Cats in a league of their own
20/07/2008 7:47 PM
its defence losing the protection it has enjoyed for much of the season - the Hawks' defence was exposed for what it is and that is the team's weakest link.
The Hawks have now conceded nearly 200 points more than Geelong and nearly 150 points more than Sydney - the only other realistic premiership contender - this season and lack big and experienced bodies down back other than Trent Croad with even the courageous Campbell Brown looking undersized and vulnerable when the opposition controls the midfield the way the Saints did on Saturday night.
But all is not lost for the Hawks and the Bulldogs.
While the Cats - who now have 15 wins from 16 games and 34 wins from their past 36 matches in total - have opened up a six point gap over the Dogs and an eight point gap over the Hawks at the top of the ladder, those two teams are still virtually certain to finish second and third.
That means the pair - who remain four games safely inside the top four with just six rounds remaining - will probably meet in the qualifying final in the first week of September with the loser having the double chance and the winner most likely to emerge as the Cats' number one premiership challengers.
But as we all saw this weekend the Cats remain in a league of their own and right now it is almost impossible to envisage anything other than Mark Thompson and Tom Harley again holding the premiership cup aloft in September despite the best efforts of the Dogs and the Hawks this season.