In Round 15 of the 2026 AFL season, Josh Fraser led Carlton to a fifth win in a row, and Luke Jackson was almost unstoppable for the Dockers. But should the Saints be worried about their finals chances? 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: A broken leg delayed Mark Keane's start to the season, and he could not have been better in his return to the Adelaide side over the weekend, finishing with 22 disposals, 10 marks, nine intercept possessions, and six score involvements in the win over the Dees to remind everyone of his importance to the side. Fellow defender and mid-season pick up Hugo Hall-Kahan (23 disposals and 380 metres gained) just keeps on turning heads off half-back, too!
Stocks down: The Adelaide doubters. They were everywhere when the Crows stumbled to a 3-4 start to the season. Seven weeks later, Matthew Nicks' side sits 9-5, with its only loss in that stretch coming against Hawthorn in Tasmania, and they're doing everything required to finish at the pointy end of the ladder. The difference this time? The Crows are likely to fly under the radar a little more. Last year's minor premiership, and the expectations that came with it, arguably became a burden. This season, they're building nicely without quite the same weight of expectation -- and that might just suit them perfectly.
Brisbane
BYE
Carlton
Stocks up: Nobody's stocks in footy are higher than Josh Fraser right now. The Blues' caretaker coach is a perfect 5-0 since taking over from Michael Voss last month and already boasts stirring wins over the Cats, Bulldogs, and now GWS in western Sydney. Carlton has risen from the bottom of the ladder to sit just one game outside the top 10, with clashes to come against West Coast and Richmond in the next month. Vibes are high, and they're playing a nice brand of footy. Are finals indeed on the cards for this mob?
Stocks down: He can be a little hit and miss in the forward line but it's been a lot more 'miss' of late for Brodie Kemp. The Carlton defender turned forward kicked one goal and five behinds on Saturday afternoon against the Giants, wasting some golden chances to help his side establish a lead that would have felt safe throughout. Needs to spend the offseason with club great Brendan Fevola.
Collingwood
Stocks up: The Magpies were struggling to click into gear in the first half against Port Adelaide at a wet and miserable MCG on Saturday evening. Enter Jordan De Goey. Two goals late in the second term lifted his side and cut into the Power's 20-point advantage. De Goey added a third major in third quarter and finished his night with 26 disposals, nine inside 50s, and eight score involvements. But are the three votes safe? Nick Daicos had a lazy 41 disposals, nine clearances, and kicked a goal of his own in the win. We like the look of debutant Sam Swadling, too!
Stocks down: The small, pressure forward is arguably the toughest gig in footy to find consistency in, but where was Beau McCreery against the Power? He had just one touch in the first half and ended up with just three kicks and no score. McCreery has managed just one goal in his last six weeks.
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Essendon
BYE
Fremantle
Stocks up: Did Luke Jackson just ensure he's wearing an All-Australian blazer come season's end? Sure, there's still a significant chunk of the season to play out, but the Fremantle star's most recent performance has to have him as the favourite for a starting ruck place in the team. Jackson had a career-high 28 disposals, 15 contested possessions, nine tackles, nine score involvements, and booted three goals in the comeback win over the Cats. An absolute weapon and a player you'd want to build around for the next 10 years.
Stocks down: The stat sheet will show three more goals for young gun Jye Amiss ... it will also show four more misses. Some of his misses against Geelong were mind-boggling and simply inexplainable. Thursday evening marks the third time in his last nine games he's finished with four behinds in a match. Still, 35 goals and 23 behinds for the season is a mighty return 15 rounds in. Amiss is firmly on track for a 50-goal campaign.
Geelong
Stocks up: You have to love the start from Jack Martin, who jumped the gates at Optus Stadium with three goals in the opening term. Martin was everywhere early, punishing the Dockers on turnover and helping the Cats open up a four-goal advantage. Unfortunately for him, after the first change he managed just two kicks and one behind as Fremantle wrestled back momentum.
