Monday Cal-culations: Champ eyes crowning glory, ump bump concerns, where's Fletch?

In Monday Cal-culations, Callum Twomey looks at a Power defender's resurgence, the impending umpire contact crackdown and more

AFL.com.au's Callum Twomey celebrates Patrick Dangerfield, takes a look at the leading contenders to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2026 and more in Monday Cal-culations

DANGER EYEING HIS CROWNING MOMENT

SOMETIMES the presence of greatness becomes so normal that we get used to it. It is less taken for granted than simply expected because it is delivered so often.

Patrick Dangerfield is not ageless, nor flawless. But as Geelong's 35-year-old No.35 reaches his 350th game this week, he deserves every plaudit thrown his way. Fearless. Brave. Consistent. Explosive. Game-changer. Big game player. Powerful. Leader. Keep 'em coming.

It is the last one – leader – that has been a big part of his Geelong evolution. Dangerfield was in the mix to be Adelaide's captain back in 2015 when Taylor Walker was given the job. The uncertainty on Dangerfield's future at the Crows was part of their thinking (and he ended up departing at the end of that year), but regardless the Crows went with Walker, who served well in a strong era for Adelaide.

Patrick Dangerfield celebrates a goal during round four, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

By the time Dangerfield got to Geelong, Cats legend Joel Selwood was in his fifth year as skipper. He had another six at the helm after that, becoming the longest-serving captain in VFL/AFL history.

Dangerfield was there as his deputy, but has so seamlessly followed Selwood as Geelong's captain, frontman, mentor, conduit and media spokesperson that it is another important notch on a belt that is already weighed down by honour after honour. Following Selwood in becoming a premiership captain would, like his predecessor, be Dangerfield's crowning moment.

That Dangerfield has still produced match-winning displays in 2025, his 18th AFL season, shows there is no slowing him and he has been crucial on the field and off it in helping star recruit Bailey Smith assimilate into life at Geelong (even to the point Smith was fined after remonstrating with a fan in Adelaide who abused Dangerfield).

Dangerfield's willingness to hand over the midfield reins to Smith and Max Holmes and station himself as a forward this year when he could easily still produce around the ball also shows the Geelong mindset that he inherited and has continued to promote.

Patrick Dangerfield and Bailey Smith celebrate during Geelong's win over Fremantle in round one, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

In doing so, Dangerfield has reinvented his game. Champion Data shows he ranks elite in Player Ratings, contested possessions, groundballs inside 50, score involvements, score assists and goals this year as a general forward, and above average for disposals and marks inside-50. Try stopping him – he's won 48 per cent of one-on-one contests he's been targeted in, which is ranked second in the AFL of the top 50 players for total offensive one-on-one contests.

If footballers have imperial phases, then Dangerfield's came between 2015-2020, when he claimed six straight All-Australian jumpers, a Brownlow Medal and four best-and-fairests. But five years on, as he becomes just the 25th player in history to reach the 350-game mark, he remains as dangerous as any of the Cats in their pursuit of another flag which, as Saturday's mauling of Essendon again underlined, is very much on track.

SAV'S SLOW BURN

ESAVA Ratugolea has found his groove at Port Adelaide.

After a first season at the Power that had challenges – he was thrown forward in the second half of the season – the former Cat is playing with the confidence that made him Port's long-held trade target across 2022-2023.

On Sunday he dominated against Melbourne – he had eight intercept marks from 13 grabs and finished with 18 disposals, having equalled his career-high six intercept marks last round.

Ratugolea kept it simple and backed himself and after an injury-hit start to this season has produced a strong run of form. Champion Data shows he has taken 3.9 intercept marks a game since round five – which is currently equal No.1 in that time period with Carlton's Nick Haynes. Across his 10 games, in his main match-ups Ratugolea has conceded nine goals for the season to his direct opponent, and only one since round nine.

