Round 14 of the 2024 AFLย season is here.
This weekend sees six games from Friday to Sunday as the third round of the mid-season byes with Gold Coast, Carlton, Geelong, Essendon, Melbourne and West Coast having a break.
Saturday afternoon will see Richmond vs Hawthorn at the MCG, a must-watch game to see one of the best footballers of the modern era Dustin Martin play his 300 game on the ground he knows best, the MCG.
Another blockbuster game this weekend is on Sunday afternoon between GWS and Port Adelaide. This game is huge for both sides as GWS have only won one game in their last five matches, and will want to get back on the winning list and cement their place in the top eight. The Power will want to get a win as well after losing to Carlton before their bye and remain in the top four.
Below we have focused on a player who is going into the weekend under the radar, a player who needs to step up, a player who's sure to gain plenty of attention, a big matchup, a player who could potentially look at a new role and a player who is on a comeback in Round 14.
Under the radar: Ollie Florentย
Ollie Florent has had a great first half of the season and is flying under the radar as he is part of an elite list of players.
The half-back/wingman's unique skill is his ground game. He often gets plenty of intercepts for the Swans but most come from ground level. The defender is having more of an impact than any of the other Swan defenders and what he's doing behind the footy is elite.
The 25-year-old's work rate does not get rewarded like teammates Isaac Heeney and Errol Gulden do, and he is one of the most consistent players - having played over 100 consecutive games of senior footy.
Florent is a clean ball mover and reads the game exceptionally well, though is not getting recognised due to being part of an A-listed side.
This weekend the defender will fly under the radar, and if the Crows don't give the 25-year-old the respect he deserves he will be hard to stop, winning contested ground balls on most occasions.
Needs to step up: Crows Defenceย
Adelaide's defence needs to step up this weekend when they host premiership favourites Sydney.
This game is crucial for the Crows season if they want to have a slight chance to play finals in September.
The Crows' defence has been lacking in recent weeks and looks unconnected, so this weekend against the competition's best there is no better way for them to step up as a united backline and work together.
They will be playing against some of the best forwards and experienced players in the competition, trying to stop the Swans' flow forward.
The Crows defence must improve this weekend and it starts from being a more unified backline.
All eyes are on... Dustin Martin
All eyes will be on Dustin Martin this weekend as he plays his 300th AFL game. The three-time premiership player is arguably one of the best of the modern era and this weekend is a huge moment in his career. While the 32-year-old is known to not like the attention, all eyes will be on the star Tiger.
Martin is a three-time premiership player, three-time Norm Smith medallist - the only player to win the award three times - and a Brownlow medallist. The veteran has also been part of the All-Australian team four times.
The Brownlow medallist has a long list of accolades and this weekend when he takes to the famous MCG it will mark an important milestone in his career.
After a difficult first half of the season for the Tigers they will be looking for their third win, which would be the icing on the cake for Martin's special day.
All eyes will be on the superstar and how he handles the attention and the big moments, and there is no doubt Martin would love to kick a few goals in his 300.
The big matchup: Alex Pearce and Rory Lobb
The biggest matchup this weekend is between defender Alex Pearce and forward Rory Lobb. These two are ex-teammates, so this is a matchup you won't want to miss.
Pearce is having a great season and is in the running for making his first All-Australian team, while Lobb has had an inconsistent season struggling to get into the Bulldogs' best 23 and also performing.
Lobb will want to have a big game against what is a difficult matchup and if he can win this matchup will help him secure his position in the side.
This matchup is anticipated to be fierce and both players will want to get the upper hand.
A new role? Billy Frampton
Billy Frampton is known for his ability to play anywhere on the ground, from forward to the backline and in the ruck. This has been the case for the past few weeks considering the Pies' injury list, and coach Craig McRae has relied on Frampton's versatility by playing him as a forward.
This weekend the 27-year-old's new role may be a move back to his original position as a backman.
Frampton was originally a defender and the past few weeks he has played in the forward, but with the performance of Nathan Kreuger last week, it's expected this week his new role will see him move back to the Pies' defence.
Due to Frampton's ability to play several positions, he is one of those players whose role may change depending on what is required for the best outcome for the club.
On the comeback: Tom Lynch
Tom Lynch is expected to return this weekend when Richmond hosts Hawthorn. The forward has been out injured since Round 3 after injuring his hamstring tendon.
The 31-year-old has missed 10 weeks with this injury and has been cleared from his rehabilitation program.
Lynch will be a huge in for the Tigers, and his return comes as a huge relief for Adem Yze to have one of his key players back, helping improve the injury crisis at Punt Road.
The key forward also returns in what is an important game for teammate Dusty Martin, who will play his 300th game this Saturday.
