A round full of upsets made for a tipsters nightmare this week with Collingwood and Essendon the only favourites running out comfortable victors against West Coast Eagles and North Melbourne Kangaroos respectively.

We were treated to some absolutely splendid football that would leave even the most cynical supporters optimistic about what their side has to offer leaving this author with the perception that there are some machinations left to play out before the final rounds of this year.

18. West Coast Eagles (Boorloo)(No Change)

No change for the Eagles this week. But there is just the faintest glimmer at the end of the tunnel after a dire year in which the Eagles depth has been stretched well beyond the breaking point.

With the inclusion of more senior bodies Elliot Yeo, Shannon Hurn, and Tom Barrass the Eagles defence was imbued with a greater steel that has not been present recently.

Being excoriated in the media during the week it was expected the Eagles would at least push the Bombers for some of Saturday night, and push they did remaining in touch for three quarters of Saturday night.

17. North Melbourne Kangaroos (Yern-da-Ville) (No change)

Facing the league leaders was always going to be a challenge for the Kangas, but they lost no fans with a six goal final term running out 35-point losers against a red hot Collingwood side.

It was Nick Larkey with a commanding presence in the forward line with another five goal performance in what is increasingly rare in modern footy, while Bailey Scott continues to firm as an outside chance for the Syd Barker medal with a second consecutive 30 disposal performance running the lines along the wing.

16. Carlton Blues (Quor-Nong) (down two)

Things have gone from bad to worse as the Blues have absolutely no answers at the moment. Their ball use inside fifty is insipid with them targeting their two talls Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow targetted 147 times with the remainder of their list targeted a paltry 93 times combined.

The Blues came into the year with optimism yet their forward press is failing under the easiest pressure all the while their big men are unable to carry the load as the Blues appear to be either unable or unwilling to change the angles heading inside fifty.

15. Richmond Tigers (Quo-Yong) (down four)

One of three matches that went to the favourite this weekend. The Tigers did not experience the new coach bounce that you typically get with a lame duck interim coach. This was a match defined by inaccuracy on both sides as the cold winds of winter are truly with us right now, despite that Tim Taranto was a highlight kicking 4 goals from his 33 disposals.

Assisting in the midfield was the ever electric Shai Bolton with 23 disposals along side Dion Prestia with 29 disposals making sure Port had to earn their win.

14. Sydney Swans (Warrane) (up one)

This was more Carlton kicking themselves out of it rather than the Swans winning this game. However, the match was highlighted by the unveiling of an Adam Goodes statue at the Sydney Cricket Ground showing his status as a legend of the game.

Nick Blakey was enormous down back frequently using his line breaking run to full effect in the confidence that Lewis Melican and Aaron Francis would match up on his opponent should the slingshot fail. The Swans now remain mathematical chances to make the top eight, yet I am reluctant to declare it smooth sailing yet.

13. Hawthorn Hawks (Booroondara) (up two)

Who said the Hawks are tanking? not me that’s for sure. The Hawks widened the gap between them and the elusive wooden spoon with an upset victory against top four fancies St Kilda.

It was a commanding performance from James Sicily with an enormous 43 disposals playing as an under sized key back, honestly the score line indicates they should’ve won by more as they ran out with a lot left in the tank against a weak St Kilda side.

12. Gold Coast Suns (Karara) (up one)

Umpire controversy not withstanding I thought the Suns and the Bulldogs played out the best match of the round with plenty of swings and roundabouts. Jack Lukosius relished an inefficient Bulldogs backline frequently gathering a lot of the ball and nailing five goals in what is an atypical performance from the enigmatic key forward.

While Matt Rowell is clearly becoming a titan in the midfield for the Suns with an enormous 16 clearances from his 29 disposals with 702 metres gained in dewy conditions in the top end.

11. Geelong Cats (Djilang) (down one)

The Cats dropped a game, they dropped a game down at the Cattery which leaves me with concerns about their viability to go back to back. This was a game the Cats expected to bury earlier this year as they dropped to three straight defeats for the second time this year (a feat only achieved twice in Chris Scott’s tenure at the Cats before this year).

The loss leaves them with an uneven record of 5-6 and relying upon bringing back their elder statesmen underdone which is an unenviable position to be in.

10. Greater Western Sydney Giants (Ngurra) (up two)

If it wasn’t clear that the Giant’s should have made Toby Greene their captain years ago, Saturday afternoon provided clear evidence that he is a deserving captain, and his clubmates will bleed for him in the trenches.

The Giants were able to ring in Toby Greene’s 200th and their coach’s fourth win in style running out comfortable winners thans to a cameo from Greene with four goals, and Brent Daniels with another three goals who provided dash that the Cats did not have an answer for.

9. St Kilda Saints (Youruk) (down three)

This round was full of upsets making for a tipsters nightmare, none more so than the typically miserly Saints. They conceded an enormous 28 scoring shots to 18 that belies the closeness of the match between Hawthorn and St Kilda.

