Another five weeks of footy done and dusted, and much like the previous month, it has been one full of massive surprises and huge shocks.
The second round of The Rushed Behind Report Cards have arrived, so make sure to see where your team - and your rivals - ranked in our assessment.
As always let us know what you think!
ADELAIDE
By Zac Standish
After an inconsistent start to 2018, Adelaide have hit their straps over the past five weeks with four wins and one heartbreaking loss to Port Adelaide in what was a scintillating Showdown.
Despite their impressive record, injuries are still the major story surrounding the Crows over the first half of the season as key players continue to miss games, resulting in gaping holes throughout the best 22.
Rory Sloane has been absent from the Crows' side since round four with a foot injury, while captain Taylor Walker, Wayne Milera, Matt Crouch, Luke Brown, Mitch McGovern, Curtly Hampton, Riley Knight and Brad Crouch have all been missing from the regular line-up.
The latter is rumoured to miss the entire season if he elects to have surgery - a decision which would dishearten Adelaide fans eager to see his return.
With all this talent out of the team, the Crows have been purely focused on the 22 available on the field, as a number of previously unknown players have really stepped up to be key pillars of the team moving forward.
Paul Seedsman has continued his great early season form, cementing himself as one of the competition's elite running defenders, while Tom Doedee has severely softened the blow of Jake Lever’s departure at the end of last season.
Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Hugh Greenwood have been massive through the midfield, providing adequate cover at the contest for their missing All-Australian teammates, while Darcy Fogarty looks right at home up forward in the games he has played this season.
With Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney and Fremantle next on the radar, a further three wins on the board would put the Crows in an optimal position just before their bye.
Sitting at 6-3, Adelaide have set up their season beautifully, and with a number of stars ready to be welcomed back in the coming weeks, there's only one way for the Crows to go.
GRADE: A
BRISBANE
By Chris Nice
After eight, excruciating weeks without a win, Brisbane finally managed to secure their maiden win of the season against none other than Hawthorn - the best team of the modern era, mind you.
Now rectifying their eight-game winless streak, Brisbane currently sit in 17th position on the ladder, with their 1-8 figures a poor reflection of the football they have played.
While their 93-point annihilation at the hands of Richmond in round four had several predicting irreparable damage to their confidence, the Lions have refused to let the loss define their season, with their vigorous style of play their saving grace.
Despite just the one win on the board thus far, there's a reason why Brisbane haven't been surrounded by waves of criticism, and it's due to their immense heart shown in the past month, which has subsequently seen sides like Carlton, St Kilda and Essendon receive a fair deal of scrutiny this season.
Fortune often favours the brave, but no such rewards befell the embattled players, coaches or supporters until last week, where they dispatched the Hawks in front of their home crowd.
Much like the previous month, Brisbane have put together some respectable performances, yet with the exception of last week, have failed to covert these endeavours into four points.
Three painstakingly narrow losses against the Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast and Collingwood - the latter two of which were decided by less than 10 points - have nonetheless spurred the Lions on week after week, despite team morale steadily zeroing in at rock-bottom prior to their win.
While the youngsters haven't stood out of the pack as of late, Brisbane's leaders have stood up to the plate, helping to lift their side through the tribulations of season 2018.
Dayne Beams has led from the front with his exceptional form, with the skipper accumulating over 25 disposals in four of his last five games and giving consistent output each week, despite battling through his own personal heartbreak since the beginning of the season.
With Beams bringing the class, Mitch Robinson has provided the grunt through his tackling (6.3 per game) and like his captain, has paired well with versatile ruckman and unlikely ball-magnet, Stefan Martin.
Fellow midfielder and now skipper, Dayne Zorko, looks to be on the rise following his underwhelming past few weeks with two successive four-goal games, while new recruit Charlie Cameron has similarly provided as much firepower up forward with 17 goals for the season.
Hugh McCluggage and Eric Hipwood both had breakout games against Hawthorn, with the confidence taken from their victory undoubtedly crucial moving forward.
While the Lions' efforts can't be faulted, their endeavours need further results in order to prevent a collapse in faith.
With Sydney, North Melbourne and Essendon next on the agenda before their bye, the Lions will certainly be eyeing off round 12 as another possible win, but given their stunning upset over the Hawks, anything is possible.
