The home and away season is over. The insanity that was the 2017 AFL season continued on its merry way and now we all have to prepare ourselves for the finals.

It was a round of bidding farewell to champions of the game and none were bigger than Luke Hodge, who exited his playing career with the Hawks by defeating the Western Bulldogs.

On a day where they should have cemented their spot in the finals, Melbourne put forth a mediocre display against Collingwood, and despite a late charge, fell short. In the battle for the wooden spoon it was North Melbourne who dominated against a lacklustre Brisbane.

With finals locked up, the Swans could have afforded to cruise into September but Lance Franklin had his eyes on the Coleman Medal and kicked 10 goals against a hapless Blues outfit. At Geelong, it was the Cats who emerged victorious over the Giants and locked up second spot on the ladder.

On Sunday, Richmond showed why they are considered to be a genuine flag chance by cruising past the Saints before West Coast triumphed over Adelaide in a thriller to secure a top eight berth and send the Demons down to ninth.

HEROES

Buddy Brilliance: When he's on, there is no-one better in the league to watch and on Saturday, boy was he on. Sitting five behind Coleman Medal leader Josh Kennedy, Buddy and his Sydney teammates could have taken things easily with their finals chances assured, but once he got a taste for goals there was no stopping him. Franklin single-handedly outscored the Blues (10.2 to 8.9), and jumped well clear in the race for the Coleman, which he would go on to claim after Josh Kennedy failed to fire at Domain Stadium.

Lance Franklin celebrates Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Handball-happy Oliver: With so much to play for, Melbourne's effort against Collingwood on Saturday was nothing short of abysmal. But amid all the doom and gloom, young gun Clayton Oliver managed to quietly set an all-time VFL/AFL record. The second-year Demon notched another 30 touches, with his 22 handballs boosting his season tally to 482 - the most ever in recorded history. One man who may have felt hard done by was Hawthorn's Tom Mitchell - he held the record for less than 24 hours after finishing on 480 for the season, before Oliver then went two better.

Clayton Oliver tries to win a hard ball under pressure against the Magpies. Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images

Much-maligned Eagles duo: With five minutes remaining at Domain Stadium and West Coast's season on the canvas it was time for a hero to be born and Lewis Jetta and Jack Darling certainly delivered. It was Jetta who first sparked his side with a mesmerizing piece of play where he scooped the ball up, dodged two tacklers and converted a classy checkside finish to dislodge the Demons from eighth and keep the Eagles alive. Minutes later, Darling showed tremendous courage when he flew back with the flight of a long kick inside 50, taking the mark and colliding with the goalpost. He too booted the goal to seal a place in September and break the hearts of thousands of Demons fans.

VILLAINS

The end of Stevie J?: Steve Johnson used to be one of the kings of Kardinia Park, but his performance at the now-named Simonds Stadium was almost non-existent. The former Cat was one of many Giants who failed to fire a shot in the vital top-two battle on Saturday night, and the 34-year-old may be squeezed out of his team's best 22 for the finals. He managed just eight touches and offered nothing up forward or through his defensive pressure. His coach Leon Cameron backed the 291-game veteran after the game, saying the entire squad should shoulder the blame for the loss, but it will be fascinating to see if the Giants pick Johnson through the finals series as they aim to win a maiden premiership.

Steve Johnson of the Giants reacts after an umpiring decision against the Cats. Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Deplorable Demons: Win and they booked their ticket into the finals, lose and it was left in the hands of fate. Normally a situation that would have any team locked in and ready to charge out of the gate like a raging bull. Melbourne obviously didn't get that memo as it took more than 10 minutes for the team to lay a tackle, and almost 15 minutes before they kicked their first goal. It transpired into a horrid first half from the Demons as they fell behind by 41 points, a margin they would never recover.

Jack Watts of the Demons looks dejected after his side lost to Collingwood. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Slaughtered Suns: If Gary Ablett hadn't made a decision on his playing future at the Suns then he certainly has now. Gold Coast fell to an embarrassing eighth straight loss on Saturday night as the Power restricted them to just 20 points - the club's lowest score in their seven year history. Port Adelaide absolutely dominated on their home deck for the 115 point win with a number of key statistical areas proving how poor their opponents were (Inside 50s: 77-29, marks inside 50: 18-2, contested possessions: 163-121). It's fair to say a future without Ablett looks pretty bleak.