State league affiliate: Adelaide (SANFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Brisbane Lions (NEAFL)
This weekend: Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast - Saturday May 28, 5.45pm, Gabba
Former Cat Jarrad Jansen was named the Lions' best in their comprehensive 112-point win, ending with 29 disposals, seven marks and four tackles through the midfield.
Jansen, who is yet to make his debut at the elite level, was well assisted by 176cm forward Josh Green (32 touches, two goals) and rookie Archie Smith (23 touches, five marks).
After accumulating 24 possessions last round, Green featured in the midfield for the second consecutive week and even drifted forward to his more familiar role.
Midfielder Claye Beams also displayed his ball-winning ability with 26 touches and two goals, while axed Lion Billy Evans had 20 disposals.
In attack, Liam Dawson and Josh Walker bagged five goals apiece in the one-sided affair, with Eric Hipwood also contributing with four majors.
State league affiliate: Northern Blues (VFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Collingwood (VFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Essendon (VFL)
This weekend: Richmond v Essendon - Saturday May 28, 4pm, Punt Road Oval
Last year's No.6 pick in the NAB AFL Draft, Aaron Francis, starred for the Bombers in their 23-point victory over Richmond and took nine intercept marks to go with his 21 disposals.
The 18-year-old looked at ease across half-back in only his second appearance since returning from a calf injury last weekend, and will stake serious claims for an AFL debut soon.
Jackson Merrett (33 disposals, six tackles and a goal) will also mount a case after he was awarded with the Sir Doug Nicholls Medal as best on ground.
Bombers VFL football manager Ash Brown told AFL.com.au on Sunday that Merrett was again the standout.
"In the first half when it was a little bit wet and greasy, Jackson was very clean, used the ball well and rarely turned it over," Brown said.
Merrett hasn’t featured at senior level since round three this season, but has consistently recorded solid numbers in the reserves.
Rookie Will Hams backed up his impressive outing last week and worked hard for his 24 disposals, playing as an inside midfielder with stints in attack.
Top-up recruit Sam Michael will come into senior contention this week after young defender Michael Hartley injured his right hamstring in the Dreamtime at the 'G clash.
Speaking post-match, Bombers coach John Worsfold acknowledged his side's lack of key defenders, but said 199cm Michael may be an adequate replacement for Hartley.
"There's a young player, Sam Michael, in the VFL who rucked today [Saturday] and we've been planning on him learning his craft as a ruckman and playing forward a bit," Worsfold said.
"He can go back and hold up, so that's one we can look at."
Michael has managed just three games – all in 2013 – in three seasons at the Brisbane Lions, before being delisted at the end of 2014.
Onya Jacko! https://t.co/wc5EGN314r
— Essendon FC (@EssendonFC) May 28, 2016
State league affiliate: Peel Thunder (WAFL)
This weekend: East Fremantle v Peel Thunder - Saturday May 28, 2.15pm, ATOM Stadium
First-round draftee Darcy Tucker was named best afield for Peel after amassing a game-high 29 disposals in his side’s 26-point victory.
The highly touted youngster has sat out the past four senior games, but is a likely inclusion if the winless Fremantle opt to instill more youth.
Utility Tendai Mzungu also won his fair share of the ball and ended with 27 disposals, while key forward Michael Apeness contributed two majors.
Omitted ruckman Zac Clarke came under fire earlier in the week from coach Ross Lyon after a string of sub-par performances, but responded positively with 39 hit outs and 19 touches.
Hard-luck story Anthony Morabito was also influential with 21 disposals.
State league affiliate: Geelong (VFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Gold Coast (NEAFL)
This weekend: Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast - Saturday May 28, 5.45pm, Gabba
The injury-ravaged Suns suffered yet another heavy defeat, this time to the tune of 112 points.
Only three Suns-listed players took part in the match, with the majority of their players from the Queensland under-18 representative squad.
Defender Tom Keough led the way with 13 touches and two tackles followed by rookie Jesse Joyce with his 16 disposals and three tackles.
Forward/ruck Cameron Loersch was the only multiple goalkicker, kicking two of the Suns' five majors for the evening.
State league affiliate: Giants (NEAFL)
This weekend: Aspley v Giants - Saturday May 28, 12pm, Graham Road
Exciting forward Will Hoskin-Elliott picked up 10 disposals and kicked two goals in his first game for a month.
The 22-year-old has played only two AFL matches and three NEAFL games this season after being restricted by a quad injury.
