Following the completion of round 19, there was plenty of interesting results as five games were decided by 17 points or less, including a draw.
Richmond's season hangs in the balance after suffering a draw against Fremantle, ultimately losing their place in the eight.
Collingwood's after-the-siren victory over Essendon has put them in the top four.
Western Bulldogs jumped into the eight following an impressive win over reigning premiers Melbourne.
St Kilda put themselves into contention too, as they took care of West Coast at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
Geelong go a game clear on top of the ladder after surviving a Port Adelaide scare.
The Sporting News has all the latest news on AFL players in the reserves.
SEE YOUR TEAM: Adelaide | Brisbane | Carlton | Collingwood | Essendon | Fremantle | Geelong | Gold Coast | GWS | Hawthorn | Melbourne | North Melbourne | Port Adelaide | Richmond | St Kilda | Sydney | West Coast | Western Bulldogs
Michael Hurley could be in line to return for his first game since 2020.
Essendon's heartbreaking loss against Collingwood didn't lose them any supporters, as the Bombers were well in the game.
However, Hurley's return could be imminent after multiple weeks in the reserves and would be a much-needed recall.
The 30-year-old kicked one goal from 11 disposals and took five marks in his bid to return to senior football.
Defender Mason Redman was subbed from Sunday's game and could be a like for like if coach Ben Rutten opts to do so.
James Stewart and Tom Cutler could also be options to replace the dashing half back if he's deemed unavailable.
Western Bulldogs' Lachie Hunter is also banging down the door of Luke Beveridge after another impressive performance in the VFL.
Hunter collected 28 touches and 10 marks in a strong outing but will struggle to find his way into the side that beat reigning premiers Melbourne.
Darcy Tucker is looking likely for a call up to the AFL side after putting together a formidable game in the WAFL.
Tucker kicked two goals and gathered 32 possessions and would be in the mix for the match against the Demons on Friday night.
Dual Brownlow Medallist Nat Fyfe was subbed out of the game while Bailey Banfield struggled to have an impact in the draw with Richmond, amassing seven touches from 80 per cent game time.
Port Adelaide's season hangs in the balance and a date with the in-form Pies is set to take place on Saturday at the MCG.
Dan Houston was subbed out with concussion and will miss that match, opening the door for Sam Mayes after a strong outing in the SANFL over the weekend.
Mayes has performed consistently over the past couple weeks and was just as good, collecting 29 touches, six marks and six tackles in the win.
The former Lion could be a straight swap for Houston on the half back if Ken Hinkley goes down that path.
Experienced defender Trent McKenzie is also an option for the Power and would offer some stability down back.
How AFL players performed in the VFL, SANFL and WAFL
Adelaide
- Jackson Hately - 33 touches, eight clearances and six tackles
- Billy Frampton - 24 possessions and five marks
- James Rowe - three goals, 17 disposals and four tackles
- Elliot Himmelberg - 14 touches and six marks
- Lachlan Sholl - one goal, 23 possessions and four marks
Brisbane
- Kai Lohmann - one goal, 22 touches and 11 marks
- Deven Robertson - one goal 25 possessions and seven tackles
- Ely Smith - one goal, 20 disposals and six clearances
- Nakia Cockatoo - 13 touches and four marks
- Thomas Berry - seven possessions and two marks
- Tom Fullarton - four goals, 15 disposals and two marks
- Harry Sharp - one goal, 18 touches and six marks
- James Tunstill - 21 possessions and five clearances
- Darcy Fort - 29 hit-outs, 17 disposals and five clearances
Carlton
- Sam Durdin - 16 touches and six marks
- Paddy Dow - two goals, 22 touches, six tackles and five clearances
- Liam Stocker - 19 possessions and three tackles
- Brodie Kemp - 19 disposals and three marks
- Caleb Marchbank - 18 possessions and five marks
- Marc Pittonet - 35 hit-outs and 10 disposals
Collingwood
- No Match
Essendon
- Massimo D'Ambrosio - 21 touches and eight marks
- Jye Menzie - one goal, 20 possessions and five marks
- Aaron Francis - 14 disposals and four marks
- Tom Cutler - 20 touches and four marks
- Archie Perkins - 15 possessions and six tackles
- James Stewart - four goals, 15 disposals and 11 marks
- Michael Hurley - one goal, 11 touches and six marks
- Nick Bryan - 45 hit-outs, 18 possessions and seven marks
Fremantle
- Darcy Tucker - 32 touches, two goals and seven marks
- Neil Erasmus - one goal, 22 possessions and six tackles
- Nathan O'Driscoll - one goal 17 disposals and two tackles
