The players who stood out and those who must improve from Round 13

It was another huge round of footy and we are now in the business end of the season where teams are pushing to secure their spot in finals.

See below who stood out and who must improve from the weekend's footy.

Stood out: Overall effort

The Crows were more than competitive for three and a half quarters in their eventual defeat to Geelong. The Cats have been having their way with their opponents of late but Adelaide made a real nuisance of themselves, which they’ve failed to do frequently in 2020. Led by the likes of Matt Crouch, Rory Laird, Brodie Smith and Rory Sloane, the Crows were at the in-form Cats all afternoon before finally succumbing to the quality of the top-four side late in proceedings. It was an improvement for Matthew Nicks who will be expecting more of the same in their remaining four matches.

Must improve: Ben Crocker

He’s not a huge accumulator of the ball but Crocker’s output in the loss was somewhat below his own par. He had just five touches, while laying one tackle and kicking a point. The former Magpie was back in the side after missing last weekend due to illness and failed to have any major impact as a small forward. It’s not Crocker’s job to get heaps of the footy but providing a bit more pressure around the contest and getting more involved in attack would be the expectation.

Andrew Slevison

Stood out: Jarrod Berry

Jarrod Berry remains the piece of the Brisbane puzzle that continues to fly under the radar. He is a damaging midfielder averaging 17 disposals per game, five score involvements and constantly puts himself in scoring positions. In a tight game against a quality opposition against St Kilda, Berry picked up 20 disposals, kicked two goals and went at 95 per cent disposal efficiency. His efforts were ultimately a huge factor in the result and not for the first time this year.

Must improve: Mitch Robinson

Mitch Robinson has had a bit of a quiet patch for the Lions, with two games under 10 disposals in his last three. The wingman has struggled to have an impact in recent weeks and that was evident against St Kilda. Robinson finished with just the six disposals in a tight game and while he has proven himself in this Lions side, he will be hoping to bounce back following the side’s Round 14 bye.

Nic Negrepontis

Stood out: Marc Murphy

The Suns paid no attention to Marc Murphy on Friday night and he absolutely torched them for it. Spending more time on-ball in the absence of Matthew Kennedy, Murphy picked up the easiest 28 disposals of his career, finding a ton of space forward of the ball. Carlton kicked inaccurately, but Murphy kept setting them up, finishing with 11 score involvements, five clearances and three inside 50s. There is no question Murphy should go around again in 2021.

Must improve: Marc Pittonet

Marc Pittonet has had a quieter second block of the season after a strong start filling in for Matthew Kreuzer. He has struggled in multiple ruck match-ups, including against Gold Coast’s Jarrod Witts on Friday night and the emergence of Tom De Koning puts his spot in the side in question. Carlton likes to play three key forwards and with Mitch McGovern approaching a return, one of the two rucks will likely miss out.

Nic Negrepontis

Stood out: Will Hoskin-Elliott

Collingwood fans will be pointing to Will Hoskin-Elliott’s efforts on Monday night and hoping it becomes a more consistent trend. After averaging 11 disposals and four marks per game so far in 2020, the forward picked up 19 touches and took 10 marks in the win over North Melbourne. If Hoskin-Elliott can impact games to the extent that he did against the Kangaroos on a regular basis, it will go a long way to solving Collingwood’s marking forward frustrations.

Must improve: Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox

Speaking of Collingwood’s marking forward frustrations, Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox answered no questions on Monday night. The duo combined for five marks, one goal and 14 disposals while Robbie Tarrant was the best North Melbourne player on the ground. In the absence of Brody Mihocek, neither really put their hand up to prove they should be the long-term solution inside 50.

Nic Negrepontis

Stood out: Irving Mosquito

The depleted nature of Essendon’s current line up is making things extremely different for coach-in-waiting Ben Rutten to make any progress on his much-talked about new game plan but on Saturday night, Mosquito provided a much-needed spark up forward which has been sorely missing for most of 2020. After playing in their Marsh Series clash against West Coast, the exciting small forward’s hard work to shed the kilos in the club’s Queensland hub was rewarded with a debut in the Dreamtime game and he was easily the Bombers’ highlight on the night, kicking two goals including a smart crumbing goal in the first half. It’s crucial Mosquito is persevered with for the remainder of the season and into the future as he provides a clear point of difference inside 50.

