Gold Coast has pulled off one of its finest wins of the season, beating a fast-finishing Western Bulldogs by seven points in Darwin to kick-start its push for a debut finals berth.
In Saturday night's other match, Essendon moved back into the top eight after captain Zach Merrett produced a standout display to guide his side to a 50-point win over West Coast in Perth.
Earlier, GWS scored a seven-point win over Geelong, Walyalup (Fremantle) surged to a fourth-straight victory after defeating Narrm (Melbourne) in a tight and tense thriller, while Hawthorn beat St Kilda by 10 points in a significant upset.
In the Top End, Jack Lukosius booted five goals, including four in the second quarter, while Matt Rowell turned in an imperious midfield performance to deliver a 13.6 (84) to 11.11 (77) victory.
The Suns held their nerve late as the Bulldogs, with the help of two contentious umpiring decisions, surged.
The win improved the Suns' record to 5-6, while the wasteful Bulldogs (7-4) spurned a chance to leap into the top four.
The victory is a timely one for coach Stuart Dew, who stood up for himself this week as recently departed Richmond mentor Damien Hardwick was linked to his job.
Rowell racked up 29 disposals, 16 clearances, eight score involvements and 702 metres gained along with a goal, while Lukosius's second-quarter haul turned the match the Suns' way.
Charlie Ballard (11 intercept possessions) intercepted at will for the Suns and the Bulldogs' in-form defensive recruit Liam Jones (13 intercepts, seven marks) was superb.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (three goals) consistently threatened to break the match open but could not haul the Bulldogs over the line, while Jack Macrae (33 possessions) and Marcus Bontempelli (28) had plenty of the ball.
The Bulldogs kicked the first three goals, including Ugle-Hagan dobbing a set shot after catching the ball-holding Wil Powell with a crunching tackle.
The Suns fought back and were buoyed when 100-gamer Nick Holman kicked a goal after the quarter-time siren to cut the deficit to two points.
Lukosius put the Suns in front early in the second term with an instinctive finish off the ground and nabbed three more, including a brilliant volley, to deliver a 22-point lead at the main break.
Bulldogs livewire Cody Weightman goaled after the three-quarter time siren to keep his side firmly in the contest.
Rowell's excellent snap early in the final term steadied the Suns before the Bulldogs bit back.
They were helped by a questionable 50-metre penalty against Ben Ainsworth, who was ruled to have stepped over the mark, that gifted Bailey Williams a goal.
Then, Ben Long was penalised for catching Weightman high off the ball and the forward drew the Bulldogs within a goal.
But youngster Bailey Humphrey pounced on a Lukosius attempted mark and dribbled through a brilliant goal to ice the match.
Aaron Naughton appeared to have kicked a dramatic late goal but the score review showed his snap had just clipped the goal post and the Suns held on.
Bombers add to Eagles' woes
Kyle Langford booted three goals and Merrett racked up 32 disposals and five clearances to lead the Bombers to a 14.12 (96) to 6.10 (46) win.
The result gave the Bombers back-to-back wins following their thrilling defeat of Richmond last week.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson entered the match under intense pressure following last week's 116-point loss to Hawthorn.
The Eagles showed far more fight in front of 39,269 spectators with the margin just 11 points when Oscar Allen kicked his third goal midway through the second term.
If it was not for the Eagles' wayward goalkicking, the home side would have been closer than the 33-point margin at three-quarter time.
The Eagles had been stoic up until that stage, but a series of diabolical turnovers in the final term gifted the Bombers some easy goals to ice the percentage-boosting win.
Jake Stringer (18 possessions, one goal, three score assists) produced a big first half to help set up the win, while Merrett was a dominant figure throughout.
The Eagles' ninth loss in a row was an equal club record and marked the third time in the space of two years they have lost nine in a row.
Greene leads Giants to win over Cats
Four first-half goals from Toby Greene helped the Giants put another dent in the Cats' flagging premiership defence.
Giants captain Greene starred early, with former skippers Stephen Coniglio and Callan Ward also significant contributors in the gutsy 12.9 (81) to 10.14 (74) victory at Kardinia Park.
It was the Giants' fourth win under first-year coach Adam Kingsley, helping Greene celebrate his 200-match milestone in fine style while improving their record to 4-7.
The shock result inflicted more pain on injury-hit Cats (5-6), who have now recorded three-straight defeats for the second time this season.
Tall defender Esava Ratugolea is the Cats' latest injury concern after being substituted off with a hamstring concern.
Greene kicked 4.1 from seven disposals in the first half, while Jake Riccardi and Brent Daniels both finished with three goals, including two crucial majors each in the final term as the Giants held off a huge late challenge.
They led by 24 points at the eight-minute mark of the last quarter, but the Cats stormed back into the contest, roared on by a vocal home crowd of 21,349.
The Cats kicked four of the next five goals and twice trimmed the margin to two points before Daniels shut the gate from close range with little more than two minutes left.
