We are now a month into season and the wintery weather has begun to set into Melbourne town as sides were forced to contend with some exceptionally muggy weather.

Despite the weather some sides could not hit the side of a barn door without divine intervention (looking at you Essendon), while Fremantle’s woes exacerbated as they moved like old men, and the ladder continued to take shape in delightfully unexpected ways.

18. Hawthorn Hawks (down one)

There was no Easter miracle for the Hawks as they were left shell shocked by an 82-point demolition from the far more experienced Geelong Cats outfit. It was largely attributable to their younger weaker bodies as they were left defeated in the third quarter conceding ten goals to the in-form Jeremy Cameron and co.

The young Hawks would be buoyed by the continuing good form of Will Day with an additional 23 disposals to go with his smooth moving performance, while their backline was anchored by Jarman Impey and Changkuoth Jiath with 16 intercept possessions collectively.

The Hawks cut extremely aggressively so their season is going to be defined by these extreme losses, hopefully the youth their acquired was worth it.

17. West Coast Eagles (up one)

Adam Simpson has raised that it was always going to be a battle this year as he set different parameters for this year early in the pre-season. Those parameters are the development of a new game style that suits modern AFL, and the positive signs shown by the kids in front of the adoring Perth public.

It may have been the old heads in Tim Kelly (36 disposals and 2 goals), and Oscar Allen (three goals) that were most prominent but the Eagles have moved away from the slow kick mark style that was prevailing in their 2018 premiership year.

The only reason the Eagles are up is simply because they outscored the Hawks by 18 points despite their significantly more severe injury toll.

16. Fremantle Dockers (down eight)

Freo is not the way to go. Bad pun out of the way Fremantle are in a lot of trouble as they can’t seem to beat even the worst sides this year as they show a lack of faith in the strong defensive structures that defined their game style last year.

This was the worst match of the Docker’s in my opinion was they showed absolutely no ability to move the ball forward as shown by their relatively milquetoast output in the kicking department losing the statistic by 43 as the hard running Adelaide were able to take full advantage of their potent forward line.

The Dockers are left with more questions than answers as they dropped to 1-3, and without a first round pick this year they need to improve fast lest they waste the talent of Luke Jackson.

15. Gold Coast Suns (down two)

The Suns are struggling, of that there is absolutely no doubt. They don’t have enough midfielders providing something different, and their forward line is horrendously malfunctioning.

Their 1-3 tally this year actually flatters them as they were able to jump an out of form Geelong while at home last week, yet that was all a distant memory as the Suns were subject to the meat grinder that is St Kilda’s collective and frenetic pressure.

There is preciously little good news that can be taken out of the weekend’s performance as the Suns backline were slaughter by the inability of the Suns midfield to pressure the opposition.

Too much is being left to too few and the Suns need a dramatic improvement if they’re to rise up the ladder soon.

14. Greater Western Sydney Giants (up two)

There appears to be a Giant jinx in Western Sydney where they appear to make their opponents horrendously inaccurate regardless of the ambient weather conditions.

The Giants honestly should have lost by significantly more but they were able to take advantage of their superior accuracy under the dome at Marvel Stadium to remain close in touch with the more experienced Bombers until the final siren. Despite the loss there were highlights for the Giants as Nick Haynes wound back the clock with a match high 10 intercepts from 26 disposals followed closely Sam Taylor with 9 intercept possessions.

Offensively speaking it was the talismanic captain in Toby Greene who led the way with 9 score involvements and 2 goals to go with his 18 disposals while Harry Himmelberg did his chances of a big free agency deal with 3 goals himself.

The Giants are at a crossroads; thanks to last years bevy of draft picks they do have the option of playing the kids like Aaron Cadman, however they run the risk of exposing them too early.

13. North Melbourne Kangaroos (up two)

With the absence of Griffin Logue and Ben McKay North Melbourne were almost completely without key defenders, and with the exception of Aidan Corr the Kangaroos did not have anyone that has played that position.

If anything, it is somewhat miraculous that North Melbourne were able to remain in touch for as long as they did but they were able to drag the smooth Carlton Blues down to their level and remaining close in touch a six goal third quarter not withstanding.

Aiden Bonar, and Jack Ziebell were able to battle manfully despite giving up 13 cm to Harry McKay. However, the Roos did welcome back Luke Davies-Uniacke and Jy Simpkin as they were able to push the vaunted midfield of Carlton to the brink.

