The AFL season is very long with 22 rounds not including finals and during the various rounds your teams chances will come and go as you go through a few bad weeks or hit form and win a few straight. So lets break down your clubs chances in ladder order with a monthly review of every team.

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St Kilda Saints first 4 weeks reviewed

Undefeated and firing, Kosi’s injury to his hamstring would be a worry especially as they look so much better with him firing alongside Reiwoldt. The improvement of the side backing up from their top four spot last year has been on the back off Goddard, Dal Santo and Montagna who have all improved out of sight and are finally playing like stars they promised. Zac Dawson has also been a vital cog for St Kilda as he has strengthened the defense up a lot in the absence of Hughdton & Maguire.

It can be argued that St Kilda have yet to play any real top sides (beaten West Coast, Fremantle, Adelaide & Sydney – only one currently in top 8). The next three weeks will help show just how good they are as they play Collingwood, Bulldogs & Port Power in the next 3 weeks.

St Kilda’s Rating so far: A+

Geelong Cats first 4 weeks reviewed

Geelong have started the season slowly to the eyes of many yet they still sit 2nd and have yet to loose a game, scary when you think their forward line (except Chapman) have yet to fire with indifferent form to Johnson, Hawkins, Lonergan, Gamble & Mooney. Ablett, Corey, Selwood & Chapman have been amazing. Injuries again has been fairly kind to them with really only Hunt, Ottens & Harley missing which they have covered.

Geelong has a fairly easy couple of weeks that should ensure they remain without a loss for a while.

Geelongs Rating so far: A

Western Bulldogs first 4 weeks reviewed

Apart from their poor game against West Coast and slow start to Richmond in round 3, the Bulldogs have easily been a top four side. West Coast did show a few cracks in the Bulldog armour but that was on the top of a 6 day break and having to travel to Perth twice in 3 weeks, however no one cares that Freo & West Coast do it 8 odd times a year (Does playing in Victoria extend your career).

The poor form of Cooney & slowish starts off Griffen & Johnson (and Murphy to return) could be seen as bonus as they will only get better. Young gun Grant also looks to be finding some form in the VFL which will again only make them improve.

The next two weeks will be a good test as they play St Kilda and Carlton who are other teams looking for a top four position.

Bulldogs Rating so far: B+

Port Powers first 4 weeks reviewed

Position 4 to 12th on the ladder is really open at the moment with  several teams like Port playing great football and then playing rubbish football another week which is hard to fathom and get a good understanding of where they stand.

What does not help Port is their undisclipined nature of playing football which has seen Peter, their captain & Brogan all missing games along with Westhoff having a bad start with a long term leg injury. However this has forced Tredrea to play the best football he has for 3-4 years with 12 goals in the last two weeks.

The next three games (St Kilda, Adelaide & North) will help us tipsters gather a better outlook on Ports chances.

Ports Rating so far: B+

Carlton Blues first 4 weeks reviewed

How the mighty has fallen! Pre Season they were the bees knees with a fancy slogan “They Know Where Coming” and after two big wins they were sitting pretty on top of the ladder, first time for 12 odd years and all the Carlton fans come out of the wood work. Two weeks later, with injuries to Fevola and Jamison and loosing badly to sides a top four side should beat, they appear human.

The next four weeks does get any easier either with games against the Doggies, Hawthorn & Collingwood. If they can win or two of these then they are genuine top four sides, if not maybe the top 8 will have to do.

Carlton’s Rating so far: B

Collingwood Magpies first 4 weeks reviewed

Collingwood is a very unhappy club at the moment. Captain Maxwell& Shaw suspended along with fighting between favoured sons in Malthouse & Buckley along with getting a “please explain” by the AFL for their umpire blasts. This does not mention the fact that they started slowly to the season with big loses to Adelaide & Geelong. However they have unheralded some guns in Beams & Barham along with Fraser playing the best football of his lifetime.

They looked a lot better against Brisbane and maybe that was the game they needed, it does not get any easier with games against Essendon, North Melbourne, St Kilda & Carlton though. Collingwood in form and without unnecessary distractions can be a top four side.

Collingwood’s Rating so far: B

Sydney Swans first 4 weeks reviewed

Our pre season preview about Sydney was “Wipe them off at your own Peril” and how right where we? Came out firing against ST Kilda and winning big against top four fancy Carlton in round 4. Injuries to O’Loughlin & Hall is a worry but the improved form of White, Shaw & Jolly along with other young players is what is needed as coach Roos looks to the future and sets the club up for another tilt at premiership glory.

Sydney could easily win three of the next four games which could set themselves up for a serious tilt at top 8 coming into the second part of the season with winnable games against Freo (away), Richmond (home) & West Coast (home). The Geelong game will be a test however.

Sydney’s Rating so far: B

Brisbane Lions first 4 weeks reviewed

To be honest I’m disappointed with them. I expected a lot more from them with a fairly fit squad (only Black had a real injury worry coming in) but with a lucky win against West Coast and very indifferent form in the Collingwood & Carlton games. Voss surely must be a bit worried. The twin B’s (Bradshaw & Brown) look awesome and if Sherman & Hooper can stay fit they have a very talented forward line capable of big scores. Injuries to Charman & Leunberger is a worry as it means Clarke will have to carry the ruck duties for the next 3-4 weeks.

Up and coming games against Geelong, Essendon & Adelaide will surely show us more just where abouts this team is at.

Brisbane’s Rating so far: C+

Essendon Bombers first 4 weeks reviewed

Essendon a young team on the up and will like others currently sitting out of the top 8 will provide a lot of nuisance value as some clubs will under estimate them. The Fremantle game was a huge success as Freo played them into form and the back of that they played well against Carlton & North after a poor first up game against Port. Senior players are a bit of a worry with Hille, Llyod, Lucas & Ryder playing in patches. Skipworth was also a good pick up if his hammy can stop pinging.

