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Round 8 is headlined by the QClash, as well as the Sydney Derby.
Hawthorn will celebrate 100 years in the VFL/AFL this Sunday in a Centenary Match against Richmond at the SCG.
Here’s who needs to stand up for your team to taste victory.
St Kilda
Jack Steele needs to lead from the front and drive the standards after an embarrassing performance by his team against the Lions losing by a 45-point margin, which flattered them.
The St Kilda captain needs to match the intensity and class shown be Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw, for his team to be more competitive against Fremantle.
Fremantle
Sean Darcy is known for his dominance in the ruck, having a physical presence and for his ability to tap the ball to advantage.
Longmuir said on Tuesday: “We probably see Sean as our No.1 ruckman. We’ll give more time to ‘Jacko’ than maybe what we have in the past though, and Sean will have to tidy up his forward craft at times.”
Western Bulldogs
Marcus Bontempelli has made a wonderful return to the team following a calf injury. In his first two games the captain has averaged the most score involvements per game of any player in the competition, with 11!
The ‘Bont’ doesn’t have to accumulate possessions, which gives coach Luke Beveridge the luxury of moving his skipper’s magnet from the midfield to the forward line when required as Tom Liberatore, Ed Richards, Joel Freijah and Matthew Kennedy can play inside midfield and will be an asset for the master coach to have when they take on Port Adelaide.
Port Adelaide
Zak Butters is a player who has won the AFL Players’ Most Courageous Award twice as voted by his peers and is a two-time All-Australian.
The vice-captain has had at least 27 disposals in the four games featured in so far this season, but he doesn’t waste the ball as his averaged the equal most score involvements per game of any Power player, with seven.
The midfielder also works hard defensively, which is why he has averaged the fourth most tackles of any player in the competition per game, with 7.50 and will need to bring that ferocious attack on the footy when Port Adelaide faces the Western Bulldogs.
Adelaide
Josh Rachele was below par in his first game back from injury against the Dockers in Round 7. Despite that, the small forward still had five score involvements and one goal from just nine disposals.
The 22-year-old reads the game well and has averaged the third most score involvements of any Crows player per game this season, with 6.50 and will need to bring the x-factor that he possesses when Adelaide takes on Carlton.
Carlton
Harry McKay was back to his best in the Blues upset victory over the Cats in Round 7; the key forward kicked three goals, 19 disposals and eight score involvements.
The experienced campaigner will need to take advantage of the Crows lack of a dominant key defender when Carlton takes on Adelaide.
Collingwood
Brayden Maynard is a player that possesses a competitive instinct and he is known for being a physical player that never shirks a contest; Maynard is at his best when he is tough and focused on winning the ball and has become a good leader in the back-line.
The defender will probably get the job of curtailing Shaun Mannagh and Patrick Dangerfield at times when Collingwood takes on Geelong.
Geelong
Jeremy Cameron is a key forward who has a license to come up the ground if he isn’t impacting the game. The 32-year-old has kicked the most goals and had the most score involvements of any Cats player this season.
The former Giant could cause the Collingwood defence plenty of problems, because his versatility will make him a tough match up for them in Round 8.
Jeremy Cameron celebrates a goal. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
West Coast
Jeremy McGovern is a key player for the Eagles and has the talent to take intercept marks and is still arguably their most important player and best leader.
The Eagles veteran aerial prowess and decision making having averaged the 12th most intercept possessions of any player per game in the competition, with 7.40.
Melbourne
Xavier Lindsay is a great young player, and was selected as the Round 7 AFL Rising Star nomination.
The number 20 accumulated 21 disposals in the Demons win over the Tigers and finished the game with five score involvements and four intercept possessions, which means he should be full of confidence in Round 8.
Sydney
James Rowbottom had the most clearances of any player in the game between the Swans and Suns, with eight.
The midfielder is elite defensively and works hard with his relentless tackling, having averaged 6.71 tackles per game. The role he’ll probably play is to negate the influence of Tom Green when Syndey faces GWS.
GWS
Jesse Hogan is arguably the Giants’ most important player, given they kicked just four goals in a 19-point loss to the Crows in Round 6, which was a game that Hogan was unavailable for through injury.
The key forward averages the most goals per game of any player in the competition this season, with 4.25, which proves how much the Giants rely on him.
Hawthorn
Jarman Impey possesses good decision-making skills and will be up against a Tigers’ team that have some dangerous small forwards, with Rhyan Mansell, Seth Campbell and Sam Lalor in Round 8.
Richmond
Tom Lynch at his best can kick goals almost at will and is able to win the ball in the air.
The experienced forward must be at his best, because he is their main target in the front half and Hawthorn possesses arguably one of the best defences in the AFL. Therefore, Lynch will need to halve contests and bring the ball to ground.
Brisbane
Dayne Zorko is a fiery character and the ultimate competitor. The 36-year-old is consistent, provides leadership and leaves everything out on the field.
The QClash should have plenty of spice and niggle given the two teams playing are arch rivals and Zorko could well be in the thick of it.
Gold Coast
Noah Anderson has become one of the best players in the competition and should be known for that. Former Suns coach Stuart Dew was full of praise for Anderson in 2023 saying that: “I feel like he’s an on-ground coach for us.”
It will be fascinating what Brisbane chooses to do with the Suns captain, given Dew is currently a part of the Lions coaching group; they could back their midfield in or tag Anderson with Jarrod Berry.
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