Round 12 saw the Blues score a famous win in David Teague's first game as coach, a couple of maligned skippers deliver big time and, oh, yet another score review blunder.
Here are this week's Heroes & Villains.
HEROES
Patrick Cripps: The word inspirational is overused in football, but it's really the only way you can describe Patrick Cripps and his performance against Brisbane on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues had endured a wretched week with Brendon Bolton being shown the exit at IKON Park, and when they found themselves down by 37 points against the Lions early in the second term, it felt like the misery would continue.
Patrick Cripps has just played one of the greatest halves of football I've ever seen. Wow. #AFLBluesLions #AFL
— Jake Michaels (@JMichaelsESPN) June 8, 2019
But Cripps, as he has so often done in his short career, put his teammates on his back and played one of the most remarkable two and a half quarters you'll ever see.
The Carlton co-skipper willed the ball forward, finishing with an equal game-high eight clearances. He kicked a career-best four goals, all of which came in the second half, and finished with a career-high 38 disposals at an astonishing 82 percent efficiency.
The Blues hit the front in the third term and went on to win by 15 points in David Teague's first game in charge. You could very well say Cripps single-handedly flipped the game and won it for Carlton. Bravo!
Buddy and his bud: The Sydney vs. West Coast game on Sunday afternoon was seen as a genuine 50-50 clash.
The experts couldn't split them, the fans couldn't split them and the bookmakers couldn't split them. It was the perfect game for a hero to emerge and lucky for us we didn't just get one, but two of them.
Star Swan Lance Franklin and forward line partner Tom Papley proved the difference in the game. They both finished with five goals and, combined, actually came up just five points short of matching the Eagles' team score of 71.
For Buddy, it was his standout game of what's been an injury-plagued 2019. The 32-year-old has now kicked a bag of five goals at least once in each of the last 14 seasons. That is remarkable.
Meanwhile, Papley is enjoying a career best season and has taken his goal tally to 21 to lead the way at the Swans.
Crows co-captains: Both Rory Sloane and Taylor Walker have been criticized in the past for not being on field leaders when their team needs them most, but the duo delivered big time on Saturday night.
With the Giants having gained the ascendancy and taken a lead into the final quarter at Adelaide Oval, the Crows had a real challenge on their hands. Sloane and Walker were relatively quiet throughout the night but stood up when it mattered.
Sloane put Adelaide back on top after a kicking a major in the first 90 seconds of the final term. He then set up Brad Crouch for another one just two minutes later.
Then it was time for the big Texan. Walker fluffed a chance from 60m out but immediately made amends with a huge pack mark inside 50 and conversion to give the Crows breathing space once again.
Sloane made sure of it late in the game with his second goal, helping Adelaide improve to 7-5 and now just one win off cracking the top four.
VILLAINS
Richmond's non-existent forwards: Two years ago we labelled the Tigers' forward line the best and most dynamic in the competition. On Friday night it was simply deplorable as Geelong's back six smothered them into oblivion, handing Richmond a 67-point loss in the process.
Sure, spearhead Jack Riewoldt was absent, but in his place was the more-than-capable Tom Lynch who was playing alongside a bunch of crafty and talented smalls.
However, after four quarters, all the Tigers could manage was a measly five goals -- their lowest haul since Round 19, 2016 -- and that was with gaining an advantage in inside 50s.
The forward contingent of Lynch, Daniel Rioli, Jason Castagna, Josh Caddy, Jack Higgins and Jacob Townsend combined for a grand total of two goals. It was very nearly just one with Castagna's goal coming in the final minute of the game.
The only Tiger forward who could have walked away from the Melbourne Cricket Ground with his head held high (relatively) was Dan Butler. Not only did he kick one of the team's five goals but he also laid a game-high 11 tackles.
Right now it's safe to say Geelong has the far superior and more dynamic forward line.
The AFL's score review system (again): I'm not going to lie, I'm getting absolutely sick of writing about this.
For what seems like the twelfth week in a row, a blatantly incorrect score review has overshadowed the round of football.
On Friday night it seemed as if Tigers youngster Jack Higgins had snapped a great goal from the pocket, only for the goal umpire to send it upstairs with the belief it may have clipped the post on the way through.
The vision clearly showed the ball sailing through without touching the post, yet it was not overturned and the behind stood.
The AFL released a statement on Saturday afternoon saying: "The available vision showed there was clear and sufficient evidence to overturn the umpire's call of a behind to a goal, however, the score review official did not review this particular piece of vision."
I just have one question. What on earth are they doing?
The extra five points were never going to make a difference in the eventual result of the game, but that's not the point. If the AFL can't get this simple task right then it just has to be scrapped once and for all. Right now it's a laughing stock.
Mitch Hannan: You hate to pin a loss on one player, and the truth is he probably didn't cost his side four points, but Mitch Hannan's game on Queen's birthday was one to forget.
The 25-year-old kicked one goal and had 15 disposals, but really had a shocker as the Demons went down to Collingwood by 41 points on Monday afternoon. Time and time again he made mistakes on the big stage as the Dees all but ruled themselves out of finals action.
In the first quarter he had a chance to respond to an early Pies onslaught, only to miss an absolute sitter.
In the second quarter he dropped a simple chest mark, only for the Dees faithful to let him know about it.
In the third quarter he fluffed another chance in front of the big sticks when he refused to kick on his non-preferred side.
Hannan's only played in two games this season and both have been losses. Don't be surprised if his next one is in the VFL.