1. A hard tag isn't always the best way
Saints coach Alan Richardson refused to accept credit for his match-ups – instead deflecting it to his players – but they worked a treat. Stopping the Tigers' dual midfield threats in Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin was always going to be vital to any St Kilda success. Richardson sent Seb Ross and Jack Steven to them, respectively, but not in typical negating roles. They made the Richmond stars worry just as much about them as vice versa, and the results were spectacular. Martin had his worst game of the year and Cotchin was reported for a gut punch on a down night. The two Saints, on the other hand, combined for 66 disposals and were best afield. - Marc McGowan

• After the siren: Saints go from pretenders to contenders

2. The Swans are locked and loaded and coming for you, Heath Shaw
Sydney's eight wins from their past nine games have been built on an aggressive and ruthless mindset, and they've openly targeted the opposition's best attacking defender, putting them 'in the gun' with great effect. Over the past few weeks, the Swans started the rot for Western Bulldogs jet Jason Johannisen, and have also gone after Essendon's No.1 draft pick Andrew McGrath, and most recently Gold Coast dasher Jarrod Harbrow, and systematically eliminated their influence. There's little doubt then that the Giants' best rebounder Heath Shaw will have a target on his back in next week's massive Sydney derby at Spotless Stadium. The Swans have used George Hewett to do the job in the past, but against the Suns it was Dan Robinson and Zak Jones who locked onto Harbrow and kept him to just 17 touches and one rebound 50, both well below his season average. Nathan Wilson is just as dangerous as Shaw for GWS, but the veteran's influence goes far beyond his possessions, so if Sydney can shut him down it will have just as much effect on the rest of the team. - Adam Curley

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3. Lightning can strike twice
The odds of GWS featuring in successive draws must have been astronomical, but as coach Leon Cameron lamented after Saturday's tie in Launceston, "it is what it is". And "what it is" for the Giants must surely be a hollow feeling after letting another win slip in the dying minutes, having looked every part the winners after piling on five consecutive goals to surge to a lead that seemed likely to secure the four points. But such has been their recent form – brilliant one quarter, less so the next. Cameron knows this kind of performance won't pay dividends in the long-run, and figuring out how to get his group to perform consistently will be the key during a potentially tricky run home. - Stu Warren

WATCH: The thrilling final minutes of Haw v GWS

4. Zaharakis is doing his contract value no harm
It was a slow start to the year for Zaharakis, who went through a flat patch early in the season and struggled for form. But a slight tweak in role and positioning has seen the Essendon best and fairest winner return to his best over the past two months. His 38-disposal and one-goal effort against Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday was probably his standout game of the season. His run and dash is back, and his skill level adds an important factor to Essendon's midfield. His rise comes at a good time for the 27-year-old, who remains out of contract for next season and becomes a restricted free agent at the end of this year. He certainly isn't getting cheaper for the Bombers. - Callum Twomey

• The run home: How the race for the finals is shaping up

5. Twin towers turn it on for top of the table Crows
Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker and fellow key forward Josh Jenkins were superb in the Crows' 59-point thumping of the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on Friday night. They booted seven goals between them and were dominant in the air, with their contested marking a highlight of the game. By his own admission, Walker's form has been a bit hit and miss this year. Second-year Hawthorn defender Ryan Burton had his measure a few weeks ago, but Walker showed he's a force to be reckoned with. Jenkins has also had an indifferent first half of the season through injury and form. When the Crows move the ball fast and get Walker and Jenkins in one-on-one situations, they're hard to stop. - Lee Gaskin

• Around the state leagues: Who starred in your club's twos?

6. Old McDonald Dees' wildcard
With Jesse Hogan making an inspirational return against the Blues following surgery to remove testicular cancer, the question was always going to be centered around whether he and defender-turned-forward Tom McDonald could coexist inside 50. After McDonald drilled four goals in a best afield performance in the Demons' eight-point win over Carlton on Sunday, the emphatic answer was YES. McDonald's move into attack, through necessity as much as anything, has now yielded 14 goals in five games. He is naturally drawn to the footy as a marking target and his accuracy in front of goal has been impressive. If McDonald can continue to produce the kind of football he is displaying now in the latter half of the season and Hogan finds his feet quickly, after a disjointed year that has seen him play just five games, then the Demons will be a potent force in the all-critical lead up to September. - Ben Guthrie

7. First-round draft picks. Who needs 'em? 
Ross Lyon clearly does not subscribe to the view early draft picks are the primary salvation for a rebuilding club, saying on Sunday Fremantle would rely on "will and intensity of improvement" to climb back up the ladder. The best example of this in Freo's four-point win over North Melbourne was debutant Ryan Nyhuis. Nyhuis was taken from NT Thunder at pick No.34 in the 2015 NAB AFL Rookie Draft and after spending all his time at Fremantle across half-back and, occasionally, in run-with roles he was thrown into attack for his first AFL game, with a brief to curb North key defender Robbie Tarrant's rebound. If the 20-year-old felt even slightly out of place, it didn't show. By the time the game was six minutes old, he'd marked and goaled. He added another major in the opening 30 seconds of the second term but it was his poise late in the game that really stood out. First, with no options inside Freo's forward 50, he bounced a long goal through from outside 50m at the 25-minute mark, then with scores level he out-marked North debutant Dan Nielson and calmly converted a 45m set shot. As Lyon pointed out after the game, Nyhuis clearly has work to do to cement a senior spot. But as debuts go, it was a promising first step – one most first-round picks would be rapt with. - Nick Bowen

WATCH: Dream debut for flyin' Ryan

8. Blicavs is getting back near his best
After an up-and-down year to date, 2015 best and fairest winner Mark Blicavs took a huge step forward against the Lions – and the Cats looked a far better team for it. Blicavs was a matchup nightmare for Chris Fagan's men as he prowled up and down a wing, outrunning anyone who dared try to keep pace, and towered over smaller defenders that lined up on him in the forward 50. Blicavs finished with 20 disposals and a career-high three goals – all with a touch of class – in a polished display. He added seven marks and eight tackles and did most of his damage in the match-winning first-half, even spending small stints on-ball. Blicavs is the perfect foil to Geelong's tall timber and appeared back to his roaming best on Saturday night. - Michael Whiting

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9. Jack can be the Eagles' Darling again
Jack Darling has copped more criticism than just about any other West Coast player this season – and plenty of it has been warranted – but he deserves credit for standing tall in recent weeks. The 25-year-old was maligned during a wildly inconsistent first half of the campaign, when he booted 19 goals from 11 games but failed to fire when the Eagles needed him most. But the bye couldn't have come at a better time for the 191cm forward, who has lifted noticeably in recent weeks. His three-goal and four-goal assist game was vital in last round's upset of the Bulldogs, while on Sunday he kickstarted the Eagles' fightback after the Power surged to an early lead. Darling booted three excellent goals before half-time, added a fourth just after the break, and chased and pressured like fans have come to expect. Darling's sheer talent is obvious, which makes him one of the most frustrating players in the competition, but maybe he is starting to turn things around. – Travis King