There were so many points up for grabs this week, but only two teams had enough in them to grab the road wins that mattered.
Collingwood snuck home against Port at the Adelaide Oval in customary fashion, whilst the Swans made a statement and kept their season alive, with a win over Freo at Optus Stadium.
The Pies join GWS just half a game behind Port Adelaide at the top of the table, whilst the Swans made the leap into fifth with just five games left in the season, and for some teams, there are hardly any road games remaining.
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 19
1 – PORT ADELAIDE – 24 PTS (119-POINT DIFFERENTIAL IN ROAD WINS)
2 – COLLINGWOOD – 22 PTS (162)
3 – GWS – 22 PTS (54)
4 – BRISBANE – 16 PTS (160)
5 – SYDNEY – 16 PTS (125)
5 – RICHMOND – 16 PTS (90)
6 – CARLTON – 12 PTS (171)
E8 – FREMANTLE – 12 PTS (34)
E8 – ST KILDA – 12 PTS (34)
10 – MELBOURNE 10 PTS (89)
11 – WESTERN BULLDOGS – 10 PTS (69… DUDE)
12 – GOLD COAST – 8 PTS (94)
13 – ESSENDON – 8 PTS (77)
14 – GEELONG – 4 PTS (47)
15 – HAWTHORN – 8 PTS (58)
16 – ADELAIDE – 4 PTS (3)
17 – NORTH MELBOURNE – 4PTS (1)
18 – WEST COAST – NO POINTS AS YET
ANALYSIS
Right, let’s take a look at the contenders and their remaining games
Port Adelaide – Two interstate games remain in Geelong and Freo
Collingwood – They’re done. Despite being the “away” team, they don’t travel again this year
GWS – Three interstate games remain in Ballarat (Dogs), SA (Port) and Marvel (Carlton). They’re in the box seat.
Brisbane – Two interstate games (Freo and Collingwood) and one crosstown clash (Suns) has ten possible points. They could still squeeze out a win if things fall their way.
Richmond – Two crosstown (Dogs and Saints both at Marvel) and one interstate game (Port) remain. They can’t win
Sydney – Two interstate (Essendon and Adelaide) and one crosstown (GWS) means they can sneak in, just like Brisbane, if all goes well.
So, it is looking increasingly like it will be Port or GWS as the Road Warrior Champions this season. Who would your money be on?
UPCOMING FOUR-POINT GAMES
GWS head to that frozen hellhole, Ballarat, to take on the Dogs.
FREO head to Kardinia Park to face the Cats.
SYDNEY take on the Bombers at Marvel.
And NORTH MELBOURNE contend for the spoon against West Coast at Optus
TWO-POINT CROSSTOWN GAMES THIS WEEK
BRISBANE head to the Suns’ home ground… whatever it’s called. I know it’s Heritage Bank Stadium… Suns fans get so touchy after a loss.
ODD FOOTNOTE OF THE WEEK
I’m making this about me this week, because… screw it – I have been working my backside off for the site and I reckon I can take five to pat myself on the back.
I number my articles so I can keep track of them. Some are hefty, some are light on, such as this one, but they all take time and effort. I get hateful messages, had a couple of threats, which I fund funny, have been insulted more times than I care to remember, but damn it… I genuinely like doing this! The good far outweighs the bad.
With this article going up, it makes article number 300… since the end of last season. And that’s not even counting the ones I forgot to save!
Yep, 300… and that’s just from me, not counting the other writers. That’s a shitload of writing over the past nine months. They haven’t all been great – some I can rattle off relatively quick, but there are others that are five thousand words long, and the season previews for each team climb up close to ten thousand words each. The average novel is about 85,000 words, so… you know, I am not dogging it.
So yeah, 300 up with this article, and with a couple of months to go, 350 is in play, and possibly something like 370 is a possibility. To our members who support that work – a massive thanks. It is a labour of love, but your commitment to me keeps me going. Thank you.
Not a bad year’s work, so far, huh? – HB
Like this content? You could buy me a coffee – I do like coffee, but there is no guarantee I won’t use it to buy a doughnut… I like them more. And I am not brought to you by Sportsbet or Ladbrokes… or Bet365, or any of them.
