There are two types of players when we get to September: those who rise to the occasion, and those who crumble under the finals pressure.
For the superstars of the competition, there is an expectation that they will rise and deliver for their clubs in September, but in the first week of the 2026 AFL Finals, there were many who crumbled under the pressure.
Now with a spot in a preliminary final on the line, there are five players firmly in the gun, in need of a major response in this weekend's semi-finals.
Hugh McCluggage
It's been a season from hell for McCluggage in 2026, dealing with three repeated left calf strains over the course of his campaign.
After a maiden All-Australian selection in 2025, McCluggage has failed to even scratch that form this season, averaging numbers rivalling his debut season, just unable to make an impact.
It was more of the same for McCluggage against Sydney in the Lions Qualifying Final, with just 16 disposals and very minimal impact for the Lions.
Understandably, McCluggage is not at full health going through this finals campaign, but if the midfielder is deciding to play, there is no excuse to be dishing up a performance like he did on the weekend.
If McCluggage is not fit to play, needs to remove himself from the team and allow a player ready to perform to fill the role.
