AFL.com.au's Callum Twomey takes a look at Brisbane's misstep in the whiteboard saga, who will be the next player to 400 games and more in Cal-culations

FREO'S BUILD FOR THE NOW

JUSTIN Longmuir was appointed Fremantle coach in the September of 2019. Two months later, the Dockers drafted Hayden Young and Caleb Serong with back-to-back top-10 picks.

Seven years later, that eight-week window can clearly be defined as the start of the Dockers' push for an inaugural premiership.

And now here they are - in second position on the ladder, on a seven-game winning streak (the longest of Longmuir's coaching career), and with Serong and Young absolutely central to their premiership hopes.

Since that time, Fremantle's list has been methodically developed bit by bit. Look at the list of names that have come via targeted trade or free agency calls: Luke Jackson, Jordan Clark, Shai Bolton, Judd McVee, Jaeger O'Meara and recent rookie signings Patrick Voss and Mason Cox. They have shopped on Mayfair and in second-hand stores and walked out with super finds at both.

Since then at the draft the Dockers have hit jackpot time and time again: Josh Treacy is one of the great rookie picks, Heath Chapman is a gun from the compromised 2020 pool. Karl Worner was overlooked but is now a key part of the team and don't get us started on Murphy Reid at pick No.17 (you can if you want). Remarkably, the Dockers gave up three first-round picks for Bolton, whilst getting one back and then used it on Reid. Ka-ching.

List boss David Walls and recruiting manager David McMullin have pieced together a list that has no holes and the Dockers have leant in on the attacking brand needed to compete in finals. They are averaging 95 points a game, well up on the 86 they averaged last season and by far the most under Longmuir.

Bolton has been central to the rise this season. Under Champion Data's 100x ranking measure of players in the competition (based on impact), Bolton has gone from No.163 last year to No.18 this season. Jackson was 11th last season and is up to ninth and Treacy has jumped from No.63 to 28.

Bolton is one of only six players – alongside Christian Petracca, Isaac Heeney, Marcus Bontempelli, Kysaiah Pickett and Justin McInerney – to be averaging at least 25 disposals, at least one goal and at least one score assist a game this season.

Jackson's impact in the ruck has also changed the midfield dynamic, with Freo rating either first or second this year in hitouts differential, hitouts to advantage differential, first possession differential and clearances differential. Last year, they ranked fifth to 10th in all of those categories. 

Friday night's win over the Western Bulldogs saw Young return to his dynamic best and alongside Reid and Bolton, there is a different mix to the Dockers' midfield group this year. The Dockers probably should be 8-0 after coughing up a six-goal lead over Geelong to lose by 10 points in round one.

This Thursday night's game of the round against Hawthorn will be a further marker for their credentials. But after years of Freo building its group, those days are over.

Fremantle's list has hit the sweet spot and anything short of a preliminary final berth this year will be a missed opportunity.

LIONS MISS THE MARK

A TOUCH of contrition from Chris Fagan might have gone a long way.

The photograph inside Brisbane's facility shouldn't have been taken. It wasn't meant for prying eyes and wasn't meant for the public.

There was nothing untoward about the football-related comments on the board and in an elite game you would expect – or at least hope – that the same is being done at every club ahead of every game. Play-on on that front and it was an interesting insight into how players are viewed inside the bubble that we don't get to see.

The inclusion of Jaxon Prior's partner's name as his only 'strength' missed the mark.

After the game, Brisbane's powerbrokers – coach, football boss Danny Daly, media team and chief executive Sam Graham – met to discuss how the club would frame its response while elsewhere in the rooms staffers listened to clips from the broadcast to see how they had reacted to the story. This had followed Graham speaking with Essendon CEO Tim Roberts to apologise.

The comment about Prior's partner wasn't malicious and Fagan and his players said they had spoken to the former Lion before and at the end of the game to ensure it was received in the right manner. But the days of using players' partners as fodder has passed.

Instead of noting that that was probably a misstep, Fagan slammed the Auskick dad who took the photo, calling it "illegal" and saying he wanted to be "a hero".

Co-captain Josh Dunkley said post-game the Lions might "tidy up" their process with the whiteboard and change some terminologies. We dare say ex-teammates' partners won't feature again.

TIGERS' GLIMMERS TOP WEST COAST'S WOES

AFTER a shattering week of injuries at Richmond, Saturday's win over West Coast was one for the Tigers believers.

And Sam Cumming was at the centre of it.

In just his second game, already Cumming looks a draft hit for the Tigers, who adored him last year and had a stack of clubs after them hoping he would slip through.

Without Sam Lalor for at least the next four to six weeks, Cumming took up some of his work through the midfield and forward line against the Eagles with 23 disposals and six tackles.

The injuries to Lalor, Josh Smillie (quad) and Josh Gibcus (knee) through the week brought more questions on the direction of Richmond's rebuild. But the question should be less on the list direction than simply how the injuries keep happening, which is something Richmond continues to ask itself internally.

Regardless, the Tigers headed west and overcame West Coast to notch their first win of 2026 and keep alive the chance to escape from a second straight wooden spoon. The glimmers became a bit brighter on Saturday, particularly with an injury list so deep they had only three AFL-listed players available to feature in their VFL side.

Kane McAuliffe had 28 disposals and a goal and has taken strides, Jack Ross was excellent and Noah Balta played one of his best ever games with three goals, 20 disposals, six clearances and 20 hitouts in the ruck.

After a promising two weeks earlier this year, the Eagles have lost five games in a row – which has included four games at an average of 83 points - and have now dropped a must-win clash against the travelling Tigers.

