Young Bulldog Clay Smith, 25, has been forced to retire due to recurrent knee injuries. He started training on Thursday ahead of Round 16, but came off the track and reportedly was in tears as he knew it was the end. In making the announcement, said, “It was a very difficult decision ... but the right one ... given my knee hasn’t been able to fully recover. I’ve given everything to try to make ... but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out ... ". Smith went on to thank the club and medical staff for all of their support and giving him the opportunity to play AFL football and said "... “While life without footy will leave a big hole in my life, it has shaped me as a person and helped me grow and I’m thankful for that.” Being a part of the Dogs' 2016 premiership, he said despite all the setbacks, he would not change anything about the seven years he spent at the club.

The West Coast Eagles won a Sunday thriller to end their run of losses and halt the Greater Western Sydney Giants’ surge towards the finals. The Giants threw everything they had at the Eagles and it was only their inaccuracy in front of goals that cost them the game. Both teams were missing key personnel in their respective forward areas, but the Eagles manufactured goals when needed, and the Giants were off line at key moments.

The game was played at a fierce pace with both teams moving the ball quickly with handball and long kicks into forward lines. West Coast’s Nic Naitanui dominated the Giants’ journeyman ruckman Dawson Simpson at bouncedowns and throw-ins, allowing the Eagle midfielder’s Andrew Gaff, Luke Shuey, and Jack Redden to gain an advantage in clearances. However, when the ball was kicked long to the Eagle forwards, the tall Giant defenders Sam Taylor, Adam Corr and Phil Davis spoiled the kicks repeatedly.

In June, Hawk star Cyril Rioli was granted indefinite leave by Hawthorn to return to Darwin for family reasons. Just ahead of Round 16, he announced his retirement, effective immediately. He said he had thought about it for the past year and believes he has made the right decision for himself and his family.

In making the announcement, he said,

With the byes behind us, the first full slate of AFL games in a month gave us an absolutely sensational round of football with upsets, tight finishes and a brand new AFANA Power Poll leader!

Round fifteen highlights included a win for the Tigers over the second placed Swans, upset wins by Saint Kilda, the Western Bulldogs, Essendon and Brisbane and a big win by the Giants over the Hawks that has really opened up the competition for the final eight as we head into the last two months of the minor round.

The Brisbane Lions earned a morale boosting victory when they jumped a lethargic Fremantle Dockers team to end the Dockers’ slim hopes of making the finals. The Lions never looked back, as they outran and outplayed the home team which appeared half-hearted and disorganized. The Dockers lost their ruckman, Aaron Sandilands, with pulled a calf muscle in the pre-match warm-up.

Richmond ruckman Shaun Hampson has announced his retirement from AFL football, effective immediately. Hampson, 30, has not played a senior game in two seasons due to a chronic back condition. Although both he and the club's medical staff have worked hard to alleviate the condition, but it has not been successful, and Hampson decided to call it quits as he considered his long-term hearth and his family more important than getting out and playing footy again.

Round fourteen saw the last of four “bye” weeks played out, with top teams Sydney and Richmond having the week off along with Geelong, Adelaide, Fremantle, Adelaide and Saint Kilda. The big winner of round fourteen was Port Adelaide, who beat fellow top four aspirants Melbourne in a tough game of tightly contested football at the Adelaide Oval. The biggest loser of the round

The Essendon Bombers completed a surprising and convincing demolition of the West Coast Eagles to knock the big birds from the top of the ladder. The fleet-footed Bomber midfielders tore the Eagles apart in the first half, and their work was finished with flair and panache by Jake Stringer and Devon Smith up forward.

The Eagles’ Nic Naitanui had a slight edge over the Bombers' Tom Bellchambers in the ruck but Essendon cleared the ball from congested areas more efficiently. Bellchambers also took a number of strong marks around the ground. The Bombers concentrated on exploiting the Eagles’ lack of midfield pace by giving their speed machines freedom to take on their slower opponents. Fittingly, the Bomber’s first goal was initiated by the pace of Adam Saad. Dashing from half-back, Saad weaved his way past four Eagles’

With six teams enjoying the week off due to the programmed mid-season bye rounds, there was less quantity but no lack of quality during a fascinating round of football on the weekend. The festivities kicked off on Thursday night with Port continuing its good form with another win, but Friday night was what the AFL public was waiting for, with the Sydney Swans – the only team to defeat the Eagles – facing the West Coast again, this time on their home deck at the SCG.

Round thirteen will kick off with Thursday night footy at Adelaide Oval, with Port Adelaide – fresh off a victory over the reigning premiers – taking on the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval. This makes for a short turnaround from a cracking Queen’s Birthday Monday clash that saw a red hot Collingwood take down the highly fancied Melbourne Demons in front of a massive MCG crowd.