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.
Lachie Neale
Neale looked like he was one foot out the door to Collingwood in Brisbane's shock 53-point loss at the hands of an undermanned Sydney last week.
The two-time Brownlow Medallist was soundly quelled by the defensive-minded Swans midfield getting punished in the contest by Jai Serong, James Rowbottom and Angus Sheldrick.
Neale looked like the inexperienced player against the young Swans, winning just one centre clearance for the match while Rowbottom and Serong had six and five respectively.
His 18 disposals marked the midfielder's second-lowest tally for the season and his lowest in a non-substitute-affected final since 2019.
The Lions are again forced to take the scenic route for their premiership defence, after being forced to do the same in their two prior Grand Final appearances.
