It was a big round of footy and there were important storylines across the weekend.
We have selected one positive and one negative from the Round 21 performance of each of the 18 clubs.
See our thoughts below:
Positive: Gave themselves every chance
Adelaide had a clear plan in place from the outset and that was to try and negate the attacking influence of Port Adelaide.
Matthew Nicks sent out some direct tags to begin with and the game plan appeared as though it was geared towards nullifying their more superior opponents.
It almost worked perfectly until the Power stepped up and flexed their muscle late to snatch the win.
The Crows matched Port in key stats categories, but simply lacked the composure to finish off their strong contested work.
It was a gallant performance, but not quite enough to snatch a seventh win for 2021.
Negative: Blind kicking
Port Adelaide’s Aliir Aliir was a dominant winner of the Showdown Medal and although he was sublime on the night, he has the Crows to thank for constantly kicking him the ball.
Aliir would finish with 16 intercepts included in his 21 disposals and helped form an impenetrable wall that Adelaide simply could not pass.
There was a lot of blind kicking from the Crows which led to the former Swans defender doing as he pleased in defence by taking 11 marks.
It obviously wasn’t just one man that denied Adelaide the win, but they could have helped themselves if they were more controlled with their attacking movement.
Andrew Slevison
Positive: Complete performance against finals contender
While the Lions are out of the top four race and are all but certain to host a home elimination final, they genuinely needed this win.
Having gone 1-3 over the past month - and with their only win coming after trailing by five goals at half-time to the Suns in Round 19 - they were desperate to recapture the form they had in the middle of the season.
Luckily for Chris Fagan, it looked like they well and truly did.
The Lions effectively lead from start to finish away from home against a Fremantle side that had a top eight spot to play for.
Winning by 64 points against a team that may be the seventh best in it should provide Brisbane fans with some confidence that they’re still a class above the chasing pack.
Perhaps this is the win needed to spark their run with just two games remaining before finals.
Negative: Robinson’s calf complaint
Winning in such complete and dominant fashion means it’s usually hard to pinpoint a clear negative, but Lions fans will be crossing their fingers with Mitch Robinson’s health.
The utility was subbed out of the game with a calf complaint, and while the club was adamant it was merely precautionary, they’d hope he’s at full fitness leading into September.
The 32-year-old is having one of the best seasons of his career in 2021, and is an integral piece to this Brisbane side both on and off the field.
Players who aren’t afraid of the moment are worth their weight in gold during pressure moments, and Brisbane will be hoping Robinson is there when the whips are cracking in a few weeks’ time.
Lachlan Geleit
Positive: Jacob Weitering, Sam Walsh and Harry McKay
That’s about it.
Negative: Wilting with any sniff of finals
For the second time in three weeks, the Blues had a chance to put themselves in the finals hunt by knocking off a bottom four side and for the second time in three weeks, they wilted.
That has been a consistent theme of the 2021 season for Carlton, losing games in the balance at three-quarter time and falling apart when any sort of pressure or expectation is placed on the result.
Whether they’re in winning positions, going into a game as favourites or whether the match is in the balance heading into the last quarter, their default move is to fall away and lose in disappointing fashion.
What we saw against the Suns wasn’t just disappointing, it was predictable.
Ultimately, that will cost them a spot in the top eight and it will likely result in massive overhaul at Carlton.
Nic Negrepontis
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Positive: Fin Macrae showing why he’s a blue-chip stock
First round draftee Finlay Macrae is starting to show signs that he’s going to be a serious player at AFL level.
Having been injected into the side sporadically throughout the season’s first few months, Macrae looks like he’s settling into Collingwood’s side, with his last three weeks at AFL level proving he belongs.
While he didn’t light up the stat sheet in his eighth game – with one goal, 20 disposals and four marks – it’s the glimpses of class that he’s showing that’ll excite Magpie fans.
Like his brother, Macrae looks assured in tight spaces and has a beautiful kick that’s often weighted perfectly to hit a forward inside 50.
Interim coach Robert Harvey has given the youngster the opportunity to attend more centre bounces, and he looks more than up to it at the coal face against some of the league’s most experienced ball-winners.
