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Opinion
After my pre-season edition where I bought, held and sold stocks on players from all 18 clubs, every week I will look at whose stock from each club is rising and falling.
Adelaide
Rising – Lachlan Sholl
The 21-year-old started his 2021 campaign in amazing fashion, collecting 23 touches including 16 kicks at a very handy 73 per cent efficiency. He showed poise beyond his years and in a comprehensive victory, he was one of the standouts.
Falling – Reilly O’Brien
After a best and fairest in his first full season of AFL last year, the bar was high. In an incredible win, O’Brien lost his ruck match-up to Rhys Stanley, who had six more disposals and a goal. With O’Brien touted as a top-three ruckman in the league, he needs to improve on this effort.
Brisbane
Rising – Zac Bailey
It was 16 disposals and three goals for the young Lion. He adds an element of speed into the Brisbane midfield and looks to have upped his game this season. If he can continue to hit the scoreboard as a forward while rotating through the midfield, he will be a weapon.
Falling – Eric Hipwood
The question was how he would work in the forward line alongside Joe Daniher and the answer for Game 1 is not very well. Hipwood struggled to have an impact, kicking one goal and only having nine disposals. They have time but he is falling.
(Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Carlton
Rising – Lachie Fogarty
The Carlton first gamer looked right at home in the navy blue, having 20 disposals with four marks and two tackles. He has always shown talent but now with the Blues he has the perfect platform to display it.
Falling – Marc Murphy
After countless years running around in the midfield, Murphy has been shifted to a more permanent half forward role. His 11 disposals were low for his standards and his once lofty stocks are starting to fall.
Collingwood
Rising – John Noble
He cemented his spot in the best 22 last season and has started off 2021 really well. He had 22 disposals off half back with 18 kicks, showing the Magpies’ eagerness to get the ball in his hands.
Falling – Brodie Grundy
He dominated the hit outs, however his calling card is his work around the ground and he got dominated by the Bulldogs’ tag team. He had 11 disposals and took three marks – an off start for the star ruck.
Essendon
Rising – Jye Caldwell
Disposal by foot was the only thing that stopped Caldwell from being one of the stars of the game. He had 22 disposals and nine tackles, showing everyone why he is a young gun in the making.
Falling – Jayden Laverde
Formerly a forward, the Bombers threw him down back and the experiment didn’t pay off. He looked lost down back and gave away some costly free kicks.
Fremantle
Rising – Adam Cerra
This guy keeps getting better by the year. He had 24 disposals with seven marks and five tackles in an incredibly balanced performance. He was consistently good last year but this could be a breakout.
Falling – Blake Acres
He played well on the wing at the end of last season but did not set the world on fire in Round 1 with only 12 disposals. The opposite wing to Cerra is his but he needs to perform.
Geelong
Rising – Brandan Parfitt
In a midfield full of big names, this is the one that flies under the radar. He did it offensively, kicking two goals and having 18 disposals. But he does the dirty work defensively as well, having nine tackles, nearly double any other Cat on the day.
Falling – Gary Rohan
Six disposals is not the output required and Rohan did not perform. Yes, he kicked an important goal against the momentum, but for a player of his experience and ability, this was a poor performance.
(Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/Getty Images)
Gold Coast
Rising – Jack Bowes
He had 28 kicks at 100 per cent efficiency. Need I say more? Bowes was incredible and he is severely underrated. This was his best performance, so the stocks are rising sharply.
Falling – Hugh Greenwood
The hot conditions and kick-mark style of game didn’t suit him but ten disposals from your best midfielder isn’t enough. With the early injury to Matt Rowell, Greenwood had to stand up.
GWS
Rising – Jacob Hopper
Hopper was a star for the Giants and did everything he could to get GWS over the line, with 27 disposals and a goal.
Falling – Matt De Boer
This day should have suited the rugged tagger but he had only three tackles and 14 disposals. His primary role was tagging, and Stephen Coniglio performed that role on Jack Steele. I am not sure where he stands.
Hawthorn
Rising – Will Day
The second-year star for the Hawks played his best game yet, collecting a massive 28 disposals off the half back flank along with eight marks, including some key intercepts. His ability to read the play is incredible for his experience.
