Ah, what a wild (and pretty bloody good) weekend of footy. Lots of surprises. And, yes, sometimes surprise wins (and losses) might cause a bit of shuffling of the rankings. Let’s do it.
Last week: 1
And here we see the premiers in their natural habitat: losing interstate. My sarcastic cynicism aside, I’d argue it was one of those wins that it doesn’t matter about form, or history. Two point losses are tough. And a bitter pill to swallow.
Last week: 4
Win over fellow top 4 competitors? Tick. Win at the MCG? Tick. Their three main forwards each scoring a goal or three? Tick. Nic Nat going down? Uh, oh.
Last week: 5
Sensational win. Damn, ’twas a good weekend for NSW teams in terms of close, high quality wins.
Last week: 2
Oh, man. That… wasn’t good. Port’s performance was pretty bad, as well.
Last week: 3
Literally, such a massive missed opportunity. Dominated early for no real reward. Missed shots left right and centre. Somehow let West Coast get better after Natanui’s injury. Nothing went right. And that’s disappointing.
Last week: 6
Astonishing. And might’ve just kept their finals hopes well and truly alive.
Last week: 8
Fell flat in Adelaide. Also – props to a large contingent of Geelong fans who travelled (for no real reward). Saw plenty in town over the Wednesday-Friday period.
Last week: 9
On a weekend full of weird and wonderful wins, this was as routine a win as anything. I don’t have anything else to say, really.
Last week: 7
The less said, the better. Although, I have no shame in revealing I take a strange pleasure in seeing the Hawks lose to Brisbane twice in one season.
Last week: 10
Big, important win. More of those are needed, though.
Last week: 13
Very fine win. Next up – the Lions, which might be a more of a challenge than they expect.
Last week: 12
Weirdly enough, is Brisbane the league’s form team at the moment? That feels weird to say. But I suspect it’s true. Adelaide should be worried.
Last week: 11
Oh so close. Yet oh so far, in terms of the loss impacting their already extremely unsteady finals hopes. Could get a reprieve against a wounded Collingwood next weekend, though.
Last week: 15
If they didn’t win Friday night’s game, there would’ve been trouble. First ‘big’ win of the year, and would desperately hope to keep the form going against the premiers next Friday.
Last week: 16
I see it (unfortunately), but I don’t believe it. The only thing bad about Freo’s surprise win is having to think about it. Terrible game, great win? That’ll do.
Last week: 14
Fell away badly, which is symbolic of the post-2016 Western Bulldogs side. I’m tipping them to get badly beaten by the Eagles next weekend.
Last week: 17
At the very least, they were competitive in the first half. But is there a more depressing team in the competition right now? Oh right, the team below them.
Last week: 18
Social media on Friday night was… fun. A Carlton game. A Carlton loss. On a Friday night. All that aside, it’s worrying that they’ve now been thrashed by 15th on the ladder and 17th on the ladder.
peter chrisp
Guest
And this weekend coming up @ Geelong's home turf is Melbourne what a game that will be, can The Dees get over the line or Geelong will win at home?
Raimond
Roar Guru
Take note of the last four words of my comment.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Only just. They lost to a team by two points,that was beaten last week by eleven points by the side sitting second. Allowing for the almost non-existent travel factor,(East -West evidently doesn't count) and a two free kick differential,I'd have them on level pegging. Remember that GWS traveled and the Tigers didn't
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
That is an incorrect statement.They have lost four times this year. The Eagles have lost four times this year One of Richmond's losses was to the Eagles,by 47 points Will they be good enough to win if they and the Eagles meet in the GF?
Kramer
Guest
And now i believe dingo says "congestion" around the ball is actually illegal. The problem is that Sydney is to tough for the game.. Just too hard at the ball and because it's so Victorian centric they don't know how to handle it..... apart from punish it!
Chancho
Roar Rookie
Are the Lions now the Hawks' bogie side? What has Kennett said about the lions to extend this curse? Jokes aside, it's good to see the Lions do well, and to win in Tas is no mean feat.. well done to them
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
For what it's worth I think you will make finals Joe. Tigers the team to beat but after watching the Eagles first hand at the G , well they might give it a shake.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Rightio.....that's mature Cat good typing.
Mick_Lions
Roar Pro
And those wins have come nimby outscoring their opponents by an average of 55 points! The Lions have won 2 away, 1 vs a top 8 side and are at home next after resting their defensive general. They're in a roll and every opponent should be vary wary.
Joe
Guest
Can you seriously not tell the difference between not expecting a team to win the flag, and saying a particular team is the most unlikely to win the flag?
Joe
Guest
Fair enough then, if your point is that any team outside the top 4 is unlikely to contend seriously, I completely agree (and I also agree Cats very unlikely to make top 4). Just making the point that Geelong aren't far off the pace, despite those games against the Dogs and Bombers.
Joe
Guest
I don't think you read my comment very carefully? From the top 8, Richmond have beaten Melbourne, Collingwood, Sydney and Geelong, and naturally all were at the MCG (or Etihad in the case of Sydney). Losses to Port, WC and GWS, all away. Unlikely to cost the Tigers the flag, but hardly the best away record, is it? So like I said, I'd love to see how Richmond would have faired if they'd played only a single top 8 team at home (like Geelong have).
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Cat, you are an anonymous poster who goes missing when your team loses and suddenly reappears when you win. You are also wrong a lot of the time so the point is more I simply couldn't care less whether you do have a go or you don't.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
That's right. For whatever reason the Cats have been inconsistent. Blame injuries to the back line, and forward line, whatever. Fact is they haven't been able to string together wins like other teams have. Very little chance for top4, no chance for the flag.
Cat
Roar Guru
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA you think thats me having an actual go at you? BAHAHAHAHAHA.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Er...so you criticise for this: "Constant whinging about umpiring." And then almost in the same breath admit this: "Umpiring wasn’t great". Right...
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
So in round 19 when the Suns play Carlton, who would you tip? I'm going with the Gold Coast...
Thatsashame
Guest
I disagree about the cats. I think they have more upside than anyone. Losing to a much better Adelaide outfit in Adelaide is no disgrace. The tigers would love to only lose by that margin in Adelaide. Back to the cats, they had a mountain of injuries all year. If they get continuity with menzel, and cocky and s selwood over the next few weeks and either Taylor or Henderson staying fit, I think they can beat anyone. And...you heard it first here, the cats will beat the tigers in a couple of weeks. Finally...watch the bombers steamroll the hawks and swans and make it a very interesting run home for the 8. Go bombers!
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Joe I don't think you are that far off the pace at all but you surely won't make top 4 from here? The Doggies of 2016 were an outlier IMO and I don't think anyone outside the top 4 can win it this year as it looks likely to face a WCE or Port away and then the Tigers at the G. You have also been up and down, losing to the Dogs and Bombers to me signaled you aren't a contender.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
'Fair enough to expect we can't win the flag'. Really, dude? And yet you reckon I've got no clue for sayin' just that. Make up your mind, Joey.