The changes behind Essendon’s “remarkable” turnaround inside three weeks, and why Fremantle has a double dilemma with two stars.
Plus, more of the biggest talking points ahead of Round 7, as well as the commentators for every Fox Footy game, in Foxfooty.com.au’s ultimate weekly preview: The Blowtorch!
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Schofield calls for mental health round | 00:54
ESSENDON’S’ ‘REMARKABLE’ TURNAROUND THAT MUST BE APPLAUDED
While they’ve only got four premiership points to show for it across nearly three full games of football, Essendon’s sudden resurgence in competitiveness is one that absolutely deserves to be talked about.
For all the brutal feedback Brad Scott’s side has received for over a year now, their win over Melbourne in Gather Round, narrow loss to Gold Coast last weekend have shown a notable uptick in output.
Add in their Easter Sunday clash with the Western Bulldogs — where they scored more points than their opponents after quarter time — and suddenly there’s plenty of life at Tullamarine.
“Their performances after the beginning of a season that they’d like to forget, have been pretty encouraging,” Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley told Fox Footy’s On The Couch on Monday night.
“We were talking about sides being able to move the ball with world record uncontested marks … and it continued in the first half against the Bulldogs. But after half time, not only did Essendon start chopping some of those chains off, but they started using the ball themselves.”
“The last couple of games they’ve been able to do the same thing; that’s a significant shift in what they’ve been able to do.
“As a response, I think they’ve been able to defend better. Because they’ve held the ball for a little bit longer, and they’ve shifted the opposition defence … they’ve probably been able to tip the ledger a little bit.”
Those marking numbers Buckley alluded to were as damning as any one stat across the league after the first month of football, with a net negative of 251 uncontested marks in their first 14 quarters of the season — four and a half matches.
Since then, the Bombers are 81 uncontested marks in the green, highlighting what feels like a drastic change in game plan almost overnight.
It’s seen Scott’s side win seven of the last 10 quarters, after losing 12 of their first 14 for the year.
“This is more than incremental. We’ve seen a team that hasn’t been able to find chemistry and connection, and they’ve found it — they’ve gone younger to do it as well,” Buckley added.
“They’ve done a remarkable job to get themselves back to play the football that they have. Now, it’s just been able to reinforce that and screw it down.”
On top of their change in style, the magnets have been thrown around for the better at the NEC Hangar.
After playing now-captain Andrew McGrath as a genuine on-baller for the last six weeks of 2025, the 27-year-old has in the last couple of weeks been deployed as a defensive midfielder.
His inclusion back into the nucleus has seen the likes of superstar Zach Merrett and Sam Durham used elsewhere beyond the midfield mix, and fringe 21-year-old Elijah Tsatas recalled — among a number of other changes.
MAGNET SWITCHES OF LATE
ANDREW MCGRATH — Defensive midfielder
ZACH MERRETT — Utility
PETER WRIGHT — Ruck
KYLE LANGFORD — Wing/Defender
SAM DURHAM — Out of centre bounce
ELIJAH TSATAS — Back into senior side
“If you look at that list, and you had’ve said two weeks ago that these are the changes we’re going to make and we’re going to get this result, you would’ve called Brad Scott mad!” four-time premiership player Jordan Lewis said.
“They’ve actually all worked out.”
Kingy: NAS “is being held” | 03:06
STAR DUO IN DOUBLE DOCKER DILEMMA
Fremantle hasn’t had many, if any, problems thus far in 2026.
But it might have a couple of dilemmas with two star ball-winners, as one guru urges coach Justin Longmuir to explore an alternative approach with a smooth left-footer.
In the 2022-23 seasons, Hayden Young played 3,394 minutes in defence, according to Champion Data. From 2024-26, he’s played a grand total of 29 minutes in the back half.
And as Fremantle’s ball movement game currently suffers, Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne is pleading with Longmuir to deploy the influential left-footer behind the ball for a “four-to-five-week block”, to see what he can do to help rectify that.
“Exploration mode for Fremantle for me is around Hayden Young,” Hoyne began on First Crack Preview.
“At some stage in this campaign, he has to be played behind the footy, across half-back, to see what you can do in your ball movement game.”
At the moment, the Dockers’ ball movement game ranks a middling 11th in the competition.
And somewhat concerningly, 17 of the past 19 premiers have ranked in the top six for ball movement.
