Play Nice 2018 Ladder Predictions

Lsta062

Brownlow Medallist
Jul 15, 2014
21,580
41,428
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Chelsea, LA Lakers, Western United
Gotta laugh when you see people do predictions and have their own team in the top 8 and the premiers or a top 4 finisher in the bottom 8.

Melbourne are next to no chance to finish top 4, be lucky to make top 8 at best.

1. GWS
2. Adelaide
3. Richmond
4. Geelong
5. Port Adelaide
6. Essendon
7. Sydney
8. Hawthorn

9. Western Bulldogs
10. St Kilda
11. Melbourne
12. West Coast Eagles
13. Collingwood
14. Carlton
15. Brisbane
16. Fremantle
17. Gold Coast
18. North Melbourne
They are no locks, but if they acquire Lever then Melbourne could jump up to the top 4.
 

TJASTA

❄︎□︎⌧︎♓︎♍︎ 👌︎◆︎●︎●︎⍓︎
Sep 3, 2016
34,862
68,840
Jack Graham
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Port Melbourne, Furies
1. Richmond
2. GWS
3. Port Adelaide
4. Adelaide
5. Geelong
6. Sydney
7. Melbourne
8. Essendon
------------------------
9. St Kilda
10. Collingwood
11. Western Bulldogs
12. Hawthorn
13. West Coast
14. Carlton
15. Brisbane
16. Fremantle
17. North Melbourne
18. Gold Coast
 

Rance2Mewtwo

Cancelled
Jul 31, 2016
1,554
4,909
AFL Club
Richmond
- Richmond will finish top 3.
- Melbourne will finish 5th or higher, they have a premiership foundation like Richmond did in 2013.
- St Kilda will play finals and top 4 smokey, their best is excellent and I rate their coach (one of the very best in the AFL).
- Carlton will finish around 8th with the Clarkson fairy dust rubbing off. Bolton won't blow his load on next year though, slow burn upwards.
- Essendon will go backwards, slightly. Emotionally charged season this year and still couldn't make finals, and have ageing players like North last year.
- North I'm predicting will rebound quickly like Richmond did and finish 5th-8th. Two reasons: Consistent drafting over 10 years, and missing out of guns will galvanise their battlers to go up a level. Dislike them, but strongly expect them to do a Richmond.
- Collingwood is interesting, they'll either do a Richmond with Buckley or they'll finish bottom 4. I haven't seen Bucks display the emotional capacity to do a Hardwick yet, so bottom 4 with a lottery ticket chance of a premiership.
- Brisbane rising to a proud 10th.
- Adelaide will miss the finals because several bottom 8 teams will mimic Richmond's high pressure game plan and half the teams will dismantle their elite passing strategy
- Geelong's list consists of the wrong type of players for the modern style and they seem to be trading several of them not because they're not talented, but because they aren't suited for the modern high pressure game now. This indicates their long-term list strategy has gone the wrong way and they could have a talented list, but the wrong players. Still makes the finals on talent, though.
Hawthorn lower third of the ladder. Won several great games this year on the back of a superior psychological advantage in the shadow of past premierships, but their aura has disappeared now and Clarkson will be rebuilding the list for a totally new style of football to get ahead of the curve. It takes more than 1 year to reshape a list to get ahead of the curve again.
Port as much as I dislike them, they will make finals. They've stuck by their coach like Richmond, and look to be trying to emulate Richmond's team unity approach.
Dogs will be top 4 now that they've ejected a culturally poisonous player and their young list will be hungry to regain respect.
West Coast lower third of the ladder. Other clubs around them just look more promising, they've done nothing wrong themselves. I just don't see anything particularly special with them, and one of their strengths is conning the umpires for technical free kicks, so I'm a little biased against them due to that being their priority at training and I don't see how they're going to gain an advantage through more honourable means, and objectively I think North, Dogs, Port, Saints, Carlton, Collingwood, Melbourne, etc look like they're doing more to improve.
Fremantle, Gold Coast, Sydney I don't know enough about them TBH.
GWS I actually think they're well-suited to drop off next year. They've failed in 2 prelims in a row due to lack of teamwork, not talent, which I predict will lead them to fracture as they point fingers during the off-season. Too many prima donnas for them to rally, and not enough media exposure up there to kick their ass into the "us vs the world" mindset they desperately need.
 
