Previous ranking: 3. Note: this ladder is updated at the end of each round. Not great home and away stats compared to the other great teams but they have been the best side over the last four years by a country mile. Well, we had to be right at some point if we kept writing Collingwood will lose someday, we promise. It took a few weeks but they seem to have found some semblance of a forward structure without Eric Hipwood. But its going to be an incredibly nervous wait until roughly quarter-time of their game against the Magpies, at which point theyll know what they have to do. Groundhog Day: Why should we care about the Suns? Note: Throughout the year, ESPN will rank all 18 teams, from top to bottom, taking into account which teams are playing the best footy, injuries, each team's recent opponents, and which teams are looking most like flag contenders. Reload for next season. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. West coast . The Kangaroos had this weird problem on Sunday where they were both too tall (with three rucks) and not tall enough (unable to stop Mitch Lewis once Ben McKay went down). Multiple premierships! 2008 Runner-Up MP 161.8. But Damien Hardwicks side was completely blown away in the midfield late on Thursday night and the absence of Dion Prestia once he went down with another soft tissue injury was seriously felt. Don't mind: freo, GWS, north Melbourne, western bulldogs, port Adelaide, Sydney Next game: Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium, Sunday early. What a fairytale it would be given where they finished last year, and given the last seven or so weeks both Sydney sides have had to endure. This is our attempt to rank every AFL club from best to worst right now. Next game: Fremantle at Manuka Oval, Saturday early. 2021 record: 3-2 If Team A is above Team B, wed probably tip A to beat B at a neutral venue this weekend. 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We didnt lose any respect for the Bombers in their narrow defeat to the Demons, though we do think the reaction to the umpiring was a bit over the top (particularly those at the ground who were spraying the umps as the walked off - that was awful). Have the Tigers over-achieved? Dog shit teams . Australia's #1 independent AFL news source, Ranking the top 10 best ever Rookie Draft selections, Essendon appoint Josh Mahoney as new footy boss, Melbourne announce new deal for star forward Kysaiah Pickett. Throw in the draw against Freo, and theyre three goals from being undefeated since Anzac Day. Brisbane Yes, theyve had injuries, but everyone has (maybe bar Melbourne). 16. Dallas Cowboys: 634 Points (8 points gained) 6. Role players are battling manfully (Nick Hind has been a great pickup), the kids are doing their part, but the so-called stars have been anything but in 2021, as ESPN columnist Rohan Connolly pointed out this week. Chances are youre about to lose. The LDV T60 MAX 4x4 diesel ute comes with a massive 160kW of power from a small $34,490. Check out the post-Round 22 Power Rankings. Is it enough for the Hawks to avoid the wooden spoon? Next game: Brisbane Lions at Adelaide Oval, Saturday twilight. With a few important reinforcements for their trip east this week, youd expect them to prove too good for the reigning wooden spooners. 2021 record: 9-10 This week's opponent: Fremantle (Optus Stadium), 9. A Z-Score is pretty much how many standard deviations above or below the expected score a particular teams performance is. At the very least, they'll host a final this season, and if a number of extraordinary results go their way, they could scrape into the four. Port Adelaide Plus kicking goals was far too easy. It was a lack of mid-forward connection that hurt them - though most attacks struggle against the Demons defence. AFL- RANKING MY FAVOURITE TEAMS 1ST-18TH Stoody 506 subscribers Subscribe 2 views 3 minutes ago #afl #aflhighlights #afllists In this video I am going to be ranking my favourite AFL. The good news is last week showed the Blues are good enough to play finals; as weve suspected for a little while, their best is good enough to challenge most of the top eight. Is it Carlton's year? Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors. Their period of dominance is still in the making, so lets see whether they can extend it? Yes, the Swans have moved up two spots after a loss; thats the difference between a valiant away defeat and flopping as the favourite. 2021 record: 9-10-1 Peaking at the right time? . 