If North Melbourne's Drew Petrie played for a higher-profile club, he's be approaching superstar status. He gives a great account of himself each week and his five goals against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday was pretty much the difference between the sides.

North's season is still alive. The Kangaroos desperately need to land the big scalp (get on them against the Hawks in Tassie later this year) and put some wins on the trot together, but they're firmly in the race. They should knock over the Lions in Melbourne on Saturday, but the Friday night clash against Carlton that follows will be massive. If Jack Ziebell (41 touches against the Bulldogs), Andrew Swallow (36 disposals, nine clearances) and Daniel Wells (33 touches) keep that sort of form going, they'll trouble the Blues.

Don't look now, but the Saints are coming. It was a bizarre win over the Eagles on Saturday night, with the Saints so good in the first and last quarters and so ordinary in between. But they're grinding out the wins with monotony now - six from the last eight - and it is hard to see them missing out on the finals from here, now that they're just a game outside.

Carlton needs a forward. The dual injuries to Michael Jamison and Jarrad Waite have forced the move of Lachlan Henderson to the backline and the revolving door of replacement forwards can't get the job done. Andrew Walker kicked four goals, but he needed support. Jeff Garlett's 1.4 (all posters) didn't help matters either.

It's official. James Podsiadly is no longer a flat-track bully. The king of Kardinia Park kicked six against the Hawks at the MCG a few weeks back and on Sunday jagged a lazy eight against the Lions at the Gabba. It was an important as well because the Lions were feisty and for the first three quarters at least, played their best footy of the year. Michael Voss does have his players playing for him, it would seem.

The issue of the week will be the sale of home games. We can rightly assume Richmond would have beaten both Port Adelaide and Gold Coast had those home games been at the MCG instead of being sold to Darwin and Cairns, respectively. The Tigers would be a game outside the eight, instead of three and right in the finals mix. Bottom line arguments can never win when up against wins and losses. That seems to be the prevailing mood among the Tiger faithful.

Melbourne won its ‘transferred' home game against Port Adelaide, but looked dead on its feet in doing so. They have eight days to rest and rehydrate before taking on Hawthorn, fresh off the bye. It's a massive game for the Demons. Pull off the upset and they could be back in the eight.

Hawthorn had a good weekend. Without kicking a ball in anger, the Hawks cemented their place in the four courtesy of losses to the Blues and the Eagles. They'll have watched while the Saints did their bit to honour the memory of the great Allan Jeans on Saturday night. Against the Demons on Sunday, it will be their turn.

Good win by the Bombers in Adelaide, where they had won only two of their previous 16 encounters. Surely, a blown six-goal lead to an average opponent will seal the fate of Crows coach Neil Craig. He was the right man at the right time for Adelaide, but two years out of the finals will surely seal his fate. The mail out of Adelaide is rarely wrong, so if former Crows defender Nathan Bassett is being talked up as the club's next coach, then he is probably being fitted out for his Adelaide polo shirt as we speak.

That's six games at the SCG for Sydney in 2011, for just two wins. It used to be such a fortress for the Swans and the inability to win at home is the big issue that coach John Longmire needs to deal with.

All things considered, Collingwood did a good job against the Blues on Saturday. All but the most one-eyed Carlton-hating Magpie supporter would have gladly taken a 19-point result had it been offered before the match.