Power Rankings on a Thursday morning? What is this sorcery?
A very long round of footy, and a very hard round to judge. As always, there’s a lot of movement in the rankings (expect that for a long while, probably up until the last weeks of the season) and all but one team move. Enjoy.
Last week: 5
Chugging along beautifully at the moment, really, and there ain’t much to say other than that. They’ve shot to top of the ladder, and they’re top here as well.
Last week: 6
This team is flying high. I’m going to make a very early call: the Cats (and the Tigers) will be the highest ranked Victorians come Round 23.
Last week: 7
Redemption. Legitimate, proper, authentic redemption. One of the better wins of any team this season.
Last week: 1
Didn’t expect this one, and I’m pretty sure the Swans camp didn’t either. A bad Friday night, but it isn’t the end of the world.
Last week: 2
Their draw against St Kilda was strange. Leon Cameron described them as ‘lucky’ after the game, and that’s probably apt. Mind you, they aren’t the only NSW side who disappointed on the weekend.
Last week: 13
This is a side that is pummeling the life out of predictions, and pessimism. I’ve never particularly liked North Melbourne. I still don’t, but I’m sitting up and taking notice. As should most in the footy community.
Last week: 4
I had them fourth last week, then they go and get smashed by the Kangaroos. Can’t win ‘em all, though, and it isn’t panic stations yet. ‘Yet’ being the key word here.
Last week: 8
On one hand, they won. On the other, they struggled to put away Carlton at the ‘G. They’re still tracking well above my expectations, and the derby will be a cracker.
Last week: 11
Flying a little under the radar, and jeez this team has looked sensational the past fortnight. Their clash against the Tigers on Sunday, much like the Derby, is suddenly very promising. Win that, and who knows from there?
Last week: 12
I dunno who this new fast-paced, accurate-kicking and winning Freo side are, but I like ‘em. Derby week! Derby week! Sunday’s derby will be a classic.
Last week: 4
Sigh. My optimism never lasts long in footy (and especially in these rankings), and a fair bit of it surrounding Port has vanished in the past two weeks. They should still make finals, but they’d wanna polish up some of their performances. And fast.
Last week: 9
You’d be kidding yourselves if you were 100 per cent, unequivocally certain this team was a contender. It’s actually frustrating to watch the Dons, and they’re constantly sitting on the ledge of awfulness. They fell off it on the biggest of stages yesterday.
Last week: 15
Did anyone watch this one? They dominated at stages, were challenged at others, but pulled of their third win in five weeks. That ain’t thaaaat bad a record.
Last week: 10
Melbourne hasn’t changed. I’m almost tempted to use the word disappointing, but I’m pretty sure the Dees have monopolised the damn word.
Last week: 17
Much, much better. A draw is up there among the most frustrating things in the universe, but as always with this side, a quick look at their score (10.13) shows that they had opportunities to win this game. Still, can’t fault this week’s endeavour.
Last week: 18
Showed a fair bit of pluck, which, short of winning, was about all you could want from this side. Actually, almost defeating West Coast probably deserves a little more credit than it got. Good chance at a Friday night win against the struggling Bulldogs tomorrow night (yes, really).
Last week: 14
A shadow of themselves. They’re stranded at 1-4, but they’ve got Carlton, the Suns and Brisbane to come.
If all three play at their best or near enough, I can foresee multiple losses headed the Bulldogs way. That couldn’t possibly happen, though. Right?
Last week: 16
Ugh. They almost won, but then again they’ve almost won about three other times this season. GWS this week will be tough, but then again that’s what we said about the Port Adelaide trip. Then again, nothing can avoid crashing to 18th on these rankings. Pity.
PeteB
Guest
Sportsbet 7 from 7, Docker 3 from 7. Cat, Tiger feel free to admit you were wrong anytime.
Mattyb
Guest
Taking one persons opinion and calling it a power ranking is very self pleasuring. If your going to base this on purely opinion you need to have at least a small panel of people and then average out the opinions.
PeteB
Guest
Well Tiger so far the punters are 3 from 3 based on premiership odds at the commencement of this round while Docker sits at 0 from 3 based on his rankings...
