AFL Power Rankings: Round 7 2015

Back in 2012 Hawthorn started the season at 4-4, and sat outside the top eight, and yet these rankings had the Hawks ranked at #1. This reflected that the Hawks, when they were winning, were winning big, whereas their losses at that stage had been narrow, and to good (or at least decent) teams. As we know, the wins soon started coming, and the Hawks were the minor premier that year, and probably should have been the premier.

Similarly Hawthorn started this season 3-3, but these rankings had it clearly still on top. The Hawks’ three losses this year, while possibly setting back a little their chances of finishing in the top two, are considered here as nothing to be too alarmed about. None of those losses have been big, while Hawthorn is still winning big, as exemplified by its 105-point win against Melbourne on the weekend. The second ranked team here, West Coast, is also following this pattern in its results.

But before I get all ‘I told you so’, I should point out that, since they hit rock bottom on the rankings here a couple of weeks ago, the Brisbane Lions have actually been playing OK. ‘The way things are going I can’t see Brisbane giving the bottom spot back for more than a week or two,’ I said… Well, clearly things haven’t been going as they were. The bottom five teams are so close that one bad loss could still see the Lions ranked last here again, but there are a few other teams now that look more likely, or at least as likely, of being worse this season.