There was plenty of movement in the rankings this weekend, with some byes throwing in an extra dimension just to make it difficult.

Hawthorn continued their slide with questions being asked if it’s a long-term or temporary slump, while the Saints returned to the winners list after the Demons couldn’t kick straight – and the “rabble” that is the Swans this year has nearly hit rock bottom.

The Cats lead the pack coming for the Magpies, who just may be improving each week.

Here’s how the teams stack up after Round 12.

1. Collingwood (Last week 1)

The Magpies juggernaut continues to power on, this time demolishing the Hawks, a one-time top-four favourite.

It wasn’t just a win but a true beating, with Collingwood monstering the Hawks through genuine pressure, and a stunning 82-38 tackle count.

Commentator David King later remarked: “I can’t recall seeing a home and away game played with such quality”. The question is, can the Pies maintain the rage for another four months, leading the season from almost start to finish?

There’s certainly no one matching their level and consistency at this stage.

Steele Sidebottom celebrates with Jack Crisp. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

2. Geelong (2)

The Cats were given a scare over in the West by the Eagles, but it turned out to be only a minor mid-game blip in the end as Geelong came home with the four points.

Another commanding performance from their stars: Jeremy Cameron finished with five goals and Bailey Smith racked up a season-high 38 disposals.

Not the toughest opponent and plenty to improve on for the better sides, but Geelong did what they had to do and got the job done with a 43-point win.

3. Brisbane (3)

The premiers’ class shone through in the end, but they were made to work hard for the victory.

The Bombers gave them a scare, fighting back in the final term and having the momentum, before Brisbane steadied with three straight goals to close out the win, learning from their mistake against Melbourne a few weeks ago.

At home, the Lions were dominant in turnovers, producing a season-high score of 11.7 (73) from intercepts. Individually, Hugh McCluggage was just incredible for his side with a career-high 41 disposals.

It may have looked shaky at times, but four points is four points, and the top sides know how to get over the line when tested in close games.

4. Adelaide (7)

The Crows continue their surge up the rankings with a huge win over the Swans.

At one point, it looked like a training drill as Adelaide produced 12 unanswered majors on their way to 21 for the game, with scoring shared among 14 goalkickers. But as well as kicking 131 points, they restricted Sydney to just 41.

It hasn’t been the strongest opposition for the South Australians in the past few weeks, a 90-point win comes after the 66-point victory over the Eagles last week.

It means the Crows are firmly up the top end of the ladder and now have the best percentage in the league with more than 139%.

5. Gold Coast (4)

The Suns were beaten at their own game. Coming into the round, they were the top scoring from forward half intercepts, but the visitors won that battle 28-19 and scored 39 of their points from it.

In a close-scoring game that was crucial.

Credit to Gold Coast for fighting back after appearing to be dominated in the first half to hold the lead at one stage in the third term, but it just wasn’t enough in the end. Noah Anderson continues to be a ball magnet with 39 possessions.

Outplayed in the head-to-head game, Damien Hardwick’s side stays just ahead of Freo in the rankings due to their consistency this season.

6. Fremantle (10)

The Dockers stood up to be noticed and, for the first time this year, looked like a dangerous top-eight side.

The pressure they were putting on an in-form team in the Suns was making scoring difficult at their home ground.

It was a high-tackling game from both sides, even before the troublesome rain arrived, with the Dockers well above their average of 58.8 for the season with 86.

Jordan Clark and Andrew Brayshaw had 30 touches each, while Patrick Voss and Shai Bolton bagged three goals as the Western Australians had to hold out a late fightback.

It was Freo’s third straight win, surging them into the top eight on the ladder.

7. Western Bulldogs (5)

The Bulldogs had the bye, allowing the strong performances of the Crows and Dockers to overtake them in the rankings, and that was slightly offset by the Hawks’ fall.

8. Hawthorn (6)

On the scoreboard, the Magpies won by 51 points – yet if you look at most of the statistics, you’d think it was a hard-fought contest.

Just 11 disposals between the two sides in the Pies’ favour, with Hawthorn winning inside 50 count, clearances and contested possessions.

