2019 AFL Power Rankings: Round Nine

Another weekend past, another lot of voting completed, another Carlton capitulation viewed. Here’s this week’s rankings. Not a whole lotta change in them this week.

Last week: 1

Did what most expected, and I see precisely no reason to drop them down. I get this niggling feeling that Geelong are gonna drop one soon, though. But I can’t imagine it’ll be the Suns next week.

Last week: 2

Thank the lord for that final term, hey? Collingwood’s list oozed talent when they demolished an otherwise strong Saints side in a half-hour of footy that put the result beyond doubt. Steele Sidebottom never seems to age.

Last week: 4

I’m honestly kinda mad they didn’t win by 100 points. Nevertheless, they looked stellar for a majority of the clash, and it’s wins like these that are an asset in what will inevitably become a hard-fought shuffle for ladder positions come the later rounds of the season.

Last week: 3

It’s another chapter of the middling season the Eagles are having. They deserved the win, don’t get me wrong, but play the kind of football they were displaying in the first three terms against higher level competition and they’d have lost. Big challenge next week against the Crows.

Last week: 7

The victors of what I’m confident in declaring the weekend’s best game by far. Had to dig deep in the latter stages – Adelaide were never just going to go down quietly. Brisbane look finals bound, but I’m hesitant to declare them crossing that hurdle just yet.

Last week: 5

Ouch. Agonisingly close. But it’s hard to be too disappointed after a closely fought game like that which reaffirmed both teams’ finals potential.

Last week: 8

Hot damn. Richmond looked ferociously good at times on Sunday, and proved to the competition that even with injuries, they won’t stay down for long. Couple that with Dusty returning to form, and their next few opponents – Essendon, North and Geelong – should be nervous.

Last week: 6

That was… a game of football. Fans attending a soaking wet Adelaide Oval probably wished they were elsewhere for periods of the clash, but their team got the job done. Not a game that’ll be replayed a whole lot.

Last week: 9

Started brightly, fell away badly. That description isn’t unique to the Hawks this week, but it’s apt nevertheless. Being two down on the bench didn’t help either, with their most pressing concern being Ben McEvoy’s injury.

Last week: 10

Gotta admire any team who can stick with Geelong at GMBHA Stadium, but the Dogs were outclassed late. Not a bad effort, but not a great one.

Last week: 11

It was not a good game of football, and the Dons had to withstand a mild Fremantle fightback, but it’s a win nevertheless. Essendon’s team is talented, no doubt, but a big challenge comes their way on Saturday: a durable and oft-brilliant Tigers side.

Last week: 13

Without a doubt my favourite part of their clash came in the first minute, when debutant Robbie Young went on a blistering run to send to ball to Josh Bruce, who nailed a goal. It epitomised the Saints’ flair – when they display it. The game ended poorly, but the Saints are a genuinely better team than what they constantly display.

Last week: 12

I long for the high-scoring, brilliant Fremantle side to come back. There’s something almost endemic within the club of late. Next weekend’s game against Brisbane is a huge clash. Lose, and Freo’s season takes another step towards oblivion.

Last week: 14

I was beyond impressed with their first half wherein they were entirely in the game, but the Suns were ultimately overrun by the Power. There are things to take out of it, but ultimately it’s another loss in a season where they’re accumulating way too many of them.

Last week: 15

They pulled a Labor. Had it in the bag, then fluffed it badly. Very badly. A brutally disappointing trip to the west for the Demons.

Last week: 17

Well, they won down in Tassie. But not before somehow holding off a furious Kangaroo fightback. So, they’ve got three wins for the year. Where to now?

Last week: 16

Gotta admire the final-term resurgence, but it’s difficult to suggest either Sydney or themselves would be expecting any sort of broader resurgence.

Last week: 18

It’s remarkable that after facing a 74-point deficit at half time, they ‘only’ lost by 93. They were accurate, at the very least. But ultimately this was a pathetically terrible performance.