It is player-centric version of Unsung Heroes in the AFL this week.
All the big names are up in lights, but there are a few who have been missed by the masses that continue to ply away under the radar.
Unsung hero #1
Darcy Cameron
What a recruit he has turned out to be for Collingwood.
He was rewarded with a new three-year deal from his club and maintained his excellent form with a strong performance against GWS.
His numbers read 23 hitouts, 17 disposals, eight marks, five clearances and two goals in Round 15.
As important a player in the Collingwood lineup, especially in the absence of Brodie Grundy.
Unsung hero #2
alex neal-bullen
Melbourne has got all the star names at their disposal.
Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Jake Lever, and Steven May, to name a few.
Alex Neal-Bullen is not your glitz-and-glam player, but he is an integral part of how Melbourne sets up forward of centre.
The nuggety half-forward tackles relentlessly are manic with his pressure and love a goal.
He recorded eight tackles to go with 21 pressure acts on the weekend and capped it all off with a lovely snap for goal when the game against Brisbane was in the balance.
Unsung hero #3
Nick Blakey
The Lizard.
He is a deadset gun in every sense of the word.
A penetrating left-foot slices through opposition defence and running patterns that cause chaos.
The drive and generation of play he creates across half-back are amongst the best in the league.
We saw it on display with his brilliant passage of play to set up a Buddy Franklin shot at goal during the Swans’ win over St Kilda.
He ranks well above average for metres gained with 497 per game and ranks elite for score launches.
Unsung hero #4
Aaron hamill
Much has been made of all the injuries being dealt upon the Carlton back this season.
Jacob Weitering, Mitch McGovern, Oscar McDonald, Caleb Marchbank, and mid-season recruit Sam Durdin have all gone down.
Guided by backline coach Aaron Hamill, Carlton’s back six has stood up enormously over the last month and put in its best performance on the weekend as it held Fremantle to only 50 points.
Hamill was praised by Michael Voss in the post-game press conference after the 31-point win over Fremantle but is yet to get any widespread coverage.
With Lewis Young slowly turning into an elite defender, Hamill has to be credited with what he has been able to get his defensive crew to do.
Unsung hero #5
Cameron Guthrie
Cameron Guthrie was sensational against Richmond on the weekend.
Rarely gets the plaudits because Geelong is made up of guns like Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Jeremy Cameron, Tom Hawkins and Tom Stewart.
He always flies under the radar, but his 29-disposal game against the Tigers significantly catalyses Geelong’s fifth win on the trot.
Regularly a link in Geelong’s scoring chains, Guthrie has eight score involvements in the three-point win.
