Never is this more apparent than in those sides whose depth of talent doesn't run anywhere near as deep as others. Everyone understands this to be the case, but it's as if it's the forbidden topic that no one is allowed to broach for fear of being labelled a whinger. Yet, coaches have lost their jobs on the back of a win/loss ratio that was severely compromised by the size of their injury list and, more significantly, the personnel on that injury list. It has become glaringly apparent that the Gold Coast Suns have an enormous amount to do to produce a working environment that can deliver the sort of success that most us in the football world assumed would take place as a matter of course. These issues have been brought to light by flagrant acts of ill-discipline off-field and largely uninspiring acts on-field. Being on the bottom of the ladder means the spotlight is shining on the Suns more intensely than at any time in their short history. It wouldn't be as bright if they had won more games, and maybe that would have been a disaster, for the exposed problems may have been left to fester. But the reality is, they would not be the on-field rabble they are at the moment if not for injury.

Costly injuries: Jack Ziebell, Jimmy Bartel, Mitch Brown and Tom Rockliff. Gary Ablett, Jaeger O'Meara, David Swallow, Rory Thompson, Dion Prestia, Harley Bennell, Jack Martin, Charlie Dixon and Sam Day, among others, have either not played or missed large chunks of the season. The self-imposed sanctions - for drinking - are one reason why the Suns find themselves bottom on the ladder, but that list of missing players has had more to do with their 1-9 record than any other single thing. Mick Malthouse, in the final weeks of his coaching tenure at Carlton, bucked the trend slightly and dared to mention that "they had never got on their feet" this year with injuries to Matthew Kreuzer, Michael Jamison, Bryce Gibbs and Lachie Henderson. Eyebrows were raised and knowing nods shared among his detractors. Mick was looking for the life raft. Nonsense. It's obvious that Carlton struggled without these players at, or near, full fitness. Regardless of whether you agreed or disagreed with the decision to sack Mick, you can't argue with the fact that injury to key players diluted what he had to work with.

It's just a fact of AFL life, and maybe that's why we dismiss injuries so readily as a reason for a team's position at any stage of the season. North Melbourne are just keeping touch with the top eight when they were expected to push hard, again, for the top four. At various stages that has been sheeted back to lack of leadership, Brad Scott's coaching, lack of development in the likes of Shaun Atley and Ryan Bastinac, too much reliance on their 30-plus players or an inability to halt the momentum of another side when they get a run on. It also has plenty to do with the fact that the area where they are most vulnerable, outside run and creative ball use, has been devastated by the absence for most of the year of Nick Dal Santo and Daniel Wells. Throw in Aaron Mullet and Leigh Adams for good measure. Why haven't Brisbane lived up to the promise of their second half of last year? Rare or infrequent appearances by Pearce Hanley, Daniel Merrett, Sam Mayes, Jack Redden, Tom Rockliff, Michael Close, Clay Beams, Jed Adcock and Brent Staker wouldn't have been factored in by Justin Leppitsch at the start of the year. Even Melbourne, where there has been the ever-so-slight hue of optimism this season, have been denied the chance to build on that even more. Im not sure the win/loss column would have changed, but in terms of maintaining momentum and building hope, one imagines the excitement among the long-suffering supporters if Christian Petracca was playing and managed a Rising Star nomination this week. That would have seen Jesse Hogan, Angus Brayshaw and Petracca nominated in successive weeks. As a good as a win for most Melbourne fans.

Of course, teams in the top half of the ladder are not immune to injury either, but they assume the position they do because of greater depth and an ability to compensate. The Magpies are defying popular opinion at the moment and are humming along, sitting fourth on the ladder. And they do so with Ben Reid and Levi Greenwood yet to appear and the prodigiously talented Matt Scharenberg, Darcy Moore and Nathan Freeman on the recovery road. And West Coast, despite the season-ending injuries to Eric McKenzie and Mitch Brown, and only now regaining Jack Darling, have been able to adjust and rearrange their line up so successfully they are almost certain to play finals. These teams and others are to be commended for coping in the manner that they have. Lesser teams are not so fortunate. It is also a case of not how many injuries, but to who? A quick look at Hawthorn, Sydney and Fremantles lists tells a story of power sides in very good order, on and off the field. Isaac Heeney has been a loss for the Swans, but he rest of their absentees have been short term and manageable. Fremantle have similarly travelled well this year, but they now get a taste of what it is like to lose a key player with Michael Johnson out for an extended period. With Zac Dawson and Alex Silvagni on the sidelines, they will have some shuffling to do for the first time this year.

Ultimately, the successful teams cope, and if they do so having overcome injury to key personnel, as Hawthorn did last year, then the premiership becomes even more storied. For others, there are myriad reasons as to why they may not be performing satisfactorily. Among them, and in some cases, primarily, are injuries. That's a fact. Not an excuse.