Adelaide Crows

State league affiliate: Adelaide (SANFL)
This weekend: Woodville-West Torrens v Adelaide - Sunday, August 18, 1.40pm, ACH Group Stadium

It wasn't just a dirty weekend for Adelaide's AFL side, with its SANFL counterparts suffering a disappointing eight-point loss to Woodville-West Torrens in trying conditions. 
 
The good news for the Crows was that key defender Alex Keath returned from his ankle injury to collect 16 disposals and eight marks, while dumped defender Rory Atkins also stood out with 27 touches and seven clearances.
 
Midfielder Hugh Greenwood (20 disposals and 15 tackles) and forward Myles Poholke (20 touches and 10 tackles) tried hard, while veteran big man Josh Jenkins managed just eight disposals and went goalless on a tough day for tall forwards.

Brisbane Lions

State league affiliate: Brisbane (NEAFL)
This weekend: GWS Giants v Brisbane - Sunday, August 18, 11.40am, Giants Stadium

Midfielder Rhys Mathieson continued his excellent recent form and put up his hand to replace the injured Allen Christensen when he was adjudged best on ground for Brisbane's NEAFL side against the Giants on Sunday.
 
Mathieson's 30-disposal, three-goal haul helped the Lions remain unbeaten this season as they registered an easy 47-point triumph over their GWS counterparts.
 
Crumber Lewis Taylor was the leading ball-winner on the ground with 34 touches, while former Kangaroo Ryan Bastinac continued his stellar season with 23 disposals and two goals.

Carlton

State league affiliate: Northern Blues (VFL)
This weekend: Box Hill Hawks v Northern Blues - Sunday, August 18, 12pm, Box Hill City Oval

Former Saint Hugh Goddard had another solid game in the VFL as the Northern Blues slipped to a 17-point loss to Box Hill on Sunday.
 
Goddard had 24 disposals and 10 marks in wet conditions, while big man Tom De Koning showed some positive signs to finish with 16 touches and a goal.
 
Teenager Liam Stocker (20 possessions) and recently re-signed midfielder David Cuningham (17 disposals) also tried hard for the Blues, who slipped out of finals contention following the defeat.

Collingwood

State league affiliate: Collingwood (VFL)
This weekend: Bye

Carlton

State league affiliate: Essendon (VFL)
This weekend: Essendon v Richmond - Saturday, August 17, 2pm, Windy Hill

In a 12-point loss to League leader Richmond, experienced onballer David Myers hit back hard after being dropped.

Myers, 30, amassed a game-high 31 possessions, laid four tackles and scored 1.1 in his bid for a swift return to AFL level.

Young defender Jordan Ridley was also a strong performer with 25 touches and 10 marks.

Rookie runners Jake Long (19 touches and four tackles) and Trent Mynott (19 touches, five tackles and a goal) tried hard while Jordan Houlahan kicked two goals to give him 22 for the season.

Fremantle

State league affiliate: Peel Thunder (WAFL)
This weekend: Swan Districts v Peel Thunder - Saturday, August 17, 2.15pm, Steel Blue Oval

Youngster Bailey Banfield has responded strongly to his omission from the seniors, finishing with 38 touches, 13 tackles and a goal in Peel Thunder's four-point loss against Swan Districts on Saturday.

Speedster Travis Colyer also found plenty of the ball, collecting 27 touches and laying four tackles.

Midfielder Brett Bewley had 21 disposals and laid six tackles, while Tom North finished with 20 disposals and kicked a behind.

Forward Hugh Dixon kicked a goal from nine touches and laid seven tackles.

Geelong Cats

State league affiliate: Geelong (VFL)
This weekend: Williamstown v Geelong - Sunday, August 18, 11.40am, Avalon Airport Oval

Experienced utility Sam Menegola did his chances of a recall no harm with an impressive individual performance during the Cats' nine-point loss to Williamstown.
 
The dumped 27-year-old starred with 29 disposals, seven marks, six tackles and a goal, while forward James Parsons (24 touches and a goal) and tough onballer Scott Selwood (25 touches and 10 tackles) weren't far behind.
 
Out of favour ruckman Rhys Stanley also put his hand up for a recall by collecting 24 hitouts, 19 disposals and two goals in the narrow loss.
Big man Wylie Buzza was the leading scorer for the Cats with three majors.

Gold Coast Suns

State league affiliate: Gold Coast (NEAFL)
This weekend: Sydney v Gold Coast - Saturday, August 17, 1.10pm, Tramway Oval

Prized draftee Izak Rankine made a spectacular return from injury in a 35-point NEAFL win over Sydney.

