So I've done a top 8 instead of the full ladder as placing the teams outside the 8 I found was really difficult so I'm expecting a very even year next year. To make up for not doing a full ladder i decided to do profiles of the teams i see that will make the top 8. Keep in mind I haven't considered the inevitable injuries that will happen to some players which may affect a club's season depending on how important that player is. So for example when I was deciding whether Collingwood would be in my top 8 i considered all of the players that are not currently injured. I used Collingwood as an example due to it's unforeseen high injury list this year during the season. Also I apologise if this is too long for some to read I just felt I had to justify my ladder positions.
1. GWS GIANTS - Very balanced team all over the ground. The GIANTS have absolutely everything you need in a football team with no glaring weaknesses and they have the necessary depth to cover for most players. Based on this, GIANTS should be top two at least and will probably compete with the Swans for top spot. Could go either way but the GIANTS still have plenty of room for improvement in it's younger players both in and out of the best 22. If there is one weakness of the GIANTS it would be a slight reliance on Mumford as a ruckman who is known to make the younger GIANTS walk taller when he is on the ground due to his physicality and ability as a ruckman. Their biggest improver could be Jacob Hopper who would add further grunt to the midfield and in his first game he had 17 contested possessions, 9 clearances and 7 inside fifties from 32 disposals against the SUNS.
2. Sydney Swans - Definitely the best contested team in the comp and i can't see that changing all too much and as well as having Franklin in their forward fifty who will have support in Kurt Tippett and possibly Sam Reid, I expect a probable top two finish or at the very least top 4. However, the Swans do have a heavy reliance on Franklin to kick their goals but I reckon the Swans will get away with it as other players such as the key forwards i mentioned above as well as Tom Papley will contribute on the scoreboard more than this year. Also the SCG is a cauldron for opposing teams as the Swans only lost two games both by less than a goal in the home & away season. For me their biggest improver could be Papley as I reckon he's got the ability to kick 40+ goals next year and he looks like a player who would thrive on the big stage.
3. St Kilda - My bolter for next year. I reckon their forward line will benefit immensely as their high pressure, quick ball movement and transition will allow their marking forwards the best opportunity to kick goals. A lot of things would have to go right for the Saints to become a top 4 side but if their midfield breaks even in the contested ball more often than not they will give themselves a big opportunity to do so. The key defenders are also a slight worry but if the midfield's pressure is on it should help the defenders a great deal. Also out of all the sides outside the top 8 the Saints it's fair to say are the hardest team to play at their home deck Etihad which makes me think they're the side most likely to make a big jump. Paddy McCartin could be the biggest improver for the Saints as I think he's ready to impact the scoreboard as a full forward but for me the only query is whether he stays on the park.
4. Western Bulldogs - Despite winning the premiership, the Bulldogs still have plenty of scope to improve. It's still got one of the youngest lists in the competition but that hasn't stopped the Bulldogs becoming one of the best contested sides in the league. It's mix of grunt, speed and pressure makes the Bulldogs a fearsome side to play against especially at Etihad which suits their game perfectly. One query I have over the Bulldogs is their forward line with Crameri and Cloke coming in it's an unknown how they'll perform and the same can be said about Tom Boyd despite his outstanding performance in the Grand Final which could be a sign of things to come next year. However, despite their perceived forward line issues in the final series, the Bulldogs had no problems and if their key forwards don't perform to the expectations of some I think they will still play well and make the top 4. It's fair to say that the Bulldogs and the Saints could switch positions but to me the slight uncertainty of the Bulldogs forward line has the Saints slightly ahead. The biggest improver of the side could very well be Tom Boyd. If the Bulldogs have a key forward who can impact the scoreboard to work around it would make it easier to set up structurally and there would be less of a reliance on the smaller players to impact the scoreboard.
