in the forward line. Will only improve with more games under his belt.
NOT: Travis Varcoe: Like McIntosh has endured a series of injury setbacks, but with Steve Motlop out injured, Paul Chapman at Essendon and James Podsiadly in Adelaide, it was expected Varcoe would step up and impact the scoreboard. He's tracking OK but it's only going to get tougher when Motlop returns.
Gold Coast Suns star Jaeger O'Meara in action. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images
GOLD COAST
HOT: David Swallow: Was all the rage during the pre-season and he's living up to expectation. Not only is he being used as a setup man out of defence, his ability to drift forward and kick goals makes him a valuable commodity.
NOT: Jaeger O'Meara: We're not quite in second-year blues territory, but O'Meara is simply not imposing himself as much as he did last year. The Rising Star is ranked fifth in Suns' disposals behind Gary Ablett, Dion Prestia, David Swallow and Michael Rischitelli.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
HOT: Adam Treloar: Has taken giant strides in 2014 averaging 28 disposals a game — 14 of them contested. Treloar, drafted as a 17-year-old in 2011, enjoyed a strong pre-season under new coach Leon Cameron. With speed to burn and a thirst for the contest, Treloar looms large as one of the best young midfielders in the business.
NOT: Dylan Addison: Dropped after just three games, Addison is well and truly at the crossroads, forced to find touch in the NEAFL. It's not going to be easy for the former Western Bulldogs utility to break back into a Giants' side brimming with talent.
HAWTHORN
HOT: Bradley Hill: The 20-year-old speed machine showed signs of what he was capable of last year dazzling rivals with his speed and smarts. The problem was his tank would run dry by the main break. 12-months on and Hill is back to his blistering best — averaging 25 disposals a game — and playing out a solid four quarters.
NOT: Luke Hodge: It feels wrong even considering Hodge in this bracket, but the harsh reality is we've only seen glimpses of his best this season. The fearless leader is averaging 20 disposals a game — inflated by his 32 against Gold Coast in Round 4. Even yesterday he only had 13 at the final change before racking up eight more as the Hawks made their charge.
Melbourne youngster Jimmy Toumpas. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
MELBOURNE
HOT: Dom Tyson: The obvious class of Josh Kelly has heaped pressure on Tyson, but since arriving at the Demons via the 2013 trade period, the 20-year-old has been hard to fault. He'd be up there in the Melbourne best and fairest award after averaging more than 23 disposals in the first five rounds. Such is his impact, Carlton assigned Andrew Carrazzo to Tyson in Round 4. Time will tell whether the combination of Tyson and Salem will bear more fruit than No. 2 pick Kelly and pick No. 20 (on traded), but Tyson is certainly holding up his end of the bargain so far.
NOT: Jimmy Toumpas: Looked like a boy playing against men in his debut season, but the No. 4 pick enjoyed a bumper pre-season, improving his fitness and kicking four goals in Melbourne's intra-club match. However things haven't gone to plan since, he was dropped after Melbourne's Round 2 thumping against West Coast and spent the last three weeks in the VFL. Toumpas was a classy player in the juniors, but is yet to show he has the tools at AFL level.
NORTH MELBOURNE
HOT: Ben Cunnington: Has emerged from the shadows of injured leaders Andrew Swallow and Jack Ziebell as the Kangaroos' clearance specialist. He's tough, skilful, ultra-competitive and knows how to find space/time under pressure. It will be interesting to see how Cunnington fairs with Ziebell and Swallow back in the mix.
NOT: Shaun Atley: We're yet to see Atley at his explosive, line-breaking, best in 2014 after much hype during the off-season. The 21-year-old was expected to improve in leaps and bounds in his fourth AFL season, but we're yet to see him in full flight. Atley has played bit-part roles in the Kangaroos' three wins to day averaging 20 disposals — 11 handballs.
Power midfielder Ollie Wines bursts through Jack Redden's tackle. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Corp Australia
PORT ADELAIDE
HOT: Ollie Wines: It's hard to recall a more accomplished second-year AFL footballer. Well, Chad Wingard wasn't bad, but the only thing Wingard has on Wines at the moment is the fact he maintained his form for a full season. Wines is just five games into his second season and he looks as though it's his tenth. He is averaging just less than 25 disposals a game and more than six tackles in 2014. He's a jet.
NOT: John Butcher: Anyone who remembers Butcher's 10 goals in two weeks at the end of season 2011 has been waiting for the 197cm forward to step up and take the competition by the scruff of the neck. He kicked a bag in an intra-club game and all the noise out of Port Adelaide was saying Butcher has overcome his injury issues and was ready to be a regular senior player. However, after kicking just two goals in the first three rounds, Ken Hinkley lost patience with the 22-year-old and he was dropped.
