1. Hogan is being wasted further afield

Melbourne's Jesse Hogan emerged on the AFL scene in 2015 – delayed a year by a back injury – as a power forward who monstered key defenders and kicked 44 goals. The Demons' new spearhead was so impressive he pipped Patrick Cripps for the Rising Star award despite the Blue winning contested possessions and clearances for fun. Hogan was a genuine contested marking presence and averaged more than two per game in his first two seasons, on top of 2.6 and three marks inside 50, respectively. You can effectively forget the 23-year-old's 2017 season because of personal tragedy, his cancer battle, injury and suspension, but a trend had begun. Hogan is strong aerobically, particularly for his 195cm frame, so the temptation to use him in various positions has proven too great for Melbourne coaches. He's had some great performances in his roaming role, but are the Demons outsmarting themselves? In essence, what makes Hogan so valuable is his forward play, but he now takes about half as many contested marks as in his first two campaigns. He failed to kick a goal in his past two outings then meandered through a goalless first half on Sunday. Hogan came to life after half-time, particularly in the last quarter, with three majors while appearing to play deeper in attack. We'll have to wait and see if the penny dropped for Melbourne's brains trust. - Marc McGowan

THE RUN HOME Will the Cats miss the eight?

2. Bulldogs snare a beauty from Magpies' nest

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire must wish there was a grandfather-grandson rule. That way the Magpies could have snared Ed Richards in last year's NAB AFL Draft. But after making an astute selection on Jaidyn Stephenson at pick No.6, the Magpies were never going to be in the running for Richards given their next selection fell at No.39. This allowed the Western Bulldogs to swoop at pick No.16 – and they look to have made the right call on the grandson of 1953 Collingwood premiership player Ron and grandnephew of club legend Lou. The former Oakleigh Charger looked at home in defence after debuting in round two against West Coast and has shown he is equally at home in attack over the past three rounds. His three-goal effort against Port Adelaide in round 13 was impressive, but he was even better in matching that haul against Geelong on Friday night. When the game was on the line, Richards kicked the Dogs' opening two goals of the final quarter to help them reclaim the lead. The first of them was something special. After holding off Geelong tall Jake Kolodjashnij in a one-on-one contest, Richards somehow got his boot to the ball, with just enough force to dribble it over the line. Blessed with speed, class and the famous Richards cheek, the young Dog looks set for a long and successful career at the Whitten Oval. Sorry, Eddie, you're just going to have to grin and bear that. - Nick Bowen

3. Selfless Riewoldt still a star

Jack Riewoldt's recast role inside Richmond's forward line over recent seasons has meant he has often sacrificed his own game. At times, he has roamed up the ground to provide a linking target, while, as the sole tall in attack, he can always be relied on to create a marking contest – and crumbs for hungry smalls such as Dan Butler, Jason Castagna, Daniel Rioli and Jack Higgins. But under Thursday night's bright spotlight the dual Coleman medallist showed he can still play the match-winner when required. Manned for most of the game by hard-checking Swan Heath Grundy, Riewoldt took a career-high 16 marks – his previous best was 14 in round five, 2009, against North Melbourne – while he equalled his best tally of contested marks (seven). He finished with 23 possessions, just one shy of his best tally, and kicked 3.2. Two of his goals game from outside 50m, one of those after a towering speccy that showed he still has plenty of spring left in his 29-year-old legs. - Nick Bowen

WATCH Riewoldt turns back the clock

4. Orazio Fantasia is fast becoming Essendon's most important player

Essendon hasn't been able to get as much as it would have hoped out of Fantasia this season, with the lively small forward struck by some injury niggles across the year. After managing 39 goals last season in a breakout campaign, the 22-year-old entered Sunday's clash with North Melbourne having booted just seven goals from eight games. He turned it around against the Roos, though, with three first-quarter goals (including two brilliant boundary-line snaps) before finishing with a season-high four goals in Essendon's 17-point win. His class, speed and link-up play make him perhaps the Bombers' best barometer, something that has been abundantly clear when he's been out of the side at stages this year. - Callum Twomey

