The bye rounds are here, so it's time for the mid-season report cards for the Dockers and the Eagles.

Fremantle

I think Fremantle has surprised us all. The Dockers won six out seven and were playing some good footy but after Freo got embarrassed on Saturday night against the Crows, how far have they come?

The Dockers were bitterly disappointing against Adelaide and ran into a wall so appears the club might have been operating in a false economy.

To give the Dockers some credit, they have come from behind in most of their wins which wasn't in their DNA before. In the past, if Freo were three or four goals down they were gone.

But I think Ross Lyon has added another offensive layer to his coaching this year, even though his mantra is 'defence first'.

Ross Lyon has added a more offensive layer to his coaching. Photo: Getty Images

The one player who has helped the Dockers become more offensive is Bradley Hill. His run through the middle has really opened Freo up more and not many other teams have gone down the middle more than the Dockers this year.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I feel Shane Kersten and Cam McCarthy have plateaued at the moment.

For about a month there it looked like the penny had finally dropped for McCarthy and he was working hard and working up the ground.

But lately both McCarthy and Kersten are looking for the one over the top - the Joe the Goose - like Jack Darling at the Eagles.

And Kersten and McCarthy have fallen for the old three-card trick thinking that every possession has to be a goal.

I'm surprised Kersten hasn't been dropped to be honest, but he and McCarthy have dropped away.

Whether that's an erosion of confidence but both need to start working harder because when you do work harder you get luckier.

I think an honourable mention must go to Lachie Weller. He has been running off half back and playing well. I wasn't convinced he had what it took to go to the next level but he's been pretty good.

And Joel Hamling has been a win. He was pretty poor the first two weeks but he wasn't alone there.

Mid-season grade: B+ (because no-one expected them to be where they are).

Top of the class: Brad Hill, Connor Blakely, Lachie Weller and Joel Hamling.

Dunce: Shane Kersten and Cam McCarthy.

Shane Kersten and Mark LeCras are in the sin bin.

West Coast

The Eagles have been fair because they have managed to win at home. West Coast can't win the flag and I reckon everyone knows that.

Josh Kennedy has been a standout again but I think his calf is a lot worse than the Eagles are making out and he might be back in three weeks, but there is the risk of the injury recurring.

Sam Mitchell has been good for the Eagles. He might not have much pace but he can really 'dance' and rarely gets caught and you can see he is teaching Dom Sheed to dance.

The Eagles lack serious pace and the Giants really cut them up with their run, but Mitchell can still get a quick handball out while other blokes can't.

Elliot Yeo has been really good but just leave him at half back where he can run off his man and take an intercept mark. I just don't think he has the tank to run through the middle at the moment because that takes time to build up.

Jackson Nelson was good before he injured his hand and has a bright future.

Lewis Jetta has exposed himself now and finally played like we all knew he was capable of but he has to back it up.

Adam Simpson has to start making some tough calls because the AFL is a tough caper and he needs to plan beyond this year.

Adam Simpson has some hard calls ahead of him. Photo: Michael Dodge

Mark LeCras is done and so are Josh Hill and Eric Mackenzie. Simpson needs to weigh up what to do with Matt Priddis by the end of the season if his form doesn't improve.

Sharrod Wellingham is just about done and the problem with these players is they have no currency because no other team wants them.

Sam Butler has been a tremendous player but he has been found out by a few quick little blokes over the last few weeks and has failed to lock them down.

It's hard to see both the Dockers and Eagles playing finals. I have five wins for them locked in, but that will only be 11 wins for the season which won't be enough to play finals.

But given the volatile nature of the season both clubs could find themselves anywhere between seventh and 11th.

Mid-season grade: B- (because they have won enough to be thereabouts but their away form has been absymal)

Top of the class: Elliot Yeo and Jackson Nelson.

Dunce: Mark LeCras, Josh Hill and Lewis Jetta (up until last week).

The Giants landed an impressive win in Perth. Photo: Getty Images

Heroes of the week: The Giants and Leon Cameron. The Giants came over to Perth with their backs against the wall with so many players out, so that is a pretty damn good win.

Goat of the week: Tiger Woods. He has enough money to afford a private jet, but apparently can't afford a private driver.

Things that make you go hmmm: Ross Lyon kept his players on the ground after the Dockers got thumped against the Crows. But as he was talking to his players in a huddle, to his dismay Michael Walters and Brad Hill were off swapping jumpers with Crows' players. Surely the players could have swapped jumpers in the change rooms after the game?