- Richmond will finish top 3.
- Melbourne will finish 5th or higher, they have a premiership foundation like Richmond did in 2013.
- St Kilda will play finals and top 4 smokey, their best is excellent and I rate their coach (one of the very best in the AFL).
- Carlton will finish around 8th with the Clarkson fairy dust rubbing off. Bolton won't blow his load on next year though, slow burn upwards.
- Essendon will go backwards, slightly. Emotionally charged season this year and still couldn't make finals, and have ageing players like North last year.
- North I'm predicting will rebound quickly like Richmond did and finish 5th-8th. Two reasons: Consistent drafting over 10 years, and missing out of guns will galvanise their battlers to go up a level. Dislike them, but strongly expect them to do a Richmond.
- Collingwood is interesting, they'll either do a Richmond with Buckley or they'll finish bottom 4. I haven't seen Bucks display the emotional capacity to do a Hardwick yet, so bottom 4 with a lottery ticket chance of a premiership.
- Brisbane rising to a proud 10th.
- Adelaide will miss the finals because several bottom 8 teams will mimic Richmond's high pressure game plan and half the teams will dismantle their elite passing strategy
- Geelong's list consists of the wrong type of players for the modern style and they seem to be trading several of them not because they're not talented, but because they aren't suited for the modern high pressure game now. This indicates their long-term list strategy has gone the wrong way and they could have a talented list, but the wrong players. Still makes the finals on talent, though.
Hawthorn lower third of the ladder. Won several great games this year on the back of a superior psychological advantage in the shadow of past premierships, but their aura has disappeared now and Clarkson will be rebuilding the list for a totally new style of football to get ahead of the curve. It takes more than 1 year to reshape a list to get ahead of the curve again.
Port as much as I dislike them, they will make finals. They've stuck by their coach like Richmond, and look to be trying to emulate Richmond's team unity approach.
Dogs will be top 4 now that they've ejected a culturally poisonous player and their young list will be hungry to regain respect.
West Coast lower third of the ladder. I just don't see anything special with them, and their main strength is conning the umpires for technical free kicks, so if that is their priority at training I don't see how they're going to gain an advantage through more honourable means.
Fremantle, Gold Coast, Sydney I don't know enough about them TBH.
GWS I actually think they're well-suited to drop off next year. They've failed in 2 prelims in a row due to lack of teamwork, not talent, which I predict will lead them to fracture as they point fingers during the off-season. Too many prima donnas for them to rally, and not enough media exposure up there to kick their ass into the "us vs the world" mindset they desperately need.

Trolls are usually funny.
 

Rance2Mewtwo

Cancelled
Jul 31, 2016
1,554
4,909
AFL Club
Richmond
Trolls are usually funny.

Seriously, read the whole thing not just your club.

West Coast haven't done much wrong, but they had one of the oldest lists in the competition and Saints, Melbourne, North, Carlton, etc look more promising to me.
 
Seriously, read the whole thing not just your club.

West Coast haven't done much wrong, but they had one of the oldest lists in the competition and Saints, Melbourne, North, Carlton, etc look more promising to me.

It wasn't just your assessment of West Coast.

Essendon played finals this year, for example.
 

Rance2Mewtwo

Cancelled
Jul 31, 2016
1,554
4,909
AFL Club
Richmond
It wasn't just your assessment of West Coast.

Essendon played finals this year, for example.

Honestly forgot about them playing finals, but 9th vs 8th, it's the same logic going forward to next year with the ageing players on their list meaning 10th-12th is most likely for them.

What's wrong with that?
 

