Crikey’s NRL Hot Form Chart

It’s been a few weeks but the Melbourne Storm have found themselves back on top of the Hot Form Charts.

It is ascension by default in a sense as the Storm had a bye last week, but they have their chance to consolidate against Newcastle, the mob they can thank for knocking off the Titans, and delivering the prestigious title of Crikey’s number one team.

Manly too have recovered from an indifferent start, and — like the Storm — are back where they began the season: in second spot.

The Sea Eagles face competition leaders Brisbane in an obvious match of the round on Sunday. The tea leaves reckon Darren Lockyer’s absence cancels out the Broncos’ home ground advantage, but are silent on the question of who will win.

We’re not. We reckon it’ll be Manly.

We’re also tipping the Roosters, albeit a little reluctantly. They sit a lot higher than the Raiders on the Form Chart despite both teams losing their last two games. Let’s put that down to a quirk of mathematics and hope it isn’t due to someone forgetting to carry the one.

Cronulla, in the good old days, ruled the Hot Form Chart. The good old days ended two weeks ago and we can’t see them returning in Townsville on the weekend.

The Eels play the Dragons, one of two teams anyone could be confident Parramatta will beat. And the Bulldogs host Penrith in a match unlikely to inspire a ballad or an epic poem, but we suppose a limerick or two isn’t out of the question.

Here’s a starter:

The Bulldogs were fresh out of luck
And playing ‘tween passion and pluck
Said coach Steven Folkes
“Now look here you blokes!”

…you can fill in the last line for yourselves.

Form over
Last 5 games		 Team Last week NRL ladder position Sequence
1 Melbourne 2 2 L-W-W-W-W
2 Manly 3 4 W-W-L-W-W
3 Titans 1 3 W-W-W-W-L
4 Brisbane 4 1 L-W-L-W-W
5 Penrith 5 12 W-W-L-W-L
6 Cowboys 6 15 W-W-W-L-L
7 Roosters 8 5 W-W-W-L-L
8 Newcastle 10 6 L-L-L-W-W
9 Warriors 14 13 L-W-L-L-W
10 Parramatta 15 10 W-L-L-L-W
11 Tigers 9 8 L-L-W-W-L
12 Bulldogs 11 9 W-L-L-W-L
13 Cronulla 12 7 L-W-W-L-L
14 Canberra 7 11 W-L-W-L-L
15 Dragons 13 14 L-L-L-L-W
16 Rabbitohs 16 16 L-L-L-L-W

Crikey’s Hot Form Tips for Round 9 are:

  • Australia
  • Panthers
  • Cowboys
  • Roosters
  • Manly
  • Parramatta
  • Melbourne

Last week: 2
Season: 31

Crikey’s AFL Hot Form Chart

Only one game this week – Victoria’s bestish against the bestish from everywhere else. So why not take the opportunity to have a look at how everyone is travelling. Hmmm?

Geelong

  • Hot Form Chart: 1
  • AFL Ladder: 1
  • We say: The good news: The Cats are not at their best. The bad news: Geelong are not their best (and will only get better).
  • Verdict: Still the best.

Hawthorn

  • Hot Form Chart: 2
  • AFL Ladder: 2
  • We say: It would be funny to see a bunch of such pretty young men acting so tough … if they weren’t so bloody good. Or should we say Buddy good? No? OK.
  • Verdict: The jury returned after last week’s thumping of Collingwood with two thumbs in the air.

Bulldogs

  • Hot Form Chart: 3
  • AFL Ladder: 3
  • We say: The Dogs are like the smart girl in an 80s teen movie who takes her glasses off in the last scene and … Oh My God! She’s beautiful! Don’t worry Bullies, we always thought you were hot.
  • Verdict: Contenders.

Adelaide

  • Hot Form Chart: 4
  • AFL Ladder: 4
  • We say: Never underestimate a man whose last name is someone else’s first name. Neil Craig has the Crows there again.
  • Verdict: Still serious.

