So far this year the AFL has had surprise teams that have done better then some would have believed. Then there are those that have just been disappointing and doing worse than most would think. Finally are the unknown – and what the hell is going on with them?
Surprises
Giants
Have won the same amount of games in the first eight rounds as they did in the whole of 2014 – with the large scalp of the Hawks, along with midrange team the Crows.
Greater Western Sydney sit inside the four with six win and two loses – the two loses coming against two of the teams above them on the ladder in the Eagles and the Swans.
With games against the Dogs, Magpies, Lions, and North before their bye, they could go to 8-4 or 9-3 – the perfect spot to run in to the finals.
They’ll need another four to five wins on top of that to make the eight, and that is possible with the way they have been playing over the first eight rounds.
Demons
Again they have shocked team with two good wins against midrange teams in the Dogs and Tigers. Also they secured a win in Round 1 against the Suns, who at that point were believed to be a top-eight team.
They have won three games, one fewer than the whole of 2014 season. With games against Port, Magpies, Saints and Cats they would be hoping for at lest one or two more wins before the Round 13 bye.
Will they make the top eight this year? No, sorry Melbourne fans, but they could finish around 12th to 10th if they continue to play like they did against the Dogs in Round 8.
Eagles
With eight win and only two loses, the Eagles have smashed all teams bar the Dockers and Dogs, and have shown great determination with the injuries they have had.
With game against the Cats, North, Essendon and Tigers before the bye, they could be looking at 9-3 or 10-2. with tough games against four teams that are in the running for the bottom half of the eight this will be the test for them.
If they come out of that with at lest two win then another four to five wins should see them make the eight.
Disappointments
Suns
With Rodney Eade at the helm, most expected the Suns up around the eight to six spot for the start of the season.
After Round 8 the only thing that has kept them off the bottom of the ladder is 4.83 per cent. Their only win came against the Lions, and with an injury list as long as your arm there is nothing to like about the Suns at this point in time. And with the next three game against Hawks, Swans and Dockers, the pain is to continue until they can get some of the injured players back.
The Suns need to press the reset button and try and salvage something from this season after their Round 12 bye.
Blues
With only one win on the board and without the Suns’ excuses with injuries, the Blues season does not look like it is going to get any better. With the sharks circling and the wooden spoon there for them to take, there is not much to like about the Blues.
With two games for the Blues against the Swans and Crows there is a small chance of a win before the bye, but it will depend on what Crows team turns up.
Unknowns
Magpies
At the start to the season many thought the Magpies would push for the eight, but thus far they have not been tested, with wins coming against the Lions, Saints, Essendon, Carlton, and Suns. The only of those teams that would be classed as a chance of the top eight are Essendon.
They have games against North, Demons and Giants before their bye to prove they are top-eight material, and they need to win all three games. The real challenge for them are the four games after the bye – Dockers, Hawks, Port and Eagles.
Tigers
The Tigers started the season off with great win against the Blues, stalled against the Dogs, took it to the Lions, then lost to the Demons. Some would say that the old Tigers of the ’90s were back with the WLWLWL record. But with the two wins in a row against the Magpies and Port, they look to be slowly coming back on track.
The big test for them before the bye is the Dockers, and the question is not can they win but by how little can they lose.
The first three games after the bye will show where they are, with games against Eagles, Swans and Giants. Winning two would put them in a good spot to make the eight.
Bulldogs
The Dogs would have been in the surprise section if not for a few losses to teams below them on the ladder. With great wins against the Eagles and Tigers in the first two rounds, you may have thought they where going to have a 2013 Port season.
While the Hawks dismantled them in Round 3, most still had them playing in September. This was reinforced by wins against the Crows and then the Swans, both who where sitting higher on the ladder at the time.
Then came the loss to the Saints due to a lack of concentration, and the loss to the Dockers – although only losing by 13 was not too bad.
The thing that may have people worried is the loss to the Demons, with the Bulldogs not showing and grunt or fire.
The next two games will show if they can get their bite back, with games against the Giants and the Power. The Dogs need to win at least one of these games to show they can make the eight.
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