Another week done and dusted. I turned another year older, Essendon and Melbourne still suck, a bunch of teams came good and Fremantle… did a Fremantle thing.
I apologise in advance for the extraordinarily volatile rankings this week: last week was full of just enough weird results, which led to weird rankings which correspondingly leads to movement this week.
I did my best to keep things stable, but it was incredibly tough.
Last week: 2
Yes, putting Brisbane on top seems strange to me, too. Alas, I promise I won’t laugh at anyone who tips this squad to go three straight next weekend. Port at the Gabba- it’s winnable. It surely is.
Last week: 5
Excellent performance, and one that sets them up well. I didn’t pick them as a finalist in 2019, but I’m well on my way to reconsidering that. Impressive stuff.
Last week: 8
Big risers this week, but they deserve it. Emphatically brilliant. 20 goals in poor, wet conditions. Reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated. As usual.
Last week: 4
Hard to know what to make of Sunday’s loss. It was bad – all losses are. But will it derail their season? I doubt it. I’m still a fan of this squad, and will back ‘em to smash North next weekend.
Last week: 3
Came crashing back down to Earth after last week’s high. West Coast in Perth is always a tough occasion, to be fair, but they’d nonetheless be disappointed with the result.
Last week: 6
Smashing a preliminary finalist away one week, struggling against the wooden spooners at home in another. This is the Port we’ve come to know, but want to ignore. Jack Watt’s injury is horribly unfortunate.
Last week: 9
Yes, it was Essendon that they bet. But, they’ve got two straight wins to start the season. And two could become three, as they face a severely bipolar Freo next week. God. I’m not looking forward to that. Or am I?
Last week: 1
I’m 99.99% sure this club is a psychological experiment looking to see how long one can tolerate mediocracy. A psychological experiment that I give cash too every year. Sigh.
Last week: 7
Well, that was terrible. Losing Rance in week one and Riewoldt in week two: who walked under a ladder at Punt Road over the summer?
Last week: 12
Their win could’ve been a lot bigger – and probably should have been. Nonetheless, couple the win with last week’s narrow loss to the Saints, and it’s a decent enough start to the year. The Bulldogs next weekend will be their biggest challenge yet.
Last week: 13
No, it wasn’t as emphatic as last year’s preliminary final victory. But it’s still a hugely impressive win, and holds them in good stead ahead of the grand final replay. De Goey is a legend in the making.
Last week: 14
Much, much better. And the club capped off a good weekend with a stellar AFLW premiership. Those who doubt women’s footy need only look at the 53,000 South Australians at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, and look at the way both teams reacted to Erin Phillip’s injury.
Last week: 15
Oh, my. They were frighteningly good. Back to back? Back to maybe.
Last week: 10
Sorry, Bluebaggers. I know falling seems harsh, but it’s a tough ladder and they did lose. That’s not to disparage the Blues – it was a genuinely impressive effort, but they were unable to close the gap. I’d argue everyone involved at Carlton will be better for it.
Last week: 11
Among a couple of teams to fall a long way this week. I tipped ‘em. Dunno why, but I do know this team has moved from being considered a great team to an average team.
Last week: 17
So that wasn’t too good. Better than the two teams below them in that they were a in clear position to win the clash (multiple times). But from the moment Brisbane ‘switched on’, they were never going to poach the four points.
Last week: 16
Pathetic. Next Friday’s clash against Essendon is going to be interesting, for all the wrong reasons. All the hallmarks of Carlton on a Friday night; except it’s two bad teams and Carlton isn’t one of ‘em. Hah.
Last week: 18
At the very, very least: they showed a smidgen of heart throughout the clash. But we can’t ignore the fact that they are an objectively bad team at the moment. And they stay firmly last.
Larrikin
Roar Rookie
Saints to beat freo round 3
Drew
Guest
Geez I appreciate that this is just a bit of fun and I like how you've been very bold. But surely this would have to be a decent crack at the worst power rankings ever compiled in any sport of all time...
