We're one round away from the finals and the dramatic storylines keep on coming.

Sydney stunned ladder-leaders Adelaide on their home deck on Friday night, booting the last two goals of the game to edge past the Crows in one of the matches of the season.

A huge last quarter ensured Port Adelaide's top-four hopes are still alive, at the same time quashing the Western Bulldogs' premiership defence.

On Saturday, Geelong, GWS and Essendon all survived scares against lesser opponents, while Melbourne did the same against Brisbane on Sunday. The win takes the Demons to the brink of their first finals series since 2006.

St Kilda are still alive, just, after a barnstorming win against North Melbourne - the Saints need a miraculous series of events in the final round to play finals, but there is at least a 'mathematical possibility' of September action.

There will no doubt be many more surprises and shocks in the final round, as top-two, top-four and top-eight spots go on the line, as well as the wooden spoon battle between Brisbane and North Melbourne.

HEROES

Josh Kelly: The footy world knows how skilled and industrious the young midfielder is -- witness his club-record 43 disposals during the win against West Coast on Saturday -- but fewer knew of his immense courage and ability to play through pain. In the final quarter of the club's see-sawing contest against the Eagles, the 22-year-old threw himself into the path of a rampaging Josh Kennedy and copped a brutal, but fair, hit for his troubles. He was forced, bleeding from the field but returned to kick one goal and set up another as the Giants held on. We're not sure who would be more happy after that performance - the young man himself, his coaches, GWS fans or his manager, who could surely add an extra 0 to the out-of-contract star's next deal.

Josh Kelly celebrates a goal against the Dees in Round 20. Matt King/Getty Images

Jesse Hogan: The Melbourne forward has endured an absolutely horrific year - losing his father Tony to cancer, being diagnosed with testicular cancer himself, then breaking his collarbone during the Round 19 loss to the Kangaroos. He returned after missing just two matches and was the difference-maker against the Lions on Sunday, booting a season-high six goals to lead his side to a victory that all-but secured his team's return to the finals for the first time since 2006. "I'm just happy to be out there, to be honest," Hogan said after the gritty 13-point win. "The most games I've played this year in a row is four, so just to be out on the park is my main priority at the moment. To kick a few was a bonus."

Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Ballarat: The result didn't go the Bulldogs' way - they'll be wondering whether they'd have beaten Port if Saturday's game was played at Etihad Stadium, rather than Ballarat's Mars Stadium - but the first home-and-away game at the regional Victorian venue was an absolute success. Despite some concerns about the wintry weather - early forecasts predicted snow - the historic contest was an undoubted winner, with more than 10,000 fans cramming into the boutique stadium, some standing happily on the hill. With the Bulldogs locked in to play one game at the ground for another four years, hopefully the AFL realises the appeal of boutique stadiums around the country.

Fans watch on during the historic Bulldogs-Power clash in Ballarat. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

VILLAINS

James Sicily: Sicily's emergence as a quality rebounding defender has been one of the coaching moves of the season after his inconsistency as a forward in the Hawthorn line-up. But against Carlton on Saturday night, the controversial Hawk endured a 'mare'. He engaged in a running battle with Carlton's Jed Lamb, and it was the Blue who took the honours after two hours of niggling, hassling and antagonism. Sicily looked flustered and frustrated during Hawthorn's surprise loss, and incredibly gave away seven free kicks - the equal most of any player this season. Lamb finished as one of Carlton's best players with 15 possessions and 2.2, helping his team break a 14-game losing run against Hawthorn and officially end the Hawks' slim finals dreams.

James Sicily. Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Fremantle: The year can't finish fast enough for the Shockers - ahem, we mean, Dockers. Sunday's awful capitulation against Richmond - Freo's second consecutive 104-point thumping - was all the meeker considering they actually led the visitors at quarter-time, and it was their final match at Domain Stadium. After a spritely opening term by the home team, the Tigers kicked 22 of the game's last 26 goals as the Dockers turned their toes up. The back-to-back, triple digit losses have been the biggest of Ross Lyon's coaching career and Fremantle are in a horrible slump, having tasted defeat in 10 of their past 12 games. They finish their season at Etihad Stadium against an Essendon outfit desperate to secure a finals berth, so the purple pain will continue, at least for another week.

The Bulldogs' premiership defence: Last year's fairytale seems like a distant memory now. The young Bulldogs looked set for an era of, if not domination, then at least regular finals appearances but they're now almost certain to miss finals action after a last-quarter fadeout against Port Adelaide in Ballarat. What's happened to the hungry, swarming outfit that stormed through last September to claim a historic premiership? Is it attitude? Hunger? An outdated game-plan? Lack of scoring power? Whatever it is, coach Luke Beveridge suddenly has a lot to work on over the off-season - as do many of his players.