In his first year at the helm of a fallen Victorian club, one AFL coach has spearheaded a “remarkable” turnaround in just eight weeks. And at St Kilda, an “unlikely hero” has emerged as a key cog in Ross Lyon’s chase for a finals berth.

Plus, more of the biggest talking points ahead of Round 9, as well as the commentators for every Fox Footy game, in foxfooty.com.au’s ultimate weekly preview: The Blowtorch!

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‘THIS IS WHAT’S POSSIBLE’: COACH’S ‘REMARKABLE’ START A BLUEPRINT FOR RIVAL STRUGGLERS

Steven King walked into a football club that had endured a tumultuous few seasons, primarily off the field and, more recently, on the field.

Eight games into his first AFL coaching stint and King has not only delivered results beyond many pundits’ pre-season expectations, but been able get Melbourne players to buy in to a new game plan and culture immediately.

The Demons have been one of the biggest surprise packets of the 2026 AFL season to date, sitting seventh on the ladder with a 5-3 record.

Outside of a shock Gather Round loss to Essendon, the Demons have been competitive in every game, with wins coming against the likes of St Kilda, Gold Coast and Brisbane.

They went down to the Swans last weekend by 17 points. Despite losing to Sydney, dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna told Fox Footy’s First Crack the Demons showed “as much character, who they are as a footy side and what they stand for as any other game this season”.

The Swans, who went into the game ranked No.1 for least points conceded, conceded 114 points to Melbourne, which has reached triple figures in six of their eight games so far this season.

“I’m disappointed with the result but I’m also really proud of the group for fighting it out,” King told reporters post-match

“It could have easily gone away from us today … as a coach, to have a group of players that are willing to fight and scrap to the death and never give in – I think if you take that away from the game, it’s a pretty proud moment.”

Steven King embraces Jack Steele after Melbourne’s Round 1 win over St Kilda at the MCG on March 15, 2026 (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Melbourne’s never-say-die attitude against the Swans – widely regarded as a genuine premiership contender this year – left Montagna mightily impressed.

“You talk about a coach and what he’s been able to do, I can’t think of a coach that has started his coaching career better than what Steven King has done,” Montagna told First Crack. “In regards to selling his players a vision and a plan – and then buying into it and believing it so early and seeing it so evidently – it’s remarkable.

“And that’s on top of what he’s had to go through, moving on two of the all-time club greats in Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, the big decision to say ‘we don’t want Steven May at our footy club anymore’, what’s happened with (ex-CEO) Paul Guerra.

“It was a fractured and unhappy football club that now look like they are enjoying their football as much as they ever have.”

The Demons’ offence has been humming this reason, ranking fourth for points scored. Personnel-wise, King has impressed with his magnet spinning, with Max Heath’s increased ruck exposure and Caleb Windsor’s midfield minutes paying dividends.

There’s still another 15 games to play, but the Demons are now well set up to finish inside the top 10.

“I just think it’s been a wonderful display of coaching and maybe for some of the (struggling) clubs … they can be looking at Melbourne and going: ‘This is what’s possible,’” Montagna said.

“It can turn around pretty quick if you have the right person at the helm and the players all believe and buy-in to the same vision.”

King proud despite defeat | 08:41

‘UNLIKELY HERO’ THAT’S RELEASED DUO’S SHACKLES

As frustrating as it’s been for St Kilda fans, players and officials, there’s a possible silver lining to Max King’s frustrating, consistent injury setbacks.

For in King’s absence, an “unlikely hero” has emerged.

With King yet to play an AFL game this season – and now set to spend more time on the sidelines after his recent hamstring strain in the VFL – ample responsibility has been on the shoulders of Cooper Sharman and Mitch Owens inside 50.

And while Owens had been consistent across his first six games – he kicked 11.10 – Sharman had managed seven majors and wasn’t getting much of the ball.

Enter Anthony Caminiti, whose return to the forward line in the past fortnight has released the shackles on Owens and, especially, Sharman.

In the past two games, Sharman has kicked four goals and averaged 18.5 disposals, 5.5 marks and 4.0 score insists. He recorded a whopping 13 score involvements in both Saints wins over West Coast and Carlton.

