One of the many things that makes sport great is the fact that we keep score. There’s a definitive winner and loser at the end of each match, and each season.
But in a bigger-picture sense, winning one game isn’t always the same as being “better”, and the whole point of these rankings is to try to establish who is better.
Last week: 1
Ladder: 2
Had every excuse to toss Sunday’s game in the too-hard basket, but not these Giants. It showed a great deal of character for them to even be in the game into the final term, that they managed to overrun the Eagles showed a combination of grit, belief and talent that should frighten the rest of the competition. In their short history, the Giants have won 45 games, none of them were better than Sunday’s victory. Toby Greene is cold blooded.
Last week: 2
Ladder: 1
Made the Dockers look like a reserves side. Jake Lever continues his ascent towards becoming one of the league’s premier defenders.
Last week: 3
Ladder: 8
Lost a coin-toss game as the road team against a fellow top-four contender – there’s no shame in that. Paddy Ryder would be my All-Australian ruckman after 10 rounds.
Last week: 5
Ladder: 4
Their most convincing win of the season. For the first time since round one, the Dogs led at every break.
Last week: 6
Ladder: 3
Their home-ground advantage might have gotten them over the line, but that’s kind of the point of having a home-ground advantage.
Last week: 4
Ladder: 6
Should be as disappointed as the Giants are excited. Will be hoping the injury to Josh Kennedy isn’t as serious as it looked or the season could quickly slip away from them.
Last week: 9
Ladder: 9
Took a while for the Demons to get going, but finished all over the top of the Suns. They got a hell of a game from Jeff Garlett, who has been goalless only six times in his 49 games as a Demon.
Last week: 11
Ladder: 5
The Tigers should have had the Dreamtime game in hand by three-quarter time, but instead made their fans sweat until the dying minutes. Looks like they’ve found another handy player in Shai Bolton.
Last week: 7
Ladder: 10
For the second week in a row the Saints struggled to move the ball out of their defence against a organised defensive unit. The bye week might have come at the right time for them.
Last week: 8
Ladder: 7
It’s rare that a 100-point loss flatters a team, but that was the case on Saturday night. The Dockers were insipid.
Last week: 10
Lader: 11
Shot out of the blocks with three goals in the opening six minutes and had three by quarter-time but managed only four majors after that, and none of them came in the final term as they were strangled by the Tigers’ press.
Last week: 13
Ladder: 13
The Roos are a middling team and middling teams will play patches of good football and patches of bad football, often in the same game, sometimes in the same quarter.
Last week: 14
Ladder: 12
The Pies probably aren’t any good, but with four wins from 10 games and a percentage of better than 100, they’re a tough team to get a read on.
Last week: 17
Ladder: 14
Hawthorn headed to the SCG with a plan and they stuck to it. Lost the clearances 41-50 and the contested possessions 131-150, but the Hawks had 65 more marks than the Swans and 79 more kicks. It was like two teams playing different games and, as so often happens, Clarko’s game won.
Last week: 12
Ladder: 15
Could never really get the game on their terms. At 3-7, it’s going to take something pretty special for them to make top-eight push.
Last week: 15
Ladder: 17
The Blues lack of talent and experience across the field means they are going to lose most weeks, but it won’t often be due to absence of effort – this is a gritty, well-coached group who play for each other.
Last week: 16
Ladder: 16
The Suns are a just kind of… nothing.
Last week: 18
Ladder: 18
Played a couple of very decent quarters and definitely made the Pies work for it. Unfortunately for the Lions, when the floodgates open they are still too easy to score against. Eric Hipwood is special.
benparer
Guest
It's power rankings not the ladder, so where Geelong have also beaten WB and Port in the current weeks – two very good wins – they came off 3 poor results. Current results should poll more strongly than past. It's the same reason why GWS should be on top of these power rankings and not Adelaide though Adelaide are coming at them.
