Carlton and Western Bulldogs captain Patrick Cripps and Marcus Bontempelli are starting to make their move on competition leader Isaac Heeney.
The pair were awarded maximum votes for their Round 16 performances, leading their respective clubs to important victories in the context of the season.
After a down day for Heeney and his Swans, Collingwood's Nick Daicos inched closer with a dominant performance in the loss to Gold Coast, which was matched by Noah Anderson.
Hawthorn midfielder James Worpel's clearance game was at an all-time high and was recognised appropriately while Adelaide's Izak Rankine and Sydney's Nick Blakey were the other 10-vote getters from the weekend.
See how the coaches voted in Round 16.
Brisbane vs Melbourne
9 - Kysaiah Pickett (MELB)
6 - Hugh McCluggage (BL)
5 - Josh Dunkley (BL)
4 - Jack Viney (MELB)
4 - Kai Lohmann (BL)
2 - Dayne Zorko (BL)
North Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs
10 - Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
7 - Rory Lobb (WB)
6 - Liam Jones (WB)
3 - Tristan Xerri (NMFC)
3 - Charlie Comben (NMFC)
1 - Tom Liberatore (WB)
Sydney vs Fremantle
10 - Nick Blakey (SYD)
7 - Caleb Serong (FRE)
6 - Nat Fyfe (FRE)
3 - Andrew Brayshaw (FRE)
2 - Jeremy Sharp (FRE)
1 - Hayden McLean (SYD)
1 - Josh Draper (FRE)
Gold Coast vs Collingwood
8 - Noah Anderson (GCFC)
8 - Nick Daicos (COLL)
8 - Sam Flanders (GCFC)
2 - Bodhi Uwland (GCFC)
2 - Jarrod Witts (GCFC)
1 - Ben Ainsworth (GCFC)
1 - Jordan De Goey (COLL)
Adelaide vs GWS
10 - Izak Rankine (ADEL)
8 - Mitchell Hinge (ADEL)
3 - Jordan Dawson (ADEL)
3 - Darcy Fogarty (ADEL)
2 - Harry Himmelberg (GWS)
2 - Ben Keays (ADEL)
1 - Josh Rachele (ADEL)
1 - Tom Green (GWS)
Geelong vs Essendon
9 - Oliver Dempsey (GEEL)
5 - Jye Caldwell (ESS)
5 - Zach Tuohy (GEEL)
5 - Max Holmes (GEEL)
3 - Mitch Duncan (GEEL)
2 - Tom Stewart (GEEL)
1 - Nic Martin (ESS)
St Kilda vs Port Adelaide
6 - Jason Horne-Francis (PORT)
5 - Zak Butters (PORT)
4 - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (PORT)
4 - Callum Wilkie (STK)
3 - Rowan Marshall (STK)
3 - Connor Rozee (PORT)
2 - Aliir Aliir (PORT)
2 - Josh Battle (STK)
1 - Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (STK)
Richmond vs Carlton
10 - Patrick Cripps (CARL)
8 - Sam Walsh (CARL)
6 - Nic Newman (CARL)
2 - Adam Saad (CARL)
2 - Blake Acres (CARL)
1 - Elijah Hollands (CARL)
1 - Ben Miller (RICH)
West Coast vs Hawthorn
10 - James Worpel (HAW)
8 - Jai Newcombe (HAW)
5 - Dylan Moore (HAW)
3 - James Sicily (HAW)
3 - Lloyd Meek (HAW)
1 - Jarman Impey (HAW)
AFLCA LEADERBOARD Round 16
| 89 | Isaac Heeney | SYD |
| 82 | Nick Daicos | COLL |
| 73 | Marcus Bontempelli | WB |
| 69 | Caleb Serong | FRE |
| 68 | Patrick Cripps | CARL |
| 62 | Errol Gulden | SYD |
| 61 | Sam Walsh | CARL |
| 55 | Zach Merrett | ESS |
| 55 | Chad Warner | SYD |
| 53 | Noah Anderson | GCFC |
| 51 | Lachie Neale | BL |
| 50 | Max Gawn | MELB |
