BRING on the rebuild at Richmond and the time for a few decisions.

In no particular order:

1. Ben Griffiths or Tyrone Vickery? The Tigers can't play them both

2. Assuming Ivan Maric gives it away, who will become their No.1 ruckman? Shaun Hampson is OK, but do they have a crack at Majak Daw or Jarrod Witts and offer them long-term deals?

3. How can they bring Dion Prestia to the club without further weakening their 2016 draft? They've already dealt their second round pick away in trade maneuverings for Chris Yarran. 

4. Shaun Grigg. Bachar Houli. Reece Conca. Taylor Hunt. And even Shane Edwards. Are they in the next Richmond premiership team? If not, do they move them on?

5. Liam McBean. Can he play? Give him a few weeks to prove it.

6. The coach still has two more years to go, but is the mix right with the rest of the coaching staff?

Friday night against Port Adelaide was an elimination final in July for the Tigers, but they came up well short and now they're done for 2016. But the next eight weeks are as important as any we can remember in Damien Hardwick's seven years in charge.

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Suns are rising

That light at the end of the tunnel for Gold Coast appeared imaginary at times, but events on Saturday afternoon at Metricon Stadium showed the future is bright for the Suns, and might come sooner than sometimes thought.

The Suns slaughtered St Kilda on a day every bit as bright as the brilliant sun that bathed the ground all afternoon. Gold Coast was too slick for the Saints – who have been good in that department of late – while their key position players at both ends of the ground were in brilliant touch.

Tom Lynch (14 marks), Rory Thompson and Steven May (both 11) and Peter Wright (10) played keepings off the Saints all afternoon. Wright chimed in with three goals in a performance that should earn him the NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for the week.

The Suns were also considerably better with the return of Jack Martin, Kade Kolodjashnij and Callum Ah Chee from injury and when you add the return in the NEAFL of star-crossed midfielder Jaeger O'Meara, it made for the best day at the footy for coach Rodney Eade since he joined the club 18 months ago.

Little has gone right for the Suns in a season and a half. Their luck with injury has been dreadful and Eade inherited a number of culture issues, but things are coming around. Gold Coast's endeavour could not be faulted in losses to Richmond and Hawthorn before this and this week it clicked on the scoreboard and the 10-game losing streak was over.

May and Thompson have proved their worth as a key defensive unit in the past – but playing together has been an issue. But the combination of Lynch, Wright and Sam Day is what will excite the Suns going forward. Good luck trying to keep them all quiet as they continue to improve.

If they can convince one or both of the uncontracted O'Meara and Dion Prestia to stay, with David Swallow to return next season and academy player and likely no.1 pick Jack Bowes ready to come aboard, the Suns have the makings of a top eight side as early as next season. And they'll be a difficult opponent for the rest of 2016.

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Saints' No.1 headache

As for the Saints, what is now apparent is that they travel about as well as the Hindenburg. They pushed Port Adelaide and Hawthorn on the road earlier this season but in their three interstate trips since – West Coast, Adelaide and Gold Cost – they have been as soft as butter.

But their bigger concern is Paddy McCartin. That's three concussions this season for the 2014 draft No.1 pick, and the worry on Saturday was that the clash with Steven May was innocuous. It was the sort of contact from a marking contest you see every week in every AFL game.

Perhaps the Saints were being ultra cautious in subbing him out for the rest of the game. They did the right thing for the player if that is the case.

But what happens from here? Do they rest him for a month or even the rest of the season? And then what happens? Is the next step to wear a helmet?

The AFL's new concussion protocols are a welcome and necessary addition. But the flipside is the premature end it will mean for some flourishing careers. Brisbane Lion Justin Clarke is already one such example. Any more concussions to McCartin and his playing future will also come under consideration.

The word 'tragic' can be thrown around too often in something as inconsequential as football. But I'm struggling to think of a more appropriate term if repeated head injuries cost McCartin what could be an exceptional career.

• Who fired for your club in this weekend's state leagues? 

Bulldog boldness pays dividends

Luke Beveridge's first instinct was to give Jason Johannisen a week in the VFL to ease himself back into footy after a 10-week hamstring injury.

Good thing he threw caution to the wind by bringing the classy half-back straight back into the AFL side. His run and carry had been missed by the Bulldogs and he made a blistering start at the SCG on Saturday against the Sydney Swans.

And if there were any doubts about his repaired hamstring, they were quashed by the 50-metre goal he kicked with five seconds to go to help the Dogs to their second win at the SCG in as many years.

Johannisen is a star, and so too is Tom Liberatore, whose work in the clinches during the third quarter on Saturday was instrumental in the Dogs getting themselves back in the game.

Liberatore left a huge hole when he missed all of last year with a torn ACL, but he appears a born finals footballer. Saturday at the SCG – played tough and tight like a final – was ample proof of that.

It will be a mouthwatering proposition to see him in September against the likes of Sam Mitchell, Joel Selwood, Rory Sloane, Matt Priddis and other midfield beasts. 

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Other observations

1. That was an excellent afternoon's work by Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday. The Crows were repeatedly challenged by Melbourne in what was an entertaining clash, but they emerged with their sixth straight victory, which got them to 10 wins and they're now one of six teams that sit equal second on the ladder. Equally importantly, they got another look at the MCG. The non-Victorian teams complain – with some justification – that they don't get enough games at the home of football, but the Crows will take confidence out of this win. And they return to the MCG once more next week to play against Carlton and to test their systems and structures once again. Perfect.

2. We at AFL Media like to joke about the curse of the AFL Record cover. We thought we were going okay when Max Gawn turned in a best-on-ground performance against Collingwood last month after appearing on the cover. But then came Brad Scott's beaming mug followed by post-match meltdown after the Hawthorn game. This weekend the magazine celebrated the art of goalkicking only for the Suns and Saints to combine for a shambolic 23.38 at Metricon. Obviously the words of Matthew Lloyd, Peter Hudson, Wayne Carey, Darren Jarman and Tony Lockett failed to inspire.

3. "Sydney is a lovely city and it was nice to get up there and chill out." Those were the words from Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli after his bye week trip to Sydney. So should the Dogs be worried? Only when you consider that another star footballer used to talk about his regular 'R and R' trips to Sydney. His name is Lance Franklin and eventually he signed a nine-year deal to play up there. By the way, the 'Bud' was fabulous against the Bulldogs, but without Kurt Tippett in the side, he's going to need a bit more help if the Swans are going to cement that all-important top-four berth.

4. Port Adelaide rediscovered how to tackle and contest, and flogged Richmond on the inside game on Friday night. The Hawks come to town on Thursday night and if they have a weakness, that's where it is. The Power need a repeat performance if they hope to upset the ladder leaders. Then again, with three wins from their last four against Hawthorn, would it be an upset if they were to win again?

5. Nothing wrong with Jack Silvagni's debut for the Blues on Saturday night and you'd have to be particularly hard of heart not to have enjoyed watching a third generation of that famous family wearing the long-sleeved navy blue jumper. He moves like his father, too. Given where they're at, the Blues might as well persevere with him for the rest of the season, but he needs a couple of busy summers in the gym to get his body right for a long-term AFL career.

6. Not sure what is going on at the Brisbane Lions. But if the vibe around the club is so poor that Jack Redden and Tom Rockliff – for so long the heart and soul of that club – might be gone within 12 months of each other, then things need to change. I'm not sure making him captain of Brisbane was the best career move for Rockliff, but if he's up for grabs, then a club like St Kilda should do whatever it can to grab him.

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