Here we are. The home-and-away season has finished and the finals are set.
If you’re a fan of those who won’t be appearing in October, welcome to the off-season. If you’re lucky enough to support a team making finals, congratulations (and I hate you just a little).
I’m doing something a little different to end the column for 2020: I’m going to make this a ranking of the entire year. Obviously the rankings for the top eight sides don’t reflect their finals chances, purely their home-and-away form.
Still underrated premiership contenders, but it’s hard to deny they haven’t been the most consistent team this year, with just three losses – admittedly including against two premiership foes in Brisbane and Geelong. The South Australians fortuitously might appreciate going a little under the radar.
Just one of three teams (Port and the Cats being the others) to have not lost consecutive games this year, the Lions have also been super consistent. Despite their form and the massively beneficial Queensland finals setting, though, Brisbane’s mammoth problems in goal kicking and the unlucky fact they face Richmond first up in the finals may yet contribute to a ruinous end of the season.
They’ve cemented themselves as the obvious premiership favourites. They were wonky to begin the year, but even though I’d been vocal in criticism of the club, they’ve nearly returned to their fearsome best. However, as fellow Roar writer Josh Elliott mentioned in a recent piece, history suggests they prefer it in finals when their home-and-away seasons are a little lacking.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
They’ve been another super consistent side, ending with just five losses, none of them consecutively. The Richmond clash was probably the most demoralising loss, but they’ve ultimately secured the double chance, and despite their dubious finals record, they’d be up there in the premiership chances.
The Eagles have had a weird season. Like the Tigers, they started poorly but have come back into it. They’ve had a Freo-esque season in terms of injuries, though, and find themselves in a frustrating position of having only one shot to get over the first finals hurdle. But my pessimism is usually proven wrong by this side, so I can’t rule anything out.
They weren’t alone in sneaking into finals, but they were the last finals side to be confirmed, and questions remain about their potential in October. The positive: they’ve won five of their last six games and are in as good form as any finals side. The negative: of their seven losses six have come against top-eight teams by an average of 30 points, with the Eagles the only fellow finalist they’ve beaten.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Even though we’re yet to see how they’ll do in finals, the fact they’ve made it for the first time in almost a decade is cause enough to celebrate. Don’t mind a little inconsistency, the Saints are a rare team – in this season at least – that are genuinely fun to watch. Just so likeable.
This was a rough season for the Pies at times, with several weeks where finals looked unlikely. But they’ve recovered, including winning four of their final five games, and are getting into relatively good form headed into finals. Like their 2018 grand final counterparts West Coast, they’re a successful team that don’t have a whole lot of backers for a premiership.
At least it was better than 2019. Still not at all a team to rely on, the topsy-turvy Demons shot themselves in the foot by losing two winnable clashes close to finals. Unlike some fellow Roar authors, I don’t believe the Demons really had a shot this year – just two of their nine wins came over eventual finalists, and their deep inconsistency makes them ridiculously untrustworthy.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Optimism is not usually a word I equate with Freo, but it epitomises their 2020 season. Competitive in almost every game, the Dockers probably had another three or four games they could’ve won. The team wasn’t composed enough to keep their finals hopes alive, but the continued development of their young players, some senior players hitting their straps and a more ordinary season should help Fremantle be huge chances for finals next year.
I’d have the team above them and themselves in a very similar boat, though the Blues have taken two or three years to do what the Dockers have done in one. There was more good than bad this year for sure, and like the Dockers, I’ll have them as proper finals chances next season.
Look at the team below them and the Giants’ placing here might seem unfair. But I’m making no apologies – the Giants are fast becoming a team are unable to back up the expectations placed on them. I’ve said it again and again, but I just cannot comprehend why Leon Cameron isn’t more at risk of losing his position. This thoroughly disappointing year has surely put him on notice.
The often-struggling club finished the year well and truly out of finals contention, but if you were predicting finals for this team, you were wildly misguided. The Suns have nailed some of the building blocks for the next few years. Some more wins wouldn’t have hurt, but the Suns are finals smokies next season.
