South East Suburban Flannie are still alive. They beat the Pirates to move to 8-8 and sixth on the ladder, two wins behind the equal 2-3-4 of Pirates, Cheats and Fitzroy. With seven rounds to play that's a real climb, but the data is friendlier than it looks: Flannie's percentage is already better than both the Cheats and Fitzroy, and every side currently in 2nd-5th lost this week. Flannie don't play the teams they need to overtake until Rounds 21 and 22 (Cheats then Corio), so the climb mostly depends on what those sides do elsewhere. The Brisbane Bears made their first ever finals in 1995 after eight years as the league's punchline - a late surge is always on the table. The Cheats have now lost three on the trot. After leading the comp for months they got smacked by Coolgardie of all teams, which is the kind of slide that suggests a team that's had a run-in with Danhausen. Elsewhere the Phils thumped the Village, Cazzu beat Fitzroy, and Western Suburbs Walkabout held off Corio Bayside to stay top.