He looks like he’s got a long career ahead of him in the black and white stripes.
Negative: Disaster 30 minute patch
After their upset win against West Coast last week, Collingwood would have been hoping for a better performance against a then 17th placed Hawthorn side
While they only lost in the end by 19 points, a disaster patch 15 minutes either side of half-time made it look like they were the worst side in football.
At one stage the Hawks led by as much as 49 points, as they cut Collingwood to shreds through the middle of the ground and completely stifled their ball movement.
While they regained some control late in the third term and early in the fourth, it was simply too little, too late with the deficit simply too big to claw back.
We all know they’re a young and inexperienced outfit, but they’d be hoping to see far less of signficant lapses during games.
They won’t be able to beat anyone if they can’t play near enough to four quarters of football.
Lachlan Geleit
Positive: Adjusting on the run and Peter Wright’s breakout game
In the early part of Sunday’s game against the Dogs, the Bombers were smashed in every facet except the scoreboard.
But after a rough start, the overwhelming positive to come out of their first win against the Western Bulldogs in 2014 was Ben Rutten’s ability to adjust his side tactically on the run and correct their opposition’s early midfield domination.
Then there was also Peter Wright’s performance, kicking a career-high seven goals and announcing himself at Essendon after years of toiling away at Gold Coast.
With Harrison Jones still sidelined through injury and the Bombers opting not to select veteran Cale Hooker at the moment, Wright is suddenly the focal point of Essendon’s forward line.
Negative: N/A
With a clean bill of health and one of the club’s best wins in recent memories, there isn’t a negative to report from this weekend.
Laurence Rosen
Positive: N/A
It’s hard to find a positive given everything that was at stake and the performance that was dished up.
Negative: Another failed test crushes finals hopes
The equation for Fremantle was simple. Knock off one of Geelong or Brisbane in Perth and play finals.
They failed both tests and badly.
Coach Justin Longmuir said it best after the game, suggesting his team simply didn’t have the horsepower just yet to match the top teams.
They will likely be without Andrew Brayshaw for the Derby and their odds of playing finals have been diminished.
Nic Negrepontis
Positive: Prime midfield movers don’t waver despite disappointing defeat
There’s no sugar-coating just how disappointing the Cats were on Friday night, but it’s worth pointing out even in defeat that dependable duo Joel Selwood and Cam Guthrie were impressive.
Selwood had 27 touches and five tackles while Guthrie was prolific with 24 touches and an equal game-high nine tackles.
While the Cats struggled forward of centre with Tom Hawkins well held by Sam Taylor, their midfield continues to impress in the lead up to finals.
Negative: Dangerfield subbed off through injury
Patrick Dangerfield was subbed out and went to hospital (and has since been discharged) after being taken high by Toby Greene, with the Giants star handed a two-week ban by the MRO for the incident.
Whether he plays or not this week remains to be seen, but it was an untimely blow just weeks before finals begin.
Dangerfield has been in sparkling form recently and him missing any period of time would be a big hole for Chris Scott to fill.
On a dirty night for the Cats, Dangerfield ending the night in hospital compounded the misery.
Laurence Rosen
Positive: Dug deep to outlast Blues
Gold Coast needed to respond after their 98-point belting to Melbourne.
In a tight contest at Marvel Stadium, the Suns kicked away in the final quarter to run out 19-point winners over Carlton to ease the growing pressure on coach Stuart Dew.
All players and staff gathered in a huddle to belt out the club song after a difficult couple of weeks.
“I think it's just reward for hard work and having some character,” Dew told reporters.
“I’m actually just proud of the players, that’s the overwhelming feeling I guess and personally just pride in this club and the players and staff.”
Negative: Ellis hamstrung again
Brandon Ellis has been struck down by another soft tissue injury.
In his first game back from a hamstring strain sustained in the Round 18 loss to the Western Bulldogs, Ellis cut a disconsolate figure on the bench after re-injuring his troublesome hamstring.
The ex-Tiger was subbed out in the second quarter and is almost certain to miss the final two games of the home and away season.
It was the only downer on what was good day for the Suns.
