Is this 2010 the year of the blanket finish in AFL ?

Question

I've cast a judgemental eye over all the 2010 squads and frankly, my unbiased neutral opinion is that no club has a really stand out combination assured of dominating the comp. Never have I seen the makings of such an even season. With a little luck even the few slightly weaker youth orientated teams, with good coaching and striking a better team on an off day can register 50/50 in 2010. I'd have $100 with any bookie that at the end of the home & aways no more than 8 points will separate the teams. Percentages will be the main talking point here in August 2010. What do you think ?

Additional Details

What's the odds ?

This one woke everyone up ! But I did make a small mistake (thanks Miki) It's years since I looked at ladders and calculated on 2 points a win & 1 a draw.
Apart from that I stand by my 2010 assessment. Last year's top is flimsy for the 22 rounds against last years bottom
teams who are all looking much stronger. The usual injuries, good days
bad days,,,, I stll stand by the originally intended 4 games between 1 & 16.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

The competiton is certainly heating up, with the benchmark teams at their peak but not as good as they used to be (more vulnerable) and the teams who have been down the bottom of the ladder for some years, starting to get more talent injected into their clubs..im very eager to see what happens in season 2010.

Answer 2

How can your unbiased, neutral opinion know that there is no standout club let alone nothing to separate them? You are gunna loose that $100. NO way 8 points will separate this year, 64 points separated St KIlda and Melbourne along with a doubled percentage this year. They may improve, but up to St Kilda or Geelong's standards? I think so.

Answer 3

You have a very interesting point. Big call though.
Will be interested to see how melbourne and the lions perform.
Ill take that $100 bet.

Answer 4

What do I think? you ask? If I understood what you wrote correctly, you are saying that there will be no more than 8 points separating the teams, do you mean 1st and 16th if you do, mate I reckon you've got rocks in your head. 2 games between the top team and the bottom team, couldn't happen wont happen.

Even if you mean 8 points between top and 8th, that won't happen either, just my opinion,your entitled to yours.

from years of watching/playing footy.

Answer 5

I hope it is that close!

Answer 6

Lex....I hope you're right about the comp being all even with no standout team/s. I would love that and so would the AFL and many footy fans in general. But to say that no more than 8 points will no separate the teams by the end of the season, is being very hopeful and optimistic...(not sure on the spelling).
I just can not comprehend that Melbourne and Fremantle being in the same class as Geelong, St Kilda or the Crows. 8pts separating top and bottom....unlikely.
I do wish for an even playing field and I hope you're right, it will be an exciting year, to close for comfort and making into the top 4 will be even harder.

Answer 7

Sounds completely impossible for just eight points to be seperating all the teams? You need to be more clear on that...1st and 2nd? 8th and 9th? 1st and 16th

Answer 8

the top 4 will be head and shoulders above (st kilda, Geelong, Crows and pies), 5-14 be within 8 points though

Answer 9

Very good point about the teams being very even. I think it's a safe play to keep an eye on teams toward the bottom in mid season. Bet the bottom teams when you feel they stand a good chance against a team ranked higher. If your prediction holds the lower level teams at mid season will start beating the higher ranked teams to even things out a bit going toward the end. Only bet one or two teams per week and you'll make money. Forget about the $100 bet for now and make the money in mid season when the upper level teams begin to fold.

Answer 10

you cannot be serious when you say 8 points between top and bottom? you seriously think that teams like melbourne and fremanlte will improve to st kilda and geelongs standards in 5 months of summer training... wow.. that really is funny. no, there will be dominant teams like there are every other year, and amongst the bottom ranglers will be richmond, melbourne, fremantle, possibly north melbourne maybe not in that order. then will come west coast, sydney, essendon, maybe port to round out the bottom 8. hawks may climb slightly. port may climb slighty who can ever tell with them. st kilda, geelong, collingwood, bulldogs, adelaide will be up there to create top 4. carlton, brisbane will be in the mix for the 8, however with the loss of fev in carlton, it could be possible for them to slip out the top 8 for a year or two. they will not be even, there maybe some even teams through the middle order but there will be a top and bottom side clearly for a reason.

Answer 11

Eight points? That's only 2 games! Are you actually saying that the top team after 22 rounds would have lost 10 matches and the bottom team has WON ten matches? In the words of the immortal John McEnroe, "You can't be SERIOUS!!" Unless of course, more realistically, you are saying that there will be no more of eight points gap between two teams in adjacent positions on the ladder, which is a bit more realistic ... but unlikely, I'd say the top two or three sides, Geelong, the Saints and probably the Dogs (with Big Barry) will clear out in the front of the other 13 clubs by a long margin...

Answer 12

Not going to happen. Maybe between 1-5 or 6. But first will get around 16 wins, 8th around 12 wins and last around 2 wins.