Esava Ratugolea flies for a mark during Port Adelaide's win over Melbourne in round 14, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

It is no surprise it has coincided with Port's better run as Ken Hinkley got some key players back from injury and playing together. Before Sunday's game against Melbourne, star midfield pair Jason Horne-Francis and Zak Butters had played only seven games together this season whilst battling their respective injuries. They were both super against the Dees, with Horne-Francis exceptional coming back from a hamstring strain.

Miles Bergman is a star and Mitch Georgiades' claims to be one of the underrated forwards in the competition grow as well. His seven-goal haul takes him to 32 for the season, well on track to beat his career-high of 44 last year.

UMPIRE CONTACT CRACKDOWN

THERE will be a crackdown on players colliding with umpires as the offence hits record numbers this year and fines surpass $70,000.

From Opening Round to round 13, the AFL laid 51 charges for umpire contact, which has already led to fines worth $75,625.

And the umpire contact surge has led to a push from the AFL for umpires to concentrate on making space behind them at stoppages, where the majority of contact happens.

Umpires association boss Rob Kerr told AFL.com.au that after multiple concussions last year for umpires, player contact remained at too high a level.

Bailey Smith makes contact with Umpire Jacob Mollison during the match between Geelong and the Western Bulldogs in R11, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

"As more players set up around the exits, there's been more instances, so in recent weeks the umpires have been instructed on clearing a path. But there's still too many cases," he said.

Data with the umpires association shows that in 2009 there were 29 incidents of umpire contact. The association requests its umpires self-report any contact between them and players, and between Opening Round and round 13, there were 67 instances of contact noted by the umpires.

In 2024, they had reported 62 instances for the whole season. That was up from 39 in 2023, when the self-reporting mechanism begun for the umpires' process.

ST KILDA'S UNWANTED HISTORY

FORGET Groundhog Day – this must've felt like Bulldog Day for St Kilda.

In being thumped for the second time in eight weeks by the Western Bulldogs, the Saints took an unwanted piece of history. Champion Data shows that the Dogs beating St Kilda by 70 or more points twice in the space of 53 days saw them become just the fourth team to lose to the same team by that margin in 53 or fewer days since 1899. 126 years.

There have been 10 times since 2013 where a team has lost to the same team twice in a year by 70 or more points and in all of those occurrences the losing side has finished bottom-two on the ladder. That won't happen to the Saints but they are not far from there.

The problem – as it often is for the Saints – is the Dogs' midfield has far too many options for them to stop or attempt to contain. One in particular is having a phenomenal year. Ed Richards had his eighth game of the season with an AFL Player Ratings score of 20 or more.

He joins an elite club of only four others in Ratings history to have had eight games at 20 or more rankings in the first 13 games of a season: Gary Ablett (2010, 2012, 2014), Patrick Dangerfield (2017), Marcus Bontempelli (2021, 2024) and Dustin Martin (2017).

Adam Treloar and Ed Richards celebrate a goal during the Western Bulldogs' win over St Kilda in round 14, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

DAICOS' ALL-AUSTRALIAN CLAIMS

COLLINGWOOD'S whole is greater than the sum of its parts in 2025. That much is obvious in the Pies' lack of All-Australian locks just over midway into the season.

Nick Daicos is in there, as is Jamie Elliott. But don't sleep on Josh Daicos.

Josh's shift to half-back has been a gamechanger for the Pies, with his run, skill and dare complementing the addition of Dan Houston. His 34-disposal game against Melbourne in last week's King's Birthday win was ranked the best of his season, with Daicos earning an AFL Player Rating score of 16 for the performance (his next best was 12.9 against Adelaide in round 10).

In 2023, the Daicos brothers became the first siblings at the same team to be named All-Australians in the same season since 2007.

The older Daicos brother will be duelling with the likes of St Kilda's Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Jack Sinclair, Western Bulldog Bailey Dale, GWS pair Lachie Ash and Lachie Whitfield and Port skipper Connor Rozee for half-back spots, but as a key member of the Pies' charge he should be firmly in considerations.