Alex Zaia
Positive: Huge undermanned win
GWS pulled off a sensational season-saving win over Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
The Giants were already without captain Stephen Coniglio, Phil Davis, Jacob Hopper, Jesse Hogan, Tom Green, Jeremy Finlayson, Sam Reid, Adam Kennedy, Bobby Hill, Daniel Lloyd, plus those out for the season including Lachie Keeffe, Matt Flynn and Jack Buckley, before Josh Kelly was a late withdrawal.
It left them short in the midfield and overall undermanned, with an average age of 23.2 and average games of 66.5 to Geelong’s 27.2 (age) and 135.5 (games).
They also lost plenty of key stats areas including marks (74-103), clearances (32-39), scoring shots (19-25) and inside 50s (44-64), but managed to get over the line against a formidable opponent at a tricky venue.
It was a victory of immense significance which has Leon Cameron’s side sitting inside the eight ahead of this weekend’s crunch clash with Richmond.
Tim Taranto was enormous with 34 touches, nine tackles and two goals as the chief destroyer in the massive win.
Negative: Toby in trouble again
Giants star Toby Greene is again in hot water, this time for a high fend-off on Patrick Dangerfield.
He was given a two-match ban for his actions with the club immediately challenging the sanction given the precedent set with Melbourne’s Bayley Fritsch getting off after a similar incident earlier in the season.
While the outcome of the appeal won’t be known until Tuesday evening, it is an unwanted interruption ahead of arguably the club’s biggest game in 2021.
The Giants meet the Tigers, most likely on Friday night, with the finals hopes of the winner improving drastically.
GWS occupies eighth heading into the round and a win over the Tigers would put them six points clear of ninth.
But will Toby be available?
The Giants also lost Brent Daniels who sustained another hamstring injury and is likely to miss the rest of the season.
Andrew Slevison
Positive: Controlling the play
Hawthorn completely stifled Collingwood’s ball movement in the first half making it nearly impossible for them to score.
They owned possession, controlled the footy and forced the Magpies into the slow play that has plagued them across the season.
It was another example of coach Alastair Clarkson and his team knowing exactly the right levers to pull in order to get the required result.
The game opened up in the second half, but the Hawks had a five-goal advantage and were able to match the Magpies score for score.
Negative: Centre clearance issues
While Hawthorn had a firm grasp of most aspects of the game, Collingwood had their way in the middle.
So much so that the Hawks set up multiple on-ballers in defensive positions in order to slow the Magpies down.
It didn’t end up hurting them on the scoreboard, but given almost everything else went their way, Clarkson will want to address the centre stoppage situation.
They ended up winning the clearances 39-33, but lost the centre clearances 12-15.
Nic Negrepontis
Positive: Ben Brown
Melbourne now sits on top of the ladder with two rounds of the season remaining and is on the cusp of finishing in top spot for the first time since 1964.
In what loomed as a tricky encounter out west after a week of quarantine, the Dees were able to ease to victory despite a late flurry from West Coast.
Simon Goodwin will be rapt at Ben Brown’s continual improvement and once again he impressed, kicking three goals and providing a focal point on a slippery night where fellow tall Tom McDonald was a late out.
Negative: The late game fade out
The game took an unusual turn late on Monday night when it was suspended due to lightning around Perth.
After a 30-minute delay, the Dees were sluggish when the game did resume and coughed up the last four goals of the match.
While it was a unique situation and one they’re highly unlikely to encounter again, essentially switching off and allowing West Coast back in the game wouldn’t have been what the Dees wanted after a largely impressive performance for the majority of the contest.
Laurence Rosen
Positive: First half planning
North Melbourne went in with a clear plan to control possession and keep the ball off the Tigers and they did just that.
The Roos spread the field, and then attacked the corridor when the opportunity presented itself.
They dominated the clearance numbers and deserved their three-goal lead at the main break with Cam Zurhaar (four goals) the main man inside 50.
Negative: The second half
Unfortunately from there, Richmond took full control and kicked 11 second-half goals to three.
They denied the Roos easy uncontested marks and upped their pressure to a level North couldn’t match.
The Kangaroos lost the tackle count 53-37 and only laid three tackles inside 50 for the game, something that would disappoint coach David Noble.
