1. A blast from Kochie isn't enough to right the wrongs at Port Adelaide
After club chairman David Koch lashed Port during the week, labelling the side's round-four performance a "disgrace", it seemed for a quarter against Geelong that the Power had rediscovered their best footy. Then the concerning truth emerged. Their president's ire notwithstanding, Port was given a contested-football lesson for the second week in a row, fully exposing the depth of the team's form slump. Setting aside Saturday night's bright first quarter, Port has a contested possession differential of -53 in the past fortnight. It has been pummelled by 158 points across seven quarters. Several of their prime movers are down and coach Ken Hinley has conceded there is no quick fix. "They want to be in good form, the players, but they're just not in great touch at the moment,'' he said. "The only way they can turn that at around is just to work hard at their game and work really diligently towards improvement." - Kym Morgan

2. Travis Cloke can look forward to a few more weeks in the twos
The Magpie spearhead has been an excellent player for a long period of time but his form woes meant he had to be dropped. He took the medicine well, speaking with class about his plight and trying hard in the VFL with limited supply. However, in Monday's 69-point Anzac Day romp the Magpies looked fresh without him in the team. They were less predictable and didn't suffer the potential letdown of missed set shots that has now been carried for a couple of seasons. The Magpies will not rush Cloke back into the team until he is belting down the door. By dropping him, they have jumped a psychological hurdle. – Peter Ryan

3. Poppy blooms under the spotlight
With his ability to play as a small defender, defensive forward, goalsneak and pinch-hitting midfielder, Paul Puopolo was an important role player in Hawthorn's 2013-15 flag teams, but rarely shone as brightly as his frequent forward-line partner, Cyril Rioli. Rioli's star billing as the Hawks' premier small forward is not under threat, but Puopolo's man-of-the-match performance against Adelaide showed he is one understudy who doesn't freeze when it's his turn to step into the lead role. The SANFL premiership player was outstanding against the Crows. He kicked a game-high five goals, including the match-winner with a perfectly hit set shot from 40m, but also had three score assists, six tackles and buzzed around with a constant energy that lifted his teammates. Puopolo has never polled a Brownlow vote, but Friday night's performance will almost certainly change that – and he should break his duck with the maximum three votes. - Nick Bowen

4. The Bulldogs' depth is the envy of (most of) the competition
Not many sides, with the obvious exception of Hawthorn, can boast a deep and flexible playing list quite like the Western Bulldogs. Even with skipper Robert Murphy, dynamic half-back Jason Johannisen, key forward Tom Boyd and pocket rocket Caleb Daniel out of the side, the Dogs were still capable of smashing the Brisbane Lions by 53 points despite not playing anywhere near their best. Tom Campbell came in for Boyd and had 16 touches, seven marks, 22 hit-outs and kicked a goal, while Toby McLean – stiff to be dropped before being reprieved by Daniel's (calf) late withdrawal – had 25 touches, slotted two goals and was among the Bullies' best. They're building something special at the Whitten Oval. - Travis King

5. There's no easy way out of this for Fremantle
After the round two loss to Gold Coast Ross Lyon said he's been "in bigger holes than this". He has found himself in a bigger hole than that after the round five loss to Carlton and there is no quick fix. Lyon said there was no need to rebuild, but a re-stump, re-wire and re-plumb of the Dockers' house was required. That won't be easy given what lies ahead. They face Adelaide in Adelaide, GWS at home and Hawthorn in Tasmania in the next three weeks. They won't have Aaron Sandilands or Harley Bennell any time soon and Nat Fyfe's availability for all three of those games will depend on the result of the scans on his leg injury. Lyon said he needed to find players who can execute their skills in the method he wants under pressure. He will get a good look at all of his players against the pressure of the Crows, the Giants and the Hawks in the next three weeks to see who he can take forward and who he leaves behind. – Alex Malcolm  

6. They might have the oldest list, but the Kangaroos have speed to burn
While other teams around the competition, including Saturday night's opponent Gold Coast, use leg speed to hurt their opposition, North Melbourne has an equally devastating weapon – speed of ball movement. Against the Suns, North used its suffocating pressure around the contest to create a host of turnovers – forced and unforced – and once they got the ball, it was frequently transitioned the length of Metricon Stadium with blinding speed. Nothing moves faster than the ball, and with smart, efficient midfielders like Nick Dal Santo, Shaun Higgins, Jack Ziebell and Daniel Wells, the Kangaroos will worry plenty more teams with their attacking arsenal this season. - Michael Whiting

7. Max Gawn deserves All Australian recognition
During the middle of a pre-season training session in Maroochydore in January, Melbourne coach Paul Roos called all of his players in and made a beeline for ruckman Max Gawn. Gawn geared himself up for a spray, but instead Roos pulled a $50 note out of his pocket and handed it to the big man, announcing to the group that it was the best training session he had seen from a ruckman. There is no telling the amount of money Roos could have handed to Gawn after Melbourne's 33-point point over Richmond, but the cash would have been by the bagful. Gawn set up the Demons' comfortable victory with 18 disposals, 47 hit-outs and seven marks (four contested) in an outstanding performance, enhancing his All Australian credentials even further after a stellar start to 2016. - Ben Guthrie

8. Improving veterans are adding steel to the Swans
Co-captain Jarrad McVeigh (two games in 2016), Ben McGlynn (three) and Ted Richards (four) had limited pre-seasons due to injury, but the experienced trio is slowly building their way back to top form. Richards took 10 marks against the Eagles in defence and was best on ground, McGlynn gathered a season-high 21 disposals and goaled to put his side back in front after West Coast had stolen back the lead in the third term before McVeigh booted the next two, both clutch snaps as the Swans responded and kicked away. Richards, aged 33, is still a linchpin in the backline; McGlynn adds pace and tackling pressure to the midfield; McVeigh's class at half-back sets up many of the Swans' attacks. Coach John Longmire would be extremely happy to have all three back in his 22 and quietly building in confidence. - Adam Curley

9. The Giants' defence is running riot 
If the Western Bulldogs had the best running defenders before injury struck, GWS may well have its eye on that mantle. Twelve of the Giants' 19 goals against St Kilda on Sunday were scored from chains that started in the back half, with defenders Nathan Wilson and Zac Williams sharing 18 score involvements. The young duo, aged 23 and 21, also combined for 11 rebound 50s, and then we get to in-form veteran Heath Shaw, who had nine himself. Coach Leon Cameron is aware of the group's strength and said his team was following the AFL trend in launching scores from defence. "Everyone would love to have really good running backs because it can help you score," he said. "Our guys are in pretty good form." - Nathan Schmook