With four games left in the 2024 AFL season, the race to be crowned the best road team in the game has tightened up.
The Swans did the early work, but have faltered in recent weeks, whilst Freo and Port have both closed the gap to remain in the hunt.
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 20
1 – SYDNEY – 26 PTS (266 point differential in road wins)
2 – FREMANTLE – 20 PTS (190)
3 – PORT ADELAIDE – 20 PTS (111)
4 – BRISBANE – 16 PTS (172)
5 – GWS – 16 PTS (99)
6 – GEELONG – 16 PTS (89)
7 – HAWTHORN – 12 PTS (179
8 – WESTERN BULLDOGS – 12 PTS (157)
9 – ADELAIDE – 12 PTS (59)
10 – CARLTON – 12 (47)
11 – COLLINGWOOD – 12 PTS (16)
12 – MELBOURNE – 8 PTS (22)
13 – ST KILDA – 8 PTS (21)
14 – ESSENDON – 8 PTS (9)
15 – NORTH MELBOURNE – 4 PTS (9)
16 – RICHMOND – 4 PTS (8)
17/18 – GOLD COAST, WEST COAST – 0 PTS
ANALYSIS
So, what is possible from here?
The contenders are down to three. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for them over the last three weeks.
SYDNEY
They play Port on the road this week. The Power need to beat them to stay in touch. If they can thwart the Swans on the road, they keep the gap at a game and a half.
The Swans then finish their road schedule with a trip to Marvel in Round 23 to face the Bombers. All they have to do is win one of those two games and it’s over.
PORT ADELAIDE
They not only need to win their two remaining road games (against Melbourne at the ‘G in R22, and Freo at Optus in R24), but they also need to beat the Swans to prevent them stretching their lead, as mentioned above.
It’s a tough ask from here.
FREMANTLE
The Dockers have the chance to close the gap on Sydney this week, as they take on the Bombers at the G. Win there and they can move to within half a game of the top spot. Assuming Sydney lose, of course…
From there, they travel to ENGIE Stadium to face GWS in R23.
It’s a simple scenario for the Dockers – win both road games and hope the Swans slip up.
UPCOMING FOUR-POINT GAMES
GOLD COAST will try desperately to get their first road win of the year, as they head to Optus to face West Coast
ADELAIDE hit the road to face the Cats at Kardinia Park
SYDNEY have the chance to sew things up, as they head to Adelaide Oval to face Port
HAWTHORN look to continue their charge, as they face GWS at Engie Stadium. This is basically an elimination final.
FREMANTLE travel to Marvel Stadium to face the Bombers.
And BRISBANE take on the resurgent Saints at Marvel, as well
TWO-POINT CROSSTOWN GAMES THIS WEEK
MELBOURNE try to get things back on track with a visit to Marvelk to face the in-form Dogs
And RICHMOND attempt to dispel the Hardwick curse on Marvel as they face the Kangaroos
ODD FOOTNOTE OF THE WEEK
A quick note on the situation regarding Tyson Stengle that came to light this morning.
Someone posted an article in our FB Group, not to highlight the incident, but to criticise the public response to the official AFL post on the subject, many of which were laughing emojis. I commented that it was an indictment on the people responding in that fashion.
I stand by it. Idiots on the internet are rife.
A few comments were also deleted, as they were idiotic and veering toward racism.
That is all part and parcel about the often faceless machine that is social media, but the thing that pissed me off most, on a personal level, was the ill-informed comments that insinuated, or even stated that we partake in this weird celebration of someone connected to the world of AFL falling over, at The Mongrel Punt. This is not the case, and has never been the case. We don’t touch off-field stuff.
Remember all the shit about Jordan de Goey in Bali? Remember everyone commenting and writing about how he should be moved on from Collingwood for doing… nothing? How much of that did you read on The Mongrel?
I can answer that for you – NONE!
How about the Hawthorn “racism” saga? It’s still dragging on in one court, or another.
Did we join the throng of people calling for Clarkson and Fagan to be stood down, initially?
Plenty did, but, we didn’t. Do you know why?
Because we’re not dancing on the graves of people, like 95% of the journos in this industry, who cover drama first, and footy second. We’re not about the story – we remain about the game, and if you’re not, then you’ve been sucked into the gutter journalism that permeates sites, newspapers, and radio.
It’s been a conscious choice to concentrate on the game over all the low-hanging fruit like this associated with it, so when people to give me bullshit lines that intimate we somehow are party to jumping on a salacious bandwagon like the bottom feeders I try to avoid, or using things like this to promote the site/page/profile… seriously, get stuffed.
That’s all.
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