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AFL Power Rankings 2018: JLT Community Series edition

Zac Fisher of the Blues is seen in action during the AFL JLT Community Series match between the Carlton Blues and the St Kilda Saints at Ikon Park in Melbourne, Wednesday, February 28, 2018. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Roar Guru
11th March, 2018
19

The preseason is officially over and Round 1 is just a fortnight away. Who looked mighty in the JLT Community Series – and who didn’t?

1.Richmond
Comfortably beat a probably-good team in the Dons, and a probably-not-so-good team in the Kangaroos. Either way, their victories were clinical and fearsome. The premiers aren’t resting on their laurels this season. Be wary of them. Very wary.

2.Sydney Swans
Standard Sydney fortnight, to be honest. Their win over Brisbane was business as usual and didn’t tell us much, but their win over GWS came of the back of a closely-fought topsy-turvy game. Most peg them for finals, and I can’t disagree.

3.Port Adelaide
The loss to West Coast would’ve stung, but holy hell that fightback against the Crows was brilliant. A bag of six goals from Jack Watts was an added bonus, as was their incredible accuracy in Saturday’s match. Tracking well for a big year.

4.Carlton
Everything that Carlton fans could’ve wanted happened. Their attacking flair was evident, and they got two wins. Booting over 100 points was the cherry on top.

5.GWS Giants
This squad ain’t the cause for pessimism that some believe. Solid win over Collingwood, before looking a combination of poor and brilliant against the Swans. They’ll be happy with their preseason performances, despite the loss to their arch-rivals.

6.Melbourne
Their second half against the Saints was almost a very Melbourne thing to do, but their win over North was a great start to the year. Most have them pegged for finals, and despite the their close(ish) call against the Saints, I have no new qualms. Just a few age-old Melbourne-esque doubts.

7.Adelaide
Great last minute performance against my Dockers, but would’ve been disappointed with their capitulation against Port – especially deep in enemy territory. Darcy Fogarty looks the goods.

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8.Essendon
A tale of two JLT games. Dreadful in their first against the premiers, they were pretty good against the Cats. A fair to middling effort, ultimately.

9.Fremantle
Freo would’ve been disappointed with their effort in their game in SA, but they were excellent in dominating their arch-rival yesterday. A ladder resurgence? We can’t get ahead of ourselves, but their ball movement and attacking flair was on point.

10.Geelong
Dangerfield’s injury likely the biggest story out of Geelong’s preseason. Match wise, it’s difficult to put too much stock in their first loss, but their second would’ve made the diehards bitter.

11.Western Bulldogs
Like many other teams, they had one good win, and one loss. They showcased skill in their resurgence in the Hawks game, but they’d be worried by their flat performance after a great first quarter against the Pies. Ultimately, an average preseason.

12.Collingwood
Always a divisive team, Collingwood impressed with their win over the Dogs, but they fulfilled the doubts of pessimists with their flat performance in JLT 1. It remains to be seen which is the reflection of the real Collingwood.

13.St Kilda
Their second-half fightback against Melbourne was admirable, but their loss against Carlton was beyond poor. They showed a little, but not enough. Disappointing fortnight.

14.Gold Coast
Optimists will appreciate the two wins, pessimists will note they came against a Geelong side missing their Holy Trinity and Brisbane. Either way, they might not be as bad at this footballing caper as we think.

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15.West Coast
They were utterly dreadful in JLT2, sure, but won a thriller in JLT1. Most have them pegged for a slide down the ladder, and based on this evidence that’ll probably eventuate.

16.Hawthorn
Two losses, which will sting, but it wasn’t their opponents which were their biggest foes. Third quarters were.

17.North Melbourne
Any doubts about North Melbourne’s immediate potential were probably amplified. A little anonymous in both their games, but they fulfilled the rebuilding stereotype in playing the youth. Good on ’em.

18.Brisbane Lions
Two losses, and the Lions never particularly looked like winning either. I’d have wanted to see more from a team heading into a potential year of resurgence.

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