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AFL Power Rankings: Round 20

The Cats are looking good. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Expert
8th August, 2016
45
2114 Reads

It’s all about percentage. The real winners and losers at the weekend appeared not so much to be the actual winners and losers, though some of them mattered.

Focus turned to those sides hunting top four spots and not whether they were winning, but how much they were winning by.

Adelaide had a big win, so they rose up two spots the ladder. Geelong also had a big win, but it wasn’t big enough so they slipped down one.

GWS didn’t have a big win, so they slipped two. Sydney had a reasonably big win, so they were promoted a spot to second.

Who said the final rounds of the home and away season weren’t going to be interesting?


1.Adelaide

No change // Ladder: 3rd (14W, 5L)
They needed a blowout to improve their double chance hopes and that’s what they went out and did, handing Brisbane a 138-point loss. Fremantle this week could be the next percentage booster.

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2.Sydney Swans

No change // Ladder: 2nd (14W, 5L)
The Swans are actually closing in on the Crows here with some decent form. Recording a 67-point win over Port Adelaide is a healthy result.

3.Geelong

+1 // Ladder: 5th (14W, 5L)
Essendon didn’t have a goal to half time but it still wasn’t a dominant enough performance from the Cats. With percentage such a big factor now, they’d have wanted to put more than 100 on the scoreboard. Can they pile it on against Richmond this week?

4.Hawthorn

-1 // Ladder: 1st (15W, 4L)
It hasn’t been a great fortnight for Hawthorn as their grasp on top spot weakens. Mathematically, they are still a chance to drop from first to eighth before finals. How crazy is that?

5.Western Bulldogs

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+5 // Ladder: 7th (13W, 6L)
They keep getting written off, then they keep producing good results. Could it be that the Dogs might actually be a factor in September?

6.GWS Giants

-1 // Ladder: 4th (14W, 5L)
Yep, the Giants’ form on the road is officially suspect. Which makes a top four spot seem vital to any preliminary final aspirations.

7.West Coast

-1 // Ladder: 6th (13W, 6L)
If percentage is the aim – and it most definitely still is for the Eagles given the boost a home final would provide them – Josh Kennedy kicking bags is a very good thing.

8.St Kilda

+3 // Ladder: 9th (10W, 9L)
A strong win over Carlton and the Saints remain in the frame for finals, particularly when you take a look at North Melbourne’s draw. But the Saints have an in-form Swans side visiting Etihad Stadium this week. With their percentage, a win is needed.

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9.Melbourne

+3 // Ladder: 11th (9W, 10L)
A victory to remember against Hawthorn after years and years of losses. The future looked bright with the Jack Viney-Dom Tyson-Tom McDonald age bracket supported by a decent handful of 19 and 20 year olds making contributions.

10.North Melbourne

-3 // Ladder: 8th (12W, 7L)
Last week we highlighted the importance of beating the Western Bulldogs given Hawthorn, Sydney and GWS were in store. The Kangas failed that task. While Port Adelaide losing helped, their spot in the eight could be in some danger still and it’s probably a bad time to be facing the Hawks coming off a loss.

11.Port Adelaide

-3 // Ladder: 10th (9W, 10L)
Not many teams can pull off scoring 140 fewer points in the space of a week, but that’s the Power in 2016 for you.

12.Gold Coast

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+2 // Ladder: 14th (6W, 13L)
The Suns appear to have found some decent football late in the season, which was needed after their mid-year slump. Pushed the Giants, as they did Melbourne a week earlier, but in the end it was another single-figures loss. They should break through for a win this week against Essendon.

13.Collingwood

-4 // Ladder: 12th (8W, 11L)
The Pies would’ve gone in confident against Richmond but now find themselves back under some pressure. A few good performances could soon be forgotten with the spotlight of Friday night football on the horizon this week.

14.Carlton

-1 // Ladder: 15th (6W, 13L)
After three competitive weeks against sides from the top eight, the drop-off came against St Kilda and margin-wise, it was the Blues’ biggest loss of the season. Still, they have the opportunity to finish the year on a high with Brisbane this week and Essendon in round 23.

15.Richmond

+1 // Ladder: 13th (8W, 11L)
That’s what you call a good response. Heat was on and the Tigers came out with a 15-point win over Collingwood, a good way to celebrate Dustin Martin’s 150th.

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16.Fremantle

-1 // Ladder: 16th (3W, 16L)
The Dockers were competitive in the first half of the Derby, like a few of their recent games, but the Eagles kicked away. The positive was some less familiar names had an impact.

17.Brisbane Lions

No change // Ladder: 17th (2W, 17L)
Not many teams can give up more than 170 points in consecutive weeks, but that’s the Lions in 2016 for you.

18.Essendon

No change // Ladder: 18th (1W, 18L)
Bomber fans won’t have to sit through too many more goalless halves once the next few weeks are out of the way. So, there’s that.

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