Duff’s Dozen: West Coast and North Melbourne playing for the Harley Reid Cup, Dockers try to avoid slaughter

At Geelong, where vulnerable teams go to be slaughtered, a Dockers team no longer in finals contention fronts up, without several key players, to play the in-form Cats.

And at Optus Stadium come Sunday, 18th placed West Coast hosts 17th placed North Melbourne in the Harley Reid Cup – one of those bizarre late season fixtures in the equalised AFL system where the loser has a good chance of winning in the long term.

Get your popcorn and strap yourselves in folks. Here is Duff’s Dozen for round 20 of the 2023 AFL season.

1. It’s a long year for youngsters

Matt Johnson has been one of a handful of players to have impressed in this disappointing season for the Dockers. His impressive 193cm frame, his composure in traffic and his willingness to absorb tackles and feed the ball to teammates in space has been promising. But the season has got hold of him now. The 20 year old has been subbed out twice recently and finished with single digit disposals twice in the last three games. No surprise to see him out “managed” here.

2. A young man’s poison is an old man’s meat

Johnson’s omission clears the way and clears a spot for the return of the clever James Aish. Aish, who came with Justin Longmuir in 2020 when the Dockers coach was appointed after a stint at Collingwood, has played 76 of his 158 games with Fremantle and probably slots back in on the wing in Johnson’s place for this one. Smart midfielder and the Dockers could use a bit of experience around the middle after getting carved up regularly there this season.

3. Johnson not the only kid getting tired

Jye Amiss turns 20 in the next week and has kicked a very respectable 32 goals in his second season at an AFL club. But the teenager, like Matt Johnson has found the season getting long on him in recent games. Only three of his 32 goals have come in the last three games, one in each match and he has a total of just 13 disposals in those three games with his solitary goal from a big pack mark against Sydney last weekend coming from one of just four disposals. Has lost some of his speed and zip at ground level in the last few weeks. Would be good to see him get it back here.

4. Give Stanley another go

He is named as an emergency and not in the first 22 but it would be surprising if the Dockers didn’t give mid-season rookie pick Ethan Stanley another run as the tactical sub against the Cats. Came into the game at three quarter time against Sydney and gave Fremantle good run and inside fifty ball with five disposals off a wing. Certainly worth more game time here to whet his appetite for a big pre-season ahead of 2024.

5. Hats off to the other Ethan

Ethan Hughes has had his fair share of doubters since his first game at Fremantle. He was taken in the 2015 rookie draft at pick 13 and remained a rookie up until 2019 when he was delisted then finally relisted as a rookie. He finally made it onto the list proper in 2021 at the age of 26 which shows what a joke the AFL’s rookie system is. But Hughes will make it to 100 games on the weekend. He has played all games this season, some as a midfielder, some back in defence where he plays his best footy. Highly regarded as a person, brave to a fault. 100 AFL games is nothing to be sneezed at, doubters or not.

6. Three Henrys, watch out for two of them

Fremantle has Liam and the Cats have brothers Jack and Oliver. Liam will be watched closely because he is out of contract at the end of the season after working his way into the team and into form. The Dockers won’t want to let Oliver get under their guard. They know about him. He was at Collingwood when used as the medical sub when most suspected he was the tactical sub on a wet Optus Stadium when the Dockers played Collingwood in round 10 last year. He kicked 4.1 as Collingwood stormed to an upset 36-point win – a sneak preview of what they have since shown themselves very capable of and a sneak preview of what Oliver Henry is very capable of.

7. Is Yeo really back?

Sources close to Elliot Yeo believed he was still a week away from playing midway through this week so it was interesting to see him named on an extended bench for the Eagles for their bottom of the table clash with North Melbourne at Optus Stadium on Sunday. The 29-year-old dual best and fairest winner would be a massive inclusion if fit. Hasn’t played since round 15 against Sydney and has played just six games this year on top of five last year and 12 in 2021. Hopefully Adam Simpson isn’t pulling the trigger early again with a returning star.

8. McGovern and Barrass still out?

Tom Barrass was close enough to being fit last weekend to be put on a plane to go to Melbourne ahead of the Carlton game. Jeremy McGovern was in concussion protocols last week but was scheduled to be clear of them by now. He also travelled to Melbourne for the Carlton game though for what reason is not clear. Now they are both missing again for this clash leaving the Eagles with no experienced key defender to take on Nick Larkey – just as they had no key defender to take on Charlie Curnow last week when he kicked 10 goals. Big blow that they are both out. Big blue that they were put on planes for seven and a half hours on transcontinental flights last week instead of maximising their chances of being ready for the Roos.

9. Does that mean Rotham gets a run

Like Elliot Yeo, Josh Rotham was named on an eight man extended bench along with Xavier O’Neill, Jack Petruccelle, Callum Jamieson, Rhett Bazzo, Jack Williams and Greg Clark. Three will miss out and a fourth will be the sub. Only one of Williams or Jamieson will play and there is doubt about Yeo. It would be good to see Rotham get another chance. Has had a broken arm and broken finger this year, has played just nine games and has been treading water for three seasons in what had started as a very promising AFL career back in 2019. Can pinch hit as a key defender which would be handy here.

10. Spot the best young midfield

Fascinated to hear all of the talk about North Melbourne receiving AFL draft concessions. The highly touted George Wardlaw (pick 4 2022) won’t play in this game but Will Phillips (pick three 2020), Luke Davies Uniacke (pick four 2017), Harry Sheezel (pick 3 2022) and Jye Simpkin (pick 12 2016) all will, as will 2018 pick 8 Tarryn Thomas. If you were a list manager and were offered a swap with West Coast’s ageing engine room you would be jumping the table to do that deal.

11. North hoping to get Larkey

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Nick that is. Has a great record against the Eagles with hauls of six and three against them in recent matches and has a good record at Optus Stadium with that three goal haul against West Coast coming at the ground along with a four goal haul against Fremantle in the round two boilover this season. And as mentioned above the Eagles don’t have two key defenders to run together. Very underrated key forward who has managed to kick 48 goals this season in a struggling team from 18 matches in a struggling team, a feat every bit as impressive as Oscar Allen’s 41 goals for the Eagles in their bleak season. One of the best kicks at goal in the game with a conversion rate better than two out of three.

12. The elephant in the room

It’s 17th versus 18th, late in the season with one game and percentage separating the two teams and Harley Reid, a kid touted by AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan as “one out of the box” looming at the draft as the number one pick later in the year. Players and coaches are always full of rhetoric about how no-one would consider tanking when the subject rears its head. That’s the players and coaches. I wonder who the recruiters and list managers will barrack for.