IN THIS week's Things We Learned, we discover the Saints have found some mid-season draft goal, the Eagles need to recruit more speed plus much, much more.

Check out what we learned from round 17 of the 2025 season.

1) This Magpie is primed for another flag tilt

Last week, Jeremy Howe was the star of Collingwood's backline. In Friday night's 56-point win over Carlton, Darcy Moore received plaudits for his 10-intercept performance. But bubbling away in Collingwood's defence – which is conceding just 67.8 points per game – is Isaac Quaynor. According to coach Craig McRae, the 25-year-old is "back to his 2023 form" in which he was named in the All-Australian squad, and Friday's showing was evidence of just that. Quaynor read the play beautifully, neutralised the Blues' attempts to gain territory and generated scoring forays for his own side to finish with 18 disposals, nine marks (three contested) and six intercept possessions in a commanding performance that is an ominous sign for forward lines preparing to face the Pies in the finals. - Gemma Bastiani

2) Grundy is making a late All-Australian charge

It is little coincidence that Sydney's form has improved at the same time as its ruck has reached the top of his game. Brodie Grundy reaffirmed his claim to be among the leading rucks with a powerful performance against the Dockers' one-two punch of Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy that proved pivotal in the Swans' 11-point victory on Sunday. The 31-year-old struck first when awarded a free kick against Jackson at a boundary throw-in and slotted the opening goal of the game, then went on to gather a game-high 12 clearances among 20 disposals to set the tone as the Swans dominated the stoppages. All-Australian selectors have named as many as three rucks in the squad in recent years and even among stiff competition, Grundy must be right in the mix after earning the last of his two blazers in 2019. - Martin Pegan

3) The Saints have found some mid-season draft gold

When Hawthorn snared Jai Newcombe through its own VFL affiliate, he became the pin-up boy for mid-season recruits. However, St Kilda has now found its own diamond in the rough via a raid on the Box Hill program. Max Hall continues to shine, having been given valuable midfield minutes in recent weeks, delivering the best performance of his young career against Hawthorn on Saturday night. Hall finished with 27 disposals and three goals to complement five clearances, six inside-50s, nine score involvements and four tackles. It made him the highest rated player on the ground, even outshining a 43-disposal performance from Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. After 21 disposals and a goal last week, Hall is beginning to find his feet at AFL level and looks as though he'll be a part of the club's long-term future. - Riley Beveridge

4) Sam Darcy can be stopped

At three-quarter-time of Thursday night's clash against North Melbourne, the talented Sam Darcy had just five disposals and a goal from a 50m penalty next to his name from the Bulldogs' 51 inside-50s. Fifth-gamer Wil Dawson was given the mammoth task of manning up on the 208cm key forward and did an exceptional job. Darcy did finish the game with four goals, but three came in the final term when the game was well and truly out of contention. The focus on Darcy likely played a role in Aaron Naughton having a season-best night with five goals, proving you can't measure Darcy's impact alone on goals and marks. But you'd suspect opposition teams will look at Dawson's efforts in this game as they look to stop Darcy in the run to finals, a task that has looked near impossible at times this season. - Phoebe McWilliams

5) That's probably the last we'll see of Sam Lalor in 2025

The No.1 draft pick lasted less than three minutes in Saturday's clash with Geelong, re-injuring his left hamstring in a tackle on the Cats' Tom Atkins. Richmond's medical staff had been conservative with the young star's return to play, giving Lalor an extra week to recover from the injury he sustained in round 11. Now, having hurt it again six weeks later, you feel with seven rounds left in the season, the Tigers will likely put their emerging talent on ice for the rest of the year. - Phoebe McWilliams

6) Don't forget this Lion in the run to September

Brisbane fans sing Country Roads well into the next play after every Charlie Cameron goal, but they could be dancing to Zac Bailey's celebration song – DJ Ötzi's Hey Baby – all summer long if he shines in September like he did on Saturday night. The leading goalkickers in the four most recent Grand Finals have all been small forwards, and Bailey's five-goal, 26-disposal game against Port Adelaide shows how big a weapon he can be at his best. Last year it was Callum Ah Chee and Kai Lohmann that did the damage in the season decider - could 2025 be Bailey’s moment to shine? – Howard Kimber

7) The Eagles need more wheels

When West Coast continues its list build at the end of this season, adding speed and running power should be in its plans after seeing how valuable it can be in the 59-point loss to Greater Western Sydney on Friday night. The Giants play a demanding, high paced game, and the Eagles could not go with them, repeatedly finding themselves outgunned when the ball was in motion by players like Finn O'Callaghan, Xavier O'Halloran, Darcy Jones, Toby Bedford and others. Experience and the cumulative impact of pre-seasons would be a factor in this gap in class, and some of it could also be reaction time, or even GWS players taking a risk and backing teammates to win the ball. But over the game it resulted in the tired Eagles doing a lot of chasing. They won't be the only team exposed by the Giants' runners, but more speed on the list will help. - Nathan Schmook 

8) The Crows may well have left 2017 behind – at last

Halfway through the second quarter of Sunday's win over Melbourne, Adelaide looked like it was about to put its finals campaign in doubt. One of five teams on 10 wins heading into the game, there's little room for the Crows to move with nine teams battling with eight spots in the finals. Ever since their thrashing in the 2017 decider, the Crows have found new and sometimes heartbreaking ways to miss the pointy end of the season and a loss today would have created fears they would miss September again. But this is a different group, and when the abyss looked at them they stared it down, lifting a notch or three and leaving no doubt they have the mental resilience to match their physical class. – Howard Kimber

9) These Suns are a steelier outfit

In years gone by, Gold Coast post-bye has been a completely different proposition to Gold Coast pre-bye. It's when the wheels start wobbling, or sometimes spontaneously combusting. With far tougher challenges to come this month – Collingwood, Adelaide and Brisbane – it was crucial that the Suns didn't drop their bundle against Essendon. At three-quarter time, the margin was just three points, and the Suns were being beaten around the footy. But skipper Noah Anderson lifted his game, Wil Powell had some nice moments, and Matt Rowell found some rare clear air away from Will Setterfield. The Suns didn't just secure four points, but also gained two percentage points in the tightest of top eights in the eventual 41-point victory. – Sarah Black