1978 Premiers MP 153.7per cent A draw yields two points for both sides . They werent exactly convincing last Friday night against the Saints but theyre not far off a home prelim and a golden opportunity at a Grand Final. Bad. Previous ranking: 17. There's plenty to be encouraged by, and after dropping the past two matches, there's a winnable game upcoming against the Hawks in Launceston. Its kinda what we expected from GWS; theres talent all over the park but their lack of a system (particularly in defence) can be exploited, and if theres a talent void, its up forward particularly with Toby Greene out. The Sydney Derby is quickly becoming the best match-up in footy in terms of watchability. Lose to Gold Coast at home? Previous ranking: 14. Just out of interest, Ive pulled the particular occurrences where a team has been exceptional in a particular season with exceptional defined as being better than 95 per cent of all performances over the period. The Dockers will either lock in sixth spot by losing to GWS, or keep their top four hopes alive by beating them in the nations capital, at which point they have to wait until Sunday to learn their fate. 1991 Premiers 2ND 135.9per cent Who would you prefer to see win the Grand Final? Test drive one today >, NEW FOX FOOTY PODCAST Dons drama breakdown, last-round preview, Listen below or subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 2021 record: 2-3 Were not saying that proves Port Adelaide is better - were happy to put some respect on the Magpies name after their winning streak - but theyre not much worse. It's not just the big names starring either - players like Christian Salem, Trent Rivers and Michael Hibberd just continue to play their roles well. 1973 Premiers 2nd 117.6per cent Previous ranking: 15. Adelaide won consecutive premierships in 1997-1998 but in my humble opinion, the previous two teams were just a little bit stronger. Previous ranking: 16. It's even easier in Live 2/Evolution. The idea the ground is so small as to impact game style is such a fallacy.) The AFL is back! Like: Brisbane, Gold Coast, west coast, Melbourne, Adelaide, geelong . This week's opponent: GWS (GMHBA Stadium), 2. Its not uncommon for the Tigers to allow Carlton to come home strong in their traditional Round 1 meeting; it just usually means they win by five goals after being 10 goals up, or whatever. And they should be beating the Kangaroos, given the talent that remains on their list compared to their opponents. Although association football is again the favorite throughout most of Central and South America, the citizens of Panama, Nicaragua, and Venezuela prefer baseball. Small wins, right? Previous ranking: 13. Its kind of funny to think that the Dons and Saints have won the same number of games this year, considering the narratives around each group, but thats about expectations more than anything. Adelaide But how much of that was their Sam Walsh-less midfield exploiting Richmonds weakness once Dion Prestia went down? It probably shouldnt have been that much of a shock to have Geelong playing well in a home and away game - thats kinda their whole deal? We saw what happened last year when they were relying on just a sore Trent Cotchin; they need to find the right personnel to at least draw even in the contests, allowing their strengths elsewhere to carry them. For every match a team wins, they are awarded four points. Essendon Theyre not in the lead group of flag contenders - theyre 0-3 against the sides above them, and yet to play Melbourne - but theyve opened up a gap on the rest of the ladder, and we know they can beat bottom ten teams. Ignore & see my results >>. Let me know what you think! Melbourne They made the decision to recruit for this period and it does not appear to have worked. 3. New York Giants: 658 Points (0 points gained) 4. To us, all of that is the most interesting part of Sundays game. Every year people say it doesnt matter if you finish on top of the ladder, and yeah there are about as many premiers from second and third as there are from first, but being in pole position still matters plenty. 2004 Runner-Up 2ND 132.4. Perhaps the interim tag allowed it but either way, it has been incredibly refreshing. Gold Coast Suns The Demons clearly arent the team they were when they started 10-0, but theyre still pretty damn good, escaping with the four points from a Carlton side that played up to the occasion last Saturday night. Tasmania can be AFL 'destination club': McLachlan, Tassie AFL team a step closer with PM's $240m, Victory goalkeeper Dumont joins AFLW team, Dogs out to celebrate Bontempelli's milestone, Martin, Tigers not far off best says Hardwick, Fagan, Clarkson bullish on Tasmanian AFL team. As an economist, Ryan seeks to fix the world's economic troubles one graph at a time. 2021 record: 6-13 Fremantle Year Result Ladder Home and away (percentage) Inconsistent to the point where it's frustrating to even watch them, their win over Geelong just left us thinking 'where has this been all year'? 