I think people are really underestimating Collingwood. I still think they are a good premiership chance. They have a lot of young guns and a lot of experienced monsters of the AFL. Remember, Swan, Pendlebury, Cloke and Beams are all at their top periods in their career. Collingwood could very well win the premiership next year but I'm not sure they'll play like it. Anyway, I constructed a ladder after the fixture was released earlier today. So here it is:
1. Port Adelaide (17-5-0) | Will be the surprise club this year. They are a very young but great side, if not this year, then certainly in one of the years to come)
2. Sydney Swans (17-5-0) | Still have the best side in the competition and with the addition of Buddy, it's hard to not see them in the top 4.
3. Hawthorn (16-6-0) | Still a champion side but won't be as great as the past three seasons.
4. Collingwood (16-6-0) | Piss easy fixture after round 7. Only top 4 side they have twice is Hawthorn. They also get to host Freo and Port Adelaide.
5. North Melbourne (16-6-0) | Capable of anything. And the inclusion of Dal Santo will only make them better. Drew Petrie to kick 50+ goals up forward. Ziebell an early Brownlow fancy.
6. Fremantle (15-7-0) | I think everybody overrates them. They are a great side but I don't think they will be top 4 next season. Tough draw and with Pavlich, Sandilands, McPharlin and the new recruit Sylvia already very old, can't see Freo being a REAL flag threat.
7. Richmond (14-8-0) | Difficult to pick but I'd say they are still a top 8 side. Capable of making the top 4. Also capable of missing the top 8. Have a 1st round clash at Gold Coast. Will be difficult.
8. Geelong (14-8-0) | Very difficult for the Cats. With a lot of guns gone (J-Pod, Chapman and Hunt), the Cats will still be impressive enough to make the 8 but don't expect the Cats to be top 4 next year.
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9. Essendon (11-11-0) | One word: Overrated. They lost Crameri and dumped Davey in the forward line. They will struggle bit time after the 2013 drug scandal. Bomber Thompson won't be enough to lift the Bombers to finals.
10. Adelaide (10-12-0) | With the recruits of Betts and Podsiadly, Adelaide's forward line will structure perfectly with Lynch, Walker and several others but the problem is the back-line. Need to improve. Also lost Bernie Vince to Melbourne.
11. Carlton (9-13-0) | Also overrated. Shouldn't have played finals last season and next season will be poor for the Blues. Daisy Thomas will be injured for the majority of the season.
12. Gold Coast (9-13-0) | Capable of the top eight but won't make it. Will definitely win 5 of the first 9 and sometime during the season, will take down a giant, most likely Hawthorn at home.
13. West Coast (9-13-0) | Their fixture was easier than expected so this is the reason for all the wins. I don't rate West Coast. Shocking team at the moment. Worsfold gone will hurt them as well.
14. Brisbane Lions (8-14-0) | Wish I could put them higher. They are a side that are capable of many upsets but can also lose easy games. Capable of the top eight but only Voss could do that at the moment.
15. Western Bulldogs (7-15-0) | Still not that great. They received Crameri and have Griffen at his career high form but won't be a challenger at any point during the season.
16. GWS Giants (5-17-0) | Kevin Sheedy gone is actually good for GWS. Sheedy had no idea what he was doing. The Giants will improve but will still have a poor season. Have an easy finish of the season.
17. Melbourne (3-19-0) | Under Paul Roos, despire the recruit of Bernie Vince and Daniel Cross, Melbourne will still finish very low. Signs of improvement will be visible though. They won't lose a game by more than 60 points.
18. St. Kilda (2-20-0) | Lost Saad, Koschitzke, Milne in the forward line, McEvoy in the ruck and Dal Santo in the midfield. The only way is down for St. Kilda. Only have Riewoldt and Milera functioning the forward line. Steven will continue to impress though.
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FINALS:
Port Adelaide v Collingwood (Revenge!)
