AFL Power Rankings Round Two (or are we already down to 10 teams?)

As 2010 began the Crows’ supporters would have been thinking that this year could be something special – the young kids were a year older and the old guys were ready for one last roar. The Fremantle supporters on the other hand would have been hoping that this year wouldn’t be yet another “rebuilding” year.

Now just two weeks in to the season the Crows are terrible and will be lucky to win a game; Fremantle are playing like they think they’re a good chance to make the eight.

A season can unravel so quickly, and likewise expectations can be altered in just two weeks.

Of the sides out of the current top eight, I can only see Sydney and the Bulldogs being a chance to make the finals. Melbourne, Adelaide, North and Richmond won’t get there (even if the Crows start to win – which I don’t see happening – their percentage will mean they will have to win one more game than another team just to make the finals). West Coast couldn’t beat Port at home, so you won’t figure that they will get enough wins.

Essendon were always likely to be the team to go backwards from last year, and they play Carlton, Collingwood and Hawthorn in the next 4 weeks which could see them at 1-5 after 6 rounds.

Port have beaten two easy teams (though a win in Perth always has some value). If they trouble the Lions this week I’ll include them in the conversation, but for now I think they’re out of it.

Which (including Port) leaves ten teams that I think can make the finals.

Sport of course never follows such straight forward predictions (after all I never pick 8 wins a week), but if any of the above 6 teams makes the finals, their form will have to make a massive turnaround, and they will need to overcome awful percentages.

	Rank	LW	Team	Record	Comment
	1	1↔	St Kilda	2-0	The Saints were scarily good. They reduced North to a quivering mass. Reiwoldt looks set to battle with Brown for player of the year honours.
	2	3↑	Geelong	2-0	The Cats have come from behind both times this year, which gives them the look of a side that never says die.
	3	2↓	Collingwood	2-0	Collingwood were bloody lucky. They’ll need a lot more than luck to beat the Saints this week.
	4	4↔	Bulldogs	1-1	A worrying stat for the rest of the competition - the Bulldogs kicked 17 goals despite Barry Hall only kicking one of them.
	5	5↔	Hawthorn	1-1	The Hawks got the wobbles just at the end but they have the look of a finals side. A huge game this week against the Bulldogs.
	6	7↑	Brisbane	2-0	Jonathon Brown looks like he is about to have a season where he is actually as good as everyone expects him to be – an MVP level year.
	7	9↑	Sydney	1-1	The Swans gave the Crows a lesson – which doesn’t mean a lot – but they did well to explode their Adelaide hoodoo.
	8	6↓	Carlton	1-1	The Blues were good in defeat, but they need a forward, and they also need their captain back.
	9	10↑	Fremantle	2-0	Michael Barlow has played 2 AFL games, and has both times had more than 30 possessions. It’s an easy game sometimes.
	10	13↑	Port Adelaide	2-0	Port are easily the worst team on 2 wins at the moment. Now they play the Lions, Cats and Saints to see where they really are at.
	11	8↓	Essendon	0-2	The Bombers finished tired and slow – they kicked only 3 goals in the second half.
	12	12↔	West Coast	0-2	The Eagles held the lead at 3 Qtr time, yet couldn’t hold on at home. Not a good sign. The next 3 weeks are North away, Essendon home then Swans away. No gimmies there.
	13	16↑	Melbourne	0-2	The Dees were robbed in the last 5 min by crap umpiring. But some great work by a lot of their young players gives them hope for the year. Should beat the hapless Crows this week.
	14	11↓	Adelaide	0-2	Completely useless. They’d struggle to get a win in the SANFL.
	15	14↓	North Melbourne	0-2	The Roos were embarrassing. They now face the Eagles in Melbourne. If they can’t win that, then they might be 0-5 when they meet Melbourne in Round 6.
	16	15↓	Richmond	0-2	The Tigers were annihilated once again. Now they have to go to Sydney and face a confident Swans outfit.

A couple huge games this week – Saints-Pies, and Bulldogs-Hawks. And if Fremantle beats Geelong at Subiaco this week, the Dockers’ bandwagon will be well and truly firing up.