What would the AFL ladder look like if one-goal thrillers were reversed?

WINNING the tight ones can be the difference between finals and failure. So what would the AFL ladder look like if the one-goal thrillers were reversed?

Richmond celebrate Brandon Ellis’ last-quarter goal against Fremantle. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

WHAT IF ... it’s one of the most frequently asked questions of a weekend.

What if Richmond had have flooded back and stopped David Mundy marking?

Winning the close ones can be the difference between finals and failure, so we’ve reversed the one-goal thrillers and it makes for some interesting reading.

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The Tigers have suffered the most this season, going down by less than a goal in their last two games; to the Bulldogs by five and Fremantle by two.

Damien Hardwick’s men sit seventh but with those results reversed, they would sit a game clear on top of the ladder.

It makes for heartbreaking reading for the Tiger Army and North Melbourne fans would be a lot happier as well.

Richmond players celebrate after Brandon Ellis’ last-minute goal. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Fremantle celebrate David Mundy's match-winning goal. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

The Kangaroos endured a rough start to the year, losing their opening six games of the year, three of those by less than a goal.

Instead of sitting 16th - after winning just one game - North would sit seventh ahead of Geelong, GWS and the Western Bulldogs.

The opposite is true of Fremantle.

The Dockers currently sit ninth, outside the eight on percentage after winning five of their opening eight games.

CLUB	PLAYED	WINS	LOSSES	%	POINTS
Richmond	8	7	1	108.2%	28
Adelaide	8	6	2	127.2%	24
West Coast	8	6	2	112.9%	24
Melbourne	8	6	2	111.9%	24
Port Adelaide	8	5	3	150.8%	20
St Kilda	8	5	3	110.7%	20
North Melbourne	8	5	3	92.1%	20
GWS Giants	8	4	4	120.5%	16
Geelong	8	4	4	116.5%	16
Western Bulldogs	8	4	4	107.8%	16
Essendon	8	4	4	91.4%	16
Gold Coast	8	4	4	86.2%	16
Sydney	8	3	5	94.3%	12
Carlton	8	3	5	80.2%	12
Collingwood	8	2	6	91.4%	8
Fremantle	8	2	6	85.4%	8
Hawthorn	8	2	6	76.5%	8
Brisbane	8	0	8	66.9%	0

Thanks to David Mundy’s after-the-siren goal on Sunday, the Dockers have now won three games by less than a goal.

If the opposite were true, Ross Lyon’s job would be on the line in 16th.

Brisbane is already on the bottom of the ladder with one win but on the reversed ladder would be still chasing its maiden victory after beating Gold Coast by just two points in Round 1.

There have been 11 games decided by a goal or less this year.

Collingwood have been on both ends of a result after beating Sydney by one point in Round 3 but falling to GWS last weekend by two points.