Round 13 saw the second week of the byes, with Gold Coast, Adelaide, Sydney, Western Bulldogs, West Coast and Geelong all having the week off.
Melbourne have been kicked off the no.1 pedestal after suffering a third consecutive defeat at the hands of Collingwood in the traditional Queen's Birthday clash.
Brisbane quickly stamped their claims on season 2022 after taking care of a wounded St Kilda line-up by 21 points.
Fremantle remain in the hunt for a top two finish after scrapping through against the Hawks in Nat Fyfe's return game.
Port Adelaide's chances of making finals have gone from slim to near impossible, after falling short of the Tigers in a cold, wintery night in Melbourne on Thursday.
North Melbourne's prized-draft pick has allowed his frustration to get the better of him, lashing out at Giant Josh Kelly resulting in a two-game suspension as well as being visibly distressed when talking to veteran Todd Goldstein.
Demon demise is real
Off the back of three consecutive losses, Melbourne is literally limping to the bye, with three of their players coming up injured in the loss against Collingwood.
Suffering a tumultuous week off the field - featuring a suspension to significant player Steven May for his altercation with Jake Melksham as well as claims of coach Simon Goodwin's aggressive behaviour within the four walls - the Dees set their sights on regaining assertion over the competition.
However, an energetic and youthful Pies outfit had other plans, adding to the turmoil Melbourne has faced in recent times.
Skipper Max Gawn has been added to the injury list after rolling his ankle and unable to perform at the usual capacity we know he can, while debutant Daniel Turner was subbed out with concussion.
Harrison Petty also played on valiantly, after hurting his shoulder in a marking contest against Collingwood match-winner Brody Mihocek.
The bye couldn't come sooner for the reigning premiers and a week off may be just what the doctor ordered for the side some predicted to go 22-0 this season.
Melbourne's run-home is one of the toughest for the current top eight and their last four rounds could give a good indication of how deep they'll go in 2022.
Lions on top
Brisbane have snatched top spot from Melbourne by 0.2 per cent after beating St Kilda by 21 points.
The Lions are clearly the best offensive team in the competition, scoring a total of 1338 points in their 13 games with next best a fair bit off.
Chris Fagan's men will enjoy a much needed week off after playing some close matches in the past month, including going down by under 15 points to Hawthorn and Fremantle.
Brisbane have set up their second half year to give a top two finish a real crack, facing only four current top eight sides in the remaining matches, including the Demons twice.
2020 Brownlow Medallist is leading the charge, with statistics saying he could be another chance come season's end to take home the individual honour.
Jason Horne-Francis seems distressed
Being all over social media due to his "like" of a mock trade that saw him return home to SA, Horne-Francis has let out his frustration, resulting in a verbal argument with veteran Todd Goldstein and a lashing out at Giant Josh Kelly.
The number 1 draft pick has been given a two-game suspension, of which he has accepted for his errant hand.
Rumours have been circulating that the born-South Australian is keen to head back to his roots, with Power legend Kane Cornes revealing talk about Horne-Francis' desire to do so.
This could be another indication of the young star's buy in at Arden Street, following an incident earlier in the year, where he returned home for Mother's Day without the knowledge of the club, resulting in a warning.
On game day, Horne-Francis looks visibly stressed and frustrated with how the teams performing, which is critical to the 18-year-old's desires to remain where he is.
Craig McRae could already be coach of the year
Following another impressive performance, defeating reigning premiers in an enthralling Queen's Birthday match, Collingwood coach Craig McRae has staked his claims as 2022 coach of the year.
The Pies have been exquisite the past month, beating top four contenders Carlton, Fremantle and the Demons, whilst also managing to hold off Hawthorn in a thriller.
The black-and-white were predicted to be another bottom four side this season, after a fall from grace since 2019.
The Pies just fell in the eight in 2020 and finished 17th in 2021 with not much hope for the immediate future.
However, McRae has got his men firing on all cylinders and they are quickly becoming one of the most watchable teams in the competition.
The attacking game style which works on gaining territory and trusting the contest upfield has worked so far in the first 13 rounds, resulting in a 8-5 win/loss record and could've arguably been a lot better.
Question still remains how Collingwood lost games to Geelong, who led by 31 points at three quarter-time and a decimated West Coast at Marvel Stadium.
Add those two wins to the season and the Pies are well and truly in the hunt. However, they do seem to be a tricky team to beat and could shake up the competition as we near September.
Bailey Smith drug saga puts policy into question
Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has been all over social media, with the star being shown to have indulged in illicit substances shortly after the 2021 Grand Final.
Photos and videos plastered all over the internet, Smith's indiscretions and punishment have been the topic of plenty conversations, questioning the effectiveness of the drug policy currently in place.
As was Shane Mumford and Brad Crouch's penalty for similar behaviours, the top 10 pick is likely to be offered a two-game ban, which will be on top of the current suspension for head butting Zach Tuohy.
Smith has openly apologised for his behaviour and will face whatever the consequences are thrown at him.
However, the AFL's present policy offers players three strikes if they're found to have taken illegal drugs.
A first strike that is given to a player is generally kept confidential as well as the receiving a $5000 fine. The third and final strike warrants a 12-match suspension and a $10,000 fine.