Coniglo (26 disposals, seven clearances), Ward (19, seven), Tom Green (28, three) and Lachie Ash (26, two) were outstanding, while Lachie Keeffe limited Cats spearhead Tom Hawkins to one goal from 10 disposals.
The Cats became the first club in AFL/VFL history to field three Irish players in the same team when Oisin Mullin made his debut alongside Zach Tuohy and Mark O'Connor.
Speedster Mullin showed glimpses and almost kicked a brilliant goal, spinning out of a tackle by the Giants' own Irishman Callum Brown before his snap shot floated narrowly wide.
He was also caught holding-the-ball by Greene, who wheeled off the mark to kick a stunning goal from 50 metres during the second quarter.
The Giants kicked 4.2 to 1.2 for the term — three of those from Greene — to take a 17-point lead to the main break.
The visitors looked home when they broke out to a match-high 24-point lead early in the final term.
Tyson Stengle and Ollie Henry kicked two goals each to drag the Cats back into the contest, bringing the home crowd to life.
But Daniels' last goal steadied the Giants, who hung on in a thriller.
Tom Stewart (31 disposals) was Geelong's major ball-winner, with Mark Blicavs (22 touches, seven clearances) and Tom Atkins (20, six) also busy.
Dockers triumph over Demons
The Dockers conquered the Demons at the MCG for the second year in a row, taking control of the contest by kicking 5.2 to 2.3 in the third quarter.
Unlike last year's clash, the Demons lifted late but the Dockers were able to withstand the pressure.
Up by 15 points, the Dockers hung on to win 12.7 (79) to 10.12 (72) for their fourth-straight victory to jump inside the top-eight for the first time this season.
Former Demon Luke Jackson turned the match in the Dockers' favour in the third quarter when he was forced to take on the ruck duties solo.
Towering Dockers ruckman Sean Darcy was subbed out late in the second quarter with a hamstring injury in a major blow for the visitors.
But his absence allowed Jackson, who moved to the Dockers during the off-season following three years and a premiership with the Demons, to take control of the tight tussle.
Jackson was dominant out of the middle and finished with a career-best eight clearances.
The 21-year-old, who was heavily criticised during the Dockers' early season form struggles, received some jeers from the 29,154 spectators but the reception was largely respectful.
Classy Demons forward Kysaiah Pickett reduced the margin to just two points with three minutes to go but dynamo Bailey Banfield immediately kicked truly at the other end to seal the result for the Dockers.
Angus Brayshaw had a set-shot with 90 seconds left but the prolific Demons midfielder sprayed it right.
Both forward lines struggled to fire in a low-scoring contest but young Dockers talls Jye Amiss (three goals) and Josh Treacy (two) made crucial contributions.
Andrew Brayshaw, Angus' younger brother, starred for the Dockers in the middle, as did Caleb Serong.
The Demons' second-straight defeat leaves them at 7-4 ahead of a clash with struggling Carlton on Friday night.
The Dockers have revived their season to be 6-5 leading into a bye next weekend.
Hawks upset Saints
Hawthorn stunned St Kilda, overcoming bad goalkicking to win their clash at Docklands.
The Hawks kicked 5.0 late in the match to storm past the Saints 12.16 (88) to 12.6 (78).
Their third win of the season came three days after chief executive Justin Reeves resigned to focus on his mental health.
Hawks defender James Sicily was outstanding, racking up a career-best 42 disposals in a best-afield performance.
Luke Breust marked and kicked accurately in the last minute to seal the win, his third goal for the match and the 499th of his career.
The Saints kicked the opening goal of the last term to go 20 points ahead.
They also could have sealed the result midway through the quarter when a long ball went to Jack Higgins close to goal.
But he dropped the mark and the ball was rushed through for a behind, rather than the goal that would have put them 19 points ahead.
Jacob Koschitzke marked and kicked a goal from 45 metres out with less than two minutes left to put the Hawks ahead.
A win potentially would have put the Saints in the top four, but the loss continues their patchy form of the last month.
The Hawks took control through the first half in most areas, except where it matters most — on the scoreboard.
They had 32 inside-50s to 20, but kicked a wasteful 4.10.
Two late goals to the Saints in the second term meant scores were level at the main break, when the hosts should have been four or five goals behind.
Adding to the Saints' problems, Hunter Clark was subbed out of the match in the second term with a knee injury.
Max King gave the Saints an early highlight when he kicked two goals in two minutes midway through the first quarter. The first came from a free and then two 50-metre penalties.
Saints speedster Brad Hill looked dangerous on a wing with 10 possessions in the first term but Josh Weddle put a hard tag on him that dramatically blunted the 29-year-old's influence.
The Saints needed to lift in the third term and midfielder Brad Crouch fired up with 11 possessions as they took control of the clearances.
They kicked six-straight goals in the third term as the Hawks continued to spray its shots with 3.4.
King finished with four goals and Crouch had 26 disposals, while Conor Nash starred for the Hawks and teammate Dylan Moore kicked a goal during his big last term.
ABC/AAP
