1. Gold Coast's stunning upset should be the start of the relaunch

Anybody outside the club who gave the Suns a chance against Sydney should seek a psychiatric assessment, and if you backed them at quarter-time … well. The stunning turnaround without Tom Lynch, David Swallow, Jack Martin, Aaron Hall, Sam Day, Pearce Hanley, Ben Ainsworth and Jack Bowes gives the long-time strugglers something they can build their future on. It's only one win, sure, but it's the most significant four points in the history of the club. Lynch will likely depart and there's talk Swallow is also looking to exit, but Steven May is a star, and has the character and passion to lead the Suns going forward. Keep him at any cost. In Aaron Young, Peter Wright, Jarrod Witts, Touk Miller, Alex Sexton, Lachie Weller and Callum Ah Chee, there's plenty of talent and excitement. Ah Chee's will to win his one-on-one contest with Lance Franklin inside the Swans' 50 in the third term on Saturday was inspiring. Stuart Dew needs to find out who's in, get rid of the rest and get to work. - Adam Curley

SUNS' BEST WINS Five victories that have shaped a club

2. There's still fight left in the Blues

OK, so we were robbed of one of the main attractions for Sunday’s Carlton-Hawthorn clash when Blues forward Jed Lamb was rubbed out for a week and Hawk defender James Sicily broke his wrist, but they were there in spirit, because there was an edge to this contest. The niggle started after Hawk stopper Daniel Howe clashed with star Carlton midfielder Patrick Cripps early in the first term – an episode that will likely lead to a holiday for Howe courtesy of Match Review Officer Michael Christian – but there were spotfires all afternoon and the umpires were all over it. The Blues were well beaten on the scoreboard – yet again – but they played with spirit throughout and their hardy fans seemed to appreciate it and got behind their team all afternoon, especially in the third term when they enjoyed a purple patch and kicked four straight goals. Howe should be disappointed in his actions; the Hawks need him in their midfield as they try to cement a finals berth. - Ashley Browne

3. Harry Taylor has a fight on his hands

After missing a second consecutive match through foot soreness, the dual All Australian defender will be no walk-up starter once fit. He's good enough, but with just five matches to his name this year, who does he knock out? Taylor will be up against it forcing his way into a backline that welcomed back Lachie Henderson for the first time since last year's preliminary final. While Henderson worked into the game, fellow defenders Tom Stewart and Mark Blicavs aren't going anywhere, again thwarting a large chunk of Melbourne's 64 inside 50s. Henderson's return also forced Jack Henry to move forward. While the youngster will be better for the run in his first AFL match in attack, he appears a more natural defender and should be thrown back before Taylor. Chris Scott has said he's comfortable playing Tom Hawkins and Daniel Menzel as the targets in attack, while Rhys Stanley's form revival reduces the impact for another pinch-hitter in the ruck. Before kicking the sealer in round 16 against Sydney, Taylor had little impact in the front half. While it's not career over for the 32-year-old, who is contracted for next year, he may have to wait for an injury before earning an AFL recall. - Mitch Cleary

FROM THE TWOS Who's pressing their claims in the seconds?

4. The Eagles need to get it done at ground level without Nic Nat

The sense is that West Coast will really feel the absence of Nic Naitanui once the finals cauldron heats up, when the flying Fijian's ability to generate something from nothing around clearances and impact big moments will be sorely missed. But Sunday's first look at Scott Lycett and Nathan Vardy together this season showed the Eagles how things might change. Up against unheralded Bulldogs duo Jordan Roughead and Tom Boyd, the Eagles' ruck pairing fought hard and probably just took the points, winning hit-outs 39-30, and West Coast edged clearances 34-30. However, that stoppage battle was owed largely to what was happening at ground level, with Elliot Yeo (five clearances), Luke Shuey (four) and Jack Redden (four) all playing influential roles. That worked OK against the Dogs, but against the AFL's elite ruckmen and most powerful engine rooms it won't be as easy. Adam Simpson was pleased enough with Lycett and Vardy's efforts against the Dogs, but there is plenty of room for improvement in the final five rounds. - Travis King