But irrespective of the amount of effort the Lions put in over the next month, no matter how valiant, more wins on the board are critical.
GRADE: D+
CARLTON
By Nick D'Urbano
A month of many downs for Brendon Bolton’s Blues, who have struggled for the most part of the past month, with their 109-point flogging at the hands of the Demons capping off their difficult and deplorable season.
After their dismal loss to the Roos in round four, Carlton were able to show spirit in their ten-point defeat to West Coast and 21-point loss to the Bulldogs and were spearheaded through the efforts of young talents including Charlie Curnow and midfield phenomenon Patrick Cripps.
Cripps’ past month in particular has been Herculean, with the midfielder averaging close to 30 disposals a game since round 5 and looking set to stamp himself among the AFL elite.
His work alongside the in-form Ed Curnow, Kade Simpson and Matthew Kreuzer continue to set the benchmark in the side as they look to lead Carlton into the new era.
Their maiden win of the season over the Bombers in round eight was quite remarkable and were able to finally get the monkey off the back with their pressure footy outstanding along with the brilliance of the Curnow brothers and their gun #9.
However, heavy losses to Adelaide and their dismal display against the Demons have overshadowed the past month.
In particular their loss to the latter which has set them back to square one and back to the bottom of the ladder heading into the middle part of the season.
Coupled by another injury to captain, Marc Murphy, the Blues are set to be tested in the depth department and their struggles continue due to a lack of talent in their bottom six.
Players such as Aaron Mullett, Cam O’Shea, Jed Lamb (bar when tagging Brendon Goddard), Jarrod Garlett and Nick Graham have been in and out of the team all season as Jacob Weitering, Jack Silvagni and David Cunningham have failed to break back into the senior side.
If they can take anything away from the past month, it is the emergence of players such as Harry McKay - who has kicked a remarkable 11.2 in the past five games - the return of Sam Rowe in defence and also the late resurgence from Dale Thomas.
Big matches coming up against the Geelong and Sydney await before their bye, while an opportunity for a second win will present itself against Fremantle at Etihad Stadium.
But 1-13 is still looming.
GRADE: E
COLLINGWOOD
By Zac Standish
Following their season-defining win over the Crows at Adelaide Oval in round four, Collingwood have continued their solid form over the past five weeks without setting the world on fire.
With a big win against Essendon on Anzac Day, Magpie fans were quickly thrust back down to earth after a comprehensive loss to Richmond, despite the final 43-point margin a poor reflection on the impressive calibre of football they produced for three quarters.
After getting out of jail against a fast-finishing Brisbane and suffering yet another disappointing loss to Geelong, Collingwood are a hard team to read as they head into a relatively soft part of the fixture.
Like several teams this season, injuries have been a cause for concern for the over the early parts of the season, with the likes of Taylor Adams, Jamie Elliot, Alex Fasolo, Scott Pendlebury, Daniel Wells, Darcy Moore and Ben Reid all spending some time on the sidelines.
Collingwood have completely changed their attacking style of play over the first nine weeks of the season to good effect, with a number of small, fast and dangerous forwards surrounding the big American in Mason Cox.
While Cox's numbers on the stats sheet aren't groundbreaking by any means, his importance to the forward structure has been pivotal, with his 211cm presence drawing opposition defenders and allowing the smaller forwards to pounce when he brings the ball to ground.
Jaidyn Stephenson in particular has been a revelation for the Magpies this season, with his speed and skills being felt all around the ground, while Jordan De Goey's return to the side has been explosive, with his flair and 15 goals for the season adding another dimension to the Collingwood forward line.
Down the other end of the field, Matt Scharenberg has been one of the Pies' most impressive players, averaging 21 disposals in defence and has been effective in nullifying the influence of is direct opponents.
The top tier midfielders have also began to come into their own over the past month, with Adam Treloar, Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury in particular forming a dangerous combination for opposition sides.
With the Western Bulldogs, Fremantle and Melbourne to come over the next month, the Magpies are poised well for a finals push should their current form continue.
The time is now for Collingwood to take their game to the next level and storm back into AFL relevance - it's now or never.
GRADE: B+
ESSENDON
By Chris Nice
Essendon have rocked the football world multiple times over the past few years, but not in the ways they would have liked.
