Form Ladder 2014

[John Wren]

port
haw
geel
coll
freo
gcs
syd
north

adel
ess
wb
rich
mel
carl
wce
stk
gws
bris

[David]

Interesting. I was seriously considering putting Port on top, but I think the Hawks are still just shading them, Friday night's defeat notwithstanding. I think the Hawks have had a much tougher draw.

As for the Eagles, surely you're kidding. Below Melbourne!?

[John Wren]

^ yes. melbourne's performances have been ok. wce had lost their last four games and only beat gws who are on a downward trajectory.

melbourne beat carlton and adelaide in that time.

[David]

[John Wren]

[David]

Now now. You know I enjoy debating this.

I'm just glad that someone cares enough to post. *sniffle*

[David]

Round 9:

1. Hawthorn
2. Port Adelaide
3. Geelong
4. Fremantle
5. Sydney
6. Collingwood
7. North Melbourne
8. West Coast

9. Gold Coast
10. Adelaide
11. Essendon
12. Richmond
13. Carlton
14. Western Bulldogs
15. Melbourne
16. St. Kilda
17. GWS
18. Brisbane

A few changes this week. I think most will agree with where I've put us. The Suns only go up because Essendon and Richmond had such miserable weekends. They're going to have to do better than beating St. Kilda by 6 goals for me to take them seriously.

I think I've finally seen the light on Melbourne. They're still probably a bottom 4 team, but another performance or two like yesterday's and I'll have no choice but to move them up.

[Jezza]

I agree with most of this but I think the Gold Coast and West Coast should swap positions.

If Port beat the Hawks next week, then Port would have to be on top surely.

[David]

Yep, I agree re: Port. It's already a bit of a toss-up as it is; whoever wins that match will have a rightful claim to top spot, I reckon.

re: the 'Coasts', let's analyse their performances so far. Given that they're both roughly middle-ranked teams, it shouldn't be too difficult to rate them:

West Coast:
Good: Bulldogs (win, 65); Melbourne (win, 90); Port (loss, 14); GWS (win, 111)
OK: St. Kilda (win, 25); Fremantle (loss, 19)
Bad: Geelong (loss, 75); Carlton (loss, 3)

No really great performances, but no really bad ones either (the Geelong game aside, perhaps). They've certainly proven themselves adept at beating up on cellar dwellers, but their most impressive game has arguably been their close loss to Port.

Gold Coast:
Good: North Melbourne (win, 43)
OK: Richmond (win, 18); Brisbane (win, 53); GWS (win, 40); St. Kilda (win, 38)
Bad: Fremantle (loss, 48); Hawthorn (loss, 99); Melbourne (win, 8)

Unlike West Coast, the Suns have been far less impressive in their wins against cellar dwellers

[sixpoints]

Whoa, Richmond stink!
Fell over the line against Carlton & had one decent win over Brisbane. Every other game - a loss.
Agreed, the bottom seven seem set and will probably just rotate around between themselves for spots 12-18. I just can't have Richmond at 2-6 above six other sides.

[David]

[David]

Round 9:

1. Port Adelaide
2. Hawthorn
3. Geelong
4. Fremantle
5. Sydney
6. Collingwood
7. North Melbourne
8. West Coast

9. Gold Coast
10. Adelaide
11. Essendon
12. Richmond
13. Carlton
14. Western Bulldogs
15. Melbourne
16. St. Kilda
17. GWS
18. Brisbane

Almost no change this week. I toyed with swapping Richmond and Carlton, but the Tigers were pretty impressive. Port Adelaide are the obvious choice for the top spot now, though.

[Pies4shaw]

Port Adelaide are the obvious choice for the top spot now, though.

Ya think?

Don't see how Geelong could be so high on "form". In the last month, they've been pumped by Freo (they're very lucky Freo kicked poorly or that could have been a serious scoreboard-thrashing) and Port, barely got over Richmond and then just managed to get home alright at the Pussy-ery against North. Is this really a "form" ladder (where recent efforts should be given priority over past glories) or is it a "weighted" ladder adjusted for "strength" of fixture and assessed over the whole of the season to date?

IMO, a better assessment of where Geelong is really at will come this weekend against South Melbourne. If they win that, they probably deserve a top 6-ish spot; if they lose to South, they should be in the bottom half. They look to me like a team on the way down. Just a few of the same old hands are carrying them (this week it was Kelly and Bartel) and there are fewer to spread that load. I don't doubt that they still have match-winning talent but they've depended on it playing match-winning footy this season and I think they may be spending too much petrol winning home and away games.

Meanwhile, the Swans have a serious three-game test coming up.

Interesting period ahead for the Suns, too: a "make or break" 6 weeks, in which they play the Crows (away), the Swans (at home), the Wiggles (away), the Pussies (at home), the Hawks (away) and Collingwood at home. If they win 3 of those, they are a good chance to finish top 4 (from thereon, they only have one apparently difficult game, against Port - and even that is a home game).

[David]

Is this really a "form" ladder (where recent efforts should be given priority over past glories) or is it a "weighted" ladder adjusted for "strength" of fixture and assessed over the whole of the season to date?

The latter. Point taken on Geelong, but I'm not sure Freo or the Swans have overtaken them yet. Sydney are in very good form, but their slow start counts against them.

I wouldn't expect the Suns to win more than one or two of their next six. I would still be very surprised if they made the top 4 this year, and I don't think they'd even make the top 8 if it wasn't for the ease of their draw. Still only beaten one team in the top 10 or so.

[Pies4shaw]

Yes, I think the Suns will probably just miss the 8, despite their easy draw. But we will both need to reassess that if they break even over the next 6 weeks - and they do play reasonably well at home.