Reaction Time: Your club's Urgency Index after round 16

WELCOME to Reaction Time.

Early each week, AFL.com.au's Riley Beveridge will discuss the topic that deserves a reaction at your club and grade it on the 'Urgency Index'.

It could be anything from an issue that's got a team pondering drastic change, or the form of an underrated star that requires immediate recognition.

The gradings, which relate specifically to the topics, are as follows:

Panic Stations.

Simmering.

Watch This Space.

Green Shoots.

Flying.

In this week's Reaction Time, we look at this season's biggest disappointments, the sneaky Brownlow Medal chance, a third Rising Star contender, Brisbane's magic number, Sydney's big concern and why Port Adelaide's first-year coach deserves more credit.

Editor's note: Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs had the bye in round 16 so do not feature

Just smashed around the ball by a hungrier Port Adelaide midfield group led by the tenacious duo of Zak Butters and Jason Horne-Francis. Lost the clearance count 42-22, leaked a round-high 4.2 (26) from centre bounce and finished -25 from stoppage scores. A reality check for a Crows side still searching for its best mix in the middle.

Urgency Index: Simmering.

The magic number for Brisbane this season: 100. Chris Fagan suggested last week that defence would dictate results for the remainder of the year and that triple-figure marker might have been why. In all nine Lions wins this season, they've conceded under 100. In all six Lions defeats, they've conceded over 100. At least they're predictable.

Urgency Index: Green Shoots.

Saturday's clash pitted the main contenders for this year's Telstra AFL Rising Star Award together in Jagga Smith and Willem Duursma. But are we sleeping on a third? Harry Dean has now kept his primary opponents to just three goals from his last five games, continuing a stellar debut season by holding Jake Waterman goalless against the Eagles. He'd previously kept Aaron Cadman goalless and limited Mitch Georgiades, Nate Caddy and Ollie Henry to just one goal each. Rising Star or not, he's a superstar in the making.

Urgency Index: Flying.

Not sure Jordan De Goey has ever played better football than this. Finished with 27 disposals, a goal, 13 score involvements and four goal assists against Richmond. It means he now leads the League for score involvements, goal assists and score assists across the last nine matches, having had a hand in a League-high 38.4 per cent of Collingwood's scores across that stretch. The most damaging player in the competition at the moment.

Urgency Index: Flying.

Essendon couldn't have made it any easier for North Melbourne on Sunday. The Bombers recorded just 94 contested possessions for the game, their lowest tally of the season and the third fewest of any side this year. The Kangas, meanwhile, won 321 uncontested possessions. No team has recorded more in a single game this season. Bad.

Urgency Index: Panic Stations.

Essentially three games clear on top given their percentage. Will give the Dockers plenty of chances to rest their plethora of stars for long cross-country trips in the last eight weeks.

Urgency Index: Flying.

Just incredibly grim all around right now. Might be the most disappointing team this year.

Urgency Index: Panic Stations.

There were already concerns around the Giants' midfield depth coming into the season, then their best midfielder in Tom Green went down with an ACL injury in February. It's really starting to bite. Lost the stoppage scores 66-10 on Friday night, the second biggest differential between two teams all season. And now the man they'd pinned to go through the middle for the rest of the year, Brent Daniels, has a significant calf injury.

Urgency Index: Panic Stations.

Jai Newcombe: A sneaky Brownlow chance? Put down another 30 disposals, 21 contested possessions and 15 clearances for the Hawthorn skipper on Friday night. Going back to 2011, the highest vote getter on Brownlow night has ranked inside the top four for contested possessions. Newcombe currently sits right in the sweet spot and is fourth in the League this season, behind only Clayton Oliver, Max Gawn and Patrick Cripps.

Urgency Index: Flying.

That was the damaging, creative, link-up version of Harry Sheezel that recruiters fell in love with during his draft year. Still found plenty of the footy with 43 disposals and eight tackles, but did his best work getting involved in attacking chains. He equalled his career-high with 15 score involvements against Essendon on Sunday to finish with the second-highest rated performance of his already stellar 82-game career.

Urgency Index: Flying.

A shoutout to Josh Carr, who had the statement win his season has deserved but not received on Saturday night. Not many bottom-four teams would have a percentage of over 100 this deep into the season, highlighting the Power's improvement despite some adverse results. Champion Data ranks Port Adelaide as the best side in the League this season for limiting defensive-50 to forward-50 transitions, highlighting just how difficult it is to move the ball against Carr's side this year. They also rank top five for scores against per entry, points against and points against from turnover, clearance and centre bounce. Under Carr, the Power are already one of the best defensive sides in the competition. Wins will follow.

Urgency Index: Green Shoots.

Measure the last eight games in glimpses, not results. Saw enough from Sam Cumming on Saturday evening. Now to hopefully get Harry Armstrong and Sam Lalor back soon.

Urgency Index: Watch This Space.

Are the Swans getting the balance right? Yes, they're one of the best attacking sides in the League. But across the last eight games, they've averaged 95.9 points against and on Thursday night conceded their sixth score of 90-plus in that period. For context, the Lions averaged 76.4 and 78.1 points against in their last two premiership seasons. Just not certain playing with that all-out abandon is sustainable in September.

Urgency Index: Simmering.

Beaten at the coal face and on the outside on Saturday. It's the latter that will perhaps worry Andrew McQualter more. The Eagles conceded a whopping 120 uncontested marks against the Blues, continuing a trend in losses this season. In their 11 defeats, their opponents have averaged 92.4 uncontested marks. In their four wins, that number goes right down to 63.7. Can't seem to wrestle back control when it's going against them.

Urgency Index: Simmering.

FOOTY ASIDE …

The Socceroos navigated a tricky World Cup tie against Paraguay, and a complex contextual situation in their group game finale, with a maturity beyond their years. If you had asked manager Tony Popovic for his dream scenario pre-game, he would've wanted a clash that was as non-eventful as possible and that's exactly what his Australian team provided. Once again, a Socceroos side stacked with under-23 talent played with a huge sense of discipline and organisation and that should give plenty of hope for progression beyond the round of 32. Egypt and the might of Mo Salah now await in the next round, but the Aussies should fancy their chances against an opponent that looked rather blunt offensively and timid defensively in their final group game against Iran.

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