This season has been no different, with the Bombers' capitulation and disappointing 3-6 coming as a huge surprise, with many tipping the red-and-black to be certainties for the finals this year.
While their last month has been disappointing, a blistering performance against Geelong showed just what the Bombers are capable of, yet are unable to achieve on a consistent basis.
With problems behind closed doors and rumoured disharmony between coaches - as seen with game performance coach Mark Neeld departing from the club early last week - John Worsfold and his men need to unify if they are to turn their season around.
Although the Dons managed to alleviate some of the pressure with their sound victory over the Cats last week, it is their humiliating defeats which have stolen the spotlight.
A 49-point flogging from Collingwood in front of over 90,000 on Anzac Day marked the beginning of their decline, before chances against Melbourne and Hawthorn went begging as the Dons slumped to their fifth loss of the season, thanks primarily to their haphazardness.
Yet the worst was yet to come. with a disastrous 13-point defeat at the hands of the previously winless Carlton capping off their deplorable month of football and raising serious questions over the legitimacy of the Bombers.
Although in their game against the Cats, scrutinised players rose to the occasion and fulfilled the expectations placed upon them, the form of the Dons in the previous matches has been far more prevalent.
Joe Daniher has been the most notable following his phenomenal 2017, with the big forward failing to capture the form which made him so dangerous last year, while Jake Stringer too has come under the pump with minimal-impact performances drawing heavy criticism.
With the two players tipped for breakouts following their indifferent starts to the season, it looks like the predictions will not fully come to fruition, with Daniher sidelined with an osteo pubis injury, while Stringer will be hoping his solid game against the Cats will be the catalyst for an Essendon turnaround.
New recruit Devon Smith has the Bombers' most reliable player, with an average of 20 touches per game alongside a great deal of composure, while skipper Dyson Heppell has racked up the ball consistently without being a real standout.
Michael Hurley too has been steady down in defence, with the All-Australian defender finding his hands on the ball more often then not (25 disposals on average per game) as Essendon's back half continues to fall under siege.
Like their team performance, Essendon's game plan has been patchy, with the Bombers continually pushing forward through their constant run and carry style of football.
While one could argue Essendon's high-risk, high-reward style of football is vivacious and indicative of dare, it's more so a façade for a side lacking inside midfielders.
It's a great plan when it works - as seen against Adelaide and Port Adelaide earlier in the season - but more often than not, the tactic leaves the Bombers vulnerable when the ball is turned over, with their performance against Melbourne epitomising the flawed scheme.
Either way, finesse is lacking from the Bombers, whose pace has impeded their cleanliness and skill execution across all areas of the ground.
With Greater Western Sydney, Richmond and Brisbane to come in the next month, the upcoming matches on paper do not bode well for the fledgling Bombers.
Take-off temporarily aborted at best - fully grounded at worst.
GRADE: E
FREMANTLE
By Nick D'Urbano
The hardest team to get a gauge on at this point of the season due to their inconsistency from game-to-game, the Dockers still remain an enigma.
Fremantle started the month with an impressive 54-point win over the Bulldogs and also recorded a 30-point win over the Saints, with both wins coming at Optus Stadium.
However, there were three losses to go with it, including an eight-point loss in valiant style against the Eagles in the first Western Derby of 2018 and a 77-point drubbing to the Tigers along with a 59-point loss to the Swans on the road leaving them 4-5 at the end of May.
They can be buoyed by the form of their captain, Nathan Fyfe who has returned to career-best form after two seasons riddled by injuries along with his partner in crime, Lachie Neale and veteran ruckman, Aaron Sandilands, who continues to dominate in the centre of the ground.
As seen, the Dockers are a force at Optus Stadium and have played some scintillating football at their new surroundings, but have failed to beat anyone of note with their other two wins coming against the Suns and Bombers.
Their best football did test the Eagles but Freo were ultimately outgunned mainly due to a lack of experience and forward target.
Youngsters such as Luke Ryan, Ed Langdon and Connor Blakely have been impressive with them all having breakout seasons, while Andrew Brayshaw, Adam Cerra, Bailey Banfield and Mitch Crowden have all showed glimpses in their first season.
For them to be more of a force, they need to start winning on the road and it doesn’t bode fairly for them as their average losing margin away from Optus Stadium is an astonishing 54 points.
