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With two weeks left to go in the AFL season, the top four finally looks almost locked in, and it’s all thanks to GWS coughing up a loss to West Coast on Saturday afternoon.
For a while we had all the teams from second to fifth on equal games won, and it looked like one of them would have to miss out on percentage. Instead, the Giants dropping a game has made them the odd ones out.
Of course, there could still be an upset or two along in the last fortnight that changes things up. But at this stage, it looks like this is your top four (in no guaranteed order): Hawthorn, Adelaide, Sydney and Geelong.
With two interstate teams in the mix, these final two weeks are still going to be crucial in determining what the qualifying final match-ups will be, and where they’ll be played. So the game is well and truly on.
As for the teams finishing fifth to eighth, they do look to have fallen a fair bit off. The Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne have both been crippled by injuries – the Bulldogs handling it better, but not well enough to last long in September.
The Eagles will be chuffed at the moment but would need this to be the beginning of a huge turnaround, and it’s probably not.
And GWS – well, this is the furthest they’ve ever gotten, they’re in uncharted territory right now, and it’s showing. Don’t worry, we can all look forward to being smacked around by them repeatedly in 2017 and beyond.
The Dons have defied the doubters
Say what you will about Essendon – really, so much has been said about them you probably can’t find anything new – but they can be proud to say they’ve proven a lot of people wrong this year.
Coming into the season there was a litany of people ready to write them off and say they were no hope of winning a game. They’ve won two.
A 2-20 season and wooden spoon – their first in 83 years – isn’t much to crow about, but given the circumstances Dons fans will probably be celebrating it as hard or harder than the flag-winners this year.
Neither of their wins have been super impressive. Neither has come against a great side. And I’m not sold yet on the idea that they can bounce back right up into finals next year. But none of that matters right now – enjoy the win Bomber fans – you deserve it.
A failed fightback isn’t something to be proud of
The matches of Brisbane vs Carlton and Hawthorn vs North Melbourne were eerily similar on Saturday – the home team dominating early, the away side showing some fight later but falling just short of a win.
Some Blues and Roos fans may have come away from those games smiling and thinking that even if they didn’t pull it off, those two quarters or so of dominant footy they played were really something. As a North fan, I won’t lie, I had a little of that emotion.
But really, while those fightback attempts are impressive, they make for an indictment on the team getting itself into that situation in the first place.
If your team is so bad they just can’t compete, well, at least they’re doing what they can. If your team can compete but is picking and choosing when they do, that’s much more frustrating.
Port’s Power running low
If Port were a mobile phone right now they’d be sending you a notification every minute to let you know they’re running out of battery.
A 40-point loss to Melbourne at home, officially ruling them out of any chance of making finals, has to be the lowest point of their season (well, maybe second lowest after losing to Fremantle).
This team is stagnating something awful. Two years ago they were a kick away from a grand final. But the standard of the competition improves every single year, and Port haven’t improved with it.
My gut feel is that they need to back in their current list and coach to turn it around (and stop trading away first round draft picks like they’re tazos). But with a bloke like David Koch in charge, something much more impulsive might be just around the corner.
Swans slam the top eight door closed
Okay, so it’s not completely closed. But it’s very close. Melbourne can still theoretically make the top eight, but they’d need to beat Geelong. St Kilda can still do it, but would need some improbably huge margins.
Realistically speaking, the race looks to be just about over. North Melbourne are limping to the finish line, but they’re going to make it across, barring an extremely unlikely turn of events.
Oh, and how good are the Swans looking? Scary good. Aliir Aliir could be a premiership player in what would probably be only his 14th game of footy. Story of the year, if it happens. And Callum Mills deserves the Rising Star Award.
There’s some pride left in the Lions
There’s a strange feeling watching a result that both makes you happy and sad. I’m glad to see the Lions get a win – always had a soft spot for them – but the result, I think, means I’ll just about have to concede my bet with Ryan Buckland.
That fact aside, it is incredibly heartening to see that the Lions were able to rouse themselves after some really poor performances in the last two weeks to pull off a great first half against Carlton and, ultimately, a win.
They fell away late – as young team is bound to do – but that initial fight showed that there’s some pride in the Lions left. Whether that’s enough to keep Justin Lepptisch coaching in 2017 or not, who knows, but Lions fans can smile knowing that despite some of this year’s results suggesting the contrary, the Brisbane boys do care about their jumper.
Melbourne might actually be maturing
Is it mad of me to say that Melbourne’s win over Port Adelaide was actually more impressive than their win over Hawthorn? Maybe, but I genuinely feel that way.
It’s not uncommon for an average team to have a boilover against a top flight opponent. Heck, Melbourne did it last year against Geelong, and earlier this year against GWS.
But their style up until now has been to immediately regress back to a battler team – see their loss to Essendon in Round 2 after the GWS win.
I tipped Port Adelaide entirely on that basis, but the Dees didn’t just win, they smashed Port. That maturity to not get too far ahead of yourself and stay in the moment is just what this side has lacked for so long – to see it finally developing is the biggest positive Melbourne have had all year, in a year where there’s been plenty.
Oh, and just a mini talking-point on the Dees: Max Gawn will be their first All-Australian since Mark Jamar and James Frawley made the 2010 team. It’s about time, isn’t it?
Nic Naitanui is awesome
I can’t think of anything that accurately describes how incredible this moment was, but it needed to be here. Just watch the vid.