AFL Power Rankings: Round 8

May 22, 2013 - 7:00 AM 1. Hawthorn (last week: 2)

Hawks fans were a little miffed that teach Alastair Clarkson some manners.

2. Geelong (1)

The Geelong faithful had a bone to pick with Brad Seymour after he praised Collingwood's young guns on Monday, pointing out the fact that the Cats were also missing experience with names like Steve Johnson, James Kelly and Paul Chapman out of the side. That would suggest a few fans are nursing bruised egos after Saturday night, but why? It's one loss, it happens, and the Cats are still superbly placed for top two.

3. Fremantle (4)

Go back in time and tell Fremantle fans they'll be 5-2-1 and out of the top four on percentage after the opening eight rounds, having just drawn with the reigning premiers on the SCG despite missing Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands, Jon Griffin, Stephen Hill and Kepler Bradley (and down a rotation after losing Michael Walters to injury). They wouldn't believe you for a second.

4. Collingwood (6)

The Magpies looked on the ropes after their out-of-sorts loss to Fremantle last weekend, but a morale-boosting (and, let's face it, completely unexpected) six-point win over Geelong has them right back in premiership calculations. Unfortunately the win was tempered by the news that Dale Thomas could be out for the year, and that Dayne Beams is at least another four weeks away. Nathan Buckley needs to keep extracting top footy out of his lesser lights in the meantime.

5. Sydney (5)

Fremantle dominated the stats but the Swans were up by 27 points on their own turf late in the final quarter. Conceding a draw in that scenario is simply not good enough. The Swans are still yet to be defeat a contender this year, and now they've lost the advantage of percentage-boosting home-and-away fixtures against GWS.

6. West Coast (7)

Yes, it took an iffy free kick, a ridiculous pack mark and a goal after the siren, but history only remembers who took the four points. History may say that the Eagles have blown their chances of winning the premiership but top eight is still well within reach for this mob if they can keep stringing victories together, regardless of their methods.

7. Essendon (3)

Essendon's stock is falling after the Bombers a) fell to back-to-back losses, and b) lost to Brisbane at Etihad. Brisbane! At Etihad! Jake Melksham grumbled after the match that the ASADA investigation was beginning to take its toll on the playing group. Cronulla lost four in a row earlier in the NRL season as ASADA closed in on the Sharks. Will Essendon follow that pattern?

8. Richmond (8)

The Tigers had a little more trouble shaking Melbourne than they might've expected but still prevailed in the end. We're not about to praise them for beating up on the lowly Dees, however. This Saturday is a must-win. If Richmond are serious about playing finals footy this year then taking down the sides around them is non-negotiable.

9. Carlton (9)

In an alternate dimension the Blues defeated the Saints last Monday, and now they're up to sixth on the ladder after stretching their winning streak to 5-0 over Port Adelaide. As it is, Carlton are still only thereabouts this week, but the glue appears to be drying in time for a tough run ahead.

10. Adelaide (12)

The Crows have levelled their season at 4-4, but their victories have come over Brisbane, the Bulldogs, GWS and now St Kilda. We want to see them beat the Kangaroos at Etihad before moving them any higher.

11. North Melbourne (10)

Chalk up another honourable loss for North Melbourne. This season is shaping up as a heartbreaker.

12. Port Adelaide (11)

Only five other teams in history have started a season 5-0 then lost three games on the trot. Port Adelaide's star is rapidly losing fuel.

13. Brisbane (16)

Well, hello there Brisbane. Turns out the Lions can (occasionally) compete with the big boys. Saturday's win over Essendon should ease the pressure on Michael Voss, but can they back it up at home to the Blues?

14. Gold Coast (14)

Back-to-back wins for the first time in club history and the Suns have won more games than North (and as many as Carlton, West Coast and Adelaide) after eight rounds. Maybe this is the alternate dimension.

15. St Kilda (13)

The Saints are going to be troubled by younger, hungrier sides all year.

16. Western Bulldogs (16)

The feel-good factor that protected the Bulldogs at the beginning of the year is all but evaporated after last week's loss to Gold Coast. The claws will come out now.

17. Melbourne (17)

A better effort from the Demons but it's about to get ugly: Fremantle, Hawthorn and Collingwood.

18. GWS (18)

Clubs are going to go in hard for Jeremy Cameron's signature when his contract is up for renewal in 2015.

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