Cam Mooney: Five things that stood out last round

The biggest takeaway from the weekend is simple. Footy smarts still separate players more than anything else, and sometimes it’s the little cheeky ones that make the biggest difference.

I look at what Ben Keays did late in that game and I love it. Told the fan to hold onto the ball, bought his teammates time, reset the defence. That’s not in any game plan, that’s just being sharp in the moment. We talk about systems all the time, but those moments come down to players thinking quicker than everyone else. That’s winning footy.

Now, does the AFL need to look at it? Maybe. Because if everyone starts doing it, you’ll have chaos. But right now, I’m calling it what it is. Smart play.

The second one, and this is where I might lose a few people, is the taunting. I can’t stand the head tap. I know exactly what it’s trying to do and it’s not tough, it’s not clever, it’s just annoying.

If you’re going to give someone a bit, do it properly. Line them up, beat them in a contest, hurt them on the scoreboard. The little tap on the head stuff, especially when it gets personal, that doesn’t earn you respect inside a club. And the frustrating part is the other bloke can’t respond without getting pinged.

I’ve always thought if you do it, you should be prepared for what comes next. That’s probably a bit old school, but that’s how players think.

North Melbourne was the third one, and this is where the reality hits. They showed a bit early, but they’re just not ready yet.

There’s a difference between looking good for a quarter and being able to hold it when the game shifts. Good teams absorb pressure and respond. Young teams ride the wave and then fall away. That’s exactly what we saw.

Inside a club, that’s where the message is simple. Effort isn’t enough. It’s about consistency, composure and doing it when it’s not going your way.

The fourth one is Harley Reid, and he’s now officially the bloke everyone wants a piece of.

We’ve seen it before. Once you chirp a bit and play with that edge, you get attention. And I like that about him, I really do. But the competition doesn’t let that slide. Every week now, someone is going to test him.

That’s the next step. Can he handle it, stay composed and still impact the game? Because it’s coming whether he likes it or not.

And the last one, and this might sound a bit dramatic but I don’t think it is, is Essendon.

If they lose this week, it’s not just another loss. It’s going to open everything up.

You start hearing about recruiting, missed picks, no finals success. That stuff builds over time and eventually it lands. I’ve been around clubs when it does, and it’s not comfortable. It creeps in, then all of a sudden everyone’s under the microscope.

There’s already a bit of noise there. Another loss and it won’t be quiet anymore.

So yeah, five things from the weekend. Some serious, some a bit tongue in cheek, but all of it matters.

Because the game’s always telling you something. You’ve just got to be paying attention.

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