1. This is the year for two All Australian ruckmen
Brodie Grundy has to make this year's Virgin Australia AFL All Australian team. The Collingwood ruckman has simply been too good and too consistent to miss out. He again bolstered his selection case with an outstanding performance against Port Adelaide on Saturday, finishing with 25 possessions, 41 hit-outs, eight clearances and eight tackles. It was far from a one-off; he has averaged 20.7 possessions, 38.7 hit-outs and 5.5 clearances a game in 2018. The only way Grundy could conceivably miss out on All Australian selection is if the selectors opt for Melbourne's Max Gawn in a line-ball decision. Gawn, the 2016 All Australian ruckman, has also enjoyed a stellar 2018 season and is equally deserving of selection. So rather than naming just one ruckman as has been the trend in recent years, this season both Grundy and Gawn should be included. I'll give you two simple reasons why. One, both are comfortably in this year's best 22 players. Two, team balance is not an adequate reason to exclude one – if they were both on one team's list, that team would find a way to play them in the same 22. - Nick Bowen
2. Melbourne has banished its big-game demons
After a nervy loss to Sydney, the monkey on the Dees players' backs threatened to grow into a gorilla if they couldn't stand up on the road against West Coast. In years gone by, they might have crumbled under the Eagles' withering comeback in a finals-like atmosphere at Optus Stadium. But Melbourne dug deep and booted the final three goals of the game, after West Coast had hit the front, to secure a September return for the first time since 2006. It was a performance full of merit, built on toughness in the contest (+22 contested possessions) and serious scoring power (108 points without Jesse Hogan) against the second-placed side in the competition. Melbourne has finally beaten a top-eight contender and, as many pundits have been saying all season long, looks a genuine danger side if it all clicks once the post-season begins. The shot of confidence the Dees received on Sunday will mean plenty to a young group full of desire. - Travis King
The Dees re-take the lead, and re-take their spot in the top eight!#AFLEaglesDees pic.twitter.com/Z9VmVJr6dw
— AFL (@AFL) August 19, 2018
3. Richmond's rock comes to the rescue ... again
In a star-studded Richmond team, it says a lot that underrated defender Dylan Grimes is among the most highly valued inside the four walls of Punt Road. Time and time again, the reliable defender is able to produce – no matter the opponent or the situation. Without fellow key back David Astbury, Grimes started Friday night's game against Essendon on Jake Stringer, moved to Cale Hooker and also played as the floater across half-back. But regardless of where he was used, he did his job effectively. A crunching 50/50 contest at an important stage of the game against Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, which he won, led to a Dustin Martin goal and typified his night. He finished fifth in the best and fairest in a premiership team last year, highlighting his importance, while his coach Damien Hardwick expects him to do similar again this season. Perhaps he may even be recognised with a maiden All Australian guernsey as well. - Riley Beveridge
LADDER PREDICTOR Where will your club finish?
4. The battle of the birds will be a beauty
The best kind of finals entree is set to be served at the SCG on Saturday. The Hawks showed vulnerability against St Kilda – Alastair Clarkson put it down to blockbuster fatigue following big games against Essendon and Geelong. But they got back Ben McEvoy, who gave the Saints' inexperienced backline a headache when he pushed forward, and they're on the cusp of regaining Jarryd Roughead and James Sicily. Fast-forward to next Saturday and we'll see them come up against Sydney – and former Hawk Lance Franklin, fresh from booting five against the Giants – in a huge clash to seal a top-four finish and that all-important double chance. It's the kind of scenario the AFL will love to have unfold in the final round and it promises to deliver given the heavyweight status of both Hawthorn and Sydney as recent September specialists, even if at stages this season both teams looked unlikely to figure beyond round 23. - Jennifer Phelan
THE RUN HOME Who'll earn the double chance?
