We are halfway through the 2015 AFL season so it’s time to take a look at how each club is performing.

Adelaide Crows
After a fast start out of the blocks, the Crows have yet to find any consistency this season – without being able to string more than two wins in a row. Being able to match it against Fremantle in Round 9 was a highlight, but they weren’t good enough to come away with the win on the night.

Highlight: Eddie Betts’ form in the first half of the season, kicking 33 goals. Sitting in fourth position on the Coleman medal tally shows that he is the best small forward in the competition.

Ranking: par

Brisbane Lions
Being the team to watch in 2015 after a strong free-agency and trading period last year, the Lions have yet to live up to the hype with many on-field and off-field problems in the first half of the season hindering their performance.

With back-to-back wins against Carlton and Port Adelaide they showed that they have potential to be a competitive team in the back half of the season.

Highlight: Prized recruit Dayne Beams finally getting some touches after a slow start to the year. He has made the Lions more competitive in games, which should hold them in good stead in the back half.

Ranking: Double bogey

Carlton Blue
Where do I start… Sacking your coach after Round 8 is not a good start, as Carlton caved into the outside pressure of the media after the board were adamant that Mick Malthouse would see out his contract.

But maybe it was a blessing in disguise. After several poor, uncompetitive performances, which led to John Barker taking the reins, the players have started putting up high pressure, acceptable performances on the field.

Highlight: John Barker playing the kids. This has allowed a kid called Patrick Cripps to spend more time in the middle of the ground and be the shining light for the Blues in the first half of the year.

Ranking: Bogey

Collingwood Magpies
As we are just ranking the teams on the first half of the year, the Magpies’ performances this year have exceeded everybody’s expectations, sitting 8-3 after 11 games. The Magpies sit a game clear in the top four after not dropping a game in the past month.

What lays ahead in the back half of the season will have the Magpies fans biting at the fingernails hoping their good form can compare to the better teams of the competition.

Highlight: Adam Oxley. After a breakout game against Melbourne on the big stage, Oxley has been a key to the Magpies’ success in the first half of the season being the loose man in defence. But Oxley will learn how tough football is over the coming weeks.

Ranking: Eagle

Essendon Bombers
It looked like the Bombers were going to be set free from the drug scandal that has been over their heads in the past two seasons, but it came back into the spotlight causing them to under-perform on the field in the past two months.

With a win against the Hawks in Round 2 it seemed that Essendon were going to be a team to watch in 2015. But with only two wins in the past eight weeks, the players and coach are coming under heavy scrutiny.

Highlight: With a six-goal haul in Round 8 against Brisbane, Joe Daniher showed the supporters that he can be a big key forward. Supporters are drawling from the mouth in excitement for the years to come.

Ranking: Bogey

Fremantle Dockers
Plenty of people went into the season thinking the Dockers would be thereabouts in the top four but never thought they’d be 10-1. They are sitting on top of the ladder after the bye.

After an average final series in 2014, the Dockers have come out firing in the first half of the season, playing like the team to beat in 2015 while playing down all the hype in true Ross Lyon style. The Dockers have overcome several off-field issues this season, but have not flinched on-field.

Highlight: Can’t go past the one and only Nat Fyfe. He has stepped up his game again this season and proven that he is the best player in the competition. He has not yet had a bad game this season which will be proven on the Monday night of grand final week.

Ranking: Eagle

Geelong Cats
No one could put their finger on how the Cats would perform this year with them slowly defying the general rebuild stage after a club has had so much success. The Cats have been able to weather the storm well in the first half of the season, sitting 6-6.

They are a couple of spots out of the eight and are yet to prove themselves, but they have shown signs of being a top eight team against quality opposition.

Highlight: Sitting in limbo, Josh Caddy’s past month of football has shown that he deserves a spot in Geelong’s future team as they progress to contend for the flag in years to come.

Ranking: Par

Gold Coast Suns
Since we were talking about the general progression of teams, the progression of a young team is generally an inconsistent, upward slope. Yet the Suns have gone the opposite this year.

Cruelled by injuries and many off-field issues the Suns have only been able to get one win in the first half of the season. From off-season drug issues, to alcohol issues, the Suns have not been able to be competitive under Rodney Eade.

Highlight: Hard to find one… but the Suns’ performance against the Dockers before the bye is hopefully a turning point for this young side.

Ranking: Triple bogey

Greater Western Sydney Giants
Sitting pretty at 7-5, the Giants have been able to turn their young talented players into a team which has been competitive on most occasions in the first half of the season. With wins against Hawks and Adelaide, the Giants have exceeded expectations.

Yet they have had bad lapses against the Bulldogs, Magpies and the Kangaroos. Cruelled by injures in the past couple of weeks, the Giants’ second half of the year will be interesting.

Highlight: Taking the pressure off Jeremy Cameron, Cameron McCarthy has been a shining light for the Giants in a talented team. Kicking 29 goals in the first half of the season McCarthy will be a force to reckon with in the back half of the season as they push for their first finals appearance.

Ranking: Birdie

Hawthorn Hawks
Coming into the season as flag favourites, the Hawks have had a lot to live up to in the first half of the season. With a fairly inconsistent start to the season, the Hawks finally found form in the last month, stringing three wins together in a row.