Redbacks fan
Guest
I wouldn't go as far as attributing the the Western Bulldogs position on the power ranking ladder to favourable upiring, but I do agree that they are sitting too high. The Bulldogs have so far lost to GWS, Geelong, West Coast and Fremantle which on it's own is no disgrace. What has been of more concern are the games that they have won - they have been unconvincing in wins against Richmond, North Melbourne, Collingwood and Sydney when Sydney were struggling early in the year. Even their win against Brisbane in round 5 left a bit to be desired. However, from all reports, they were very good in their win against St Kilda in the game just past which might suggest that the they have turned a corner. At the moment I have the Bulldogs as clearly the sixth best best side.
SmithHatesMaxwell
Guest
People are talking about it being a four horse race (Adelaide, Greater Western, Geelong, Western), but Western have been extremely lucky in close games, Geelong are flawed and only just got over the line against an interstate team in Geelong, GWS's win/loss is inflated with fortunate wins especially at home when they should be thumping teams. Adelaide had two shock losses but have won games with authority. Seems like Adelaide's to lose.
SmithHatesMaxwell
Guest
The fact is Ross Lyon's best match of the year came when he threw his old game plan out of the window and told his players to "play their natural game" (go through the corridor, run into space), and dropped his cooked role players to replace with youngsters. They then beat the Bulldogs. Overran them in the final quarter. Sensational win and none of it was due to Lyon's game plan or his theory of making young players "earn" their place in the team. The players -- young and old -- responded with vigour and enthusiasm. Since then he's managed to drip feed his underachieving experienced players back into the team at the expense of youth that helped him win consecutive games. Sutcliffe, Ibbotson, Danyle Pearce, Griffin, guys that won't be part of the team beyond next year. So much for the rebuild.
Lord Dunsborough of the MCC
Guest
Bunkum and tummyrot - none of our lads were driven there, those few of us who actually made the trip flew, old boy. Drive to Alice Springs? Through South Australia? I'd sooner be driven to Geelong. What are you rabble rousing about with false alarms also - it sounds like you've got a bad case of working class envy my friend. 7th is a fair appraisal for the Grand Old Club at present methinks. Yes, it's true we're still in boot camp right now against the stronger sides, but we are lifting our morale with each passing week. The raising of the fuchsia flag in victory will soon become a more regular and regular event as the season progresses, as we storm into finals contention and ignite the spirit of the nation as we march from oblivion into redemption. Come the last Saturday in September I and my fellow veteran members will be in attendance in N42 as we have always been for every grand final, but we will not be derisively cheering the Box Hill pretenders to yet another flag, no the MCC New Model Army shall be there in person, resplendent in their red and blue on the field of battle as Goodwin leads us to our Naseby. The great Ron Barassi shall present the Norm Smith to Jesse Hogan for his match-winning bag of 8 before he signs a lifetime contract and the flags will be lowered in honour of Robbie Flower, Jim Stynes and the hundreds of thousands of us who perished in the long wait since 1964.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
The handball and running has been tip top.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Cunnington just looks lazy because he's sublime. Where are Perry Bridge, Swanny and Rooboy 17 when I need them. I see what you are saying but it is impossible to be consistent. This game is built on chaos. These boy are not out of it yet, as they haven't been for the last three years. Whatever good things come will depend a lot on the likes of Cunnington and Goldy.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Yes Tibby North know.....so you should be nervous
Rex
Guest
Big Crows fan says - GWS are best, WB close behind. Crows, Cats, Port on next line. Crows need to prove they have what it takes in games where they aren't pre match favourites which at this stage is only rnd 1 vs GWS. Huge game this Friday - not necessarily about result, more whether the crows can handle a game plan and intensity at an inhospitable venue. If they perform well under those conditions they can be regarded as a contender. Go Crows!
Rex
Guest
Crows led at 1/2, 3/4 and full time going away.
Joe
Guest
I think losing Kennedy has contributed to WC dropping down, plus losing a game at home. Note that Geelong has now also beaten Port and WB, and WB played great footy on the weekend with a not-insignificant injury list. Fair enough for WC to drop a few.