Owens against Carlton was also dangerous, booting 3.2 from 17 disposals and seven marks – of which four were taken inside forward 50.

While Caminiti’s stats across the past two matches aren’t glorious – he’s managed just one goal from and averaged 4.5 disposals – his presence alone has released the burden on his key-position teammates.

Lyon hails Saints after big Carlton win | 06:48

“One factor I think had made a difference – and I’m calling it ‘The Caminiti Effect’ – because Caminiti has come back in the last two weeks as a key forward. What that has done is the flow-on effect of the other players in the forward line,” dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna told Fox Footy’s First Crack.

“Instead of Cooper Sharman and Mitch Owens having to be the No.1 and 2 forwards and really struggling – and they were through Rounds 2 to 5 – the last couple of weeks, they’re starting to get back to playing the footy that the club expected – because they didn’t have to be the main men in the forward line. It was meant to be King, but now coming back into the side it’s Caminiti.

“Having the tall in there to take a player like (Jacob) Weitering and allow Sharman to then play on a player like Nick Haynes – the second and third tall forwards – it’s made a big difference to the forward line and the way they’ve gone about it.

“Unfortunately it would be Max King who’d be that player instead of Caminiti, but St Kilsda aren’t going to get that for a number of weeks.

“(But) it also means they haven’t had to play Rowan Marshall or Tom De Koning for long stints as a forward. They were able to play more on and off the bench … so when they went into the ruck, they were fresher and I think it had an impact on their performance as well and do more around the ruck contest.”

Herald Sun chief football reporter Jay Clark added Caminiti was the “unlikely hero” for St Kilda.

The Saints’ credentials, though, will be severely tested over the next five weeks, with a series of tough matches scheduled: Gold Coast (in Darwin), Fremantle (in Perth), Hawthorn and Sydney (at the SCG).

That’s a proper litmus test.

St Kilda’s “unlikely hero” of 2026 — Cooper Sharman (Photo by Michael Willson via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

LEGEND HITS BACK AT ‘UGLY’ MCKAY TREATMENT

As Ben McKay prepares to come up against star Giants forwards Jesse Hogan and Aaron Cadman, Hall of Fame legend Leigh Matthews has hit back at Essendon’s “ugly” treatment of its own player.

McKay copped Bronx cheers from Essendon supporters during an ineffective five-disposal game in last week’s 64-point loss to Brisbane.

The loudest jeers came when the defender took an intercept mark in the fourth quarter which Fox Footy commentators couldn’t ignore.

“I’m not sure if that was a positive cheer,” former West Coast coach Adam Simpson said.

“Bit of a whipping boy today. He hasn’t done a lot wrong. Just hasn’t done a lot.”

Saints legend Leigh Montagna responded: “He’s only had the four disposals, but that’s not his role.”

Matthews wasn’t a fan.

On Fox Footy On the Couch’s ‘Good, Bad and Ugly’ segment, Matthews had it as a “bad ugly” and poor look from Bombers fans.

“It’s bad enough to get booed by the opposition. But getting booed by your own supporters, I reckon that is off,” Matthews said on the program.

“It’s a really ugly thing from the Essendon supporters.

“Ben McKay had a bad game, but he didn’t deserve that.”

Ben McKay of the Bombers looks dejected after the Round 8 AFL match between Essendon Bombers and Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium, on May 2, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Essendon coach Brad Scott defended the 27-year old post-match.

“That was funny, that, I didn’t think it was Bronx cheers and maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t, but he was the leading intercept defender on the ground for the most part of the game. He was really, really important for us tonight,” Scott said in his press conference.

“Ben McKay has all the attributes of a really good key defender. He’s got great size, he’s big and strong, he can play on all the key forwards.

“And the thing is with key defenders, when you have breakdowns all over the ground defensively, it’s usually the last line key defenders that get hung out to dry. And we hung them out to dry last week.

“If we can’t keep improving our system, Ben McKay’s a really important part of what we’re doing and I have great belief in his capability.”

The criticism comes after McKay Essendon as a free agent in 2024 on a heavily front-loaded six-year deal that was believed to be worth as much $1.5 million in the first season.

