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 look at the most impressive victory of Josh Fraser's caretaker stint to date, the glaring issue staring St Kilda in the face, the Adelaide star that's tearing games apart, North's difference-maker, Gold Coast's big improver, and another weekend full of Nick Daicos doing Nick Daicos things.
Thank the stars for Izak Rankine. Last week, he had the highest rated game of his career. This week, he went one better again. In an absolute scrap, Rankine almost single-handedly dragged Adelaide to victory with a performance that featured 36 disposals, a goal, 18 contested possessions, 11 clearances, six tackles and seven inside-50s. He's now had three of the six highest-rated games of his career across his last six weeks, while he's the second highest-rated player in the League during that stretch behind only Nick Daicos.
Urgency Index: Flying.
Still the team to beat? Yes, Brisbane is capable of the odd aberration. But, at least recently, performance like last week's loss to Carlton have been just that: an aberration. Almost everything else has pointed towards the Lions timing their run for September. Friday night represented an eighth win from their last nine matches, while they've won by an average margin of more than 46 points across that stretch. The hammering of Hawthorn was about as dominant and defiant as they've been all year, a reminder they've still got the magic.
Urgency Index: Green Shoots.
For all the excitement and energy that stemmed from last week's emphatic victory over Brisbane, the no-fuss nature of Sunday night's cruisey 44-point win over St Kilda made it arguably the most impressive victory of Josh Fraser's tenure so far. Carlton has notoriously struggled to deal with both pressure and expectation, relishing the freedom of a side that's had nothing to lose ever since Fraser took the reins. But on Sunday night, inside the top 10 for the first time all year, the Blues suddenly had something to play for – and something to lose – once again. The fact that the added hype and hope proved a non-issue was yet another glowing endorsement of Fraser's credentials to win this role full-time.
Urgency Index: Flying.
Need some more numbers from a remarkable Nick Daicos season? Sunday was a 10th consecutive game where he's finished in the top three highest rated players on the ground, the longest streak in Champion Data history. He's been the No.1 rated player in four straight games, with only 2016 Patrick Dangerfield and 2025 Tristan Xerri ever making it five in a row. That follows a performance against West Coast where he stuffed the stats box once again to finish with 39 disposals, a goal, 17 contested possessions, 10 clearances, 11 inside-50s, 12 score involvements and two goal assists. Eye-popping stuff.
Urgency Index: Flying.
Left at the starting gates. Not worth watching after that.
Urgency Index: Panic Stations.
Beaten at their own game. The Dockers have outlasted virtually every team they've played this season, but lost the key battles in the final 15 minutes on Saturday. Not sure it will worry Justin Longmuir too much, though. Still two games clear with two games to play and still spent plenty of this blockbuster looking like the League's benchmark.
Urgency Index: Watch This Space.
Another week, another tick for the campaign to get Ollie Dempsey his All-Australian blazer. Did what he always does on Saturday evening. Found the footy, kicked his goals. He's averaging 22 disposals and two goals per game across his last nine matches. Few players possess his unique skillset as an attacking outlet on the wing. Will it be rewarded?
Urgency Index: Flying.
Let's give a bit of love to Ned Moyle. His 19 hitouts-to-advantage were the most recorded in a game this season and went with seven clearances and six score involvements, consistently giving Matt Rowell first use. Moyle now holds the three biggest games this year for hitouts-to-advantage and has achieved all of them in the last six weeks. It's been a breakout season for a player that's long been patient and long seemed capable.
Urgency Index: Green Shoots.
Weird team, weird season, weird loss, weird way for their 2026 hopes to come to an end.
Urgency Index: Simmering.
If there was a defining stretch in Friday night's game, it came right after half time for Hawthorn. Having been 28 points down at the main break, the Hawks kicked four straight behinds in seven minutes to start the second half and couldn't take advantage of the territorial dominance they had wrestled back. Just a few moments and a few Lions goals later, the Hawks were 45 points in arrears and it was just about game over.
Urgency Index: Simmering.
Awesome game, awesome team, with awesome stories. Harrison Petty was immense late, Harry Sharp has been among the League's biggest improvers all year, Tom Sparrow has relished more responsibility, while the youngsters like Koltyn Tholstrup, Bailey Laurie and Harvey Langford continue to grow into their roles. That's without even mentioning the superstars, of which Max Gawn and Kysaiah Pickett are two of the best. Make no mistake, this is a Melbourne side that can – and will – challenge well into September.
Urgency Index: Flying.
What a difference the 'Wardlaw Willer' makes. We said months ago that few players in the competition will their team towards victory quite like George and he did it again on Thursday night. That was the now-classic Wardlaw performance. Not prolific, but maximum impact at pivotal times. Hard tackling, desperate in defining moments, and clutch at crucial stages. It's perhaps no surprise the Kangas have won four of the last five games that Wardlaw's played and have lost the last six matches that he's missed.
Urgency Index: Green Shoots.
Tough loss on Saturday, but what happened on Sunday is why so many remain so bullish about Port Adelaide. On top of the positives that have come from a young team and a bright coach all season, Academy prospect and potential No.1 draft pick Dougie Cochrane then came out against West Adelaide and finished with 30 disposals, six marks and six tackles playing across half-back in the SANFL. Very, very exciting for Power fans.
Urgency Index: Watch This Space.
A regrettable loss. Did the hard stuff, then cost themselves at the death. The only goals Richmond conceded in a scrappy final term came from a Kye Annand brain fade that led to a 50m penalty, then a Nick Vlastuin turnover on the last line of defence. Frustrating.
Urgency Index: Simmering.
Make it 0-11 against top 10 teams. Big yikes.
Urgency Index: Panic Stations.
Is it going a bit underrated just how good this Chad Warner season has been? Just another three goals and 13 score involvements from his 24 disposals on Saturday evening. He's now the fourth highest-rated player in the entire competition – behind only Marcus Bontempelli, Max Gawn and Nick Daicos – while he ranks No.1 for goal assists, No.2 for score involvements, No.2 for inside-50s and is top 10 for metres gained. Warner is a certainty for his second All-Australian blazer at season's end and should pip Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey and Brodie Grundy for his first ever Swans best and fairest.
Urgency Index: Flying.
Getting there. Sunday was a seventh loss by under 20 points this season. Once the Eagles start converting some of those hard-fought defeats into wins, they'll be OK.
Urgency Index: Watch This Space.
A bizarre weekend for the Bulldogs, who simultaneously qualified for finals and demonstrated that they'll almost certainly be no threat once there. Thursday night was just not good enough. Bullied on the inside, outworked on the outside, never led, and then scored only two behinds in the final 29 minutes when the game was up for grabs.
Urgency Index: Panic Stations.
(MEN'S) FOOTY ASIDE …
What a start to the AFLW season. Slick footy under the roof, more than 20,000 in the stands, momentum shifts, and a fun young team roaring to victory. If Matilda Scholz is already a star, then sister Poppy won't be far behind in leaping into the elite bracket of the competition. She played like someone ready to tear this League apart on Sunday.
Urgency Index: Flying.