Philby
Guest
"The actual ladder provides a far more reliable and accurate estimate of where teams are at, IMO. No frigging joke?" So, what is the actual point of your article, beyond a little public self-pleasuring?
Matto
Guest
450 for jousting sticks!
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
As Cat said, 'Because punters are always right? Please.' It is that 'collection' of many thousands that make the House rich, dude. No more validity to their opinion than Auntie Mary's next door! And she doesn't even watch the footy!
Slane
Guest
Freo will finish above WCE this year.
Matto
Guest
No one would take a ladder prediction with freo in the 8 and not west coast tho. Has prob never happened.
PeteB
Guest
A collection of many thousands of people’s opinions versus an individuals opinion on this site. Which is more reliable Cat ???
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
But there was no overreaction in Port's positioning? They were second in week three after almost losing to Brisbane, suffered a horrendous loss to Essendon + moved down to 4th last week, and now they're down to 11th after losing to Geelong. So, they should've dropped further after the Dons loss, which is why remaining in the top 4 was fairly generous. Same story with North, except reversed. It's taken me a while to recognise their form with a solid increase.
Philby
Guest
"Port sitting at 4th last week was pretty generous,...." Exactly my point. Over-reactions simply have to be undone the next week or so.
Philby
Guest
Hey, take a chill pill fellas. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen and all of that. Just making the point that your over-reactions of one week will have to be undone the very next week. But to be fair, this is not just you, it's symptomatic of the whole AFL media industry. .
Don Freo
Guest
Only one thing has changed. Gun, key players who have been out are back and playing. You are in for a season of joy but I suspect, from your glum perspective, you won't appreciate it.
13th Man
Guest
Don sometimes i wonder whether you are actually a Freo fan or whether your taking the pi$$. Most dockers fans would agree we are in that 8-12 bracket but you consistently say we are top 4. Nothing wrong with hoping but a bit of reality, we haven't beaten anyone good yet. Beat West Coast this week then perhaps we start to notice but for now lets be realistic.
Cat
Roar Guru
How quickly people are forgetting how much pumping up Hawthorn got heading into the game off thier previous week. It isn't just North having a win. Its a BIG and comprehensive win over a team that was considered by many to be 'flying' prior to the game. There also probably a bit of North was a little too low previously.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Teams at five, six and seven last week are now one, two and three. Well, yeah, what's the problem with that? 1/2/3/4 all lost last week, and 5/6/7/8 won. Obviously the latter group would move up. Meanwhile a team you ranked 4th in the comp last week, you now rank 11th after a single loss Port sitting at 4th last week was pretty generous, and with the amount of movement in the top 8 and the apethetic nature of their loss, they were going to crash. the Roos have similarly gone from 13th ranked team to 6th! I can understand the controversy around this one, but they've been playing good footy and the obliterated the Hawks last weekend, so they deserve a place in the upper echelons of the rankings. The actual ladder provides a far more reliable and accurate estimate of where teams are at, IMO. No frigging joke?
Slane
Guest
This is actually looking like my ladder prediction from the start of the season! Swap West Coast with Freo and North with Melbourne and it's bang on, haha.
Cat
Roar Guru
Then why read an article that clearly isn't just the ladder repeated if 'the ladder is good enough for you'?
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Hey there Cold War Kim. I think AD has actually come close to what the Power Rankings should be ie Who are the hot and cold teams of each round with only a bit of credit for good behaviour and rank them accordingly. If, for example, Bris Vegas are good enough to upset GWS then they should rocket up the chart and GWS should skulk for a week and have a damned good look at themselves.
Philby
Guest
What the....? These 'rankings' have always seemed a little strange to me, but this week takes the biscuit. Teams at five, six and seven last week are now one, two and three. Meanwhile a team you ranked 4th in the comp last week, you now rank 11th after a single loss, and the Roos have similarly gone from 13th ranked team to 6th! It elevates over-reaction to a whole new level. The actual ladder provides a far more reliable and accurate estimate of where teams are at, IMO.