Sydney Swans v Hawthorn (Just too good for Hawthorn)
North Melbourne v Geelong (Close game)
Fremantle v Richmond (Freo will choke)
Port Adelaide v North Melbourne (less than 18 point margin)
Hawthorn v Richmond (Will break the streak by about 4-5 goals)
Collingwood v Hawthorn (Will finally break the streak in another prelim thriller)
Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide (Not experienced enough, Port Adelaide)
Collingwood v Sydney Swans (NSM: Steele Sidebottom | Win by 28 points)
1. Port Adelaide (17-5-0) | Will be the surprise club this year. They are a very young but great side, if not this year, then certainly in one of the years to come)
2. Sydney Swans (17-5-0) | Still have the best side in the competition and with the addition of Buddy, it's hard to not see them in the top 4.
3. Hawthorn (16-6-0) | Still a champion side but won't be as great as the past three seasons.
4. Collingwood (16-6-0) | Piss easy fixture after round 7. Only top 4 side they have twice is Hawthorn. They also get to host Freo and Port Adelaide.
5. North Melbourne (16-6-0) | Capable of anything. And the inclusion of Dal Santo will only make them better. Drew Petrie to kick 50+ goals up forward. Ziebell an early Brownlow fancy.
6. Fremantle (15-7-0) | I think everybody overrates them. They are a great side but I don't think they will be top 4 next season. Tough draw and with Pavlich, Sandilands, McPharlin and the new recruit Sylvia already very old, can't see Freo being a REAL flag threat.
7. Richmond (14-8-0) | Difficult to pick but I'd say they are still a top 8 side. Capable of making the top 4. Also capable of missing the top 8. Have a 1st round clash at Gold Coast. Will be difficult.
8. Geelong (14-8-0) | Very difficult for the Cats. With a lot of guns gone (J-Pod, Chapman and Hunt), the Cats will still be impressive enough to make the 8 but don't expect the Cats to be top 4 next year.
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9. Essendon (11-11-0) | One word: Overrated. They lost Crameri and dumped Davey in the forward line. They will struggle bit time after the 2013 drug scandal. Bomber Thompson won't be enough to lift the Bombers to finals.
10. Adelaide (10-12-0) | With the recruits of Betts and Podsiadly, Adelaide's forward line will structure perfectly with Lynch, Walker and several others but the problem is the back-line. Need to improve. Also lost Bernie Vince to Melbourne.
11. Carlton (9-13-0) | Also overrated. Shouldn't have played finals last season and next season will be poor for the Blues. Daisy Thomas will be injured for the majority of the season.
12. Gold Coast (9-13-0) | Capable of the top eight but won't make it. Will definitely win 5 of the first 9 and sometime during the season, will take down a giant, most likely Hawthorn at home.
13. West Coast (9-13-0) | Their fixture was easier than expected so this is the reason for all the wins. I don't rate West Coast. Shocking team at the moment. Worsfold gone will hurt them as well.
14. Brisbane Lions (8-14-0) | Wish I could put them higher. They are a side that are capable of many upsets but can also lose easy games. Capable of the top eight but only Voss could do that at the moment.
15. Western Bulldogs (7-15-0) | Still not that great. They received Crameri and have Griffen at his career high form but won't be a challenger at any point during the season.
16. GWS Giants (5-17-0) | Kevin Sheedy gone is actually good for GWS. Sheedy had no idea what he was doing. The Giants will improve but will still have a poor season. Have an easy finish of the season.
17. Melbourne (3-19-0) | Under Paul Roos, despire the recruit of Bernie Vince and Daniel Cross, Melbourne will still finish very low. Signs of improvement will be visible though. They won't lose a game by more than 60 points.
18. St. Kilda (2-20-0) | Lost Saad, Koschitzke, Milne in the forward line, McEvoy in the ruck and Dal Santo in the midfield. The only way is down for St. Kilda. Only have Riewoldt and Milera functioning the forward line. Steven will continue to impress though.
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FINALS:
Port Adelaide v Collingwood (Revenge!)
Sydney Swans v Hawthorn (Just too good for Hawthorn)
North Melbourne v Geelong (Close game)
Fremantle v Richmond (Freo will choke)
Port Adelaide v North Melbourne (less than 18 point margin)
Hawthorn v Richmond (Will break the streak by about 4-5 goals)
Collingwood v Hawthorn (Will finally break the streak in another prelim thriller)
Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide (Not experienced enough, Port Adelaide)
Collingwood v Sydney Swans (NSM: Steele Sidebottom | Win by 28 points)