12. Geelong Cats (up one)

Is Geelong back? Maybe? Not very many conclusions can be drawn aside from the fact that Jeremy Cameron is in form and will make a very good Brownlow fancy (assuming his collision with an umpire late on Monday is not taken anywhere).

Geelong did not look like themselves early in the peace on Monday as Hawthorn brought to bear a significant amount of pressure such that the Hawks were in front at half time.

However, as is often the case with young sides, the Hawks were unable to keep the pressure up and the Cats were able to pile on 109 points in the second half to 9 points as they embarrassed the young Hawks and leave the pundit class wondering whether Sam Mitchell has the established credits in the bank to survive the rebuild.

In good conscience I cannot move the Geelong Cats higher than this position as they’re still 1-3 after four rounds which is an inauspicious win total for the reigning premiers.

11. Richmond Tigers (down five)

The Tigers were forced to rest their older heads as Jack Riewoldt was forced out and Trent Cotchin was forced to fill the sub role. Despite that the Tigers young green shoots did performed admirably as Noah Cumberland was able to gather 21 disposals and a goal, while Shai Bolton was at his electric best with three goals.

It is clear that the Tigers have attempted to re-develop their list on the fly to only moderate success as either through injury or through suspension they have been completely unable to deploy their best 22 to this point as Josh Gibcus, Nathan Broad, Robbie Tarrant, and Dustin Martin have all had significant absences to now.

Making matters worse was the prickly behaviour of senior coach Damian Hardwick in front of the press after a contentious match with the Bulldogs.

The Tigers will be optimistic they can improve from here but they’ve aggressively traded and haven’t improved enough to justify the high price they paid for their recruits.

10. Essendon Bombers (down three)

The Package is nothing if not entertaining and with 10 score involvements (4 goals 6 behinds mind you) Jake Stringer was back to his electric best as the Bombers got back in the winners column taking their season total to three from the first four matches.

Providing additional highlights was the Bombers backline as they’ve conceded the sixth least amount of points through the first month of the season, and Sunday afternoon was no exception as the Bombers were able to potently parlay defence into offence with Mason Redman kicking one goal to go with his eight intercepts, while Jake Kelly has quietly continued his exemplary season with eight interceptions in addition to the 29 disposals he had last week.

The Bombers now go into a brutal run of matches starting with Melbourne in the Gather Round in Adelaide so we will have an accurate read as to where the Bombers are at after that stretch of matches.

Now the reason I have them down is simply because they didn’t win by more against a substantially weaker Giants outfit under the dome at Marvel where they kicked a remarkable 22 behinds doubling their goal tally thanks to the Giants pressure.

9. Sydney Swans (down three)

Now I am going to preface this by saying my thoughts are with the McCartin family, to have both Tom and Paddy be concussed through relatively normal incidents that is just a bookend to an already severe episode for the Sydney Swans as they’ve found themselves in dire straits from a key defensive standpoint.

The Swans should have won this game, they had more inside 50s (+20) but they were unable to convert this victory in the territorial battle that is often all to important into a scoreboard win.

I believe that with the introduction of Aaron Francis they will be able to lessen the blow that is the loss of the McCartin brothers however, the Swans are looking all too fallible these last two weeks.

8. Western Bulldogs (up four)

The Western Bulldogs squared the ledger evening it up at 2-2 after a resounding win against a short Tigers outfit. It was honestly a bit of a surprise given the location at the ‘G and the downpour that got progressively worse and worse as the match went on.

Despite the less than ideal conditions the Bulldogs were ably assisted by Tim English with 20 disposals and a couple goals.

There were some nervous moments throughout as the Tigers came charging back in the second and third quarters as they were held up by a classic captain’s performance with Marcus Bontempelli throwing the Bulldogs on his back for a second week with 25 disposals and 11 clearances.

The Bulldogs have squared the ledger, and they do have concerns like their four pronged attack but they’ve relieved the pressure on their coach and they have an opportunity to build from here.

7. Brisbane Lions (up five)

This week was not a good week for the Lions as they were excoriated by the media for their inability to perform against the frenetic pressure of the Western Bulldogs last week.

The Lions were able to pressure the Bulldogs using their superior mobility to outrun their defenders as well as the dominance in the ruck with Oscar McInerney getting 45 hitouts allowing his midfielders first use as shown by the 46 clearances they obtained at the coal-face.

