Happy Monday everyone (expect you, Saints fans – you’re in Siberia by now, I imagine). Week three is in the books, and it’s clear to say that no team is safe from a loss, and most teams are being underestimated at times.
A few changes this week – but nothing super drastic.
Last week: 3
Clutch win against the rivals. Great night, really. Were Buddy’s final two goals the lifesaver or the cherry on top of a good performance, though?
Last week: 1
The good news? They’re still undefeated. The bad news? Just imagine if Jared Polec didn’t take that game-saving mark with a minute remaining. Almost losing to Brisbane seemed unfathomable at 1pm on Saturday, seemed likely at 3pm, but was just a close, close call come 4pm. What a strange afternoon.
Last week: 2
Topsy-turvy match that ended up finishing the wrong way for the Giants. That’s not to say they were poor – they weren’t, but they need a bit more composure when featuring against teams of Sydney’s ilk. Freo in Canberra next week might be tougher than it looks.
Last week: 6
Did what most expected. Nothing too remarkable, honestly. Betts playing like that while his twins were at home being born might spark one of the more obscure footy debates, though – play or be at the birth?
Last week: 4
Their mini undefeated streak comes to an end. Seemed flat at times against the Tigers, but they’ll be back at the ‘G for a clash with the Demons next weekend. Win that, they’ll be 3-1 and the league will take notice.
Last week: 7
Led at every change, and withstood the Hawks when they inevitably came charging. Good reply from the Adelaide loss, but they’d have been curious about the Lions performance they day before. They face them next week, and it’ll be tougher than they think.
Last week: 5
Just one on the bench, with four minutes to go, and a three-point deficit. Stuff of Geelong modern era fairytale, right? Not so. Ablett’s injury concern probably more worrying than the blow-out loss, surely.
Last week: 9
That infamous ‘seventeen losses in a row’ trend against North is no more. It wasn’t pretty, but it went more or less as expected – a potential finalist beating a non-potential finalist.
Last week: 11
Brilliant. To lead by 32 points at half-time was impressive, but then to withstand a fierce Geelong fight back and boot six goals in the final minutes was great to watch. This team is the definition of proving critics wrong.
Last week: 12
Scrappy, but important, “away” win. Nat Fyfe is legendarily influential. GWS next weekend will be interesting to watch, but a win is lot more feasible than it seemed 14 days ago.
Last week: 7
What on earth was that? 1-3 beckons next week against Port, I’m thinking, unless they change something drastic. Like, the team at Tullamarine suddenly discovering how to defend again.
Last week: 13
What might have been. Brilliant trip to Adelaide – if lacking the important letter W. Show an effort like that at the ‘G against the premiers and you never know what might happen. Best 0-3 team in a while?
Last week: 10
They’ve been so good for the first two weeks of the year – especially given their travel demands – so a loss to Freo isn’t too worrying. A stay in WA to come, then a match against the Eagles.
Last week: 15
That win would’ve come as a relief. Decent day – decent fortnight if you are one who looks optimistically upon the GWS loss. More Friday night attention – this time in Adelaide against the Crows. Sneak a win, and critics might quieten down a tad more.
Last week: 14
Long live the ‘Streak’, but North probably deserves some credit for being a little difficult to overcome at times. Hard to tell if they’re above or below the expectations of pundits. I’d still say bottom four, but they’re going down the hard way.
Last week: 16
Losing to an arch rival is never excusable. Losing to an arch-rival as under the pump as the Pies is even less so. They’re 0-3, only really played good footy in one of those games, and seem to be in a pit of a lull. North, Eagles and Bulldogs in the next three weeks might kick start them. Hopefully.
Last week: 18
At last, a win. Redemption, or is it too early to make that call?
Last week: 17
19,000 at Etihad on Saturday night said it all. They’re in deplorable shape at the moment.
