We’ve heard it for years – the teams based outside Victoria have it tougher.
Forced to travel interstate almost every second week, they 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 THREE
1 – SYDNEY SWANS – 4 PTS (49 POINT DIFFERENTIAL IN ROAD WINS)
2 – RICHMOND TIGERS – 4 PTS (32)
3 – CARLTON BLUES – 4 PTS (10)
4 – NORTH MELBOURNE KANGAROOS – 4 PTS (1)
5-18 – NO POINTS AS YET
So, just the four teams have road wins in the first three rounds of footy. Teams are loving that home cooking, huh?
Yeah… not really. Co-tenants have squared off several times in Shwdowns, Derbies, and at both the MCG and Marvel Stadium, meaning that the away team has not been eligible for points.
The biggest feel-good story thus far has been North picking up four road points over Freo in the West. It’s great because last season, North failed to win a game away from home all season. Hell, they barely won games at all, so a road win early in the season is a big shot in the arm for them.
Carlton were pretty rubbish on the road last season, as well. They finished tenth overall, so it’s great for them to get a win away early in the piece.
For the record, the best road team of 2022 was Fremantle, with Melbourne, Geelong, and Sydney trailing them.
UPCOMING FOUR-POINT GAMES
COLLINGWOOD Have the chance to knock over the Lions at the Gabba
FREMANTLE visit Adelaide Oval to take on the Crows
GOLD COAST visit Marvel Stadium to tackle the league-leading Saints
PORT ADELAIDE hit the harbour city to face the Sydney Swans
GWS fly into Marvel to take on the Bombers
MELBOURNE head west to take on the Eagles
UPCOMING TWO-POINT GAMES
THE WESTERN BULLDOGS pack a lunch to head across town to the MCG to face the Tigers
Wrestling note of the week – Wrestlemania was held over two nights this past weekend and garnered a total attendance of over 160,000 people for the event. Roman Reigns continued his historic title run, defeating Cody Rhodes in the main event, which is great, because Rhodes is a name and not much else. Of course, I know I am in the minority when I say that, but screw it – Roman v The Rock is where the money is and that’s what I want to see.
