Hawthorn star Tom Mitchell is on the AFL Chopping Block this week with his steep form decline and change of role under new Hawks coach Sam Mitchell.
While he is unlikely to get dropped this week for Hawthorn's clash against Richmond at the MCG on Saturday, Tom's role in the Hawks rebuild must be questioned, with his current output dropping to record lows.
Sam has gradually been giving the 2018 Brownlow Medallist less time in the midfield, as he looks to blood players such as Jai Newcombe and Josh Ward through the engine room, and the former Sydney player's lack of versatility has become an issue.
Tom only managed to gather 14 disposals across the match which featured Hawthorn's last quarter capitulation against Essendon - with the midfielder attending 16 centre bounces for the game, which was eight less than Newcombe.
With Tom's ability to player other positions questionable, such as forward, wing or in defence, it remains to be seen how coach Sam will utilise the inside midfielder if he continues to use matches to develop young talent.
Tom is still only 28 years old and would have a lot to offer another club in a solely inside midfield role. You wonder if the player wishes he moved away from Hawthorn in the off-season when it was rumoured he was up for trade.
GWS Giants could abandon their experiment of playing two out-and-out ruckman with Matthew Flynn struggling to have any impact in last weekend's loss to Geelong.
With Braydon Preuss excelling as the no.1 ruck, Flynn is expected to have an impact up forward, but battled to four possessions, one mark and no scoreboard impact.
The Giants could opt to drop Flynn and use players such as Jesse Hogan, Lachie Keefe or Harry Himmelberg as Preuss' relief ruck.
West Coast have huge selection issues due to COVID-19, injury and disciplinary issues, but they must be worried about the form of several senior players, including Sam Petrevski-Seton.
Petrevski-Seton crossed over from Carlton in the off-season but has continued to struggle to fulfil anywhere near the potential that was touted when then Blues selected him at pick 6 in the 2016 draft.
One tackle in two matches is simply not good enough by the 24-year-old, who also appears to lack urgency in the contest, while also not finding enough of the football.
Petrevski-Seton will be fighting for his AFL career this season and it remains to be seen whether he can step up.
The patchy form of Adelaide forward Elliott Himmelberg looks to have given the inconsistent Crows a reason to select 2020's no.2 pick Riley Thilthorpe in the senior team
After kicking 10 goals between rounds 3 and 5, Himmelberg has only snagged one major and six marks in the last three matches.
Thilthorpe hasn't been seen since he was dropped after round 1, with injury, COVID-19 and form issues preventing the 19-year-old's return to the seniors.
St Kilda talent Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will likely see his run in the best 22 come to an end with several Saints banging down the door for selection in the VFL after the comprehensive defeat to Melbourne.
Jack Billings (30 disposals, 1 goal), Mitch Owens (32 disposals), Jarrod Lienert (31 disposals) and Hunter Clark (28 disposals) will all be close to senior selection ahead of Saturday's match against Geelong, while Ryan Byrnes was best-on-ground for three straight weeks previously in the VFL.
