Season 2017 is the most unpredictable season in recent memory with upsets galore
UPSETS have gone to a whole new level this year, which is good news for West Coast and the Bulldogs but ugly reading for Collingwood and Melbourne.
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE footy tipping mayhem is real.
The bookies have proved it. This season is the most unpredictable in recent history.
Is it the workings of equalisation? The demise of the Hawthorn empire? The end of uncompromised drafts? Or simply natural evolution?
FIELD MARSHAL: ONE BAD QUARTER HURTING DEMONS
REPORT CARD: DO MAGPIES DESERVE TRADE HEAT?
NOT HAPPY: DEMONS FAN’S SAVAGE LETTER TO GOODWIN
Perhaps a combination. But whatever it is, Collingwood is on the poster for its wild form swings.
In coach Nathan Buckley’s past 15 matches as favourite, the erratic Magpies have saluted just five times.
That data rewinds beyond 2017, but it has gone to a whole new level in this year’s make-or-break campaign.
Midfielders Taylor Adams and Adam Treloar led the Pies to two wins at mega odds — against Sydney and Geelong — and those victories were followed with meltdowns against St Kilda and Carlton.
Unfortunately for Bucks, the frustrating defeats outweigh the shock wins.
The Pies have only won six of their past 15 games as underdogs, with West Coast topping that chart with nine surprise victories.
UPSETTING? YOU BET IT IS: AFL upsets per round over the past decade
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan labelled Round 7 an “extraordinary weekend of football” as six upsets were sprung for just the fourth time in the past decade.
“It was the first time since 1975 that every team who was lower ranked in each game beat the higher ranked team,” McLachlan said.
“The football is incredible. The football is exceptional at the moment — high scoring, entertaining, crowds are fantastic, ratings are fantastic.”
THE DEPENDABLES AND THE DECIDEDLY SHAKEY
As for predictability?
If you want to make a quid, the advice is to head to Arden St.
North Melbourne’s sole victory from its past 15 matches as the outsider came against Adelaide on Saturday.
It’s a similar outcome when the TAB expects the Kangaroos to win, prevailing 13 times from the past 15 — along with the Crows, Saints and Geelong.
But gone are the years of the super power, evidenced by the road failures by flag fancies Adelaide and GWS last week.
This season the TAB has recorded 24 upsets from 63 matches, equating to 3.43 per round.
Last year it was just 2.21 per round and in 2011-12 it dipped under two surprises a weekend, as Gold Coast and then the Giants weakly entered the competition.
Even-money games are discounted.
Round 7 delivered six upsets, just the fourth time that has occurred in the past decade.
Mayhem, for everyone. Except the Kiss of Death.
Pies set to delay Gold Coast sale, Suns eye prime time blitz
Collingwood has delayed any plans to sell a game to the Gold Coast, while the Suns are hoping to become the AFL’s prime time darlings. JON RALPH has the latest fixture whispers.
Busiest man in Australia? Brendon Gale’s massive to-do list as Tassie Devils CEO
Incoming Tasmanian Devils CEO Brendon Gale will have a mountain of work on his desk for his first day in the role in February. Here are the priorities he must tackle to ensure the newest AFL club is a success.