Birdman
Guest
ha. if only, if only..... Cats fans are desperately clinging to their pre-season hopes that a flag is within graspt but reality suggests otherwise. Dons fans going through the same existential crisis at the moment.
The Doc
Roar Guru
Nice work AdelaideDocker. Might be a silly question and perhaps you have answered many time already (so apologies in advance) but how do calculate power rankings? are they based on a changing metric of some sort or gut feel?
PeteB
Guest
I’d have Port above Sydney given they just beat them on the Swans home turf in Round 2. Same with Richmond above Hawthorn. I’d have Carlton last as the worst performed team with no win to date. Probably put Gold Coast above Brisbane given the lions have also yet to win a game.
Basil 1 of 2
Guest
Don't worry about him Sav, he's drunk.
Joe
Guest
We definitely suffered in the Hawks game for the lack of tall defenders, especially towards the end, and we'd brought in Jack Henry for exactly that reason (he got concussed in the second quarter). Same with Taylor the week before in the first quarter. I know Collingwood has some forward troubles, is there a team apart from Geelong with its 2 first-choice key defenders both injured? Completely agree WC were better for longer, and should have been way further ahead at half time, but I also think it was pretty clear Geelong ran out of steam with 10 minutes to play.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
The Suns are too low.They should be above the Bombers. Twice as many wins All the same they're only scoring 75 points a game,which historically gets you nowhere. The Eagles will probably pick off twenty goals against them
Peppsy
Roar Guru
It's not scoring that's the issue, its the forwards scoring. Especially against Hawthorn, your goal kickers were Menzel, then midfield, then rest of forward line. and yeah that's definitely biased. Every team could say they'd be better without injuries, only against west coast did it really hurt you more, and they were better for 75%+ of the game so it wasn't even a win you deserved.
Tom M
Guest
In before the "its not about wins, 2018 isn't the year we are built for" comment
Mattyb
Guest
AD,you used the word hopefully at the end of your Carlton spiel. Personally I'm not fussed as everyone is entitled to an opinion,but feeling sorry for someone and therefore hoping they do well via pity is clear bias.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I think Macca would have run out of turd polishing cloths long before that
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Oh man, could you imagine if they actually registered a donut in the win column?
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Bias? Where?
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Give me 3-1 odds (or greater) and I'll bet my left nut on it. They'll be the first team in AFL history to register a donut in the win column for the year. Fecking useless they are.
Paul D
Roar Guru
What about Carlton to lose? Surely that's worth at least a kitchen, lounge room and ensuite
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
To be honest, the standard of football all round has been pretty average. Wouldn't bet my house on any team at the moment.
Kangajets
Guest
There a fair bit of bias against certain teams in these rankings . It’s just some dudes opinion, no more valid then yours or mine .
Joe
Guest
The highest scoring team in the league is Melbourne with 317 points. Geelong have 294 - not that far behind, and going at almost 100 per match. The forward line isn't Geelong's problem. Look at the defence, its been decimated by injury. Worth noting that Cats had 9 first or second year players in the team on Sunday, including 4 who were in their 2nd or 3rd game. Plenty of them will be replaced by more experienced heads when injuries are sorted, and the others (like Tim Kelly and Ratogolea) will take time to learn all sides of the game. I also suspect (with maybe only a little bias) that Geelong would be 3-0 if we'd had even an iota of luck with injuries. We've lost crucial players in the lead up to our games, then had early key losses in all three, and they've all come down to the wire. Who knows, maybe one day Geelong will finish a match with a full bench of players? Wouldn't that be something.
Birdman
Guest
.....what if Hawthorn had brought some of that 4th qtr effort to their third qtr?
fairsuckofthesav
Guest
You mean the Tigers are only 'the real deal' when they play at the MCG and 'are pretenders who can only win when everything is going their way' i.e. play at the MCG. Getting smashed two years running by the Crows at AO would seem to underline this.
Snert Underpant
Guest
So how you can do a weekly rating system if you only watch one game!? What the??