Hoskin-Elliott had his minutes restricted to 60 per cent of game time and improved as the contest progressed. He spent most of his time in attack.
Midfield pair Matthew Kennedy (24 disposals) and rookie Daniel Lloyd (26 disposals, 13 tackles and three goals) both impressed as the Giants fell five goals short of the Hornets.
The Western Sydney University coach Brad Miller told AFL.com.au the pair performed well against an experienced Aspley on-ball unit, and praised Kennedy's form, who was last year's No. 13 pick.
"He's been getting better and better as the season's gone on," Miller said.
"He's really learning how to play a disciplined brand of footy through the middle."
The man drafted three spots after Kennedy, Harrison Himmelberg, notched 20 disposals and four marks in the backline.
The 86kg Giant is often outsized as a key defender but uses his positioning and body work to neutralise that disadvantage.
On Saturday, he used the ball more effectively than he has previously.
There were two minor injury concerns – ruckman Tom Downie with an elbow that Miller hoped was a corkie, and Jeremy Finlayson with a foot issue that will be assessed during the week.
State league affiliate: Box Hill (VFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Casey Scorpions (VFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Werribee (VFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Port Adelaide (SANFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Richmond (VFL)
This weekend: Richmond v Essendon - Saturday May 28, 4pm, Punt Road Oval
Midfielder Nathan Drummond got through unscathed in his comeback from a right knee reconstruction that has sidelined him for the past 13 months.
The 21-year-old, who was recruited with pick No.52 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft, featured in the first half of the Tigers' 23-point loss in carefully managed game time.
He ended with 14 disposals, five marks and three inside 50s, and will gradually build his match fitness over coming weeks.
Drummond had not played at any level since rupturing his ACL in his debut match against Melbourne in round four last year.
Mature-age recruit Nathan Broad, the No.67 selection in last year's draft, performed well alongside on-baller Reece Conca (26 disposals, eight tackles, seven clearances) and out-of-favour ruckman Ivan Maric (one goal).
Forward Liam McBean was kept goalless but worked hard further up the ground with his 16 possessions, 10 marks and three inside 50s.
State league affiliate: Sandringham (VFL)
This weekend: Bye
State league affiliate: Sydney Swans (NEAFL)
This weekend: Sydney University v Sydney Swans - Friday May 27, 4.10pm, Sydney Cricket Ground
Sam Reid played his first game for 2016 after a right hamstring injury suffered in last year's finals series and notched 12 disposals and booted a goal.
Xavier Richards bagged four goals as the Swans won by 59 points for their seventh consecutive victory.
Usually a defender, Swans coach Rhyce Shaw told AFL.com.au he wanted to change things up for Richards and predicted more time in attack for the brother of fellow Swan Ted.
"We know he can play a role down back and we're just looking to see if he can add to his game," Shaw said.
In the backline, Aliir Aliir gathered 22 disposals and took 11 marks, with his ability to read the play and intercept the ball a highlight.
Despite having gastro and vomiting before the match, Dean Towers gathered 28 disposals and registered 0.3.
Towers spent most of his time in the midfield but rested at half-forward.
Midfielder Brandon Jack excelled with 28 disposals and three goals and James Rose had 26 to go with a goal.
"(Jack's) just been playing some super footy all year. He's so close to a call-up and he knows that," Shaw said.
Shaw was keen to point out the performances of rookies Nic Newman (26 disposals), midfielder Jordan Foote (28 disposals) and Colin O'Riordan (16 disposals, one goal), who have all been in stellar form.
O'Riordan is an Irishman, who has played only eight games of AFL, while Newman is a rebounding defender.
State league affiliate: East Perth (WAFL)
This weekend: East Perth v Subiaco - Saturday May 28, 2.15pm, Medibank Stadium
Luckless Eagles defender Mitch Brown made his long-awaited return to senior football and got through the match unscathed, as the Royals suffered a thumping 99-point loss to Subiaco.
Brown hadn’t played since damaging a tendon in his finger during the NAB challenge and ended the contest with 15 touches.
Xavier Ellis, another Eagle who has succumbed to several injuries throughout his career, finished with 16 possessions, while ex-Blue Kane Lucas worked hard to notch a game-high 29 disposals.
Youngster Tom Lamb was serviceable with 18 possessions and a goal.
State league affiliate: Footscray (VFL)
This weekend: Bye
All times are local
