AFL Power Rankings Round 16

Round 16’s rankings, are, like last week, pretty stable. With a majority of results going as expected, there wasn’t a lot of necessity for change. Two rounds to go.

Last week: 1
As easy as you like. The Cats won’t be dwelling on the win over the Bombers – rather, they’d be ready for the huge clash with the reigning premiers tomorrow night. You wouldn’t want to miss that.

Last week: 2
Like the Cats and the Lions above and below the Power, they had a routine win. North posed very little challenge. Expect them to beat Essendon on Saturday, but following that is a massive clash with the Pies that will lead them into finals.

Last week: 3
As routine a win they’re going to have in the next month, excluding, they’d hope, next week’s clash with Sydney. Handled the loss of Harris Andrews well but, again, last night’s was an easy clash.

(Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Last week: 4
The loss was frustrating but the injury concerns are very, very real. Six changes for tonight’s clash, five of which were forced by injury. Top four an increasingly unlikely possibility, but you can never say never for this club.

Last week: 5
Had the bye.

Last week: 6
Had the bye.

Last week: 7
Ah, a finals return is just about confirmed for the club. Only a Melbourne-esque capitulation will blow it for them now. A great chance at the ‘upset’ against the wounded Eagles tonight.

Brad Hill of St Kilda (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

Last week: 11
Brilliant win. Out of the teams fighting for a spot in finals, I’d be most optimistic about the Dogs, who seem to be peaking at the right time. They’ve won three of their past four and have the Hawks and Freo ahead. Not bad.

Last week: 8
On Wednesday, 2 September, the Giants extended Leon Cameron’s contract. On Monday, 7 September, the Giants were beaten badly by the Crows and left their finals hopes dangling by a thread. Make of that what you will.

Last week: 10
A gutsy type of win which keeps them mathematically in reach of finals. But they need a lot of things to go right as well as beating the Crows and Lions, a tall order I wouldn’t be betting on.

(Photo by Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Last week: 9
Eeeek. In very Demons fashion their easy run into finals has blown up massively. I don’t wanna sound too negative, but their clash with the Giants this weekend is quite literally the battle of who can shoot themselves in the foot the least. Except the Demons have already obliterated theirs.

Last week: 14
If the Richmond game was a demonstration of Freo’s deceptively strong performances (bar the horrible forward skills), their latest game was a great example of what can happen when it comes together. Adam Cerra is their best – his beauty of a goal from the boundary a memorable one.

Last week: 13
I was hoping they’d have put a bit more effort into their Wednesday night QClash, but it’s evident the Suns are reaching the stage of the year where the off-season is much needed. A great year by their standards, but the end is nigh.

Last week: 15
If the season has been okay for the Swans – certainly better than much of the lowly teams this year – Tuesday’s awful capitulation would annoy them. Letting the Blues work their way back from 30-odd points down only to lose in the final minutes. Ouch.

Last week: 12
A week from hell: a thrashing at the hands of Geelong, Mosquito Irving injuring his ACL, Connor McKenna’s retirement. I love ya, Essendon fans, but what the hell did you do to deserve that sort of misery?

Last week: 16
Are they the form team of the competition? All jokes – mainly – aside, the Crows have suddenly decided that they can in fact be competitive in 2020. The challenge is keeping that up outside of SA. beating Carlton in Queensland on Sunday would great for the club.

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Last week: 18
Only 17th in this column for the week as a much-improved effort in their clash with the Saints in a surprisingly entertaining game bumps them up again. Pushed the Saints to the limit but couldn’t throw a spanner into the finals works.

Last week: 17
Not a lot to say about the Kangaroos this week, to be honest. A widely expected loss to the Power in what was, weirdly, last Saturday’s only clash.