It just hasn’t felt right lately. Something has been missing.
I thought maybe it was Donald Trump’s Twitter account, but now, that was a long time ago.
I spent a few hours contemplating, and then I realised it was The Roar AFL power rankings.
Charlie Keegan is the power ranking king, but he has succumbed to the Essendon doldrums. If only in the interests of the Fremantle supporters, the power rankings are needed. So I thought I would step up. And it is such a difficult week with the bye.
I will address the rankings in the proper order.
1. Fremantle Dockers
Who can believe it? After a forgettable two weeks, they stepped up and beat Melbourne and then Brisbane. Their moving press has sucked the attacking life out of the two next-best teams. They deserve the top spot.
2. Sydney Swans
They convincingly beat Melbourne. The quick ball movement and kicks to leads up forward were enough to secure victory. This exciting team is on the march. Can they keep it up? Isaac Heeney is a star and always just about to explode.
3. Melbourne Demons
A few injuries and two convincing but not crushing defeats, the former untouchables have been relegated. They are clearly on a downward trajectory. Can they readjust without Steve May and an intensity drop from Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver? Max Gawn is still taking his big marks and kicking his 60-metre roosts. Maybe the opposition are just onto them.
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
4. Brisbane Lions
They have been riding high. They have been doing enough to just win. But they were beaten by Fremantle in Perth. They were not disgraced, but they were strangled. Their backline that was leaking as well.
5. Geelong Cats
They’re on three straight wins after dispatching the westerns to the bottom eight for the season with an absolutely magnificent first quarter. If only the last three would match this. I am not sure if it all isn’t the coach’s cunning plan for the finals.
6. St Kilda Saints
They fell over the line with Adelaide but did complete the customary flogging of West Coast. I had to ponder how the Saints were below the Cats when they beat them at Marvel four weeks ago. Then I realised that St Kilda has performed particularly badly in the bye round. The coach has not even made any outrageous comments.
7. Carlton Blues
They have not been terrible, beating most sides they should, but they also have failed to put in the four quarters. Then a defeat by the Magpies – the ignominy.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
8. Collingwood Magpies
A spanking victory against traditional enemies Carlton and then scrapping over the line against the Hawks. They are making the best of things with the players they have on the field. The coach seems like a good one.
9. Richmond Tigers
The loss against the Swans has pushed them out of the eight, but they are perched precariously like the predator that they are. They have won six out of their 11 games, but the highest victory was over Collingwood – and they went down to Adelaide.
10. Gold Coast Suns
The team is always promising to break through. They are trying. They can thump Hawthorn and then North, but they fall to teams like the Bulldogs.
11. Western Bulldogs
Last year’s grand finalists were on a recovery from the skids – actually, no, they are still on the skids. The Cats showed up their lack of tall defenders, questioned the hardness of their ruckman and completely covered their forwards.
(Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
12. Port Adelaide Power
The Power have had a shocking start and are trying to rise from the clawing bog. They had a few wins but then ran into the Cats at the Cattery. The Tigers in Tigerland will be their big test.
13. Hawthorn Hawks
They have had some significant scalps this season but have settled into a losing mode. Not by much, but enough.
14. Greater Western Sydney Giants
This has been such a disappointing season. Brisbane touched them up, then they had an average win over the West Coast.
15. Adelaide Crows
They are good enough to beat the West Coast but not much else. Did I mention they outdid the Tigers?
16. Essendon Bombers
A less than average side putting in less than average effort. Did they really make the finals in 2021? The bye round has been kind to them.
17. North Melbourne Kangaroos
They seemed to be on a downward trajectory from last year. They appear to take a ten-goal loss as a badge of honour – even from the Gold Coast.
18. West Coast Eagles
No COVID excuses, no real injury excuses, just consistent losing, and by a lot. It is not as though they haven’t got any good players. Coach change and regime change is needed.
Those are my rankings. Go to town.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Hence the comment "The Pies are going pretty well". I also didn't mention the Pies getting spanked by the Bulldogs, or losing to the Tigers or even them getting beaten by the Eagles. I did however mention the 2 games the author referenced in the article "A spanking victory against traditional enemies Carlton and then scrapping over the line against the Hawks." Did you read the artcile Peter or are you just continuing to be juvenile.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Ha ha ha. Macca totally forgetting to say the Pies also spanked Freo on their home deck. So selective Macca.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Who they have to select from is the biggest factor. No other team has to 'draft' in players from their local comp, who have in some cases never trained with or had a scratch match against Eagles players. Lack of preseason, long term injury, contracting Covid later than any other team... Doesn't excuse their abysmal form but goes some way towards explaining the depths of the abysm. And yes, we beat the Pies, a top eight contender, woo-hoo
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Doc, surely you don’t think West Coast’s troubles and resulting ranking is due to just injuries. Their presented side has more skill and proven ability than say Collingwood. And they are making a go at it.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Convincing but not so much as to crush the Demons grand final intent.
donnietaco
Interesting interpretation of the Melbourne loss to Freo not being crushing. Outscored 13 goals to 1 to finish the game and held goaless for 70+mins on their home deck. If not crushing, extremely alarming.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Yeo is 28, Sheed is 27. That makes them younger than three quarters of the Geelong side and arguably more important to a depleted midfield than for many other sides
Windrince
Roar Rookie
We're not making excuses here - Geelong have been winning and covering for the injuries as we have decent depth I guess that's Yattuzi's point.
Hawks12
Guest
I would swap cats and lions around. Lions in my opinion are still missing something that makes them top 2 or so. Can’t quiet pinpoint what it is but similar feeling to last year. I just don’t see them winning a flag yet
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Haha In the eye of a dog Libba is a Bulldog Champion
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
I must admit I was impressed with Libba. I aways considered him a bit sub standard. His Simpsons Tatts didn’t help. He starred. But the full barrel then the shut down, seems so Scottish.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Your kidding right :shocked: The cats fell asleep cause the dogs awoke from a slumber party. Scott was clueless as Tom Liberatore the leader of the pack of dogs started to fight back. Believe it or not Yatt :stoked:
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Hahaha. That quarter was pretty hot. But I was sweating the rest of the game. Do you think that Scott was playing games for the next two? I really don’t know.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
How on earth are you in 5th spot with one qtr of scintillating football then you fell asleep, says a lot about the competition as a whole & your spot on regarding the dogs inept misfortune the kennel might need a new direction at years end!
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Good to see you are still alive abiding Dude. Surely the ranks need the be controversial, and at least accurate for the moment. Your next win should do it.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Yatt you only beat the dogs by 2 goals give it a rest with the foibles that exists at my club. Look forward to playing your mob at the wingless stadium later in the year!
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
I see Zorko as being the Lions' barometer. He needs to pull his head in and lead by example. An angry Zorko becomes a liability.
Nick
Roar Guru
We're still a fair way from 12 though. They're not able to draw upon the same excuses as other teams. Danger and Stewart are irreplaceable. The others can be covered through decent depth.
Windrince
Roar Rookie
Parfitt for sure is best 22, Holmes is too given his age and talent. Kolodjasnij has been for years but given the emergence of SDK and Zach Guthrie you may be right that he does not get in anymore, and as I said Ceglar is just on the edge.
Nick
Roar Guru
Danger, Henry, Stewart, Menegola are certain best 22 players. Hard to see the other ones as bonafide week in week out selections when fit.