Early look at ladder shows four newest clubs to join competition sitting atop AFL table

IT WAS as if it was the way the footy gods intended it — the AFL’s newest clubs all sitting atop the competition ladder.

IT WAS as if it was the way the footy gods intended it.

Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast — the AFL’s newest clubs — all sitting atop the competition ladder.

If it wasn’t already considered to be a proper national competition just a matter of years ago then it truly is now.

GWS caused one of the AFL’s greatest upsets when it roared home against Sydney on Saturday while the Suns doubled the dose for the expansion sides when they held off Richmond later that night.

Wayne Jackson says it is brilliant to see, in particular, the Suns and Giants performing so well early in the season, but the former AFL chief laughed when asked if Victorians — and their clubs — should be concerned.

We are only four games in to the first round of a 23-round season after all.

“Of course they shouldn’t,” Jackson told Superfooty this morning.

“But it is a national competition and it’s good to see non-Victorian teams competing and doing well.

“I think (expansion) is what the commission has had in mind for a long, long time, but it’s not to say they want the non-Victorian teams to win or Victorian teams to lose it just means it’s good to have an even competition spread throughout the country.”

AFL FORM LADDER: BUDDY DISASTER

Jackson was on the AFL commission when Fremantle was introduced in 1995 and then was its CEO when Port Adelaide came in two years later.

But for the naysayers out there Jackson said it wasn’t all that long ago that the death of Victorian footy was being declared when from 2004-06 grand finals were contested only by Port Adelaide, Brisbane Lions, Sydney and West Coast.

“Just before I left the AFL I think the top eight had five of the non-Victorian teams in it,” he said.

“Geelong and Hawthorn have just dominated since, so nothing stays the same.

“It was fantastic to see the two new clubs do well on the weekend, but it is a long season and we shouldn’t get too carried away.”

News_Rich_Media: The GWS Giants have produced one of the greatest upsets in recent AFL history by downing their cross town rivals the Sydney Swans by 32 points at Spotless Stadium.

The league has invested some $400 million in to expansion in the northern markets in recent times.

So AFL chief Andrew Demetriou was understandably chuffed this weekend, telling The Australian this morning he was “very proud” of the performances of the Giants and Suns.

Demetriou, like Jackson, warned of a long season ahead.

But you can’t help but dream when looking at the fixture of the two newest sides.

Gold Coast faces a stern test against the Dockers at Patersons Stadium in Round 2, but then plays Brisbane (Metricon), Hawthorn (Metricon), Melbourne (MCG) and GWS (Metricon) and would like its chances of winning at least three of those games.

The Giants, meanwhile, have St Kilda (Etihad), Melbourne (Spotless Stadium) and Western Bulldogs (Startrack Oval) in an opening four game stretch that has some pundits even tipping them for a 4-0 start.

Fremantle, last year’s losing grand finalist, is a $4.25 second favourite to win this year’s premiership after its demolition of Collingwood on Friday night.

Port Adelaide is considered a $1.75 chance to make the finals for a second successive year after dispatching of Carlton on Sunday.