AFL Insider Power Rankings: October 31 2007
1: Geelong Cats (1 in last AFL Power Rankings)
The glass isn't just half full for some of these top 8 teams, at Geelong it is overflowing. They will stay up the top of the Power Rankings for a long time.
2: Collingwood Magpies (2)
Brisbane had an extra ruckman and needed a pick to send to Melbourne, the Magpies had a need for a big ruckman and could afford to trade their pick. It was a good trade for all the teams involved, Collingwood might get the best of the deal if Wood plays to his potential.
3: Sydney Swans (3)
An odd trade week but they are still in good shape to win in 2008, and they have added several players already through rookie promotions and also their NSW scholarship player.
4: Hawthorn Hawks (4)
Not doing a lot but they didn't have to, as the hard work with trading and rebuilding was done a few years ago. Now they are being rewarded for it. Max Bailey, who missed all of 2007 with an injury, is someone to watch in 2008.
5: Port Adelaide Power (5)
They are trying to be like Geelong, as the Cats traded the player they added to the Grand Final team, King, and the Power also moved out Symes. The Power need some of their younger players to have big years and they will get to another Grand Final.
6: Brisbane Lions (7)
Travis Johnstone should be a big help for them in the middle next year, and although there are some risks the Lions didn't spend a lot to get him. Brennan is staying, Bradshaw will be back, Brisbane have a lot to look forward to.
7: West Coast Eagles (6)
One day there will be a time when they don't make the back page during offseason. Sampi is gone now, so that might be a good thing.
8: St Kilda Saints (9)
They must have had a coupon for trade week, two for the price of one. The Saints are the best chance for a team to have a bounce back year and do what Geelong did last season.
9: Fremantle Dockers (8)
Now for the glass is half empty teams, although it is even worse for some and there are only a few drops in the glass. The Dockers were bad last season but will have a very similar team for 2008. They also delisted some contracted players, which isn't the best move and it also indicates they must have missed with some of their recruiting. The Longmuir retirement is a big setback for them.
10: Kangaroos (10)
It seems odd, they are about to agree to relocate and very few people are making any noise. Ross Oakley is even involved, and there was a time when he felt the wrath of football supporters as he tried to kill a club or two. Oakley was reportedly a part of a "Gold Coast Advisory Group" that told the AFL to get the Kangaroos hopping North. All of this must be a disruption to the club's 2008 preparations. The ironic part, without the Kangaroos giving someone a chance as a footballer a couple of decades ago he would not be in a position to now kill them off.
11: Adelaide Crows (14)
Some interesting trades but mainly shuffling the deck chairs. Mattner became Symes while Meesen was turned into Moran. They also lost Hudson. It looks like 2008 could be a bad season for the Crows.
12: Carlton Blues (11)
They do have a lot of problems, and Judd may have actually jumped from the fire into the fry-pan. So the heat isn't off yet, but still it is a tad cooler. Carlton have some board problems, they don't have a big body in the forward line, their coach has never won a game, their full forward is still misbehaving and now they have their retired captain running around selling a book. The big story from the book was that some of the players there didn't like to kick the ball long because it might decrease their stats totals, but it might have helped the total wins increase.
13: Western Bulldogs (15)
Their supporters are getting impatient with the coach and the recruiting philosophy, and the draft will be their only chance to turn things around by finding some key forwards. Their past ineptness for drafting is also a reason why they are struggling now, some players that were taken with high picks include Walsh, Faulkner, Power, McMahon and Birss.
14: Essendon Bombers (12)
They are replacing Sheedy with a bunch of former players with very little coaching success. Coach Knights needs to bring in some old guys, who have had a few decades of coaching success, either at AFL level or in the lower leagues. Scott Camporeale is probably not up the top of the list for great football tacticians. Prescott played at Richmond with Knights, so he doesn't add a lot of new ideas.
15: Richmond Tigers (13)
Things were looking good for the Tigers until every single uncontracted player seemed to prefer to sign with their current team than to go to Richmond in the preseason draft. The Tigers need to get something done quickly.
16: Melbourne Demons (16)
It is the start of a rebuild that will take several seasons. They were losing when they had Johnstone, so losing without him will also happen, but they do have the extra first rounder and they should benefit from that in a few years.
____________________
A little video of VFL Park.
