New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\nPowered by Champion Data, Foxfooty.com.au assesses every club\u2019s overarching strength and weakness after Round 6. <\/p>\n
ADELAIDE CROWS<\/p>\n
Strength: Defence<\/p>\n
Stopping the opposition has been a strong point for the Crows for a while now, after Matthew Nicks\u2019 side last year ranked second for points against and first for score-per-inside-50 against. This year to date, it ranks sixth for points against, sixth for score-per-inside-50 against and fifth for chain-to-score against. So, while not quite as prolific as last season, it\u2019s still impressive considering Mark Keane\u2019s been out of the side and a couple of others have had niggles. History tells us the eventual premier almost always ranks in the top six for defence. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Ball movement<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t a new issue for the Crows by any means, but it\u2019ll only concern the club\u2019s supporters more as the season goes on. Because right now, their ability to move the footy is at record bad levels: Adelaide\u2019s current defensive-50-to-inside-50 rate, ranked 17th in the competition, is its worst on record after Round 6, per Champion Data. <\/p>\n
BRISBANE LIONS<\/p>\n
Strength: Clearance<\/p>\n
Simply put, Brisbane is doing incredible things at stoppage to start the year. Its average per-game clearance differential of +11.3 isn\u2019t only the best in the competition, but it\u2019s the best-ever return after Round 6 since before Champion Data started recording. The Lions are led in that category by Lachie Neale, who averages a league-best 8.3 clearances per game, and Will Ashcroft, with 6.0 per game. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Defence<\/p>\n
Even in their flag year last season, the Lions weren\u2019t spotless behind the ball, ranking sixth \u2018without the footy\u2019 \u2014 and their 78.4 average points conceded last year was the third-worst result of the past 14 premiers. And things have started in a similar way this year. Chris Fagan\u2019s side is currently 10th for points against, ninth for score-per-inside-50 against, 10th for turnover-to-score against and a lowly 15th for defending turnover. Sitting at 3-3 after six games, it\u2019s a watch. <\/p>\n
CARLTON<\/p>\n
Strength: Clearance reward<\/p>\n
There mightn\u2019t be a team in the competition with a more predictable method for victory than the Blues, who continue to rely on their stoppage game. They currently sit third in the competition for points from clearances. But when it\u2019s not working from that source, it\u2019s not as if Carlton turns to the turnover game \u2014 ranking dead-last to this point in the year for points from turnovers. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Second halves<\/p>\n
Carlton\u2019s scoring drop-offs as games progress are just too glaring to ignore. In first quarters this year, Michael Voss\u2019 men are a whopping +74 points. In second terms, they\u2019re -10 for the year \u2014 not great, not disastrous. But after half-time, things have repeatedly hit the fan. The Blues are -68 in third quarters this year, before \u2014 wait for it \u2014 a staggering -121 in fourth quarters. It\u2019s been one of the great mysteries of the season to date. Is it an inability to run out games? Does the game plan simply falter over 120 minutes once the opposition adjusts? Is the mental demon too much to bear? All of the above? It\u2019s hard to truly know. <\/p>\n
COLLINGWOOD<\/p>\n
Strength: Defence<\/p>\n
Not dissimilar to clubs like the Giants and Crows, the Pies have been considered a defensive stalwart for a few years now. Led by Darcy Moore, Brayden Maynard, Isaac Quaynor and Jeremy Howe, there aren\u2019t many more daunting backlines than Collingwood\u2019s, which sits third for points against, fourth for score-per-inside-50 against and seventh for chain-to-score against. And that\u2019s come almost completely without Moore to date. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Punishment<\/p>\n
Clearly, the attacking side of the equation has been nigh-on unsolvable for Craig McRae and his coaching team so far. Whether it\u2019s method, personnel or a combination of both, Collingwood currently sits 17th for clearance-to-score, 18th for half-back-to-score and dead-last also for score-per-inside-50. <\/p>\n
ESSENDON<\/p>\n
Strength: Uncontested and turnover improvements<\/p>\n
