AFL Women’s Power Rankings: Round 3 2017

The AFL Women’s competition had its first round of really close results this week. Three matches were decided by less than a goal – including the first ever draw, between Fremantle and GWS. In the other two close matches, the home teams – Adelaide and Brisbane – just squeaked home to remain unbeaten for the year.

According to the rankings though, the home teams kind of ‘lost’. Or rather, given the eight point advantage assigned to home clubs they all should have won by more, particularly as they were all playing what was considered ‘inferior’ opposition. Hence Carlton leapfrogged Brisbane into second, and in Fremantle’s case its draw with the Giants saw it complete its drop from pre-season favourites to the rankings’ bottom spot.

Speaking of Fremantle and the Giants it is a bit of a shame that after just three rounds they already have very little chance of winning the premiership. So too does Collingwood, and to a lesser extent the Western Bulldogs. The AFLW season is only seven rounds long, and after those seven rounds only the top two clubs will be left to play off for the premiership. If instead the top four clubs played finals we wouldn’t have half the competition effectively out of the premiership race already. (Although can we count the Bulldogs out just yet…? Maybe we should wait a couple more weeks…)