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Sport Nation
Unheralded: The players who deserve more credit for Round 6
Andrew Slevison & Jaiden Sciberras • April 22nd, 2025 6:16 pm
We always know who the stars are in a particular game.
But what about those who played a pivotal defensive role or were influential without stuffing the stat sheet? They may have had an important assignment or have simply just flown under the radar.
These players might be spoken about amongst the supporters of their clubs, but not discussed as widely around the competition.
Below are the players we believe deserve more credit for their Round 6 performances.
Bowey’s best helps Dees open account
Jake Bowey is putting together a sneaky good season.
He has been doing his work in an understated manner in the background as the Demons have dealt with plenty of form issues, but his has held strong.
In the weekend’s season-first win over Freo, the 2021 premiership defender produced his best game for the year with 29 disposals and six rebound 50s.
Max Gawn, Kozzie Pickett and Harrison Petty received the bulk of the plaudits but some should definitely be reserved for Bowey.
There are some Dees fans out there who believe the 22-year-old would be right up there in the best and fairest count at this stage of the campaign.
It’s doubtful there are too many outsiders who would believe the same, making him the perfect unheralded candidate.
Domination from underrated Dogs
Matt Kennedy and Ryley Sanders were both instrumental in the Doggies’ huge win over St Kilda on Sunday night.
Kennedy has been a shrewd recruit by the Dogs, averaging 23.5 disposals and 6.7 clearances since crossing from Carlton.
He was at it again in Round 6 with 22 touches, 10 clearances, six tackles and two goals in his most complete performance in red, white and blue.
Ryley Sanders is starting to motor in his second season.
His showing against the Saints was sublime, providing a mammoth 14 score involvements to go with a career-best 32 touches and 11 marks.
The Bont, Libba and Sam Darcy’s injury was spoken about a lot, but this pair needs to be recognised.
Joel Freijah also needs another shoutout in this column after 24 disposals, 10 score involvements, six clearances, five inside 50s and two goals.
He’s becoming quite the player.
Blue smalls running rampant
Carlton’s small forward issues may have been answered with the return of Corey Durdin.
Booting four in his return against the Eagles followed by two against the Roos, Durdin has provided energy and heart that the Blues severely lacked since the departure of Matt Owies.
Providing constant forward pressure and elite groundwork while playing well above his size, Durdin deserves far more credit for the way he’s gone about his first two games this season.
Alongside the small forward, rookie Will White deserves all plaudits for his ability to assimilate to senior football.
Three goals against North Melbourne to go with 12 touches and eight score involvements, it’s hard to believe the 21-year-old only just squeezed onto the list.
With Zac Williams and Jesse Motlop also combining for a further seven goals, Carlton's forward half concerns may have sorted themselves out just in time.
Time will tell if the new-look mix can compete against stronger opposition.
Super Max
The definition of underrated, Max Michalanney has rapidly become one of the Crows' most valuable pieces.
In Adelaide's scrappy contest with the Giants, Michalanney was tasked with the challenge of Toby Greene, and didn't he deliver.
Holding the champion goalless, Greene managed just 13 disposals at 46 per cent, eight turnovers and a season-low three score involvements while manned by the 21-year-old Crow.
Michalanney himself collected 14 disposals, six intercepts and a first career goal after 51 games, anchoring a rock solid Adelaide back-half en route to their 18-point victory.
With questions being asked of the Crows' backline, particularly with the three-headed monster up front inviting easy transition, Michalanney's role in solidifying structure against the competition's best back-to-front side should not be understated.
The Hewett's
No relation, just two bulls that deserve a shout.
Even within Carlton's four straight losses, Blues fans came to expect a standout performance from Carlton's George Hewett.
It's no question that Hewett was Carlton's best on ground, looking genuinely unstoppable from the first bounce to the final siren.
As classy as it gets, Hewett finished up with a whopping 34 disposals, 12 clearances, nine tackles and a goal.
Beyond George's performance, the Blue's namesake Elijah played his best career game out West.
The Eagles' Elijah Hewett returned to the side with class, collecting 22 disposals and booting two goals while managing a team-high five clearances.
The 20-year-old nearly won West Coast their first game off his own boot, with 17 disposals and two goals in the second half alone as the game was in the balance.