MUFASA12

All Australian
Dec 8, 2015
667
1,400
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Miami Heat, Everton FC, ATL Falcons
1. GWS
2. SYDNEY
3. ADELAIDE
4. WESTERN BULLDOGS
5. RICHMOND
6. GEELONG
7. HAWTHORN
8. MELBOURNE

9. COLLINGWOOD
10. ST. KILDA
11. ESSENDON
12. PORT ADELAIDE
13. CARLTON
14. WEST COAST
15. BRISBANE
16. FREMANTLE
17. GOLD COAST
18. NORTH MELBOURNE

QF1: GWS VS. WESTERN BULLDOGS = GIANTS WIN
QF2: SYDNEY VS. ADELAIDE= SWANS WIN
EF1: RICHMOND VS. MELBOURNE= DEMONS WIN
EF2: GEELONG VS. HAWTHORN= CATS WIN

SF1: ADELAIDE VS. MELBOURNE= CROWS WIN
SF2: WESTERN BULLDOGS VS. GEELONG= CATS WIN

PF1: GWS VS. ADELAIDE= GIANTS WIN
PF2: SYDNEY VS. GEELONG= SWANS WIN

GF: GWS VS. SYDNEY= GIANTS WIN THE PREMIERSHIP
 

bh90210fan

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 4, 2017
9,623
11,108
AFL Club
West Coast
Gotta laugh when you see people do predictions and have their own team in the top 8 and the premiers or a top 4 finisher in the bottom 8.

Melbourne are next to no chance to finish top 4, be lucky to make top 8 at best.

1. GWS
2. Adelaide
3. Richmond
4. Geelong
5. Port Adelaide
6. Essendon
7. Sydney
8. Hawthorn

9. Western Bulldogs
10. St Kilda
11. Melbourne
12. West Coast Eagles
13. Collingwood
14. Carlton
15. Brisbane
16. Fremantle
17. Gold Coast
18. North Melbourne
Reckon Melbourne have a better midfield and forward line than you lot
 
Apr 13, 2006
32,868
77,030
The Bitter End
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
I'm not sure about the Port Adelaide hype. I'm expecting a tougher fixture and more pressure on the club to succeed which may not help them. As most know, they failed to beat a single incumbent top eight side during the year so some including myself might see them as mentally weak. There are a lot of flakey types who you can't rely on 22 times a year. I'll give them their back line, it's terrific and deserves more praise than it gets. But that midfield lacks something vital and it doesn't look like being filled unless Powell-Pepper goes full Oliver or something next year.

They can well make finals, or even go top four and win the flag but I don't see the improvement and I don't think they'll make finals. A lot of players would have to pull their fingers out to see success - Hartlett, Polec, Neade, SGray, Motlop if recruited.

Port actually finished 7th which puts us in the 2nd band. We will play the Crows twice and then only 1 other top 6 team at a maximum.
 
Jun 11, 2007
34,086
29,320
Victoria
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Bayern, Milan, Boston Celtics
Without seeing the fixture, trades & draft:

1 Adelaide
2 Sydney
3 Richmond
4 GWS
5 Melbourne
6 Essendon
7 Port
8 Geelong
---
9 St Kilda
10 Hawthorn
11 Bulldogs
12 Carlton
13 West Coast
14 Collingwood
15 Fremantle
16 North
17 Gold Coast
18 Brisbane
 
Richmond will make finals, but with a tougher draw and perhaps not as good a run with injuries, it won't be super high.
Still, based on pre-trade, and the fact that the AFL season is so unpredicatble I'll have a stab.
I expect Melbourne to improve with astute trading. Bombers have the firepower to do well. I also expect Pies, Blues and Lions to improve, albeit slowly, but improve all the same.
Port needs to convince me that they can handle the mental side of things to be a big improver, but on talent, they are capable.
Hawks could surprise too. I probably have them too low.
Jury is out on the Dogs for mine. Could be high, could be middle.


Sydney
GWS
Adelaide
Geelong
Richmond
Melbourne
Essendon
Port Adelaide

West Coast
St Kilda
Collingwood
Hawthorn
Western Bulldogs
Carlton
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Fremantle
North Melbourne

I will add that right at the moment I don't really give two *s, because it's still tiger time.
 
