And just like that, the mighty Cats have fallen. Not far, mind you – more like a slight trip – and it makes thing very interesting at the top of the Ladder after Round Eight. And it’s the same on The Road Warrior Ladder, too.
We’ve heard it for years – the teams based outside Victoria have it tougher.
I get it, though. I really do. Forced to travel interstate almost every second week, some teams clock up enormous miles as they traverse the country to be part of this sport we love.
Meanwhile, we get some Victorian-based clubs cracking the sads when they have to play at Marvel Stadium instead of the MCG, and vice versa. Or those who get a little nasty when a move away from Kardinia Park is floated.
So, how do the teams fare away from home, and who is travelling best at the moment?
The Mongrel has devised a little ladder to assess who is the best road team in the league. Oh, the Vic teams will still get a look in if they’re good enough, and whilst I fully expect a number of fans to say this system is rigged to favour non-Victorian teams… I really don’t care. Stop your whining.
So, how does it work?
The Road Warrior Ladder is named after one of the best Tag Teams of all time. Don’t come at me with your Demolition garbage, or your Powers of Pain crap… they were Road Warrior rip-offs… who were, in turn, rip-offs of the 1980s movie, Mad Max.
It was called The Road Warrior in the United States because… geez, I’m not a film buff. Do your own homework.
Anyway, you get four points for an interstate win and two points for a win at an away venue that IS NOT played at the venue you consider your home ground. I don’t care if it’s not your home game – you’re still at the ground you play your home games. The Road Warrior Ladder Nazi isn’t concerned with your feelings – just facts.
Tasmania is considered a home game for Hawthorn. You choose to play your home games there – you cop it. Same with GWS and Canberra – if it’s your choice, you wear it.
Now that my belligerence is out of the way, let’s get to business.
THE ROAD WARRIOR LADDER AFTER ROUND EIGHT
1 – SYDNEY – 12 PTS (135 point differential in wins)
2 – GEELONG – 12 PTS (49)
3 – GWS – 8 PTS (93)
4 – FREMANTLE – 8 PTS (80)
5 – ADELAIDE – 8 PTS (59)
6 – MELBOURNE – 8 PTS (22)
7 – COLLINGWOOD – 8 PTS (15)
8 – CARLTON – 8 PTS (11)
9 – ESSENDON – 8 PTS (9)
10 – HAWTHORN – 4 PTS (52)
11 – PORT ADELAIDE – 4 PTS (30)
12 – BRISBANE – 4 PTS (22)
13 – ST KILDA – 4 PTS (7)
14 – RICHMOND, WESTERN BULLDOGS, GOLD COAST, NORTH MELBOURNE, WEST COAST – 0 PTS
ANALYSIS
The last two weeks have seen the Swans pick up a road win at the MCG over the Hawks, propelling them past the Cats and into first place. They are playing pretty damn good footy, and at times, damn good pretty footy, too. They’ve been a fun team to watch for three years now.
The Dockers’ big win against the Tigers gives them a big enough point differential to move into the top four, while the Bombers are cutting it fine on the road, with their two wins having a cumulative margin of just nine points. Hearts in mouth stuff from Essendon.
UPCOMING FOUR-POINT GAMES
PORT ADELAIDE head down to Kardinia Park to take on the Cats. Tough game.
SYDNEY head west to go to work against Freo at Optus
ST KILDA travel to Tassie to face the Hawks
GWS make the trip to Marvel to face the Bombers
NORTH MELBOURNE fly to Queensland to take on the Suns
WEST COAST head to Marvel to play the Pies
And BRISBANE square off against the Crows at the Adelaide Oval
TWO-POINT CROSSTOWN GAMES THIS WEEK
Just the one, with the WESTERN BULLDOGS head to the MCG to face Richmond
ODD FOOTNOTE OF THE WEEK
Time for a bit of ol’ HB yelling at a cloud again. I have to admit – I like this little section at the end of this column… I can just free wheel a little and it doesn’t have to make too much sense.
Speaking of not making much sense, why do we have the sub rule again?
I don’t know of one person who was happy to see this brought back in, aside from coaches who saw a way to add another player to the rotations, eventually. It was a crap rule when they first had it instituted, and it is a crap rule now. get rid of it, allow teams an extra player on the bench, and stop this garbage of having a poor kid sitting there for 85% of the game and then being thrown into the mix where he clearly hasn’t got the tempo of the game.
In particular, stop playing debutantes as the sub! They have their families come down to watch them sit down and do a whole lot of nothing… they’ve already seen this from the bloody kid at home for the last 18 years!
Anyway, I reckon it is a silly idea, and one that should be booted at the first opportunity
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