Ross Lyon and his men would be buoyed by the second consecutive positive return of Max King with a further 4 goals enshrining his importance to the St Kilda line up, however dropping a game that would not only be pencilled in as a win but a percentage booster at that does not leave much room for error particularly with the logjam that is developing in the middle part of the ladder.

8. Essendon Bombers (Tullamarine) (no change)

Now as an Essendon supporter I am happy with the win, the single largest Essendon victory in 20 years in the west. However, I think the Bombers have been caught in an anachronistic playstyle reliant on taking an enormous amount of marks around the ground with the Bombers taking 133 marks in total on Saturday night.

What was so positive about the Bombers earlier in the year was the run and gun dare provided by Mason Redman and Andy McGrath providing highlights with forward handballs, however the Bombers seem to be content to grind out the win dragging them into the eight.

7. Western Bulldogs (Maribynong) (down three)

Now the Bulldogs were unable to deal with the humid and dewy conditions in the top end as they kicked a comparatively inaccurate 11 goals 11 behinds to end their run of five consecutive wins. Sadly this is a match that will be dominated by umpire controversy with a Cody Weightman flop and a strange fifty metre penalty resulting in two goals to the Bulldogs when the game was up for grabs.

I do not think that flopping is necessarily a blight on the game but I am left with questions as a result of this match particularly when it appears there are two sets of rules.

6. Melbourne Demons (Naarm) (down one)

There was a strange symmetry to Melbourne on saturday afternoon. At the G again, facing Fremantle again, the Dees dropped this match for the second consecutive year to breath life back into Fremantle’s year.

Again like so many matches this round this was a match that was lost as a result of inaccuracy as the Demons had 22 scoring shots for a return of 10 goals 12 behinds to Fremantle’s 19 scoring shots with a return of 12 goals 7 behinds.

The Dees will rue this loss as it sends them back to the pack of teams struggling in the fracas on the edge of the eight.

5. Fremantle Dockers (Walyalup) (up two)

The Dockers are back, gone is their miserly aimless ball movement and back is their bold strides into the forward line. Despite losing talismanic titan Sean Darcy in the first quarter the Dockers were able to run out comfortable winners thanks to an enormous 19 disposal, 1 goal, 8 clearance game from Luke Jackson who relished the opportunity to ruck solo against Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy.

Additionally assisted by Jye Amiss and Josh Treacy as a key forward pairing that will surprise some teams in the warmer months with Bailey Banfield filling Luke Jackson’s former role in front combining for seven vital goals.

4. Adelaide Crows (Tarntanya) (up four)

This was the Crows best win of the season, after their worst loss forming a strange juxtaposition that is extremely apparent in young teams where the gap between their best and worst footy is enormous.

Izak Rankine continues to shape up as the recruit of the year justifying the enormous price they paid with 23 disposals, 16 contested possessions and a couple goals for good measure. I think Matthew Nicks may very well rue this year as one of lost opportunities having dropped a match to Collingwood, GWS and Richmond earlier in the year that they should have won.

3. Brisbane Lions (Meeanjin) (no change)

The Lions are going to feel this loss as their seven game winning streak came to an abrupt and inaccurate end. The Lions kicked 1 goal 9 behinds from 19 inside fifties in the third quarter that is an accurate exemplification of their night.

Ending with 66 inside fifties in total the Lions probably should have won that game, however, outside of the Gabba the Lions are toothless cats, defanged and declawed their usually potent offence was unable to fire.

2. Port Adelaide Power (Yaartapuulti) (no change)

The Power were again led from the front by Zac Butters with another 30+ disposal performance that leaves him in poll position of the AFL coaches award this year.

Despite the woeful accuracy in front of goal the Power were able to make it eight straight victories on the trot as they handily dispatched of an inferior Richmond outfit still reeling from the loss of their coach. While Jeremy Finlayson continues to be Port Adelaides mr Fix It with another goal and eight score involvements. The Power are building nicely relieving pressure on their embattled coach.

1. Collingwood Magpies (Yalla-birr-aang) (no change)

The Pies now go 10-1 on the season and they’re shaping nicely with West Coast still to come this week. I think we can reliably say that the Magpies are easily the favourites to win the flag this year as they celebrated Steele Sidebottom’s 300th and Mason Cox’s 100th.

Mason Cox in particular became the first American to reach the milestone in what has been a fraught and contentious career where he has always played to his limitations. While Steele Sidebottom would be worried by a medial collateral ligament strain in the first quarter yesterday as age appears to be catching up to Steele Sidebottom.

The Magpies are building nicely such that they can rest players heading into the back half of the year and take comfort in their safety at the top of the ladder.

Well there you have it folks. What do you think? Leave your thoughts below and I will do my best to respond quickly.

As to the bye rounds I am uncertain as to whether I am going to give myself a midseason break, we will see how I am feeling on Sunday (it legitimately depends on if the Bombers beat Carlton and the Kangaroos).

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