Stocks down: We love Jeremy Cameron. Everyone does, right? But geez he just doesn't look quite right at the moment. Two goals and four kicks against Fremantle from 93% game time was a lean return. It's been reported that Cameron is still battling through the pain of a broken arm, sustained in last year's Grand Final loss to the Lions. If that's the case, perhaps it's time the Cats stick him on the shelf and try and get him ready for another finals push later in the year.
Gold Coast
Stocks up: The Suns continue to slide, but not because the club captain has disappeared. Star midfielder Noah Anderson left nothing in the tank on Friday night, finishing up with a career-high 43 disposals at 74% efficiency, 12 contested possessions, and 10 inside 50s. The only thing the Suns would be hoping for with Anderson is for him to be able to hit the scoreboard with greater regularity. He's managed just four goals for the season.
Stocks down: Talk about peaking at the right time. After a red-hot start to the season, these Suns have now lost four straight games and have plummeted to now sit ninth on the ladder -- but only one win ahead of 14th. The club's flag odds have also ballooned from $5.50 to $34. Are Gold Coast's premiership hopes in tatters? To make matters worse, running defender Daniel Rioli missed the second half after being ruled out with a suspected broken jaw.
GWS
Stocks up: Has Clayton Oliver been the recruit of the year? The ex-Demons had a stinker of a first quarter against the Blues, but still found a way to leave his mark on the contest, albeit in a loss. Oliver amassed 29 disposals, five clearances, and seven inside 50s for the game. Did you know he sits first in the competition for both total clearances and contested possessions, and third for total disposals? Seems to be flying under the radar a touch.
Stocks down: And then there are players who have gone in the opposite direction. Jesse Hogan entered this season as arguably the top key forward in the game, at worst second to Jeremy Cameron. Not only did Hogan fail to impact against the Blues, kicking just one goal and wasting several other chances, he's been unable to fire at any point of 2026. In his nine games this season, Hogan has managed just 12 goals.
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Hawthorn
Stocks up: The dynamic small forwards of the Hawks are just so dangerous. By now, we know what Nick Watson can do. The 21-year-old booted another three goals in the win over Gold Coast, taking his season tally to 36 majors -- the same amount he managed throughout the entirety of 2025. Watson looms as an All-Australian lock and someone who might well be celebrating a 50-goal campaign. But then there's attacking teammate Dylan Moore. He produced four goals on Friday night, his best return since the final round of the 2024 season.
Stocks down: Speedster Josh Weddle could be set for a stint on the sidelines after a late bump on Daniel Rioli resulted in the Suns defender suffering a suspected broken jaw and spending the second half of the game on the pine. Jack Ginnivan may also be issued a please explain after a jumper punch on Zeke Uwland.
Melbourne
Stocks up: So much Demon attention of late has been absorbed by Kozzy Pickett (and fair enough!) but don't forget about Max Gawn. The Melbourne skipper was superb in a tough loss to the Crows, ending the afternoon with more disposals than anyone else on the ground (28), the equal-most contested possessions (15), and equal-most clearances (7). Not too shabby for a guy who is reportedly not close to 100%.
Stocks down: Melbourne's away form has to be a genuine concern now, doesn't it? The Dees are still yet to win a game away from the MCG this season, a remarkable statistic given how impressive they've been at home. It's one thing to dominate on your own patch, but if they want to be taken seriously, they have to prove they can travel and win in unfamiliar surroundings.
North Melbourne
Stocks up: Cooper Trembath was the standout in North Melbourne's dour win over Richmond, booting a career-best four goals in one of his most influential AFL performances. The young key forward has shown glimpses throughout the season, but on Sunday he was involved from start to finish, sharing the ruck duties with Tristan Xerri and making life difficult for Richmond skipper Toby Nankervis. Trembath is beginning to look like the ideal long-term foil for Nick Larkey, and, most importantly, he's starting to really hold his own at the top level despite some up and down form. The signs are really encouraging.