Over the next month, the Dockers host the exciting North Melbourne which will provide them with a chance to prove some doubters wrong, travel to the MCG to face Collingwood, before hosting the Adelaide prior to their bye.
Being at 7-6 or 6-7 at the bye would suffice as a pass mark for the Dockers.
GRADE: C-
GEELONG
By Chris Nice
Another side with enormous potential, Geelong haven't quite fired the way they would have liked given their exceptionally talented list, but nonetheless cling onto eighth position as a result of their efforts.
While their best puts them on par with quality top-eight sides, their worst has allowed rival teams to steamroll them, with the Cats unable to respond when placed under the pump.
Definitive wins over Port Adelaide, Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood have been marred by embarrassing losses to Sydney and Essendon, with the loss to the latter jeopardising an opportunity to finish round nine in the top-four.
What's frustrating is Geelong have both the personnel and the talent to compete with the elite sides of the competition - including Hawthorn, Sydney and West Coast - yet their performances across the season have been variable to say the least.
A seven-goal blitz from the Swans in the final term subjected the Cats to a humiliating defeat at home, before they were caught napping against the Bombers last week, eventually going down by 34 points.
But in-between has been a 61-point annihilation of the Giants, perplexing pundits as to where the Cats stand as the season approaches the halfway point and weaker teams begin to peter out.
While their 5-4 record puts them in jeopardy of being a team who may lose relevance as the weeks roll on, Geelong are a far better team than their figures suggest , most notably with their stacked midfield.
Although their guns in Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood have accumulated solid numbers - 27 disposals per game on average - their impact hasn't quite been as profound to their previous game-changing seasons.
It feels like all the Geelong machine just needs a little bit of oil to get everything running smoothly on the field, and with big names slowly being crossed off their once lengthy injury list, a run up the ladder isn't out of the question.
With seasoned stars coming back into the fold following stints on the sidelines - including Gary Ablett, Harry Taylor and Scott Selwood - Geelong should be in good stead as the likes of Lachie Henderson, Cameron Guthrie and Daniel Menzel eventually find their way back into the side throughout the course of the year.
Despite young stars like Jordan Murdoch, George Horlin-Smith and Cory Gregson potentially at risk of losing their spot in the 22 with the old campaigners returning, it's a dilemma Chris Scott would be more than willing to have.
The next few weeks presents an opportunity for the Cats to steady themselves and consolidate a position up the higher end of the ladder, with matches against Carlton, Gold Coast and North Melbourne more than winnable opportunities.
But given the Cats' hot and cold season thus far, there's no such thing as a guarantee.
GRADE: C+
GOLD COAST
By Zac Standish
The arrival of Stuart Dew to the Gold Coast at the beginning of the season saw a renewed hope at the Suns, with the coach's game plan producing some excellent results in the JLT and first month of the season.
But with the inability to play at their home ground due to the Commonwealth Games, the Suns long road trip has finally caught up with them, as fatigue begins to show through their younger players.
David Swallow has been a major positive for the Gold Coast this season, with the former No. 1 draft pick in career-best form at the moment, with an average just shy of 24 disposals a game.
Aaron Hall has also returned to his best form over the past few weeks, giving the team some much-needed run through the middle of the ground.
The development of the Suns' youth this season has without a doubt been a positive for Stuart Dew, as the likes of Ben Ainsworth, Touk Miller, Jack Bowes and Jack Martin have thrived with their added responsibility and importance to the line-up.
The main problem facing the Suns at the moment is their long injury list, as the likes of Tom Lynch, Darcy MacPherson, Matt Rosa, Pearce Hanley, Brayden Fiorini and Jesse Joyce all find themselves on the sidelines.
After being relatively competitive in most games, their recent match against Melbourne at the 'Gabba was a major step backwards, as Dew’s men conceded a season high 146 points in an embarrassing 69-point loss.
Returning back to Metricon Stadium in round 11, the Suns will be hoping to get over Geelong, Greater Western Sydney and St Kilda to atone for their horrific defeat against Melbourne.
Hopefully the Suns will begin to put up their best football, and show fans that the rebuild is going in the right direction.
GRADE: D
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
By Zac Standish
After not being at their best in the first month of the season but still sitting on top of the ladder, the past five weeks have been nothing but a disaster for the young and talented side.
