We’re nearly at the stage of the season where we can start writing teams off, if not mathematically, then realistically, given the form they have shown – or not shown so far.
For the first time in many weeks, Collingwood is really challenged for the top spot, albeit the Magpies had the bye. But if there could be joint leaders, there probably would be this week after Geelong’s resounding performance.
It’s also strange that this late in the season, goal accuracy is really worrying some teams, particularly Brisbane and Melbourne.
Here’s how the teams stack up after Round 14.
1. Collingwood (Last week 1)
The Magpies maintain top spot despite the bye. It was tempting to elevate the Cats after their crushing of Essendon, but Collingwood’s consistency throughout matches remains just that slight bit ahead at this stage – only just.
It might be timely, now that we are into the second half of the year, to consider the question of how many gears Collingwood can rise against the top sides come the business end of the season, when the intensity increases?
We know the other contenders just below them definitely have improvement in them – have we seen the best from the Pies?
2. Geelong (2)
The Cats barely got out of second gear against the Bombers, storming to a 95-point win.
Their stars purred nicely once again; Baily Smith (41) and Max Holmes (36) led all possession getters on the field, and Jeremy Cameron extended his lead in the Coleman Medal race with a game-high six goals. But it’s games like this where everyone stood up and played a role.
Essendon haven’t been the strongest opposition this season, but racking up 151 points is still an impressive effort. They have now won five in a row, which could have been seven if not for the four-point loss that got away against the Giants.
No doubt, Geelong are serious contenders and mean business in 2025. Look out!
Jeremy Cameron celebrates a goal. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
3. Hawthorn (5)
Not the prettiest game or performance from the Hawks down in Tasmania against Adelaide.
It was a low-scoring start to the game, with Sam Mitchell’s side only kicking two behinds in the opening term as they fell 20 points behind just after the first break.
Most of the attention from the media has been on the low “ugly” scoreline thanks to conditions in the ‘Isle State’ – but almost lost was Hawthorn’s ability to fight back.
Adelaide has been in great form in 2025, but the Hawks just wanted the win more in the end, grinding out the three-point win.
It looks like the side may have shaken the ‘slump’ from a few weeks ago, but consistency will determine if they stay at the top end of the ladder.
4. Adelaide (3)
Only a minor slip-up for the Crows in a fairly even game against the Hawks. As mentioned, the conditions and venue may have played a role in the scoreboard, so hard to be too harsh on many aspects in the loss.
However, leading by 20 in a low-scoring game, Adelaide didn’t quite put the game to bed or look totally in control at any stage.
It’s the second close game for the Crows in as many weeks; they got lucky thanks to Brisbane’s inaccuracy, but were run down by Hawthorn.
Winning close games is something they will have to do regularly to be a genuine contender when the finals start.
Izak Rankine looks dejected after Adelaide’s loss to Hawthorn. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
5. Western Bulldogs (8)
After their dozy comeback after the bye against the Hawks, the Bulldogs demolished the Saints by 72 points after really putting their foot down in the second term.
Sam Darcy made a successful return, booting three goals and taking nine marks up front. While Bailey Dale continues to be a ball magnet, finishing with a game-high 36 disposals.
While the quality of opposition will be questioned, it is still an impressive effort to kick 20 goals in a huge bounce-back game for Luke Beveridge’s side, who only look to be getting stronger.
6. Brisbane (4)
The premiers slumped to their second straight loss and out of the top two on the ladder, going down to the Giants by 11 points.
Brisbane looked vulnerable in defence and GWS punished them with 17 majors from 53 inside 50s. It’s made even worse with the Lions’ own inaccuracy in front of goal, 8.15 last week and 13.18 this week.
Lions cannot be discounted given the finish to last year’s season, but with every loss, they are exposing more and more weaknesses for the other contender to exploit.
This weekend’s game against the Cats will be another interesting test to see where they are at.
7. Fremantle (7)
Coming off the bye, the Dockers met North Melbourne and started a little sluggish as the Kangaroos led until just before the main break – when the tables turned thanks to four quick unanswered goals.
Freo’s lead extended to 28, until North fought back to level the game in the final quarter and set up a thrilling finish. A late goal to Luke Jackson saw the Dockers hold on by six points, but it could have gone either way.
North may be down the bottom of the ladder, but they are not always the pushovers that their position suggests. That said, if Fremantle want to strengthen their spot in the top eight, they need to be winning games more comfortably.
8. Gold Coast (6)
The Suns had a week off, which may have come at the right time for them. Back-to-back losses, including a comprehensive defeat in Geelong, where they only scored 31 points.
It’s far from the form that they have shown at the start of the year and now threaten to drop out of the top eight if they don’t stabilise things.