The 19-year-old, who'd been sidelined for six weeks with a hip injury, was given limited game time in his long-awaited return but proved lively with 14 possessions, four marks, nine tackles and a clever goal from a left-foot snap.

Experienced forward/midfielder Aaron Young continued his strong NEAFL form with a best-afield performance in which he collected an equal game-high 30 touches and kicked a goal.

Rookie runners Brad Scheer (20 touches, 11 tackles and a goal) and Sam Fletcher (21 touches and six tackles) were also industrious.

In attack, versatile teenager Connor Nutting produced a game-high haul of 4.3, while big man Peter Wright contributed 2.3 from his 16 possessions and nine marks, and also had 18 hitouts.

Tom Nicholls held sway in the ruck with 14 possessions, 40 hitouts and a goal, while Jesse Joyce was solid in defence as he aims for a senior recall.

Midfielder Jack Martin was sidelined with a minor knee problem he sustained in the NEAFL last week after being dropped. The out-of-contract 24-year-old did a light session on Thursday but didn't recover in time. However, the club expects him to be fit for next week.

GWS Giants

State league affiliate: GWS Giants (NEAFL)
This weekend: GWS Giants v Brisbane - Sunday, August 18, 11.40am, Giants Stadium

Dumped duo Aiden Bonar (15 disposals and seven tackles) and Jackson Hately (14 touches) failed to flatter as the Giants' NEAFL side suffered a 47-point loss to the Lions at home on Sunday.
 
Irishman Callum Brown booted two goals in an impressive display up forward, while untried midfielder Xavier O’Halloran was the leading ball-winner for the Giants with 25 disposals.
 
Young defender Issac Cumming (23 touches) was another of the Giants' listed players to stand out, while veteran defender Matt Buntine(15 disposals) was solid all day.

Hawthorn

State league affiliate: Box Hill Hawks (VFL)
This weekend: Box Hill Hawks v Northern Blues - Sunday, August 18, 12pm, Box Hill City Oval

Midfielder James Cousins showed his class with 31 disposals as Box Hill kept its season alive with a 17-point win over the Northern Blues.

On a day when Box Hill vice-captain Damian Mascitti celebrated his 27th birthday, former Sun Jack Scrimshaw (27 touches) and in-form ruckman Marc Pittonet (14 disposals and 24 hitouts) also stood out.

Leading goalkicker Jackson Ross booted another two goals for the Hawks, bringing his tally for the season to 33.

Melbourne

State league affiliate: Casey Demons (VFL)
This weekend: Casey Demons v Frankston - Sunday, August 18, 2pm, SkyBus Stadium

Ruckman Braydon Preuss was adjudged best on ground as he collected 23 kicks, eight tackles and a whopping 63 hitouts during Casey Demons' narrow six-point triumph over Frankston.

 
 
 
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Only eight goals were scored on a wet, wintry day at Skybus Stadium as both sides found scoring hard to come by in rainy conditions, with Preuss booting an inaccurate five behinds for the Demons.

Jay Lockhart (19 disposals), Josh Wagner (19) and Oskar Baker (15) also stood out for the Demons, while Jayden Hunt had 14 touches and six tackles.

North Melbourne

State league affiliate: North Melbourne (VFL)
This weekend: North Melbourne v Footscray - Sunday, August 18, 12pm, Arden St

Mid-season draftee Lachlan Hosie did his chances of picking up a final round debut no harm by booting six goals during North Melbourne's narrow six-point loss to Footscray.
 
Hosie got plenty of help inside 50, with dumped forward Mason Wood, untried ruckman Tristan Xerri and Irishman Red Og Murphy all booting two goals of their own in an entertaining contest.
 
Wood responded well to his omission by collecting 20 disposals in the loss, while young defender Joel Crocker also impressed with 22 touches.

Port Adelaide

State league affiliate: Port Adelaide (SANFL)
This weekend: Sturt v Port Adelaide - Sunday, August 18, 2.40pm, Peter Motley Oval 

Out of favour ruckman Scott Lycett looks set for a recall following a dominant performance for Port Adelaide in the SANFL on Sunday.

The big man collected 43 hitouts, 18 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles and a goal as the Magpies registered a gritty 15-point victory on the road against Sturt at Peter Motley Oval.

Former Cat Steven Motlop also put up his hand for a recall by booting two goals, while rookie listed midfielder Jack Trengove was the leading ball-winner with 28 disposals.