“At some stage in this campaign, get him to half-back, have a look at it, and see what it looks like,” Hoyne continued.
“Because if your contest game isn’t through the roof, like it is at the moment, can you score off your ball movement game?
“Because what this guy did in that 2022-23 period playing across half-back, he was phenomenal. So, I think it’s something that Longmuir and Fremantle need to explore.”
West Coast premiership player Will Schofield had a similar idea on Fox Footy’s AFL Tonight, also bringing into question the role of Andy Brayshaw.
“My solution is to put Hayden Young at half-back — I think he’s being wasted as a midfielder. You could play him as a forward certainly (too),” Schofield said on Fox Footy.
“I just don’t like seeing Andy Brayshaw, because he’s the most selfless of those players, and he has been the one who suffers. I think they’ve got to find a way to get one of their best players — their vice-captain — into the game, and it should be at the expense of him.
“How that looks, I don’t know … you don’t want to see Murphy Reid come off the ball. I think Shai Bolton gives them something different, so ultimately that means Young at either end of the ground for longer periods.”
Co-vice-captain Brayshaw has been one of the magnets thrown around Longmuir’s whiteboard this season, which in the words of Schofield, has come about mostly due to his selfless nature.
“I think it absolutely sucks!” he declared on AFL Tonight.
“Andrew Brayshaw is one of the best midfielders at Fremantle … we love to see Hayden Young in there. Shai Bolton, Murphy Reid — all those guys are great.
“But, Brayshaw is a gun midfielder; an exceptional talent inside. He’s great outside, he’s hardworking. He was barely sighted in the Derby against West Coast, and I don’t think it’s the right balance.”
And the change, thus far, has seen Brayshaw drop 40 per cent for contested possession, 20 per cent for clearances, 10 per cent for score involvements and 15 per cent for pressure.
Two-time flag-winner David King wondered on First Crack Preview if Brayshaw was “still a centre-square player”.
“What’s happened to him? For me, he’s lost his mojo, he’s lost his anger, he’s lost his hunt,” two-time flag-winner David King said on First Crack Preview.
“He just looks so gettable at the moment. I don’t know if he’s injured, I don’t know if he’s playing impacted, but everything’s fallen through the floor.
“He’s just not the same player right now, and maybe he needs a role change; something to spark him — maybe go to half-forward for a few weeks.
“Because you’re not earning your right in the middle of the ground … he just gets moved so easily. He’s fumbly at the moment, he’s not one-touch in an area of the ground where you’ve got to be clean.”
NASIAH’S COFFEE CATCH-UP WITH AFL GREAT THAT COULD HELP WITH FRUSTRATING PHASE
There is little surprise in Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera becoming one of the AFL’s most tagged stars in the game this year, so good was the second half of his 2025 season.
The extra attention that’s come his way this year has by no means quelled the South Australian completely. By the AFL’s Ratings Points data, the 23-year-old sits 15th in the competition heading into Round 7.
However, most teams St Kilda has come up against this season have been paying ultra-close attention to him, to the extent that two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King believes umpires need to intervene.
“I think when Nasiah goes to clearance, this is happening to him more and more. He’s getting held, twisted and contorted,” King told First Crack last Sunday.
“I went and watched his whole game again. Now, I’m not fighting for ‘Nas’, this is something he’s got to work his way through — but I think the umpire’s have got a role to play at some stage.
“They’re always watching the guns … what are they seeing when they do that? Because every time he goes to a stoppage, he’s being held. There’s guys who have this in his game, and don’t get much love from the umpires.”
Wanganeen-Milera is averaging 24.8 disposals a game so far this year, down just over five touches a game from his 29.9 from last season.
However, he still remains the AFL’s number one player for converting centre bounce clearance to score, and is ranked 20th for centre bounce clearances won.
The livewire was heavily manned by Crows on-baller James Peatling in their one-point loss last Saturday night at the Adelaide Oval, with First Crack vision highlighting several instances where the Saint was being heavily guarded at stoppage.
“The second part of it for me, is that he stops working. He engages in this stuff, instead of then attacking the contest,” King continued.
“If I was Ross Lyon, I’d be getting Chris Judd down for a cup of coffee with this guy and just work through how you handle this. How you can set your opponent up (and) exacerbate this sort of action to the umpire — just to be a better package.