5. Levi left lacking as Curnow plays starring role 

Charlie Curnow needs Levi Casboult to step up. It was left to Curnow to shoulder the brunt of the responsibility within Carlton's attack on Saturday, with Casboult a peripheral figure in a disappointing individual display. Returning from a dislocated finger that kept him out last week, Casboult didn't have a single touch of the footy in the first half against Port Adelaide. His first disposal, amassed early in the third quarter, drew Bronx cheers from the Blues faithful. He finished with three behinds from four kicks. Although the 21-year-old Curnow fought on manfully, kicking three goals in the first quarter and finishing with four for the game, his room soon became crowded and his opportunities harder to come by. He's a rare talent who needs a foil up forward – Casboult must be that man. - Riley Beveridge

6. Naitanui can go missing when the game is up for grabs

The heat will be on West Coast's star ruckman Nic Naitanui after he was comprehensively beaten in the last quarter of the Eagles' 10-point loss to Adelaide on Saturday. Naitanui had just one disposal in the final term as his counterpart Sam Jacobs got completely on top in the ruck battle. Jacobs had 18 disposals (13 contested) for the game to go with 39 hit-outs and a goal. The Crows won contested possessions by 49-28 in the last quarter and inside 50s by 24-4. Not all of that falls on Naitanui – the Eagles' midfielders were smashed by the Crows in the last term – but the big man has to be more influential when the result is in the balance. - Lee Gaskin

FROM THE TWOS Who starred in the state leagues?

7. Tall timber risk paid off for the Giants and they need to pack heavy again

Leon Cameron sprang a surprise when he retained ruckman Dawson Simpson in his side to face Hawthorn, despite Rory Lobb's early return from a back injury. It meant the Giants could have been exposed at ground level with Simpson (201cm) in the ruck, and Lobb (207cm), Jonathon Patton (198cm) and Harry Himmelberg (194cm) playing inside 50. But even though Lobb wasn't used in the ruck, his height caused the Hawks headaches early, and he'll do the same against West Coast this week. The Eagles threw Jeremy McGovern forward against Adelaide with goalkickers Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy and Mark Lecras missing, but with key defender Tom Barrass unlikely to face GWS, he'll have no choice but to move back on Sunday. If his fitness continues to improve, Lobb might be able to do some ruck work this week, so that can help Simpson and Patton counter the pairing of Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett. Going tall isn't a long-term option for the Giants but it should last at least another round. - Adam Curley

8. Collingwood has to improve or it is in for a shock

For the first two-and-a-half quarters of Saturday night's win, the Magpies looked every bit a top-four team that could challenge for a premiership. Their pressure was exceptional, they transitioned the ball beautifully, and with their versatile forward line cashing in on most chances, were leading Gold Coast a merry dance. But what they dished up in the final 45 minutes rightly left coach Nathan Buckley perplexed. At first it was a team leading by 10 goals relaxing for a few minutes – totally understandable - but it quickly became a pattern of laziness and poor execution that a better team would have punished even more. With matches against every other top-four team in the next five weeks, and no Adam Treloar to help the midfield run-and-carry, the Pies have to knuckle down and become four-quarter enforcers. – Michael Whiting

FANTASY FORM WATCH Dumbest call of the year?

9. Jarrod Berry is ready to take on the big boys

At 193cm and with a strong build in just his second season, young Brisbane midfielder Jarrod Berry is quietly establishing himself as a star of the future. On Sunday at Optus Stadium the Lions took the opportunity to run him on superstar Nat Fyfe and for the opening quarter Berry had the better of the match-up, winning eight possessions to Fyfe's five. When Fyfe went down with a hamstring injury early in the second term, he moved on to Lachie Neale and continued to hold his own, winning plenty of his own football and finishing with 24. Berry won high praise for his tagging job on Joel Selwood last season, but the club has resisted run-with roles since, preferring to let the young Victorian focus on his own game this season. The opportunity to learn from two clearance stars was too much to pass up, however, and Berry’s performance suggests it is likely to pay dividends for the Lions. - Nathan Schmook