Joe
Guest
Richmond have been in every game they've played, bar Adelaide in Adelaide. I reckon it's fair enough to say they've made great strides from last year. Nankervis has been great for them, Prestia and Caddy have been good additions, and Shai Bolton has shown a lot for a two game player. I'd be up and about if I was a Richmond supporter.
While we're at it
Guest
Dogs are currently +44 in free kicks for the season. Having been given a very big leg up in last years GF, this continued assistance is what has propelled them to their current ladder position. They are not playing well, their position in this ladder is at least 3 spots higher than it should be
hal
Guest
+1
andrew
Guest
Kaniel. i would have accepted playing a sore goldstien 2yrs ago, when we were pushing for a flat tilt and had no other options. isnt it a no brainer not to play him if sore now. in fact, scott said (look up his presser) in round 2 goldy didny play in round 2 cos he was sore and with preuss avaiable it was an easy call. so i cant buy this. and even so, if you walk on the park, you are declared fit, and fair game, and judged as such.
andrew
Guest
cunnington has a massive gap between his best and worst, and this is not acceptable. goldstien and scott thompson are the same. i accept ups and down from young players. but these are seasoned players and this issue has not ironed out. all 3 are best and fairest winners at the club. inconsistencies of this magnitude should not be tolerated, esp whilst trying to rebuild and show the way for younger players. yet, there is no consequences. the net result being mediocrity. i accept you cant star every week. ill even accept the odd quiet/poor match. but look at tarrant, mc millan, higgings, mc donald, ziebell, they have become consistent players who can be relied on to produce a 6/10 match at worst up to a 9/10 match. the aforementioned trio give you anything from 1/10 to 9/10. this cannot be tolerated. if players need to regain form, that is what the 2's is for. what makes it a no brainer is when you have like for like replacements in swallow and preuess. id be all for dropping these inconsisten players even if we didnt have replacement, to send them, and the team, a message. but if you have a replacement, its an easier call to make. the team is building nicely. but what are building for. another tilt to finish bottom half of the 8, not be a realistic flag threat, for a few years. not my idea of striving for excellence. it is in the time when you are building that you need to be brutal, enforce a culture that doesnt tolerate mediocrity, laziness, and certainly not such inconsistencies from seasoned players (which the young players see them get away with).
hal
Guest
Port are worse than West Coast, but not much worse. Footscray is better than both Port and West Coast. I would like to think that Geelong are better than all three, but I am not sure. Dangerfield got us over the line on Thursday. We have a good record against Adelaide, and hopefully we can have an all round team effort on Friday night, and continue our dominance over the Crows.
Kaniel Outis
Guest
A bunch of Range Rovers knocked over some witches hats up in the Northern Territory on Saturday, and a false alarm is ringing.
tibor nagy (big four sticks)
Guest
Richmond should be on top of the ladder, but some bad umpiring decisions have robbed the mighty Tigers of their rightful place at the pinnacle of the table, looking down on the wannabes. We are number one for tackles inside forward 50, because of players like Rioli and Bolton (who is going to be a star). We have exposed the pretenders as merely that: West Coast are overrated one state wonders, Melbourne are front runners, and Essendoom are not up to it. We will come out and smash the old enemy North next week. They know we are coming.
Kaniel Outis
Guest
Goldstein is playing sore. Maybe Preust should be given a run. Mason Wood had a stinker, yet he fired up when counted. Taylor Garner may have only had seven possessions, yet he kicked three goals, and went at 100%. Higgins, Dumont, and Ziebell were among the best, especially in the first half. I think North are playing a good brand of football this year. They are winning the ball, first and foremost. They are hard running, and have creative ball movement. Full credit has to go to Carlton for getting back into the game. Carlton are far from a top eight team, but they aren't the easy beats they once were. North stood up when they needed to. Yes it was disappointing to blow a 42 point lead. North have done this too many times this season, but they kept their wits and got the win.