By John Powell – GlobalTV.com

The jury is growing and the finale is drawing closer. How have our final nine been doing from the start since the merger? It is time to hand out some grades before the big final exam.

She really has ramped up her strategic game since the merge. She has identified target, rallied the troops and sent them to Survivor Ponderosa. Her fatal flaw as she has done this all very publicly and very aggressively. She could be placing a big target on her back because the New Era Survivor players are known for playing the game scared. She will either make the finale as bigger targets than her fill those jury seats or her bold gameplay could move her up the hit list.

He is most assuredly the biggest Survivor comeback story of all time. He has gone from being an easy out, an expendable asset to one of the leading masterminds of the season. I give Andy all the credit in the world for taking control of his own fate which many, many Survivors in the past failed to do. Like Genevieve though he hasn’t really been discrete about his machinations and therefore he is in the same spot as her. I suspect though that he doesn’t make the finale as he doesn’t have the social collateral that she does.

Although she isn’t an all-star player in any way thus far she has proven that she can evolve, grow as a player as the game has shifted. She has been better than most at that. Because there are bigger threats than her she could slide right into the finals without anyone noticing.

I have no idea how this dude is still around. It must be his gift of the gab. He is a sports reporter, journalist so he is used to striking a rapport up with people and also sizing them up as people rather quickly. With his closest allies gone maybe he just isn’t seen as a big threat in the Survivor numbers game. Perhaps Sierra being voted out and Andy publicly creating distance between them was the best thing to happen to his game?

You may be asking yourself why in the world is Sue so high up in the rankings. She hasn’t exactly been a stellar player and she hasn’t exactly made any big moves. What Sue has done though is insulated herself very well on that island. Better that anyone else at this point. By insulated what I mean is she is protected by people and since the first fee weeks isn’t on anyone’s radar, like ever. Some people fear another Gaber win from Sue in that she will chosen as the winner because she is not the better player but the least of two or three evils at the final tribal council. With this jury I don’t think we will be seeing a repeat of that.

For someone who played in a Survivor fantasy league I haven’t been too impressed with her gameplay this season. Like Sue she is cruising by on her harmlessness and her popularity than strategy, gameplay or challenge performances. With the castaways playing scared I can see her lasting longer than she really deserves to.

Another one note player and personality. The “Awww shucks!” routine is getting old and his social, strategic games are nothing to write home about. He is seen by everyone as a challenge threat. He will be walking the plank soon.

He started off the game as one of the strongest players on the island. Now, he is just sipping on coconuts waiting to be thrown overboard, at least according to the edit. There seems to be a war against Tuku brewing. He is recognized as a very real threat.

She appears to be a nice enough person but it takes more than that to win Survivor. She hasn’t really done anything of note besides trying to convince Lavo to take out Gata and win an amulet that was utterly wasted. She and Sue has been portrayed as Gabe’s minions following his order and protecting him.