State of Play hosts Joe Pignataro and Gemma Bastiani preview the big topics ahead of this weekend's VFL and VFLW action.

No Benno, no Bombers?
Christina Bernardi has yet again proven her importance to the Essendon VFLW line up across the past fortnight. The Bombers couldn’t find a win when Bernardi was sidelined during the first three rounds. Since returning, they’ve gone two from two with the star goal kicker booting three majors in each game. Given her form and experience, a grudge match against Collingwood this weekend won’t phase the former Magpie. Since joining Essendon at the start of last year, the Bombers have a 70 per cent winning record when Benno plays. Without her, they are yet to win.

Geelong’s competition stranglehold
The Cats are toying with the rest of the VFL at the moment. Not only are they consistently kicking big scores, but their defensive stocks have also gone through the roof. In the past fortnight, their opponents Sandringham and Gold Coast have only managed to kick five goals each. This weekend, the blowtorch is on the free-flowing but injury-riddled Southport to break through the impenetrable Cats outfit. Having lost two in a row, another loss could put the top six out of reach for the Sharks and even make it difficult to qualify for a spot in the Wildcard finals.

The standalone logjam 
Williamstown, Coburg, Frankston and Port Melbourne are filling the four wildcard places entering Round 13. Williamstown and Frankston will fancy their chances this weekend when they tackle sides below them, while Coburg and Port Melbourne face off in what is ultimately a mid-season final. Port Melbourne’s positive formline off a bye can’t be ignored, while the 'Burgers' record at home can’t be understated. St Kilda is breathing down the neck of the loser and ready to pounce into the top 10 for the first time this year.

VFLW’s mid-table battle
Sixth through to 11th play each other this weekend. Carlton (sixth) hosts Port Melbourne (seventh), Western Bulldogs (eighth) tackles the Box Hill Hawks (ninth), and Geelong (10th) welcomes Darebin (11th) to Deakin University. Given fourth-placed Essendon, through to the Cats in 10th are only separated by percentage on the ladder, victory in these matches is imperative as we approach the halfway point of the season. 

Mid-season draftees make a splash
Eleven players had their dreams released in the AFL Mid-Season Draft, being elevated from the VFL into AFL clubs. Seven of those have now got at least one AFL game next to their name. Jaxon Artemis returned from injury to make his Essendon VFL debut last weekend, while Harrison Coe is heading to Kinetic Stadium on Friday night to do battle in Collingwood colours against his former side Frankston. Meanwhile, Flynn Riley (Carlton) and Max Mapley (Melbourne) are the other two players waiting in the wings for their call-up. Will their time come sooner rather than later?

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