It’s an odd week when Carlton prevents me from getting a clean sweep in tipping. Here’s the rankings.
Last week: 1
West Coast were always going to be a tough challenge, but Geelong came and conquered. They’re now one win ahead of the pack, and if I was a betting man I’d be putting down cash on them for the premiership.
Last week: 2
The Giants weathered an (un)expectedly tough challenge from an under-siege Sydney outfit, but ultimately kicked away to claim a stirring win. Saints up next – and they don’t want to be complacent given their last trip to Canberra.
Last week: 3
Sensational game of footy from both teams, but Collingwood were just that bit better. Pendlebury never seems to age, does he?
Last week: 5
Nice, comfortable win. We didn’t learn a whole lot about Port, nor their opponents, but it’s good to see they didn’t drop a game they might have dropped in years past. Even better to see them back up last week’s deeply impressive win.
Last week: 4
Probably their worst loss in a little while. The Eagles’ always had a tough challenge, but they fell flat badly. When the premiers are smashed in both contested ball and inside 50 counts, something’s gone wrong. Perfect opportunity to regain form against the Suns next week, however.
Last week: 8
Desperately needed to win Saturday night’s #Mundy3Hundy clash, and although they did, it wasn’t in as strong a style as the Canberra win.
I’ll take it, but the real test comes when they visit their not-so-happy hunting ground of South Australia next Sunday.
Last week: 7
Leaving them in the same position as last week, only because I’m still a fan of their work, even if they were eventually outclassed by the black an white on Anzac Day. The less said about some of their fans the better, though.
Last week: 10
Well, they beat Melbourne – almost anyone would on current form. But the Tigers are beginning to look ominous again, and they’re well and truly back in the finals race.
Last week: 9
Back on the winners list, and still looking reasonable. Should beat Sydney on current form – ‘should’ being the key word here.
Last week: 11
Comfortable win, that one, but I’m hardly going to be persuaded by wins against Gold Coast and St Kilda (no disrespect to those two teams, of course).
They face Freo next week – could be tougher than most expect – before the Showdown. Then we’ll see what happens.
Last week: 6
And they fall down this ladder; they better hope that they don’t begin to fall down the one that matters. Saturday’s game is the beginning of a seriously tough stretch that also includes GWS and the reigning premiers, so this is the time where we see if the Saints can meet expectations against the teams that matter.
Last week: 13
Given they were down by 30-odd points at periods in the second term, I was fooled into thinking the upset loss was happening. Not so.
Excellent footy to get back into the game, and Tassie remains a (increasingly vulnerable) fortress for the Hawks.
Last week: 12
Their fast start to the season had me excited, but consecutive heavy defeats have taken the shine off. I said last week that young teams have peaks and troughs, and the Suns are no exception, but they’d want to try to ensure this doesn’t become the norm for the rest of the season.
Last week: 14
Had chances to possibly snatch the win late, but, in a Bulldogs tradition, they couldn’t make the most of it. Where has the early season optimism gone?
Last week: 16
The young Blues were probably seconds away from a victory, but their scintillating first half deserves praise. The Blues have been ‘in’ all six games we’ve seen them play this year, and that’s good. They just need to grab the four points more often. Easier said than done.
Last week: 15
Losing Lance Franklin before the match was never going to be good news, but hey, they were admirable for a bit. Not sure where they’ll go now, to be honest. They just seem lost. And it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to properly say that about Sydney.
Last week: 18
I was genuinely surprised to see North play on a Friday night. They lost, predictably, but I’ve got to commend them for sticking with Port long enough to attempt a rather belated comeback.
Last week: 17
Sigh. They’re trash.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
Is it too early yet to start saying Carlton should move to Hobart as the new team, the Tassie Convicts? Just imagine if Carlton was a start and it collided with a black hole, would there actually be a gravity wave at all?
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
I have always enjoyed watching Rowan play, but I have wondered about his resilience. I have had the feeling that at times he may have been carrying injuries when a team with more depth than Sydney may have rested him. I recall him also filling some holes in the Sydney backline from time to time. For mine, I think he would add utility to most lists and I am happy to see him doing well.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
I agree, I am yet to be convinced about Adelaide being a good unit. Also, I still think that the concerns I have written elsewhere about a poor culture remain. I am not yet getting a great indication that they are playing for each other rather than playing with each other.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
"It’s an odd week when Carlton prevents me from getting a clean sweep in tipping." You actually picked them? Is it too early yet to start saying Carlton should move to Hobart as the new team, the Tassie Convicts?