They’re often compared to the Hawks, and despite the identical ladder position and similar percentage, the Swans finish the year as the team to be more optimistic about. Their youth are impressive, they were competitive in more games, and while I don’t expect them to immediately rebound back into finals, they’ve got the first pieces of the jigsaw in place.
They won more games than the two teams immediately above them, but the Dons seemed to be a worse team at times. Certainly I’d say they have worse immediate prospects. John Worsfold is gone, and while I don’t want to pre-empt things, you’d expect the changes won’t end there.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
I mean, that is the perfect end to a long, decisively mediocre year. Farewelling two club stalwarts in a game very reminiscent of Jarryd Roughead’s finale last year, it was a nice way to conclude their worst season under Alastair Clarkson’s reign. They’ll avoid completely bottoming out but have a way to go until they’re finals contenders again (which is an unusual thing to say about the Hawks).
Yes, they’re wooden spooners, but they did just enough in their final weeks (excluding the Richmond loss) to keep them off the bottom of these rankings. Expect the changes to come thick and fast, but they’ll have a smidgen of confidence headed into next year after proving they can remain a competitive team. In saying all of that, those first 12 rounds were the worst the club will hopefully ever face.
They were more competitive than many expected and even threatened an upset against the Eagles, but they succumbed to their 14th loss of the season. A long, long off-season for the club – they’ve started early, axing 11 players in one fell swoop on Friday. Unfortunately Adelaide’s good end of the season has sent them to last place for the year on this ladder, even if they avoided the wooden spoon.
The watcher
Guest
I still feel the Lions haven't ever quite got to their best 2019 form over a whole game. Thus the bad kicking has made it worse. However, they towelled Port at the Gabba and had the better of Geelong for most of the first half. But yes they were pummeled by Richmond, they were playing on a 4-day break as against a 6-day break for the tigers. I think people are generally underestimating both Lions and Port. Geelong are fools if they play Selwood. He fell off the pace last year and did nothing when he played this year.
Graeme
Guest
I think I might take some of that 13/1. If they win their home final they only need to win 3 on the trot. Last time they played Richmond JK was taken out with a tactical “accidental” knee to the head and Richmond kicked nearly 100%. Metricon is a graveyard for WC but Gabba and Adelaide are non issues when it counts.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
Agree with most of that. I think Fremantle should be placed higher than Melbourne though. Freo have far more upside with their list and managed to beat them quite easily in Cairns. Longmuir is a good coach that means business. I also personally thought Melbourne overachieved this year and had a dream run with injuries. Last year they proved they were just a few injuries away from being a rabble. They are similar to North Melbourne from 2016 to 2019 in many ways. They will have do some smart recruiting this off-season to fix areas of their list. Ben Brown should be on the agenda to give them a good target up forward but I am honestly astounded North have even contemplated trading Ben Brown. North will unfortunately be in the bottom four for the foreseeable future. Their list is right behind the 8 ball but it was good how they culled all those b-graders that were just a drain on the list recently. That needed to be done so that is a good sign. Rhyce Shaw on the other hand is not up to the task and is way out of his depth to be a senior coach. He fooled a few people last year with getting those good wins over Richmond, Collingwood and Port last year but those wins papered over the cracks . He looks clueless and was clearly rattled by this year. North jumped the gun on choosing him as coach and should have been thorough with their interview process. The delay in the season didn't help but they just appear to be going nowhere anytime soon, which is disappointing.
Nick
Roar Guru
He'd already have an all-Australian gong if he could just kick straight. His age is irrelevant when it comes to accurate kicking.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Stop being a FI 0G.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Fair enough Doggie, whatever you think
Dave
Roar Rookie
He is still only 23, key position players take awhile
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Ask me anything Macca but I'm not going hunting up stats to defend Carltons performances.
