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It would be erroneous to call some of the more interesting results over the weekend massive upsets, but they were games that have us all rethinking how the 2024 finals are going to play out.
From a constantly tinkering Geelong seriously damaging Collingwood's premiership defence to the Bulldogs finding themselves back in the finals race, it was a weekend that had all us footy nuffs racing back to our ladder predictors.
Here's ABC Sport's take on all the action across the weekend, and you can re-read the live blogs here:
1. Geelong's tinkering is starting to pay off
It has been a strange old year for Geelong, but they arguably look the best they've been all season right now — and it comes down to some bold changes by Chris Scott.
The Tom Stewart move to the midfield is the one everyone rightfully speaks about, but Max Holmes to half-back, Sam De Koning in the ruck, and Gary Rohan being upgraded from sub have all been crucial moves.
Holmes was tried in defence in pre-season before necessity dictated his early season shift into the middle, so that decision hasn't been one out of the blue.
De Koning has looked solid, if not entirely comfortable, in the ruck. Without a doubt Toby Conway is the future big man the Cats will invest in, but what De Koning has shown around the ground the past few weeks is that he can be the answer to the enduring question of what the club will do once the ever reliable utility Mark Blicavs retires.
It seems unlikely that De Koning will become the future number one ruck at any point in his career, but the experiment over the past few weeks has shown he could become the Swiss army knife of the next decade at Kardinia Park.
Meanwhile, in allowing Rohan to be broken free of the shackles of the sub vest, the Cats have rediscovered their forward pressure chops. Despite being 33 years old, the Cobden menace continues to prove that his ability to close space and make the opposition defence nervous when they have the ball is an invaluable asset in Geelong's run to September.
ABC Sport player of the year votes:
3. Gryan Miers (Geelong)
2. Tom Stewart (Geelong)
1. Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
(All votes are decided by the ABC Sport commentary team after the match)
2. Sicily switch worked, but Hawks can't afford to repeat it
Hawthorn's win over Fremantle was a vital moment in their season and could prove the launching pad towards an unlikely run to September football.
The key to the win was coach Sam Mitchell's move to shift skipper James Sicily up forward in the third quarter when the game was on the line. He responded by kicking three vital goals.
Sicily is still clearly not 100 per cent after his dislocated shoulder against West Coast three weeks ago, but he is still a vital cog in the Hawks' machine.
There are multiple issues here for Hawthorn. Their ability to kick winning scores has been a problem, they have the 14th-rated attack in the league this year.
Mitch Lewis's season-ending knee injury and Jack Ginnivan's hairline fracture of the tibia hasn't helped matters. You can see why the Sicily move makes sense, when he can produce like this.
The problem is that they can't spare him from defence. Jack Scrimshaw (7.75 a game) and Sicily (7.57) are the two Hawks ranked in the top 15 in the league for intercepts. The only other Hawks in the top 100 in the league are Jarman Impey (63rd, 5.47) and Sam Frost (=79th, 5.06).
They simply have too much to lose, and they can't afford to keep robbing Peter to pay Paul in football terms.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Will Day (Hawthorn)
2. James Worpel (Hawthorn)
1. James Sicily (Hawthorn)
3. Mills, Parker could be the final pieces in premiership puzzle
If there were concerns for the Sydney Swans coming up against a young and dangerous North Melbourne side, they didn't last long at the SCG on Saturday.
The Swans have had some decent scoring performances this season, but against the Kangaroos they racked up their highest score of the year. They booted 13 goals to North's four in the second and third terms to put the game away.
Even with two losses in their last three games, the Swans are still number one in the league in attack, and number one in defence.
They're not reliant on one or two players to score. Sydney had 10 individual goalkickers against North Melbourne, including six multiple goalkickers — one of them, Logan McDonald, kicking himself back to confidence with a four-goal haul.
All this without Isaac Heeney and with Errol Gulden and Will Hayward failing to get on the scoreboard.
And this all came with the return of two premiership players to the mix, with Callum Mills and Luke Parker plugging back in at round 18, kicking three goals between them.
The Swans can get you with burst football, they can slug it out, they have depth and they have youth — and having Mills and Parker may be the last pieces in the puzzle.
The big query is the scan results on Justin McInerney, one of the top-rated wingers in the AFL.
Mills filled in on the wing on Saturday and if there is damage to McInerney's PCL, then he can continue to slot into the role for the home and away rounds and then see what the injury situation is for finals.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Errol Gulden (Sydney)
2. Tom Papley (Sydney)
1. Logan McDonald (Sydney)
4. Bulldogs find their feet — and their kicking boots — to win
Losing their key forward Aaron Naughton to concussion, and top possession-getter Adam Treloar to a pre-game issue was not the ideal prep for the Western Bulldogs to face the AFL's number two team.
But regardless, Luke Beveridge's men dealt with Carlton in one of the games of the year at Docklands, spoiling the party for Patrick Cripps's 200th game.
The team that lost by eight goals to Port Adelaide last week turned up for the Carlton game ready for the fight across the ground. Bailey Dale was in everything, racking up 31 disposals, with six score involvements and seven crucial intercepts.
But after an early display (0.7 to quarter time) that nearly kicked the Bulldogs out of the contest, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and the forward line fired up.
Ugle-Hagan's lack of consistency has been an issue, but he stood up against the Blues and kicked four vital goals — and so did son-of-a-gun Rhylee West.