The Bombers have undeniably seen some silver linings in the past two and a half games. In particular, they\u2019ve been able to play more of their uncontested game. The Dons were -251 for uncontested marks over the first 14 quarters of their season, but have gone +81 in the metric in their past 10 quarters. And over the same two periods of time, Essendon has improved its points-from-turnover differential from -127 to start the year to +37 across the past 10 quarters. Overall, they\u2019ve won seven of their past 10 quarters after managing to win just two of their first 14. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Defending transition<\/p>\n
But if there\u2019s one thing that seems to have stayed the same under Brad Scott\u2019s leadership, it\u2019s the Bombers\u2019 inability to defend the opposition\u2019s transition. They currently sit dead-last for defending ball movement, and dead-last for defensive-50-to-score against. <\/p>\n
FREMANTLE<\/p>\n
Strength: Attack<\/p>\n
Who said the Dockers weren\u2019t exciting? Because Justin Longmuir\u2019s side is thriving with the footy, ranking third for intercept-to-score, fourth for half-back-to-score and second for score-per-inside-50. They know exactly what they\u2019re doing when they turn the ball over, and the personnel forward of the footy is getting it done for them once they surge forward. Through six rounds, the Dockers are converting 24 per cent of intercepts into a score \u2014 their best start to a season since 2010, per Champion Data. Another one? They\u2019re scoring from 51 per cent of their inside-50 entries, which is their best start since 2016. Jye Amiss has taken a step early in the campaign alongside Josh Treacy. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Clearance conversion<\/p>\n
With Caleb Serong and Andy Brayshaw at the forefront, Fremantle has been considered a clearance juggernaut for some time now. And while it sits second in the competition for clearance differential thus far, its clearance-to-score rate ranks 14th. Something within the forward connection piece needs work. <\/p>\n
GEELONG<\/p>\n
Strength: Territory return<\/p>\n
Geelong has quickly announced itself as the league\u2019s pre-eminent territory side, ranking first in the competition for inside-50 differential. And not just that, it\u2019s cashing in on that dominance, too, sitting first in the AFL for both forward-half intercepts and points from forward-half intercepts. But nobody is really that surprised that a Chris Scott-led side structures itself well all around the ground. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Forward efficiency<\/p>\n
Evidently, the Cats aren\u2019t having any worries keeping the footy in their forward half. However, where there is room for improvement is conversion. Through six matches, Geelong sits just 13th for score-per-inside-50, with a shot-at-goal accuracy rate that ranks a lowly 16th. It\u2019s a hard one to comprehend, given some of the names roaming that area of the ground. <\/p>\n
GOLD COAST SUNS<\/p>\n
Strength: Forward-half game<\/p>\n
Playing the game in the forward half \u2014 I challenge you to find a footy philosophy more akin to Damien Hardwick-led teams. His Suns currently rank first in the competition for time in forward half, forward-half intercepts and points from forward-half intercepts. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Midfield conversion<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been talked about to some degree now \u2014 most notably by Hardwick himself following Gold Coast\u2019s loss to Melbourne \u2014 but this midfield group has struggled thus far in the campaign. The Suns rank fourth for hitout win rate \u2014 so they\u2019re getting taps \u2014 but they sit 15th (!) for first-possession rate. It\u2019s quite an astounding disparity. Concerningly, the Suns also sit 16th for clearance differential. <\/p>\n
GWS GIANTS<\/p>\n
Strength: Defence<\/p>\n
Even without superstar stopper Sam Taylor at their disposal, the Giants have still been one of the best defensive outfits this season to date, ranking fourth for chain-to-score against, half-back-to-score against, and score-per-inside-50 against. It speaks to an unwavering structure and defensive discipline under Adam Kingsley. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Forward efficiency<\/p>\n
While we\u2019ve seen snippets of the Orange Tsunami in full flight this year, what we haven\u2019t seen is a consistent ability of the Giants to convert their opportunities in front of goal. They rank 16th for score-per-inside-50 and 14th for shot-at-goal accuracy. <\/p>\n
