The top eight for this year is set in stone. Port Adelaide's final-quarter capitulation against Carlton last Sunday confirmed the demise of the 2007 grand finalist, and ended the race for the finals.

The top three, Hawthorn, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs, look guaranteed a top-four spot, but the rest is wide open. Only North Melbourne, whose ability to beat lesser sides will guarantee it a finals berth, is unlikely to contend for the double chance.

Never before can I remember a top eight so clear-cut at the halfway mark of the season.

Here's 10 more things we know now that we didn't know in March.

FREMANTLE UNFIT

The Dockers are quite simply not fit enough. To have been well on top of quality sides such as Geelong and the Western Bulldogs, only to surrender so meekly in the final term, is unforgivable. I can't accept it's all a mental thing. You don't get on top of good opposition if you are mentally fragile. Mark Harvey is trying to reshape the way he approaches things but it's too late. Next year will be critical to the Dockers' next generation.

TOP DRAFT PICKS

Remember when Carlton was locked in discussions with West Coast about Chris Judd? The Eagles wanted the No. 1 pick in the national draft and the Blues refused. They were correct. And there should now be an unwritten rule in the trade negotiation manual — don't ever trade the No. 1 pick. With Matthew Kreuzer, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs, Brett Ratten has the makings of a fine side.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

St Kilda's window of opportunity has slammed shut. The Saints are short of speed around the middle of the ground and are still not gelling consistently as a team. Injuries have hampered their progress but bigger issues are still to be addressed.

UNSOCIABLE FOOTBALL

I've learned a new phrase courtesy of my old mate Nathan Buckley — "unsociable football". I like it. And it's a much-desired attribute because it's only associated with winners. It takes me back to that day Bucks described at the Gabba a few years back when a couple of the Brisbane Lions defenders bumped into Nick Riewoldt. That was unsociable football. Now that style of football — so well illustrated by Mal Michael and the boys — has got a name.

DOGS THE REAL DEAL

The Bulldogs, huge underachievers when they finished 13th last year, are genuine contenders. While it often takes 12 months for reputation to catch up with reality, they are as good a chance as anyone of winning the 2008 flag. Ben Hudson has shored up their ruck division, their defensive pressure all over the ground is outstanding and Jason Akermanis, one of the best finishers in the game, has bolstered the firepower in a nicely varied forward set-up.

WHO IS No. 1?

If you had to pick the best player in the competition on form in the first half of the year, it's Buddy Franklin. His ability to get on his bike and push up the ground, to take a contested mark and win the ground-level ball is staggering. I'd have him ahead of Judd, Jonathan Brown, Gary Ablett and Simon Black. But let's keep things in perspective. Buddy has had a blinding 11 weeks. When he's done it over an extended period, we can reassess the overall standings. Most pleasing is the fact that, after a period in which Judd and Brown were the two standout performers, there are now other challengers at this elite level.

STILL UNDERRATED

The most underrated player in the competition is still Simon Black, the most decorated current player. He's not underrated by opposition but rarely is he held in the same breath as some of the more recent stars. He'll never carry the footy 120 metres but when it comes to winning possession in a contest and finding a teammate, there's none better. If he'd played for a profile Melbourne club, he'd be recognised as the superstar he is.

ONE YEAR TOO LONG

Sadly, David Neitz went one year too long. It's a shame for a person whose passion for the Melbourne Football Club is second to none but you know what … it doesn't matter. The injury problems that forced him into mid-season retirement last month will quickly be forgotten and he'll go into the record books as the champion warrior he was.

LITTLE BIG MEN

The key to the Collingwood challenge this year isn't their big forwards — it's their small forwards. Alan Didak, Leon Davis, Paul Medhurst and Dale Thomas are the best fleet-footed group in the competition. And how far they push into September will depend heavily on this group's ability to keep kicking goals while rotating through the midfield.

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

I never cease to be amazed by the intensity of the media spotlight on the AFL but this year, it's gone to a new level. Journalists have quickly become personalities who are not just reporting AFL but are now being analysed in detail by other media types on challenging aspects in football.
SPONSORED LINKS