What a great home-and-away footy season we have seen.
The AFL will be very pleased – plenty of games were close and the re-emergence of Richmond has everyone excited for the finals.
The Tigers are an enormous addition to September but for 10 other clubs, things have ended too early.
Here’s what I have been impressed by – and not enjoyed so much – at your club so far in 2017.
Adelaide (ladder position: 1st)
✅ Attacking game style
✅ The Crouch brothers (Dangerfield who?!)
✅ Don Pyke’s ability to get the most out of his players
❌ Going into the finals on the back of two losses
Geelong (2nd)
✅ Development of the club’s second-tier players
✅ Superb home form once again
✅ Ability to win without Dangerfield and Selwood
❌ MCG form (won three, lost two) was not convincing
Richmond (3rd)
✅ Dustin Martin’s superb season
✅ Damien Hardwick’s game plan change
✅ Only one side (West Coast) has been in front for longer during matches in 2017
❌ Lack of second genuine key forward
Greater Western Sydney (4th)
✅ The way they run in waves with the ball
✅ How Josh Kelly has handled discussion on his future
❌ A few older players battling (Heath Shaw, Steve Johnson and even Shane Mumford)
❌ Unsure they can stand up when it counts
Port Adelaide (5th)
✅ Paddy Ryder’s ruck work − it is outstanding
✅ Ability to kick big scores
❌ Record against the top sides
❌ Average losing margin of over five goals
Sydney (6th)
✅ The stunning recovery from 0-6
✅ John Longmire recognising he needed to change things
✅ Lance Franklin’s season (now level with Tony Lockett on four Coleman Medals)
❌ Hard to find a negative … the slow start?
Essendon (7th)
✅ Fightback after tough 2016
✅ The simplistic approach John Worsfold has implemented
✅ Zach Merrett’s continued success
❌ Lack of outside speed hurts them at times
West Coast (8th)
✅ Josh Kennedy (his 65 goals came from just 17 games)
✅ Ability to deliver when it counted against the Crows
❌ Fade-outs in games were a worrying trend
❌ Interstate win-loss record of 3-7
Melbourne (9th)
✅ Improved again in 2017
✅ Clayton Oliver − so impressive for a second-year player
❌ A last-round defeat Demons fans will never forget
❌ Ill-discipline and silly suspensions cost them regularly
Western Bulldogs (10th)
✅ Marcus Bontempelli − even in a tough year his star shone
✅ Bailey Dale looks a very handy find
❌ Celebrated that premiership for too long in my book
❌ Defence looked a mess at times. Joel Hamling a huge loss
St Kilda (11th)
✅ Seb Ross announcing himself as an excellent player
✅ How Nick Riewoldt’s farewell was handled
❌ Had the talent to make finals but didn’t deliver
❌ Don’t like their slow, predictable style of play
Hawthorn (12th)
✅ The recruitment of Tom Mitchell − he will finish top three in the Brownlow
✅ Alastair Clarkson’s risks (trying Gunston, Sicily, Burton etc back)
❌ Never won more than two in a row, lacked consistency
❌ Got thrashed in a few ‘un-Hawthorn-like’ performances
Collingwood (13th)
✅ Taylor Adams − I enjoy his work
✅ Will Hoskin-Elliott looks a shrewd pick-up. Very handy player
❌ Hate their style of play − they don’t give their forwards a chance
❌ Lack flair across the board
Fremantle (14th)
✅ Easy to forget but they did start pretty well
✅ They got games into plenty of their kids
❌ 100-point loss was a really disappointing way to leave Subiaco
❌ More tough years to come
North Melbourne (15th)
✅ Ben Brown has emerged as an A-grade forward
✅ Luke McDonald will be a deserving B&F winner
❌ They’ve won just nine of their last 36
❌ No Rising Star nominations despite plenty of kids playing
Carlton (16th)
✅ The talent is obvious − five Rising Star nominations says it all
✅ Finally beat Hawthorn
❌ Didn’t kick over 100 points once and were worst attacking side
❌ Won fewer games than they did last year
Gold Coast (17th)
✅ Tom Lynch’s 44 goals is a good haul in a struggling side
❌ Finished the season in disgraceful fashion
❌ In-out-in-out saga with Gary Ablett’s selection looked bad from afar
❌ Some serious work needed at all levels of the club
Brisbane Lions (18th)
✅ The positivity around the club despite just five wins
✅ Eric Hipwood’s obvious talent
❌ The wooden spoon
❌ Still going to be hard to attract players