HAWTHORN<\/p>\n
Strength: Attack<\/p>\n
After defensive-half ball movement was a question mark for the Hawks last year, they\u2019ve turned into the second-best side for half-back-to-score rate. Sam Mitchell\u2019s mob also currently ranks first for intercept-to-score and first for score-per-inside-50. Early evidence suggests the Hawks are looking to go direct to goal once they gain possession, while their inside-50s entries are typically classy \u2014 rarely any long bombs inside if they can help it. <\/p>\n
Weakness: D50 groundball<\/p>\n
There\u2019s just a watch on Hawthorn\u2019s ground-level work in the back half. There\u2019s no questioning the Hawks\u2019 aerial work in defence, led by Tom Barrass, James Sicily and Josh Battle, but they currently rank a surprising 16th for defensive-50 groundballs. <\/p>\n
MELBOURNE<\/p>\n
Strength: Transition<\/p>\n
The Steven King-led Demons have been all the rage over the season\u2019s first six weeks, with their fast, free-flowing brand of play proving conducive to early wins over tough opponents. They\u2019ve passed the eye test, and the numbers back it up: they\u2019ve been the third-best side at moving the footy, behind only the Suns and Giants. Melbourne has generated an inside-50 from 26 per cent of its defensive-50 chains, which, according to Champion Data\u2019s archives, is its third-best return after Round 6 across the past 10 years. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Defence<\/p>\n
Melbourne certainly isn\u2019t the same impenetrable defensive juggernaut it was a few years ago. And while King\u2019s fast-movers are getting down at one end of the ground, they\u2019re just as easily getting scored against. The Demons rank a lowly 16th for defending ball movement, 16th for score-per-inside-50 against and 13th for turnover-to-score against. <\/p>\n
NORTH MELBOURNE<\/p>\n
Strength: Stoppage work and reward<\/p>\n
Not dissimilar to the Blues, the Roos love building their game on contest, and converting from their stoppage work has been a strength to start the season, ranking first for points from clearances. Not just that, but North Melbourne\u2019s current scores-from-stoppage mark of 43.7 points per game is its best on record after Round 6, per Champion Data. It just tops the 42.3 points it was averaging from that source after Round 6, 2013. The Roos also rank third for clearances and second for <\/p>\n
Weakness: Mettle test<\/p>\n
Nothing overly glaring has stood out from a negative aspect, but the Roos are set to be tested big-time across this next block of games. The Roos had the second-easiest fixture across the first six weeks, and they\u2019re about to be confronted by the second-hardest slate in the next six. That next six: GWS in Canberra, Geelong at Kardinia Park, Sydney, Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, Gold Coast and Fremantle in Bunbury (a home game they sold). We\u2019re quickly going to find out a lot about North Melbourne. <\/p>\n
PORT ADELAIDE<\/p>\n
Strength: Turnover punishment<\/p>\n
Say what you will about this iteration of Port Adelaide under first-year coach Josh Carr, but the long-time assistant has got his mob playing a modern brand of footy. Punishing the opposition\u2019s mistakes and defending transition are crucial in today\u2019s AFL, and the Power currently rank fifth for points from turnover and fourth for points from turnover against. Port Adelaide is currently scoring from 23 per cent of its intercepts, which, according to Champion Data, is its best start to a season since 2017. Granted, they\u2019ve had one of the easiest starts to the season in terms of their fixture, but the profile gives cause for some long-term hope. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Defensive profile<\/p>\n
Port Adelaide has been a tough territory team to play against this year, conceding a league-best average of 46.2 inside-50s. However, if you can get it inside 50 against Carr\u2019s side, you\u2019ll like your chances, as it ranks 14th for score-per-inside-50 against. <\/p>\n
RICHMOND<\/p>\n
Strength: Defending back-half chains<\/p>\n
Very little has gone right for Richmond to start the season, but in a silver lining, the club has made a couple of sizeable improvements in defending ball movement. The Tigers have gone from 17th last year to eighth for defensive-50-to-inside-50 against, and 15th to fifth for points against from defensive 50. It suggests that at least structurally, they\u2019re doing something right in how they\u2019re setting up their full-ground defence. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Attack<\/p>\n