Scott to take advantage of Lions saga | 01:47

‘WATCH’ ON HAWKS STAR

There’s a “watch” on rising Hawthorn star Josh Weddle. One area of his game, in particular.

Weddle is one of the most highly-regarded young players in the competition and a key part of the Hawks’ budding nucleus.

Evidenced by Essendon coming hard for the 21-year old with a mega seven-year, $10 million offer, before Weddle re-signed with Hawthorn.

But while the third-placed Hawks are flying, Weddle is yet to really hit his straps in 2026.

He’s posting a career-low 6.8 player rating through eight matches with just one coaches vote and just isn’t quite impacting games like we’ve seen in the past.

His role as Sam Mitchell’s Swiss Army knife that gets thrown into multiple positions can be tricky. Perhaps we won’t see the best of Weddle until he settles into a role permanently.

And right now he has the yips in front of goal.

Weddle has averaged a career-high 2.3 shots at goal this season — more than double his career average — but he’s converting just 22 per cent of shots.

That’s well down on his goalkicking accuracy returns in 2024 (45 per cent), 2024 (52 per cent) and 2023 (66 per cent).

It included Weddle kicking 0.2 in last week’s draw against Collingwood in a game the Hawks wayward 13.15 conversion proved costly.

And though Hawthorn (32.5) is ranked second in the AFL to Sydney (34.5) in shots at goal this season, Sam Mitchell’s men are rated in the bottom-third for accuracy (45.8 per cent) in front of the big sticks.

“Josh Weddle’s kicking and where his ranking currently is in the AFL is a watch for Sam Mitchell,” three-time Coleman medallist Jack Riewoldt said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“His goalkicking is so, so poor.

“He’ was 99th in 2024 and 94th in 2025, but this year he’s 273rd for a very important piece in Sam Mitchell’s puzzle.

“They’d want to get more out of Josh Weddle.”

ROUND 9 AFL FIXTURE AND FOX FOOTY COMMENTATORS

FREMANTLE vs HAWTHORN

Thursday May 7, 8.10pm at Optus Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.00pm on Channel 504, hosted by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, Leigh Montagna and Jon Ralph, with commentary from Matt Hill, Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, David King, Kath Loughnan and Will Schofield.

BRISBANE LIONS vs CARLTON

Friday May 8, 7.30pm at The Gabba

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Garry Lyon, Tom Hawkins, Jordan Lewis and Jon Ralph, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, Alastair Lynch and Ruby Schleicher.

PORT ADELAIDE vs WESTERN BULLDOGS

Friday May 8, 8.10pm at Adelaide Oval

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 8.00pm on Channel 503, with Dwayne Russell, Mark Riccuito, Shaun Burgoyne and Ben Dixon.

NORTH MELBOURNE vs SYDNEY SWANS

Saturday May 9, 1.15pm at Marvel Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12.30pm on Channel 504, with Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, Cameron Mooney and Sarah Jones.

GWS GIANTS vs ESSENDON

Saturday May 9, 4.15pm at ENGIE Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 4.00pm on Channel 504, with Leigh Montagna, Brad Johnson, Nick Dal Santo and Ruby Schleicher.

GOLD COAST SUNS vs ST KILDA

Saturday May 9, 7.10pm at TIO Stadium, Darwin

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.00pm on Channel 503, with Dwayne Russell, Kelli Underwood, Gerard Healy, Adam Simpson and Alastair Lynch.

GEELONG CATS vs COLLINGWOOD

Saturday May 9, 7.35pm at MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.00pm on Channel 504, hosted by Kath Loughnan, David King, Jack Riewoldt and Jay Clark, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall and Garry Lyon.

MELBOURNE vs WEST COAST EAGLES

Sunday May 10, 1.10pm at Marvel Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12.30pm on Channel 504, with Dwayne Russell, Jess Webster, Brad Johnson, Nick Dal Santo, Ben Dixon and David Zita.

RICHMOND vs ADELAIDE CROWS

Sunday May 10, 3.20pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.00pm on Channel 503, with Matt Hill, Gerard Healy, Jordan Lewis, Eddie Betts and David Zita.