5. The QClash can hang its marketing on the Miller-Zorko rivalry
For the second time this year Touk Miller went to Dayne Zorko and for the second time there were fireworks. When they met in round five Miller got the chocolates, winning the Marcus Ashcroft Medal and helping the Suns to victory by keeping the All Australian to just 10 disposals. Zorko refused to shake his hand post-match and a rivalry was born. On Saturday night the match-up was more even, with the Lions skipper working hard to finish with 17 disposals and nine tackles but having minimal influence in the forward half. This time it was Zorko having the last laugh though, berating Miller after the final siren and sarcastically going back to shake his hand several times. Finally, the QClash has some genuine bad blood between two ultra-competitive players. - Michael Whiting
6. The Giants lost the one star they can't replace at the worst time
They've managed to cover the absence of injured guns such as Josh Kelly, Toby Greene, Tom Scully and Zac Williams, plus the suspended Jeremy Cameron, but when Phil Davis went down against Sydney, of all teams, it proved too much for the Giants. The co-captain was well on top in his battle with Lance Franklin, but from the moment he hobbled off in the second term, the superstar Swan always looked like he was going to be the match-winner. Jeremy Finlayson was monstered in one-on-one contests, which raises the question why Leon Cameron didn't move Adam Tomlinson or even Lachie Keeffe onto Franklin, or at least have one of them stationed in the back 50 to help the young Giant with the toughest task in footy. The Giants' hopes of a top four finish are now dashed, and with a trip to the MCG to face Melbourne to round off the season, their chances of a home final could also be out the window. - Adam Curley
WATCH Buddy tears the Sydney derby apart
Buddy has kicked his fourth!#AFLGiantsSwans pic.twitter.com/E3gSESyagh
— AFL (@AFL) August 18, 2018
7. Veteran Docker is the luckiest man in the west
Hayden Ballantyne used to torment Geelong for fun. On Saturday, the Cats made fun of him. Just a day after it was announced he had signed a one-year contract extension, the 31-year-old finished the 133-point drubbing with four disposals, two tackles and one behind. Fremantle recorded just 30 inside 50s for the day, but Ballantyne was far from anchored to the goalsquare and had zero impact on the game. Post-match, Ross Lyon said he was refusing to play outgoing midfielder Danyle Pearce despite nine best-on-ground performances in the WAFL in order to fast-track the rebuild. Dockers fans could be forgiven for taking it as mixed messaging with Ballantyne earning a fresh deal despite two seasons below his best. - Mitch Cleary
FROM THE TWOS Docker's bid for farewell game
8. The Dogs are not that far away from rediscovering their bark
Whichever way you spin it, the 2018 season has been a failure for the Western Bulldogs. Decimated by injury, an inability to score and key personnel failing to fire have all been contributing factors in the Bulldogs' plunge down the ladder. But across a three-game winning streak late in the season we have started to see signs of the team that stunned the competition by taking out the 2016 flag. And it starts in the engine room with Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae, Lachie Hunter, Josh Dunkley and Caleb Daniel all firing late in the year. The Bulldogs have got their ruck balance right with the mobile Jackson Trengove in good form and promising youngsters Aaron Naughton, Ed Richards and Billy Gowers all standing up in their first seasons at the club. There will be inevitable change – perhaps wholesale changes – at the end of the year and the Dogs' forward line needs more firepower. Having top-line players back available will help, but the last half of this season has shown Luke Beveridge's side is not far away from fielding a side that could contend for finals sooner rather than later. - Ben Guthrie
Lovely stuff from the Bulldogs!#AFLBluesDogs pic.twitter.com/VbYw0g6Jhb
— AFL (@AFL) August 19, 2018
9. Crows veteran does superb job on Coleman Medal contender
With key defenders Daniel Talia, Kyle Hartigan and Alex Keath all sidelined with injury, 29-year-old Andy Otten got the call-up for just his seventh game of the season. Otten got the big job on North Melbourne spearhead Ben Brown, who has tormented opposition defenders all season. Otten played in front and kept Brown goalless and to just three disposals in the first three quarters of the thrilling win. It could have been Otten's last home game at Adelaide Oval as he remains without a contract for next season. It was a superb send-off for the popular clubman if that turns out to be the case. - Lee Gaskin
FANTASY FORM WATCH Who is in serious consideration to be officially snouted?