Finally, a round in which my tips (bar one or two games) went largely to plan!
As is becoming custom in 2020, plenty of adjustments on the rankings. Enjoy them.
Last week: 2
On a personal note, Brisbane’s Saturday night domination allowed me to laugh plenty at the (many) Port fans I’m exposed to living in Adelaide. On a more league-related note, it also cements Brisbane (bar some residual inaccuracy) as perhaps the team to beat in this convoluted season.
Last week: 1
Well, they eventually had to lose one. A thoroughly disappointing effort from Ken Hinkley’s team. Perhaps it’s a warning to us all that they’re not as world-beating as they were being described.
Last week: 3
Beating Geelong in Geelong was always going to be a tough task for the Suns, but credit where credit is due: they battled manfully even after losing the sensational Matt Rowell. It’s a pity they couldn’t keep it close as they faded away late, but I still maintain they’re an impressive outfit.
Last week: 6
Another perplexing team, and one that I’m anticipating will be labelled too high. Nevertheless, their strong victory over Hawthorn served Leon Cameron’s outfit well ahead of a big clash against Port next Sunday.
Last week: 8
In an ordinary year, having the Suns put up one hell of a fight at Kardinia Park would ring some alarm bells for the Cats. Not so this year: in fact, Geelong probably relished the challenge. The ultimate win was a nice way to cap of Gary Ablett’s 350th and Joel Selwood’s 300th.
Last week: 9
Gee, they’re an exciting team to watch. As some disclosure, if I haven’t already, I’ll put it on record: the Saints are kinda my second team, if such a thing is permitted to exist in AFL fandom. They didn’t have it all their own way, but the Saints’ prime-time win allowed them to shoot into the AFL’s current top four.
Last week: 12
No doubt, they’re back. I mean, North isn’t exactly a major scalp, but the Bulldogs are playing with the level of confidence and talent many expected. Carlton next week. If Carlton are up and running, it won’t be a game to sleep on.
Last week: 14
By my own admission, I’ve been sorely underrating the Bombers. I apologise about that, Bomber fans. They shone on Friday night, both dominating and holding back a disappointing Pies outfit. Should be able to make it two in row against North next weekend.
Last week: 4
It’s a stupidly overused turn of phrase, but to say Collingwood had a week from hell would be selling it well short. Once again, I’m having to drop a team a fair bit. Collingwood’s strong performances in a couple of games were clouding my judgement. Friday’s shocker against Essendon capped off a controversial week for the biggest club in the land, and a suitably long fall on the rankings.
Last week: 5
I’ll confess to being zero per cent appraised of any details of the Alastair Clarkson umpiring controversy that made waves this week. Then again, I try to avoid commentary on umpiring on this column, so I’ll just say that the Hawks (from what I saw) were pretty poor last night. I’m a little confused by them this year, to be honest.
Last week: 13
The good news is they beat Melbourne. The bad news is I’m pretty sure a group of Auskickers would be able to win or come close to winning against Melbourne. Hub life now awaits. They’re one of the more interesting teams to watch in the hub over the next few weeks, especially with some senior players staying in Victoria.
Last week: 7
Might have bumped them up a little too high and too fast. I’ve given them credit for dragging themselves back into the game after a (customary) slow start, but they were ultimately outclassed by the Saints. They’ve got talent, just a smidgen inconsistent.
Last week: 10
Any and all optimism from the beginning of the season has fallen right away. They were listless on Saturday night, barely putting up a fight against a rampant Bulldogs outfit.
Last week: 17
So, so many questions here: are West Coast any good? Yeah, they remain a good side, just decisively out of form. Are Sydney just bad? Probably. How much do we read into this game? In this season, who knows…
Last week: 11
Kinda like Collingwood this week, but much worse. Shone early against the Eagles, rallied at times, fell away (badly) towards the end. Facing Richmond next week is almost a must-win if they want to keep up with the competition’s best.
Last week: 16
There are not going to be many people fondly remembering Sunday’s clash, but Justin Longmuir will be one. A win is a win. While it was a frustrating game in many respects, it’s Freo’s first win for the season, and that’s something.
Last week: 15
I’m taking a gamble writing Melbourne’s section midway through the third term of Sunday’s clash. They remain a thoroughly mediocre team. Rose last week because of WA’s lack of footballing prowess. Dropped this week because WA (at least momentarily) discovered how to win again.