Falling – James Worpel
He managed to find the footy, but his disposal left a lot to be desired. Expectations were high after being the youngest Hawthorn best and fairest since Leigh Matthews but he didn’t set Marvel on fire.
Melbourne
Rising – Steven May
This is his year. He finished off 2020 in amazing form and has replicated that to start 2021. May had 24 touches (21 of them kicks) and eight marks. I’m tipping him for All Australian honours and the stock is rising.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Falling – Max Gawn
Stock was at an all-time high coming into Round 1 and with a first-game ruckman in his sights, people expected Gawn to go bananas. He was quiet considering the match-up with only 12 touches and 30 hit outs. Is the fast game style of 2021 going to affect his dominance?
North Melbourne
Rising – Jaidyn Stephenson
In my pre-season edition, I bought his stocks, expecting him to perform in a new midfield role and he delivered. He had 33 disposals, five marks and most impressively seven tackles for someone who’s been criticised for his lack of pressure. What a start.
Falling – Nick Larkey
With Ben Brown gone, the expectations are on Larkey, but he was dominated by a very solid Port defence. No scoring shots and one mark for your number one forward weapon is not ideal.
Port Adelaide
Rising – Orazio Fantasia
We all knew he had the talent. He had shown it at Essendon, but Brian Taylor’s man dominated. Eight scoring shots from 11 kicks is elite forward efficiency and if he kicked straight it could have been a huge bag.
Falling – Tom Rockliff
Starting as the injury sub is not the ideal situation for the ball magnet. He had a very good 2020 so this was a puzzling situation. It will be interesting to see if he can win his way back into this dominant looking team.
Richmond
Rising – Jack Graham
The re-signing of Graham by Richmond over the off-season was covered nowhere near as much as moves of others. But Graham dominated the Blues. He had 33 disposals, 836 metres gained and 26 pressure acts. Random stats, hey? Only Nat Fyfe and Gary Ablett have recorded 30/800/25 in a game. It was brilliant from Graham.
Falling – David Astbury
He’s been a star for the Tigers but the emergence of Noah Balta has pushed Astbury into the shadows. He will contribute but the once star defender will be a role player.
St Kilda
Rising – Hunter Clark
He is the second player in this piece that I bought stocks for way back in the pre-season. Using his midfield time to full effect, Clark had 24 touches and five tackles, showing he is ready to take the next step.
Falling – Dan Butler
An All Australian snub from last year, Butler was thought of by some as the best small forward in the game in 2020. His first performance of Round 1 left a bit to be desired with only ten disposals and one goal. His trademark pressure was alive with seven tackles, but his All Australian-priced stocks have fallen a bit.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Sydney
Rising – Errol Gulden
The rising star winner for Round 1 was simply incredible. He kicked three goals from his 19 disposals and took ten marks. His foot skills were absolutely elite, and he made AFL look easy in Game 1. These stocks are a must-buy early.
Falling – Josh Kennedy
It’s hard to criticise any Swan after the brilliant win but Kennedy was below his lofty standards with 17 disposals. The emergence of others as midfield options are cutting into Kennedy’s time and it could be a down year for the veteran.
West Coast
Rising – Oscar Allen
What do fans want to see when a star full forward is coming to the end? A natural replacement and Allen showed that. He kicked four goals straight and took nine marks in a dominant forward performance. The Eagles will be just fine post Josh Kennedy.
Falling – Andrew Gaff
People (including myself) had high hopes for Gaff with the current landscape of AFL but his first game of the year was a disappointment. He finished with 16 disposals, however a quarter of those came in junk time when they were icing the game. Gaff needs to better.
Western Bulldogs
Rising – Bailey Smith
No one was really sure what to do about the Bulldogs’ midfield with Adam Treloar coming in. Bailey Smith was forced out to a wing and concerns were there, but he played a blinder. Thirty-six disposals and two goals for the East Malvern Mullet is the ultimate wingman’s game.
Falling – Jason Johannisen
It is impossible to pick a player from the 22 against Collingwood but the Norm Smith Medallist from 2016 couldn’t crack a spot. It’s a concern that he is on the outer this early and his stocks are falling because of it.
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