2025 Ladder Predictions

[WillHayward]

Geelong
Giants
Lions
Pies
Blues
Fremantle
Hawks
Bulldogs
Saints
Crows
Suns
Bombers
Port
Swans
Demons
North
Eagles
Tigers

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Geelong
Giants
Lions
Pies
Blues
Fremantle
Hawks
Bulldogs
Saints
Crows
Suns
Bombers
Port
Swans
Demons
North
Eagles
Tigers

PETA thanks you for saving the life of one seal.

 

[mpal6]

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

Unfortunately I think we jag a few home wins as a Eagles fan and end up nowhere. Brisbane to win 20 games for the year and finish 1st easily.

Nah, we'll be more middle of the ladder and bottom half of 8 again. Shorter preseason and a much longer list coming out of post season surgeries etc. Neale, Oscar, McCluggage and even Levi did a shoulder cleanup. 4 ACLs returning as well so our depth will be tested.

Lions could get going by round 10 and chain a few wins but earlier in the season would be a struggle for us.

 

[Rob R]

Be patient and wait until April 2025.

April first?

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Seattle Mariners]

1. GWS GIANTS
2. SYDNEY SWANS
3. COLLINGWOOD
4. BRISBANE LIONS
5. HAWTHORN
6. CARLTON
7. ADELAIDE
8. MELBOURNE
9. Geelong
10. Western Bulldogs
11. Port Adelaide
12. Gold Coast Suns
13. Essendon
14. St Kilda
15. Fremantle
16. West Coast Eagles
17. Richmond
18. North Melbourne

GRAND FINAL: GWS Giants d. Sydney Swans

I reckon this is one of the very few ladders (from a non MFC poster) that has Melbourne in the top 8.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

I love how Daniher is apparently Brisbane Lions only forward people are forgetting how dangerous the Lions are with a smaller forward line you only need to look back at the GF against one of the best defensive teams from last year in Sydney

he performs an important structural role that can't be replaced by your current players, and allows the smalls to have impactful games like the gf.

you won't see Ah Chee having too many 4 goal games.

 

[davos44]

1. Fremantle
2. Brisbane
3. St Kilda
4. Sydney
5. Hawthorn
6. Gold Coast
7. Port Adelaide
8. Adelaide


9. Collingwood
10. Carlton
11. GWS Giants
12. North Melbourne
13. Geelong
14. Essendon
15. Western Bulldogs
16. Melbourne
17. West Coast
18. Richmond


-One of the most awful finals series ever, but equalisation matters.
-Gold Coast vs Port the worst attended final outside of 2020.
-Essendon supporters burn Niddrie to the ground after they go 0-10 to start the year, the Keilor East Smash room booked until 2028
-Carlton to sack Voss and rehire Ratten after going 8-0 to start the year but end the year 9-14
-St Kilda build a statue for Ross Lyon but its just Taylah Harris' statue with a paper mache Ross Lyon head to keep costs down
- Adelaide lose a close final to Hawthorn after Nicks is compelled to let Mabior Chol kick 9

 

[Purple Suit]

Nah, we'll be more middle of the ladder and bottom half of 8 again. Shorter preseason and a much longer list coming out of post season surgeries etc. Neale, Oscar, McCluggage and even Levi did a shoulder cleanup. 4 ACLs returning as well so our depth will be tested.

Lions could get going by round 10 and chain a few wins but earlier in the season would be a struggle for us.

This seems very sensible. The last two flag teams were old and didn't make the finals the next season. That loss of fire in the belly seems to impact enough to tip them out so you've got to overcome that. The loss of Daniher will also be massive as Hipwood is now leading your forward line and you will now have a back-up ruck issue like most teams.

 

[Mr Meow]

This seems very sensible. The last two flag teams were old and didn't make the finals the next season. That loss of fire in the belly seems to impact enough to tip them out so you've got to overcome that. The loss of Daniher will also be massive as Hipwood is now leading your forward line and you will now have a back-up ruck issue like most teams.

People underestimate the advantage of a side sending players for surgery round 22 or 23 (if their season is over by then) as opposed to after the grand final. That can end up being a 6 or 7 week difference in the end. Geelong's strong start in 2024 compared to 2023 was a good example of that effect.

And yeah I'd say on average teams are going to be less motivated to put in a serious amount of work before Christmas if they've just won a flag. So a lot of other teams probably start fitter and in better condition for at least the first couple of months of the season. The dynasty sides have got around this by not having such an old list - players less broken down etc.

 

[emuboy]

I reckon this is one of the very few ladders (from a non MFC poster) that has Melbourne in the top 8.

Melbourne is a hard team to tip, the Demons could do anything.

