The lockdown kings: ranking the backlinesTravis King, Callum Twomey, Jennifer Phelan, Michael Whiting
AFL.com.au
December 27, 2015 7:01 PMDEFENCE wins premierships. That much we know.
Only twice (Hawthorn in 2012 and '13) in the past decade has a team won the flag without ranking top four in the AFL for fewest points against.
But how do you rate a backline? Should you only consider the qualities of each team's back six?
West Coast's undersized defence was outstanding in trying circumstances last season, but they couldn't have done it without pressure applied further up the ground.
And these days defenders do much more than simply defend.
The Western Bulldogs took a leap forward last year, partly by locking down opponents, but also by attacking in waves from half-back. So where should they rank?
These are just some of the questions AFL.com.au reporters considered when putting together a ladder rating each team's defence.
Fremantle's whole-team system was thought to be the League's best, with Ross Lyon having perfected the art of a shutdown.
Hawthorn – the AFL's tightest backline last season – came in second. Scoring against the Hawks is possible, but you’ve got to get the ball off them first.
Most of the better teams feature higher up in our rankings, although we've tried to predict how their defences might perform with new personnel and some off-season tinkering.
We're backing in the Swans, still optimistic about the Eagles despite their Grand Final woes and predicting more tough times for a couple of last season's cellar-dwellars.
1. Fremantle
2. Hawthorn
3. Sydney Swans
4. RichmondThe Tigers might not have won a final for a third-straight year but their defence held up well, with this year's club best and fairest winner and two-time All Australian Alex Rance leading from the front. They were third overall for points scored against and were particularly good at restricting the opposition from retaining the ball when they took it into attack. They were also in the top four for groundball get differential, showing they defended well at the coalface when required.
5. West Coast
6. Geelong
7. Adelaide
8. Greater Western Sydney
9. Essendon
10. Collingwood
11. Port Adelaide
12. North Melbourne
13. Melbourne
14. Western Bulldogs
15. St Kilda
16. Gold Coast
17. Carlton
18. Brisbane Lions
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-12-27/the-lockdown-kings