Richmond forward Tyrone Vickery has his hands full in the VFL. Picture: Kris Reichl Source: News Corp Australia
RICHMOND
HOT: Matt Thomas: Thomas only played four games for Port Adelaide last year, but had a stellar SANFL season and tied for the Magarey Medal. He has been one of Richmond's best players in a frustrating start for the club, averaging a career-high 20 disposals and he was instrumental in Richmond's Round 2 win over Carlton. Playing in a lockdown role, Thomas would be one of the first picked by Damian Hardwick each week.
NOT: Tyrone Vickery: It's easy to pick on Vickery because of his laconic nature and tendency to regularly make a meal out of the most basic of situations. He has been criticised for his work ethic and defensive pressure when Richmond has been poor, but the flip side of this is he usually performs well when Richmond win — he kicked four goals in Round 2. He is a player of obvious talent, but in a team dying for a foil to Jack Riewoldt, Vickery has failed to step up to the plate in his sixth season and he was dropped after Round 4.
ST KILDA
HOT: Luke Dunstan: There was suspicion this young South Australian was a ready-made AFL midfielder and in five games he has made a liar of no one. Young midfielders are usually afforded the luxury to ease into the game on a wing or a flank, but Dunstan stepped into the centre square in his first game for a side missing a bevy of experienced players and hasn't looked back. In Round 3 against West Coast — playing at the AFL's most hostile venue — Dunstan had 29 disposals and kicked two goals in a game totalling 141 SuperCoach points.
NOT: Shane Savage: When Savage moved from Hawthorn to St Kilda, there was every indication the 23-year-old would flourish with more midfield minutes and greater responsibility. Savage showed at Hawthorn an ability to win the football inside and out of the contest and was a good finisher around goals. In his sixth AFL season and with 60 games under his belt, his time to arrive as a consistent AFL player is now, however he has floundered at St Kilda. His pre-season form was OK, but things have fallen apart in the season proper. Savage's highest SuperCoach score is 55 and was dropped after Round 4.
Sydney takes stock after its loss to North Melbourne. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images
SYDNEY
HOT: Luke Parker: Parker is probably the only Sydney midfielder who has improved in 2014. It's hard to believe this 2012 premiership player is still 21 years of age and among the patchy form of his teammates, Parker has lifted his possession average to 24 a game. In a side which has struggled defensively, Parker is averaging five tackles per game and more than 100 SuperCoach points. He and Tom Mitchell were neck and neck at the start of this season, but Parker has taken his game to the next level, while Mitchell has gone the way of his senior teammates — south.
NOT: Dan Hannebery: You could throw a blanket over most of the Sydney side in the first month of the season and for that reason it's unfair to pinpoint one player, but we'll do it anyway. Dan Hannebery emerged as one of the elite midfielders in the competition last year, polling 21 Brownlow votes and winning All-Australian selection. He averaged more than 25 disposals and got 30 or more on seven occasions. This year he is averaging just more than 20 and his burst running and ability to win multiple involvements in a chain of play is non-existent.
WEST COAST
HOT: Luke Shuey: the 23-year-old set the MCG alight in Round 2, booting two goals from 30 touches against the Dees. He backed it up on the weekend with 28 possessions and five tackles against Port Adelaide. Overall, he's averaging 23 disposals in 2014. Shuey is no longer the future of the Eagles' midfield — he is the Eagles' midfield. And, he is starting to grow into that reputation.
NOT: Nic Naitanui: Dean Cox will not play forever, so Naitanui can't play second fiddle forever. The footy world is patiently waiting for the 23-year-old to step up and consistently produce big games and big numbers. Naitanui has never been a big goal kicker, but one goal from five games so far this season is not enough. More of a concern is that he's not accumulated more than 17 hit-outs in a match yet in 2014. How patient are you, Eagles fans?
Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen takes a breather. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia
WESTERN BULLDOGS
HOT: Jack Macrae: He's only 19, but the Bulldogs young gun is already averaging elite midfielder. Macrae has accumulated at least 30 possessions in four of his five games. With a silky left foot and a ruthless hunger for the footy, the No. 6 pick has collected more uncontested possessions than any other player this season. Most impressively, Macrae has injected himself into games when they have been up for grabs, proving his love and will to perform on the big stage.
NOT: Ryan Griffen: A nagging back injury sustained during the pre-season has hampered Griffen's output so far in 2014. The 27-year-old skipper has showed signs of improvements in his past two outings, producing a ripping second half against GWS and picking up 32 touches against the Blues on Sunday.
