Nine questions to come from Round 18

It loomed as a cracking round of footy with every game having implications on the final eight.

While a number of results were obvious, there were a couple that saw the script flipped.

As the number of weeks remaining gets smaller, the questions just keep on getting bigger.

Who has the best forward line in the competition? Who blew a golden chance this week? Who is the recruit of the year? Where is the player Port are looking for? And who are the real custodians of the game?

1. How much hungrier is this Richmond team?
It’s the golden run that keeps on giving for Richmond. It’s now been over 400 days since they were beaten in Victoria as they marched on to another big win on the way to what looks like the minor premiership.

But the most impressive thing about watching them play this year is just how hungrier they look to go back-to-back.

With injuries come opportunities, coupled with the way Damien Hardwick has managed his list this year.

There have been players who missed out last year and have come into the Richmond side and made it better – see Jayden Short as a prime example, while there are other players who are taking their opportunities when presented to them.

All of this means that premiership players from last year have spent stints in the VFL to win their way back into the senior side.

They are hungrier to win their spot in the team, make it their own in the surge for greatness.

Josh Caddy of the Tigers celebrates after scoring a goal. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Media/Getty Images)

2. Does Collingwood have the best forward line in the competition?
The Magpies have been one of the stories of the year.

Lots of little changes and despite their massive spate of injuries, they are sitting comfortably in the top four and are destined to make a big fist of it come September.

Despite the spate of injuries, their forward line has become one of, if not the best in the competition.

Similar to Richmond last year, with a big focal point and small forwards all around, they have become seriously damaging.

Mason Cox has become a revelation as a focal point while guys like Jaidyn Stephenson, Jordan De Goey, Will Hoskin–Elliott, Josh Thomas and Brody Mihocek all have their little tricks and steps that make this forward setup dynamic.

All have scored plenty of goals this season, providing them with ample avenues to goal.

3. How costly will that end up being?
Upset of the decade? Maybe. Now if you did tip the Gold Coast, please put your hand up and we will tell you that you’re lying.

It was a magnificent performance from the Suns, one that can really kickstart and reignite the spark and love for a footy club.

While they did that, it just turned the spotlight right back onto Sydney. Not only on their premiership credentials but also their chances to even make the eight.

They remain in the top four but their fight is just beginning.

Injuries are mounting and the battle to keep their spot in the finals race is getting harder. They have a tough stretch of games coming up, starting with the resurgent Bombers this Friday night.

Lance Franklin of the Swans (Photo by Tony Feder/AFL Media/Getty Images)

4. Is the Bombers best and fairest settled?
Devon Smith is the recruit of the year across the competition, no doubt about it. But it appears that Smith might also be taking home the Crichton Medal come season’s end.

Aside from leading the competition in tackles for season 2018, he has also made a significant difference to this Essendon side and of the three big recruits they brought in, he has made the biggest impact.

The 25-year-old has been the most consistent Bombers player throughout the whole year and would be right in the conversation for an All Australian spot.

Averaging 21 disposals and a goal a game, he is in the box seat to make the best possible first impression at his new club.

(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

5. How quickly are the wheels turning in Brisbane?
Only a year ago, the Brisbane Lions would be lucky to get 15,000 people to one of their games. It was back when success for this team seemed a while off.

Well, the wheels are starting to turn as this weekend marked the first time in a long time where there have been more than 20,000 people visit the Gabba for a Lions game.

It’s great for Queensland footy as they are starting to really announce themselves not only in the competition but as a team the state can really get behind.

Chris Fagan wants his team playing exciting and entertaining football and with their young, exciting brigade of talent, they are building something very exciting.

6. Who is the real custodian of the game?
It’s the debate and talking point that’s defining the season. Do we need to change the rules to make our game better?

Not every game is going to be the best you will ever see, and not every match is going to be one you want to go home and watch the replay of 50 times or so.

It’s true this version of the game is not the best it could be, but you would be hard pressed to find fans that see major issues with the current product.

The game on Saturday night in Geelong had it all. It was free-flowing at times, congested at others and pulsating at different stages when the ascendancy shifted.

As it stands, Steve Hocking and Gill McLachlan hold positions to govern the game and make it the best it can be.

But the fans are the heart of any sport. They are the ones that turn up each week, buy all the merchandise and keep the clubs alive and kicking.

The game belongs to its supporters, and if you along and make wholesale changes to it, they will turn off and walk away from it more than they are already now.

7. Is Tom Mitchell still the one to catch in the race for the Brownlow?
The son of Barry is turning into an unstoppable force. He topped 40 possessions for the seventh time this season and kicked two goals to go with what I’m sure will become another three Brownlow votes.

Without a tag, it’s 40-50 disposals per game and even with one it’s somewhere between 25-30 disposals per game.

In other words, he just finds the footy and makes things happen with it. While others around the competition continue to press their case, Patrick Cripps and Max Gawn among other contenders, Mitchell continues to just rack up prolific numbers to remind everyone he is still the man to catch.

(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

8. Could a whole line of the All Australian team be filled from one team?
It remains a long shot, yet a real live possibility. Could the Eagles fill an entire line of the All Australian team?

They’re going to have at least four or five in the team with maybe one or two more in the squad given the year they have had.

But it now seems a real possibility that there could be three Eagles defenders all in the starting 18, all on the same line.

Jeremy McGovern is a lock. Shannon Hurn is consolidating his place with every game he plays (he might have the C next to his name too) and Elliot Yeo also looks like he will be named in the side come early September.

Yeo has spent more time in the midfield this year but built his rise to the competition’s elite via the half-back line.

They seem to find places for people and even though there is heavy competition in the back six this year, it remains a possibility that Yeo could be included rounding out a full Eagles line.

9. Where has Billy Frampton gone?
It must be bothering Port Adelaide supporters to no end that there isn’t a backup ruckman for Paddy Ryder next in line when he misses games.

Justin Westhoff is one of the most versatile players in the league but even he can’t go in the ruck all day as he is too important in other areas of the ground.

The Charlie Dixon in the ruck experiment also isn’t working out. Dixon is too important to the Power’s forward structure to consider moving him out of the attack.

Almost instantly after he was moved back there after halftime, Port staged a mini-fightback when their focal point was back up forward.

So it begs the question, where is Billy Frampton? A young developing Ruckman who cannot seem to crack a game in the seniors, despite the injury worries to their number one.

He has averaged 22 hit-outs and 13 disposals in the SANFL this year along with five marks a game.

Not knowing how long they will be without Ryder for, there is a chance to see if Frampton can translate the strong form at the top level while there is an opening, instead of compromising your team by moving the likes of Dixon for something you don’t have.