Nic Negrepontis
Positive: Huge step towards top four finish
It wasn’t pretty, but Port Adelaide’s four-point Showdown win over Adelaide was crucial in securing a top four finish.
The Power are two games clear of Brisbane and Sydney with two matches left in the regular season and sit equal on points with the Western Bulldogs and Geelong.
Port’s next assignment is 13th-placed Carlton before rounding out their home and away campaign with a clash against the Bulldogs.
Aliir Aliir was awarded the Showdown Medal for his supreme defensive display, finishing with 21 disposals, 16 intercepts and five contested marks.
A top two finish remains a possibility.
Negative: Yet to click with finals approaching
The Power are still yet to hit top gear with finals on the horizon.
Port was made to work for their victory over the Crows and trailed for most of the night, before rallying late to notch their fourth win on the spin.
Coach Ken Hinkley was relieved to get over the line in what was a low-scoring scrap at Adelaide Oval.
“We were struggling to find our best. Adelaide made it hard for us. But Showdowns are like that,” Hinkley said post-game.
“We won through sheer grit. We found a way to win, which in the context of our season is really important.”
Alex Zaia
Positive: Changing things on the run
After a very poor start, Richmond was able to change things around mid-game which led to a 53-point turnaround.
Damien Hardwick shifted Shane Edwards and Liam Baker across half-forward after the main break to negate the way North Melbourne’s half-backs were dominating play after a substandard two-goal first half.
Aside from personnel movement, the Tigers also shifted their game plan after allowing the Kangaroos 72 uncontested marks by half-time. That was reduced to just 30 in the second half with the Tigers nicking David Noble’s game plan halfway through, taking 66 marks without pressure across quarters three and four.
The reigning premiers also ramped up the pressure and got their scores from turnover game back up, breathing life into their season in the process.
For the Tigers faithful it was also brilliant to see Maurice Rioli Jnr do some nice things on debut while Thomson Dow, who was a late in for Kamdyn McIntosh, produced a quality performance in game five with 22 disposals.
Negative: Horrendous start, inability in the middle
As mentioned above, the Tigers started poorly.
North were at times toying with them in the first quarter before taking a 20-point lead into the main break. That could have been more if the Kangas made the most of all their chances.
What was more worrying early was Richmond’s inability to win a centre clearance. At one point, North led 8-0 in centre clearances, before the Tigers went some way to bridging the discrepancy by winning 7-6 in the second half.
If they want to beat the Giants this weekend or even qualify for finals, they’ll want to fix up that side of their game.
Andrew Slevison
Positive: Higgins banishes demons
Jack Higgins exorcised his goalkicking demons with a four-goal outing in St Kilda’s 29-point win over finals-bound Sydney on Saturday night.
The small forward made headlines after kicking 1.6 in the Round 12 loss to the Swans, which included two set shot misses late in the match.
Higgins showed his mental strength, kicking 4.1 to take his season goal tally to 24 in 17 games in his first season at Moorabbin.
Callum Wilkie limited Sydney star Lance Franklin to just one goal from four possessions in a defensive masterclass, while Jack Steele was once again prolific with 34 disposals, six clearances and a goal.
Negative: King injury
St Kilda will be sweating over the fitness of Max King after the key forward picked up a groin injury.
King was subbed out in the last quarter and is rated a “50-50” chance to take on Geelong this weekend, according to Saints coach Brett Ratten.
It’s an unfortunate setback for King who is emerging as a genuine target inside 50 for the Saints, kicking 12 goals in three weeks.
St Kilda must beat the Cats and Fremantle in their final two home and away games to have any chance of pinching a finals spot.
The Saints haven’t won in Geelong in 22 years.
Alex Zaia
Positive: Nick Blakey’s form
Having spent time out of the side this season due to poor form, Sydney would be glad with the response they’ve gotten from Nick Blakey.
Deployed on a wing and up forward throughout his career, his recent move to defence looks to be getting the best out of the former top 10 draft pick.
The 21-year-old had 19 disposals against the Saints, including seven intercept possessions in the back half in what may have been his best performance this year.
His elite hands, pace and kicking ability ensured he was always going to become a valuable player at the top level, the key for Blakey was just about finding some consistency in his output.