Finn Callaghan breaks away from Lachie Neale. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
9. GWS (11)
The roller coaster of a season for the Giants continued against the premiers, coming up with a game plan and slick ball movement to take down the Lions at the Gabba.
While accuracy in front of goal was again a problem for Brisbane, 18 behinds from 31 scoring shots, there was no such trouble for GWS.
Key forwards Jesse Hogan (6 goals) and Aaron Cadman (5) had a day out, making the most of their opportunities, with eleven of their team’s 17 majors.
A great win and one Greater Western Sydney needs to build on and prevent any backward steps in the back half of the year.
10. Port Adelaide (12)
This was just what Port Adelaide needed, a second comfortable win against a competitive side.
Granted, the Demons are below them on the ladder after three straight defeats, but in recent weeks have beaten the premiers and come within a point of the Pies.
Mitch Georgiades was on fire, kicking a career-high seven goals while their stars were busy; Connor Rozee (32 touches), Jason Horne-Francis (29) and Zak Butters (27) were the top three disposal getters on the ground.
This win may not have put anyone on notice in terms of finals credentials on its own, but it’s still a building block and four crucial points to keep in touch with the eight, jumping from 15th to 10th.
11. Carlton (13)
It was a fast start for the Blues, and that set up the 34-point win but after seven goals in the first term and a 48-point halftime lead.
But after that, the Blues seemed to switch off in attack, kicking just nine points in both the third and fourth quarters to just jog over the line. The Eagles kicked six of the last eight goals.
It’s the second week in a row they have not closed out a game as good as they started, after nearly being run down by Essendon last week.
While it hasn’t cost them victory on either occasion, it’s not a habit they want to keep against the stronger sides.
12. Melbourne (9)
It was another wasteful game for Melbourne in front of goal, kicking 9.14 for their 68 points – and the final margin of the loss was 25.
It means in the last five games, leading into the Power clash, behinds outnumbered goals in four of them: v Collingwood (10.11), v St Kilda (7.21), v Brisbane (14.15) and Hawthorn (7.14) – while the commanding win over the Swans still had 17 behinds with 19 goals.
The Demons don’t seem to be having trouble getting the ball down the right end of the ground, but converting to points through the main sticks is a real problem.
If you’re not scoring more than your opponent, you’re not going to move up the ladder – and Melbourne’s season is now hanging by a thread.
13. Essendon (10)
After some good form earlier in the season, the Bombers have come crashing down to earth.
Four losses in five games, and that one win was against the lowly-placed Richmond, so Brad Scott has his work cut out for him, arresting this slide if they are any hope of September football.
On its own, it’s a game you could argue that they just ran into a red-hot footy team, who most would have had trouble containing last weekend. Geelong dominated and made parts of the game look like a training drill.
But Essendon are not troubling the top teams, which is what they need to do at the business end of the season to be considered a threat.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
14. Sydney (14)
Heading into the bye, the Swans had an impressive win over the Tigers, but last year’s grand finalists still have just five wins from 13 games and need to really use this week off as a springboard and string a few wins together.
Whether they can or not – with the Power, Dogs and Dockers coming up – is a completely different story. These are three matches that could define their season.
15. North Melbourne (16)
It was a contest the Kangaroos could have felt unlucky about not coming away with the four points, knocking off a 28-point Fremantle lead only to be beaten by one goal in the end off the boot of Luke Jackson.
It was a wasteful night for North, who recorded 60-48 inside 50s, but they scored from just 18% of them.
The pieces of the puzzle look to be there for the Roos in patches throughout games, but they just cannot piece them together in an effective way in footy games.
16. St Kilda (15)
The Saints were horrible against the Western Bulldogs, but they are not the only team to have been thrashed by the Dogs, who are regularly putting big scores on opponents.
Jack Sinclair reacts to a Western Bulldogs goal. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
It was a tough assignment for St Kilda’s defensive line, with the return of Sam Darcy, who took nine marks and kicked three goals.
The Saints also struggled to effectively move the ball down the ground thanks to the Dogs’ intercepting and tackling game.
The season may just have slipped away for the Saints, regardless of how tight the ladder is.
17. Richmond (17)
A bye for the Tigers and a chance for the young side to regroup and reflect on the start of the year. Given expectations at the start of the season, they have definitely earned a pass mark.
Even though they are second last on the ladder, there is effort each and every week from a young developing side.
18. West Coast (18)
Despite a serious-looking injury to Oscar Allen, West Coast kicked six of the last eight goals to reduce a 50+ lead down to 34 at full-time.
Coach Andrew McQualter was brutally honest after having seven goals to one put on them in the first quarter, labelling the performance as “pathetic”.
The stern words drew a response from his boys, limiting the Blues to just 18 points for the second half, but it was all too little, too late, as the Eagles still have just one win for the year.
