Thought I would do a little bit on analysis on who has been the winners and losers out of the draw. Given the bottom three or four sides are absolute rubbish this year, the final eight may well be determined by who has been lucky enough to get the most return games against them. Note this is based on the current afl ladder, not the 2022 end of year ladder. Obviously the key movers up this year are the two SA teams, whilst the big sliders are Sydney, Richmond and to a lesser extent Geelong.
Collingwood has the worst draw with the average ladder position of our double up opponents being the highest at 6.7… and the ladder position of our “ easiest” double up being the highest at just 11th spot. Brisbane and Geelong have equally tough double ups.
Of the top eight sides, it’s Melbourne that have been kissed on the proverbial ass. The average ladder position of their double up opponents is 12. They only have one double up against a top eight side…. Their next hardest is placed 11… and two of them are bottom four sides!!!!
StKilda also have been gifted a soft double up draw although that’s a bit more understandable given they missed finals last year.
Essendon is the only team that has the benefit of three double up games against bottom four sides. Teams to play two include the aforementioned Melbourne and StKilda, as well as the Bulldogs, Dockers and Blues, along with the irrelevant Hawks and Roos. Collingwood of course get zero!!
Conclusion…. Melbourne StKilda and Essendon will have their ladder position inflated by a soft draw. Richmond, a team on the slide… got boned by the draw while Sydney a team also on the slide, have wasted a good draw.
Collingwood have a great opportunity to advance on their ladder position as the two teams directly behind them, port and Brisbane, also have tough draws against top eight teams… includiing Collingwood! Our remaining head to heads against them might decide top spot.
One other comment on our draw…why do we get no games in Perth and two in Adelaide? ( not counting the Gather round making it three). I reckon this also happened last year.
Collingwood has the worst draw with the average ladder position of our double up opponents being the highest at 6.7… and the ladder position of our “ easiest” double up being the highest at just 11th spot. Brisbane and Geelong have equally tough double ups.
Of the top eight sides, it’s Melbourne that have been kissed on the proverbial ass. The average ladder position of their double up opponents is 12. They only have one double up against a top eight side…. Their next hardest is placed 11… and two of them are bottom four sides!!!!
StKilda also have been gifted a soft double up draw although that’s a bit more understandable given they missed finals last year.
Essendon is the only team that has the benefit of three double up games against bottom four sides. Teams to play two include the aforementioned Melbourne and StKilda, as well as the Bulldogs, Dockers and Blues, along with the irrelevant Hawks and Roos. Collingwood of course get zero!!
Conclusion…. Melbourne StKilda and Essendon will have their ladder position inflated by a soft draw. Richmond, a team on the slide… got boned by the draw while Sydney a team also on the slide, have wasted a good draw.
Collingwood have a great opportunity to advance on their ladder position as the two teams directly behind them, port and Brisbane, also have tough draws against top eight teams… includiing Collingwood! Our remaining head to heads against them might decide top spot.
One other comment on our draw…why do we get no games in Perth and two in Adelaide? ( not counting the Gather round making it three). I reckon this also happened last year.