THE RUN HOME Shades of 2017 for the Demons

5. Dion Prestia is primed for September

It must be nice to be the third or fourth-string midfielder in Richmond’s engine room. Prestia is one of those for the Tigers, behind key pair Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin, and on Friday night he had the biggest impact of the lot with three goals from 26 disposals. Prestia has been missing in action for much of the season with injury issues since last year’s Grand Final win. The Tigers have rolled on well without him, but since Prestia has been back he has added extra depth and talent to an already loaded midfield. He’s set to play another huge role in the finals as Richmond attempt to go back-to-back. - Callum Twomey

FANTASY FORM WATCH Lion hits his straps

6. Essendon is in a Fantasia world

It goes without saying that the Bombers are a better, more dangerous unit when sharpshooter Orazio Fantasia plays. They missed him dearly the past fortnight when he was twice a late withdrawal with an adductor setback. Essendon, which lost six of its first eight games, might have sat inside the top eight on Sunday morning if Fantasia played against Collingwood two weeks ago, when the Bombers gave up a three-quarter time lead. We all know about Hawthorn's record when Tom Mitchell racks up 40-plus possessions (five victories from 12 matches), but it is decidedly more positive for Essendon when Fantasia kicks at least four goals. The 22-year-old's five-goal haul against Fremantle on Saturday and the Bombers' resulting win improved the club's record to 7-1 in games in which he boots at least four majors. - Marc McGowan

WATCH Fantasia fever at Etihad Stadium

7. Hugh Greenwood might be the ace in Adelaide's pack

With captain Taylor Walker suspended and Adelaide's season on the line against Brisbane, someone had to kick goals. Enter Hugh Greenwood. The 26-year-old kicked 4.3, including three in three minutes during a frantic first half, to help get the Crows home. Brisbane coach Chris Fagan conceded post-match that Greenwood got under the Lions' guard. "We did a lot of homework on Eddie (Betts) and (Josh) Jenkins and (Tom) Lynch," Fagan said. "They were serviceable, but they didn't dominate the game. He (Greenwood) popped up. He's a good player, that bloke. He's good in the air and he's good at ground level and he's slippery at stoppages … we were unable to contain him." Melbourne, Port Adelaide and anyone else facing the Crows in the final five weeks should be warned – leave Hugh Greenwood alone at your peril. - Michael Whiting

WATCH Hugh's big night out at the Gabba

8. Mihocek fills tall breach for Pies

Collingwood's tall stocks have been decimated by injury this season, with Tyson Goldsack, Darcy Moore and Ben Reid playing just 11 games between them. Goldsack remains a long shot to play again this season as he rehabs his reconstructed knee, Moore's hamstring issues flared for the third time this year on Saturday while Reid (calf) is still another two to three weeks away from returning. However, Magpie fans need not fear because in mature rookie Brody Mihocek they have found a versatile tall capable of having an impact in the finals. It seemed Mihocek might be sent to North spearhead Ben Brown after Moore was a late withdrawal from Saturday's game given he spent the first half of this season in defence with the Pies' VFL team. But coach Nathan Buckley elected to stick with the 25-year-old in attack, a decision that was quickly vindicated. Mihocek kicked three of the six goals Collingwood kicked in the opening 21 minutes to effectively kill the contest. All three came from contested marks. Mihocek teamed with Mason Cox to give the Magpies a strong aerial presence in attack all day, while he finished the game with four majors to be the Pies' equal leading goalkicker. Since making his debut in round 11 against Fremantle, he has kicked at least a goal in all seven of his senior games and averaged 5.4 marks. - Nick Bowen

9. The Power must shelve the Charlie Dixon ruck experiment

Dixon is too important to the Power's forward structure to consider moving him out of attack. The key forward started in the ruck in Sunday's game with Greater Western Sydney as the replacement for injured All Australian Paddy Ryder. The Power's small forward line didn't work and the Giants were able to transition the ball easily out of defence. The Power changed tack after half-time, moving Dixon back to full-forward and using midfielders Ollie Wines and Brad Ebert in the ruck. It's the same model Richmond has used with Shaun Grigg as the back-up to Toby Nankervis. Power coach Ken Hinkley also moved key defender Dougal Howard – who was drafted as a ruckman – into the middle in the second half. The Power will be hoping Ryder returns for next Sunday's game with the Western Bulldogs. But if he doesn't, they will need to consider starting Howard in the ruck, or calling Billy Frampton or Peter Ladhams up for a debut. - Lee Gaskin