Its taken 18 rounds, but Hawthorn has finally climbed its way to the top of the ESPN AFL Power Rankings. The Hawks took advantage of Adelaides costly loss to Geelong to soar to the top of our form ladder with just a handful of matches to play.Hawthorn will need to maintain its recent form, however, as each of the four top-ranked teams have a dream next three weeks of football.This week, punters might want to keep an eye on West Coast who have been notoriously poor away from home this year. The Eagles next three matches (one being a Derby) are all away games, including a trip to the dreaded MCG and Spotless Stadium to play the in-form Giants.If theyre to do any damage in September, the Eagles will need the help of a home-ground advantage, and be able to snag some points away from home, to stay in the hunt.Meanwhile St Kilda continues its late march towards the top eight with a stirring win over the Bulldogs on Saturday night. The Saints find themselves in the rankings top eight for the first time this year, but it might be for nothing - they could be the unlucky team to miss finals while still being considered one of ESPNs form sides in the AFL come the end of the year.Lower down the rankings, Carlton hasnt lost any fans over its last two outings, losing to two recent Grand Finalists by seven and six points, while Brisbane jumped off the bottom with a strong win over Essendon.LegendForm: The higher the number, the better a teams recent form.Draw: The higher the number, the easier a teams upcoming draw.Fitness: Determined by the number and quality of fit players available. A list in good shape is ranked around a 7; a list missing three or four best-22 players might be considered a 3 or 4.X-Factor: The number and quality of genuine match-winning players.Attack: Potency of the teams offence.Defence: Ability of the team to prevent the opposition from scoring. Custom Arizona Coyotes Jerseys .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Daniel Briere Jersey . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. https://www.cheapcoyotes.com/ . Team physician Dr. Steve Traina performed the surgery Friday. Robinson was injured in a spill underneath the Nuggets basket during the first quarter of Wednesday nights loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Chris Summers Jersey . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. Paul MacLean Jersey . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has taken a beating in his NFL career, far more than any quarterback in recent history. And suddenly, at the still-young age of 27, Newton is facing the first flash point between playing style and long-term future.Newton is officially cleared to return from a concussion suffered when he tried scrambling into the end zone in Week 4. The play, and his subsequent one-game absence, was a reminder that no quarterback -- not even one who broke into the league with a patented Superman celebration -- can indefinitely absorb unnecessary punishment without consequence.?Ahead of Sundays game in New Orleans, lets take a closer look at what Newton has exposed his body to during his six-year career. The Panthers say they wont limit his running or impose a fundamental change in their offense, but well consider a suggestion for lessening the toll nonetheless.Newton has been hit on 831 plays over 82 games in his career, an average of about 10 per game. The number may sound small, but it is actually extraordinary in the context of other quarterbacks. The next-closest quarterback has taken nearly 300 fewer hits over the same time period. This tally includes every play he has been hit on while either on the run or while throwing, but it is capped at one hit per play and doesnt include contact after the throw or on two-point conversions.Most hits sustained by QBs, since 2011This level of contact has occurred for a variety of reasons. First, Newton has displayed an admirable but ultimately dangerous trait of holding the ball while looking for open receivers. Since entering the league in 2011, he has averaged more time per pass in the pocket than all but one qualified quarterback.Average time spent in the pocket, since 2011Playcalling designed to maximize his strengths also has played a role.dddddddddddd Since 2011, the Panthers have called more than twice the number of designed runs for Newton than any other team has for another quarterback. And they have resulted in 1,941 rushing yards, more than double Russell Wilsons 833. Nearly two-thirds of Newtons designed QB runs have gone between the guards, where maximum contact occurs. Newton also has taken off on more scrambles -- runs when a pass play breaks down -- than anyone but Wilson over this span. In all, Newton has been hit at least once on 533 of 575 plays that were either designed runs or meaningful scrambles in his career.Most designed QB runs, since 2011The Panthers have carved out this style in large part because Newton is really good at it. He has run for 258 first downs in his career, nearly twice as many as the next-best quarterback over that period. And at 245 pounds, he has managed to run for more than twice the amount of yards after first contact than anyone else.Most yards gained after contact among QBs, since 2011So whats the solution here? As simple as it sounds, longevity in the NFL can be associated with the number of hits a player takes. There are strategies for minimizing contact, from throwing the ball more quickly to limiting scrambles to purging designed runs. Look at the three quarterbacks who have taken the fewest hits by percentage since ESPN Stats & Information began tracking them. One retired at age 41, another retired at 40 and a third is still playing at 37.QB contact percentage ' ' '