Stocks down: There's no questioning Zane Duursma's talent or long-term potential, but it would be nice to see the young Roo find more of the footy. Life as a forward can be brutally difficult at times, particularly in a developing side where opportunities can be limited, but Duursma managed just seven disposals and 0.3 against Richmond, and he's now gone goalless in three games, kicking just one goal in his past five matches. Perhaps most concerning, he has only reached double figures for disposals once this season.
Cooper Trembath's athleticism is ridiculous 😮💨#AFLTigersNorth pic.twitter.com/7eJttpTpE1
— AFL (@AFL) June 21, 2026
Port Adelaide
Stocks up: Jason Horne-Francis seemed to really enjoy those soggy conditions at the MCG, racking up 30 disposals, 15 contested possessions, six clearances, nine marks, and seven score involvements in defeat.
Stocks down: The Power really were the walking wounded on Saturday night. In the cruellest blow of all, Esava Ratugolea suffered a ruptured patella tendon in a collision with teammate Todd Marshall, with the key defender expected to miss up to 12 months. It's devastating news for a player who had been in excellent form since returning from injury. The casualties didn't stop there either, with Ewan Mackinlay helped from the ground with an ankle injury, while Jack Lukosius saw his night end early after suffering a calf complaint.
Richmond
Stocks up: There's a lot to like about 18-year-old Sam Cumming, who has had a very impressive first half in the loss to North Melbourne. Finishing with 18 disposals, a goal, and five inside 50s, he found the ball across the park and used the footy with care. It's tough sledding being a Tigers fan right now, but you have to keep an eye out for the green shoots.
Stocks down: Everyone knows North Melbourne's defence isn't much chop. So for the Tigers to waste their chances and put up just 48 points on a fine day at the MCG? It's a little underwhelming. Yes, they had 18 scoring shots, yes, there was no Tom Lynch, but you need to see some nourishment on the scoreboard, particularly in games against team in the bottom half of the ladder.
St Kilda
Stocks up: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, ladies and gentlemen. Yes, the Saints lost, but sometimes an individual performance is simply too good not to celebrate. The classy Saint spent most of Sunday afternoon orchestrating play from half-back before moving into the midfield late when his side trailed at the last change of ends, and finished with a staggering 44 disposals, 916 metres gained, and a goal. In defeat, he really was outstanding.
Stocks down: St Kilda are waiting on scans for Jack Sinclair and Tom De Koning after the key duo were injured in the 22-point defeat to the Western Bulldogs. Sinclair went down in the first quarter with what was initially deemed a calf issue, but there are fears it could be a more serious Achilles injury after his foot was put in a moon boot. De Koning, meanwhile, was ruled out of the game at half time after suffering a heavy knock to the ribs. Add in Alix Tauru facing significant time out after a reckless high bump in the VFL, and the cupboard starts to look a little bare for the Saints, who are now one win from their last five. Is top 10 still on the cards?
Sydney
BYE
West Coast
BYE
Western Bulldogs
Stocks up: We saw vintage Marcus Bontempelli in the win over St Kilda, which isn't surprising. The Bulldogs skipper was immense, finishing with 34 disposals, 13 clearances, seven tackles, and a trademark snap goal in the second term as he led from the front. But the Dogs' defence also deserves plenty of love. The duo of James O'Donnell and Buku Khamis was critical in repelling St Kilda attacks, combining for 14 intercept possessions and 18 spoils. They also finished as the only players on the ground with 100% disposal efficiency, excluding the injured Jack Sinclair, who managed just the one handball before leaving the field.
Stocks down: Hopefully, just hopefully, that's the last we see of Tom Liberatore's name on the injury list! It was great news over the weekend with cult hero Libba making his long-awaited return after dealing with both knee and concussion issues and being limited to just four games this year. It was terrific to see the hard-nosed midfielder back doing what he does best, and his return comes at the perfect time as they push towards September.