Are the top four getting nervous? Because here comes Carlton and GWS!

In a tipping nightmare, some uncomfortable truths have been exposed particularly at Collingwood and Port Adelaide.

Plus what can North Melbourne and West Coast take from Season 2023 into season 2024?

The boys need to spend some time on the therapy couch this week after both of their teams went down by less than a kick. But where does this leave Port Adelaide and Collingwood mentally? Are Port Adelaide scarred by getting so close and failing to get the win? Or are Collingwood seemingly invincible if they're winthin 20 points at 3/4 time? Meanwhile Joe is incredibly husky after verbally willing the Crows on in a thriller at the G.

What does those results do to the boys tiers?

As more and more teams clambour to make the top eight, the rather settled top four experienced some turbulence. What does the Dees come from behind victory against the Lions do for the rest of their respective seasons? How much of a hit did Port take after being pummelled by Carlton? And hwo far are Geelong away from being a genuine title threat after smashing Essendon? All the while the Black & White army marches on.

Plus are there any suprise additions to the boys MVPs this week? It's hardly any surpsie who's number one.

A couple of 'eight-point' matches have created a crunch - eight teams, from fifth to twelth, only serparated by six premiership points, and all in the mix to make finals. But twelve doesn't go into eight - so who's going to book their place in September from Essendon, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, Geelong, Adelaide, GWS, Carlton and Richmond?

Adam and Joe go heavy on the tiers in this edition of 'Down The Guts'.

Has the top-four tribe voted out a contender? GWS's upset win over the Demons has blown the top four race wide open. But the race to make the eight is just as heated - which is why the Essendon V Adelaide match in Round 17 looms as season defining for both clubs.

Plus who's at the crossroads? The boys take a careful look at a few players who might be considering their futures, for different reasons, and try to engineer what might be the best solution.

Finally the Bye rounds are done, but normal transmission has already resumed with Colingwood collecting another close win. But is this a trend the Magpie faithful need to be worried about?

Does the AFL need to be worried about West Coast's poor form hitting a new low? And do the Demons need to be worried about their avenues to goal?

Plus the tiers return as the boys cast an eye over how much has changed since the bye rounds began a month ago.

The top four tribe has emerged, as Port show they're capable of overcoming many challenges to go top of the table.

And while Carlton may have finally clicked, Fremantle and the Gold Coast are among those that have let opportunities slide in the Bye rounds.

Adam's had a gutful of Ken Hinkley's contract conversation outside of the club.

Plus what did the boys get right and what did they get wrong in the preseason? Will their do-over get them any closer to the mark come season's end?

Round 13 is the round of defiance: The Demons defy the Pies in a close one; Hawthorn defy a top four team; Essendon begin to defy gravity; Port defy the record books and are the Bulldogs defying themselves?

There's a lot to love about the Hawks and the Bombers, but who to chop in the forest that is the Bulldogs forward line, or is there a way they can make it work with at least three talls sitting forward?

Plus the boys have some mid-season awards to hand out including:

The Prematurely Finished Award

The Unexpected Rising Star

The Breakout Superstar

The Comeback King

The Reverse MVP

The first of the bye rounds throws the boys MVPs into disarray - but not before a lasting nod to the top five before taking a break.

The Suns rise continues to claim significant scalps - so can they make the finals for the first time ever? Plus the curious case of canine inconsistency - why are the Bulldogs so hot and cold? And to bring it home... what to do about Carlton? Do they back their man in Michael Voss - and what does he need to finally get the Blues back into the finals?

First it was Hawthorn stealing a win from the Saints. Then the Dockers demonised Naarm, before the Giants clawed the Cats at Kardinia as the Suns shone brightest against the Dogs in Darwin... while the Crows blew Brisbane away in Adelaide. If you tipped more than five in Round 11 of the AFL season, you've done very well!

But what does this round of upsets actually show? It's shuffled the boys tiers around, who also decide to take an in-depth look at the Tigers' list as Damien Hardwick makes the first move off the coaching merry-go-round in 2023.