I am left with questions surrounding the best configuration of the Lions midfield as Hugh McCluggage has been well down on his All-Australian best. Many in the pundit class have heartily criticised Brisbane for extending Eric Hipwood, however both he and Joe Daniher appeared to be back to their best this week stretching an already weakened Collingwood defence and allow Charlie Cameron to go to work.

6. Port Adelaide Power (up four)

Sometimes you have to play beyond the final siren and the leaping Aliir Aliir is a sign of that as he dominated all day with a glut of interceptions before capping his night with a desperate spoil on the line preventing a certain Oliver Florent goal after the siren on Saturday night.

The Power were 20 points down in a dour low scoring affair relying on the individual brilliance of Jeremy Finlayson with three goals, and Charlie Dixon providing brutality at the clearance to move the ball out of the coal face.

This win breathes new life into the Port Adelaide season that has been faltering previously with ignominious losses to Collingwood and Adelaide.

5. Adelaide Crows (up four)

The Crows are actually pretty good this year, even in their losses they’ve looked far better this season playing with a new confidence. Riley Thilthorpe was magnificent again leading up to the wing to take repeated contested marks much like Josh Jenkins and Tom Lynch in their apex.

While it was a tale of two recruits as Izak Rankine has proven to be worth his weight in gold as he leads the Crows goal kicking four rounds in as well as being deprived of a deserving Showdown Medal last week.

The Crows are playing with a lot of verve this year, and while it’s a little too early to say finals or bust they’re in the best position since their ill fated 2017 off-season.

4. Carlton Blues (no change)

Sam Walsh could not arrive soon enough. The Blues have been lacking the offensive spark that he provides as their midfield is a little too one paced without him.

However, it was the Harry and Charlie show on Saturday as they strutted their stuff to kick ten goals between Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow as there was yet another game in which Harry and Ben McKay did not face one another (that makes it eight years and counting that the two have played one another).

The one take away from this match in my opinion is the Blues inability to prevent junk time goals that indicates a lack of professionalism in this outfit that has yet to fully develop that may come back to hurt them when the finals come around.

3. Collingwood Magpies (down one)

No ruckman, no Collingwood. The Magpies struggled at the Gabbatoir on a humid Easter Thursday. Despite that the Magpies were able to take it right to Brisbane despite them using the 195cm Dan McStay and 193 cm tall Ash Johnson against the comparatively gargantuan Oscar McInerney.

Making matters worse the Magpies did their best Essendon impression and could not kick goals instead settling for a deluge of points to allow the Lions to run out comfortable winners.

Despite this the Magpies would find some highlights in the performance of their young bulls in Nick Daicos (38 disposals) and their old heads in Scott Pendlebury (26 disposals).

Losing is bad, but you don’t win the flag in April, and Craig McRae is a shrewd and creative coach who is sure to come up with the most creative solution possible.

2. St Kilda (down one)

Every week the Saints have been able to prove their doubters (myself included) resoundingly wrong and Saturday night was no exception against a suddenly resurgent Suns outfit (up and about after an upset victory against the Cats).

Yet Ross Lyon has his charges playing with a confidence in their system allowing them to excel as a whole entity rather then the individual brilliance that defines traditional premiership contenders.

What’s more the Saints have their undersized forward line working with brutal efficiency with Mitch Owens emblematic of such a performance with 7 score involvements to go with his 27 disposals and 2 goals as at 191 cm he is definitely on the shorter side for key forwards in modern AFL.

The Saints are still looking exceptionally solid but they’ve yet to play any side of consequence so I am reserving judgement until they play a similarly ranked side like a Collingwood or a Melbourne.

1. Melbourne Demons (up two)

Gawn might be gone but you would not know it to look at the Demons as they terrorised their poor opponents in Perth in a not dissimilar fashion to their own experience five years ago in a prelim final.

The Dees were able to exactly double their score of their opponents ably assisted by four goals from Tom McDonald, while Christian Petracca and Bayley Fritsch were able bodied assistants with three goals apiece.

Trent Rivers relished his move to the midfield in front of his hometown fans, while the Demons continued to show that they’re the form team of the competition with their second consecutive shellacking.

There you have it folks. As always thank you for reading, do you agree? leave your thoughts in the comments below and I will do my best to respond as soon as possible.

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