The big winners of Round 15 were...
Fremantle Dockers for a commanding fifth consecutive win, all of which their opponents of the day were unable to break through the modest 70-point barrier.
They're still only seventh for points conceded per game (83.2) but that number continues to go in the right direction with some excellent performances against fellow top-eight contenders GWS Giants and Gold Coast Suns.
One look at their fixture for the final nine rounds of the season suggests that, on current form, they're a fantastic chance of finishing in the top-four, with their next six games including four opponents currently outside the eight such as out-of-form Carlton and West Coast.
Head coach Justin Longmuir is reflecting what he says is a massive cultural and attitude change within a playing squad that has grown immensely in confidence but still has "plenty of growing to do" in his opinion.
Honourable mention: Brisbane Lions stole a huge percentage boost and spoiled Patrick Dangerfield's 350th game celebrations in Geelong on Friday night, but were only 11 points ahead of Geelong on the expected score. They were in the right place at the right time and can't afford to get carried away with the result.
The big losers of Round 15 were...
None other, of course, than the Carlton Blues who captured the attention of the nation with another truly inept performance that has their season now on life support.
That might seem an incredible claim to make for a club with a 6-8 record that is just two wins outside the top-eight, but the Bulldogs and Giants on current form look set to run away from the bottom-ten, whilst those around them such as Gold Coast, Sydney and Port Adelaide all look more capable of chasing the top-eight if it is to change from hereon.
They now almost certainly need to win at least seven of their last nine games of the season in a run home that includes Collingwood, Brisbane in consecutive weeks and then Fremantle and Hawthorn not long after that.
Under-fire head coach Michael Voss candidly admitted to the press at the weekend that the team should be much further ahead in their development under his tenure, which could give the board all they need to swing the axe once finals are formally out of reach.
Dishonourable mention: Essendon stunk again - there's no way of sugarcoating it. Despite being level with Carlton, Sydney and Port Adelaide two wins outside the top-eight, they look much further away than that. All in all, it appears that anyone below ninth-placed Gold Coast are out of contention.
AFL Coleman Medal leaderboard
It was a very quiet week for the leading sharpshooters of the league, with the order of the Coleman Medal top five not changing one bit this week.
Full forwards Sam Darcy (Western Bulldogs) and Logan Morris (Brisbane Lions) were the only two men to record five-goal hauls in Round 15.
AFL Coaches MVP leaderboard
Fremantle's Luke Jackson, North Melbourne's Tom Powell, Collingwood's Darcy Cameron and Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli were the four men to get the full ten votes from the coaches in Round 15.
Nine from Gold Coast captain Noah Anderson saw him shoot up the table to second behind Bailey Smith, who was voteless in a rare off-week.
Mark of the Year Nominations: Round 15
Nate Caddy:
Kai Lohmann:
Geelong local Will McLachlan:
Goal of the Year Nominations: Round 15
Caleb Serong:
Tom Green:
Jake Stringer:
