Top 5 Take 5 - Forwards (29.09.2026)

Mark Duffield (0:02)

Okay, take five today. We're talking about the forwards in the grand final. And there was some very good efforts, even though it was a tight, tough game.

Number one, Patty Voss, the prancing pony. I think an underrated game, and certainly one of Fremantle's best six players, he managed to stymie Harris-Anders to some degree while kicking three goals too. And the thing I've noticed about Pat Voss over the last two weeks, his marking over head is starting to take on greater authority. And if he keeps working on that, I think he'll be an even better player next year. So three goals too, nine disposals, eight score involvement, and five tackles. Number two, Logan Morris, one of the two or three match winners for Brisbane. So didn't touch the ball or barely touched the ball before halftime on Alex Pearce, and then came to life in the last quarter. Three goals won, ten disposals, 214 meters gained, and six score involvements. Number three, Charlie Cameron was as sharp as a tack as a small forward. He rediscovered his best form, and he was certainly on fire in the weekend. Three goals, 16 disposals, 236 meters gained, and seven score involvements. Number four, I loved Isaiah Dudley's game. So two goals won, 13 disposals, 406 meters gained, seven score involvements.

SPEAKER_2 (1:20)

And number five.

Mark Duffield (1:21)

So I put Shea Bolton in the forwards. Now, I know he plays mid-forward or forward-mid, and I know he didn't kick a goal, but he was the leading score involvement player on the ground. He was the leading inside 50 player on the ground. So nine score involvements, nine inside 50s, 26 disposals, 686 meters gained, a goal assist, 10 contested possessions. And the one thing I believe was the difference between him being the Norm Smith winner and the rightful Norm Smith winner was he kicked zero goals, two, as opposed to two goals, zero.

SPEAKER_2 (1:57)

One thing I have picked up on post the game is that I think Isaiah Dudley is probably the most popular freemen on Docker. Everyone wants to get a picture with Isaiah. Yeah. He's out at the pub, just people just pulling him aside and grabbing a photo. There's just so many of them getting around. He's just always got such a big grid on his face, and he seems like a really good sport about it. But he, as I've said before, he gets the biggest pop at the ground when his name gets read out from the crowd.

Mark Duffield (2:18)

And you know what makes him an AFL player? And you know what makes the same thing that makes Will Ashcroft an absolutely elite AFL player? They are clean. Yeah. They are clean. They are not fumblers.

And that, in the pressure of a grand final, is absolutely priceless.

SPEAKER_2 (2:33)

Johnny from Mandra saying, Morning Duff, love your show. Brisbane All Day put direct physical pressure on Freo. Dockers in that last three minutes didn't put the same physical pressure, rather gave them two or three metres of distance, which is a different type of pressure, but not for grand finals. The Dockers will be better for the experience and know why grand finals are always hard to win.

Mark Duffield (2:50)

I think Brisbane just were harder in the contest in that last few minutes. And both teams were going real hard, but Brisbane just, they just found a gear, and Freo Manor couldn't go with them. And there was a lot of contests where you thought Freo Manor was winning the contest, and the ball was sort of bouncing around like in a washing machine. And then it would finally leave, and it would leave in Brisbane hands, not Freo Manor hands. That happened a number of times. That's a credit to Brisbane.

It didn't mean Freo Manor had slackened off.

SPEAKER_2 (3:19)

Michael and Inglewood, after digesting the Freo game over the last three days, I have the following thoughts. Freo needs to evolve into a kick mark side off half back, as the long down the lines are too easy to defend. Freo needs more pace on either wing, and we need to address the above, and I think the forward line becomes even more dangerous as our entries are clean, says Michael.

Mark Duffield (3:36)

I would be going for evolution, not revolution. So understand how close she came. Understand there is improvement to be had, but these are not major improvements. Don't throw too much out in case you throw the baby out with the bath water. I think remantle if they get better, and then maybe they bring in a player or two. I think they'll be very close next year. Hey, thanks everybody for joining us on the show. As I said, I won't agree with you on warfy time, many of you, I do respect your views. We'll be back again tomorrow morning, nine o'clock, another edition of Mornings with Mark Duffield.