The league has been disappointingly normal for a couple of weeks now, which could mean things have finally settled into place, or that we’re in for a bonkers final fortnight.
Last week: 1
Ladder: 1
Need only one more win to secure their second ever minor premiership. They’re really, really good.
Last week: 2
Ladder: 5
They just keep winning – as long as they don’t play the Hawks. Friday night against the Crows at Adelaide Oval shapes as one of the games of the year.
Last week: 4
Ladder: 3
Without three of their best players they knocked off a top-four team, it sure is nice to have a real home-ground advantage. A terrific win that showed a lot of character.
Last week: 5
Ladder: 2
Flexed their muscles in the second half. Jonathan Patton’s kicking for goal is a thing of beauty. Their scoring efficiency was incredible – they won by 48 points despite having 31 fewer inside 50s.
Last week: 3
Ladder: 4
That was a brutally disappointing result for the Tigers but they should still finish in the top four, so all is not lost.
Last week: 6
Ladder: 6
It wasn’t particularly impressive, but Port got the got the job done, which was important after what they served up in the Showdown.
Last week: 7
Ladder: 7
A solid win. Destiny is in their own hands if they’re to play finals for the first time since 2006.
Last week: 9
Ladder: 8
Josh J Kennedy is an incredible footballer. The Eagles are an average football team.
Last week: 8
Ladder: 9
At half time it looked like we might be in for another Dogs-Giants classic. There are excuses for their young defence getting opened up in the second half, but for them to kick only one goal after the main break is… it’s not good.
Last week: 10
Ladder: 10
The Dons should win out with games to come against Gold Coast and Fremantle, but they’ll still need other results to go their way to play finals.
Last week: 12
Ladder: 12
The Hawks have lost just twice in eight games. It’s unlikely that they can play finals, but it sure would shake things up if they could.
Last week: 11
Ladder: 11
Credit to the Saints for fighting back, but their field kicking in the first quarter was as bad as you’ll see and likely ended their finals hopes.
Last week: 13
Ladder: 13
There’s something to be said for the fact they still care, I suppose.
Last week: 15
Ladder: 16
Their move up this week has very little to do with them and a lot to do with what the Dockers served up. I wonder if they regret not trading Todd Goldstein last year.
Last week: 17
Ladder: 18
Have won twice in a month and are now a very real chance to avoid the wooden spoon. Dayne Beams gave everyone a nice reminder of what a star he is when he can stay on the park.
Last week: 14
Ladder: 14
The Dockers scored 39 points from 53 inside-50s. Yikes.
Last week: 16
Ladder: 17
The Blues put in a very respectable performance for the second week in a row, but the fact is they’ve now lost eight straight.
Last week: 18
Ladder: 15
Who cares.
New York Hawk
Guest
We are dreaming if we think it will play out that way. WE should appreciate the second-half of the season resurgence we have had and thank God we have some great new kids coming through to take us to our next flag in 2019...
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
Lachie Neale had to have been playing injured. There's just no other way to understand it.
Pelican
Guest
Be wary of Ross Lyon he has a record of bailing out once he decides the list is not to his liking. He liked what Mark Harvey had created and took it. Left the Saints needing a major overhaul. If he sees a list he likes better he will try and take it. Freo should do what is best for them not Ross. Because Ross will look after himself not the club.
1der
Guest
Hawthorn have a very good chance of making the eight in 2017 if Port get over the Dogs this week. West Coast is more than capable of losing both games as with the non tackling Essendon dropping one game against cellar dwellers Freo and Suns. Only leaves Saints to drop one game and there it is in this unbelievable season. Would make things very interesting for the team finishing fifth - Port, Richmond or Sydney if the Hawks scramble in?
Peter the Scribbler
Guest
Thought the Magpies might sneak into the 8 after their incredible effort against Port Adelaide on Sunday.
truetigerfan
Guest
Yeah . . . Collingwood!
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Fair comment Matty. I do agree that he is slightly notorious for playing favourites, but that's certainly been less of a problem this year. I completely agree with your last paragraph; I'm becoming more doubtful of Lyon, but I don't want to see him leave yet. I don't want them to sack him, because I believe that'll cause more headaches that we don't need. Very curious to see how we respond in the final two weeks. I don't want a meek, "given up" effort. I expect full efforts from all the players.
WCE
Roar Rookie
maybe freo played so shockingly because they had wind of Lyon seeking a coaching job elsewhere ...he's done it before remember
Birdman
Guest
Gee Cat, now you're starting to sound like an embittered Tasmanian fan who just wants a footy team :)
Cat
Roar Guru
It's funny those same Melbourne based fans use that same line when they say Geelong should play home games in Melbourne because 'it's only a short drive'. It's like the highway is a one way road in some peoples minds.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Bunkum and Tummyrot sir, not a chance in hades we're going down to the work experience kids from Fitzroy. Brisbane only perform well against teams who've already put a cue in the rack but the MCC cheer squad will get the fuchsias home again, we have 3 consecutive weeks to work on our huzzahs and toasts before our first finals appearance in what feels like 20 years I shall be enjoying it with my cheese platter and brandy!
handles
Guest
Agree, already nervous about Lions this weekend. Melbourne's season would add another chapter to the book of misery if they miss the 8 with a loss to Brisbane, to go with 2 losses to North and one to Freo.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Honestly the amount of crying from Melbourne based fans about Geelong's home ground advantage is hilarious. It's simple geography people. I would have thought by now people were used to the fact Geelong was a short drive from Melbourne.
Cat
Roar Guru
That 'massive home ground advantage' (which is smaller than any interstate side) didn't help the previous round. Cats were the underdogs by most tipsters and
money grabbingbetting agencies. Cats also were without their Captain, half their starting midfield and their best defender subbing in as a key forward (playing on allegedly the best defender in the game). Tigers should have won the game if they were any good. They didn't.Grassy_Grounds
Roar Rookie
I'd have to agree with Peter. One team team goes up in rankings when playing with a massive home advantage and only win by 2 goals against a team who don't play top 8 sides well. Another team drops a place in rankings when they win by 8 goals whilst playing interstate against the defending reigning premier. Can someone please explain how a team who only won by 2 goals at home moves ahead of a team who won by 8 goals interstate!
Brian
Guest
The Hawks need 7 games to go the right way Port to beat WB GWS to beat WCE Haw to beat Carl Haw to beat WB Freo to beat Ess (the toughest one) Rich to beat St Kil Ade to beat WCE It won't happen but we can dream
Danny
Guest
they really struggle without Daniel Wells
Mattyb
Guest
I'm in the flabagasted camp also,and agree the talent seems to be there. The top end talent is as good as anyone's,the kids are good and the recruits are good. Putting all that together you'd expect the team to be performing much better. Some weeks Freo are up there with the worst in the comp. I'm a Lyon fan,simply because he's successful and made Freo a league leader,I do think he plays favourites though but I've always been happy enough to accept that. I'm not sure about the coach anymore,which doesn't mean I'm calling for his head,I'm just totally unsure what's going on with Fremantle. Maybe the gameplan is to complex for all the new guys and will take some time and then everything will be fine again.
Cat
Roar Guru
It was a fair comment. Unlike some posters on this site, I am capable of seeing my teams flaws. Sydney and Collingwood are two sides Geelong sucks at playing in recent times. Collingwood has their own sort of 'Kennett curse' type streak going ever since they lost the 2011 flag to us. I'd use Hawthorn's line that we win the games that matter, but Collingwood hasn't played us in a game that matters since then.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Eh, see that's where I am flabbergasted. I don't know what's going on with the team. We've got a lot of talent, and when we're good, we're very good. I just don't know.