Must improve: Opposition forward 50 dominance

Essendon are clearly still a work in progress both on the field and in the coach’s box and even as they noticeably crowded Richmond’s defensive 50 on Saturday night, it’s never a good sign when you go inside 50 on 42 fewer occasions compared to your opponent. Failing to lay a single forward 50 tackle – a key stat in the modern game – is something the Bombers will have to rectify. All eyes will be on how they respond against Hawthorn on Thursday afternoon and whether they’ll be able to lock the ball inside their forward half and not get stuck defending repeat entries into their opposition’s inside 50.

Laurence Rosen

Stood out: Luke Ryan

Justin Longmuir is making big strides in his first season as Fremantle coach and Luke Ryan’s improvement is one of his biggest achievements so far in 2020. Ryan is currently impressing widely and had arguably his best game against Sydney on Saturday night as his side restricted the Swans to just two goals. A season-high 26 touches and five marks across half-back was a stand-out return for one of the competition’s most improved players.

Must improve: Connor Blakely

Connor Blakely has had to work extremely hard to break into Fremantle’s side this year and after an impressive game back in Round 9, he failed to make much of an impact against Sydney despite starting in the midfield. The 24-year-old will want to improve on a game which included 14 touches and just two tackles, especially considering the strength of competition to win a spot in the Dockers’ emerging midfield.

Laurence Rosen

Stood out: Jack Steven

Jack Steven is starting to find his feet after an interrupted start to life as a Cat. Steven delivered his best performance of the season against the Crows, finding the footy regularly while working hard without the ball. The former Saint laid a team-high 11 tackles – his best return since 2017 – and picked up 24 disposals which is a season high. He also had a hand in seven score involvements. Steven’s improved form will only strengthen an already star-studded Geelong midfield.

Must improve: Stoppage work

Geelong eventually saw off a plucky Crows outfit who were in the contest up until three-quarter time. The Cats’ slow start was down to Adelaide’s centre clearance work. The Crows led the centre clearance count 6-1 at half-time with six of their seven scores coming directly from stoppages. Geelong, who were without captain Joel Selwood, were able to restore parity in the clearance battle in the second half but it’s certainly an area they can get better in.

Alex Zaia

Stood out: Jack Lukosius

The 20-year-old rebounding defender continues to impress and in difficult conditions in Darwin on Friday night, he was clearly Gold Coast’s best in the loss to Carlton. While spending much of the night on Harry McKay, Lukosius’ ball use was once again on full display in a 23-disposal and six-mark game. The no.2 draft pick of 2018 is emerging as one of the competition’s brightest talents and will only improve even further from here.

Must improve: Ben King

The prodigious forward talent had a quiet week after kicking just one goal against Richmond last Monday before going goalless when matched up against Liam Jones on Friday. While largely impressing across the year, he’s looking noticeably tired and could do with a little freshen up before the season is out so he can return to his absolute best.

Laurence Rosen

Stood out: Jake Riccardi

Riccardi was very impressive on debut in the Giants’ loss to West Coast. After being overlooked in two National Drafts and a Mid-Season Draft, he stepped out for the first time at 20 years of age and certainly did not look out of place at the elite level. He was one of his side’s best, taking 10 marks and booting two goals while providing a goal assist and eight score involvements. Riccardi stepped into the role vacated after Jeremy Finlayson was dropped and showed plenty in his first taste of the big time.

Must improve: Desire to win

The Giants may have fought back late to get within two goals but where was that want and desire earlier? With a top-eight spot up for grabs, you would expect them to be showing a bit more ambition and eagerness to win. They had kicked just one goal until half-time before they outscored the Eagles when things were done and dusted. Leon Cameron’s side only sit two points out of the finals at this stage so they can still turn it around but it would want to happen very soon.

