Nathan Buckley’s round 14 Super Saturday preview

Winning the Norm Smith Medal was just the start for Will Ashcroft, writes Nathan Buckley. The Fox Footy expert previews every Super Saturday clash from round 14.

It’s a huge Saturday of football in round 14, with GWS Giants facing a huge task at the Gabba to stay in the top eight.

North Melbourne will be trying to make it two wins in as many weeks in Western Australia when it takes on Fremantle, while Essendon has to find a way to stop both Max Holmes and Bailey Smith.

See Nathan Buckley’s preview of every game below.

BRISBANE V GWS GIANTS, 1.20PM, GABBA

● It’s time for the Giants midfielders to get their hands dirty again! Their numbers have been damning so far this season. They have been outscored from centre bounce clearances in all but two of their 13 games, averaging 7.5 fewer points per game, ranked last. They are also bottom four in a number of other areas. It’s not as if they are not star-studded. They’ve got Finn Callaghan, Tom Green, Josh Kelly and co. How are the Giants going to be able to do enough damage against a Brisbane team still smarting after last week? The only way to do it is through rolling the sleeves up and getting to work again.

● The last time these two teams met – in last year’s classic semi-final – it was Joe Daniher who rescued the Lions and breathed new life into their finals campaign when it looked over. They wouldn’t have won that game – or the premiership – without him. He’s not there now. So this game provides an opportunity for the Lions to end that narrative with an understanding that others need to step up, particularly after last week’s missed opportunity. Over to you, Lions’ forwards!

Sam Taylor marks against Brisbane during last year’s finals series.

● Where would the Giants be without Sam Taylor? He’s an absolute star and plays such an important defensive role for Adam Kingsley’s side. He had 16 intercept possessions, seven intercept marks, and 11 spoils last round, making him the second player ever to have those numbers or better.

● He might have won the Norm Smith Medal last year but Will Ashcroft has elevated his game to a new level this season. In only his third season of AFL football, he is recording career-best numbers — 27.5 disposals, 10.8 contested possessions and 6.1 clearances – and he is having a massive impact for his team. He is a Lachie Neale clone and is as clean at ground level and as quick with his hands as the dual Brownlow medallist … a fair comparison for a young player.

ESSENDON V GEELONG, MCG, 4.15PM

● Geelong back six is humming along as Gold Coast found out to their detriment last week. The Cats clearly trust their defenders as they allow their wingers to get a long way forward to impact the scoreboard. It means the back six has to do a lot of their work even numbered, though it rarely seems to faze them. They do get a little bit of help from the ruckmen, and their high half forwards do a little bit of work up the ground to support them. Chris Scott would love what his back six is doing.

● The Cats want high transition and I think that’s where the Bombers play their best footy. Think back to the Brisbane game a couple of weeks ago, and I suspect this game will be played in a similar vein. Geelong will give them plenty of opportunities to bounce back and have a bit of a look. Essendon will be hoping to reprise their performance against the Lions at the Gabba when they were very competitive, and a bit stiff not to win.

Max Holmes took charge with Bailey Smith missing last week.

● Darcy Parish has had a challenging past few seasons due to injury, but his first-up performance against the Blues last week was encouraging. His first match of the season yielded 31 disposals, 13 contested possessions and 10 clearances, which was probably greater than expectations. The Bombers would love him to have a clear run at it again, which he hasn’t really had since his All-Australian 2021 season.

● No Bailey Smith last week for the Cats; no worries, with Max Holmes having a career-best 40 disposals. Holmes was the second youngest Geelong player to have 40+ disposals, behind Joel Selwood. Smith is back for this game, and the ‘Dash Brothers’ will have a big say on the outcome of this match.

NORTH MELBOURNE V FREMANTLE, PERTH STADIUM, 7.35PM

● The Dockers are in great form after three big wins in a row and they are coming off a breather. Their best players – Luke Jackson, Shai Bolton, Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Jordan Clark off the back – have played huge roles against Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast across the last month. Those five players have had exceptional form leading into this game. When they are doing what they do, they are hard to stop. Expect some work to be put into some, or all, of those boys.

● It’s OK to win ugly, as former US tennis player Brad Gilbert once told us. North Melbourne did that last week against the Eagles, but the four points would still have been cherished. They went an hour and three minutes during the middle stages of last week’s game without kicking a goal. It wasn’t pretty. But they got the job done and that’s all that counts in the end. More will be needed today against the Dockers.

Caleb Serong torched North Melbourne last year.

● Clarko will have a circle around Caleb Serong on the magnet board after what happened the last time these two teams met, back in round 2 last year. The Dockers’ mid had 508 metres gained, 35 touches, 15 contested possessions and 11 score involvements. It might be time to lay the tag on him.

● Tristan Xerri might have been stiff to miss last year’s All-Australian team, but he is going to be right there in the mix for the No. 1 ruck role this season. He has been outstanding in a team that has struggled for large patches of the year. He had a career-best 16 hardball-gets last round, the equal third-most ever in a match. Only Chris Judd (18) and Rowan Marshall (17) have had more in a match.