5. Adelaide Crows - Like the GIANTS, the Crows have a well balanced team. May be stiff to miss out on top 4, but I reckon we may have seen the best of this current Crows team this year. However, the Crows still have a team capable of inflicting some finals damage. Their forward line is still dangerous and structurally is probably the best in the comp as they were the highest scoring team this year. For me on paper this team looks like it should be entrenched in the top 4 but it doesn't deliver at the crucial moments. To be fair though they were within a whisker this year. For the Crows to make top 4 next year, Betts and Jenkins will have to have similar scoring outputs from this year into next year but that I reckon may be a big ask. Otherwise other forwards will have to pick up the slack which would be the ideal option imo. Brad Crouch looks like he could improve the Crows midfield next year. After playing no games in 2015, Crouch looks like he is on the right track to fulfil his talent by playing 16 games this year and performing well in the midfield and if he can improve his influence both on the inside and outside he could be right up there with Sloane.
6. Melbourne - At times an exciting team to watch with quick ball movement, the Demons need to improve their consistency. I reckon they will achieve that next year through the continued development of it's younger players which will reduce the load on some of it's senior players. The amount of development left in some of it's younger players has me convinced that this side should finish the year at least in the top 8. However, there's no clear strength of the Demons imo which is why I don't have them in the top 4 like the Saints and all the other sides I have in that bracket. However, over time the midfield will probably become the strength of the Demons as some of it's younger midfielders develop. Next year might be too soon for these players to develop into full time midfielders who perform at a high level. Also Melbourne unlike the top 4 sides i have for next year haven't made the MCG a dominant home ground as of yet, with improved performances at their home ground Melbourne should at the very least make the top 8. The biggest improver of the Demons might be Clayton Oliver who still needs to develop his tank so he can spend more time in the midfield. If he does that he would add more grunt to the improving midfield of the Demons and make a positive impact.
7. Geelong Cats - A team that is very hard to stop when it's midfield is dominating. Could swap the Demons and the Cats positions but there is a few queries I have regarding the Cats. However, starting with the positives, a midfield that contains Dangerfield and Selwood can cause havoc to every team with their dominance in the clearances. You can argue that they are the best midfield duo in the comp and when they are on, the Cats can beat any team. However, Geelong's greatest strength can also be it's greatest weakness as there does seem to be a heavy reliance on these two to get the job done. But if you were Tom Hawkins, you would love to have Dangerwood in your team with their quick clearances making Hawkins job easier to get marks and harder for opposing defenders. Another query I have of Geelong is it's forward line though. Hawkins is by far the best forward in the club and there is also quite a heavy reliance on him as well to get the job down. Menzel and Motlop provide support on the scoreboard but there's no guarantee that both will improve their scoreboard impact and both had really good years in terms of how many goals they got which may make it hard to replicate. Other players will need to contribute and that's why Nakia Cockatoo may be the next big improver down at Geelong. Cockatoo who is quick and good overhead has flair that will excite Cats fans for many years and he may be the player that can contribute in the forward line and improve the spread of goal kickers as well.
8. West Coast Eagles - Which Eagles are we going to get? the 2015 version? Or the 2016 version or worse? I reckon we will get something more so resembling the 2016 version. The Eagles to me look like an all round good team but not currently good enough for top 4. They do possess the best full forward in the game atm and a good foil at centre half forward but it's not enough for me to have them higher. However, they do have players that can immediately improve the team if they show their best form at their previous clubs such as Sam Mitchell, Jack Redden and Lewis Jetta in the midfield. Both of these players can reduce the pressure on players like Priddis and Gaff and make it a better team. If these players can replicate their previous club form then the Eagles could climb a couple of spots or if some of the younger players develop faster than expected, sneaking into the top 4 is not out of the question. In order to stay in the 8 or possibly make top 4, the Eagles will have to improve their record away from home as their record at Subiaco is outstanding with only 1 loss this year and only 2 the previous year. The one player who can improve the Eagles in terms of younger players is Liam Duggan. Despite not improving on his first year as much as he would have liked, Duggan is a classy player who should improve with a 3rd season under his belt should he remain fit during the pre-season. He would add extra class to the Eagles and his delivery inside 50 would be much appreciated from Kennedy and Darling and the other forwards in the side.