IN THIS week's Things We Learned, we discover Jagga Smith is still in the Rising Star race, Eagles ruckman is in career-best form plus much, much more.

Check out what we learned from round 11 of the 2026 season.

1) Tag test is coming for young Freo jet  

Teams have learned that tagging doesn't always achieve much against Walyalup, but how long can you let young game-breaker Murphy Reid do his thing in space when he is playing every bit like an All-Australian half-forward? Reid was best afield in the Dockers' 30-point win over Euro-Yroke on Friday night and central to a six-goal burst in the final quarter with seven score involvements, 13 disposals and a goal for the critical term. His incredible skill, vision, and ability to create a pocket of space and dispose of the ball quickly was on full display, and he will surely need to start preparing for more attention. The problem for opposition teams if they do choose to tag Reid is the way he flips between forward and midfield roles, swapping with star Shai Bolton and the returning Hayden Young. You can blunt one Freo weapon, but you can't limit them all and others will thrive when Reid eventually takes his turn under the opposition microscope. – Nathan Schmook

2) The Hawks have a secret weapon, and it's not who you think

Hawthorn needed a different look up forward in the absence of club champion Jack Gunston, and without a win from its last three games, it was Blake Hardwick to the rescue. Flipped into attack for Thursday's clash with Kuwarna, Hardwick kicked four goals – ultimately proving to be the difference on the scoreboard – and was widely lauded for his impact. But crucially, the reason the Hawks could sacrifice him from the backline was because of third gamer Bodie Ryan. A mid-sized lockdown defender, Ryan has joined the side and quietly gone about his business, finding his feet at the top level. What the trust in Ryan has provided Sam Mitchell and his charges is proving to be a weapon as they enter the back half of the season. - Gemma Bastiani

3) The Giants' season is still well and truly alive

Greater Western Sydney's season is far from over. Entering round 11 under immense pressure after a shock loss to the Eagles last week, the Giants played like a team with a massive point to prove. Despite losing Lachie Whitfield before the match and Jack Buckley in the first quarter, both to hamstring injuries, GWS showcased incredible grit and a lethal attacking ceiling on Sunday against Brisbane. By exploding for a historic third quarter in which they piled on 14 goals to dismantle the reigning premier, the Giants dominated every major statistical category. The blitz proved that Adam Kingsley's side still possesses the firepower to shake up the competition. - Emily Patterson

4) Blues are getting plenty of satisfaction from Jagga

After a first year missed through injury, Carlton will have had anxious moments about the future of Jagga Smith, but there is little to worry about. Smith debuted in Opening Round this year, 12 months later than anticipated, but immediately showed he was capable at the level. He lined up on the back flank against Sydney in what has become the preferred apprenticeship for modern-day onballers, but Smith has progressed rapidly and spent Saturday's win against Yartapuulti in the midfield, racking up 27 disposals at 85 per cent efficiency to be one of the Blues' best. "He's incredibly driven to be a great player," interim coach Josh Fraser said of Smith post-match. "And he's in a hurry." He definitely is and he doesn't look like slowing down until he's among the game's elite. – Howard Kimber

5) Eagles ruck hits career-best form

Bailey Williams started the season playing practice matches in the WAFL, but since being recalled to replace Matt Flynn in round five, the Victorian has made a statement. After producing the best performance of his career last weekend to earn eight coaches' votes, the Eagles ruckman starred again on Saturday. This time, Williams registered the highest-rated game of his career against Darcy Cameron, after amassing 28 hitouts, 20 disposals, 12 clearances, two goal assists and a goal to help his side beat Collingwood at clearances and out of the middle. Williams is the No.1-rated ruck across the past three rounds and is rising. - Josh Gabelich

6) This Dog looks to be getting back to his best

Ed Richards made a great start to the season, but the Bulldogs star has seemingly been playing sore in recent weeks. But look out for the left-footer in the second half of the season after he produced a dynamic display against Narrm on Sunday. Richards had 30 disposals, 10 clearances and kicked three goals as the Bulldogs recorded an important three-point win. If Richards can remain at his best, the injury-hit Dogs can cause problems late in the season. – Dejan Kalinic

7) This Tiger could be last year's best-value trade

In a field where every trade is broken well before it happens, the move of untried rookie Pat Retschko from Geelong to Richmond for pick No.99 was a deadline-day quirk that no one saw coming, with journos quickly moving on to the bigger trades still on the table. But one man's rags are another's riches, and the speedy winger has quietly built in confidence and form over the past few weeks in Tiger colours, his debut hastened by the club's injury crisis. In front of 78,000 at the MCG, Retschko finished equal-second in voting for the Yiooken Award, and his work ethic and running patterns couldn't be matched by the undermanned Essendon. The Tigers made an art of capitalising on rookie selections in their premiership era (Kane Lambert, Jayden Short, Liam Baker, Jason Castagna, Ivan Soldo) and appear to have done so again - Sarah Black

8) Jed shows why there will be plenty of suitors for his signature

It's little surprise rival clubs are keeping a close eye on out-of-contract tall Jed Walter. The 20-year-old has reminded everyone of his enormous potential with back-to-back three-goal hauls in an eye-catching fortnight. That run included a dominant three-goal first half in the Suns' heartbreaking after-the-siren loss to North Melbourne, following on from his starring role against the Power in the Top End. He's played just six of 11 games this season, but the key forward continues to make the most of his limited opportunities in a forward line dominated by Ben King and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. Walter is getting better with each game and if the Suns can't find a permanent spot for him, there’ll be no shortage of rival clubs lining up for his signature. - Alison O'Connor

9) Cats' ruck combo quells Grundy's influence

Brodie Grundy was in stellar form heading into Saturday's game against Geelong. The Swans ruck was named best on ground the previous week and led the competition for hitouts. It would have been easy for young 20-year-old Mitch Edwards, in his ninth game, to be overwhelmed by his more seasoned opponent. But Edwards not only held his own, the combination with Mark Blicavs, Shannon Neale and Sam De Koning dulled Grundy's influence, with their athleticism key to the 39-33 hitout advantage. "We rarely think about it as a one-on-one match-up with our ruckman … given the different players we have in our team that can sort of help within that role," Cats coach Chris Scott said post-match. "In a way, it was kind of all of our guys versus Brodie." And on Saturday, all the Cats' guys won. - Phoebe McWilliams