2011 Premiers 2ND 157.4 Thankfully for their sake, Essendon played like they did a few hours later and distracted everyone. Previous ranking: 11. We knew Freo's finals hope hinged on an unlikely home win over the Lions, and unfortunately, the Dockers (without some key players) just couldn't get the job done. Even though Geelong seems a little lethargic, their home is still a fortress. Previous ranking: 8. Has Clarko let loose the shackles? The Power are up into fifth on the Power Rankings after the Lions once again failed to fire. 1973 Runner-Up 3RD 126.6per cent, Hawthorn Download ESPN from Google Play Store Once they get Sean Darcy and Nat Fyfe back, Freo should be OK, but youd still like to see a potential contender show a bit more dominance over a likely bottom four side, even away from home. If we say the Blues are 50-50 to beat the Magpies, and the Saints are 30-70 to beat the Swans (which seems fair? 2021 record: 8-11 1984 Runner-Up 2ND 131.7per cent They might have - they look lethargic and lacking up forward, and aside from the strong second half against the Suns in Round 19, haven't looked likely in a few weeks. North Melbourne Probably. They won by four goals in that exact fixture back in Round 7, when they were really flying offensively, so we know they can do it. GEELONG CATS (17-4, 139.7%) Last week's ranking: 1 The Cats have a bit of a problem; the finals bracket works against the minor premier, after the first week anyway. In fact, the top four teams all hold their positions from last week, while in the chasing pack, it's tightening up. Year Result Ladder Home and away (percentage) 1982 Premiers 3RD 127.5. Buddy Franklin was playing out of his skin for the Sydney Swans kicking 81 goals for the season. We want to see it! Previous ranking: 13. Were not going to say its inevitable that David Teague will be coaching next year because the review will say hes doing a fine job because theyre going to finish on nine or 10 wins thanks to a kind remaining fixture but thats what were expecting at this point. Bouncing around in that band of teams between 7 and 12 in the rankings is Freo after a strong win over the Tigers at home. 2. New to Kayo? While still topping the supporter ladder in that. Really, its incredibly close between 13th to 16th, but at least Matthew Nicks men are ending the year on a high. You would like to think, for West Coasts sake, that Round 1 will be the low point of their season. Carlton . Theyre still working things out, and thats fine. Note: Throughout the year, ESPN will rank all 18 teams, from top to bottom, taking into account which teams are playing the best footy, injuries, each team's recent opponents, and which teams are . Team Rankings Premiership Winners Brownlow Medal Leaders & Awards AFL On Demand . The world isn't falling down, but great teams win the close ones - especially from being so far in front earlier in the match. This week's opponent: West Coast (Optus Stadium), 4. And heck, the way the finals bracket is shaping up, they might get an easier elimination final in eighth than they would in seventh. Port should rebound comfortably with games in Adelaide against the Hawks and Crows to come. Can they make a run of it? In a way its relaxing knowing things are out of your control. AFL Rookie Rankings: An historic start for a bumper draft class, One win after four games but don't write the Tigers off yet, AFL Draft Power Rankings: Harley Reid leads the top 20 prospects, AFL Draft: Five must-watch prospects in 2023. Up into second and in the box seat to host a qualifying final, their closest win over this purple patch was by 17 points (aka a blowout in a Collingwood game). Sydney This week's opponent: North Melbourne (Optus Stadium), 11. I might suggest that the 2016 title would have remained at Waverley if Buddy had remained at Hawthorn. Good teams that will choke in finals . You can follow Ryan. Nothing like an 86-point win in prime time to remind everyone who the kings of the jungle are. Is that enough of a sample size for him to be sacked? Oops! This week's grudge match against the Giants is a tantalising prospect. Bad. This