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AFL Round 8 stocks up, stocks down: The high-price Carlton recruit who has done nothing

Our footy experts cast their eye over the week's action to find out whose stocks are up -- whether it's a coaching masterstroke or a player having a blinder -- and whose are down. Every club features, so jump ahead to your team below (desktop only).

Crows | Lions | Blues | Magpies | Bombers | Dockers | Cats | Suns | Giants | Hawks | Demons | Roos | Power | Tigers | Saints | Swans | Eagles | Bulldogs

Adelaide

Stocks up: Rory Sloane was a massive boost for Adelaide in the Showdown after missing a chunk of the season with an eye injury. The skipper couldn't have done too much more with 20 disposals, 10 tackles and a goal. They didn't get the win, but there's no doubt the Crows walk taller with their leader in the side.

Stocks down: After a huge start to the season, Taylor Walker was kept far too quiet for our liking! Just the one behind for big Tex who has lost his lead in the Coleman Medal race.

Brisbane

Stocks up: Star Lion Charlie Cameron is inching closer to his 2019 All-Australian form, if he isn't there already. The mercurial forward kicked three goals -- albeit from eight scoring shots -- and took 11 marks in a performance that saw him run rings around his Dockers opponents who just had no answers.

Stocks down: Eric Hipwood has just the one major in two weeks and went at 44 percent disposal efficiency on Sunday - probably not enough for someone once deemed 'the next Buddy Franklin'.

Carlton

Stocks up: How about Eddie Betts?! Five goals straight for the accomplished veteran -- including four in the first half to help put the Blues in a winning position -- who continues to wow us with his forward 50 mastery.

Stocks down: He's a high-price recruit, but Zac Williams is not living up to the hype at Princes Park. If his Achilles is giving him trouble, he shouldn't be playing, but if he's fit, nine touches for a midfielder is nowhere near good enough. He shanked a shot on goal and looked a mile off the pace all day. It's either time to move him to half back or into the reserves.

Collingwood

Stocks up: Darcy Moore is a defender, it's as simple as that. The All-Australian was back to his best on Saturday afternoon, picking up 28 disposals and a whopping 19 marks from centre-half back. The forward experiment may have been needed, but it's certainly over.

Stocks down: Collingwood could be dealt a double concussion blow for next week's clash against the Swans due to the league's strict new protocols. In an interesting case study, both Jordan Roughead and Nathan Murphy were ruled out of the game with head knocks, but passed concussion tests, with the Pies set to challenge the AFL to get them both cleared for Saturday's game.

Essendon

Stocks up: Super sub Matt Guelfi provided a spark for the Bombers when he replaced Jake Stringer, who went off with a hamstring injury in the third term. In basically one quarter of football, Guelfi had eight touches, laid six tackles, had eight pressure acts and kicked a vital goal.

Stocks down: Did Cale Hooker walk under a ladder or shatter a mirror during the week? He should have either been paid a mark, paid a free kick for a marking infringement, or a free kick for front-on contact with just a minute remaining with his side trailing by less than a kick, but the umpire swallowed the whistle and let play go on, with Jacob Hopper kicking the sealer for the Giants just minutes later.

Fremantle

Stocks up: Freo didn't struggle winning the ball at the coalface and they generated more inside 50s than Brisbane at the Gabba, they just needed to make better decisions!

Stocks down: Michael Walters was kept to just eight disposals -- and a goal -- against the Lions, which is not enough when you're an experienced head in a young team well and truly in the finals race.

Geelong

Stocks up: Geelong's firepower was just too much for the Tigers to handle. Jeremy Cameron finished with six, Gary Rohan five and Tom Hawkins four, the trio feasting on the blistering ball movement that constructed the Cats' second-half avalanche. This is the forward line that sent shivers down the spines of defenders when Cameron joined the Cats.

Stocks down: Zach Guthrie is beyond 'fringe player' and once again failed to do anything which will lock down a spot in Geelong's best 22. He's far too nervous and fumbly to be a regular in this team.

Gold Coast

Stocks up: It was vintage David Swallow on Saturday afternoon. The Suns bull had 28 disposals and laid a game-high 13 tackles in the narrow loss to the Saints.

Stocks down: We love what he's doing up at the Suns, but Stuart Dew needs to face the music after his side coughed up a three goal lead at home to St Kilda. If you want to be taken seriously, you simply can't lose those games!

GWS

Stocks up: No Nick Haynes? No Phil Davis? No worries for Sam Taylor, who stepped up magnificently for the Giants when he was most needed. He took five final quarter marks, four of those were contested. The 22-year-old repelled with aplomb and recovered well after giving up a couple of goals early in the contest.