2dogs
Roar Rookie
Harsh Truth is you are Pete the Blue Hulk. With no life :unhappy:
2dogs
Roar Rookie
Ok Hulk
Macca
Roar Rookie
As I have said repeatedly Peter, if you want to compare them go ahead and compare them - but do it seriously and answer the questions I asked. Repeatedly raisining the Lions and blues position in 2015 and 2020 on various threads while continuing to ignore the questions riased to shallow and the T word you mention. As for the outrage - you have repeatedly claimed I have said things I haven't and refuse to answer any questions asked of you. These aren't the actions of someone who wants a serious discussion but simply a T.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Macca is it a fair question for a non Carlton person to look at 2015 Brisbane and Carlton down the bottom and ask what is going on with Carlton. That is not the T word rhyming with rolling. It is a fair question to ask that need not provoke outrage surely. Injuries can be a factor by the way IMO so there you go you have made a valid point to defend your club.
Macca
Roar Rookie
I saying it is A reason, 1 of many. For example Carlton have taken 6 first round picks in the last 3 years, Dow missed most of this year with a knee injury, Stocker missed almost all of this year for personal reasons and Kemp missed all of this year with a knee injury. Throw in Charlie Curnow missing all the year with a knee injury & McKay missing 4 games (plus all the pre-season) and you can see how the Blues rebuild has slowed. If you actually bother to properly compare the clubs and answer the questions I raised you would find a whole host of reasons.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
So your reason is injury Macca. The reason the Lions have surged ahead of the Blues in 2019-2020 is that you have had injuries and they haven't?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Question 1: Brisbane appointed Fagan and have chased down flags past two years. Carlton appointed and sacked Bolton. Is this an error on Carltons path? Appointing Bolton instead of Fagan? Question 2: Is it a fair question to ask why two clubs who sat on the bottom in 2015 with the same results now show one side up top and the other out of finals or is that tr011ing? As for your other comment, there, you are defending your club. Blaming injuries for 2019-2020 but that's ok, injuries can be blamed if they are a factor.
Eddie from Elwood
Roar Rookie
Funny how the reason can be used for some teams playing at the end of a 4 game stretch, but the same is not afforded to the Tigers. Richmond had many players out, as did Port, Richmond also played Port a the end of 4 games stretch, off a four day break including travel to SA, on the morning of the game. At the time of playing those games, 3 of the 4 teams were in the 8, the only gimme game was against North. Excuse……. no, possible reason to the discrepancy in the result…….. yes.
Nick
Roar Guru
Hipwood just needs to work on his accuracy, which is horrendous. He is otherwise an excellent asset up the front. Quick as a whippet, good hands, good read of the play.
Macca
Roar Rookie
I am not asking you to defend the work of my club I am asking you to be serious. If you want to compare the two clubs compare the 2 clubs. If you don't actually want to compare the clubs, go forth and multiply. Here I'll get you started - from round 2 to 12 2020 the lions lost 30 games from their best 22 to injury - 4th lowest in the comp, the blues had lost 57, fifth highest in the comp. As of the 23rd of July 2019 the lions had lost 12 best 22 games to injury 3rd lowest in the comp, the blues had lost 38 3rd highest in the comp.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Why ask me to do the work to defend your club Macca? If someone has a crack at the Pies Ill either agree with them or defend the club as I have done. I write articles if need be to defend the club such as below. Carlton have been poor for two decades now and sat on the bottom with Brisbane in 2015. If you want to defend that Brisbane are now into their second year of contention while you continue to rebuild, do the work and defend it. If not, so be it. All it appears is if I have hit a nerve what annoys you because I am right. Others can judge based on the same comparison that I have quite rightly alerted you too. https://www.theroar.com.au/2017/12/01/debunking-myths-around-nathan-buckley-pies-actually-headed/
Macca
Roar Rookie
PEter - you are the one who wants to do a comparison - all I am asking is for you to look further than ladder position in 2015 - it is simply asking you to be serious. If you don't want to be serious then take my advise from the other day and go forth and multiply. If you do want to be serious answer the questions.