He’ll be hoping to continue on this upwards trajectory to become a genuine difference maker for the Swans come finals.
Negative: Top four hopes up in smoke
While they were always going to have to come from behind, Saturday’s loss to St Kilda has just about put an end to Sydney’s top four dream.
The Swans now sit eight points behind Port Adelaide who are in fourth spot and are all but certain to finish either fifth or sixth once the final two rounds are played out.
Although they won’t get their desired result of a second chance come September, playing a home final in week one coupled with their strong record against the competition’s best sides should provide the Swans with hope that they can do damage come finals.
They should wrap up the season with wins against North Melbourne and Gold Coast in the next fortnight to time their run into spring football.
Lachlan Geleit
Positive: Electricity
Just under seven minutes into the final term on Monday night, the players were instructed to leave the field with lightning over Optus Stadium.
When West Coast emerged half an hour later, they were transformed. As the Dees sought to move laterally and run down the clock, the Eagles played on from 33 per cent of their marks.
Enkindled by Elliot Yeo, who surged with seven clearances in the final term, West Coast recorded 13 of the last 14 forward entries of the game, and the final four goals.
Melbourne were in stasis, purposefully not challenging the Eagles for territory, and the hosts played with the unrefined enthusiasm of a list between coaches.
Even so, can the lightning storm catalyse a tactical shift at Lathlain Park?
Yeo was a nuclear warhead, had support on the ground, the Eagles’ interceptors successfully set a high defensive line across the centre, and the forwards held their own in contested situations.
It was an exhilarating watch, and will give an imperturbable Simpson pause for thought.
Negative: Ill-discipline
The Eagles’ electricity in the final term was signposted earlier in the game.
West Coast embraced the contest, and led late in the second term on the back of spoiling (26-16 with moments to go) and swarming around the groundball.
It fell away in the third term, when the Demons kicked 5.5 to 1.1, but Justin Leppitsch is confident they capitalised on the opportunity to test uncharted tactical territory.
“They did really well. Their pressure rating was the fourth-highest for the round, and they’ve been 18th for pressure rating and groundball,” he told SEN’s Whateley on Tuesday.
“I think they take a bit out of it.”
The disappointment was not necessarily in the positional discipline falling out of the Eagles’ unfamiliar approach, but their behavioural discipline.
When Melbourne were chaining possession, kicking well and capitalising on defensive lapses, West Coast were conceding downfield frees and precious metres with them.
Nathan John
Positive: They'll be better on the ball for the experience
A thrashing was on the cards early on Sunday afternoon.
Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore were stepping through the Dons’ midfielders, and Bailey Dale, who has been something of a barometer this season, was so often there for the outlet pass.
At one point the Dogs were up 26-9 in the post-clearance contested possession tally, and they cut off the first nine Essendon defensive chains before they could cross their forward arc.
The Bombers observed their opposition preferred to hold possession and dialled up the pressure, and it left the Dogs’ ball carriers out of options after the twists and turns. They didn’t adjust.
Close to the finals, it can serve as a learning experience, just in having a feel for the game and either teasing out or reeling in the verve in possession.
Negative: Can they cope without Josh Bruce?
It was confirmed on Monday that Josh Bruce had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, putting an end to a career-best season.
The 29-year-old had booted 48 goals from 20 games, with his high watermark of 50 - set six seasons ago with St Kilda - well within reach.
It feels particularly cruel given the shift the ex-Saint has put in to maximise his fitness, and for the big brother role he has played for Aaron Naughton, Tim English and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
Luke Beveridge is now without his battering ram, and a jigsaw that has so far yielded the most points in the competition must again be reassembled.
Naughton may have to take on a more physical role having been given the license to lead and leap so far, while Ugle-Hagan can expect to be targeted more often.
If Stefan Martin returns to the team, Tim English can reprise his early-season role as the third head of the “monster,” but the method of entry will have to change even in that event.
Time will tell how the Dogs respond to this test of their tactical and emotional maturity, but they are in good hands.
To have conceded 39 points from centre bounce chains and 70 from overall stoppage chains should also set off sirens; they need to compress the space between the centre and their defence.
Nathan John