IN THIS week’s Things We Learned, we discover St Kilda should keep Jack Silvagni forward, the Dockers have the best forward trio in the competition plus much, much more.

Check out what we learned from round 12 of the 2026 season.

*This article will be updated after the West Coast v Essendon match on Sunday night

TRSF: New angle of Cripps’ epic mark, Saints not keeping up with modern game

Joel Peterson and Tom Mitchell bring you The Round So Far for round 12

1) Jagga is edging clear in the Rising Star race

Geelong has a tagger in Oisin Mullin who, across the past month, has performed effective shutdown roles on the likes of Nick Daicos and Lachie Neale. But, on Friday night, he was asked to move to an 11-gamer at half-time of his side’s defeat to Carlton. Such was Jagga Smith’s impact, the move was worth the gamble from Chris Scott. The teenager had a game-high 18 disposals at the main break, with his clean hands and craftiness through the centre providing the Blues with a fantastic outlet. He finished with 27 touches, six clearances and six inside-50s, along with a fantastic goal assist for Brodie Kemp in the final term. Having had 23 score involvements in the two weeks prior, another stellar Smith showing might have the former No.3 pick on track for the Telstra Rising Star award at the end of the year. – Riley Beveridge

2) The struggling Saints should keep Jack forward

A goalless first half and a vulnerable backline was going to be St Kilda’s takeaway from Thursday evening’s 52-point loss to Hawthorn, until Jack Silvagni was swung forward. His presence in attack spurred a six-goal third quarter from the Saints, and gave the home fans something to cheer for. He finished with three goals and – crucially – marked everything in sight, taking the power away from Hawthorn’s defensive unit. Silvagni might be a more than handy player to have behind the ball, but his competitiveness in the front half is too valuable to sacrifice if the Saints are to maintain any energy throughout this season. With Max King still sidelined, the former Blue could the focal point in attack that the Saints desperately need. – Gemma Bastiani

‘Something to celebrate’: JSOS finally lands Saints’ first in third term

Jack Silvagni swings forward and provides St Kilda its first goal of the game after half-time

3) Fremantle has the best tall trio in the AFL

It is becoming clear that Josh Treacy, Jye Amiss and Patrick Voss are the best trio of tall forwards in the AFL. Against Brisbane on Saturday they had a day out, kicking 11 goals between them to prove the difference and continue a wonderful collective 2026. The beauty is the versatility in their games; Treacy is physically imposing and perhaps the best contested mark in the AFL, Amiss is a slick mover on the lead who is maturing game by game, and Voss is the energiser who can both kick goals and quieten an intercept marking opponent. Through 12 rounds the trio has kicked 78 goals between them and are a headache to match-up against. – Michael Whiting

4) The next gen of Bulldogs is nearly here

While it is still the lead actors – Marcus Bontempelli, Ed Richards, Tim English – that the Bulldogs lean on to get things going, the club’s chorus line is increasingly imposing itself on games. In Saturday night’s tight win over Collingwood, the biggest moments late in the game came from unlikely heroes in Will Lewis and Michael Sellwood, an SSP signing and mid-season draftee, respectively. In the gritty, must-win moments, players like these are standing up more and more, adding a depth to the Bulldogs that they lacked in the early days of their injury crisis. The lead actors are still that for a reason, but the chorus line is what rounds out a stunning performance. – Gemma Bastiani

Last two mins: Brave Dog’s game-saving mark seals thriller over Pies

The thrilling final moments between the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood in round 12

5) Young Eagle is All-Australian material 

It is time for West Coast key defender Reuben Ginbey to be spoken about as a serious All-Australian contender this season after another outstanding performance blanketing the opposition’s best tall forward on Sunday night. Ginbey was unstoppable against Essendon goalkicker Nate Caddy at Optus Stadium, keeping the Bombers’ young star to 10 disposals and two late goals, while repeatedly intercepting, spoiling, and winning crucial ground-level contests. The 191cm Ginbey has been thrust into a key defensive role through necessity this season but is thriving on the weekly challenges he is being given, taking on Aaron Cadman, Nick Larkey, Charlie Curnow, Josh Treacy and Jeremy Cameron, among others, and repeatedly winning his match-up. If the young leader’s form holds up, he should certainly earn his first squad nomination, if not a starting place in the 2026 All-Australian backline. – Nathan Schmook  

6) Melbourne is still a work in progress

The Demons have been a lively success story this year under new coach Steven King, but a resurgent Greater Western Sydney picked plenty of holes in their plan of attack on Sunday. The Giants were very disciplined across the field, putting pressure on Melbourne’s ball carriers and denying them clear passages to run and carry the footy. Melbourne also struggled badly when entering forward 50, with poor disposal coupled with a lack of movement ahead of the play coming back to bite them. While a bounce-back Demons making the finals would make for a great yarn, there’s still work to be done to ensure they get a proper taste of September footy. – Sarah Black

7) The Swans’ front-half press is back

Richmond was exposed on the turnover as Sydney played an impeccable front-half game in its 114-point victory on Saturday afternoon. After a four-week stretch where opponents successfully blocked the corridor to stem the tide of Sydney’s forward-handball game, the Swans completely unlocked their ball movement against the Tigers. Not only did they dominate field position with a massive 73 to 47 inside-50 count, they also overpowered in the air, taking 26 marks inside 50 to Richmond’s five. Crucially, Sydney’s defensive buy-in returned, reviving a scoring source that had recently dried up. The Swans suffocated the Tigers with relentless forward-50 pressure – recording a 13-4 tackle count inside-50 – and ultimately punished the visitors by scoring 14 goals off turnovers. – Emily Patterson