Geelong has made an emphatic statement, dispatching Carlton by 30 points at the MCG.
Also on Saturday, the Sydney Swans won in the west against Fremantle, North Melbourne caused a boilover with a tight win over Richmond, while Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions also chalked up victories.
Apart from a brief period in the first quarter, the Cats had the Blues' measure to canter to an eighth straight victory.
They have not tasted defeat since losing to St Kilda in round nine, making it back-to-back wins against finals teams after their convincing triumph over reigning premiers Melbourne last week.
Geelong had 27 fewer possessions than Carlton but used the ball more efficiently across every area of the ground to record a 12.13 (85) to 8.7 (55) win.
The Cats sit on top of the ladder on 52 points, with Melbourne still to play this round.
Star forward duo Jeremy Cameron (three goals) and Tom Hawkins (two) had the better of their eagerly anticipated match-up against Carlton's forward twin towers Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.
Curnow played his part with three goals to be arguably the Blues' most influential player but emerging Geelong defender Sam De Koning blanketed McKay (0.1, nine touches) in another classy display.
Cameron delivered the knock-out punch when he snapped an extraordinary goal-of-the-year contender in the pocket late in the third quarter to give Geelong a 29-point buffer at the final break.
The Blues managed just four goals for the rest of the match after booting four in hurry late in the first term.
Carlton's fierce pressure, a trademark of most of their best wins this season under coach Michael Voss, was lacking.
Star midfielder Sam Walsh (33 possessions) worked tirelessly but skill errors cost the Blues dearly.
The only downside for Geelong was winger Sam Menegloa being subbed out with concussion early in the match.
The result leaves the Blues (11-6) a win and percentage outside of the top four, as they attempt to secure a finals spot for the first time since 2013.
Swans sink Dockers
Sydney found a chink in Fremantle's armour after unleashing a chip-mark game plan in a 17-point win in Perth.
The Dockers dominated the opening quarter and they led by as much as 23 points in the second term.
But Swans coach John Longmire implemented a significant tactical switch after half-time to turn the game his side's way.
The plan consisted of Sydney using a series of short chips to break through Fremantle's press, with the Swans racking up 49 uncontested marks in the third quarter alone.
Fremantle struggled to adapt and the 46,596 spectators made their displeasure clear about the chip-mark tactics, with Sydney eventually running out 11.16 (82) to 9.11 (65) winners.
The result lifted Sydney (11-6) into sixth spot and within a win of fourth-placed Fremantle (12-5) as the race for top-four berths heats up.
Sydney forward Lance Franklin entered the match needing three goals to move past Gary Ablett's mark of 1,031 majors and into fifth spot on the all-time goalkicking list.
Franklin finished the match with just one goal from seven disposals, with Griffin Logue winning the head-to-head battle.
Chad Warner starred for Sydney with 35 disposals, seven clearances and a goal, while Erron Gulden booted two important goals from 21 touches.
Fremantle's Brownlow Medal fancy Andrew Brayshaw was restricted to just six first-half disposals before finishing with 20 possessions and one clearance, while skipper Nat Fyfe (15 disposals) was also below his best in his split role.
Fremantle big man Rory Lobb suffered an injury scare in the opening term when his right shoulder went numb after being driven into the turf by Swans ruckman Tom Hickey.
Lobb recovered from the setback to kick an early goal, with Fremantle dominating the clearances 12-5 and inside 50 battle 16-9 in the opening quarter.
Forward Matt Taberner had the chance to put an exclamation mark on Fremantle's good work with a 15-metre set-shot after the quarter-time siren, but his horrible miss from a slight angle meant the lead was just 14 points.
It was Sydney's turn to waste chances in the second term, with the visitors spraying 1.7 before Franklin kicked truly after the half-time siren.
The Dockers only had themselves to blame for gifting Franklin the late goal.
With nine seconds remaining in the quarter, Fremantle forward Lachie Schultz kicked a goal from the top of the goal square.
The goal stood, but Dockers defender Jordan Clark gifted Sydney a free kick for the next centre bounce for bumping over Ryan Clarke two seconds after Schultz's goal was kicked.
The Swans went quickly into attack where Franklin took a contested mark and booted a goal.
Although the Dockers still entered the main break with a 15-point lead, Clark's moment of ill discipline meant Franklin was finally on the board after a quiet five-disposal first half.
The style of game switched completely in the second half, and Fremantle simply could not adapt.
Sydney finished the match with 127 uncontested marks compared to Fremantle's 70.
Kangaroos stun Tigers
Caretaker coach Leigh Adams led North Melbourne to the biggest upset of the season in a stunning four-point win over Richmond.
Cam Zurhaar kicked six goals — including the match-winner with less than three minutes left — as the Kangaroos triumphed 14.8 (92) to 11.22 (88) at Docklands.
It snapped a 14-match losing streak in Adams' first appearance as caretaker coach after taking the reins from David Noble.
The shock result was eerily similar to the Kangaroos' first match under Rhyce Shaw in 2019, when they upset flag-bound Richmond immediately following Brad Scott's exit.
It was a blow to the Tigers' finals hopes, leaving them clinging to eighth spot on percentage ahead of a clash with Fremantle in round 19.
There is doubt over Toby Nankervis's availability for that match after he was reported over an incident where he roughed up Flynn Perez.
Zurhaar was the Kangaroos' hero in attack as Jy Simpkin (34 disposals), Luke Davies-Uniacke (28) and Hugh Greenwood (24) played integral roles in the midfield.
Ben McKay starred in defence and Paul Curtis (14 disposals, three goals) was also important.
The Tigers had plenty of strong contributors through the middle — including Dion Prestia (26 disposals), Trent Cotchin and Jayden Short (24 each) — but let themselves down in front of goal.
