AFL Power Rankings: Round 4 (or at least my baseball team is winning)

As a Crows supporter, I have to say being an AFL fan is not fun at the moment. My side can’t kick, tackle, handpass or win the contested footy. Other than that, they’re doing well. It’s pretty dire and the only comfort I have at the moment is that the Yankees are playing great baseball.

One could be generous and say the Crows lost because they kicked 6.19 to 16.7, but in all honesty they lost because their strategy was terrible – handpassing to men standing still and surrounded instead of kicking it long into the forward line. And for encouraging that style of play, only one man is to blame – Neil Craig. The Crows now play the Bulldogs, Port, Richmond and North. Prior to the season I would have said three were gimmies, and the Bulldogs one a 50:50; now I say if we don’t win at least two, then Craig should go. He should go for building a side with Kurt Tippett, Taylor Waker, Brett Burton, Jason Porplyzia, and Chris Knights, and yet thus far this season they have only once kicked over 10 goals. Yeah blame injuries, but more at fault is their style of play – Craig’s style of play.

In other more fun news, Fremantle are legit – a great game against the Saints; Geelong were brutal – their third quarter would put a chill in the spine of any player who has to play the Cats at home this year; and Melbourne are out of the eight only on percentage!

And so this weekend will be the annual let’s make some money out of Anzac Day round. Yeah yeah, they honour the sacrifice, but the stupid comparisons between sport and war are bullshit, and why the best on ground should get an award this week is beyond me – especially as being best on ground this week is no more “brave” or “valiant” than being best on ground last week. The AFL does it only because it is a money spinner. At least Anzac Day falls on a Sunday so we don’t have to put up with Collingwood and Essendon being given the day (and the marketing advantage) all to themselves.

Play the Last Post, blow the siren, and spare me the rest.  

	Rank	LW	Team	Record	Comment
	1	1↔	St Kilda	4-0	The class came to the fore in the last quarter, but the Saints would be very happy to have got past the Dockers.
	2	4↑	Geelong	3-1	The Cats put on a clinic in the second half to finish with 23.21 (and only one of those points was rushed). Imagine if they had kicked straight.
	3	3↔	Brisbane	4-0	A big result for the Lions, who now get the easy away game of the Demons to go 5-0. Can almost lock them in for the finals now.
	4	5↑	Fremantle	3-1	Freo were a few skill errors (costly turnovers) from beating the Saints. They should slaughter Richmond this week.
	5	6↑	Collingwood	3-1	A big win for the Pies, who right the ship after a couple pretty ordinary weeks.
	6	2↓	Bulldogs	2-2	The Dogs just ran out of puff, but should not have let the Lions come back from being 28 down. At least they have the easy Crows before the big test against the Saints.
	7	8↑	Sydney	3-1	The Swans had to fight hard, and then they zoomed away like a good side does. And they’re looking like a very good side.
	8	7↓	Hawthorn	1-3	The Hawks were without Buddy, but they lacked a lot more than that, and are now looking pretty average.
	9	9↔	Carlton	2-2	The Blues won the bye game against the Crows – Judd will be all the better for the training run he was allowed to have.
	10	10↔	Essendon	1-3	The Bombers got some cheap goals in the last quarter, but they were well beaten. Now for the annual membership booster of the Anzac Day clash against the Pies.
	11	12↑	Melbourne	2-2	A percentage booster! Now they get the Lions reality check.
	12	11↓	Port Adelaide	2-2	In the second half they conceded 15.14, and only kicked 3.1. That is a thumping. And now they have to play the Saints – so much for footy being fair!
	13	13↔	West Coast	1-3	The Eagles did well to get their first win, but now they meet the Swans in Sydney – a very tough ask at the moment.
	14	14↔	North Melbourne	1-3	North kept the Swans honest for 2 1/2 quarters, which means they’re only 62% as good. Which is about right.
	15	15↔	Adelaide	0-4	Pathetic. Had a chance to snatch the game in the last quarter, and instead kicked 3 straight points, then the Blues kicked 4 goals…
	16	16↔	Richmond	0-4	Would the Tigers beat the Werribee Tigers?