2026 Ladder Predictions

[Robroy22]

Depends on who the AFL gifts the easy draws to this year and which teams suffer pre season injuries.

 

[Chunky09]

1. Brisbane
2. Hawthorn
3. Gold Coast
4. Adelaide
5. Geelong
6. GWS
7. St.Kilda
8. Sydney
9. Bulldogs
10. Collingwood
11. Fremantle
12. Port Adelaide
13. Carlton
14. North Melbourne
15. Essendon
16. Melbourne
17. Richmond
18. West Coast

 

[Red_man2008]

Pies tho still have the knack of turning it on and when they do no one can get near them.
Becoming a blue chip investment.
Thats why they one more good season in them.
Other teams on the up tho.
Chasing pack.
I liken Pies to Lions be it lions back to back.
Play similar games.
But on same paths.
Pies and lions been the best 2 teams in it last 2-3 year since 2023.
Likes of suns and hawks are arriving.
Crows i think 2025 was one out of the box they arent that good and might need to drop before going again.
Freo like dogs there abouts but making up the numbers.
2027 looks great for stkilda.
Tipping a slight slide for the cats just not the best anymore theres now better teams in the comp now its not 2022 anymore.
The team i just can not make up my mind or what to make of them are the sydney teams but one i really dont know what to make of are the Swans.
Real dont know about the Swans its a real mystery
GWS as well but should be just good enough for finals.
Most baffleing team in the comp in 2026 are the Swans.
Not much change finals 2025 and 2026 just the order.

No one’s chasing Collingwood. So the chasing pack concept is mute. Losing depth and getting older. No chance for another. Maybe finals.

 

[Red_man2008]

Lions
Suns
Giants
Swans

….

The other teams can battle for the dregs

The afl will be happy for just the one year if the NRL states own the afl but it won’t last long.

 

[Red_man2008]

Fremantle
Carlton
Brisbane
Adelaide
GC
GWS
Sydney
Dogs
Saints
Geelong
Collingwood
Richmond
Port
North
Hawthorn
West Coast
Melbourne
Essendon

 

[Mr Meow]

Fremantle
Carlton
Brisbane
Adelaide
GC
GWS
Sydney
Dogs
Saints
Geelong
Collingwood
Richmond
Port
North
Hawthorn
West Coast
Melbourne
Essendon

Carn the Blues!

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Carn the Blues!

You didn't notice Hawthorn bottom 4?
A club that merely by losing just Worpel nosedives from PF to bottom 4. That's a powerful player they lost.

Yet we picked him and also go backwards.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

You didn't notice Hawthorn bottom 4?
A club that merely by losing just Worpel nosedives from PF to bottom 4. That's a powerful player they lost.

Yet we picked him and also go backwards.

Hawthorn dropping down spots purely because the AFL is outlawing ducking and shrugging. That's half their goals gone in a blink.

 

[Viceregal]

Hawthorn dropping down spots purely because the AFL is outlawing ducking and shrugging. That's half their goals gone in a blink.

Pretty sure ducking was technically already not allowed ... enforced is another matter!

Be fun if they decided that every piece of obvious mayo constituted staging and incurred a free kick against...

 

[Fadge]

Carn the Blues!

Surely only the most optimistic of Carlton supporters have Carlton in the top 8 in 2026, let alone top 4, let alone top 2...

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Hawthorn dropping down spots purely because the AFL is outlawing ducking and shrugging. That's half their goals gone in a blink.

They get 15 games out of Day and they're nailed on for top 4.

 

[Mr Meow]

Surely only the most optimistic of Carlton supporters have Carlton in the top 8 in 2026, let alone top 4, let alone top 2...

I think the theory goes that Hayward and Florent fix their issues, Curnow is the cancer removed, the Frenchman has untapped potential and Jagga is about to hit prime Daicos level.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

I think the theory goes that Hayward and Florent fix their issues, Curnow is the cancer removed, the Frenchman has untapped potential and Jagga is about to hit prime Daicos level.

Don't forget Frank the tank Evans winning the Coleman and Brownlow in the same season

 

[LuckyBounce!]

Fremantle
Carlton
Brisbane
Adelaide
GC
GWS
Sydney
Dogs
Saints
Geelong
Collingwood
Richmond
Port
North
Hawthorn
West Coast
Melbourne
Essendon

Carlton top surely? I can’t see them losing a game!

 

[Mr.X]

Suns
Lions
Freo
Crows
Hawks
Saints
Giants
Dogs
Cats
Swans
Pies
Port
Bombers
Demons
Eagles
Tigers
North
Blues

Bay worthy post.

Blues looking to make finals after one of the strongest off seasons they’ve had since recruiting Judd

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Blues looking to make finals after one of the strongest off seasons they’ve had since recruiting Judd

Huh?

You've arguably gone net backwards with what you lost comparative to what came in.

 

[Giant Pete]

Probably also won't get a run home against some of the worst teams seen at AFL level since "AFL" became a label used in Australian sport. Melbourne, North, Richmond, and a hospitalised Essendon. A pitifully dispirited Melbourne was the toughest in that run. Swings and roundabouts.

I don't know what to expect from St Kilda next year, depends how long it takes for all the recruits to gel into a new system and team. The year might start slow, as a result. 2027 could be interesting as there's still money "banked" to keep paying above the cap and they presumably won't have too many more changes beyond the normal annual changes.

Biggest question mark is can Ross adapt.

 

[Giant Pete]

GWS
BRISBANE
GOLD COAST
SYDNEY
HAWTHORN
ADELIADE
GEELONG
FREMANTLE
ST KILDA
BULLDOGS
COLLINGWOOD
ESSENDON
CARLTON
PORT ADELIADE
MELBOURNE
NORTH MELBOURNE
RICHMOND
WEST COAST

Laverde to make big impact.

 

[Mr.X]

Huh?

You've arguably gone net backwards with what you lost comparative to what came in.

Arguable if using a talent per player only type measure

Blues have brought in what they need to fill the gap and rebalance

Its trending upwards

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Its trending upwards

You have no way of knowing that in November.

 

[Vindicater]

Lions
Gold Coast
Freo
Collingwood
Hawthorn
Geelong
Bulldogs
Sydney

GWS
St Kilda
Adelaide
Essendon
Carlton
Melbourne
Port
North
Richmond
West Coast

 

[WillHayward]

Bay worthy post.

Blues looking to make finals after one of the strongest off seasons they’ve had since recruiting Judd

Captain Carlton approves this message!

 

[justlookingaround]

Geelong top 4
Essendon shit
Bookmark it.

 

[Roddy]

Geelong top 4
Essendon shit
Bookmark it.

Geelong top 4, but to stumble and choke in yet another big final, unless they’re lucky enough to come up against an even bigger big finals choker than themselves….

 

[Mr Meow]

Geelong top 4, but to stumble and choke in yet another big final, unless they’re lucky enough to come up against an even bigger big finals choker than themselves….

It's a ladder prediction thread you nitwit, not a finals predictor.

Finals chokers would be the team eliminated by Kenny's aeroplanes and the team you just called chokers in back to back seasons.