And just like that, we're halfway through the season. Time flies when you're having fun. Here's how last weekend broke down:
Melbourne 8.13 (61)
Carlton 6.8 (44)
Port Adelaide 23.13 (151)
Hawthorn 14.12 (96)
West Coast 8.9 (57)
Collingwood 18.12 (120)
Western Bulldogs 10.15 (75)
Geelong 15.7 (97)
Gold Coast 16.16 (112)
Adelaide 13.9 (87)
Greater Western Sydney 15.14 (104)
Richmond 16.14 (110)
Essendon 16.9 (105)
North Melbourne 15.9 (99)
And now, it's the ladder after 12
Collingwood |
11 |
1 |
0 |
44 |
138.4 |
Port Adelaide |
10 |
2 |
0 |
40 |
116.2 |
Melbourne |
8 |
4 |
0 |
32 |
134.1 |
Brisbane* |
8 |
3 |
0 |
32 |
124.7 |
St. Kilda* |
7 |
4 |
0 |
28 |
116.5 |
Essendon |
7 |
5 |
0 |
28 |
107.8 |
Western Bulldogs |
7 |
5 |
0 |
28 |
103.7 |
Geelong |
6 |
6 |
0 |
24 |
118.9 |
Adelaide |
6 |
6 |
0 |
24 |
105.2 |
Fremantle* |
6 |
5 |
0 |
24 |
102.3 |
Gold Coast |
6 |
6 |
0 |
24 |
100.0 |
Sydney* |
5 |
6 |
0 |
20 |
101.2 |
Richmond |
4 |
7 |
1 |
18 |
99.2 |
Carlton |
4 |
7 |
1 |
18 |
95.1 |
GWS |
4 |
8 |
0 |
16 |
88.0 |
Hawthorn |
3 |
9 |
0 |
12 |
75.0 |
North Melbourne |
2 |
10 |
0 |
8 |
68.5 |
West Coast |
1 |
11 |
0 |
4 |
54.1 |
*-Team has had its bye week
Rather than any kind of power rankings, I think it's helpful to think of these teams in a handful of groups:
-The Contenders: Collingwood, Port Adelaide
The Pies have improved on their 2022 form of insane luck by just steamrolling everyone. Whether they can continue to do that while Jordan de Goey sits for a bad bump against West Coast is another question. Meanwhile, Port have roared back after an off year in 2022, and the AFL's longest-tenured boss is getting it done with a healthy list.
-The Dark Horses: Melbourne, Brisbane, St. Kilda
I think the Saints will have to show something coming out of their bye, as they're in danger of slipping out of this group with some spotty form of late. Their defence is great, but can they score enough to make it matter? Meanwhile, the Dees and Lions were a lot of people's favourites, so the only shocking thing is that they aren't more in touching distance of the top two.
-The Battlegrounds: Essendon, Bulldogs, Geelong, Adelaide, Fremantle, Gold Coast
3 of these teams will make the 8, but I'm not sure anyone excepting Geelong can feel like they can truly contend once there. Freo and the Cats have been uneven so far, Adelaide and the Suns look every bit the part of young teams trying to finally break the glass ceiling, and Essendon and the Bulldogs are total wild cards, sides that could drive themselves up the ladder, but could also stumble out, with neither really eliciting much of a reaction.
-The Disappointments: Sydney, Richmond, Carlton
I've made my thoughts on Carlton clear already. Sydney was in the Grand Final last October. Richmond isn't that far removed from 3 flags in 4 years. And yet, despite the belief that all three of these teams should be at least contending for September footy, they're all pretty well out of touch with half the season to go. It'd take a miracle for any of these 3 to get back into the chase.
-The Rebuilders: GWS, North, Hawthorn
We all knew they'd be here. The Roos and Hawks have impressed in stretches, but it's another couple of years before we can realistically have expectations for any of them.
-The Wooden Spoon: West Coast
2018 must feel like an eternity. They had to play the last two quarters last week with only 2 on the interchange bench, they were that injured. Their injured list is more impressive than their active list. They are 100% staring a long rebuild in the face.
Round 13:
Byes: Geelong, Gold Coast
Thursday, June 8
Sydney vs. St. Kilda at the SCG, 5:10 am
Friday, June 9
Western Bulldogs vs. Port Adelaide at Marvel, 5:50 am
Saturday, June 10
Hawthorn vs. Brisbane at the MCG, 6/9 11:45 pm
Adelaide vs. West Coast at Adelaide Oval, 2:35 am
Fremantle vs. Richmond at Optus, 5:25 am
Sunday, June 11
North Melbourne vs. Greater Western Sydney at Blundstone Arena (Hobart, Tas.), 1:20 am
Carlton vs. Essendon at the MCG, 5:15 am (TSN2 live)
Monday, June 12
Melbourne vs. Collingwood at the MCG, 1:20 am (TSN2 tape delay - 2:00 pm)