1. Has Toby Greene's luck run out with the MRP?
After his star forward was reported for headbutting last week, Leon Cameron admitted he'd sat down with Greene to let him know that he was getting close to crossing the line, and he finally did against the Bulldogs. The 2016 All Australian was reported for striking in the third term when a crude swinging arm collected Caleb Daniel late in a marking contest. The diminutive Dog was given a 50-metre penalty that landed him in the goalsquare, and he gave his side a five-point lead just before the final change. It was a big moment in the match, but if Greene cops a week or two, his next discussion with his coach might be a little more intense. The reigning club champion booted another three goals to take his tally to 20 for the year, but as Cameron said during the week, Greene’s not much good to the team if he's sitting on the sidelines.

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2. The nation's capital is well and truly orange
The Giants' clash with the premiers was their first Friday night fixture and it was a packed house in Canberra as the locals came in their droves to support the 'home' side, with 14,048 fans packing the ground. GWS went into the game having won six of their last seven games at UNSW Canberra Oval, while the Bulldogs – who used to call the ground their second home - had won seven of their nine games at the venue. The Giants' foray into Canberra has been a raging success, and while they keep playing an exciting brand of footy, and winning games, their matches will continue to sell out. GWS have passed the 4000 members mark in the ACT, currently have 18,801 in total, and the momentum is returning the code to it's glory days in the nation’s capital, after rugby league and rugby union took control for a number of years. 

3. Tom Boyd one out against the Giants again
When Tom Campbell pulled out before the match with an ankle problem, it left Boyd as the Bulldogs' sole ruckman against in-form Giant Shane Mumford, and his back up Rory Lobb. The former number one draft pick excelled in last year's preliminary final when the Dogs lost Jordan Roughead during the game with an eye injury, and probably took the points against the GWS pair as his side won through to a famous Grand Final. Mumford dominated the hit outs with 52 for the night, but the Dogs had the better of the ground level action and lead the clearances at half-time, before GWS eventually worked their way on top to shade the visitors 40-38. Boyd finished with 12 possessions and 22 hitouts and had the chance to be a hero late in the match, but his shot at goal was shanked to the top of the goalsquare. 

4. Clay Smith's half century of games a tale of true grit
The tough as nails Bulldog was one of the stories of 2016 when he fought his way back from a third knee reconstruction to play a major part in the club's historic flag. Smith booted four goals in the first half of the Dogs' preliminary final win, just days after losing his close friend in a car accident, and kicked a crucial goal in the premiership triumph over the Swans. Smith's awkward left foot will never be elite, but if you're after a poster boy for forward pressure and perseverance he’ll fit the bill. It wasn't a great night for Smith who gathered just 10 disposals and failed to hit the scoreboard in the tough loss, but the milestone was a significant one for the hard worker. 

5. Dogs' horrendous finishing cause for major concern
They've been winning ugly and managing to scrape by against lower ranked sides, but Luke Beveridge must be pulling his hair out after his team booted another 19 behinds against the Giants. That gives the premiers 56 behinds in the past three games from 94 scoring shots, and it cost them finally against GWS. The Dogs dominated the second term and kicked 4.8, then backed it up with 1.5 in the third, and in such a tight contest against one of this year's premiership favourites, inaccuracy is a killer. With the amount of talent they have on the park, the Giants don't need many opportunites to hurt their opposition, and the likes of Jeremy Cameron, Toby Greene and Jonathon Patton did just that, with the star trio combining for 10.4 in the important victory.