2019 Premiership Predictions + Finals smokies - Are Brisbane the Dark Horse for this years Flag?

[Macpotata]

Port Adelaide were close to finals late in the season but faded surprisingly (not helped by McGovern doing a Shuey)
A lot of their hopes rested on Ryder who struggled for fitness but now they also have Lycett.
Possibly also may have cleared out some behind the scenes egos/clashes so could also surprise many by easily making finals.

Some good points you make. Dixon or Ryder went off injured vs WCE I think, Ryder also missed a shot which would have sealed it before he did. They could have easily won that game and went on to play finals.

Lycett is a good inclusion to their side, you could be right.

 

[footy75]

Giants for the premiership, I think they will dominate the comp this year. Not quite a dark horse but Lions will play finals.


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Lions have a very nice draw.. i think they improve big time but miss miss finals by a game or 2

 

[footy75]

Port Adelaide were close to finals late in the season but faded surprisingly (not helped by McGovern doing a Shuey)
A lot of their hopes rested on Ryder who struggled for fitness but now they also have Lycett.
Possibly also may have cleared out some behind the scenes egos/clashes so could also surprise many by easily making finals.

cant see port making it


its gona be a tight year but I see the final 8 coming from these 10 teams

westcoast
richmond
crows
geelong
melbourne
collingwood
GWS
Sydney
essendon
north

 

[Macpotata]

Riewoldt's pretty confident this year.

'' Redemption '' is on his and the Tiger's minds.

 

[tony__montana]

Honestly cant split the top 4 from last year. Will pick Melbourne:
super list, backline looks a ripper with May and allows Lever to come back without any pressure. Looks like they'll really give the Gawn/Preuss tag team a run, if it works it will make things that much harder against them. Brayshaw Oliver and Viney are all classy hardnuts, if Petracca takes the next step which he's been threatening to do without quite doing it, he'll be a gamechanger.

Darkhorse - Crows. Better draw, still got a formidable lineup although some of their players are getting on now Betts is 32? and may be past his best, he looked a tad slower last year but maybe thats bc the whole club imploded last year and it just wasnt a happy place. Have a feeling they'll be hungry and be right up there

 

[Macpotata]

Honestly cant split the top 4 from last year. Will pick Melbourne:
super list, backline looks a ripper with May and allows Lever to come back without any pressure. Looks like they'll really give the Gawn/Preuss tag team a run, if it works it will make things that much harder against them. Brayshaw Oliver and Viney are all classy hardnuts, if Petracca takes the next step which he's been threatening to do without quite doing it, he'll be a gamechanger.

Darkhorse - Crows. Better draw, still got a formidable lineup although some of their players are getting on now Betts is 32? and may be past his best, he looked a tad slower last year but maybe thats bc the whole club imploded last year and it just wasnt a happy place. Have a feeling they'll be hungry and be right up there

Good post, I like it.

You never know with footy and in sport, but it's shaping up to be a cracking season { as always } It does appear that we have 4 heavyweight contenders that are serious challengers and won't drop too many games. Richmond, Melbourne, Collingwood and West Coast. Then we have the Crows who many are tipping to propel back up the ladder and also mount a challenge. And the old guard like Geelong, Sydney and the Hawks who if they all click could go far as well.

Still haven't mentioned Essendon yet......

 

[Macpotata]

Could be similar to 2011 where the top 4 finished like this


Collingwood 20-2
Geelong 19-3
Hawthorn 18-4
West Coast 17-5

In regard to that in that they don't drop too many games. WCE finished 4th with a 17-5 season. That's enough for top spot easily in seasons gone by { 2017 a recent example } Richmond were tremendous last season and topped it with an 18-4 record. That was only enough to get the Hawks 3rd place in 2011.

 

[Coach_Required]

Melbourne to beat Adelaide in the GF

 

[woosha24]

Reckon Collingwood will use the 2018 GF defeat to dig deep and take the cup in 2019. They will be hurting after the way they disposed of their main rival in the prelim then choked a 30pt lead on their home ground. They'll go hard this year.

Smokey - weirdly, West Coast. All the talk at this time of the year is about how the Tiges are a juggernaut, Melbourne are on the cusp and Collingwood are gonna do it for Bucks. Like 2018, West Coast are flying under the radar with quiet confidence. They've had 2 players leave over the off-season in areas of the ground that they have strong coverage in, they've got a bunch of youngsters with Premiership medallions around their necks already, and provided they don't drink the bathwater they will be licking their chops if they get into the Top 4 with a near-best 22 available for selection. A back-to-back might be on the cards if the boys feel disrespected again this year.

 

[Coach_Required]

Reckon Collingwood will use the 2018 GF defeat to dig deep and take the cup in 2019. They will be hurting after the way they disposed of their main rival in the prelim then choked a 30pt lead on their home ground. They'll go hard this year.

Smokey - weirdly, West Coast. All the talk at this time of the year is about how the Tiges are a juggernaut, Melbourne are on the cusp and Collingwood are gonna do it for Bucks. Like 2018, West Coast are flying under the radar with quiet confidence. They've had 2 players leave over the off-season in areas of the ground that they have strong coverage in, they've got a bunch of youngsters with Premiership medallions around their necks already, and provided they don't drink the bathwater they will be licking their chops if they get into the Top 4 with a near-best 22 available for selection. A back-to-back might be on the cards if the boys feel disrespected again this year.

I wouldnt read too much into the so called experts, this time last year we also werent premiership favourites even though we still had all our 22 premiership players and pretty much the same full list to pick from, in fact many predicted we wouldnt finish top 4 in 2018.

IMO its all about momentum heading into the finals season, top 4, helps the most but even then you need a few cards to fall your way as it's a long season.