Parer Ben
Roar Rookie
It certainly impacted his desire to head closer to his home. His wife had twins mid way through the season last year and tragically one died after a few days. He was there for 10 years though and he never consistently hit lite performances for whatever reason. Change is sometimes good. It looks like his unique assets are being encouraged at Geelong I.e. use your speed to tackle, run to space, take a screamer. I know the coaches and players are also encouraging Ratugolear to take a speccy every week, and after being a bit teflon hands since coming back from injury he’s starting to flunk a couple.
Parer Ben
Roar Rookie
Rohan has always been a gun. I can’t believe the cats got him for so low a trade, though I guess the injuries depleted his value a slightly. He didn’t get on with the Sydney game plan, though I recall a game last year when the swans forward line was depleted and he ripped the game apart. You’re right though, still a question mark on him staying on the park. There were similar questions about Ablett last year where many questioned his hamstrings. I’m glad their both proving this wrong so far and I hope Menzel gets on the park and stays there because the game is much better to watch when players strut their stuff and these 3 are worth watching imo.
ScottD
Roar Guru
Yep, any team can still make finals from here. If any team in the top half loses two on the trot or in the bottom half wins two on the trot the whole table will be turned around. The time to look at it is after 10-11 rounds. Maybe the only thing you could say right now is that the Cats deserve to be where they are, there is still a question mark over the Dockers being 2nd and that the bottom two look horrible. Everyone else is a big "shrug"
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Sadly there are not enough Swans fans in here to respond to your challenge ghost.
Cat
Roar Guru
3-3 isn’t even a hole really at this point. I wouldn’t get too excited by a win streak consisting of the Suns and Saints.
Phil McCavity
Roar Rookie
Yeah, WC ranked a little high for mine.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Hogan and Taberner are close to kicking a bag. With Matera, Switkowski and McCartney plus Lobb and Walters rotating in and out, it is finally looking to become a classy forward half. Sam looks to have a huge future, his work rate is huge some thing that has been missing for years.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Well said from the humble working class suburbs of Richmond and it's surrounds. I notice there is a thoroughfare in little old Richmond town called simply ( well not simply ) The Vaucluse. So exclusive it was too good to be followed by St, Rd, Ave or Blvde. Mansions are only about 4.5 mil there so I can see how you are envious of people who live in actual Vaucluse.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Rohan is like Matera stay in the 50m arc both very smart and dangerous close to goal, not suited to anything else up the ground both capable of 35 goals if coached to their strengths.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Yeah, I'm still puzzled about who to tip for that one. I'd say it's 60-40 in Adelaide's way, but I'm desperately hoping Freo pull out a big performance. Ugh. Difficult tip.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Freo v Adel is a tough one for the tippers this round imo... have tipped Freo, but I wouldn't be overly confident tipping eitherway.
Brian
Guest
I agree and I think Melbourne and Sydney would ordinarily struggle even if they make finals, but the 3-3 teams like Adelaide, Essendon and West Coast are still well placed if they can find form. The Crows in particular seem to be forgotten, they've won comfortably 2 weeks in a row, sit 3-3 and could easily start fullfilling the pre-season hype.
Brian
Guest
Didn't Rohan's daughter die when he was at Sydney. Don't you think that would have dented his performance more then anything Longmire did. Good to see Rohan having success even if its at Geelong.
The Ghost
Guest
Longmire is well past his prime and must be moved on. Everyone but the Vaucluse gin swillers who run this club can see this. Rohan’s departure is just another addition to the list of mistakes Sydney continue to make. The hubris that was trumpeted when they signed up Tippet and Franklin has backfired in their faces. Action has to be taken now. Enough is enough!
Cat
Roar Guru
And just as quickly exited them. Sure teams can dig themselves out of big holes at the start of the season but they may very well spend all their petrol tickets in doing so and have nothing left when the heat rises in finals. Every club has ups and downs but if a club uses up all their downs right at the start there is no margin for error for the rest of the year and that takes a toll mentally and physically (players can't be rested/rotated as much if every single game is a must win).
George Apps
Roar Rookie
I say this every year – it takes 6 rounds to settle down and there will be upsets and unpredictability during this time. Then, and only then, will the cream come to the top. Sydney lost six straight one year and ended up in finals!