IN THIS week's Things We Learned, we discover the Dees are substance as well as style, Geelong is set for the top four again plus much, much more.

Check out what we learned from round 10 of the 2026 season.

*This article will be updated after the Waalitj Marawar v Greater Western Sydney match on Sunday night

1) The new-look Dees are capable of winning big finals

Melbourne is sitting in fifth spot on the ladder with seven wins, including victories over Gold Coast, Brisbane and now Hawthorn after Saturday's impressive performance at the MCG. Steven King has his side playing a brand of football that can win big games against quality opposition - the type of football that can win finals. Max Gawn and Kozzy Pickett aside, the team sheet is devoid of stars; no Petracca, Oliver, May, not even Jack Viney to this point of the season. But King has his group playing their roles and leaving nothing in the tank, highlighted by the fact the Demons have led the tackle count in all but one of their games this year. This group is writing its own story, and it's one that could - against all odds - lead them deep into September. – Howard Kimber

2) Jack Ison is the good news story Carlton needed

There's been very little to warm the hearts of Blues fans this season, and most of the past 12 months. But following a horror fortnight in which Carlton was fined for its handling of the Elijah Hollands situation, AFL senior coach Michael Voss departed and it also lost its AFL list manager and AFLW head of footy, debutant Jack Ison proved to be just the tonic fans and the club needed. A young Indigenous man, making history as the first player to don the navy blue after coming through the club's Next Generation Academy and running out in Sir Doug Nicholls Round, Ison had all of Marvel Stadium riding every wave of his night, from the pre-match dance to his match-sealing first goal against the Western Bulldogs. Sometimes, a debut means that little bit more, and for Ison and the Blues fans, it was exactly that. - Gemma Bastiani

3) Geelong has a clear path to the top four - again

Predicting home-and-away finishes 10 rounds into a season is fraught with danger. But after taking care of the premiers at the Gabba on Thursday night, Geelong's road to the top four appears a clear one, providing they get a reasonable run with health, of course. The Cats have one of the ultimate 2026 tests on Saturday when they host the ladder-leading Swans and face seven teams in the top 10 over the final 13 rounds. But they have six matches at their GMHBA fortress (including the Swans, Suns and Lions) and will leave Victoria on just three more occasions. With Tom Stewart and Jeremy Cameron back to their best and Chris Scott already managing workloads, watch for a trademark strong finish and a spot in the four they've seemingly had a mortgage on for 20 years. – Michael Whiting

4) This Pie must stand up to save Collingwood's season

Last year's Copeland Trophy winner Darcy Cameron has not quite recaptured his best form so far in 2016, just as the Magpies' ruck depth hits a new low following Oscar Steene's season-ending ACL injury against Sydney. While the Magpies may target reinforcements in the upcoming mid-season draft, they desperately need Cameron right now. With the veteran sidelined on Friday night and Steene going down, the Pies were forced to rely on a makeshift combination of Jack Buller, Billy Frampton and Dan McStay to curb Brodie Grundy's influence. The resulting exposure presents a massive structural headache as the club fights to remain a finals contender. – Emily Patterson

5) Don't forget Sam Collins when discussing the game's best key defenders

It's no secret Gold Coast enforcer Sam Collins is a quality key defender, but it might be time we start assessing him right at the pointy end. There's plenty of worthy contenders (Harris Andrews, Callum Wilkie, Sam Taylor, Tom Barrass and many others), but Collins reminded us again on Friday night just how good he is. Although conditions in Darwin weren't conducive to high marking, Mitch Georgiades is one of the best full-forwards in the AFL, and Collins won most of their one-on-one contests. The 31-year-old can just as effectively negate as he can win the ball back for his team, and he is currently ranked inside the top five for intercept possessions. If Collins continues this form, he should be strongly considered for a maiden All-Australian selection. – Michael Whiting

6) This young Saint continues to impress

The clash between Euro-Yroke and Richmond won't be making any end-of-year highlight reels, but Saints speedster Hugo Garcia was a clear highlight. While the 20-year-old has had plenty of centre-bounce opportunities this year, the absence of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (calf) saw him take on an even greater responsibility as the game-breaker through the middle. His explosiveness, speed, agility and smarts all added up to an outstanding performance that had Tiger opponents grasping thin air in his wake. Garcia finished with 25 disposals, 10 clearances and two goals, and was one of the Saints' best in their comfortable victory. - Sarah Black

7) The low-cost Dockers are driving Freo's flag push

Plenty has been made of Fremantle's outstanding list build, with high draft picks like Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Hayden Young combining with headline-grabbing trades for the likes of Luke Jackson, Shai Bolton and Jordan Clark. But a focus on the stars completely undersells the bargains the Dockers have brought through the door in the same period. Of the 23 that thrashed the Bombers on Sunday, six players - Patrick Voss, Josh Treacy, Isiah Dudley, Mason Cox, Karl Worner and Chris Scerri - joined the club as rookies, while Oscar McDonald was a delisted free agent. Throw in bargains like Michael Frederick, Sam Switkowski and Luke Ryan, who were all drafted after pick 60 in the national draft, and it shows this flag contender is about much more than just nailing top draft picks and high-cost trades. - Martin Smith

8) The Crows have another ace up their sleeves

Minor premiers last year, the Crows' forward line set-up was questioned often throughout the season and they fell to a straight-sets finals exit. But they had a different look against North Melbourne on Saturday, and it paid off. With Riley Thilthorpe (back soreness) and Taylor Walker (hamstring) sidelined, the Crows also swung a late change with Nick Murray making way for Luke Nankervis. The smaller forward line worked wonderfully well for Kuwarna, particularly during a 10-goal second quarter. With Darcy Fogarty and Toby Murray impacting as talls, they were two of eight Crows who kicked multiple goals, while Kuwarna's pressure was also enormous. With it, Kuwarna showed it has another card to play should it need it at the business end of the season. – Dejan Kalinic