Peter Wright hit his best form when he moved into the ruck, Sam Durdin had patches as he tries to build confidence after pre-season thumb surgery, while Tom Lamb showed flashes of his talent.
Darcy Moore and Hugh Goddard switched from one end of the ground to the other, and sometimes back again, while Jake Lever, of course, didn't play at all as he continues his recovery from a knee reconstruction late last year.
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For a long time, this year's draft has been known as the year of the talls. But it wasn't easy being big during the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, which ended on Thursday.
There were varying reasons, and all will still likely feature in the first round of November's NAB AFL Draft.
But, after a six-round home-and-away division one series, there is an unusual sense around the order at this stage of the year: still, it's hard to read how it all sits, and who fits where.
While the talk preceding the carnival was of the taller types, it was the midfielders who impressed most, at least consistently.
Christian Petracca lifted his standing, winning the Larke Medal as the best player in division one. He moved from half-forward into the midfield and showed he can be a powerful inside onballer, capable of dominating games.
His Vic Metro teammate Angus Brayshaw was just as consistent, while Isaac Heeney will head to the Sydney Swans as a readymade academy recruit.
Jordan De Goey, Paul Ahern, Corey Ellis, Connor Blakely and Touk Miller were other midfielders to do their stocks no harm, while Liam Duggan, Lukas Webb and Jack Lonie also had their moments from the flanks.
Click here to see all results from the NAB Under 18 championships
West Australian Jarrod Pickett's pace and skills will delight, while Ed Langdon and Jarrod Garlett also put their hands up for clubs looking for speed, of which there is a bit of a shortage in the top bracket.
Some athletic medium talls showed encouraging signs in Jayden Laverde, Ed Vickers-Willis and Caleb Marchbank. Abe Davis (Sydney Swans), Jeremy Finlayson (GWS) and Nick Jackson (Brisbane Lions) can also be included there, but are already linked to their northern academy clubs.
South Australia's back-to-back division one title was built on a strong team focus, with Harrison Wigg, who won its most valuable player award, a standout with his piercing kicks from half-back. Dillon Viojo-Rainbow also caught the eye with his run and creativity as a Vic Metro defender, Dan Howe the same for Vic Country.
While the group of players pushing for top-30 spots seemed to expand through the carnival, there was less certainty about the absolute top end. It is an intriguing draft in that respect.
Unlike Tom Boyd, Lachie Whitfield, Jonathon Patton or most other recent No.1 selections, no player to this point has asserted himself as the ultimate standout. Each club sees it differently, with some thinking their first preference could land anywhere in the top six-to-eight picks.
So, what does it all mean? Simply, some of the questions clubs had at the start of the year remain unanswered, and the last three months of the season will play a big part in shaping how it all ends up. Things are still wide open.
West Australian Jarrod Pickett's pace and skills will delight, while Ed Langdon and Jarrod Garlett also put their hands up for clubs looking for speed, of which there is a bit of a shortage in the top bracket.
Some athletic medium talls showed encouraging signs in Jayden Laverde, Ed Vickers-Willis and Caleb Marchbank. Abe Davis (Sydney Swans), Jeremy Finlayson (GWS) and Nick Jackson (Brisbane Lions) can also be included there, but are already linked to their northern academy clubs.
South Australia's back-to-back division one title was built on a strong team focus, with Harrison Wigg, who won its most valuable player award, a standout with his piercing kicks from half-back. Dillon Viojo-Rainbow also caught the eye with his run and creativity as a Vic Metro defender, Dan Howe the same for Vic Country.
While the group of players pushing for top-30 spots seemed to expand through the carnival, there was less certainty about the absolute top end. It is an intriguing draft in that respect.
Unlike Tom Boyd, Lachie Whitfield, Jonathon Patton or most other recent No.1 selections, no player to this point has asserted himself as the ultimate standout. Each club sees it differently, with some thinking their first preference could land anywhere in the top six-to-eight picks.
So, what does it all mean? Simply, some of the questions clubs had at the start of the year remain unanswered, and the last three months of the season will play a big part in shaping how it all ends up. Things are still wide open.