 

[Gavin Excell]

People underestimate the advantage of a side sending players for surgery round 22 or 23 (if their season is over by then) as opposed to after the grand final. That can end up being a 6 or 7 week difference in the end. Geelong's strong start in 2024 compared to 2023 was a good example of that effect.

And yeah I'd say on average teams are going to be less motivated to put in a serious amount of work before Christmas if they've just won a flag. So a lot of other teams probably start fitter and in better condition for at least the first couple of months of the season. The dynasty sides have got around this by not having such an old list - playe
rs less broken down etc.

The rationale why Pies should improve in 2025

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Brisbane
Collingwood (R)
Geelong
GWS (P)
Freo
Hawthorn
Saints
GC

Tingles
Ports
Swans
Blues
Bulldogs
North
West Coast
Essendon
Melbourne
Richmond

 

[Fadge]

Brisbane
Collingwood (R)
Geelong
GWS (P)
Freo
Hawthorn
Saints
GC

Tingles
Ports
Swans
Blues
Bulldogs
North
West Coast
Essendon
Melbourne
Richmond

I predict the same Grand Final.

Great minds.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Brisbane
Collingwood (R)
Geelong
GWS (P)
Freo
Hawthorn
Saints
GC

Tingles
Ports
Swans
Blues
Bulldogs
North
West Coast
Essendon
Melbourne
Richmond

Why do you refer to the Crows (process elimination etc) at Tingles

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Why do you refer to the Crows (process elimination etc) at Tingles

Fruit Tingles

 

[Gazza Greatness]

The rationale why Pies should improve in 2025

Geelong and Collingwood both had 'terrible injury runs' in the following season after winning the flag, worst injury run in a season for both clubs in many years. And I'm not sure why this hasn't been raised much at all but it was by far the number one reason why both clubs missed the eight. So much so, that if either club has the same terrible injury run in 2025 as they did then..... then they'll once again be hard pressed making the eight, but that goes for any club as the AFL is now to even for much to go wrong.

 

[beside the seaside]

Geelong and Collingwood both had 'terrible injury runs' in the following season after winning the flag, worst injury run in a season for both clubs in many years. And I'm not sure why this hasn't been raised much at all but it was by far the number one reason why both clubs missed the eight. So much so, that if either club has the same terrible injury run in 2025 as they did then..... then they'll once again be hard pressed making the eight, but that goes for any club as the AFL is now to even for much to go wrong.

Geelong's injuries in 2023 didn't look too bad. They were ranked 8th on the games lost to injury list. Collingwood were 3rd this year.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Geelong's injuries in 2023 didn't look too bad. They were ranked 8th on the games lost to injury list. Collingwood were 3rd this year.

It doesn't look too bad cause we chose to play guys who weren't right rather than giving up on the season.

SDK, C Guthrie, Stewart, Cameron, Hawkins, Danger, Bruhn and Stanley all played plenty of games when clearly nowhere near full fitness because that was a better option than playing a whole heap of sub 10 gamers.

Eg Hawkins was rushed back from footy surgery and couldn't move for the first month. But we only did that because Neale was injured late in preseason. So it looks like Hawkins didn't miss any games but we would've much preferred to play a fit Neale over a stuffed Hawkins.

 

[Mr Meow]

Geelong's injuries in 2023 didn't look too bad. They were ranked 8th on the games lost to injury list. Collingwood were 3rd this year.

Nah I ran an analysis on this and 2024 Geelong had a dream run compared to 2023 - factoring in games missed to best 22 + in-game injuries. You have to account for parts of the field where injuries hit all at once, e.g missing 4 of your starting 6 defenders or 3 of your best midfielders is hard to cover. We had enough of a pile up in crucial games where losing streaks killed the season. About 10 players were sent for surgery after the St Kilda game, so they were hanging on by a thread.

In 2023 the Geelong squad wasn't all that fit, especially early. For 2024 most players had an extra 6 or 7 weeks on the track in pre-season, and no doubt worked that bit harder. A very old side coming off the back of a premiership to cap off many years of contending, is not a good recipe for heading into the next season fit, fresh and hungry.

Collingwood and Geelong had similar set ups post-premiership when it came to squad health and fitness. We'll see if Collingwood bounce back the year after like Geelong did - it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

The rationale why Pies should improve in 2025

 

[Mr Meow]

That is definitely a concern. If Collingwood have a diminished Daicos and JDG can't get back to his best, their midfield will struggle.

 

[Gavin Excell]

I saw that earlier about N Daicos

Hard to grasp how it will impact him but doesn't sound great

 

[TheUnicorn]

 

[DQ 4EVER]

Is it even possible for St Kilda to hurt anyone but their own supporters?

Dwarves?

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[Hydatina Physis]