Adelaide

State league affiliate: Adelaide (SANFL)
This weekend: South Adelaide v Adelaide - Saturday August 8, 2.10pm, Hickinbotham Oval

Omitted midfielder Matthew Wright, who lined up for his first SANFL match in almost two years, accumulated a team-high 28 touches, nine marks, eight tackles and seven inside 50s in the Crows' 14-point win.

Ball-winner Mitch Grigg featured heavily with 24 disposals, seven tackles, five clearances and a goal, while Sam Kerridge was also prominent with 24 touches, six tackles and five clearances.

Brisbane Lions

State league affiliate: Brisbane Lions (NEAFL)
This weekend: Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast - Saturday August 8, 12pm, Coorparoo

Mitch Golby and Tom Cutler battled bravely as the undermanned Lions suffered a heavy loss to Gold Coast.

Golby amassed 35 possessions and five tackles in the 89-point defeat, while Cutler had 30 disposals on a tough day.

Academy prospect Eric Hipwood (three goals) was the Lions' most potent forward, again underlining his potential. 

Carlton

State league affiliate: Northern Blues (VFL)
This weekend: Collingwood v Northern Blues - Saturday August 8, 10.16am, MCG

Omitted forward Troy Menzel responded well to his demotion, featuring further up the ground in the midfield and finishing with 23 touches (11 kicks, 12 handballs), five inside 50s and a goal in the Blues' 68-point loss.

Fellow axed Blue Chris Yarran was kept relatively quiet with 11 disposals (nine kicks, two handballs) and four tackles, and was seen hobbling off the ground.

Collingwood

State league affiliate: Collingwood (VFL)
This weekend: Collingwood v Northern Blues - Saturday August 8, 10.16am, MCG

Jesse White returned to form with a four-goal haul as the Magpies remained in the hunt for a top-four finish with a 68-point win over the Northern Blues at the MCG.

Patrick Karnezis (three goals) also hit the scoreboard from midfield to be among the Magpies' best, while Ben Kennedy was best afield in a dominant role in the middle. 

Essendon

State league affiliate: Essendon (VFL)
This weekend: Essendon v Werribee - Sunday August 9, 12pm, Windy Hill

Midfielder David Myers played his best game of the year and showed no signs of the shoulder injury that has interrupted much of his season.

"I thought his performance was really good … he had 11 or 12 effective clearances for us and he moved pretty freely around the ground as well," Essendon co-coach Paul Corrigan said in a post-match club interview.

Corrigan was also full of praise for onballer Elliott Kavanagh, who will come into AFL contention following his standout game through the midfield despite the Bombers' 28-point defeat.

"His spread from the contest was really vital … and the way he pushed back as a wingman to help our defenders was really good from 'Kav' today, so his game was complete on the outside and on the inside also," Corrigan said.

Omitted Bomber Jake Melksham was also named among his side's best players.

Fremantle

State league affiliate: Peel Thunder (WAFL)
This weekend: South Fremantle v Peel Thunder - Saturday August 8, 2.15pm, Fremantle Oval

Connor Blakely continued to push his case for an AFL debut with 29 possessions as Peel tuned up for its debut WAFL finals series with a comfortable 30-point win over South Fremantle. 

Max Duffy kicked three goals in the wet conditions and Jacob Ballard relished the heavy turf, racking up 33 touches. 

Geelong

State league affiliate: Geelong (VFL)
This weekend: North Ballarat v Geelong - Sunday August 9, 1.30pm, Eureka Stadium

Omitted onballer Billie Smedts responded to his demotion in a good way, accumulating 22 touches (nine contested), five marks and four tackles in the Cats' 47-point loss.

Draftee midfielder Jordan Cunico was the major ball-winner with 23 touches and eight marks, while Josh Cowan wasn't far behind on 21 touches (11 contested) and four marks.

Gold Coast

State league affiliate: Gold Coast (NEAFL)
This weekend: Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast - Saturday August 8, 12pm, Coorparoo

Peter Wright was a dominant force up forward with five goals in the Suns' 89-point win over the Lions.

Wright finished with 15 disposals and 10 marks to go with his bag of majors, while the experienced Danny Stanley (25 disposals) was also among the Suns' best.

Jarrod Garlett (18 disposals, three goals) and Louis Herbert (20 touches, three goals) were also busy in the big win. 

GWS

State league affiliate: UWS Giants (NEAFL)
This weekend: UWS Giants v Redland - Sunday August 9, 11.40am, Spotless Stadium

Midfielder Jake Barrett amassed a game-high 38 possessions (14 kicks, 24 handballs) in the Giants' thumping 110-point win.

Axed onballer Jack Steele did his chances of earning an immediate call-up no harm after being dropped from the Giants' round 19 team, collecting 35 touches (10 kicks, 25 handballs), six tackles and six marks.