1. Adelaide
2. Richmond
3. GWS
4. Melbourne
5. Geelong
6. Sydney
7. Essendon
8. Hawthorn
--------------
9. Port Adelaide
10. St Kilda
11. Collingwood
12. West Coast
13. Carlton
14. Brisbane
15. Western Bulldogs
16. Fremantle
17. Gold Coast
18. North

If Brisbane signs Hodge do you see them climbing higher than Rockliff?

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

Benjodt

Senior List
Mar 28, 2015
171
53
AFL Club
West Coast
1. Adelaide
2. Sydney
3. GWS
4. Tigers
5. Geelong
6. Port Adelaide
7. Melbourne
8. Bulldogs

9. Essendon
10. St Kilda
11. Eagles
12. Collingwood
13. Hawks
14. Carlton
15. Dockers
16. North Melbourne
17. Lions
18. GC
 

Bazza97

Premiership Player
Nov 17, 2016
3,957
3,973
Melbourne
AFL Club
Melbourne
Just some early thoughts given how Fremantle finished up the season. Probably will do one after the fixture release, trade period and draft.
Yeah, I think it's quite possible Freo might have a disappointing 2018. I'm not sold Lyon is the man going forward for the Dockers but we'll know more next year. Personally think they will finish bottom 4 in 2018 but open to the possibility that they could win around 8 games and avoid the bottom 4 like they did this year. Seems the consensus bottom 3 so far is Fremantle, Gold Coast and North Melbourne in any order.
 
May 3, 2007
36,001
20,766
Parts Unknown
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Man City, Valencia, Lazio, Panthers
Just some early thoughts given how Fremantle finished up the season. Probably will do one after the fixture release, trade period and draft.
Freo had the glass that was half full/ Half empty season.

The two games vs your mob summed up freos season. In good day, we can beat your mob at the MCG. On bad day as taking your mob at Subi Late in the season, we looked very bad.

People go on about how freo lost to Port by 89 points, Lost to Crows, Richmond and Sydney by over 100 points each. Fair enough. I get p***ed off Yet People forget we were a good Michael Walters goal to beat the cats In Geelong and lost Narrowly to GWS in NSW.

People wondered why we struggled in the 2nd half of the season...Injuries came and we had no choice but to play more youth. Guys like Logue, Cox and Darcy each got around 10 games each. Nyhuis, Ryan, Deluca and Balic all played round 2-5 games each. That's 7 1st year players. What I just said crushes the Myth that ross Lyon doesn't play youth.

As I said I rather take the 8 wins we got with a young squad like freo had in 2017 than get 4 wins with an old squad freo in 2016.
 
May 10, 2007
24,080
30,209
Bonbeach
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Arsenal Fc Portland Trailblazers
Without seeing the fixture and trades its hard but I will have a go

1. Sydney
2. Adelaide
3. GWS
4. Geelong
5. Melbourne
6. Port Adelaide
7. Richmond
8. Western Bulldogs

9. Collingwood
10.Hawthorn
11.Essendon
12. St. Kilda
13. West Coast
14. Carlton
15. North Melbourne
16. Brisbane Lions
17. Fremantle
18 Gold Coast
 

westking

Cancelled
Apr 25, 2010
2,155
1,927
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Whoever happens to be winning
1. GWS
2. Sydney
3. Adelaide
4. Melbourne
5. Richmond
6. Dogs
7. Port
8. Geelong
------------
9. Saints
10. Essendon
11. Collingwood
12. Hawthorn
13.West Coast
14. Fremantle
15. Brisbane
16. Carlton
17. Norht
18. Suns

Why oh why did I just waste a minute of my life compiling this list?
 
Would question port and dogs

Overestimated port they will get a harder draw this year

Underestimated the dogs who will bounce back with an easier draw and too much talent.
Port's fixture will, notionally, be no harder than this year. The top/middle/bottom six system is based on ladder position after finals.
 
Current prediction, pre draft and trading.*

GWS
Sydney
Adelaide
Richmond
Geelong
Port
Melbourne
Bulldogs
- - -
Hawthorn
Essendon
Collingwood
West Coast
St Kilda
Freo
Carlton
North
Brisbane
Gold Coast








*I've actually just copied Sportsbet's line of betting for the 2018 flag.
 
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