Bam… just like that, Port Adelaide open up a two-game lead on the rest of the field.
Imagine being one of the people who wrote them off? Worse, imagine being one of their own supporters that wrote them off? Time to eat some humble pie… the Power don’t drop games at Marvel!
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 13
1 – PORT ADELAIDE 20 PTS (111-POINT DIFFERENTIAL IN ROAD WINS)
2 – GWS – 14 PTS (38)
3 – BRISBANE – 12 PTS (132)
4 – SYDNEY – 12 PTS (96)
5 – COLLINGWOOD – 12 PTS (70)
6 – RICHMOND – 12 PTS (52)
7 – FREMANTLE – 12 PTS (34)
8 – WESTERN BULLDOGS – 10 PTS (69… DUDE)
9 – CARLTON – 8 PTS (118)
10 – GOLD COAST – 8 PTS (94)
11 – ESSENDON – 8 PTS (77)
12 – MELBOURNE – 8 PTS (68)
13 – ST KILDA – 8 PTS (26)
14 – GEELONG – 4 PTS (47)
15 – ADELAIDE – 4 PTS (3)
16 – NORTH MELBOURNE – 4PTS (1)
17 – HAWTHORN – 2 PTS (10)
18 – WEST COAST – NO POINTS AS YET
ANALYSIS
Port Adelaide have won nine-straight games now at Marvel Stadium and would be the envy of just about every non-Victorian team in the competition. They are demonstrating exactly what they’re made of in 2023, with everyone now painfully aware that 2022 was the outlier season for this group.
Their win over the Dogs, who just a few short weeks ago were one of the form teams in the competition, was incredibly impressive, with the Power having winners on every line and taking the best the Dogs could dish up.
They get Geelong next week… the Cats have a history of struggling after the bye, and will be facing Port at the Adelaide Oval. It might very well be “put up or shut up” time for Geelong.
GWS, despite struggling at their second home of Canberra this season, have succeeded three times on the road (and once at the SCG against Sydney), to elevate them to second overall. They are showing signs that they still have a bit to offer, and with Toby Greene leading the way, who could doubt them? They could make life really difficult for the Dockers this coming week, and put themselves into the finals frame in the process.
And for a team that apparently doesn’t travel, Richmond have somehow managed to win three games interstate this season. They must be using smoke and mirrors, right?
Their win in Round 13 over Freo was gutsy and gave every indication that they’re nowhere near a spent force in 2023. The race for seventh and eighth spots on the ladder is going to be a cracker!
And then there were the Saints. Sometimes, you just have to win ugly… and this was bloody ugly against the Swans. The SCG has not been a happy hunting ground for Sydney this season, so any team visiting would be looking at it as a live kill for the remainder of the season.
UPCOMING FOUR-POINT GAMES
GEELONG take on Port at the Adelaide Oval
SYDNEY head to the Gabba to face Brisbane
FREMANTLE look to the road to restore faith against GWS
GOLD COAST look to end the Carlton dream as they hit the MCG
TWO-POINT CROSSTOWN GAMES THIS WEEK
ST KILDA face the Tigers at the MCG
FOOTNOTE OF THE WEEK
Liking how the AFL is handling the Dangerous Tackle issue?
I’m assured by some that this has been an over-correction and that we will soon see balance… like when Anakin Skywalker turned into Darth Vader, or something. That worked out well…
We appear to be losing an aspect of our game that is fundamental to the sport – the ability to tackle aggressively and dispossess an opponent. Ever closer, we creep to Gaelic Football. I’m not sure I like this at all. The Nathan Murphy/Joel Smith tackle in the King’s Birthday game was about as bad as it gets, with Murphy appearing to almost prompt the whistle for the tackle. Despite having his hands free, he made no attempt to brace for his fall, instead, looking as though he was happy to plant his face into the turf to win a free kick.
That’s where we’re at – stupid rules being circumvented by crafty, yet incredibly dumb footballers. This is particularly the case in regard to Murphy, who has a history of head knocks.
I guess now we know why
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