BLUES ISSUES ON REPEAT

WATCHING Carlton is like watching a rerun episode of Friends at the moment: "The One Where They Give Up The Lead Again".

You know what's going to happen, you know when the key players will fold into normal character arcs and generally it takes about 25 minutes to all unfold.

On Saturday night, the Saints kicked eight goals between the seven and 26-minute marks of the third quarter, blowing away Carlton after the Blues led by 12 points at half-time.

It continued their lack of ability to stop teams piling on goals and was the sixth time this year an opponent has kicked six goals or more in a row. West Coast has also had this happen six times against them in eight starts so far this year.

Carlton's second half fade outs continue and they rank 18th in the AFL for points conceded after half-time (64.4 on average whilst averaging 34.4 themselves). Their pressure on Sunday night was the fourth worst recorded by Champion Data since 2011.

Such repeated issues come back to the coach and Michael Voss appeared at a loss post-game to explain the pattern.

The reality is he is running out of time to find out. The Blues have lost six games in row and won one this year – as many as Essendon and Richmond, who are deep in their respective rebuilds. And it only gets tougher with Brisbane at the Gabba to come this week.

A month ago in Cal-culations, we reported the Voss question had moved from an 'if' to a 'when' at Carlton. They have a bye in round 14, but will they be able to withstand the heat until then?

WHEN DOES TALENT TURN INTO CONSISTENCY?

GEELONG coach Chris Scott jokingly half-bristled when asked after the Cats' win over North Melbourne whether the Roos would have headed down the highway thinking Geelong was "gettable".

His response was done in usual, dry Scott fashion that he didn't think his side was going too badly, despite last week's smacking to Port Adelaide. He also noted how "stacked with talent" North is when referencing the forward-half impact of Max Holmes against North.

"Most of the good teams have those sorts of players. North Melbourne are a good example – they've got these top-three or top-five picks everywhere they can move around and have an influence. Max is our version of that," he said.

In Saturday's clash, North Melbourne had five top-five picks playing for them – Harry Sheezel, Zane Duursma, Finn O'Sullivan, Colby McKercher and Dylan Stephens. The sixth on their list, George Wardlaw, missed through illness.

Geelong doesn't have one top-five pick on its list (although you could argue Jeremy Cameron would have been if not for the 17-year-old access GWS had).

The closest to it at the Cats is former No.7 pick Bailey Smith, who was kept to his lowest metres gained game (284) for the Cats against the Roos due to a tight-checking role from Jy Simpkin. For Smith, metres gained is essentially his yardstick on performance and he does it well.

Credit to Simpkin for returning to North after last year's failed trade bid and taking on these jobs, having also limited Will Ashcroft a few weeks ago in Gather Round.

Whilst we're on the subject of taking the big jobs, the competition shouldn't be taking Connor O'Sullivan's form for granted. The Cats' top pick at the 2023 draft had the task of stopping North captain Nick Larkey and in their 101 minutes matched up against each other, Larkey was goalless.

O'Sullivan doesn't turn 21 until later this month and while the young key forwards such as Logan Morris and Nate Caddy rightfully get traction, at the other end of the ground, O'Sullivan is a steady head who could be a future captain.

GUNS N' ROSAS

THE BIG key forward was the headline addition during Sydney's trade period last year, but the small forward is proving just as effective.

Malcolm Rosas arrived at Sydney in a deal that saw the Swans land Rosas and pick 62 from Gold Coast in exchange for picks 51 and 69.

Rosas had his day in the literal sun on Sunday against Melbourne with five goals to half-time – a career high – and finishing the day with seven from just 11 kicks. His first half of football was the highest rated first half by any Swan since 2024.

Rosas played 49 games and kicked 46 goals for the Suns but was identified by Sydney last year as a need. Melbourne met with Rosas last year as did Essendon, with his decision coming down to the Swans or Richmond, and he chose the Swans to restart his career.

So far he has been a cheap and savvy addition and brought a different mix to the Swans' plethora of forward options.

WHO'S THE NEXT 400-GAMER?

SCOTT Pendlebury's impending status as the games record holder has had us thinking about who the next 400-gamer in the AFL could be.

Whoever it is, we are a long way from seeing the 400 Club expand from six members to seven.

Patrick Dangerfield (364 games) and Steele Sidebottom (361) have the next most games to their names behind Pendlebury but neither is expected to play two more years after this season to be able to get there.

None of Mark Blicavs, Lachie Neale, Taylor Walker, Dayne Zorko, Luke Parker and Jack Darling – the other current 300-gamers – are likely to reach the mark either.

So then we dig into the players closer to reaching 300 games who could keep going for an extended run. Cats star Jeremy Cameron (287 games) has the wiry body shape of the players to have longevity, including 400-gamers Dustin Fletcher, Michael Tuck and Kevin Bartlett, while Marcus Bontempelli (266 games) is showing no signs of slowing down.

Zach Merrett, aged 30, wants to play deep into his 30s and barely misses a game. He should be close to 290 games by the time his current contract ends at the end of 2027 and if he plays another five years after that, it will get him close.

But Essendon's lack of finals appearances will hurt him, as the 400-game players have all played more than 20 finals each in their career – a season's worth of games. Merrett has played just four.

It is why Brisbane's Hugh McCluggage is a long-term 400 contender. McCluggage's recent calf injury was the first block of games he has missed since his career began in 2017.

He has played 214 of Brisbane's 224 games since he was drafted and has now stacked up 20 finals games, with more to come this year.

McCluggage is contracted until the end of the 2031 season but has the skillset to keep playing and playing.

The two-time premiership star might yet be the most likely of the current generation to get within reach post-Pendlebury.

And a very, very long range prediction for Harry Sheezel to get within sight of 400 as well.