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I doubt many people tipped the ladder to look like this after nine rounds...

1. West Coast Eagles (32)
2. Essendon (32)
3. Adelaide (28)
4. Collingwood (28)
5. Sydney Swans (24)
6. Carlton (24)
7. St Kilda (20)
8. Hawthorn (20)

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9. Geelong Cats (20)
10. Fremantle (20)
11. North Melbourne (16)
12. Richmond (16)
13. Western Bulldogs (16)
14. Brisbane Lions (12)
15. Port Adelaide (12)
16. GWS Giants (4)
17. Gold Coast Suns (0)
18. Melbourne (0)

My thoughts:

WCE: unlikely to fall from the Top 4 with home games to come against Carl, GC, Bris and away games against Bris, Port and NM - that's a minimum of 14 wins, with 7 games remaining.

Ess: need to take advantage of their great start and not drop any 'should win' games to secure a Top 4 finish - games against Geel, Haw and Adel (away) in consecuitive weeks might be a danger period, with games against St K, Carl, Rich and Freo (away) and Coll in there as well.

Adel: big game next week, against Freo in Perth. If they lose they'll be in danger of slipping back to the pack, with games against St K, NM (away), Port (showdown), WCE, Geel (away) and Ess to come.

Coll: decent draw in the next month with consecutive games against GC, Melb, WCE (home) and Freo (home), should see them secure a Top 4 finish. Also have easy games against NM and GWS later in the season.

Syd: four more games in Melbourne, where they are 0-2 so far this season. If they can't win in Melbourne they will need to win all their home games, I'd say a 5th or 6th finish is on the cards.

Carl: consecutive games for against Port (away), Geel, WCE (away), Haw and Coll in the next five rounds will probably decide their season. Need to win at least three of them to maintain touch with the Top 4.

St K: fairly favourable draw, if they win those 'should win' games a 5th - 8th finish is on the cards. Top 4 is probably unreachable at this stage.

Haw: 5-4 isn't what they were expecting, but games against Port (twice), NM, Bris, GWS, WB, GC and WCE (home) would give them 13 wins with five games remaining. Consecutive games against Coll, Ess and Geel in rounds 17 - 19 will be crucial to their Top 4 chances.

Geel: I don't like saying this, but Top 4 is looking unlikely at this stage, with games against Carl, Syd (away), Coll, Ess, Adel, Haw, WCE (away) and St K to come. Unless they get on a big winning streak, 5th or 6th is looking more likely. Having said that, I'd still hate to play against them in a final.

Frem, NM, Rich and WB: not impossible, but unlikely to make the Top 8.

Bris, Port, GWS, GC and Melb: no chance of making the Top 8.

How Could u say that richmond will be unlikely to make 8!!!!!!
You obviously did not see the scoreline we put up against hawthorn!
Come on Man! If we beat saints this week, then we should probs make 8!

I watched it. One win doesn't make a season.

Which of the nine teams in spots 1 - 9 will be making way for Richmond to make the Top 8?

We all know Richmond will finish 9th

I think Richmond would be likely to make the 8 at this stage - they've had a tough draw and come through reasonably well.

I don't think Geelong will make it. Sydney and St Kilda probably to battle it out for the last spot in the 8...

But who knows really, its a pretty tight season.

Massive call there for Geelong to miss the 8 completely...

Massive tigers fan here. Look I know the win against hawthorn was impressive and some fans are jumping the gun but we do have quite a few wins now. Plus our draw has been reasonably tough yet we have competed and challenged nearly every loss(this is what I dearly want from my tigers, heart and never say die attitude) this year. We didn't just get rolled over nearly every game. Hardwick has instilled genuine accountability and a strong work ethic in the young lads and it's to starting show. This year we'll make some surprises and possibly make the eight but it's next year that will really show us where the tigers are and if the list is capable of a decent era. Good luck to all your teams! Except Geelong........ (mumbles something about Billy Brownless and missed oppurtunities).

Last edited by Targess at 5/30/2012 4:06:58 AM

This year we'll make some surprises and possibly make the eight but it's next year that will really show us where the tigers are and if the list is capable of a decent era.

Haven't Richmond been saying that over and over again for the last 30 years? :p

You're just bitter because Geelong sucks now :D :D

You're just bitter because Geelong sucks now

I balled this haha

I agree with Matt on richmond, nice win over hawthorn but you could hardly say hawthorn are firing atm

I don't think its that big a call for Geelong to miss the 8. They aren't currently in there, and as you've noted in your writeup, they have a reasonably tough run home...

Richmond are only one win behind, are in better form, and have an easier run home. I think they are more likely than Geelong to make it at this stage.