Another week and another set of winners and losers.
Although the road to the last Saturday in September has narrowed ever so slightly, each of the competition's 18 teams still hold their destinies in their own hands.
Whether your side is undefeated, breaking even or without a win to start 2021, there are questions, both new and historic, that must be answered to secure a win this long weekend.
Carlton
How much pressure is on their pressure?
Put simply, Carlton have not placed their opponents under sufficient enough pressure in the first two weeks of the season. Due to this, they now find themselves like David Bowie and Queen in mid-1981.
Last Thursday night, the Blues' porous defense allowed Collingwood to take 13 marks within their forward arc and convert their 48 inside 50s into 26 scoring shots.
Over the first fortnight, Carlton have recorded 30 less tackles than their opponents โ with none of their list recording double digits in 240-minutes of football. David Teague's men have also posted less contested possessions than their adversaries.
Admittedly, the context surrounding each of these statistics can be manipulated to suit a contention, but they do speak to both Carlton's inability to place their opponents under pressure and their powerlessness to find the Sherrin when under it themselves.
Following their Round 2 loss, an unsubstantiated view has arisen that the Princes Park based playing group is not being held to account for their lack of accountability. Whether true or not, these aforementioned numbers must rise sharply, and quickly, if their start to the season is to be salvaged.
What chances do you give the Blues of playing in September?
(Data per @StatsInsider) pic.twitter.com/V7zkxzcnjg
— Zero Hanger (@zerohanger) March 31, 2021
Whether the playing group feels it or whether they care to admit it or not, there is a huge weight of expectation surrounding them as a collective. Irrespective of their rising injury list, if Carlton fail to be another up-and-coming side in Fremantle this weekend, the scent from whatever they are concocting will become more unpleasant to the nasal passage.
The old adage goes that if your provide the effort, the results will look after themselves. Although not strictly true, it is a rebirth of endeavour that the Carlton faithful will rightfully expect when they file into Marvel Stadium on Easter Sunday.
