In Round 11 of the 2026 AFL season, one of footy's great 'Swiss Army Knives' had a day out to remember, and a veteran superstar led his team to a record-breaking win. But more than one coach got beaten in the box. Here's whose stocks are up and down.
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.
Adelaide
Stocks up: Continuing to stake his case for an All-Australian guernsey is Wayne Milera, who was one of the Crows best on a challenging night in Launceston against the Hawks. He had 32 disposals, generated 768 metres gained, and had four clearances. A couple of frees against, but overall a typical Milera game we've become used to seeing.
Stocks down: If there's any player you wouldn't want to get injured as you seek to establish yourself in the top half of the ladder, it might be Izak Rankine. The Crows star pulled up a little lame without any contact, and it was later revealed he strained his right calf. Luckily the Crows have the bye this week, but you suspect he might miss a game or two on the other side.
Brisbane
Stocks up: Full credit to Lachie Neale, who fought hard in the middle despite the heavy defeat. The dual Brownlow medallist finished with 32 disposals, six tackles, 10 clearances (only his direct opponent Clayton Oliver had more) and a goal. But beyond Neale and maybe a couple of others, there wasn't much for Brisbane to celebrate in a forgettable afternoon.
Stocks down: Brisbane's premiership credentials have definitely taken a hit. It's hard not to think so after a second straight defeat, especially in that fashion. The Lions were torn apart by GWS, who slammed on 14 goals in a record-breaking third quarter alone, coming a week after losing to fellow contender Geelong. It doesn't rule Brisbane out by any means, but the pressure is now on to respond, and they don't get an easy chance to do it, with ladder-leaders Fremantle awaiting them next week.
Carlton
Stocks up: It's amazing what the weight of an underperforming coach and team can do to a player. It's been wonderful to watch Patrick Cripps play with some freedom and without too much pressure to perform from Michael Voss. You could make the argument his two best games of the season have come in the last two weeks under interim coach Josh Fraser. In the win over Port Adelaide, Cripps gathered 32 disposals, 10 score involvements, had eight clearances, and kicked an important goal. Is Carlton's season really dead?
Stocks down: The down news on an up night for the Blues was the confirmation that much improved winger Matt Carroll suffered an ACL tear in the win. He came off in the first term clutching the back of his leg after pulling up in a contest. Fingers crossed for a smooth recovery.
Collingwood
Stocks up: Just like he always seems to against West Coast, Nick Daicos starred again for the black and white during Scott Pendlebury's celebration game. Daicos finished with 34 disposals and three goals, including the classy late sealer as the Pies held off a tough Eagles outfit by 10 points. Amazingly, he's now likely collected 14 of a possible 15 Brownlow votes in five career games against the Eagles having polled 11 of a possible 12 against them previously.
Stocks down: A brutal injury toll overshadowed the win. Scans confirmed star forward Jamie Elliott ruptured his ACL after landing awkwardly from a marking contest in the dying minutes, ending his season in heartbreaking fashion. It wasn't the only concern either, with skipper Darcy Moore suffering a moderate hamstring strain, and youngster Will Hayes dislocating his shoulder.
Essendon
Stocks up: Young big man Archie May is starting to find his feet at AFL level as a key forward. In his 16th game, he presented well, looked good at ground level, and kicked three goals among a career-high 15 disposals. It's now eight goals from his last three games, in a team which is struggling to kick a score. Along with Nate Caddy and Isaac Kako (when fit), there's something to work with in that Bombers forward line.
Stocks down: You could potentially look at the injuries as a reason why the Bombers were unable to beat the Tigers in Friday night's Dreamtime game, but the reality is the Dons once again started too slowly. Against the also-injury-ravaged Richmond, the Bombers were down 15 points at quarter time -- not far off the eventual margin of 18 points. They've still won just one first term this year. Which one? The match against Melbourne, in Adelaide, which they won. Might be something in that.
Fremantle
Stocks up: The selection of Murphy Reid at pick 17 of the 2024 national draft looks more and more like one of the biggest steals in recent history by the week. The Freo young gun was outstanding in the win over St Kilda, finishing with 30 disposals, three clearances, one goal, a whopping 14 score involvements, and five inside 50s. He also recorded a team-high 20 pressure acts and continues to exude class, pressure, and smarts all over the field. Gonna be a joy to watch for a long time.
Stocks down: There really aren't many negatives around Fremantle right now. The Dockers have won a club-record 10 straight games, sit 10-1 after 11 rounds, and are clear on top of the ladder. But if there's one slight concern? Their next opponent. They face a Brisbane side off back-to-back losses in Round 12 and the Lions will be breathing fire after getting embarrassed by GWS and losing two straight. It's never ideal facing a contender with its back against the wall, although this Fremantle side looks good enough to handle just about anything right now.
Geelong
Stocks up: The Cats' stars were brilliant again, but it was Lawson Humphries whose stocks may have risen the most as Geelong further cemented itself as a genuine contender. Playing across half-back, Humphries had a massive influence on the contest with 33 disposals, nine intercept possessions, and eight score involvements, constantly setting the Cats up with his composure and ball use like he has since he debuted.