Port Adelaide

  • Hot Form Chart: 5
  • AFL Ladder: 9
  • We say: Mark Williams is positively glowing. The Power are back and Choco has had his chance to kick a Vic all week. Next game is against the Hawks … veeerrry interesting.
  • Verdict: Top four, but perhaps overtaken as the main contender.

Carlton

  • Hot Form Chart: 6
  • AFL Ladder: 11
  • We say: Are finals out of the question? Probably, but stranger things have happened … although we can’t think of one off the top of the head.
  • Verdict: Perhaps next year.

St Kilda

  • Hot Form Chart: 7
  • AFL Ladder: 6
  • We say: The Saints are in the black but three wins have been against also-rans (and none of those were utterly convincing). The patience is beyond thin and has moved to anorexic.
  • Verdict: No.

Brisbane

  • Hot Form Chart: 8
  • AFL Ladder: 10
  • We say: One big come-back and close losses suggest the Lions are on the up. And we reckon they should wear the Fitzroy inspired strip all the time too.
  • Verdict: In the mix for the bottom half of the eight.

Collingwood

  • Hot Form Chart: 9
  • AFL Ladder: 8
  • We say: Like a litmus paper, the Pies are the team you have to beat if you are fair dinkum. The hype hanging over from last year is beginning to look like just that.
  • Verdict: A fair way off the top three.

North Melbourne

  • Hot Form Chart: 10
  • AFL Ladder: 7
  • We say: The climax of staying in Melbourne is over and the follow-up cigarette is almost finished. Now, for the relationship…
  • Verdict: Will find it harder this year.

Sydney

  • Hot Form Chart: 11
  • AFL Ladder: 6
  • We say: The star forward is absent, the game plan is old-hat, and the love affair is well and truly over.
  • Verdict: Finals bound, but can’t trouble the new breed.

Richmond

  • Hot Form Chart: 12
  • AFL Ladder: 12
  • We say: The Tigers deserve better than where they are but in the words of William H. Munny: deserve’s got nothin’ to do with it.
  • Verdict: Better – much better – but still in the bottom half.

Melbourne

  • Hot Form Chart: 13
  • AFL Ladder: 16
  • We say: The Demons first victory of the season – though spectacular – was a bit like pity sex: fantastic when it happened but extremely unlikely to last.
  • Verdict: So they can play football.

Essendon

  • Hot Form Chart: 13
  • AFL Ladder: 13
  • We say: Like the fumblings of a teenager, the Bombers were quick and exciting, but ultimately clueless. Give ‘em a few years and see what happens.
  • Verdict: Long season ahead

Fremantle

  • Hot Form Chart: 15
  • AFL Ladder: 14
  • We say: What can you say?
  • Verdict: Remember that old saying, there’s always someone worse off than yourself? That’s Freo.

West Coast

  • Hot Form Chart: 16
  • AFL Ladder: 15
  • We say: The premiers of two years ago are now an aimless and undisciplined rabble. I can hear the teardrops hitting the floor of AFL House from here.
  • Verdict: There’s always the West Coast Fever
Form over
Last 5 games 		Team Last week AFL ladder position Sequence
1 Geelong 1 1 L-W-W-W-W
2 Hawthorn 2 2 W-W-L-W-W
3 Bulldogs 3 3 W-W-W-W-L
4 Adelaide 4 4 L-W-L-W-W
5 Port Adelaide 8 9 W-W-L-W-L
6 Carlton 11 11 W-W-W-L-L
7 St Kilda 10 5 W-W-W-L-L
8 Brisbane 7 10 L-L-L-W-W
9 Collingwood 9 8 L-W-L-L-W
10 North Melbourne 5 7 W-L-L-L-W
11 Sydney 6 6 L-L-W-W-L
12 Richmond 12 12 W-L-L-W-L
13 Melbourne 16 16 L-W-W-L-L
14 Essendon 13 13 W-L-W-L-L
15 Fremantle 14 14 L-L-L-L-W
16 West Coast 15 15 L-L-L-L-W

 
Crikey’s Hot Form Tips for the bye:

  • Victoria

Last week: 6

Season: 40