Jarrod Berry 
Following a strong debut season, Berry looks to have continued his improvement. He missed the early part of pre-season with a foot problem, but the inside midfielder made a strong impression against the Swans on Saturday. With noted ball-winners Dayne Beams and Dayne Zorko not playing, Berry was given plenty of chances on-ball and held his own against the physical Swans. The 20-year-old finished with 14 disposals – seven of them contested – and his six clearances trailed only Stefan Martin's seven as a match-high. Berry looks an automatic midfield choice in 2018. - Michael Whiting

Liam Jones
Blues fans can banish the thought that Jones hit a brilliant run of form in the second half of 2017 only because his contract was set to expire. He was huge against St Kilda, continually taking intercept marks and thumping one spoil 15 rows back. Jones spent time deployed as the loose man so he could impact more contests. It's a role given to many elite defenders and Jones should aim to reach that top echelon this year, because he has the traits to do so. - Dinny Navaratnam

Brody Mihocek
The strong-bodied defender was given the tough task in minding GWS star Jeremy Cameron, but held his own in the one-on-one contests and wasn't bothered by his step up to senior level. Mihocek is a 25-year-old rookie who might find it tough to work his way onto the senior list with Jeremy Howe and Darcy Moore to come back in, but coach Nathan Buckley was more than impressed with the draftee's performance. - Adam Curley

Tim Kelly
The mature recruit came from Western Australia with big raps after finishing second in last year's Sandover Medal and did not disappoint first-up. The 23-year-old burst away with the game's first centre clearance, and his speed and poise stood out in the tricky conditions. Kelly got plenty of the ball, showed his strength – outmarking experienced Pearce Hanley on one occasion – and generally looks every bit an AFL player. He sat out the final term after copping a knock late in the third quarter but he looks more than capable of filling the void left by the departed Steven Motlop.

Sean Lemmens
Entering his fifth season, Lemmens has been used in a variety of roles. After plying his trade as a small defender, Rodney Eade switched him to the other end of the ground last year with mixed results. New coach Stuart Dew has kept the 23-year-old in the forward 50 to start this season and he looks to have found a home. While his goals were a bonus against the Cats, it was Lemmens' forward pressure – coupled with that of Darcy Macpherson and Nick Holman – that created so many headaches for Geelong defenders. His high-pressure activity could be a real nuisance for opponents this season. - Michael Whiting

Jeremy Finlayson
The athletic defender looked at home on debut last year before he went down with injury but has started this season in outstanding fashion. Finlayson has a booming left leg and uses it to great effect when he rebounds out of the back half, but is also capable of playing as a tall wingman. With Nathan Wilson gone and Zac Williams injured, the GWS academy product wouldn't look out of place in defence. - Adam Curley

Jaeger O'Meara
It wasn't a dominant return by any means, but the midfielder showed enough to get Hawks fans excited. O'Meara's 16 possessions at 81 per cent efficiency, five inside 50s and four tackles, gave a glimpse of what he can produce when fully fit and not playing on one leg. It was a small step for the West Australian, but for someone with his injury history it was also a significant one for his future. - Adam Curley

Paddy McCartin
Given a decent run with injury, McCartin is going to be a very good player. His willingness to hit packs hard and excellent hands should have him well suited to a long career. He dropped some marks on Wednesday night that he would normally swallow but an impressive contested mark in the third term showed he has the potential to dominate in the air. St Kilda needs the 21-year-old to deliver in the absence of retired spearhead Nick Riewoldt and while it would be asking too much to expect McCartin to match the former captain's output in 2018, he can become a consistent contributor if he stays on the park. - Dinny Navaratnam

Robbie Fox
After playing last season as a half-forward, Fox has been swung into defence and looks right at home. Against the Lions he complemented defensive backbones Dane Rampe and Callum Mills nicely with his ability to use the ball cleanly on the outside. Fox finished with 24 disposals, at 75 percent efficiency, and six marks. At 24, the Tasmanian is a mature recruit that played three senior games early last year and looks capable of more in 2018. - Michael Whiting

Aaron Naughton
The Dogs looked to have got themselves a beauty with their top draft pick, after the tall defender turned in a quality performance against the Hawks. Naughton settled himself with an early intercept mark and finished the day with 13 possessions at 92 per cent efficiency, spending his time on a host of opponents including Jarryd Roughead, Jack Gunston and Ryan Schoenmakers. The West Australian slotted in seamlessly and with veteran Dale Morris injured, could be a smoky for a round one debut. - Adam Curley