Richmond

State league affiliate: Richmond (VFL)
This weekend: Essendon v Richmond - Saturday, August 17, 2pm, Windy Hill

An ankle injury to talented youngster Sydney Stack put a dampener on a 12-point win over Essendon.

Stack had 15 possessions in the first half before his ankle buckled beneath him in a contest. It's feared he could miss the rest of the season.

It was a better afternoon for another promising first-year prospect in Patrick Naish, who had a team-high 26 disposals and kicked a goal in another assured showing.

Big man Noah Balta had a huge impact in the first half with 12 touches, four marks, 11 hitouts and two of his team's first three goals. He didn't add to his goal tally but finished with 18 disposals and 21 hitouts.

Another young big man in Callum Coleman-Jones was again prominent with 19 possessions, eight marks, 28 hitouts and a goal from the boundary after a big mark.

Opportunist Dan Butler had 17 possessions, laid 12 tackles and kicked two goals, including the last one that ultimately sealed the victory, which ensured the Tigers would be minor premiers.

Connor Menadue and Luke English also chimed in with two goals apiece.

Mid-season recruit Marlion Pickett was relatively quiet with 14 touches in a predominantly back-half role.

St Kilda

State league affiliate: Sandringham (VFL)
This weekend: Sandringham v Port Melbourne - Sunday, August 18, 2.10pm, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval

Left-footer Jimmy Webster inched closer to a senior return when he booted two goals during a rare cameo up forward in Sandringham's home loss to Port Melbourne.

Webster has played three matches in the VFL following a long injury layoff and his 14-disposal, two-goal effort may win him a recall for the Saints' final game of the season against the Swans in Sydney.

Big man Jonathon Marsh (21 disposals) and defender Bailey Rice (16) were other St Kilda listed players to stand out, while former Blue Sam Rowe had 59 hitouts in a dominant ruck display.

 

Sydney Swans

State league affiliate: Sydney (NEAFL)
This weekend: Sydney v Gold Coast - Saturday, August 17, 1.10pm, Tramway Oval

Teenage small forward Zac Foot was the standout in a 35-point NEAFL loss to Gold Coast.

Foot, 18, was dangerous forward of centre with 24 possessions and a season-high three goals.

Midfielder James Rose kept his name in the senior selection frame with 30 possessions (including 23 kicks), five tackles and a goal, while rookie runner Sam Wicks had 22 touches and ex-Cat Jack Thurlow had 20 and four tackles.

Rookie forward Hayden McLean kicked two goals from his 13 possessions and seven marks.

Ruckman Darcy Cameron returned from injury to have nine disposals and 11 hitouts. 

Zac Foot booted three goals to push his case for senior selection. Picture: AFL Photos
Sydney Swans

West Coast Eagles

State league affiliate: West Coast (WAFL)
This weekend: East Perth v West Coast - Friday, August 16, 7.10pm, Leederville Oval

Eagles veteran Chris Masten has reminded selectors of his abilities with a strong performance in the club's four-goal win over WAFL rival East Perth in inclement conditions on Friday night.

The 30-year-old runner, who was dropped after the round 20 win over Carlton, gathered a team-high 25 possessions and laid three tackles.

Another premiership player in defender Liam Duggan made an impressive return from an ankle injury, finishing with 19 disposals, including 15 kicks, to press his claims for a final-round AFL return.

Untried midfielder Hamish Brayshaw continued his consistent WAFL form with 24 disposals, including a game-high 20 kicks, while former Port Adelaide player Brendon Ah Chee had 20 touches and laid seven tackles.

The Eagles controlled the ruck courtesy of Keegan Brooksby (13 touches, five tackles and 26 hitouts) and Nathan Vardy (15 touches, 20 hitouts and 1.1).

Small forward Jarrod Cameron, who had also been axed, had seven touches, laid seven tackles and kicked one of the five goals scored for the match in conditions that weren't conducive to forward play.

Western Bulldogs

State league affiliate: Footscray (VFL)
This weekend: North Melbourne v Footscray - Sunday, August 18, 12pm, Arden St

Midfielder Lukas Webb was the standout performer as Footscray came from behind to register a six-point victory over North Melbourne.

Webb collected 31 disposals and booted a goal in the thrilling triumph, while dumped youngster Rhylee West again impressed with 21 touches and two goals.
 
Untried small forward Ben Cavarra kicked three for the victors, while young ruckman Jordon Sweet had 41 hitouts in an entertaining duel with former Bulldogs big man Tom Campbell.