You\u2019d be hard-pressed to find a more boring attacking unit than Richmond at the moment. There\u2019s very little imagination or creativity when Adem Yze\u2019s side looks to transition the footy, and that\u2019s reflected in the statistics. Through six rounds, the Tigers sit dead-last for chain-to-score, score-per-inside-50 and defensive-50-to-inside-50. <\/p>\n
ST KILDA<\/p>\n
Strength: Stoppage game<\/p>\n
The Saints sit just within the top half of the league for clearance differential, but more promising than that is the fact that they\u2019re converting those clearances into scores at the fifth-best rate through six rounds. Whether it\u2019s structure or the way the smalls are getting to work at ground level \u2014 or both \u2014 Ross Lyon\u2019s men are finding a way to convert at a top-six rate despite the continued absence of their spearhead Max King. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Punishment<\/p>\n
St Kilda\u2019s concern is quite clearly their current inability to punish the opposition. It has actually dropped from ninth last year to 16th thus far in 2026 for intercept-to-score rate. Lyon\u2019s brigade also presently sits 14th for ball movement, indicating an inability to hurt the opposition once it\u2019s in their possession. <\/p>\n
SYDNEY SWANS<\/p>\n
Strength: Defence<\/p>\n
The Swans\u2019 backline is performing at a historically-good level. And the rest of the competition should be taking serious notice. Their 66.2 average points allowed is the club\u2019s second-best result on record after Round 6, while their turnover-to-score against rate of 17 per cent is their fourth-best result on record. Tom McCartin and Nick Blakey have led from the front, while veteran Dane Rampe has played at a high level. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Ground-level hunt<\/p>\n
There aren\u2019t many things to nitpick with Dean Cox\u2019s premiership-contending side, but if there\u2019s one thing to put a question mark on, it\u2019s their groundball game. The Swans have won the groundball battle just once this season thus far, and their -20 result in the metric against the Giants last Friday was their third-worst result under Cox\u2019s guidance. <\/p>\n
WEST COAST EAGLES<\/p>\n
Strength: Ground-level hunt<\/p>\n
West Coast has had some highs and lows to start the season, but one thing Andrew McQualter can hang his hat on is his side\u2019s groundball game, ranking fourth in the competition in the metric, behind only Brisbane, GWS and Fremantle. As a matter of fact, this has been the Eagles\u2019 second-best groundball return after Round 6 over the past 15 years, per Champion Data\u2019s archives. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Defence<\/p>\n
Granted, the Eagles have come up against strong flag aspirants in Gold Coast, Sydney, Geelong and Fremantle among their first six, but 116 average points against is their worst result after the opening six rounds since 1989. West Coast is also getting ripped apart in transition once it turns the ball over \u2014 69 average points against from turnovers is the club\u2019s worst output since 2010. <\/p>\n
WESTERN BULLDOGS<\/p>\n
Strength: Transition<\/p>\n
The Dogs have been a threatening force attacking from their back half. They\u2019re averaging 39.0 points from their defensive half, which not only ranks fourth in the competition thus far, but it\u2019s the club\u2019s best start to a season in the metric since 2011, according to Champion Data. All-Australian Bailey Dale leads all Bulldogs with 4.8 rebound-50s per game. <\/p>\n
Weakness: Defence<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a familiar story for the Bulldogs from a back-half perspective, as despite a promising start to the year in terms of tactical adjustments made by Luke Beveridge, we\u2019re still seeing poor results in key metrics. They\u2019re conceding the 10th-most inside-50s, and they\u2019re allowing the opposition to score from those entries at the sixth-worst rate in the league. They also sit 17th for defensive-50 contested possessions after ranking dead-last in the metric last year. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The season is starting to take shape. 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