Before the season started, 5 "locks" for the Top 8:-
Magpies, Hawks, Swans, Cats and the Eagles.
Still going to leave Pies and Eagles in this mini ladder for the time being.
Bombers and Freo becoming "locks" for the 8 in the next month.
The lock-ins now IMO are Hawks, Cats, Swans, Freo and Pies. Collingwood have 3 gimmes coming up to take them to 9-4.
I still wouldn't have Essendon as certainties. Last week was more a reflection of how pitifully we played rather than how good the Bombers are. Despite dominating the centre clearances and us giving the ball back to them 26 times in our back half, they still could only kick 13 goals. I wasn't surprised the Swannies won easy tonight over them. Essendon have got Carlton and Eagles in Perth in their next 3 games so let's see where they sit after that.
So I think the last 3 spots in the Eight are still up for grabs. It's out of Ess, Carl, WC, Adel and us. On current form and personnel we are most unlikely of those five but hopefully we get some players back after the bye and can regroup.
Hard to see North making it as they will need to win 10 of their last 13 while Port are gone as they got done by the Dogs tonight and now have lost 5 straight.