Half-back Tim Golds gathered 31 disposals (13 kicks, 18 handballs), seven marks and booted a goal, while backman Adam Kennedy finished close behind with 30 touches (15 kicks, 15 handballs).

Omitted Giants Jed Lamb (15 touches, five goals), Tom Downie (14 touches, one goal), Adam Tomlinson (13 touches, three goals) and James Stewart (11 touches, three goals) all played a part in the win.

Hawthorn

State league affiliate: Box Hill Hawks (VFL)
This weekend: Box Hill v Casey Scorpions - Sunday August 9, 2pm, Box Hill City Oval

Midfielder Jonathan Simpkin led the way for the Hawks-listed players, collecting 30 possessions (13 kicks, 17 handballs) and five tackles in his side's comprehensive 74-point win.

Ball-winner Brendan Whitecross was also influential in the victory with 22 disposals (20 kicks, two handballs) and 11 marks, while big man Sam Grimley booted four goals in attack.

Melbourne

State league affiliate: Casey Scorpions (VFL)
This weekend: Box Hill v Casey Scorpions - Sunday August 9, 2pm, Box Hill City Oval

Utility Rohan Bail, midfielder Aidan Riley and onballer Ben Newton were kept busy and named among the Demons' best players in an otherwise difficult day for Casey, which was easily defeated by 74 points.

Bail and Jake Spencer kicked two goals apiece as their side finished the game with a total of seven goals.

North Melbourne

State league affiliates: Werribee, North Ballarat (VFL)
This weekend: Essendon v Werribee - Sunday August 9, 12pm, Windy Hill; North Ballarat v Geelong - Sunday August 9, 1.30pm, Eureka Stadium

Tall Mason Wood gathered 20 disposals and 14 marks in Werribee's 28-point victory as he continues to stake his claim for a senior recall.

After being named in the Roos' extended 25-man squad for their clash against Melbourne, big man Majak Daw performed well with three goals from his 12 touches (11 kicks, one handball).

For North Ballarat, midfielder Trent Dumont found plenty of the ball with 28 touches (15 kicks, 13 handballs) and seven clearances in his side's 47-point win. 

Forgotten midfielder Brad McKenzie also accumulated 28 touches (16 kicks, 12 handballs) and five clearances, while omitted midfielder Ryan Bastinac finished with 21 touches (nine kicks, 12 handballs) and seven clearances.

Port Adelaide

State league affiliate: Port Adelaide (SANFL)
This weekend: North Adelaide v Port Adelaide - Saturday August 8, 2.10pm, Prospect Oval

Reliable onballer Kane Mitchell was the major ball-winner, finishing with 38 possessions (18 kicks, 20 handballs), 15 clearances, six inside 50s, six tackles and a goal in the Magpies' 58-point win.

Livewire Angus Monfries, who was omitted from Port Adelaide's side in round 18, booted four goals to go with his 26 touches (16 kicks, 10 handballs) and seven marks in a strong performance.

Midfielder Brendon Ah Chee was also among his side's standout players with 26 disposals (14 kicks, 12 handballs), 12 tackles and a goal.

Richmond

State league affiliate: Richmond (VFL)
This weekend: Bye

St Kilda

State league affiliate: Sandringham (VFL)
This weekend: Sandringham v Port Melbourne - Sunday August 9, 2pm, Trevor Barker Beach Oval

Backman Cameron Shenton collected 29 possessions and kicked two goals in the Zebras' 33-point win. 

Youngster Darren Minchington was also one of the leading players on the ground with 28 disposals and a goal.

Forward Tim Membrey responded to his omission in the best possible way with four goals, while fellow omitted Saint Eli Templeton added two majors.

Sydney Swans

State league affiliate: Sydney Swans (NEAFL)
This weekend: Bye

West Coast

State league affiliate: East Perth (WAFL)
This weekend: East Perth v Claremont - Saturday August 8, 2.15pm, Medibank Stadium

Jackson Nelson had 24 disposals, eight marks and two goals as East Perth held on for a 10-point win over Claremont, while Jamie Bennell had 29 touches, including 21 kicks, and drove the ball inside 50 six times.

First-year forward Tom Lamb also booted two goals as he continues to work back to top form after returning last month from knee surgery.

Western Bulldogs

State league affiliate: Footscray (VFL)
This weekend: Williamstown v Footscray - Sunday August 9, 2pm, Burbank Oval

After bagging three majors last weekend, key forward Tom Boyd added another three goals to be named among the Bulldogs' best in their 11-point win.

The 19-year-old, who took part in his third straight VFL game, had to often contend with two Williamstown defenders but still managed to contribute on the scoreboard. 

Midfielders Mitch Honeychurch (two goals) and Nathan Hrovat (one goal) also stood out in the win.

• Forecast this season's final standings with the AFL Ladder Predictor