See where your club stands and get expert analysis after Round 9

GEELONG faces a tough review of its loss to Essendon and the question remains, where best to play Gary Ablett. Meanwhile, West Coast goes top and North return to the eight. ROUND 9 LADDER

Gary Ablett in action for Geelong against Essendon. Picture: Michael Klein

GEELONG faces a tough review of its loss to Essendon this week.

But the question that continues to vex Chris Scott is where best to play Gary Ablett.

TERRIBLE: SCOTT AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN CATS EFFORT

CHECK OUT THE LADDER BELOW AND EXPERT ANALYSIS OF EVERY CLUB

THE TACKLE: WHO HAS AFL’S BEST ONE-TWO PUNCH?

Meanwhile, West Coast sits on top of the ladder after disposing of Richmond on Sunday.

And North Melbourne moves back into the top eight after beating the injury-riddled Giants while Hawthorn slide to ninth after being on the wrong end of Brisbane’s breakthrough win.

1. WEST COAST (8-0-1) 136.7% 32pts

Jeremy McGovern deserves to be ranked in the very best intercept markers of the past 30 years. His side are the best in it but still have to lot to prove at the MCG in September.

2. RICHMOND (7-0-2) 133.1% 28pts

They were due for a loss after winning 17 of their past 19 but be sure others will be closely watching a dismantling of their normally impregnable defence. Also ordinary in the middle.

3. MELBOURNE (6-0-3) 127.0% 24pts

Jesse Hogan and Tom McDonald can become their best attacking duo since David Schwarz and Garry Lyon. The latter pairing reached a prelim, the current can go further. Plus they have so many dangerous mates.

Eddie Betts was a cut above against the Bulldogs.

4. ADELAIDE (6-0-3) 125.4% 24pts

The most important player in today’s defensive slugfests is the one who can kick the big goals such as Fast Eddie. He was playing a different game than 43 others on Friday night.

5. SYDNEY (6-0-3) 114.6% 24pts

The Swans just got far too much loose ball down back and were able to then set up too easily. Jake Lloyd and Jarrad McVeigh had 61 uncontested possessions between them. Like the style of Tom McCartin.

6. PORT ADELAIDE (6-0-3) 108.1% 24pts

Arguably the hardest team to get a line on. Top eight? Probably. Top four? Possibly. Flag? Who knows? But it has enough depth to be there at the clock tower.

Ben Brown celebrates a goal in Hobart.

7. NORTH MELBOURNE (5-0-4) 118.0% 20pts

It’s one thing to have success, but another to achieve it with excitement as this club did in the 1970s and 1990s. Jed Anderson’s reinvention as a contested beast is Incredible Hulk-like.

8. GEELONG (5-0-4) 115.0% 20pts

The Cats bottom six to eight were poor to fair at best. Gary Ablett is interesting as to where his best position is? For mine it’s coming off the back of the square so he’s kicking inside 50m.

9. HAWTHORN (5-0-4) 107.2% 20pts

Maybe Alastair Clarkson’s anger after the Sydney loss was prompted by something he saw that was more worrying. More terminal. But they selected plenty of inexperienced Hawks.

10. COLLINGWOOD (5-0-4) 105.5% 20pts

You can add $10,000 to his next contract every time Jordan de Goey kicks a goal, or $110,000 in his past three games. No wonder the Pies are desperate to make sure he stays.

Josh Thomas in action for Collingwood.

11. GWS GIANTS (4-1-4) 102.6% 18pts

The massive worry now is keeping the guns who are on short-term contracts because right now it looks pretty bloody sick. The Giants bottom-end players are just a long way off it.

12. FREMANTLE (4-0-5) 87.5% 16pts

Just a standard seven-goal night for the purple haze. Interesting to know how frustrating it is for Dockers supporters? But at least they have some kids coming through.

13. WESTERN BULLDOGS (4-0-5) 79.7% 16pts

What do they say in wet conditions? One handball only and then boot the hell out it. And it might have made the difference given the Bulldogs controlled the game for large periods.

14. ESSENDON (3-0-6) 89.0% 12pts

The midfield, an area in which they have been so poor, was the Bombers point of dominance. So do it again. Devon Smith surely leads their B&F and is a poster boy for how to play the game.

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Tim Kelly. Picture: Michael Klein

15. GOLD COAST (3-0-6) 73.6% 12pts

The Suns have a crack but ultimately fall short due to a lack of experience and at times class. It would have been hard to imagine six years ago that the Suns and Giants would be strugglers.

16. ST KILDA (1-1-7) 69.7% 6pts

It seems every time the Saints have a vital shot for goal, they miss. They work their guts out to go forward only to witness their own version of the bubonic plaque take its cruel hold.

17. BRISBANE (1-0-8) 82.4% 4pts

Their guns were good in Dayne Beams, Danye Zorko and Stef Martin, but it was the future in Harris Andrews, Eric Hipwood, Matt Eagles, Hugh McCluggage and Alex Witherden that was darn exciting. And old Hodge was good.

18. CARLTON (1-0-8) 63.3% 4pts

There are apple turnovers, which can be pleasing, and Carlton turnovers, which definitely aren’t. And the Blues can’t even be predictable to their teammates, which is unforgivable.

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