2026 Ladder Predictions

[theprospector]

Yep I hear this every year without fail.

Yawn.

The arrogance haha. You lost the grand final by ten goals. History isn't kind to teams that get demolished in grand finals and humilated.

 

[Munich]

The arrogance haha. You lost the grand final by ten goals. History isn't kind to teams that get demolished in grand finals and humilated.

Yep but history also says sides don't stay in finals contention year after year.

I'll back Geelong in.

 

[CDC60]

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

 

[Mr Meow]

The arrogance haha. You lost the grand final by ten goals. History isn't kind to teams that get demolished in grand finals and humilated.

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.

 

[SAweagle]

1. Brisbane - Premier
2. Gold Coast
3. Adelaide
4. St.Kilda
5. Sydney
6. GWS
7. Footscray
8. Fremantle

9. Hawthorn
10. Geelong
11. Collingwood
12. North Melbourne
13. Carlton
14. Melbourne
15. Essendon
16. Port Power
17. Richmond
18. West Coast

 

[blueiris]

1. Brisbane: Their list still looks strong and even though they are starting to age a bit, they’re still not as old as the Geelong premiership team from 2022
2. Adelaide: Think they’ll learn a lot of lessons from those finals losses, I think they’ll improve a little from last year but will have a tougher draw.
3. Hawthorn: Even though they didn’t land Merrett they have a young exciting list and should be good enough for top 4.
4. Sydney: There always seems to be a team that gets top four from outside the 8 the last year and Sydney is my tip to bounce back after an average 2025.
5. Western Bulldogs: Make or break for Luke Beveridge next year, just need to start beating top 8 sides.
6. Fremantle: Great list, good enough to be top four, but tipping that they’ll just miss out.
7. St Kilda: Another team I’m tipping to be big improvers. Will depend on if the new recruits can gel well under Ross Lyon.
8. Geelong: Good enough to make the 8, but I think they’ll suffer from the grand final thrashing hangover.
9. GWS: Premiership window fading.
10. Gold Coast: Big improvers this year. Will cop a harder draw next year. Premiership window still a couple of years away.
11. Collingwood: Really unsure what Collingwood will turn up next year. Weak forward line and an aging list says they should drop down, but they are well coached and they always play better than their list.
12. North Melbourne: Surely they improve a little more, midfield looks very decent.
13. Carlton: Losing Curnow will hurt, but on paper they look a better team than 13th.
14. Richmond: Good young list, should win a few more games than last year.
15. Port Adelaide: Rebuild time! Some superstars in the team but lack depth in their list
16. Melbourne: Also rebuild time! Lost a couple of their better players in the trade period so time to blood some young players.
17. West Coast: Surely can’t be worse than last year. At least most of their players want to stay.
18. Essendon: In no man’s land at the moment. Most players want to leave. Tipping Scott to get sacked before the end of the season.

Brisbane were just as young as the Baby bombers were in 93

 

[Art Vandelay_]

lol. I’ve sent one PM on BF in the last ten years. And it sure AF wasn’t to you.

Oh, and btw, I’ve seen more Hawk flags in my lifetime than the cats have won in their entire VFL/AFL history……..

I appologise and take it back. Went back and looked, it was someone with the same picture.

 

[JPetro83]

Hawthorn
Gold Coast
Geelong
Sydney
Brisbane
Adelaide
Fremantle
St Kilda
GWS
Bulldogs

Collingwood
Port
North Melb
Melbourne
Carlton
Essendon
Richmond
West Coast

 

[Purple Suit]

Brisbane were just as young as the Baby bombers were in 93

No you weren't. Bombers were 24 years and 105 days. Brisbane was roughly 26 years and 146 days.

 

[BangyBangy]

No you weren't. Bombers were 24 years and 105 days. Brisbane was roughly 26 years and 146 days.

We'll get even younger in 2027 without Zorks & Froggy messing up the stats. We're the AFL's Benjamin Button.

 

[bungalow_bill]

We'll get even younger in 2027 without Zorks & Froggy messing up the stats. We're the AFL's Benjamin Button.

Eventually we'll be fielding a team of Auskick kids

 

[Corn Cobbers]

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

 

[Blackhawk42]

I cannot place the Dogs or the Giants.

It's funny how they've become organic rivals over the years, and now become very similar teams in regards to the fact that it feels like they could end up a premiership threat or finishing 12th in any given season.

 

[Fadge]

14. Melbourne
15. Essendon
16. Richmond
17. Carlton
18. West Coast

You've nailed this.

I reckon the bottom 4 come from these 5 teams.

In any order.

 

[Fadge]

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

So Pies have thier Bunnies Port and Adelaide in their first two finals, then shit gets real.

I don't mind it.

 

[SnapJack]

7. Fremantle

We perform better in Elim finals than Qualifying ones historically, so I'll take it... Assuming we get through whatever Wildcard nonsense occurs.

 

[Ka Norkers]

Gold Coast (premiers)
Sydney
Hawthorn
Brisbane
Fremantle
Geelong

Adelaide
GWS
Collingwood
Western Bulldogs

Carlton
St Kilda
North Melbourne
West Coast
Essendon
Richmond
Port Adelaide
Melbourne

 

[GoldbergsGold]

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

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Final Finist and following years ladder position* (end of the season, don't included finals)
2024 Brisbane beats Swans by 60 - Lions 1st and Swans 10th
2023 Collingwood beats Lions by 6 - Lions 1st and Collingwood 9th
2022 Cats beats Swans by 81 - