2026 Ladder Predictions

[Warwick]

Yep. Long time ago. Also have never had access to academies. All clubs besides GC and GWS have access to F/S picks. Only the rugby state clubs get their academies consistently pumping out guns they get for free regardless of ladder position.

Have you not?

 

[Warwick]

Yep. Long time ago.

So?

 

[blueiris]

Rubbish, pay my arse, whole comp is a compromised pile of crap

No we still trade out our first round pick for points but let’s not let facts get in the way of your rant

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Rubbish, pay my arse, whole comp is a compromised pile of crap

Why?

 

[mpal6]

Yes, it's great when you can finish top 4 and make grand finals, while still receiving F/S and academy picks rated at the very top end of the draft who can immediately join your best 22 every year.

It's like... the competition is engineered so the northern states get a leg up. But why? Why would the AFL do that?

Mate, as long as you keep waving the country lifestyle, cotton on deals and farmland deals on the side- your poaching game will stay strong. Spare me the sob story of poor Geelong fighting against odds to stay competitive.

Dangerfield, Cameron, Stengle, Bailey Smith, Bowes + pick 7, Tanner Bruhn, Olli Henry - the list goes on. you even tried to pitch for Rowell, couldn't get him and settled for temu rowell in Worpel. Tried Harley Reid and attempted to trade for Rowan Marshall. I'm sure Butters will be tapped on the shoulder next season.

You keep picking off players to your liking every off-season and its a surprise you missed Marshall this time. Save it until your country deals doesn't land you any players and I'll start believing in Geelong fighting against the odds story.

 

[Warwick]

Mate, as long as you keep waving the country lifestyle, cotton on deals and farmland deals on the side- your poaching game will stay strong. Spare me the sob story of poor Geelong fighting against odds to stay competitive.

Dangerfield, Cameron, Stengle, Bailey Smith, Bowes + pick 7, Tanner Bruhn, Olli Henry - the list goes on. you even tried to pitch for Rowell, couldn't get him and settled for temu rowell in Worpel. Tried Harley Reid and attempted to trade for Rowan Marshall. I'm sure Butters will be tapped on the shoulder next season.

You keep picking off players to your liking every off-season and its a surprise you missed Marshall this time. Save it until your country deals doesn't land you any players and I'll start believing in Geelong fighting against the odds story.

This is all rubbish.

Geelong have never taken advantage of the father son rule, have withdrawn from that scheme, and have never, and will never, have an academy.

Please respect that.

 

[Fadge]

This is all rubbish.

Geelong have never taken advantage of the father son rule, have withdrawn from that scheme, and have never, and will never, have an academy.

Please respect that.

How does a team 'take advantage' of the father-son rule?

 

[Warwick]

How does a team 'take advantage' of the father-son rule?

It’s a very good question.

 

[mpal6]

You pay a suite of nothing picks - picks that would usually get you speculative talent and/or project players - for recruits who are essentially guaranteed starters.

That's the system, and you're using it. Just don't come piss all over threads bragging about how great your youth is. Your great youth consists of father-sons and academy kids. Not great drafting, not great development.

Rayner, Bailey, Starcevich, Wilmot, Lohmann, McCluggage, Berry, Morris, McInerney - all great drafting choices

Zorko, Lester, Reville, Coleman, Answerth, Fort - all great development choices who were late picks, mature age selections, stuck as depth, traded or picked up as bargains later in draft.

That's 15 best 22 before you sprinkle the father son and academy, traded senior players on top

 

[BangyBangy]

Yes, it's great when you can finish top 4 and make grand finals, while still receiving F/S and academy picks rated at the very top end of the draft who can immediately join your best 22 every year.

It's like... the competition is engineered so the northern states get a leg up. But why? Why would the AFL do that?

Your profile pic is a horse. Are you the horse of Roy Rogers? (google that if you have to )

Your club has had more premiership success than ours due to father sons you dingus.

Oh, but the academies....... Yeah, that's been the difference for our club.

You sure you follow Geelong? You sound more like a saints supporter.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Think about the wider football public, which is very anti-Geelong. Is it more fun to say the Cats choked, or that their opponents were outstanding? This will solve most of your future confusion regarding Geelong narratives, especially around finals.

Agreed, astute pundits tipped Brisbane, Geelong did not choke, did well to stay in it so long imo

Expecting the Cats to be around the mark in 2026 as usual, tough draw though

 

[WillHayward]

Yep. Long time ago. Also have never had access to academies. All clubs besides GC and GWS have access to F/S picks. Only the rugby state clubs get their academies consistently pumping out guns they get for free regardless of ladder position.

Who was the last GWS academy gun?
Any in the last five years?

 

[jonnobackpocket]

Same Geelong supporters who were arrogant flogs, carrying on like the flag was in the bag after they beat us in the 1st final now having a sook because the apparent unfair advantages were the reason we won. Maybe Cameron could have done something besides get his ass kicked bu the 8th best defender on our list. Maybe Dangerfield could have done ANYTHING besides kicking shit helicopters out on the full and walk around with his chest out, maybe Bailey Sniff could have not crapped his daks when the footsteps were coming and then embarrassed himself by pushing a true champion when the game was over, maybe Holmes could have tried kicking it to a Geelong player at some point, maybe Stengle should have got off the bus, maybe Dempsey could try running as hard defensively as he does when there is a cheaply in the goal square up for grabs, maybe supercoach should not have tagged a forward flanker and played someone who could have influenced the game- let alone the Cameron balls up with a broken arm. But yeah the reason we won was the academy picks play within the rules and still plenty having a whinge. Maybe look at where the club come from and how we got to here, development, nailing draft picks for years and a coach nobody else wanted.

 

[WillHayward]

Ashcroft x 2, Lohmann, Fletcher, Reville, Gallop, Wilmot, Marshall, Morris

Only Lohmann has celebrated his 22nd birthday

Probably four of those names already A-graders, another 3 heading there

It is a frightening line up

Levi Ashcroft especially will be an interesting watch next year imo

Throw in Annable on top...

 

[Viceregal]

Didn't realise Geelong didn't have an NGA... (the A stands for Academy iirc)...

 

[blueiris]

Throw in Annable on top...

Agree that Annable would be in most teams 23 but you have to remember Lions have added Players and have injury players coming back he’ll have to bide he’s time in the VFL

 

[Mr Meow]

Same Geelong supporters who were arrogant flogs, carrying on like the flag was in the bag after they beat us in the 1st final now having a sook because the apparent unfair advantages were the reason we won. Maybe Cameron could have done something besides get his ass kicked bu the 8th best defender on our list. Maybe Dangerfield could have done ANYTHING besides kicking shit helicopters out on the full and walk around with his chest out, maybe Bailey Sniff could have not crapped his daks when the footsteps were coming and then embarrassed himself by pushing a true champion when the game was over, maybe Holmes could have tried kicking it to a Geelong player at some point, maybe Stengle should have got off the bus, maybe Dempsey could try running as hard defensively as he does when there is a cheaply in the goal square up for grabs, maybe supercoach should not have tagged a forward flanker and played someone who could have influenced the game- let alone the Cameron balls up with a broken arm. But yeah the reason we won was the academy picks play within the rules and still plenty having a whinge. Maybe look at where the club come from and how we got to here, development, nailing draft picks for years and a coach nobody else wanted.

You could quote the one Geelong supporter in here who used that narrative instead of an incoherent rant that generalises to an entire supporter base.

Why do people struggle to use the quote button? The forum makes it exceptionally simple.

 

[Junction Lion]

Yes, it's great when you can finish top 4 and make grand finals, while still receiving F/S and academy picks rated at the very top end of the draft who can immediately join your best 22 every year.

It's like... the competition is engineered so the northern states get a leg up. But why? Why would the AFL do that?

So the Northern state are able to produce more father sons. Must be warm weather.

 

[Ross]

You could quote the one Geelong supporter in here who used that narrative instead of an incoherent rant that generalises to an entire supporter base.

Why do people struggle to use the quote button? The forum makes it exceptionally simple.

As a semi-literate person once said: "Sad! Isn't it"

 

[RonnieRaven]

You know your missing out on the gravy
When cats and swans are complaining about lions and suns Leg ups.
**** me dead
Can’t wait for lions and suns to cry a river when saints and dockers get,
Oh never mind

 

[timokane]

My top 8:

1. Suns
2. Lions
3. Hawks
4. Pies
5. GWS
6. Cats
7. Dogs
8. St.Kilda or Freo undecided on these 2

9th Swans

Wooden spoon Essendon

 

[Andrewgtv05]

My top 8:

1. Suns
2. Lions
3. Hawks
4. Pies
5. GWS
6. Cats
7. Dogs
8. St.Kilda or Freo undecided on these 2

9th Swans

Wooden spoon Essendon

Where does everyone else finish?

 

[Hollow Knight]

How's the history of Chris Scott's teams the year after comfortably losing their last final? 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021. Fairly decent follow up seasons overall, averaging around 16 H&A wins.

From this post, it sounds like the bigger takeaway is a track record of comfortably losing finals.

 

[Andrewgtv05]

Decided to Update my Ladder with the New Rules and Draft

1. Brisbane - To the Shock of No One
2. Fremantle - Expectations are Sky High
3. Carlton - Hey if Collingwood managed to go from bad to good in a year Carlton can do the same
4. Gold Coast - They shocked me last year and with the finals woe gone I can safely say they get better
5. Hawthorn - They aren't ready for top four yet but I think they are close enough
6. GWS - Same as the last year but a tiny bit worse
7. Geelong - Sure they lost in the Grand Final by Forty Points but they are too good not to finish below the top 8
8. Port Adelaide - A Bounce back year from last year

9. Western Bulldogs - Honestly think they have the players to win
10. Adelaide - Disappoint is gonna be a little Real

11. Collingwood - Where they should be
12. Melborune - Gonna be mid at best
13. Richmond - I expect a lot from Sam Lalor and the 2025 picks
14. Essendon - It's gonna be a bumpy ride
15. Sydney - I pretty much expect them to be like the 2010 Lions
16. St Kilda - They are Frauds
17. North Melborune - Clarkson get's sacked at the end of Year
18. West Coast - Possible Winless Season

Grand Final: Fremantle Beats Brisbane - Surely the legacy of Failure has to end here

Brownlow: George Hewett

29

George Hewett

Age

29

Ht

187cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.7

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

10.3

5star

M

2.7

3star

T

4.1

5star

CL

3.3

5star

D

13.8

3star

K

4.8

2star

HB

9.0

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.4

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.4

3star

- I liked what he did last year, and I only expect him to be better

Coleman Medal: Harry McKay

10

Harry Mckay

Age

27

Ht

200cm

Wt

106kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

2.4

2star

M

5.5

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.4

5star

D

6.6

1star

K

4.6

2star

HB

2.0

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

2star

G

1.4

5star

D

8.8

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

4.4

4star

T

0.8

3star

G

2.0

5star

- Without Curnow surely he has to recreate his 2021 form

Rising Star: Jagga Smith or Harry Dean - Either one has an equal chance for different reasons

 

[Viceregal]

Grand Final: Fremantle Beats Brisbane - Surely the legacy of Failure has to end here

One thing we know is that if it is a Lions v Freo GF the Lions will have the support of most if not all Eagles' fans!

Of course I would prefer the result to be flipped from your projection!