“When he’s engaged in the game, he takes total control. But, there’s times where he goes into centre bounces and he may as well not be there, because he’s being grabbed and shuts down.
“When he’s on the move and free-flowing, he destroys the competition … when he’s got it, you (St Kilda) score.
“We recognise his brilliance, but he’s got to handle this better. The umpires have got a role to play in that as well, and I think Matty Rowell’s another one.”
Longmuir to keep the faith in Darcy | 00:59
‘TERRIFIC TEAMMATE’, NEXT TIER WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR FLOWERS AT MELBOURNE
Steven King’s Melbourne side have flown to 4-2 to start his first year at the helm in red and blue, and there’s no doubt they’ve got there playing some of the competition’s most exciting football.
Star midfielder-forward Kysaiah Pickett has unsurprisingly been front and centre of that mantra, but beyond the club’s A-grade talent, there are numbers that paint a glowing picture of their front half.
The trio of Kade Chandler (ranked 6th), Bayley Fritsch (11th) and Harry Sharp (#23) are all graded in the upper echelon of the league’s best half forwards so far in 2026, aptly aiding the likes of key forwards Brody Mihocek and Jacob van Rooyen.
“Role clarity is the thing that really stands out to me, and there are three players I think are benefiting from that,” Jordan Lewis told On The Couch.
“A lot of their players are benefiting from the ball movement, and it’s exciting. Bayley Fritsch had at times tried to anchor himself to the goal line. I think he’s playing brilliant football further up the field, and facing up towards goal.
“Kade Chandler is the ultimate role-player, and a terrific teammate. Once you start rewarding the role-players and the players who sit beneath the stars, I think that’s infectious.
“They’re a joy to watch.”
Nathan Buckley added: “Clearly Steven King has bought a game style that the players are buying into. They’ve only really had that one poor performance against Essendon, but responded in real style (against Brisbane).”
The Demons take on Richmond this Friday night on Anzac Day Eve, before tough duels against Sydney and Hawthorn — either side of a match against West Coast.
ROUND 7 FIXTURE AND FOX FOOTY COMMENTATORS
WESTERN BULLDOGS v SYDNEY SWANS
Thursday April 23, 7.30pm at Marvel Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King and Leigh Montagna, with commentary from Matt Hill, Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, Brad Johnson and Jon Ralph.
RICHMOND v MELBOURNE
Friday April 24, 7.40pm at the MCG
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Garry Lyon, Tom Hawkins and Jordan Lewis, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, Cameron Mooney and Jon Ralph.
HAWTHORN v GOLD COAST SUNS
Saturday April 25, 12.30pm at UTAS Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12:15pm on Channel 503, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Gerard Healy, Leigh Montagna and Alastair Lynch.
ESSENDON v COLLINGWOOD
Saturday April 25, 3.20pm at the MCG
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 2:30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Kath Loughnan, David King, Jack Riewoldt and Jay Clark, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Garry Lyon, Jason Dunstall and Sarah Jones.
PORT ADELAIDE v GEELONG CATS
Saturday April 25, 6.35pm at Adelaide Oval
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6:15pm on Channel 504, hosted by Kath Loughnan, David King, Jack Riewoldt and Jay Clark, with commentary from Mark Howard, Jordan Lewis, Tom Hawkins and Shaun Burgoyne.
FREMANTLE v CARLTON
Saturday April 25, 8.15pm at Optus Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 8pm on Channel 503, hosted by Kath Loughnan, David King, Jack Riewoldt and Jay Clark, with commentary from Adam Papalia, Brad Johnson, Nick Dal Santo and Will Schofield.
ST KILDA v WEST COAST EAGLES
Sunday April 26, 1.10pm at Marvel Stadium
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12:30pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Matt Hill, Cameron Mooney, Ben Dixon, Eddie Betts, Kelli Underwood and David Zita.
BRISBANE LIONS v ADELAIDE CROWS
Sunday April 26, 3.15pm at the Gabba
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 3pm on Channel 503, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Adam Simpson, Nick Dal Santo, Alastair Lynch and David Zita.
GWS GIANTS v NORTH MELBOURNE
Sunday April 26, 4.40pm at Corroboree Group Oval
How to watch on Fox Footy: From 4pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Corbin Middlemas, Nathan Buckley, Gerard Healy, Ruby Schleicher and David Zita.
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