Essendon is a proud club and even during rebuilding they will continue to punch above their weight division when they shape up to Collingwood and other big Victorian clubs. If they can put up good showings against Collingwood, Brisbane, St Kilda & Hawthorn it will do the young kids progression a lot.

Essendon’s Rating so far: B-

West Coast Eagles first 4 weeks reviewed

West Coast have played two and a half good games with wins against current top four sides in Port & Bulldogs and a 3/4 showing against Brisbane but their game against St Kilda and the 3/4 quarter against Brisbane is a worry as when the team gets a roll on, they score big (x2 9+ goal quarters). Their forward line looks dangerous with LeCras (14) in career best form along with Lynch (8) & Hunter (5 from 3 games) providing good targets (& kicking goals). Kerr still needs help in the midfield but Hurn, Priddas & Rosa have improved, more improvement is needed from Ebert & Masten though.

Wins away from home is needed to improve their standings in the AFL public eye. While being a half descent team, it makes Subi a hard game to win at but to be a team on the rise they cannot let teams like Hawthorn & Sydney win (big) against them in the up and coming weeks.

West Coast’s Rating so far: B-

North Melbourne first 4 weeks reviewed

North is a funny side to review as you do not expect much from them and usually they show you up yet so far I do  not think they have. Harvey, Hale, Wells (dropped for round 4), Petrie etc have all played very indifferently at times and young future gun Ziebell has yet shown why they picked him up as a 1st round draft pick. McIntosh is one player who has stood up which allows Petrie & Hale to play forward.

North will win games they should not and then they will loose games. Think personally they are an average team. The teams they will play in the next four weeks is not easy as they play an angry Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood & Port. North could easily loose all 4.

North’s Rating so far: C

Adelaide Crows first 4 weeks reviewed

About where most expect them to be as their young players start to take over the mantle of their older establish esteemed teammates. For Adelaide to be a force Maric, Tippet, Porplyzia, Van Berlo, Walker etc must improve while McLeod, Thompson, Bock, Rutten are still playing. Tippet is fast becoming a real ruck/ forward with his basketball skills coming into play in the way he rucks and takes marks. Kicking looks dodgy as but while he is kicking 0-30m out it is not a real worry.

Their loss to St Kilda at home would have really hurt them but with home games against Port & the Dogs they have a chance to put that loss behind them.

Adelaide’s Rating so far: C

Hawthorn Hawks first 4 weeks reviewed

I thought Premiership hangovers was a farce but its likely that I am wrong as Hawthorn struggle with injuries to key defenders (oh how getting rid of Zac Dawson was a mistake) & midfielders along with the inability to play against the zone themselves seeing every other club is now using it. Buddy & Hodge looks unfit and while they have about 5 odd ruckman in their squad, none have the ability to play and shine.

Hawks are the targeted and maybe wining the Grand Final this early in their development was a mistake. Their next three games are all winnable (West Coast, Carlton & Essendon) but they are also losable and they do not want to be 1 – 6.

Hawthorn’s Rating so far: D+

Melbourne Demons first 4 weeks reviewed

Coach Bailey has said that his team will be better than last year and will provide more off a contest and so far he is right/ well sort of. Yes they defeated Richmond (who has not) and provided half a contest against Collingwood & Port.

However there is promise down at Demon land and with the improvement in the young players (Cheaney, Jetta, Bennell etc) but also the 2nd teir players who really needed to lift in Miller, Davey, Slyvia etc. Robertson coming back from his Achilles will also help and he will look good in a forward line of Watts, Miller, Jetta, Wonaeamirri & Bennell.

They have possible winnable games against Adelaide & West Coast but I expect wins will be far in between but at least they may not finish 15th or 16th.

Melbourne’s Rating so far: D

Richmond Tigers first 4 weeks reviewed

Richmond, Richmond, Richmond… This must be the worst start Wallace and the Richmond gang could have imagined and it all started with a BIG loss to Carlton on the big stage in the first game of the season. Their big guns of Cotchin & Cousins have only played one game between and really only Richardson has performed at a high standard which has now seen Wallace on the bring of being sacked (But is it his fault?).

It does not get any easier for the Tigers with games against North, Brisbane, Sydney & Port to come.

Richmond’s Rating so far: F

Fremantle Dockers first 4 weeks reviewed

Fremantle are lucky that Richmond suck so much at the moment which has taken the heat of their poor performances on and off field. This week, there has been several questions about their captain and best player Pavlich who is fast looking likely to move and the KKK claim. It is all smoke and media drummed up rubbish but the fact is that Fremantle are a joke and everyone knows it, Pavlich will be smart to shop himself off.

Harvey has had many questions about his coaching ability and what is saving him is the fact that he got rid of 1400 senior games worth of players last year (who were all dead wood anyway) and drafted 14 new guys (senior list and rookie list) into his squad. While the pain at the moment can be seen as positive for the future as Harvey builds a team around Sandilands, Palmer, Hill, Head and other young future guns.

While at the moment they are winless, some may say they could also loose their next four games, I think against Sydney (home), West Coast (home) & Hawthorn (home) they could win and will help dilute the pressure of the Dockers.

Fremantle’s Rating so far: F

So how is your club going after the first 4 weeks?

Please let us know what you think of your club at the moment? You happy the way they have played so far? Have they surprised you or you disappointed they way they have started their 2009 season?

While its only four weeks in, I really only see maybe one team outside the top 8 currently (Hawthorn) getting back into the top 8.