Last week: 18
Eh, well, they fought back a bit when Freo almost Freo’d the game up. But the bottom line is: Adelaide stink. Not a lot of light at the end of the tunnels, for mine.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Ninthmond, Chucka? Never gets old, does it? Great to see you injecting a little humour. Bravo.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
On the road won’t help. See how they go against some decent teams.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Bombers have only lost one game, and have won in difficult circumstances haha. I reckon if they can get Joey on the park then we will scare some teams this year.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Richmond do not travel well so it will be interesting seeing how they respond to the hubs situation. I predict they will finish 9th
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
You jinxed the bombers by saying they’re gonna win agains norf, that’s exactly the game the mediocre bombers outfit would drop:
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
My view is that it is special flag. The team that could rise above. The double asterisk flag. All comes down to really wanting it,
Hawk12
Guest
Any team that gets double chance will win the flag. And that will mean any team that has had soft draw in trying times or home ground hub advantage. Still don’t think it’s a proper flag if u don’t win it without crowds and full proper season. Just look at the tigers. They couldn’t care less at the moment if u ask me. And I’d feel same if hawks won it. Just my two cents worth.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Only as good as your last game or year. Adelaide have been a great club in their time in the AFL and not that far off the Eagles bar a couple of premierships. But the circumstances around their sudden fall from grace currently put them on par with Carlton of the early 2000s. Could easily be in for twenty years of pain as a result of incredibly bad management of the club. Players just don’t want to be there. It must be a horrible environment to be in. There’s still more clean out required of officials and leaders of that club.
XI
Roar Guru
Very well put together list. I'm glad I'm not bothering with tipping this year though
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
I thought I had it sussed when I said WA and SA had no chance due to hubs. Now with Vic exodus, I have no idea. Double chance probably still important.
HR
Roar Rookie
A cleanout of management is going to be difficult with the current board in place - and getting that changed is basically impossible short of an AFL edict.
Gary
Roar Rookie
You only have to make the 8... top 4 finish not critical this season imo.
AD
Guest
Yeah, and that's fair - the Crows' worst season prior to this was 7 wins and finished 14th in Neil Craig's last season in charge. And this year will (presumably) equal their longest consecutive period of missing finals (3 years 2018-2020, matching the 3 years from 1994-1996). Probably a safe bet that that will extend to a 4th year next year, too. I think part of the problem with the list is that there just haven't been those top-5 or top-3 draft picks because they just haven't finished low enough to get them. The club has resisted at all costs the idea of bottoming out, and while that has ensured they've never truly sucked for too long, it has also probably prevented them accumulating a large amount of elite talent via the draft. The achievement of getting as close to a flag with this approach as they did in 2017, as well as 2005/06, probably gets lost in the glaring light of the fact that they fell short each time. But the other undeniable fact is that no matter how well or how badly things were going on the field, it was always one of the best managed clubs in the league. At least right up until the Tippett scandal in 2012. Ever since then it has been a series of off-field clusterf***s of varying sizes and severity. Hard to see any significant improvement coming until there's a cleanout of the management to go with last year's cleanout of the football department.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
Josh Bruce always plays one good game every year, where he kicks 5 or 6 goals. He did that consistently at the Saints and before the game against North, he had only kicked 2 goals in 4 games. North were a rabble on the weekend and I think most big forwards would have kicked a bag against them. He is a run of the mill forward that plays some good games every now and again. He still appears a bit unfit to me and is usually lazy. I would like to see him back up such performances more consistently before I give the Bulldogs a tick with that trade. Naughton and Schache have far more potential than him. I hope the Saints are able to keep up their form this year as well. They haven’t played finals since 2011 and even if this year has an asterik against it, it would still be good to see them play finals. They just have be disciplined and consistent now. Big fortnight coming up for them and they can’t let their guard down.
George Apps
Roar Rookie
"Pique"
DingoGray
Roar Guru
:laughing: In Adelaide's defence, how long they been in the AFL for? This is really the 1st time I can remember them being an absolute Basket case. Teams like Carlton, Brisbane, Gold Coast, St Kilda have had years of it.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
I'd have GC at about 8th or 9th. The reality is that they've been beaten comfortably by 2 decent teams (Port, Cats), and then beaten the 3 worst teams in the comp at the time of playing them (WC, Freo, Cows), whilst enjoying an extended run of home games. Brisbane and GC have been the big winners out of the hubs, and I don't expect GC to be in the 8 at the end of the year.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
I was once TTF. Nothing to prove there. Pablo is my birth name. Yeah, our form is horrible, granted. We managed to 'turn around the Richmond ship' last year, no reason we can't do it again. Get the feeling you only have to make the 8 this year to have a chance. Playing finals in Qld, S.A. & W.A. may not be so disadvantageous this year . . . a fair chance to play another team on the road.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
I really don’t know. Love to say Cats but I can’t. They are being over coached to their detriment. It is actually an exciting season. Pies are in trouble but still heaps of games. Same with Tigers. In no order Port, Bri, Cats, GWS and a seriously rank outsider WCE.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Hi Pablo, I haven’t seen you before but I see you have been around for a while. My view is that your boys are in terrible form and their hearts don’t seem to be in it. Just not winning the ball or scoring. Cochin, Prestia injures is disastrous. Probably the only reason you are good at Metricon is because you played the Suns. In saying that, your comments about nobody else being any good is absolutely correct. If you turn around the Richmond ship this year I will be very impressed.