IN THIS week's Things We Learned, we discover the team owning big moments, the Roos' biggest challengers, plus much, much more.

Check out what we learned from round three of the 2026 season.

1) This Bomber is in career-best form

Maddy Prespakis may already have a Rising Star and an AFLW best and fairest under her belt, but she may never have been more damaging than now. Prespakis was public on her Instagram account over pre-season that she'd steadily lost 12kg over the space of a year through hard work and diet changes, and her ability to get from contest to contest has been heightened as a consequence. The Essendon star was watched by both Dana East and Georgia Stubs at various points against Richmond, but the pair couldn't manage to quell Prespakis' clever disposal by hand and foot in the contest to hit her teammates in space, nor her ability to hit the scoreboard. - Sarah Black

2) Cool Blues can own the big moments 

When Carlton ends up in tight games, it can rest assured that it has the star power and composure in 2026 to execute under pressure. Sunday's six-point win against Walyalup came down to the big moments, and it was Mimi Hill who took hers with a brilliant checkside goal on the run. Then there was the power running of Irish star Erone Fitzpatrick to seal the game, and Poppy Scholz standing tall under pressure on the wing to keep the play alive and set up that match-winning goal. The undefeated Blues did what the Dockers couldn't, executing under pressure when the big moments arrived. It's the reason they are 3-0 and in the top four. – Nathan Schmook 

3) The Dees might be North Melbourne's biggest challengers

The Dees are absolutely humming under new coach Tom Wilson and may just be the biggest threat to North Melbourne's incredible dominance in the AFLW. Narrm sent a warning shot to the rest of the competition on Sunday with a 56-point demolition job of top-four fancy Brisbane. Despite the injury concerns for the Lions, Wilson's Dees were dominant throughout the day, moving the ball superbly and defending incredibly well. Their midfield unit has stars everywhere you look with Kate Hore, Liv Purcell and Tyla Hanks, while their defence, led by Tahlia Gillard and Maeve Chaplin, looks rock solid too. They've got plenty of weapons in the front half as well, such as Tayla Harris, Mia Austin and Ryleigh Wotherspoon, which means they're a tough side to stop when they really get going. All eyes will be on their clash against the Roos in round seven. – Dylan Bolch

4) Geelong forwards are going to cause some headaches

While Mick Stinear beds down a gameplan at his new club, one thing at the premiership coach's disposal is a versatile forward line that is difficult to defend. A week after the Cats put 100 points on St Kilda and Jacqui Parry ran riot with six goals, it was some different faces in Sunday's victory over Gold Coast. Chloe Scheer continued a fine start to the season with three goals, proving a difficult match-up with her aerial strength and nous at ground level. Emma Murray snuck in for two goals, Parry was involved in everything without kicking a major and Aishling Moloney took a lot of attention despite kicking just one goal. There's also Chantal Mason along with Rachel Kearns, all of whom can ask questions of the opposition. Given they get enough supply, Geelong's forwards are a headache. – Michael Whiting

5) Lucy Wales is a dangerous asset for the Hawks

The Hawthorn ruck's game has gone to another level this year, and she's proving her versatility. Last week against Yartapuulti, Wales put in a strong performance and pushed forward to support her side. On Sunday afternoon against Collingwood, along with her 22 hitouts, she played a helpful role behind the ball, finishing with five tackles and nine intercept possessions, on a day when Collingwood heavily beat Hawthorn in inside 50s 42-25. Post-game, coach Daniel Webster had praise for the "incredibly smart" Wales who "knows where to place herself on the ground", noting that it's giving his side plenty of options. – Danielle Croci

6) Young is beginning to realise her potential

Lauren Young's rise has been a long time coming, and now the competition is starting to see why Yartapuulti rated her so highly. The 20-year-old produced the best performance of her young career in Sunday's win over Greater Western Sydney, gathering 18 disposals, five marks and seven score involvements, while also kicking two goals including calmly slotting the matchwinner right on the final siren. One of the most highly touted juniors in the country when she signed during the 2023 expansion pre-signing period, Young lost her entire debut season to an ACL injury and managed just four games in 2025. Now, after her first uninterrupted pre-season, the Power youngster is beginning to realise her enormous potential. - Alison O'Connor

7) Adelaide's attack strikes back

The Crows lost some serious firepower in their front half during a busy off-season, but there were promising signs in their hard-fought win against the Eagles. Returns of seven goals and just three resulted in losses to Sydney and Carlton to open the season, but Ryan Davis' side had eight on the board by half-time at Unley Oval. Six of those came in a pivotal second-quarter blast and while Adelaide could only manage another one in the second half, a spread of eight goalkickers was enough to bring a smile to the rookie coach's face. - Jason Phelan

8) The Roos are matching every challenge comfortably

In round one, Geelong was level with North Melbourne until midway through the second term, in round two, Brisbane kept pace in the second half, and on Saturday, the Western Bulldogs’ defence made a massive upset look possible early, but none could sustain the level needed to keep up with the barnstorming Roos. Every club is rising to the challenge, hoping to be the one that claims the biggest scalp of them all, however Darren Crocker has his side not only firing on all cylinders, but capable of changing gear and direction as required. The law of averages says North’s next loss is getting closer every day, but it might require a strong pair of binoculars to see even just a hint of it at the moment. – Howard Kimber

9) St Kilda is in danger of having its confidence shattered

Following round two's 85-point mauling at the hands of Geelong, Euro-Yroke entered Saturday’s clash against Sydney desperate to make a statement but came away in danger of mental disintegration. The Saints dominated the first quarter and much of the fourth but couldn’t capitalise, with just one goal for the match on the back of two against the Cats. Four set shots to start the final term all went wayward, seemingly due more to confidence than conditions. Now they have a week of waiting to face the unstoppable North Melbourne. Coach Nick Dal Santo will need to spend as much time building emotional resistance as on game play, or his side’s season could be effectively over well before the halfway mark. – Howard Kimber