Escaping with a draw against the St Kilda in round five, the Giants have only managed one win against Brisbane since, with injuries to key players having a major toll on the team.
With star midfielder Josh Kelly, Jeremy Cameron, Toby Greene, Brett Deledio, Phil Davis and Tom Scully all on the sidelines, the Giants have had to rely on their bottom end, who in turn have simply been unable to produce to a high enough standard.
Blowout losses to Geelong and North Melbourne have been indicative of where GWS are at, with too much left to too few.
The club's leaders have also failed to stand up during this rough patch, with co-captain Callan Ward in particular going through a relatively lean period, despite unquestionable toiling around the ground.
On the positive side, Stephen Coniglio has continued his dominant early season form as he along with Dylan Shiel have consistently carried the Giants' midfield.
Tim Taranto is also continuing to breakout into a very solid AFL level player, providing very handy and influential minutes through the middle of the ground.
But it just hasn't been enough to turn the side into even a finals contender in 2018, with a number of gaping holes still very much evident in their best 22.
The loss of Shane Mumford in particular has been felt heavily, with replacements Rory Lobb and Lachlan Keeffe not able to bring the same ferocity and pressure to the Giants' midfield.
The form of Jonathan Patton is also a worry, with the former number one pick being dropped from the side after a host of poor performances.
Essendon, Adelaide and Gold Coast could spell trouble for the depleted Giants, and with just three wins on the board, the return of several GWS stars will be eagerly awaited within the current fledgling side.
Like a win, they can't come quick enough.
GRADE: D
HAWTHORN
By Zac Standish
Although beginning the season with some solid wins, the past few weeks have been a struggle for Hawthorn, as their injury list grows and younger players begin to fatigue.
Disappointing losses to North Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane over the past month have shown that the Hawks, despite their exceptional talent, are not quite ready to be among the competition's elite.
Starting the season in sublime fashion, star midfielder Tom Mitchell has dropped away a touch over recent weeks after receiving significant attention from opposition taggers.
However, the ball-magnet still looks very capable to be a disposal machine through the midfield, with a 46-disposal game last weekend reminding people of his class.
Isaac Smith has also been a shining light for the Hawks on the wing with the vice-captain continuing to exude class, while the fiery James Sicily has really emerged as an elite intercepting defender.
The main problem facing Hawthorn at the moment comes in the form of their bottom six players, as injuries to key players Grant Birchall, James Frawley, Cyril Rioli and Paul Puopolo have seen an over-reliance on younger players.
The comments of Alastair Clarkson following the loss to Sydney have also been of some concern, after he said he may not be the man to move the club forward, and would step aside if it were for the betterment of the team.
It is an interesting time for the Hawthorn Football Club as they sit in a precarious position, with the in-form West Coast, Adelaide and Port Adelaide in the next month.
The Hawks could either find their feet again and truly cement themselves as the best team of the modern era and claim another finals spot, or fall into a dramatic slump and watch their season slip away.
It really could go either way.
GRADE: C+
MELBOURNE
By Zac Standish
A lacklustre start to the year had many predicting yet another underwhelming season from Melbourne, yet the Demons have bounced back with four straight wins to place them in an ideal position moving forward.
After a disappointing loss to Richmond in round five, serious questions were asked of the character of the Melbourne team, with CEO Peter Jackson declaring their brand of football had been "trashed" following the abysmal performance.
As supporters again prepared for another September holiday, the Demons turned the tables with the next four games, and now sit in third place as a result.
To the credit of Simon Goodwin and his coaching team, the Demons have responded very well, taking care of business emphatically against lowly sides in Essendon, St Kilda, Gold Coast and Carlton.
With co-captain Jack Viney returning last week, things look to finally be on the up for Melbourne as they are finally able to produce a very attractive brand of football, albeit against less superior sides.
The main talking point surrounding the Demons' return to form is star recruit Jake Lever, who after a horrid first month has begun to fit in seamlessly with the Melbourne defence.
The Melbourne midfield has also been able to hit their stride over the past month, with the work of Max Gawn in the ruck resulting in improved outputs from the likes of Clayton Oliver, Nathan Jones, Angus Brayshaw and Jordan Lewis.
Jesse Hogan has again taken his game to another level in 2018, with the key position forward making his presence known around the ground as well as in front of goal.
