A couple upsets this week (though really the Saints should have been favourites against the Crows). Geelong still look like Geelong – and everyone should hope they don’t learn to kick straight, Hawthorn no longer look like the Hawks, and Sydney and Port look set to ruin my footy tips for another year.
| Rank | LW | Team | Record | Comment |
| 1 | 1 ↔ | Geelong | 2-0 | When the biggest criticism you have of a side is that they didn’t win by as much as everyone thought they would, you know they’re going well. |
| 2 | 3↑ | Bulldogs | 2-0 | The Dogs took a while to take care of North, but straighter kicking would have done the job about a half earlier. |
| 3 | 4↑ | St Kilda | 2-0 | The Saints were very strong at the stoppages against the Crows, and quick with their tackles; but I doubt they will get a 30-11 free kick count this week… |
 | 4 | 2↓ | Hawthorn | 0-2 | Ok, 8 of their GF side were missing, but if the Hawks go down to North this week, the Premiership hangover will be official. |
| 5 | 6↑ | Carlton | 2-0 | The Blues look like they think they can beat anyone. And after so long away from the top, the bandwagon is going to be loud and fearsome. They’ll enjoy cutting through Essendon this week. |
 | 6 | 5↓ | Collingwood | 1-1 | The Pies beat up Melbourne…. snore; beat Geelong this week, and I’ll start to take notice. |
| 7 | 7↔ | Brisbane | 1-1 | The Lions refused to go away against Carlton, and for the first time in a few years go into their match against the Swans as favourites. |
| 8 | 11↑ | Sydney | 1-1 | The Swans did the job against the Hawks. I didn’t see it coming. A win at the Gabba this week and all thoughts of them missing the finals for the first time under Roos will quickly start to fade. |
 | 9 | 8↓ | Adelaide | 1-1 | The Crows just weren’t good enough – too many dumb handballs to people facing the wrong way and standing still, and too many poor kicks. |
| 10 | 10↔ | North Melbourne | 1-1 | North were all Roos, no Shinboner against the Dogs. How they go this week against the Hawks will tell us a lot. |
| 11 | 12↑ | Richmond | 0-2 | The Tigers lost well; but let’s be honest, no one thought they were going to win, even though the led in the last quarter – the Bulldogs will be a better guide to what type of side they really are. |
 | 12 | 14↑ | West Coast | 1-1 | An excellent win against Port. As a reward they get to face up to a rampaging Saints, and we’ll see if this was an exception or the rule. |
 | 13 | 9↓ | Port Adelaide | 1-1 | Port are damn lucky they are playing the Demons this week, because after getting flogged by the Eagles, a loss this week would have started putting the pressure on Choco. |
| 14 | 15↑ | Essendon | 1-1 | The Bombers beat Dockers in Melbourne, which is a bit like beating up a homesick kid on the school camp. This week against Carlton, I doubt they’ll be playing the role of school bully… |
 | 15 | 13↓ | Fremantle | 0-2 | Fremantle are not very good. Harvey is a great assistant coach, and if they lose to the Crows this week, I predict the whispers of the first sacking of the year to begin. |
| 16 | 16↔ | Melbourne | 0-2 | On the bright side, they led at quarter time; on the dark side, that first 30 minutes accounted for half of their score. |
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