The movers and sliders on the AFL ladder from Round 5 to Round 8

ONLY one win separates first from ninth on the ladder with the past three rounds resembling a game of snakes and ladders. Who have been the biggest movers and sliders?

The form of Geelong and Patrick Dangerfield has dipped in the past three weeks. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

THREE weeks ago Adelaide coach Don Pyke was shutting down talk his team was “unbeatable” after it had obliterated Richmond by 76 points at Adelaide Oval.

The Crows were the only unbeaten team after Round 6, scoring at a rate no opposition could match.

Since then they have been well beaten by North Melbourne (59 points) and Melbourne (41 points), failing to break the 100-point barrier in both games, and have been displaced as premiership favourite by Greater Western Sydney.

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But the sudden change in Adelaide’s fortunes has reflected the form fluctuations of the competition.

The Crows may still be top of the ladder but what’s been happening underneath them has resembled a game of snakes and ladders, and they could be joining in.

And amazingly, only one win separates first from ninth in this unpredictable and even season.

At Round 5 Adelaide, Geelong and Richmond hadn’t lost a game but they have just one win between them since in nine games combined — when the Crows defeated the Tigers.

Richmond was riding a wave of confidence and enthusiasm after the club made its best start to a season in 22 years following its come-from-behind win over Melbourne.

Jack Riewoldt and Richmond were on top of the world after beating Melbourne in Round 5. Picture: Michael Klein

But the Tigers have lost their last three games, the low point was Saturday’s defeat to Fremantle. Picture: AAP

Club legend Kevin Bartlett was pondering whether the Tigers could go through the season undefeated.

Bartlett’s comments may have been in jest, but after three consecutive defeats he was more sombre.

“Please don’t tell me the wheels are falling off the Tigers bandwagon again,” he said earlier this week after the Tigers threw victory away against Fremantle after leading with 21 seconds left.

LADDER AT ROUND 5

CLUB	POINTS	%
Adelaide	20	152.4
Geelong	20	147.0
Richmond	20	136.7
GWS	16	138.7
Western Bulldogs	16	112.8
Port Adelaide	12	140.1
West Coast	12	105.9
Essendon	12	97.9
Fremantle	12	78.4
Melbourne	8	101.7
St Kilda	8	91.5
Gold Coast	8	89.2
Collingwood	4	85.7
Brisbane	4	74.8
Hawthorn	4	70.4
Carlton	4	67.1
North Melbourne	0	81.7
Sydney	0	75.8

The loss was Richmond’s second by less than six points in as many weeks, but it has tumbled from third to seventh on the ladder and look vulnerable to missing finals altogether.

So too, does Geelong, which has also been a big slider, dropping from second to fifth.

Last month the Cats were being hailed for their handball focused game style that copied premier Western Bulldogs, but now their lack of tackling and pressure intent is under the spotlight after losses to Collingwood, Gold Coast and Essendon.

Even the Western Bulldogs aren’t safe after losing twice in three weeks and slipping three positions to eighth, but they were narrow defeats against top eight rivals GWS and West Coast.

At 2-3, the acid was being poured on St Kilda ahead of its clash against winless Hawthorn in Launceston.

If the Saints lost they would have been deemed not good enough to play finals.

Jack Steven and Jack Newnes jump for joy after a goal in St Kilda’s win over GWS. Picture: Michael Klein

They smashed the Hawks by 75 points, and a week later toppled GWS at Etihad Stadium.

After three straight wins and a rise of five spots to sixth, the Saints are being discussed as flag contenders.

West Coast has made similar gains after also winning three on the trot, its deplorable MCG form forgotten for now.

Looking back further, Fremantle was shot after Round 2 but is now transformed after wielding the axe on its veterans in favour of youth.

The Dockers have lost only once more and are one of six teams on five wins, sitting outside the eight on percentage.

LADDER AT ROUND 8

CLUB	POINTS	%	LADDER +/-
Adelaide	24	127.2	---
GWS	24	120.5	+2
West Coast	24	112.9	+4
Port Adelaide	20	150.8	+2
Geelong	20	116.5	-3
St Kilda	20	110.7	+5
Richmond	20	108.2	-4
Western Bulldogs	20	107.8	-3
Fremantle	20	85.4	---
Melbourne	16	111.9	---
Essendon	16	91.4	-3
Gold Coast	12	86.2	---
Carlton	12	80.2	+3
Hawthorn	12	76.5	+1
Sydney	8	94.3	+3
North Melbourne	8	92.1	+1
Collingwood	8	91.4	-4
Brisbane	4	66.9	-4

Essendon is the only club to have dropped out of the top eight since Round 5 but expect more changes between now and Round 23.

History shows there are usually two changes to the top eight after Round 8, even though there was none last year.

The average is 1.5, according to Champion Data. The only other year the eight remained unchanged from Round 8 was 2006.

And only on three occasions have three clubs played finals after being outside the eight at this stage of the season — 1998, 2000 and 2014 — but this year it could happen again.

Changes to the top eight after Round 8 since 1994:

1994 — 1

1995 — 1

1996 — 1

1997 — 2

1998 — 3

1999 — 2

2000 — 3

2001 — 2

2002 — 1

2003 — 1

2004 — 2

2005 — 2

2006 — 0

2007 — 1

2008 — 1

2009 — 2

2010 — 1

2011 — 2

2012 — 2

2013 — 1

2014 — 3

2015 — 2

2016 — 0