Although they are yet to beat a real contender this season, the foundation is certainly there for this Melbourne side to go a long way in 2018 and beyond.
Adelaide in Alice Springs will certainly be a challenge, while matches against the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood will shape not only their season, but people's opinions of them.
Contenders or pretenders, the next few weeks will be telling.
GRADE: A
NORTH MELBOURNE
By Chris Nice
Footy is best when it's unpredictable, and North Melbourne have been the epitome of that this season, with their 5-4 results placing them in seventh position on the ladder.
North Melbourne's results have been bewildering to say the least, particularly after pre-season predictions had them destined to find their home at the bottom of the ladder, given their lack of depth and wealth of inexperience.
While list depth still lingers as a potential issue, it will be at the back of the Roos' minds given their exceptional performances over the past few weeks.
Knocking off both premiership contenders Sydney and Hawthorn, confidence will undoubtedly be brimming down at Arden St, particularly after coming off the back of a 43-point victory over Greater Western Sydney down at their second home in Tasmania.
A convincing defeat against Port Adelaide has been one of the few sour notes to hit the Roos, with their second loss over the past few weeks a heroic 10-point loss against Richmond.
Despite the defeat against the reigning premiers, the challenge presented to the Tigers affirmed their results weren't just luck, and may have simultaneously swayed doubters over to their side.
With shinboner spirit engrained into their playing style, North's tough and gritty approach has paid dividends, with a top-eight spot the result of their labour.
The Roos have had no shortage of contributors, with many underrated stars of the competition bolstering their belief week after week.
The three big Bens of North Melbourne have been exceptional, with Brown, Cunnington and Jacobs all playing integral roles in shaping the side's brand of football.
The hardened Cunnington has been North's contested ball-magnet and leading clearance player, while his foil in Jacobs has showed his mastery of the tag, nullifying the Brownlow medallist in Dustin Martin during their clash in round eight.
Brown however has been the most damaging, with the North spearhead able to turn the tide of games in the space of a few minutes and currently leading the Coleman with 31 goals for the season.
Alongside Brown and Jacobs, Shaun Higgins, Jack Ziebell and Jed Anderson have been prolific through the middle of the ground, with the latter's importance to North growing in tandem to his improvement.
With the veterans in Scott Thompson and Jarrad Waite similarly on song at their respective ends of the ground, the Roos' personnel shows no sign of faltering, yet should any one star go down, you can't help but feel a collapse would be a serious possibility.
With Fremantle, Brisbane and Geelong to come, one can't help but wonder if North Melbourne's good run with form will continue as the season approaches the halfway mark - 8-4 will certainly look impressive.
Baffling, but impressive.
GRADE: B+
PORT ADELAIDE
By Zac Standish
It’s been an interesting past five weeks for Port Adelaide, who after a fast start to the season began to stumble, with their legitimacy as a finals contender thrown into question.
The main headline surrounding the Power this season has been their recruits in Steven Motlop and Jack Watts, who simply have not met their expectations so far this season.
Charlie Dixon has also struggled to get going in 2018, with just six goals in nine games.
Despite their inconsistent form, the Power are still sitting pretty at 6-3, with a crucial come-from-behind five-point win over Adelaide potentially season-defining, but most definitely showing just what they are capable of.
It’s been the lesser known names for Port who have stood up so far this year, with the likes of Riley Bonner, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Tom Jonas, Tom Clurey and Jake Neade all playing pivotal roles for the team.
All-Australian midfielder/small forward, Robbie Gray, has also returned to near career-best form over the past month, with a five-goal third quarter in the Showdown showing his match-winning ability and freakish talent.
The return of Paddy Ryder has also been met with positive results, with the likes of Ollie Wines, Travis Boak and Brad Ebert all benefiting from the All-Australian ruckman’s silver service.
After a rest this week following their return from China, the Power should be fresh to face off against Hawthorn, Richmond and the Western Bulldogs.
One of the more inconsistent teams in the competition at the moment, the next month of football is critical for the men from Alberton as they look to build on their past two matches and develop into a genuine premiership contender.
GRADE: B+
RICHMOND
By Zac Standish
Richmond have squashed all talk of a premiership hangover following their blistering start to the 2018 season, despite a 47-point thrashing from West Coast last week.