Stocks down: You'd think the Giants will be without Jeremy Finlayson for a few weeks after the talented forward raised his elbow in a high late hit on Bomber Zach Merrett. Merrett had well and truly dished off the ball before Finlayson's forearm hit him in the shoulder and then the head, leaving the Essendon midfielder dazed on the ground for some time. Just silly.

Hawthorn

Stocks up: How good is Changkuoth Jiath?! He's already a fan favourite at the Hawks and just keeps on impressing. The young defender finished the game with 25 touches and seven marks, including eight and five in a goalless opening quarter for both teams.

Stocks down: That's a sixth loss in seven weeks for Hawthorn, a once mighty team who are now being dominated in every facet of the game.

Melbourne

Stocks up: Clayton Oliver in wet conditions is just something else. The star midfielder was colossal in the guts for the Demons, helping steer them to an eighth-straight win after a 35-disposal, five-tackle performance against his resilient Swans counterparts. Let's not forget to mention the one-two punch of Ben Brown and Tom McDonald combining for seven straight goals!

Stocks down: An inaccurate second quarter denied the Dees the opportunity to create game-winning separation from the gritty Swans, kicking 2.5. Capitalising on their opportunities will be ultra important come September.

North Melbourne

Stocks up: He's somewhat of a forgotten man but Aaron Hall reminded everyone of his class with a 37 disposal, 925 metres gained game against Collingwood.

Stocks down: There's no doubt Luke Davies-Uniacke will be a star of the future, but the youngster made mistake after mistake against the Pies. There were some highlights, but he's just got to tidy up some of his disposal and decision making.

Port Adelaide

Stocks up: Karl Amon has improved in leaps and bounds in season 2021 and is an underrated, yet crucial part of Port Adelaide's premiership assault. Now fit and firing after injuries cruelling him of consistent footy in the past, the silky midfielder had 27 touches and 547 metres gained in the Power's Showdown victory.

Stocks down: The Power will be without Scott Lycett next week -- and probably more -- due to an inevitable suspension for his dangerous sling tackle on Ned McHenry. How about a big stocks down to Lycett's online abusers, too.

Richmond

Stocks up: Shai Bolton is certainly one of the only Tigers that can hold their head high. The classy onballer claimed 21 disposals, three goals and one sensational hanger that is going to take some beating for this year's Mark of the Year. Just give him the car!

Stocks down: It was a seriously dirty night for the Tigers all-round after a dramatic collapse. They looked far from reigning premiers. Not only were they smashed across the park and beaten at their own game, they'll also be sweating on Shane Edwards' ankle diagnosis after the star midfielder was subbed out of the game with what looks to be a serious injury.

St Kilda

Stocks up: He may have been unsighted for three quarters, but Tim Membrey really stood up in the final term with three contested marks which resulted in goals for the Saints as they overran the Suns at Metricon Stadium.

Stocks down: Sorry, but five touches for the game is simply not good enough. Mason Wood needs to pull his finger out and start impacting games.

Sydney

Stocks up: The Swans fell short on Saturday night but what a herculean effort from Callum Mills, who continues to star in the midfield. Mills had 33 disposals (18 contested), laid 10 tackles and kicked a team-lifting goal late in the contest.

Stocks down: Where was Lance Franklin? The Sydney superstar was blanketed by Steven May and had no impact on the game, finishing with just six touches and no score to his name.

West Coast

Stocks up: It's an undermanned midfield at the moment but boy are they stepping up since that horror loss to Geelong. Andrew Gaff (38 disposals), Dom Sheed (35), Jack Redden (31) and Tim Kelly (25 and a goal) were all vital in the win over the Hawks.

Stocks down: Josh Kennedy can't take a trick. The Eagles veteran was subbed out of the game late with a calf injury.

Western Bulldogs

Stocks up: There's no way the Dogs beat the Blues without Caleb Daniel's monster efforts in the final term. For three quarters he played at half forward and was pedestrian at best, but was shifted to half back in the final term to great effect. He had 11 final quarter touches and five score involvements, and set up meaningful attacks with pinpoint passes. Bevo - leave the man at half back!

Stocks down: Midfielder Lachie Hunter had a moment to forget early in the fourth term against Carlton. With the ball in dispute inside forward 50, he blasted neck first into a contested situation in what looked like a clear attempt to draw a free kick (which was duly paid). If the league is serious about protecting the head, it shouldn't be encouraging actions like what Hunter did. It could have been disastrous.