HOW RARE is this? Essendon has finished the home and away rounds with a percentage of exactly 100, with 2217 points for and 2217 points against. (It has the bye this week.)
Well, it's happened twice before in the AFL/VFL, which stretches back to 1897.
Collingwood finished second of four teams in 1916 (the number of clubs was down because of World War 1) with 803 points for and against, and South Melbourne finished seventh of 12 in 1930 with 1553 points for and against.
The Bombers are set to finish eighth of 17 teams, with 11 wins and one draw. Their record speaks of an even season, which is about right.
In round 15 they became the first club to defeat Geelong, and there's been increased scrutiny on the Bombers' coaching panel because of the appointments of James Hird and Mark Thompson.
But generally, and in keeping with the club's conservative traditions, they've made the most of their talent without generating headlines.
Perhaps they've been too even. They need a few more stars if they're to advance up the ladder.
View the full ladder
Priddis kicking himself
West Coast midfielder Matt Priddis is renowned as a midfielder who ferrets the ball out of packs and handballs to a running teammate.
His handballs to kicks ratio has been as high as 3:1 this season, as highlighted by his game against Sydney in round three when he had six kicks and 21 handballs.
His season average per game is 11 kicks and 16 handballs.
All of which makes his game against Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday night seem extraordinary.
Priddis had 24 kicks and one handball, a complete reversal of his normal game. Perhaps it was something to do with the slippery conditions.
Gaff among stats elite
Priddis' West Coast teammate Andrew Gaff is certainly performing extraordinary deeds.
Gaff was a noted accumulator during his junior years at Melbourne's Carey Grammar and in the Vic Metro team. The Eagles took him at No.4 in last November's NAB AFL National Draft.
Early this season, the 18-year-old played seven games in the opening eight rounds and was the substitute in five of them.
From rounds nine to 16 of the AFL season he played with South Fremantle in the WAFL.
Since his return to the Eagles' line-up in round 17 he's sizzled.
Gaff has been the Eagles' top-ranked player in disposals in that time, and is ranked second at the club in kicks, handballs, marks and uncontested possessions.
His uncontested possessions tally since round 17 rank him fourth in the competition - behind Dane Swan, Scott Thompson and Leigh Montagna.
He's keeping company with some big names there.
Masten's new mark
Yet another Eagles midfielder, Chris Masten, had his best game for the season against the Lions - by a long way.
Masten's previous best disposals tally this season before Saturday night was 19 against Geelong in round 11.
Against the Lions he had 31 disposals, the most for the Eagles, and he kicked three goals.
Masten is like Gaff in that he's a midfielder who was taken high in the draft, in his case at No.3 in 2007.
Maybe now he's ready to repay the Eagles' faith in him.
View Masten's stats
Cats' ruck concerns
Geelong's performance against the Sydney Swans at Skilled Stadium on Saturday confirmed a worrying trend.
The Cats are ranked 10th in hit-outs, 10th in hit-outs to advantage and 10th in clearances.
The Swans had 22 more clearances than the Cats on Saturday. The previous week, lowly Adelaide had 19 more clearances than the Cats.
Collingwood is ranked at the top or near the top in hit-outs, hit-outs to advantage and clearances.
The Cats have some work to do, and quickly.
Season hit-out tallies
Reid repellent
Since football began, a good centre half-back has been capable of cutting off an opposition attack with a timely mark.
So it's proving with Collingwood's Ben Reid.
The 22-year-old had 11 marks against Fremantle on Friday, equalling his season's best.
Overall, he's the competition's top-ranked player for marking from opposition kicks.
Reid has intercepted to take a mark 60 times this season. The next best is Port Adelaide's Troy Chaplin, another tall defender, with 51.
Saint Nick in good nick
Saint Nick Riewoldt had 31 disposals against Melbourne in round nine. His tally against North Melbourne on Saturday night was 20 (14 kicks and six handballs).
But in most other facets his output against the Roos was equal to his performance against Melbourne.
On Saturday night he kicked five goals, had four score assists and took four contested marks. These figures equaled his figures against Melbourne, which was his best of the season.
View Riewoldt's season stats
Like father, like son
Bulldogs midfielder Tom Liberatore has been living up to his father Tony's legacy in terms of getting the hard ball.
Liberatore, 19, had 12 contested possessions against Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.
His average is 10 a game, which ranks him fifth in the club for contested possessions, not a bad effort in his debut season.
Matthew Boyd leads the contested possessions count with 15, ahead of Ben Hudson, Callan Ward and Daniel Cross.
Liberatore has played 15 games this season. Injury has restricted his fellow father-and-son selection from last year, Mitch Wallis, to five games.
View Liberatore's season stats
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
