The premiership race is wide open, but the Blues are now clearly flag favourites

Round 16 was perhaps the most significant round of the season so far with Carlton moving to outright premiership favourites in my eyes.

Fremantle also consolidated my long-held view, which wasn't overly popular eight weeks ago, that they too were in the premiership race.

Their win minus Alex Pearce and Brennan Cox at the SCG was as good as it gets this season and proves the sky is the limit for the purple haze this year.

What about the performance of the dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe? He became a tagger and did a great job.

But they also did Sydney a massive favour by bringing a reality check when finally, the side at the top of the ladder had their midfield strengths neutralised. It gives them time to work through it before finals and come up with a strategic way to counter what was always going to happen.

But Carlton's best with Adam Cerra back in the side looks incredibly good.

Sydney's got the most heralded midfield in 2024 but with Cerra into Carlton's, there's a question on who's exactly got the best?

Consider this, Carlton has Tom De Koning, Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh, Adam Cerra, George Hewett, Matt Kennedy, Hollands x 2, Blake Acres and Alex Cincotta.

Sydney has Brodie Grundy, Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Rowbottom, Errol Gulden, Justin McInerney, Taylor Adams, Callum Mills and Luke Parker.

It's hard to split, I agree. But if they break even, Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay are serious trump cards that Sydney just doesn't possess.

So, the premiership race is on in earnest and still wide open, but Carlton are clearly now the favourites.