WELCOME to Reaction Time.
Early each week, AFL.com.au's Riley Beveridge will discuss the topic that deserves a reaction at your club and grade it on the 'Urgency Index'.
It could be anything from an issue that's got a team pondering drastic change, or the form of an underrated star that requires immediate recognition.
The gradings, which relate specifically to the topics, are as follows:
- Panic Stations.
- Simmering.
- Watch This Space.
- Green Shoots.
- Flying.
In this week's Reaction Time we delve into Carlton's new cult hero, Adelaide's handball problem, the North Melbourne season that's petering out without a hope, the rivalry that's not a rivalry, and the Freo Flash that's taking games away from opponents.
It's stark how little Adelaide takes the game on through handball. According to Champion Data, a daring Sydney side leads the League in handball metres gained and averages 641.7m from handball per match. The better sides like Fremantle (355.7m) and Hawthorn (315.6m) are middle of the pack. St Kilda is second-last in the competition at 163.2m. Adelaide's number is remarkably 78.4m per match, less than half of what the 17th ranked Saints manage. There is no 'right' way to play, obviously. But that number feels a little off.
Urgency Index: Simmering.
Just last week, Kai Lohmann revealed that Hugh McCluggage had told him to watch the 2025 Grand Final to give himself a reminder of how good he can be. Maybe Hugh took on his own advice and watched it back himself. It's been a down year by McCluggage's own lofty standards, but Sunday was easily his best game so far. He finished with 29 disposals, a goal, 14 contested possessions, five clearances, five tackles, seven score involvements and seven intercepts to end the contest as its highest rated player. His return to form is great timing for a Brisbane side that is now starting to purr across the board.
Urgency Index: Green Shoots.
Byrne, baby, Byrne. Talor is turning into a Carlton cult hero. Three goals, two goal assists and 12 score involvements from the youngster's 17 disposals on Saturday, to go with a few bone-crunching tackles that are becoming his trademark. He's still incredibly raw, but that's exciting. Looks a find having been taken with the No.45 pick in last year's draft.
Urgency Index: Green Shoots.
Nick Daicos, sheesh. It seems like every week, he's showing a new dimension to keep Collingwood in the hunt. On Thursday night, it was his toughness. His 18 contested possessions were the most he'd managed in a game in more than two years, to go with 16 groundball gets, seven clearances and a defining goal in the final quarter.
Urgency Index: Flying.
Back to unwatchable very quickly. Five goals for the game, didn't have a single player in the top nine ball winners, or the top eight rated players, had 160 fewer disposals, 32 fewer entries, 12 fewer clearances, 26 fewer contested possessions and 75 fewer marks. Yikes.
Urgency Index: Panic Stations.
Teams are getting beaten in a Freo Flash this season. Since we documented the Dockers' ability to swarm sides in second half bursts a couple of weeks ago, Justin Longmuir's team has put together runs of 52-8 to defeat Port Adelaide and now 72-10 to thump West Coast. The best defensive team in the competition, but with the ability to put the foot down. Scary.
Urgency Index: Flying.
Easy to forget that Connor O'Sullivan is only into his third year in an AFL system. He's already turned into one of the game's best key defenders and continued a fine run of form on Friday night with five intercept marks and 12 intercepts from his 21 disposals.
Urgency Index: Green Shoots.
Genuine question: Do they win another game this year? Melbourne at home, Greater Western Sydney away, Brisbane away, St Kilda away to finish the year. Nine straight losses are bad enough. Finishing with 13 straight would be an absolute disaster.
Urgency Index: Panic Stations.
It was Joel Embiid that said of his Philadelphia 76ers and its supposed 'rivalry' with the Boston Celtics: "This is not a rivalry … they always kick our ass." It's starting to become a theme for the Giants. Have only beaten the Swans once in their last seven efforts and four times in the last 15 attempts, haven't won consecutive derbies since 2019, and have lost both games against Sydney this season by margins of 41 and 51 points.