The Tigers look as hungry as ever to go back-to-back, with their elite pressure and ball movement looking to have elevated to impossibly surreal levels over the off-season.
Jack Riewoldt has been back to his goalkicking best in 2018 with 24 goals, a total which has him sitting in third position for the Coleman Medal, while captain Trent Cotchin also looks to be in excellent form as he leads the team by example beautifully.
Richmond have also seen significant improvement out of a number of their lesser-known players, with Josh Caddy, Kane Lambert, Kamdyn McIntosh, David Astbury, Nick Vlastuin and Jayden Short all establishing themselves as solid AFL players.
With a healthy list and a host of games at their MCG fortress in the near future, the number one concern for Richmond at the moment is the form of Dustin Martin, who has been almost ineffective recently.
Kept quiet against West Coast and tagged out of the game by Ben Jacobs in the clash against North Melbourne, the reigning Brownlow medallist has been unusually quiet, yet everyone knows he has the ability to change all that in a heartbeat.
Although he will be needed at his best come finals time, this slump has allowed others to get more involved which has only increased Richmond’s depth.
The Tigers' inability to take their dominance interstate is another issue for Damien Hardwick, with their only losses being substantial ones against Adelaide and West Coast away from home.
While their next two games against St Kilda and Essendon will be at their MCG fortress, the Tigers will be put to the test when they face off Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in round 13.
Everything is falling into place for the Tigers to go back-to-back in 2018, as the rest of the competition look to find a way of beating the well-oiled machine on their home deck.
The Tiger Train is going full steam ahead.
GRADE: A
ST KILDA
By Chris Nice
Earlier in the month, St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said the Saints were "in a hole" following their unforgivable start to the season, which has consisted of just one victory, one draw and now seven losses.
But at the moment, that "hole" is looking more and more like a bottomless pit, and the Saints are digging it themselves.
St Kilda's plan for the future (which was launched in 2014) seems to be quite a ways off-target thus far, with their ambitions of a top-four finish this season and a premiership by 2020 highly unlikely to come to fruition given their current form.
It's much of the same predicament as last month, with poor skill execution, directionless kicks inside 50 and inaccurate shots at goal at the forefront of their game.
Failure to convert goals has been an issue for the Saints all season long, with missed opportunities at pivotal moments nothing short of costly.
Save for their 1.5 first half against Fremantle - their lowest for the season since their 2.10 against North Melbourne in round two - the Saints have opened their games well and remained within the contest, but final quarter blowouts and poor kicking have let their chances for a win go begging.
In their clashes between Hawthorn, Melbourne, Fremantle and Collingwood, the Saints have been in with more than a sniff, but have once again been let down with their skill execution.
Conversely, their clash against Greater Western Sydney showed their capability to go toe-to-toe with sides above them, albeit the four points not going their way in the end.
Jack Steven has toiled hard through midfield in all games however, while Jimmy Webster has continued his underrated run down in defence, with his intercept plays and passages across half-back crucial to the Saints, particularly given the absence of Dylan Roberton.
With Roberton out indefinitely with a yet to be determined heart condition, the sidelined Saint joins the injured Koby Stevens, Josh Bruce, Ben Long and now Nathan Brown, who may all be absent for extended periods of time.
With Jake Carlisle too a possibility to miss this week again with concussion issues, the Saints will be exceptionally undermanned in their defence, while their forward line fares no better with Paddy McCartin similarly out of the side.
While several youngsters have stepped in to fill the voids of the notable absentees and have subsequently performed well - in particular Ed Phillips, Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield - the Saints will have trouble finding suitable candidates to cover for their key position players.
What was tipped to be a year of optimism for the St Kilda has at the moment been dashed, with hope not riding on whether the Saints will be able to win a flag in the coming years, but whether they'll remain in the contest from week to week.
With Richmond, West Coast, Sydney and Gold Coast over the next month, it could get exceptionally ugly for the Saints, with a 1-11-1 record a distinct possibility.
Put away the shovels, Saints, and find some climbing gear; you need to get out of that hole fast.
GRADE: E
SYDNEY
By Nick D'Urbano
Sydney have faced a challenging month but have come out the other side in a better position than many thought due to their injuries.
With Lance Franklin and Dan Hannebery missing a chunk of football during May, the Swans needed to get goals from somewhere with Sam Reid also missing due to his own injury concerns.