- Lloyd Meek - 32 hit-outs, 18 touches and four marks
- Ethan Hughes - 21 possessions, two goals and seven marks
- Josh Treacy - 12 disposals and five marks
- Nathan Wilson - 28 touches and nine marks
- Mitch Crowden - 32 possessions, five marks and four tackles
Geelong
- No Match
Gold Coast
- Jack Bowes - three goals, 20 touches, seven tackles and seven clearances
- Alex Davies - 17 possessions, nine tackles and five clearances
- Alex Sexton - three goals, 12 disposals and three marks
- Brayden Fiorini - 33 touches, eight clearances and seven tackles
- Sam Day - three goals, 14 possessions and eight marks
- Rory Thompson - 18 disposals and seven marks
- Oleg Markov - 18 touches and seven marks
- James Tsitas - 18 possessions and five tackles
- Chris Burgess - one goal, 10 disposals and six marks
- Mac Andrew - 10 touches and six marks
- Charlie Constable - 14 possessions and six marks
- Malcolm Rosas - 16 disposals and three marks
- Hewago Paul Oea - one goal, 20 touches and six tackles
GWS Giants
- Wade Derksen - 13 touches and four tackles
- Cameron Fleeton - 19 possessions and six marks
- Jarrod Brander - one goal, 19 disposals and seven marks
Hawthorn
- Daniel Howe - 31 touches, nine marks and five tackles
- Max Lynch - 14 possessions, 23 hit-outs and four clearances
- Tom Phillips - 27 disposals, 11 marks and five tackles
- Jacob Koschitzke - one goal and nine touches
- Ned Long - 24 possessions and seven marks
- Jai Serong - 21 disposals and 10 marks
- Sam Butler - 15 touches and three marks
Melbourne
- Bailey Laurie - one goal, 13 touches and five tackles
- Jake Bowey - 20 possessions, six marks and three tackles
- Luke Dunstan - 20 disposals, 10 tackles and eight clearances
- Jayden Hunt - 15 touches
- Oscar Baker - 34 possessions and eight marks
- Kade Chandler - four goals, 18 disposals and five marks
North Melbourne
- No Match
Port Adelaide
- Steven Motlop - 11 touches and seven marks
- Xavier Duursma - 19 possessions, eight marks and five tackles
- Trent McKenzie - 16 disposals and three marks
- Orazio Fantasia - three goals, nine touches and three tackles
- Sam Hayes - two goals, 15 possessions, 27 hit-outs and eight marks
- Brynn Teakle - 16 disposals, 23 hit-outs and five marks
- Sam Mayes - 29 touches, six marks and six tackles
Richmond
- Jason Castagna - one goal, 18 touches, six marks and four tackles
- Jake Aarts - one goal, 27 possessions and seven tackles
- Riley Collier-Dawkins - 33 disposals, six tackles and six marks
- Thomson Dow - 29 touches, eight clearances and five tackles
- Josh Gibcus - 11 possessions and five marks
- Rhyan Mansell - 14 disposals, six marks and four tackles
- Samson Ryan - three goals, 29 hit-outs, 20 touches and eight marks
- Maurice Rioli - two goals, 18 possessions and three tackles
St Kilda
- Zak Jones - 22 touches, six tackles and six clearances
- Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera - 15 possessions and six marks
- Dan Hannebery - 25 disposals and eight clearances
- Jack Bytel - 20 touches and seven tackles
- Mitch Owens - two goals, 24 possessions and seven clearances
- Dean Kent - two goals, 11 disposals and four tackles
- Tom Highmore - 29 touches and 10 marks
Sydney
- Hayden McLean - three goal, 18 touches and five marks
- Logan McDonald - one goal, 11 possessions and six tackles
- Harry Cunningham - 26 disposals and eight marks
- Josh Kennedy - 36 touches, eight tackles and seven clearances
- Braeden Campbell - two goals, 25 possessions and seven tackles
- Callum Sinclair - 15 disposals, 35 hit-outs and four tackles
- Ben Ronke - one goal, 25 touches and seven tackles
- Lewis Taylor - one goal, 33 possessions and seven tackles
West Coast
- Zac Langdon - one goal, 11 touches and four tackles
- Sam Petrevski-Seton - 20 possessions, four marks and four tackles
- Isiah Winder - 17 disposals and five tackles
- Jackson Nelson - 27 touches
- Hugh Dixon - one goal, 18 possessions and seven tackles
- Patrick Naish - 22 disposals and three marks
Western Bulldogs
- Lachie Hunter - 28 touches and 10 marks
- Stefan Martin - one goal, 25 hit-outs, 22 possessions and seven clearances
- Sam Darcy - one goal, 12 disposals and seven marks
- Zaine Cordy - 16 touches, six marks and five tackles
- Josh Schache - nine possessions and three marks
- Toby McLean - 23 disposals, eight tackles and five marks
- Louis Butler - 23 touches and nine marls
- Tim O'Brien - 21 possessions and nine marks
- Laitham Vandermeer - one goal and seven disposals
- Roarke Smith - 17 touches and five marks
More: Want more AFL? Watch Warriors On The Field celebrating Aboriginal Australia and its long history and association with the AFL. Streaming on AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.
