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: It remains a mystery why teams don't put more work into Rory Laird, and he has put together just about the best 10-week span of his career. The ball-magnet has dropped below 33 possessions just once in his past 11 games and his colossal 36-disposal, 10-clearance, two-goal game against Hawthorn was simply awe-inspiring.
Stocks down: It's been a big season for the young forward, but it seems like Sam Berry has hit the rookie wall. We think it's time for a spell after managing just three disposals and a touchless second half against the Hawks.
Brisbane
Stocks up: Gold Coast was on the brink of handing the Lions their third consecutive loss when they led by as much as 29 points. But Chris Fagan's side started dominating the stoppage and territory battle and it was a second-half avalanche headed by big man Oscar McInerny that completely changed the course of the game. The 'Big O' finished with 18 possessions (16 contested) seven centre clearances and 39 hit outs in a bullying performance.
Stocks down: We're being picky given they posted a 49-point win, but if you're tallying 72 inside 50s, you need to take advantage of those opportunities. The Lions had 35 scoring shots but posted 18 behinds in a somewhat wasteful display.
Carlton
Stocks up: As solid a citizen as they come, Ed Curnow provided a moment of magic for the Blues in his 200th game. The prolific runner and AFL Players Association board member celebrated the milestone with a ripping dribbling goal on his opposite foot - all while running away from goal, and to the pocket. Highlights were few and far between for the Blues, but that was a beauty.
Ed Curnow dribbles through a beauty in game 200 👏#AFLBluesNorth pic.twitter.com/5FMnKG3xx6
— AFL (@AFL) July 24, 2021
Stocks down: Where to start? Perhaps transition defence? The number of times the Blues allowed North to look inboard to the corridor was absurd, and the lack of pressure on the Kangaroos as they waltzed down the middle was equally as gobsmacking. They deserved to get spanked, and serious questions must now be asked of David Teague, who hasn't been able to fix the defence now 19 rounds into the season.
Collingwood
Stocks up: Would Brody Mihocek be the competition's best second or third tall, if he had a No. 1 (and perhaps) No. 2 key forward ahead of him? At the moment, he's playing as the side's only bona fide key forward option, and he kicked 3.3 against the Power. Can't fault his work rate or heart.
Stocks down: What a shame to see Scott Pendlebury go down early against the Power. He's now confirmed to be out for the rest of the season with a cracked fibula. His replacement, substitute Mason Cox, had just five touches and a goal as well ... not sure if having the biggest man on the list as the sub is the right idea.
Essendon
Stocks up: Jordan Ridley continues to impress for the Bombers. He had 25 disposals (19 kicks) and a game-high 536 metres gained for the Bombers as he did his best to drive attacks and move the ball forward.
Stocks down: He had a wonderful start to the season, but against the Giants, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti posted his second straight five-possession, zero-goal game. He kicked 27 goals through the first 11 rounds of the year, but since the Bombers' bye has kicked just five majors. He's desperately out of form right now.
Fremantle
Stocks up: There will no doubt be a few Victorian clubs licking their lips after watching talented midfielder Adam Cerra waltz around against the Swans. We can certainly see why clubs are keen on securing him this offseason; he's always had the attributes to be a star of the future, but that 30-disposal, two-goal performance will have the Dockers keener than ever to lock him away.
Stocks down: If their record against top eight teams was alarming enough, now their chances of making the eight -- albeit mathematically strong -- have been dealt a major blow with fresh injuries to stars Nat Fyfe and Michael Walters. The Dockers looked lost without them.
Geelong
Stocks up: Talk about a super sub! Quinton Narkle was called into the game late in the third quarter and finished the night with 12 disposals, one goal and a game-high eight clearances in just 41 minutes of total game time! That's a huge influence from the impact player.
Stocks down: Chris Scott has the Cats absolutely flying at the moment with stars to come back in, but the Joel Selwood corky, at the pointy end of the season, is still a blow. They'll be praying it's nothing substantial.
Gold Coast
Stocks up: He's been the forgotten man at the Suns after struggling to force his way into the team until Round 14 this season, but Brayden Fiorini's last four games -- against genuine opposition too -- has been ultra impressive. The 24-year-old recorded a career-high 41 touches against the Lions, and something tells us we still haven't seen the best of him.
Stocks down: Excitement machine Izak Rankine was, well, not so exciting, and it's not the first time we've said that this season. The 21-year-old was held goalless for the fifth time in six weeks and managed just seven disposals (including three clangers). Does he keep his spot?
GWS
Stocks up: He's a polarising figure at the best of times, but Shane Mumford was instrumental for the Giants in getting over the Bombers. In addition to his ruck work, he had six clearances a direct goal assist and kicked a major himself.
Stocks down: Tim Taranto had six turnovers from his 21 disposals and had the yips in front of goal, kicking 0.3. Considering the lofty standards we have for him, he'll be disappointed with that outing.