Josh and Nick Daicos after Collingwood's win over Essendon in round seven, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

FORGOTTEN FLETCH

THE ONLY 400-gamer who is eligible to be in the Australian Football Hall of Fame, but is not a member, is Dustin Fletcher. It is time the champion Bomber gets his dues.

Fletcher retired at the end of 2015, so has long passed the five-year requirement between retirement and eligibility for the Hall of Fame. He has been on the radar of selectors but is yet to be inducted.

The other members of the 400 club – Brent Harvey, Michael Tuck and Kevin Bartlett – are already in, with Bartlett in Legend status, while Shaun Burgoyne will be eligible in 2027. Scott Pendlebury, clearly, is still going in his career so is some time off getting his inevitable Hall of Fame honour.

Dustin Fletcher is chaired from the ground after his 400th AFL game in May, 2015. Picture: AFL Photos

Fletcher's career span can sometimes be overlooked. He played in two premierships, was an All-Australian twice and won a best and fairest in the single greatest premiership season in history in 2000 as the Bombers' lanky, long-kicking full-back.

That was his second flag, having played on the brilliant names like Tony Lockett, Gary Ablett snr and Stephen Kernahan in his debut 1993 season, including in the Bombers' Grand Final win that year. Later in his career, he pioneered the tall defender being able to play on a range of different types of forwards, including often matching up on champion small forward Eddie Betts.

Saverio Rocca, who booted 749 goals, is a former Fletcher opponent who is also with outstanding Hall of Fame claims.

Next year will see the class of the 2020 retirees become eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time, meaning an automatic induction for future Legend Gary Ablett jnr. Fletcher should also get his moment next year.

Saverio Rocca during the match between Collingwood and Carlton in R3, 2000. Picture: AFL Photos

EAGLES' BIG MAN PROBLEM

WANT to know who was fifth on the AFL Coaches Association's voting leaderboard heading into round 14?

It was West Coast's opposing ruckman.

Across this season, the Eagles' opposition's ruckmen have tallied 53 coaches votes in games against West Coast. Remarkably it would have put them in fifth position on the leaderboard before this weekend, behind Bailey Smith (59 votes), Tristan Xerri (58), Jordan Dawson (57) and Noah Anderson (55). Max Gawn was the actual fifth-placed vote-getter with 51 votes.

Tristan Xerri and Matt Flynn compete in the ruck during North Melbourne's clash against West Coast in round 13, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

The Eagles' ruck woes have been obvious this year and started in round one, when Gold Coast's Jarrod Witts was named best afield by the coaches with 10 votes. In round three, Fremantle's Luke Jackson claimed eight votes, in round seven Lloyd Meek got nine votes and Gawn got the full set of 10 votes in round eight.

St Kilda's Rowan Marshall (two votes in round 10), Adelaide's Reilly O'Brien (five votes in round 11) and Tristan Xerri (nine votes in round 13) are others to feast so far this season.

Matt Flynn has tried in the ruck along with the undersized Bailey Williams, with Archer Reid occasionally thrown in as a stop-gap option, but the Eagles desperately need to add to their ruck division. It is why they are among the clubs with interest in Collingwood's Darcy Cameron, who has been looking to extend at the Pies past 2026.

AND ANOTHER THING ...

THE AFL has listened to the coaches in investing more money into the soft cap.

The extra $1.1 million per club over 2026-27 will be added to soft cap limits, while 20 per cent of senior assistant coaches or coaching director wages can sit outside the cap. Other marketing arrangements for senior coaches and investments into coaching transition programs were also part of the expanded soft cap framework.

Let's hope clubs don't just allocate the extra soft cap money to the coaching panels.

List and recruiting teams have never made it back to their pre-COVID levels either and those people are among the hardest-working, least resourced groups inside football programs. And often with more ability to shape the fortunes of a club than coaches. They should also see some of the spoils.

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