Urgency Index: Panic Stations.
Jack Gunston isn't slowing down. Just days after signing a one-year extension to play into an 18th season, Gunston equalled his career high with seven goals. His performance featured 11 marks, including nine on the lead. According to Champion Data, only one player – St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt – has taken more marks on the lead in a game across the last decade. Given that Mitch Lewis also re-signed last week and free agent Ben King is well on his way to joining, keen to see how that Hawks attack evolves in 2027.
Urgency Index: Flying.
Just one of those nights. Of the 117 points Melbourne conceded against Geelong, 101 were from turnover. It was the second-most from turnover any side has leaked in a game all season. Not going to win too many matches when gifting an opponent that type of score.
Urgency Index: Simmering.
This season has petered out for North Melbourne. Sunday's loss was a fourth straight defeat and had all the hallmarks of a team that's lost hope. A total of nine Kangas didn't lay a single tackle, while five more had only one. Collectively, they stuck only 33 tackles for the afternoon, while losing clearance by 18 and contested footy by 39. Damning.
Urgency Index: Panic Stations.
The last fortnight has been Port Adelaide's season in microcosm. Challenged two of the best teams in the competition against both Fremantle and then Brisbane – and even went into half time ahead in one of them – but ultimately fell short. Regardless, both performances provide plenty of optimism for what appears a bright future under Josh Carr.
Urgency Index: Watch This Space.
Four games to go.
Urgency Index: Panic Stations.
Lightning does strike twice. Last year, in round 20, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera produced his Miracle at Marvel to help St Kilda rescue a dramatic comeback win over Melbourne. He maybe went one better in round 20 this season, finishing with a whopping 46 disposals and four goals to almost single-handedly drag the Saints over the line against the Kangas. Wanganeen-Milera joined only Greg Williams and Paul Featherby as the only footballers to have at least 46 disposals and four goals in a game, while his 1060m gained were the sixth-most ever recorded. Good luck to whoever draws St Kilda in round 20 next year.
Urgency Index: Flying.
Errol holds the key to Sydney's season. It's been a patient build for Gulden since returning from the shoulder injury that's interrupted his year. Since he came back, his centre bounce involvements have gone from 10, to 13, to 15, then 19 on Saturday evening. It's no surprise it coincided with his best game yet, putting the Giants to the sword with 41 disposals and seven clearances. It also helped the Swans arrest a month-long midfield malaise, as they beat up on their kid brother to win clearance by 21 and contested footy by 12. They also scored 65 points from stoppage, their second-highest amount for the season.
Urgency Index: Green Shoots.
Harley needs help. Reid's 15 contested possessions on Friday night more than doubled the next West Coast midfielder. His 12 clearances quadrupled the next West Coast midfielder. According to Champion Data, his 49 clearances across the last five weeks are the most ever by an Eagles player in a five-match stretch. Too much of the grunt work has fallen on the 21-year-old's shoulders this season and it's starting to tell in his frustrations.
Urgency Index: Watch This Space.
Make that seven wins from nine heading into Friday night's blockbuster on the road against Fremantle. The Dogs will be a long shot, but any side with Marcus Bontempelli and Ed Richards playing like this – they combined for 61 disposals, four goals, nine clearances and 21 score involvements on Saturday night – simply can't be discounted.
Urgency Index: Green Shoots.
FOOTY ASIDE …
And so ends the LeBron sweepstakes. The 76ers looked the closest option to a championship for James, but his signing will make for an interesting dynamic amid a loaded starting five. Jaylen Brown wanted to be a first option and alongside Joel Embiid they were two of the four highest usage players in the NBA last season. And then there's both Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who won't want their offensive impact blunted. No side is turning down the chance to lure LeBron, clearly, but it will make for a tricky Nick Nurse juggling act to get everyone in Philadelphia their touches.
Urgency Index: Watch This Space.