SIMON MORAWETZ has been watching Round 22's to-ing and fro-ing and was especially taken by North Melbourne's 16-goal walloping of Fremantle which gives the Roos a realistic shot at the finals - if Sydney loses to St Kilda today.

Good for Carlton. Bad for North Melbourne. ASHLEY BROWNE works out what the 18-point win by the Blues on Friday night at Etihad Stadium means for both the Blues and the Kangaroos.

ASHLEY BROWNE has moved himself from the couch to the desk to pen a few thoughts about AFL Round 17.

All eyes will be on the MCG on Saturday afternoon but as ASHLEY BROWNE writes, the Carlton-Collingwood clash isn't the only major round 17 attraction.

Five big games in the AFL this weekend and, as ASHLEY BROWNE points out, they're all in Melbourne. All that's missing are the simultaneous 2pm starts.

In spite of its broadcast rights bonanza, the AFL has many challenges ahead of it. Our resident sports sage, ED WYATT, peers into his crystal ball and predicts how these challenges will be resolved - if at all.

In his BPL Vidcast, WAYNE CAREY said he used to go out of his way as captain to handball to youngsters such as Peter Bell and Brent Harvey - criticised on Saturday for his apparent selfishness - and it's Harvey's duty to do the same now.

St Kilda's finals flame is flickering after a return to traditional values against Fremantle at Patersons Stadium on Saturday afternoon, writes ASHLEY BROWNE.

ASHLEY BROWNE looks at the talking points ahead of round five of the 2011 AFL season.