GEORGIE PARKER: Sydney and Carlton are AFL grand final favourites, Ken Hinkley and Matthew Nicks under pump

The coaches under the most pressure

All is far from well in the city of churches with South Australian fans praying their teams can pull themselves out of the rut they find themselves in.

Port Adelaide’s Ken Hinkley and the Crows’ Matthew Nicks are the two coaches most under the pump.

After an absolute drumming from the Lions at home — which used to be a fortress — is Port, and therefore Hinkley, in some strife? Fair to say they are with the club, who were looking like title contenders early on, now on the brink of dropping out of the top eight.

And if I was Nicks I’d be worried what Adelaide’s mid-season review is going to show given the very proud club had high expectations heading into season 2024. That 99-point drubbing of the Eagles seems a long way away after losing three in a row.

The most under performing team

Adelaide. I desperately wanted to say Melbourne, but the Crows have been the biggest disappointment of the year.

After challenging so many top four sides last year, and being one umpiring error away from making the eight, you finally felt the clouds were clearing and success was in reach. This year has been well short of that.

Melbourne, on the other hand, even with their best player out for the season, still have the ability to turn their season around, but they better do it fast.

The real deal

Dons fans have been waiting what seems like an age for the Bombers to deliver on their promise and it looks like they are Essendon. So, are they over performing? Are they good? I don’t actually know. Does anyone?

They have some very winnable matches coming up in the next month which may cement their space in the top four.

Is this the year they finally win a final and force the infamous “Days Since Essendon Have Won A Final” X account to shut down. For the record, it’s at 7232 days and counting.

Grand final prediction

Sydney v Carlton for the last Saturday in September.

If anyone at the moment doesn’t think it’s going to be these two teams in the grand final then they’re being deliberately annoying.

Both these sides are playing easily the best footy by a country mile and sit at 1-2 on the ladder.

Sydney are showing no signs of slowing down and the Blues need to keep winning against the big teams but at this rate it’s looking like being a very loud down Lygon Street in the back end of September.

Watch this space

Hawthorn. They may not make the eight but they’re a good chance on current form.

Whether they make the finals or not, with how close spots three through 10 is on the ladder, the Hawks will be responsible in some way with what the top four and top eight looks like.

And, if they do sneak in, I wouldn’t be surprised if they won a final.

In trouble

The AFL. They’ve had an absolute nightmare this year with umpiring decisions. It seems they’re just always one step behind and making it up as they go.

From mid-season interpretation changes, to multiple wrong decisions or non-decisions changing the outcome of games.

They need to fix the umpiring pretty quickly. Does that involve taking one umpire off the field to minimise interpretations?

Does it involve a better pathway for early retired players to become umpire’s? It seems to be more and more difficult for our umpires, so the AFL need to find a solution.

Change it up

The bye round. Brad Scott said it, and a lot of us have been thinking it.

Give every team, coach and fan a break from footy.

A week off for us all to breathe, recover, and for players to be ready to go for the business end of the season.

How does the bye look with 19 teams is a question for someone on a higher pay grade, but the bye rounds this season have been a downer after the addition of opening round, and needs to be looked at.