Andrew Slevison

Stood out: James Worpel

After a sluggish start to the season, Worpel has put together a quality month of footy. The reigning Hawthorn best and fairest was his side’s best player in the narrow defeat to Port Adelaide. He finished the day with 26 disposals, five tackles and four clearances. He was particularly good early when the Hawks were at their best with 11 touches in the first term.

Tom Mitchell must also get a mention for his output. Along with Worpel he gave the Hawks drive out of the centre with 25 possessions and five clearances plus a game-high 11 tackles.

Must improve: Tim O’Brien

O’Brien has all the natural talent in the world but is just struggling to put it together. He had six disposals with four turnovers at just 33% efficiency and took one mark in the loss to the Power. He mixed his 83% game time between attack and defence but was unable to have an impact, apart from a very early goal. We would love to see the 26-year-old fulfil his potential but the Hawks have to decide in which position his future lies and just let him play there.

Andrew Slevison

Stood out: Jack Viney

Saturday afternoon’s clash against the Western Bulldogs was billed as the battle between two of the best midfields in the league and while the Dogs won that battle, Jack Viney was Melbourne’s most impressive player on the day and was once again his usual hard-nosed self in the middle. 24 touches and four tackles were a team-high, leading to arguably his best game since his 34-disposal performance way back in Round 1. Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca have won plenty of praise this season for their improvements but once again Viney is proving just how crucial he is for Melbourne.

Must improve: Consistency

It’s one of the big questions in footy right now – how do you judge Melbourne? After three wins in a row against Adelaide, North Melbourne and Collingwood in Round 12, the Demons were soundly beaten by the Dogs on Saturday afternoon in a game which was billed as a mini-final. Melbourne now sit just outside of the top eight with a game in hand but will have to fix up the form fluctuations between games they’ve displayed across the season. They’ve got a stand-alone Saturday night fixture against St Kilda in Alice Springs to prove their worth this weekend which will reveal plenty about where they’re really at.

Laurence Rosen

Stood out: Luke Davies-Uniacke

Luke Davies-Uniacke continues to show why he was taken with pick four in the 2017 National Draft. He has had a breakout month and was particularly impressive against Collingwood, winning 22 disposals and putting the ball inside 50 on seven occasions. His speed and burst from stoppages was what separated him from the pack at under 18 level and he has shown it frequently in recent weeks as his confidence improves.

Must improve: The forward line

It’s hard to blame Ben Brown for struggling in this North Melbourne forward line and it should prove that 2020 is an outlier in his form and not the norm. Cam Zurhaar, Mason Wood, Tristan Xerri and Nick Larkey all had no impact in the loss to Collingwood, with the ball use going forward making it tough for their marking targets. It’s hard to see anyone thriving inside 50 for the Kangaroos given the current state of their ball movement around the ground.

Nic Negrepontis

Stood out: Travis Boak

Another best on ground and likely three more Brownlow Medal votes for in-form Port Adelaide star Travis Boak. Boak went to another level in the last quarter with his 11 disposals helping the Power see off a determined Hawthorn. The veteran’s nine clearances enabled Port to gain the ascendancy in the midfield. His match-high 33 disposals saw him receive a perfect 10 coaches’ votes.

Must improve: Steven Motlop

Steven Motlop could find himself out of the side after a quiet outing against the Hawks. The enigmatic forward/wingman finished with just eight disposals and went goalless for a second week in a row. Motlop, who has averaged 6.5 touches and one tackle since he was recalled for the Round 12 match against former club Geelong, may make way with young guns Xavier Duursma and Kane Farrell waiting in the wings.

Alex Zaia

Stood out: Shai Bolton and Dustin Martin

The constantly improving Bolton was sublime in the Darwin heat in the Dreamtime win over Essendon. He was instrumental over the course of the night, finishing with an equal career-high 29 disposals to go along with seven inside 50s and five clearances. His ability to use his dexterity and agility to evade tackles remains a highlight of his exciting playing style. To cap off a superb night in the Northern Territroy, Bolton claimed the Yiooken Award for best on ground in the Dreamtime jumper he designed.

Martin provided more than able support to the lesser experienced Bolton. The Richmond star amassed 30 possessions (his best return of the season), accompanied by an equal game-high nine inside 50s (alongside Marlion Pickett) and a team-best seven clearances. He gathered 651 metres gained, kicked a goal and had nine score involvements in a quality all-round performance.

