Round 20 has the competition still as evenly poised as ever, with 13 teams still in the hunt and players from all clubs having their say in the final stretch of the season.
Sydney have regressed, Brisbane have shot up emphatically.
Carlton and Fremantle have held firm for most of the year and would be disappointed not to stake their claim at a double chance.
But the two teams in the best form may currently be sitting on the fringes of the eight, as star Hawks and Bulldogs continue to shine on the potential path to September.
Deciding on All-Australian contenders is clearly a side story to the season transpiring.
It is also an overwhelming task, as a host of names make recent compelling cases, while early season superstars gradually taper back to the mean.
Just a few changes have been made to the rolling side from Round 15, but as always, a few glaring omissions remain.
Here are the 22 names who have secured a spot in our Round 20 rolling All-Australian side.
The numbers aren't everything, but the numbers don't lie. Luke Ryan is still the most statistically productive general defender in the competition, having the most kicks, marks and rebound 50s of the lot. The numbers may be inflated by Freo's defensive model, but combined with his above-average intercepting and defensive ability, Ryan holds.
Jacob Weitering also holds with a slightly worse one-on-one defensive rate than his previous 6.7%, but still leads the competition for the metric. Few key defenders besides Harris Andrews are demanding the full-back position and Weitering's constant corky concerns are a worry, but as still the best one-on-one defender in the comp, his position is hard to deny.
The same can be said for Sam Collins, who may be the biggest certainty in the back six other than Andrews. The Suns backman has recorded the most intercept possessions in the competition this year, the third most intercept marks and fourth most one-on-one contests for a loss rate of just 13%.
Harry Sheezel has stamped his name into near All-Australian certainty, capable of fielding just about any position, while Lion veteran Dayne Zorko has too stamped his name on a flank during Brisbane's two-month win streak. Nick Blakey, Max Holmes and Dan Houston are waiting in the wings and may earn rights to a spot in the coming weeks, likely pending their sides' form in the final stretch of the season.
Harris Andrews is a clear lock with the most intercept marks and 75 one-on-one contests with just 11 losses.
Stiff to miss:
One Swan has been axed, and another shifted elsewhere on the field.
Chad Warner has often been one of Sydney's best with their backs against the wall, but with the recent emergence of some superstars in recent weeks, he has unfortunately been ousted.
His teammate Isaac Heeney holds, but has been shifted forward, where he has previously featured on All-Australian night and where has resided at times this season.
That leaves the starting midfield duties to Max Gawn at ruck and Patrick Cripps, Zach Merrett and Lachie Neale at his feet.
Gawn is not as secure as he once was but has the chance to write his name in stone as he returns to full health, while the onballers named have arguably been the three most consistent players in the competition, with an ideal collective balance of ball-winning, ball-using, forward damage and defensive accountability.
Errol Gulden and Lachie Whitfield hold on the wings as perhaps the most consistent and reliable outside ball users through the back half of the season so far.
Nick Daicos is moved to the bench, where consistent stars Caleb Serong and Adam Treloar also reside.
Stiff to miss:
Through no fault of his own, Jake Waterman is dropped.
Since their Round 10 win over Melbourne, the Eagles have lost nine straight and looked uncompetitive in many. In this period, Waterman's overall production has regressed, going at less than a goal per game. Of course it's due to the lack of supply, but it takes some luck to scrape an All-Australian selection, and the Eagles may not deserve a feature come season's end.
Star Cat Tyson Stengle may have played his way back into the side on the weekend, shifting the momentum of the game with two miraculous goals against North Melbourne.
He and Crow Izak Rankine can rotate the small forward spot off the interchange bench. Rankine's sideline stints with injury and suspension mean he hasn't shown a heap in recent weeks, but his mercurial presence inside 50 is undeniable.
As mentioned, Heeney sits forward, as does Marcus Bontempelli, both of whom have spent many minutes in the role at their respective clubs despite the public demand for All-Australians to sit in their primary positions.
Dylan Moore rounds out the medium-small crop, holding his spot from Round 15 and enhancing his chances of selection in the final team while the Hawthorn high continues.
Charlie Curnow and Jesse Hogan remain the centre-half and full-forward targets without much debate.
Stiff to miss:
FB: Luke Ryan (FRE), Jacob Weitering (CARL), Sam Collins (GC)
HB: Harry Sheezel (NM), Harris Andrews (BRIS), Dayne Zorko (BRIS)
C: Lachie Whitfield (GWS), Zach Merrett (ESS), Errol Gulden (SYD)
HF: Marcus Bontempelli (WB), Charlie Curnow (CARL), Isaac Heeney (SYD)
FF: Tyson Stengle (GEEL), Jesse Hogan (GWS), Dylan Moore (HAW)
R: Max Gawn (MELB), Patrick Cripps (CARL), Lachie Neale (BRIS)
I/C: Izak Rankine (ADEL), Nick Daicos (COLL), Adam Treloar (WB), Caleb Serong (FRE)
Coach: Sam Mitchell (HAW)