The unsocial Hawks have not spared any of the bottom eight teams in their quest for back-to-back-to-back flags, beating Bulldogs, Melbourne and Saints by a combined total of 238 points.

Highlight: Young, quick midfielder Billy Hartung has been able to break into the side on nine occasions this season, averaging 19 disposals. The outside midfielder has complemented Isaac Smith and Bradley Hill with breaking the lines and will contribute to the Hawks success in future years to come.

Ranking: Par

Melbourne Demons
With a good win in Round 1 against the Suns, Melbourne fans were excited about the year to come, but that only lasted seven days, as a poor game against the Giants left everyone frustrated.

Although Melbourne are only sitting at 4-8, the Demons have been able to be competitive for the majority of games but still have lapses which cost them the game. With a strong win against Geelong, it will be interesting to see how the Demons compete in the second half of the year.

Highlight: The upcoming talent at the Demons – players such as Angus Brayshaw, Jesse Hogan, Jack Viney and Jimmy Toumpas – have been exceeding expectations in the first half of the season and should have strong second half as they continue to mature.

Ranking: Par

North Melbourne Kangaroos
Only sitting at 6-6, the Kangaroos have not been able to find form all year. With big loses against Fremantle and the Hawks, it shows that the Kangaroos have not been up for the challenge in the first half of the season.

With a favourable draw in the second half of the year it will be interesting to see if they find form as they push for a finals appearance.

Highlight: Shaun Higgins has been able to play in all the Kangaroos’ matches this year and has been one of few consistent things that is associated with the club in the first half of the year.

Ranking: Bogey

Port Adelaide Power
Like the Kangaroos, the Power did not have any consistency in the first half of the season after a strong 2014 finals campaign. Only being able to win five games in 12 matches, Ports’ start to the year has been one of the worst in the competition.

After being one of the favourites for the flag at the start of the season, the Power have bowed to the external pressure and not been able to perform.

Highlight: The first quarter in Round 4 against the Hawks showed the Power can go toe to toe with quality sides but can’t bring the pressure on a weekly basis.

Ranking: Double Bogey

Richmond Tigers
After tweaking their game halfway through the first half of the season, the Tigers were able to produce one of the best months of football between Rounds 7 and 10. Stopping the juggernauts of the competition in Round 10, it showed that the Tigers are big contenders in season 2015.

But losses against Bulldogs and Melbourne show that they are still an inconsistent team at times. Seeing glimpses of the damage the Tigers can do in 2015 gives the fans hope that this might be their year.

Highlight: Not scared to change the game plan halfway through the season, Damien Hardwick is the reason for Richmond’s brilliant month of football.

Ranking: Par

St Kilda Saints
As a young team on the up, the Saints have been able to produce some strong quarters of football during the first half of the year. With a great come-from-behind win against the Bulldogs in Round 6 it has caused the Saints to have a strong mindset during the rest of the first half of the season.

After snatching a win from Melbourne, it left the Saints sitting 4-7 on the ladder with plenty of potential for the second half of the year.

Highlight: Young Josh Bruce has been a shining light for the Saints up forward in the first half of the year, kicking bags of goals against Gold Coast and Adelaide.

Ranking: Par

Sydney Swans
Cruising along nicely at 9-2, the Swans have been very consistent in the first half with only a set of back-to-back loses against Fremantle and the Bulldogs in Rounds 4 and 5. The strong midfield team, complemented by the strong forward line is hard to fault.

The Swans have set themselves up to contend for another chance of the flag at the end of the year very nicely.

Highlight: Adam Goodes’ last month of football has shown that he is back to his very best and can still be a vital part of the team heading in the back end of the season.

Ranking: Birdie

West Coast Eagles
Plagued by injuries in the back line, the Eagles weren’t expected to be sitting in the top four at 9-3 at the end of the first half of the season. With an all-round team effort, the Eagles have been able to knock off Geelong, Port and stop Richmond’s winning streak to being sitting pretty second on the ladder.

The undermanned side have been able to exceed expectations by far and can be considered as a true contender for the 2015 flag.

Highlight: Jeremy McGovern has been the saviour for the Eagles’ back line in the first half of the season.

Ranking: Eagle

Western Bulldogs
A strong start to the season saw the Bulldogs win the first four of their five matches, leaving everybody surprised with their quick rise up the ladder. They quickly got brought back down to earth with consecutive losses against the Saints, Fremantle and Melbourne.

Being competitive in majority of matches this year, the Bulldogs have exceeded a lot of people’s expectations during the first half of the year and a favourable draw sets them up to compete for a spot in the finals.

Highlight: With rumours of a good pre-season under his belt, big Jake Stringer has set the forward line alight, kicking a bag of goals on several occasions in his third season at the kennel.

Ranking: Birdie

Ladder
Eagles: West Coast, Collingwood, Fremantle

Birdies: Greater Western Sydney, Sydney Swans, Western Bulldogs

Pars: Adelaide Crows, Geelong Cats, Hawthorn Hawks, Melbourne Demons, Richmond Tigers, St Kilda Saints

Bogeys: Carlton Blues, Essendon Bombers, North Melbourne Kangaroos

Double Bogeys: Brisbane Lions, Port Adelaide Power

Triple Bogey: Gold Coast Suns