Veteran spearhead Jack Riewoldt kicked 2.6 and Noah Cumberland 3.4, with Riewoldt (twice), Noah Balta and Shai Bolton all missing chances in the final quarter of what could prove to be a costly loss.
Adams simplified North Melbourne's attacking plan and implored his players to express themselves by taking the match on.
It was not always pretty — Adams expected mistakes — but it led to the Kangaroos' highest score of the season.
Zurhaar had five goals from five kicks to half-time as the focal point, helping his side to a 32-point lead on the back of remarkable efficiency.
The Kangaroos' 10.2 (62) came from 23 forward entries, while the Tigers had 3.12 (30) from 32 entries.
The margin was cut to 10 points by three-quarter time and memories of last round's big fade-out, when North Melbourne threw away a comfortable lead against Collingwood, no doubt haunted the Kangaroos.
Richmond hit the front when Jack Graham converted a free kick but Zurhaar responded when he gleefully accepted Todd Goldstein's expert hit-out at a boundary throw-in and snapped truly.
The Tigers had one last chance in the final minute when activated substitute Jake Aarts marked inside-50.
But Aarts played on and eventually saw a snap shot rushed through by the Kangaroos' desperate defence.
Pies pip Crows to win yet another thriller
Collingwood have celebrated captain Scott Pendlebury's rare AFL milestone with a comeback five-point win over Adelaide to remain in the hunt for a top-four berth.
The Magpies came from 16 points down in the third quarter of Pendlebury's 350th AFL game to prevail 14.7 (91) to 13.8 (86) at Adelaide Oval.
Pendlebury, the only Collingwood player to reach the 350 game milestone, collected 28 disposals and booted a crucial running goal as the Magpies rise to fifth on the ladder ahead of other games this weekend.
The Pies twice were in serious trouble against the unfancied 15th-placed Crows who led 19-0 — a game-high margin — in the first quarter and by 16 points late in the third term.
But a Pendlebury goal on the run reduced their margin to three points at three quarter-time and the Magpies then booted four goals to three in the final term.
Collingwood's Nick Daicos continued his stunning debut season, clearly best-afield with 40 disposals and three goals.
His teammates Patrick Lipinski (28 touches, 13 tackles) and Josh Carmichael (24 possessions) and Josh Daicos (24 disposals) were prolific ball-winners while Brodie Mihocek and first-gamer Ash Johnson both kicked two majors.
Adelaide's Taylor Walker booted five goals, Lachlan Murphy slotted three and Darcy Fogarty two.
Midfielders Rory Laird (31 disposals, 20 tackles) and Sam Berry (21 touches, 17 tackles) revelled in wet conditions but the Crows remain in the mire with just five wins — and only two victories in their past 11 games.
Adelaide started strongly and, 12 minutes in, led 19-0 but Collingwood booted the next four majors to take a five-point quarter-time advantage, 4.1 to 3.2.
The Pies' momentum stalled in the second term as the Crows scored four goals to two to lead 7.6 to 6.3 at half-time.
And Adelaide stretched their advantage to 16 points some 22 minutes into the third term before a Magpie fightback.
Collingwood made rapid strikes with two goals in a minute coming from Josh Carmichael, and then skipper Pendlebury on the run reduced their deficit to three points at the last change.
Daicos capped his brilliant performance with the opening two goals in the last quarter.
The Pies appeared assured of victory when 16 points up 23 minutes into the last quarter before late goals from Adelaide's Murphy and Walker ensured a frantic final few minutes.
Lions notch crucial win over Giants
Four goals from Hugh McCluggage helped Brisbane take care of business in their pursuit of a top-four berth, seeing off GWS in their first ever trip to Canberra.
After conceding the first goal, the Lions didn't trail again in the 15.9 (99) to 9.5 (59) win, with not even four first-half efforts from Toby Greene enough to see the Giants hit the front.
The 40-point win puts them equal-top with Geelong, Melbourne and Fremantle, although those teams are yet to play in round 18.
McCluggage was at his sparkling best with 30 disposals to go with his majors, but they got a huge boost from Rhys Mathieson in his first AFL appearance of the year, racking up 10 clearances among his 23 touches.
Greene looked back to his dangerous self, slotting multiple goals for the first time in four matches, his first-half heroics keeping the Giants in the game as their opponents threatened to break away.
But the Lions had all the answers late, finally capitalising on their territorial dominance with nine of the second half's first 10 goals to blow GWS away.
Their forwards fired on all cylinders, with Charlie Cameron, Cam Rayner (each three goals), Eric Hipwood and Daniel McStay (each two) kicking multiples, while star midfielder Lachie Neale got involved with 26 touches.
It was a second consecutive lamentable effort from the Giants, having been smashed by 55 points against Port Adelaide last weekend.
Greene had opened the scoring, but the Lions dominated the rest of the opening stanza with 15 inside 50s to six, and kicked the next four goals with McStay slotting two set shots to pinch an 18-point quarter-time lead.
But Greene got rolling with three goals in the second and Josh Kelly helped out with a sensational running effort as the got within seven points at the main break, a brilliant snapped effort from McCluggage highlighting the term for the Lions.
The Lions midfielder slotted two in the third however as they rattled off five goals to one in the third, firmly breaking the game open in skipping out to a 36-point lead.
They were always on top at the clearances with a dominant 49-24 result, converting that into a whopping extra 23 inside 50s.
Key GWS defender Sam Taylor put in a huge shift, racking up 20 disposals to go with six marks and some courageous defensive efforts, while Harry Himmelberg again impressed after shifting to defence with 30 touches.
AAP/ABC
