Well, that’s it. The final power rankings for 2017. Thanks for reading.
Last week: 2
Ladder: 6
They’ve been the best team in the comp for a good while now, and yet they finished sixth – it’s still going to be tough to win the flag from there. Lance Franklin is joy.
Last week: 1
Ladder: 1
Lost a game in which they had nothing to play for and the Eagles had everything to play for – no need to worry. Are perfectly placed.
Last week: 3
Ladder: 2
In the end, only percentage kept them from top spot. It’s been a curious season for the Cats, now to find out if the concerns about their game holding up at the MCG were warranted.
Last week: 4
Ladder: 4
We blown out of the water in the third term by the Cats and with it made their quest for a first premiership a whole lot tougher. Things didn’t go particularly well the last time they played at Adelaide Oval.
Last week: 5
Ladder: 3
Enter the finals in terrific form and will be very please to have a final at the MCG. Dustin Martin might win the Brownlow by 15 votes from the next eligible player.
Last week: 6
Ladder: 6
Did what they’ve been doing all year and put a bad team to the sword. Now for the serious stuff.
Last week: 8
Ladder: 7
Good on the Bombers for returning to finals after a nightmare few seasons, but spare me the comeback story garbage.
Last week: 9
Ladder: 8
Mediocred their way into a very winnable elimination final. Good for them.
(AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
Last week: 7
Ladder: 9
It’s hard to believe the Demons won’t play a game in September – I have no doubt in my mind they were one of the eight best teams – but they have no one to blame but themselves. It’s going to be a long offseason for the Dees.
Last week: 12
Ladder: 12
Sent off one of their all-time greats with a win. Will be one of 2018’s most interesting teams.
Last week: 10
Ladder: 10
A disappointing end to a disappointing season. They’re still premiers for another month, I suppose.
Last week: 11
Ladder: 11
The Saints definitely improved this year, but it’s still been a forgettable season.
Last week: 13
Ladder: 13
Good on them for ruining Melbourne’s season, but from a bigger-picture perspective, that round-23 performance should frustrate Collingwood fans as much as it does Melbourne fans.
Last week: 14
Ladder: 15
Would have been too weird if a team that beat the minor premiers finished the season last. Were competitive for most of the year.
Last week: 15
Ladder: 18
Still plenty of work to do, but there are more positives than negatives for the Lions from this season.
Last week: 16
Ladder: 16
Similar to the Roos, Carlton were competitive more weeks than not, but they’re just not good enough. Now to get good enough.
Last week: 16
Ladder: 14
Showed some fight in their final game of the season after a pitiful previous fortnight. Need to find some forward-line answers over the summer.
Last week: 18
Ladder: 17
Hard to believe this is the same team that beat the Hawks by 14 goals. The best thing about this season for the Suns is that it’s over.
Maurice
Guest
Ladder looks pretty good, gosh needs to wake up though from his blue and white dreams . 1 super star player is not going to turn things around for the roo,s . Trade up for some good draft picks and start rebuilding now or linger for another decade as a ok team. In my purple dream sandi Fyfe Waters and Bennell stay on track all next season with final appearances at the end of it.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
The Eagles took Melbourne's place, but Melbourne's win over the Eagles was on the back of a Max Gawn shank and a goalsquare fluke so they're probably equally deserving.The Eagles had five losses by eight points or less so, like every other team with a bunch of close results,they wereen't very far from an excellent year
Cat
Roar Guru
im talking about this years record and this years head-to-head matchup. We won the game we had no right to win. No captain, half our starting midfield out, no full forward, no small forwards and you still couldn't win. You led for all of about 15 minutes of the entire game.
Dier-ba-zor
Guest
This is 2017 we are talking about, the record counts for nothing and you didn't exactly thrash them.
Cat
Roar Guru
Geelong finished with a better record and won the head-to-head match with a depleted side. Whats to debate?
Kryschen
Guest
What are you on about? Geelong lost to Collingwood, Gold Coast, Essendon and West Coast. At the very least it's a fair debate about who's better.
David C
Guest
Bennell will never play a full season. Think both WA clubs should be turning over their lists quite aggressively this year. They should try and target WA players playing interstate. Matera is one who wants out of GC, Brisbane have Bewick who doesn't fit their rebuild and wouldn't cost much in a trade.
Birdman
Guest
this final ladder looks pretty much spot on - good work
Tony
Guest
Don't agree. West Coast and Freo both have solid sides with a majority of players who have made the pointy end of the finals in recent years. They just have both played very poorly in the absence of key personnel.
Tony
Guest
They've been trash - but they're not that far removed from the side that made the GF in 2013 and a prelim in 2015. They have just capitulated in the last couple of years with the absence of some key personnel. If Walters, Fyfe and Bennell play a full season next year with another key forward they aren't a bad side on paper.
spruce moose
Guest
Tony, Teams that get beat by 100+ in consecutive weeks, including in Perth, are actually a long way off. They scraped some utterly narrow victories this year. Take those away, and they were absolutely ordinary.
Boots
Guest
As a Perth journo wrote - The fix was in! With the Eagles needing a big win to play finals, they somehow wound up with two WA umpires on the field and a dual premiership player in the opposition coaching box. I will expand on all of this once I’ve finished watching 9/11 videos on YouTube... jet fuel can’t melt steel beams surely…
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
"Good on the Bombers for returning to finals after a nightmare few seasons, but spare me the comeback story garbage" Spot on. Also: Adelaide should be bottom, for letting WC into the finals.
Cat
Roar Guru
You lost to Geelong just a couple weeks ago in a game you had no right to lose – if you were a serious contender. No way you are above the Cats.
David C
Guest
The Suns have a reasonable list. Get a new coach and reset and they'll be heading in the right direction soon enough. They probably have more talent on the list than both the WA clubs. NM still have a bit to fall.
Tony
Guest
I think the difference is Carlton are building a solid side; Brisbane are building a side that could be anything.
WCE
Roar Rookie
exhilarating last quarter ! crowd was deafening ! Terrific game from the older players in Priddis , Pietre and Mitchell. Pietre especially was outstanding and Darling played one of his best for the year. Well done guys !!
hal
Guest
I am sorry to say Brisbane should be below Carlton. Carlton beat better opposition than Brisbane. I actually prefer Carlton's game plan to Brisbane's, and worry that Brisbane could end up as down hill skiers. All glamour but no grunt. I prefer teams that all grunt and no glamour. I think you got it right with Gold Coast last and Geelong third.
The Ghost
Guest
Richmond should be second. We are far better than GWS. They are a team of champions as opposed to a champion team. The fairy tale has begun. 100,000 people will be at the Gee in two weeks, and 80,000 of them will be cheering on the Team of the People. Eat 'em alive!
Tony
Guest
I actually don't think the Dockers are far off. The Perth clubs have a weird habit of bottoming out one year and being contenders the next year with not much in terms of list changes. Freo just need to find a forward target - as a Crows fan I hope not McGovern but he's a perfect fit - and maybe an extra decent back to cover the declining Johnson. The other teams around them - Carl, Bris, NM are all probably 2 years away but are developing nicely. The Suns are odds on for the spoon next year. A rabble, but just so many poor decisions have been already made now that it's impossible they can get much worse. They have to think about 2019-20 moreso than next year.