The glass isn't just half full for some of these top 8 teams, at Geelong it is overflowing. They will stay up the top of the Power Rankings for a long time.
2: Collingwood Magpies (2)
Brisbane had an extra ruckman and needed a pick to send to Melbourne, the Magpies had a need for a big ruckman and could afford to trade their pick. It was a good trade for all the teams involved, Collingwood might get the best of the deal if Wood plays to his potential.
3: Sydney Swans (3)
An odd trade week but they are still in good shape to win in 2008, and they have added several players already through rookie promotions and also their NSW scholarship player.
4: Hawthorn Hawks (4)
Not doing a lot but they didn't have to, as the hard work with trading and rebuilding was done a few years ago. Now they are being rewarded for it. Max Bailey, who missed all of 2007 with an injury, is someone to watch in 2008.
5: Port Adelaide Power (5)
They are trying to be like Geelong, as the Cats traded the player they added to the Grand Final team, King, and the Power also moved out Symes. The Power need some of their younger players to have big years and they will get to another Grand Final.
6: Brisbane Lions (7)
Travis Johnstone should be a big help for them in the middle next year, and although there are some risks the Lions didn't spend a lot to get him. Brennan is staying, Bradshaw will be back, Brisbane have a lot to look forward to.
7: West Coast Eagles (6)
One day there will be a time when they don't make the back page during offseason. Sampi is gone now, so that might be a good thing.
8: St Kilda Saints (9)
They must have had a coupon for trade week, two for the price of one. The Saints are the best chance for a team to have a bounce back year and do what Geelong did last season.
9: Fremantle Dockers (8)
Now for the glass is half empty teams, although it is even worse for some and there are only a few drops in the glass. The Dockers were bad last season but will have a very similar team for 2008. They also delisted some contracted players, which isn't the best move and it also indicates they must have missed with some of their recruiting. The Longmuir retirement is a big setback for them.
10: Kangaroos (10)
It seems odd, they are about to agree to relocate and very few people are making any noise. Ross Oakley is even involved, and there was a time when he felt the wrath of football supporters as he tried to kill a club or two. Oakley was reportedly a part of a "Gold Coast Advisory Group" that told the AFL to get the Kangaroos hopping North. All of this must be a disruption to the club's 2008 preparations. The ironic part, without the Kangaroos giving someone a chance as a footballer a couple of decades ago he would not be in a position to now kill them off.
11: Adelaide Crows (14)
Some interesting trades but mainly shuffling the deck chairs. Mattner became Symes while Meesen was turned into Moran. They also lost Hudson. It looks like 2008 could be a bad season for the Crows.
12: Carlton Blues (11)
They do have a lot of problems, and Judd may have actually jumped from the fire into the fry-pan. So the heat isn't off yet, but still it is a tad cooler. Carlton have some board problems, they don't have a big body in the forward line, their coach has never won a game, their full forward is still misbehaving and now they have their retired captain running around selling a book. The big story from the book was that some of the players there didn't like to kick the ball long because it might decrease their stats totals, but it might have helped the total wins increase.
13: Western Bulldogs (15)
Their supporters are getting impatient with the coach and the recruiting philosophy, and the draft will be their only chance to turn things around by finding some key forwards. Their past ineptness for drafting is also a reason why they are struggling now, some players that were taken with high picks include Walsh, Faulkner, Power, McMahon and Birss.
14: Essendon Bombers (12)
They are replacing Sheedy with a bunch of former players with very little coaching success. Coach Knights needs to bring in some old guys, who have had a few decades of coaching success, either at AFL level or in the lower leagues. Scott Camporeale is probably not up the top of the list for great football tacticians. Prescott played at Richmond with Knights, so he doesn't add a lot of new ideas.
15: Richmond Tigers (13)
Things were looking good for the Tigers until every single uncontracted player seemed to prefer to sign with their current team than to go to Richmond in the preseason draft. The Tigers need to get something done quickly.
16: Melbourne Demons (16)
It is the start of a rebuild that will take several seasons. They were losing when they had Johnstone, so losing without him will also happen, but they do have the extra first rounder and they should benefit from that in a few years.
____________________
A little video of VFL Park.
As you are a Geelong fan the draft is just a bonus, and with the rookie elevations it is like the Cats already made some picks. Lonergan is the equivalent of a player picked in the teens of the draft, Davenport is just as good as someone who is going to be picked from 30 to 45.