But as mentioned earlier, the difference was in the pressure and tackles – Collingwood monstered the Hawks 82-38, and the inside 50 efficiency was just 42%.

Sam Mitchell would have plenty of headaches as he struggles to turn his team’s form around; now losing three on the bounce and kicking their lowest score of the season (56) with just eight goals for the game.

9. GWS (9)

The Giants were given a massive scare by the Tigers on their home ground in Sydney.

Trailing by 28 points at three-quarter time, many are crediting the pep talk from the injured Callan Ward in the huddle for the comeback, as GWS scraped over the line by just three points.

But the result and four points take away somewhat from the Tigers’ performance; they troubled the Giants, who many had in their top four this year. After round 1, they have been very hot and cold.

Clinging onto a spot in the eight, they could soon find themselves in trouble if a couple below them gets their act together in the quest for consistency.

10.  Essendon (11)

The Bombers were simply outclassed by a better side, but full marks for effort and putting up such a challenge in the final term.

Brisbane’s lead got out to more than five goals at the start, before Essendon clawed their way back into the game.

Brad Scott’s men were missing a raft of tall players through injury, and were easily outmarked by their opponents 136-77, but they still found ways to test the premiers – only to just fall short in the end.

Nate Caddy kicks a goal. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

11. Melbourne (8)

The Demons’ winning form has come to an end, in somewhat of a surprise against the Saints in Darwin.

A big concern for Melbourne will be scoring accuracy from that game; 28 scoring shots for just 63 points – a whopping 21 behinds.

The Dees were also well beaten on the possession count, with St Kilda having far more of the footy, 390-299.

Simon Goodwin’s side has won the past five out of seven, but will need to not let the wasteful kicking in front of goal become a habit.

12. North Melbourne (12)

North Melbourne were a hard team to rank on their bye weekend, the Saints won against the in-form Demons, but consistency shown from both teams heading into this round has the Kangaroos marginally ahead – for now.

13. St Kilda (17)

Coming off the back of three straight losses, St Kilda stormed out of the blocks, kicking six unanswered goals in the first quarter.

It stunned Melbourne, who struggled to play catch-up football and inaccuracy in front of goal allowed St Kilda to maintain control throughout.

The team had the top six possession getters of the match. Callum Wilkie had a game-high 31 touches, and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera continued his potential All-Australian form with 29 disposals and 795 metres gained.

A climb up the ladder and rankings, but more consistency is needed from the Saints to be an actual threat.

14. Carlton (13)

A much-needed bye for the Blues, who now need to reset their season if they are going to make a charge for and be competitive in the finals. St Kilda overtook them with a win.

15. Richmond (16)

Not for the first time this season, the Tigers were brave in defeat, wondering how a game slipped away.

Richmond were in control for most of the contest, but couldn’t match it with the home side when they surged home in the final quarter.

The Tigers were the better side from the stoppage, winning both the hit outs and clearances counts – and were only just run down in the end.

It’s all a learning curve; hopefully, the tight games can be a lesson for the youngsters.

16.  Port Adelaide (15)

A bye for the Power, allowing winners St Kilda and near winners Richmond to overtake them on the rankings, as the Swans fall below them.

Justin McInerney and the Swans look dejected after their loss to Adelaide. (Photo by Mark Evans/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

17. Sydney (14)

Wayne Milera labelled last year’s grand finalists a rabble after the 90-point hammering – surely supporters could think of much stronger words to describe the performance.

It’s hard to see where improvement is going to come from in a hurry. That said, last year, the Swans were embarrassed by Port Adelaide, only for that to inspire a late-season form surge.

It was a completely different set of circumstances, but who knows, maybe history could repeat itself – this humiliation could somehow kickstart their season… something has to.

18. West Coast (18)

Co-captain Oscar Allen kicked four goals in his best match of the year, but it was no match for Geelong, as the Eagles slumped to loss No.11 for the year.

There were some good signs, a fightback in the second term igniting the crowd, before holding the Cats to an even third term, at 14 points a piece.

The hosts even had a chance to get within a point at one stage, but Noah Long missed from 35m out – and Geelong pulled away late in the game.

Signs of cohesion are there in patches, but few and far between, meaning West Coast cling to the bottom.