week's opponent: Carlton (Marvel Stadium). Another clinical performance from the Bulldogs, who had the four points sewn up at quarter time against the Suns on the weekend. A big three sits atop the flag race but the ladder is so tight, theyre not the only ones who can win it. The 2008 Geelong team is the best team I have seen not to go on and hold up the trophy in September. We take wins and losses into account, but also the quality of opposition faced and whether teams are likely to get healthier or improve going forward. The Hawks had been treading water for a few weeks in 13th place in the rankings (despite being 17th on the ladder) but they've finally fallen. There were certainly a few mistakes but they werent why Essendon lost that game. 2020 Premiers 3RD 129.9. Previous ranking: 15. Their top four (and double chance) hopes are gone, and there's a very real possibility they face the Bombers in week one of the finals - a team that, yes, they've beaten pretty consistently in recent seasons, but in very, very tight games. Essendon Have they really found something, if so how much, and also how much of this apparent growth has been the Tassie factor? AFL Debate Club: How could Gather Round best be improved in coming years? Thats the real step forward - from 76.8% to what should be a bit over 100% assuming they beat the Kangaroos. Next game: West Coast Eagles at GMHBA Stadium, Saturday twilight. Why St Kilda's second appointment of Ross Lyon is a massive gamble. There are six quarters of evidence that 2021 Richmond is the Richmond everyone thinks it is: the dominant Round 5 thumping of St Kilda, and the second half against the Western Bulldogs. Previous ranking: 11. 2021 record: 13-6 2021 record: 15-5 Collingwood Hawthorn How are they still in the finals race?! That game did nothing to dissuade us from our pre-season view that this should still be a difficult year for Sam Mitchell, even if therell be some brighter days than others. 2021 record: 10-9 They're lucky to be 9th on the rankings this week. Jeremy Cameron playing this week? While other teams faltered, the Lions won, and won well. Crowds are back in Victoria! 1974 Premiers MP 129.3per cent Seven wins is their most in some time, too. A 57-point win over the Bombers in teeming rain was a strong rebound from losing to the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat the week before. Or just lucky to play a pretty poor team in the Crows this week while other sides faltered? Next game: Gold Coast Suns at Marvel Stadium, Saturday afternoon, *Odds are current as of 1st May 2023, 7:12pm AEST. This week's opponent: Essendon (Marvel Stadium), 3. Next game: Richmond at Metricon Stadium, Thursday night. Put aside footy tribalism and just enjoy the Pies, The 10 best AFL players at the quarter mark of the 2023 season. Previous ranking: 5. Is this week's clash with Freo winnable? For all of the concerns about their attack, theyre averaging 87 points across the course of the season and 87.2 points over the last five weeks which includes games against 11th, 9th, 8th, 6th and 5th, so theyre not that far off their season-long pace (even if its been pretty ugly). I quite liked the game. Gary Ablett Jr left at the end of 2010 to join the Gold Coast and lastly, they were competing against some very strong teams in these years. It doesn't get easier from here for St Kilda, who face the Swans this week. Next game: Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium, Saturday night. They're still more likely than not to play finals, which is almost embarrassing given how inconsistent and bad this side has been in the past few months. Time to test your footy know-how against your friends, family and coworkers. Round table -- New rules? 2012 Runner-Up MP 154.6, Alastair Clarkson (Photo by Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/via Getty Images). St Kilda North Melbourne AFL Rookie Rankings: An historic start for a bumper draft class, One win after four games but don't write the Tigers off yet, AFL Draft Power Rankings: Harley Reid leads the top 20 prospects, AFL Draft: Five must-watch prospects in 2023. 1. Still, they have the AFLs best percentage and look bound for a top-two finish, given theyve got an easier run home than Melbourne and are virtually two wins ahead of Brisbane, Geelong and Port Adelaide. Get AFL news and more in your inbox The Bombers defence was their big flaw last year but even the 2005 Swans wouldnt have been able to stop the quality of entries Geelong was getting thanks to complete midfield dominance.