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Moderated, and I didn't criticise any team badly at all. I did use the word congested though
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Next week The Potency Rankings. My pleasure. From the bottom up 18- Essendon will lose to Melbourne but can't sink any lower 17. North Melbourne will be beaten by an unhappy Hawthorn 16 .Melbourne after a scrappy win 15. Sydney, beaten by Carlton, but the bottom ranks are occupied 14. Gold Coast, the bottom six is congested already 13. Richmond, massacred by GWS 12. Carlton, meritorious win 11. St Kilda, the victim of a moderately good Fremantle 10. Fremantle, expected to win and did 9. Collingwood, Cox won't be enough 8. Port Adelaide will have a little mauling 7. Adelaide, too good for the Cats 6. Hawthorn,but who did they beat? 5. Western Bulldogs,ditto 4. West Coast Eagles beating Collingwood away 3. Geelong, loss away 2. GWS, beating premiership fancy after hard road trip out West 1. Brisbane, and why not
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
That's about right
User
Roar Rookie
Plenty of talented sides have failed to make a gf same as plenty of talented sides haven't won a premiership
JamesH
Roar Guru
Some talk of a virus running riot amongst the squad, also whispers about players being unhappy with the makeup of the leadership group. No idea if any of it is true. It’s pretty hard to stomach. We were garbage in 2015 and 2016 but at least there was a clear reason. Now we have a list good enough to play finals and we’re arguably playing worse footy. Mystifying.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
No idea. What I do know is GWS played good footy. They were beaten by a better team in the reigning premiers. It's that simple for me.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
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Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
If you had asked any Richmond fan before the season began whether they’d have McGovern in their side, how many would say no? I am looking forward with equal parts trepidation and anticipation to the Eagles vs Pies. Gaff and Cripps most likely to come in,Simpson’s quip about Gaff getting 40 touches in training notwithstanding. Will the ‘midfield deeper than Barry White’s voice’ ,(ESPN),and their 100 extra disposals over the Tigers’ midfield translate to victory over ‘the best 30 metre kicking side I’ve ever seen’,( ex-Hawthorn player?)
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
I think you've got the emphasis in Freo v GC all wrong, unless by the terms "inconsistency" and "effort" you're talking simply in terms of results. While I think a couple of Freo players performed a fair bit below their best (most notably Mundy and probably Walters, given how good their best actually is), it was the Suns' effort (relentless pressure around the ball, good two-way running and contested ball) that won this for them, not Freo's lack of effort. Gold Coast made Freo play bad, not only in terms of turnovers but also discipline (e.g. A Pearce giving away a free for holding inside the defensive 50 was unforgivable). Sure: a bit more from Mundy and Walters (Cerra, too, probably) and the win would probably have gone the other way, but it wouldn't have resulted in anything like Freo's performance against NM. The Suns absolutely smashed Freo in I50s, scoring shots, time in forward half, marks I50, tackles I50, disposals (including contested possessions). Given that Freo won (albeit marginally) the clearances, you have to credit the Suns for their will to win that game (to wit: Swallow's captain's goal in the last quarter, after so many missed chances).
WCE
Roar Rookie
Centre Half Back – Jeremy McGovern (West Coast) A superb game from McGovern, who took on impressive GWS forward Harry Himmelberg. Kept his opponent goalless while taking 11 grabs and, amazingly, picking up 18 touches at a perfect 100 per cent efficiency.
Darren
Guest
I won’t add to the ‘Power or not to power’ debate. I will say I’m a fan of Dr’s who would I like my team to play least this week ladder (assuming the unassumable that all things are equal)
sammy
Guest
I would have Brisbane above Adelaide in that list. You could argue Port should also be above them but Melbourne have been horrible and then Port beat last years bottom club just at home - but 2 wins and no losses is what they would have loved
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
But unable to make a GF with their highly talented list.
Cat
Roar Guru
Not what traditional power rankings are about at all.
Cat
Roar Guru
Ex-New Yorker here. But I also lived in Alameda, Cali, Dallas/Ft Worth Texas and Orlando Fl.
Joe
Guest
Fair point. Well your list is the best I've seen for sure.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
He pretty much does every time we play West Coast so you're hardly making a headline there.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
If you have read any of my pre and post Grand Final comments Larrikin you would see I rate Gov as a top 5 player in the competition. I was being totally facetious as I support the Pies and wish he wasn't playing against us this week. He is the player I would choose to come to the Pies if I had the choice of anyone.