September has officially arrived, and every team remaining will naturally have optimism.
Fremantle appears to be the clear front-runner for the flag; Brisbane's experience holds it in good stead, and Hawthorn and Geelong are among the challengers.
So what does every club need to focus on?
Carlton
Punishing opponents from turnover
Being able to slingshot with speed when you win the ball back is such a critical component to the modern game, and it is a watch for the Blues.
This year, no finals team has averaged fewer points from turnover than Carlton, putting pressure on them to score in other ways.
The Blues' short kick-mark game, which has lifted them off the canvas, is not a method which traditionally works in the pressure cooker environment of finals, and perhaps there are chances at times to go more directly and give Harry McKay and co. looks one-on-one.
With so much value on defence in finals, territory is king and going forward quickly and going forward quickly is an avenue to giving forwards rare space in September footy.
Will the Blues be able to adapt on the fly after embedding a method so well in the second half of the season?