It has been a month where their best football has been led by their incredible corps of young talent around the park who have been superb since called upon.
A loss to the Crows at home by 10 points was put behind them with an inspiring final quarter win away to Geelong led by youngsters Will Hayward, Oliver Florent and cult-hero, Ben Ronke.
But the brilliance of midfield dynamo, Josh Kennedy whose last month has been remarkable, has also been instrumental to the Swans'success.
However, a controversial loss at home to North Melbourne by two points saw doubt begin to creep in from an external point-of-view due to a lack of goals, but it was answered by their young forward, Ronke who kicked a remarkable seven goals against the Hawks to lead them to a win at the ‘G the next week.
Their poor form at home ended with a comfortable win at home over the Dockers along with the return of Franklin and Hannebery as they now sit percentage out of the top-four heading into a massive month ahead.
The Swans head into next week with a tricky clash against the inspired Brisbane at the Gabba', who are coming off a brilliant first win of the season against Hawthorn.
Followed by that they face a smoother run with games against Carlton at the SCG and St Kilda at Etihad.
In short, the Swans are on song.
GRADE: B+
WEST COAST
By Zac Standish
The surprise story of the season thus far, West Coast have more than exceeded expectations in the first nine rounds as they sit pretty on top of the AFL ladder following eight successive wins.
Predicted to fall away in 2018, a number of Eagles have developed into A-graders, with none more dramatic than Jack Darling, whose rise has been unparalleled throughout the entire competition.
Seen for many years as Josh Kennedy’s foil, Darling has made the forward 50 his own this season as he sits second in the Coleman tally with 28 goals and third in the competition for marks (74 from his nine matches, with a game-high 15 against Richmond).
Elliot Yeo has also continued on from his breakout 2017 season, moving into the Eagles' midfield and subsequently becoming one of the best players in the league.
The move to Optus Stadium has been nothing short of a success for the Eagles, with the ground already a fortress just nine weeks into its existence.
West Coast have also travelled well this season - defying their previous history of being a poor away side - picking up an important win against GWS in Sydney along with two victories from trips to Melbourne against the Western Bulldogs and Carlton.
With Brownlow medallists Matt Priddis and Sam Mitchell retiring at the end of last season, the Eagles have experienced a dramatic lift from their lower-end midfielders, with Jack Redden, Dom Sheed and Mark Hutchings all improving this season.
With eight wins on the board and Hawthorn, St Kilda and Sydney to come, the sky is the limit for West Coast this season as this group of determined players continue to defy odds and surge towards September.
Could 11 straight be out of the question?
GRADE: A+
WESTERN BULLDOGS
IBy Chris Nice
Now a game behind the sides on the fringe of the top-eight, the Western Bulldogs' chances of a finals run are slim at best given the skill level of the sides above them.
Disappointing performances against both Fremantle and Adelaide on the road coupled with narrow wins against lower-tiered teams has resulted in a very low percentage (79.7), all but ruling the Dogs out of contention.
Wins on the board are always fantastic, but when they've been determined by less than three goals against the sides with close to no chance at finals, it's hard to envisage the Bulldogs progressing much higher up the ladder.
That being said, the Bulldogs have undoubtedly had some shining lights this season, and arguably have the Brownlow favourite within their side.
Jackson Macrae has been nothing short of phenomenal this season, finishing eight of his nine games with over 30 disposals (two games over 40) and sitting with a whopping 34 touches per game on average.
The 23-year-old has been flanked brilliantly by Luke Dahlhaus, Toby McLean and Marcus Bontempelli, whose efforts have been commendable throughout the previous month.
Patrick Lipinski has slotted seamlessly into the line-up, with his eight goals from his five matches crucial to the Bulldogs' wins over Carlton, Gold Coast and Brisbane, while fellow youngsters Billy Gowers and Ed Richards have also been steady.
Patches of dare from their premiership year have shone through on occasion, with Jason Johannisen sparking the Bulldogs several times over the past few weeks and being the catalyst for hard-fought and determined passages of football.
But all in all, the Dogs have been unable to put it all together on a consistent basis, and is the major reason as to their stagnation.
There's talent growing down at the Kennel, but with Collingwood, Melbourne and Port Adelaide to come over the next month, there's a more than likely chance the Dogs will slip away.
GRADE: C-
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