Hawthorn
Stocks up: He's flown under the radar of late, but it's time we give Dylan Moore the attention he deserves! Put in one of his best performances of the year against the Crows when he racked up 25 disposals (18 effective), nine score involvements and kicked a crucial goal on the eve of half time. He's a hard-working Hawk who is helping set the foundations of a fruitful club rebuild.
Stocks down: The Hawks were left to rue their inside 50 efficiency on Saturday night; they went at just 31 percent which was the lowest of all teams across the around. They didn't do much else wrong, but 18 shots from 59 entries is not how you win games of footy.
Melbourne
Stocks up: It was yet another disappointing night for the Dees who have been unpredictable in the past month, but one thing you can always count on is Clayton Oliver fronting up to lead the charge. Just another lazy 38 touches, eight clearances and five tackles for the stoppage beast. Is he a Brownlow chance? We think so!
Stocks down: The Dees' midfield needs to regroup. Despite winning the hitouts 67-18, Melbourne struggled to gain ascendency in the middle and around the contest, losing the overall clearance count 41-49. They often seemed discombobulated and rushed - partly a product of the Bulldogs' pressure, but also due to a lack of composure. Get it right before finals, lads.
North Melbourne
Stocks up: Once a VFL Frosty Miller Medal winner, Nick Larkey proved he's going to be a leading Kangaroos spearhead for the next decade after his enormous seven-goal haul. It was a demolishing performance, but most impressive is his laser-like accuracy of 7.1, adding to his season tally of 34.11.
Stocks down: Can any stock go down when the team on the bottom of the ladder puts a side to the sword like they did? Enjoy the win, North fans.
Port Adelaide
Stocks up: We've mentioned him a couple of times this year, but Willem Drew continues to just go about his business beautifully in that Power midfield. He finished the five-goal win with a game-high 32 disposals (17 contested) and a game-high eight clearances. He's becoming incredibly reliable.
Stocks down: Seven disposals, no score, but four turnovers for Mitch Georgiades, who has been brought back to Earth a little after a wonderful outing in his last start. Build that consistency, Mitch!
Richmond
Stocks up: We liked what we saw from Matty Parker for the Tigers. Considering Richmond seems to have lost a bit of the manic pressure game they're famous for, seeing Parker grab 19 touches and lay 8 tackles among 24 pressure acts was admirable in a loss.
Stocks down: It's fair to say Shai Bolton is a touch out of form. He had just 14 touches, two clearances and 50-odd metres gained from 80 percent game time, and just looked a touch off the pace and out of the game compared to some of the wonderful performances we've grown accustomed to see this year.
St Kilda
Stocks up: Is there a bigger compliment than the opposition moving All-Australian interceptor Jeremy McGovern onto you mid-game? That's what happened with Max King, who destroyed the Eagles with six goals and nine marks (eight contested) and did everything he could to drag the, at times underwhelming, Saints over the line in Perth.
Stocks down: Ben Long is still struggling to find his consistency at this level. Nine touches, but just two behinds and one (1) metre gained on the day.
Sydney
Stocks up: Five goals and a SCREAMER! Take a bow, Isaac Heeney.
HEENEY HANGER OH MY GOD!
— AFL (@AFL) July 25, 2021
All Luke Ryan could do was smile 😅#imlovingit | #AFLSwansFreo pic.twitter.com/meZ9X0mjAa
Stocks down: Lance Franklin could face MRO scrutiny after a couple of separate incidents which soured the Swans' win, and potentially his chance of reaching the 1,000 goal milestone this season. First he collected Nathan Wilson dangerously in a marking contest, before striking Luke Ryan high with a forceful elbow in the third term. It wasn't a good look for someone so close to joining an illustrious group!
West Coast
Stocks up: Dom Sheed was superb on Saturday afternoon and ensured West Coast's place in the eight was safe for another round. The premiership hero had 32 possessions, 10 score involvements and seven clearances, but it was two last-quarter goals -- the last of which when the margin was dragged back to just seven points -- that proved him the game-sealer.
Stocks down: He's been talked up a lot this year -- including by this column -- but Oscar Allen was well blanketed on Saturday. Just one behind from five touches from 84 percent game time for the exciting forward.
Western Bulldogs
Stocks up: We have a feeling the match-winner Marcus Bontempelli will get the three votes, but wasn't Caleb Daniel brilliant in the wet!? The long-sleeve bandit was punishing in what seemed to be a game played under a roof when he. was in possession, the 25-year-old finishing with 34 touches, five clearances and one stunning goal to his name.
Stocks down: A win against a top four performance is always going to be the story, but Roarke Smith's five touches and -20 metres gained is a bit of a headscratcher. He's had more than a few chances and might be running out of opportunities.