The Bulldogs' next three matches are against Geelong, Sydney and Melbourne so we'll find out a lot more about them.
But their forward mix suggests they can do some damage in the final six rounds — and beyond — as long as they can kick straight.
Right now, the Bulldogs have the fourth-best attack and the second-highest percentage of any side in contention for finals, second only to the Swans. That gives them an advantage, but only if they can keep winning.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs)
2. Patrick Cripps (Carlton)
1. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Western Bulldogs)
5. Dons fold under the pressure again against a flag contender
Forget the 17-point final margin because it was one that flattered the Bombers on Saturday night.
With Max Gawn and Christian Petracca on the sidelines, there was no better time for Essendon to stamp its credentials as a genuine flag threat and take a top-two spot heading into the next round.
Instead, the Bombers capitulated, finding themselves down by as many as 41 points late in the game.
ABC Sport analyst and former Hawks champ Daniel Harford didn't hold back in the commentary box.
"When the pressure was on against Geelong, they folded," the 162-gamer said.
"And when the pressure was on tonight against the Dees, they folded … that's twice in three weeks.
"You can't do that in September."
Overall it was a pretty deflating performance, and while they should have banked enough points to make it to September, their top four hopes were dealt a bitter blow, with tough home games against the Dockers, Suns, and Swans to come, before a final round clash with the Lions in Brisbane.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Ed Langdon (Melbourne)
2. Steven May (Melbourne)
1. Judd McVee (Melbourne)
6. It's all about being disruptors now for Adelaide and St Kilda
Let's not beat around the bush here, in the grand scheme of things this match didn't have any impact on season 2024.
It was an ugly slog in ugly conditions, with the Crows eventually running out the winners with the Saints kicking just 1.2 for the entire second half.
Mattaes Phillipou showed glimpses of what we know he can do as an exciting prospect for the Saints, and Crows like Zac Taylor and Billy Dowling gave Adelaide fans plenty to look forward to in the years to come.
But will the vague promise of watching kids develop be enough for supporters of two teams that currently hold the longest and the fourth-longest premiership droughts in the league?
Playing the part of disruptor in the run home might be enough to keep them interested. Every one of Adelaide's final six games comes up against teams either looking to secure a finals berth or a top-four spot, while St Kilda doesn't leave Docklands for the rest of the season and takes on Essendon, Brisbane, Geelong and Carlton in that run.
It's certainly not the lead part in the play, but both teams could become memorable side characters if they keep their heads in the frame.
ABC Sport player of the year votes:
3. Jake Soligo (Adelaide)
2. Lachlan Sholl (Adelaide)
1. Matteas Phillipou (St Kilda)
7. Suns take the first steps towards growing up
It counts for less because it came at home, and Gold Coast certainly have no issues performing and winning on their own patch.
But there was a maturity to their win over Port Adelaide that will have made Damien Hardwick smile. After being called out publicly by the coach after their defeat last week, the onus was on the players to step up.
The Suns adapted on the fly to the threat the Power were posing off their half-back line, and completely shut down that avenue to goal after the first change. They weathered some storms from the Port midfield but always resettled and regained control.
Port was unlucky to lose two players to injury early, and that no doubt shook their chances, but the Suns were good value at home again in this one.
The Giants away await next week. What a massive test, and crucial game that one will be.
ABC Sport player of the year votes:
3. Sam Flanders (Gold Coast)
2. Zak Butters (Port Adelaide)
1. Aliir Aliir (Port Adelaide)
8. Giants are flying up forward
There's a sense of history repeating about the Giants right now, as for the second time in as many years a late-season charge is making them one of the hottest teams in the league just as finals approach.
This was the first time GWS had ever beaten Richmond at the MCG, and while it won't come close to making amends for the 2019 grand final it will certainly be a monkey off their orange backs.
Honestly, it's tough to see them losing to anyone if they've got both Jesse Hogan and Toby Greene in this sort of form.
Four goals apiece against the Tigers was more than the hosts could handle, and both played exceptionally well even without their goals.
The ball is flying from end to end, the forward line is looking electric and Sam Taylor is hopefully still to return to settle down the defence.
Only injury to Stephen Coniglio and potential suspension for Toby Bedford could taint their day at all.
ABC Sport player of the year votes:
3. Lachie Whitfield (GWS)
2. Toby Greene (GWS)
1. Tom Green (GWS)
9. A holiday looms for Charlie, but King Kai is ready to step up
It's tough to see how Charlie Cameron can avoid suspension for the tackle that concussed West Coast's Liam Duggan.
Cameron had Duggan wrapped up in the tackle but forcefully sent him backwards and consequently slammed his head into the ground. Based on the precedent of recent weeks, two games off seems to be the likely verdict for Cameron.
The good news is Kai Lohmann is more than ready to step up and be the number one man.
Not just because he is a breathtaking talent, which he clearly is. This young guy has a taste for the big moment and a belief that he can be a difference maker when his team really needs him.
The Eagles were coming hard in the last quarter on Sunday, but Lohmann's telling interventions held them at bay. If Cameron has to step aside, the stage is set for Lohmann to shine even brighter.
ABC Sport player of the year votes:
3. Lachie Neale (Brisbane)
2. Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane)
1. Oscar McInerney (Brisbane)
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