Stocks down: He's shown plenty of promise over the last 18 months (and to be clear we think he's on a great trajectory), but Shannon Neale is still prone to a shocker. The Cats big man failed to kick a goal in the club's win over the Swans. He had five kicks for the afternoon and registered two behinds.
Gold Coast
Stocks up: Reigning Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell has had an injury-interrupted season, but he produced his best game of 2026 at Marvel Stadium. Rowell was colossal in the middle with 31 disposals, seven tackles, 14 contested possessions, nine score involvements, and eight inside 50s. Is it any surprise he, alongside partners in crime Noah Anderson (31 disposals and seven clearances) and Christian Petracca (28 and eight), were the Suns' three highest-rated players on the ground? That midfield trio is capable of tearing sides apart, and already has on plenty of occasions this season despite the weekend's loss.
Stocks down: The Suns' post-Darwin hoodoo has struck again! Gold Coast is now 10-0 in the NT since taking games to Darwin, but the numbers immediately after those trips are ugly. Since 2022, the Suns have gone 1-2, 1-3, 1-3, and 1-3 in the weeks following their NT stint, and this year started with a horror collapse against North Melbourne after leading by 43 points. It's becoming a genuine trend they need to solve. Not only that, but Damien Hardwick's up and down relationship with Marvel Stadium continues...
GWS
Stocks up: GWS' crushing 78-point demolition of Brisbane was built on one of the most outrageous quarters of footy you'll ever see. The Giants piled on a record-breaking 14 goals in the third term alone -- the highest-scoring third quarter in league history -- to keep themselves firmly in the finals hunt and stop their season from drifting away. After a quiet outing against West Coast last week, skipper Toby Greene responded brilliantly with four goals in the premiership quarter on his way to a handful for the night. That Giants tsunami was seriously devastating, and if they can find that level of attacking firepower more consistently, they're still capable of making a serious charge up the ladder.
Stocks down: A frustrating setback for Jack Buckley is the only thing that sours the win. Buckley returned after missing the previous week with hamstring soreness but lasted only the opening quarter before suffering another hamstring issue. Injuries have continually interrupted the Giants this season, so they'll be hoping for some better luck soon, but you'd expect them to take a cautious approach with the gun key defender.
HOW did Toby Greene keep that alive!? 😮#AFLGiantsLions pic.twitter.com/SaV8GpANPp
— AFL (@AFL) May 24, 2026
Hawthorn
Stocks up: One of footy's great Swiss army knives, Blake Hardwick just ... does what's required of him, whatever that is! On Thursday night, against the Crows, the hard-nosed defender was asked to play a forward role reminiscent of the missing Jack Gunston. Playing above his height, Hardwick was strong on the lead and with his hands, and kicked four majors including the sealer late in the fourth quarter. Doesn't get enough credit for his weekly roles, but you'd love to have him on your side.
Stocks down: No offence to the Hawks or their Tassie-based fans, but the situation at UTAS Stadium isn't looking good. Just 8,000 people were able to watch what was a top eight clash because of construction upgrades at the ground. It also meant the broadcast cameras were off centre, simply not good enough for a professional league and a prime time broadcast. There's another elephant in the room; the Hawks host the Dees there later this year, just weeks after these teams pulled nearly 70,000 at the MCG. What a waste.
Melbourne
Stocks up: Well, at least the Dees had expectations. Who would have thought? Seriously, when was the last time Melbourne losing by three points to a decent side felt disappointing? That alone says everything about how far they've have come under Steven King. After wins over Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Hawthorn, Melbourne has gone from a side many tipped to slide after losing Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, to a team people now expect to beat finalists. Maybe the hype train was rolling a little hard after last week, but being frustrated by a narrow loss at 7-4 is a pretty good sign of where this club is suddenly at.
Stocks down: You can't expect forwards to dominate every single week, but Bayley Fritsch is going through a bit of a rough patch by his standards. The premiership Dee has now gone goalless in three of his past four matches, and against the Bulldogs he managed just five kicks, two score involvements, and 57% disposal efficiency in a quiet outing. And Steven King, allowing the Bulldogs' best players to roam free? You've got to put time into these blokes (Ed Richards 30 and 3, Marcus Bontempelli 29 and 2, and Bailey Dale 31 and 481 metres gained)!
North Melbourne
Stocks up: Luke Davies-Uniacke was enormous in North Melbourne's stunning comeback win over the Suns. The Roos star finished with 30 disposals, seven marks, eight tackles, seven clearances, and 10 score involvements, before stepping up to kick the crucial late goal that tied the scores. Against one of the league's most talented midfields, LDU led from the front as North stormed home to complete the second-biggest comeback victory in club history. In addition, an out-of-contract George Wardlaw is becoming a scary thought for North Melbourne fans. The young gun didn't pile up huge numbers in the upset win over Gold Coast, but his impact around the contest shouldn't go understated, with his second and third efforts, toughness and unrewarded work standing out yet again. It was reported by AFL.com.au recently that contract talks were about to begin, and the Roos will be hoping those negotiations go very smoothly.