Richmond is only red hot favourites because we acquired Tom Lynch and the media likes to jump on when they are made to look silly previously. As much as I'm really confident we can have a good year I'm no sucker and IMO there is 10 teams that could easily win the flag this year.

 

[Macpotata]

Reckon Collingwood will use the 2018 GF defeat to dig deep and take the cup in 2019. They will be hurting after the way they disposed of their main rival in the prelim then choked a 30pt lead on their home ground. They'll go hard this year.

Smokey - weirdly, West Coast. All the talk at this time of the year is about how the Tiges are a juggernaut, Melbourne are on the cusp and Collingwood are gonna do it for Bucks. Like 2018, West Coast are flying under the radar with quiet confidence. They've had 2 players leave over the off-season in areas of the ground that they have strong coverage in, they've got a bunch of youngsters with Premiership medallions around their necks already, and provided they don't drink the bathwater they will be licking their chops if they get into the Top 4 with a near-best 22 available for selection. A back-to-back might be on the cards if the boys feel disrespected again this year.

Good write up.


Agreed.

 

[1972championsofaust]

Collingwood Premiers
Adelaide to play Finals

 

[Macpotata]

I wouldnt read too much into the so called experts, this time last year we also werent premiership favourites even though we still had all our 22 premiership players and pretty much the same full list to pick from, in fact many predicted we wouldnt finish top 4 in 2018.

IMO its all about momentum heading into the finals season, top 4, helps the most but even then you need a few cards to fall your way as it's a long season.

Richmond is only red hot favourites because we acquired Tom Lynch and the media likes to jump on when they are made to look silly previously. As much as I'm really confident we can have a good year I'm no sucker and IMO there is 10 teams that could easily win the flag this year.

Last year you were favourites.

 

[HTT]

Last year you were favourites.

Not this time last year

IIRC Adelaide and Sydney were top 2. We were around 4th/5th favourite. We became favourites pretty early on though.

 

[Coach_Required]

Last year you were favourites.

No we werent, not before the season started.

 

[Freomaniac]

I am going to get crapped on for this. And no I am not making saying the freo will win the flag. If there is a Dark horse, It will be the Swans.

Swans looked liked they were cooked last season. But I think they have something left. Take away the 2014 GF where they stood out like a swollen thumb all season. The other years they made the Granny, 2005, 2006, 2012 and 2016, they sneak under the radar and peak at the right time.


Their best 22 on the day can cause problems to any Side if they make it.

 

[Macpotata]

Not this time last year

IIRC Adelaide and Sydney were top 2. We were around 4th/5th favourite. We became favourites pretty early on though.

I stand corrected my friend.

 

[TooBlue14]

I am going to get crapped on for this. And no I am not making saying the freo will win the flag. If there is a Dark horse, It will be the Swans.

Swans looked liked they were cooked last season. But I think they have something left. Take away the 2014 GF where they stood out like a swollen thumb all season. The other years they made the Granny, 2005, 2006, 2012 and 2016, they sneak under the radar and peak at the right time.


Their best 22 on the day can cause problems to any Side if they make it.

No chance. Max Barry and the squiggle have them bottom 5. They have nothing on paper. A list that has stayed around due to rookies and top ups from second level competitions. Now everyone is doing it and there’s less left for them. If it wasn’t for their academy they’d be bottoming out pretty badly. Even their home ground is bad for them now. Carlton nearly beat them there in 2018.

Every chance they will be 0-5 by round 6.

 

[NonPhixion]

I feel like freo could be a dark horse for finals. Think they will at least be in the mix. They lose a valuable player in Neale, but gain a great young key forward and a solid ruckman. Probably the 2 things they needed most. Also helps having the best player in the Comp when he’s healthy. Probably lack 1-2 more A-graders. But Langdon and Wilson could take that next step.

 

[IsDONisGood333]

Collingwood or Melbourne to win premiership

Essendon- Top 4 Smokey

Brisbane- Top 8 Dark Horse

 

[footy75]

Liking...

Pies, Melbourne, Adelaide, Essendon, West Coast and GWS

Still think Cats and Sydney will be playing finals.

Forget the rest.

 

[TheKanga]

It never goes the way everyone expects.

 

[gbatman]

Premiership chances:
Collingwood, West Coast, Richmond, Melbourne, GWS

Dark Horse for finals:
Brisbane, Carlton.

Adelaide and Essendon aren't real dark horses as they are kind of expected they should play finals.

 

[Dr Tigris]

I'd say the 2018 top 4 are all really solid chances. Then there's teams that could easily win it if everything goes right- Adelaide, Geelong, Essendon.

A good year, very open and a lot of teams with reasons to be optimistic about.

Having said that, a team might clear right out and dominate. But right now I'd be surprised. My guess is (biased obviously) that the Tigers are the ones that could tear it apart taking the 2018 performance to another level. Adding Lynch and gaining maturity in Graham, Higgins etc while having no one important at the end of their career. But any of the top teams is a genuine shot in 2019.

 

[adammania9]

Port Adelaide are finally making some moves. I dig the Ryan Burton pickup, they should play him in midfield; he’ll be a star there. Ebert and Boak appear to be training more as forwards which is interesting but by all reports is succeeding. Powell-Pepper has shedded heaps of weight and Gray I have a feeling is going to have a huge year playing full-time midfield. The Lycett recruitment could also Ryder to go forward and kick 40 goals, meaning Dixon and Marshall will be pressured to play well to stay in the side.

Hinkley is under the gun and they clearly have a long line of on-field talent, I think they can definitely find their swing this year and mount a top eight/four challenge. It’s easy to forget that last year they were in the top four for much of the year and were considered one of the league’s best sides.