AFL Round 13 Power Rankings & Ladder Predictions
The 2nd of 4 Mid-Season BYE Rounds is upon us. We break down all the action…
POWER RANKINGS
Teams are ranked based on a variety of factors, nonetheless their list strength, current form, and expected future performance. For example, if the 1st placed team Sydney were currently to play the 2nd placed Carlton at a neutral venue, I would expect the 1st (Sydney) to win, based on the strength of their first 11 performances, recent Finals history, and the quality of their available list.
LAUGHING STOCKS
18 — North Melbourne
Fresh off the BYE, and facing an undermanned West Coast outfit, a big week awaits for the Kangas. Need to show some fight and resolve to put the brakes on what has been a disastrous start to the season. Might just get the job done.
17 — Richmond
Richmond has been a far improved outfit in the past fortnight, yet unfortunately, they’re still not good enough. Their lack of depth has been brutally exposed, and it has them destined for a long rebuild. Urgently need their best out on the park.
EUROPE IN SEPTEMBER
16 — West Coast
Has been a disappointing 2 game stretch following a mammoth home victory against the Dees. The Eagles will be desperate to arrest this slide, but they’ll likely have to do it without their barometer (Harley Reid), and Coleman contending forward Jake Waterman. Big danger game ahead.
15 — St Kilda
The Saints have finally restored some parity to their season. After an abysmal mid-season slide, the Saints secured a hard-fought victory over the Eagles. Another winnable game against flat-track bullies Gold Coast is next, and they should fancy their chances for back-to-back W’s.
14 — Adelaide
It has been a finals-shattering week for the Crows. Following an underwhelming effort against the Hawks, they’ve lost reliable midfielder Matt Crouch for the season. Progression and development of their young list should be the order of the day for the rest of their season. It’s certainly been a disappointing one for the Crows faithful.
13 — Hawthorn
One of the most in-form teams in the comp in recent weeks, the Hawks are on fire. Face their biggest test yet in a rested GWS Goliath, I expect the Orange Tsunami to be too much for the young Hawks to handle. You just know this Hawks squad won’t go down without a fight.
12 — Brisbane
Brisbane’s chances of a Premiership, or even of a finals berth are looking increasingly unlikely. Have one of the easier draws of the Top 8 challengers, but they’ve left it all to do in the back half of the season. It has been a disastrous season for the Pre-Season Premiership favourites.
11 — Western Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have been highly impressive across the past fortnight. Despite a home loss to the Swans, last week's win against the Pies was massive for their Top 8 aspirations. Still an outside chance to get the job done, but chalking up much-needed wins against fellow aspirationals, like Brisbane and Freo in the coming weeks will be vital.
10 — Gold Coast
True to their name, the Suns shine brighter on the Gold Coast. Fresh off a huge win over fellow Top 8 challengers Essendon, the Suns did their Top 8 chances no harm. A follow-up win away from home against the struggling Saints is a must if they’re to be taken seriously in the Top 8 rat race.
GENUINE CHALLENGERS
9 — Essendon
Essendon have been exceptional across the past 2 months, but in a tightly contested season, 50–50 wins against fellow Top 8 challengers are of the utmost importance. With their loss to the Suns, and their alarmingly minimal percentage (especially in comparison to Freo, who also have a draw), they find themselves looking increasingly brittle inside the 8. These things add up when you have one of the toughest draws to end the season, beginning with a blockbuster against the Blues.
8 — Fremantle
For the 2nd consecutive season, the Dockers have entered the BYE on the back of a blitzing of the Dees. One of the more uncharacteristic wins we’ve seen all season, can the Dockers carry their momentum post-BYE, something they failed to do last season?
7 — Geelong
Did exactly what they needed to do in chalking up a crucial win over the Tigers. Unfortunately, their winning ways look short-lived with the toughest test in football, (a Sydney SCG excursion) awaiting them.
FINALS LOCKS
6 — Port Adelaide
What was once an Adelaide Oval fortress is now the home of a Top 4 pretender. Will undoubtedly make the Finals, but Port have been incredibly disappointing against fellow contenders. For the sake of their diehard fans, one can only hope they dismantle this label post-BYE.
5 — Collingwood
Despite the Pies' depth and next-man-up mentality, there is a ‘breaking point’. Collingwood may very well have reached that ‘breaking point’ with their recent injury plague. Uncharacteristically overrun in back-to-back weeks with a draw and loss against Top 8 contenders, I fear they’ll fall to the same fate against a resurgent Dees outfit.
4 — Melbourne
Only in an extremely open year will you find a team belted by 90+ points on their ‘home turf’ labelled as Top 4 contenders. Yet that’s the reputation of this once-all-conquering Melbourne side. Find themselves outside the Top 8 with a monster Big Freeze matchup against the Pies. Expect them to bounce back to winning ways.
PREMIERSHIP CONTENDERS
3 — GWS
Were disappointing in the month leading up to their Round 12 BYE, but the Giants should be back in business. Simply sublime when they’re on, I expect the Orange Tsunami to chalk up a hugely important week in their hopes for a Top 2 berth.
2 — Carlton
With the best list in the game, it was only a matter of time before the Blues had a change of fortunes. Expect them to follow up last week's mammoth blockbuster win against the Power, with an equally important victory over the Dons. Tracking very nicely.
MILES AHEAD
1 — Sydney
A game and a half ahead with 1 less game played, whilst sitting on a monster percentage, the Swans are flying. Capitalising on a perfect storm with fellow Premiership Contenders falling beneath them, they’re all but assured of a Top 2 berth. Should chalk up another 4 points against the Cats this week.
PREDICTIONS
Adelaide v Richmond
Western Bulldogs v Brisbane
MATCH OF THE ROUND
Hawthorn v GWS
An underrated matchup sees the resurrected Hawks go toe-to-toe with a goliath in GWS. With both teams favouring a fearless attacking brand of footy, expect a high-scoring, high-octane match in Tassy. The engine room battle will be the key as the Hawks look to secure another upset to make an unlikely surge for a Top 8 spot. Giants by a few kicks.
West Coast v North Melbourne
St Kilda v Gold Coast
Sydney v Geelong
Essendon v Carlton
Collingwood v Melbourne
BYE for Port Adelaide, Fremantle
That’s all for another week of BYE Round Footy. See you again next week!