Stocks down: It was nearly a disastrous final 30 seconds for North Melbourne, but particularly skipper Nick Larkey. With Cam Zurhaar having won the crucial free kick to ensure a Kangaroos win after the siren, Larkey inexplicably decided to take the advantage, miss his foot from three metres out, before Paul Curtis then shanked a follow up kick. Larkey is incredibly fortunate the umpire made a mistake in bringing the ball back to Zurhaar, as, by the letter of the law, if the player shows "an intent to continue with play within a reasonable time", advantage is called. Massive let-off!
Port Adelaide
Stocks up: On a down night for the Power, Jack Whitlock was a shining light up forward and in the ruck. Kicking 2.2 (including a ripper from the boundary from a set shot), the pick 33 from the 2024 draft was one of a handful of Power players who can hold their head up high following the loss to Carlton.
Stocks down: What happened to Ollie Wines on Saturday night? The Brownlow medal winner was unsighted from just 45% game time, racking up only five handballs and laying three tackles in that time. He wasn't listed on the injury list following the game, so the assumption is he was fit to play. Strange...
Richmond
Stocks up: It's easy to look at Richmond's bounty of first-round draft picks taken over the last few years, but a tip of the hat to Patrick Retschko. Traded to the Tigers from Geelong for pick 99(!) in last year's draft, he was one of Richmond's best on Friday night in the Dreamtime win over the Bombers. He had 27 disposals, nine score involvements, and had six intercepts as he patrolled the wing. Shout out, too, to Jayden Short, kicking a major in game 200 -- what a feeling!
Stocks down: Richmond's injury woes continue to get worse, and not just from an AFL perspective; the most shattering news of the week came from the VFL, with Tom Sims unfortunately suffering an MCL injury that'll see him miss significant time. You'd be forgiven for wondering who Sims might be; he'd just come off a nearly 300-day injury layoff and was making his return through the VFL this week.
St Kilda
Stocks up: Big ups to Max Hall, who has had a breakout month or so for Ross Lyon's side, despite the loss to Freo. Another 25 touches and two majors to go with 26 and 2 last week, and 23 and 1 the week before. Playing an important link role between centre bounce, the middle of the ground, and forward of the ball.
Stocks down: This feels a little harsh given how strong Callum Wilkie has been all season, but Pat Voss played a huge role in limiting the star Saint's influence. Voss was physical and confrontational all night, constantly making Wilkie work and never allowing him to settle into the game. The result? Wilkie managed just one intercept mark after entering the round leading the competition in that stat category. Voss won the battle of the minds, and it's something more opposition forwards will look at going forward.
Sydney
Stocks up: We hope the performance of Riley Bice won't be forgotten about in the aftermath of this loss. A career-high 34 disposals, 17 kicks, 689 metres gained, and game-high 10 intercepts could well be enough to sneak him the first Brownlow Medal vote of his young career.
Stocks down: As coach Dean Cox admitted after the game: "It didn't work. I'll be the first to put my hand up with that." Cox was referring to Sydney dropping James Jordon's tag on Bailey Smith in an attempt to change momentum after the Cats midfielder had been restricted to just eight first-half disposals. But once freed up in the third quarter, Smith exploded with 18 disposals and a goal in a dominant term before Jordon was eventually sent back to him. Sometimes, the original plan is the right one! the Swans learned that the hard way.
West Coast
Stocks up: Bailey Williams backed up the best game of his career with another monster performance against Collingwood. After starring in last week's win over GWS, the Eagles ruckman more than held his own against Darcy Cameron, finishing with 28 hitouts, 20 disposals, 18 contested possessions, a game-high 12 clearances, three contested marks, and a goal. He's playing with enormous confidence right now and becoming a genuine weapon for West Coast around the ball.
Stocks down: Should the Eagles be getting more out of Liam Baker? The premiership Tiger is renowned for his toughness and competitiveness, but he struggled to really impact against Collingwood. Baker finished with 14 disposals off half-back, gave away three free kicks and, unusually, failed to lay a single tackle. We know how brave and influential he can be at his best, but West Coast definitely didn't get that version of him at the MCG.
Western Bulldogs
Stocks up: After exploding out of the blocks in Opening Round, Ed Richards had been a little quieter by his lofty standards while also battling through a knee issue this year. But he looked right back to his damaging best against Melbourne. Richards was one of the Bulldogs' matchwinners with 30 disposals, 10 clearances, 773 metres gained, and three goals in a brilliant midfield performance as the Dogs secured a crucial victory.
Stocks down: The Bulldogs' injury list just keeps growing. After earning his first AFL game of the season following strong VFL form, Luke Cleary's return ended early when he copped an accidental elbow to the head in the second quarter against Melbourne, leaving him dazed and ruled out of the match. A cruel way to mark his first senior appearance of the year!