1. Toby Greene isn't getting the message
The star Giant was charged with striking off the ball in round four, and got away with a minor headbutt the following game, so coach Leon Cameron sat him down and told him to keep his emotions in check, or he'd be sitting on the sidelines. He didn't listen. Greene plays on the edge and Cameron has publicly declared his love for the way his man goes about his footy, but when you're constantly walking the high wire of fair play, eventually you're going to fall off. Greene was involved in several off-the-ball scuffles against the Western Bulldogs on Friday night before his crude swinging arm on Caleb Daniel cost his team a 50m penalty and a goal, in a game that was decided by single figures, but luckily for him his three goals played a massive part in the Giants' win. The 23-year-old is a gun, and is must-watch whenever he takes the field, but for such a smart footballer, his checklist of brain fades is adding up and his likely absence against St Kilda next week robs GWS of its best forward. He's worked his way up to elite status after plenty of off-field misdemeanours early in his career, but this latest incident has let his biggest supporters – his coach and teammates – down badly. - Adam Curley

ANALYSIS: Greene facing ban for Daniel strike

2. Stephen Hill can't get back soon enough for Fremantle
It was a bitter blow when the classy midfielder pinged his hamstring during the pulsating final term of Freo's round five triumph over North Melbourne, and the Dockers desperately missed Hill's piercing disposal and ball-winning ability in the Western Derby. Despite giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands dominating the hit-outs (52-25), Freo lost the clearances (35-39) and couldn't gain enough drive from midfield with Nat Fyfe, David Mundy and Lachie Neale struggling to exert a major influence. Nobody can point a finger at that trio, who were all exceptional in Freo's three straight wins to rescue the season from disaster, but Hill adds polish to the grunt and would probably have been leading the best and fairest after five rounds. The Dockers need him back in a hurry. - Travis King

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3. Taggers might just work, after all
It was clear from the moment Levi Greenwood stood on Joel Selwood's toes at the first stoppage the Cats' skipper was in for a long day. Greenwood frustrated and harassed Selwood and the captain could not overcome the tag. After 43 disposals a week earlier he was restricted to just 17 with Greenwood's job having a big influence on the result. Greenwood kept Selwood to just 18 touches in round nine last season, meaning he is earning a reputation as the Cat skipper's kryptonite. - Peter Ryan

4. The Crows are the real deal, but the Tigers have a long way to go
This is the reality check the Tigers feared after bursting out of the blocks with a 5-0 start to the season. Their only victory in that time over a top-eight side from last year was West Coast at the MCG, a venue where the Eagles are a shadow of their best. After matching the Crows in a hotly contested first quarter, the Tigers were found wanting against one of the premiership favourites. The Crows booted 13 goals to two in the second and third quarters to turn a nine-point deficit into a massive 68-point lead at the last change. The Tigers couldn't match the pace of the Crows and had no answer to their potent forward line. It doesn't get any easier next week for Damien Hardwick's men as they face the reigning premiers at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night. - Lee Gaskin

• After the siren: Are the Crows untouchable?

5. Chad Wingard is now a midfield wildcard
For the second week in succession, Chad Wingard got a run in the midfield, and boy, did he cash in. Effectively playing the minutes vacated by injured skipper Travis Boak, Wingard tore the Brisbane Lions to pieces, finishing with a game-high 31 disposals, seven clearances and three goal assists. Wingard has twice been named an All Australian small forward (2013 and 2015), but after a pre-season of training with the mids, Port coach Ken Hinkley has now unleashed him. With Ollie Wines, Brad Ebert and Sam Powell-Pepper doing the bulk of the grunt work inside, having the supreme skills of Wingard to take advantage on the outside is an ace in Hinkley's pack that might help take the Power to another level. - Michael Whiting

6. Carlton got it right with Sam Petrevski-Seton
The Blues loved Petrevski-Seton throughout last year, despite the West Australian having hamstring injuries that interrupted this campaign. They were delighted to select him at pick No.6 in last year's NAB AFL Draft and it has been easy to see why in the early stages of this season. The classy and composed midfielder was excellent again in Carlton's win over Sydney on Saturday, gathering 20 disposals and a goal and having an impact with most of his touches. He looms as a key part of Carlton's long-term rebuild strategy and has an excellent start to what looks to be an exciting career. - Callum Twomey

7. The Demons are far from Gawn without a ruckman
Geelong chose to forgo a ruckman earlier this season, and on Sunday Melbourne, out of necessity, took 193cm utility Cam Pedersen in against 202cm big man Tom Bellchambers. The advantage the Bombers would have imagined never eventuated, as Pedersen crashed his way in at centre bounces and ran in from behind at further stoppages to give a contest. While Essendon won the hit-outs 45-25, Melbourne won the clearances 40-31, with their clever midfielders reading the play and setting up a 38-point win. Max Gawn is the game's best big man, but Melbourne has shown it can be more than just competitive without him. Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney combined for 12 clearances, while Pedersen himself chipped in with four, using his mobility to add an extra set of hands at ground level. The AFL is set to review the 'third man up' rule and the tactics that have come out of it at this week's Laws of the Game meeting. Melbourne's use of a small ruckman was forced on Sunday, but it had a positive result nonetheless. - Nathan Schmook

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8. We could be watching the Hawks' dynasty crumble
The big question after their win over the Eagles was whether the Hawks were 'back' and could put their patchy start to 2017 behind them. But after being dismantled by the Saints in Launceston on Saturday, the new question is whether these Hawks possess what it takes to pull out of the tailspin they're in and can live up to anything like the reputation the club has built under Alastair Clarkson. The master coach was fuming at his side's lack of fight against the Saints and signalled the potential for 'catastrophic change' if the Hawks don’t turn it around soon. Wins in the next three rounds against Melbourne, the Brisbane Lions and Collingwood would go a long way to steadying the ship, but anything less and Clarko will be staring down a fully-fledged catastrophe, the likes of which Hawks fans have not seen for years. - Stu Warren

9. Ablett's effort and ability should never be questioned
The Little Master was widely and unfairly panned after winning a modest 16 possessions in a landslide round two loss to Greater Western Sydney. That coverage looks even sillier four rounds later, with Ablett piling on 36, 34, 33 and 45 disposals since. The last of them on Saturday night was his first 40-touch performance since round 14 last year and his most since winning the same number in round 14, 2014. Ablett is still setting new personal marks, too, with his 18 clearances – yep, 18 – against the Roos eclipsing his individual record of 15. The man is an absolute marvel and one of the all-time greats. - Marc McGowan