The midfield pair were comfortably Richmond’s best two players on the night.

Must improve: Attacking efficiency

It should have been a comfortable win for the Tigers from the amount of forward 50 entries they produced doubled with their inaccuracy in front of goal. The Tigers were dominant in driving the ball into attack with regularity but with a desperate Essendon defence plus some inability to make the most of their 23 scoring shots, they were unable to really put their opponents to the sword. This is an area of their game they’d want to improve against West Coast this Thursday night.

Andrew Slevison

Stood out: Jack Steele

Jack Steele did everything in his power to try and haul St Kilda over the line. Steele stood tall with the Saints on the ropes early, winning 18 disposals to half-time before finishing with 25 touches, 10 tackles, seven score involvements, four clearances and a goal. Under the tutelage of coach Brett Ratten, the former tagger is now one of the in-form midfielders in the competition with a maiden All-Australian berth now a distinct possibility.

Must improve: Composure

It was a weird afternoon considering how fortunate St Kilda was to be in the contest due to Brisbane’s poor goalkicking accuracy, but it’s a game they should have won in the end. The Saints, who have been extremely efficient forward of centre this season, were guilty of blazing away far too often and lacked composure and polish at crucial moments during the final quarter.

Alex Zaia

Stood out: James Rowbottom

James Rowbottom continues to come on in leaps and bounds. The young midfielder’s stoppage work has been a highlight this season winning a game-high eight clearances to go with 19 disposals – 13 of them contested – plus six tackles, four score involvement and 354 metres gained against the Dockers. It’s the fourth consecutive match the 19-year-old has recorded seven-plus clearances.

Must improve: Ability to score

It was a bleak night for the Swans who were restricted to their lowest score since relocating to Sydney in 1982 and their lowest since 1971. John Longmire’s young side kicked the first goal of night but added just one more in the next three quarters to finish on a paltry 2.7 (19). While Fremantle’s defence deserves credit, to kick just two goals in an entire game, whether it be shorter or normal quarters, is just unacceptable.

Alex Zaia

Stood out: Josh Rotham and Jeremy McGovern

In just his ninth AFL game, Rotham produced the most accomplished performance of his fledgling career in the win over GWS. The 22-year-old was a key contributor in West Coast’s backline which once again made life difficult for the opposing forwards. Rotham took a career-high 11 marks, had a season-best 16 touches and gathered seven intercept possessions.

Last week it was Tom Barrass who formed a deadly defensive partnership with Jeremy McGovern and this week Rotham was able to work in tandem with the Eagles star. McGovern was again in fine form and clearly best on ground with 10 marks, five of which were contested, 18 disposals and 11 intercepts.

Must improve: Not much

The Eagles are humming at the moment with eight wins on the trot. There isn’t much to pick out that is going wrong. The only negative, if you can call it that, was allowing the Giants back into the game but the cue was in the rack because the result was in the bag. After winning their last three against teams outside the eight, the Eagles face a major test against Richmond on neutral ground at Metricon Stadium this Thursday night.

Andrew Slevison

Stood out: Hayden Crozier

Hayden Crozier is an incredibly important aspect of the Bulldogs’ backline and he feasted on the mostly poor ball use from Melbourne’s midfield on Saturday afternoon. Crozier took eight marks in defence and was influential in a number of other forward 50 contests. Crozier used the ball well too, going at 92 per cent disposal efficiency. While the Dogs are undersized in defence, they make up for it with intelligent players like Crozier, Bailey Williams and Easton Wood who always find themselves in good positions.

Must improve: Josh Bruce

It’s hard to fathom what has happened with Josh Bruce in 2020. He has gone from an effective and reliable key forward to one that just cannot find the football. He has kicked 12 goals so far this year – six of them against North Melbourne – averaged eight disposals per game and only three marks. While he’s never been a player that takes a lot of marks and wins a lot of the ball, his impact on games is significantly down on his time at St Kilda and the Bulldogs need him to take pressure off Aaron Naughton in these last few weeks.

Nic Negrepontis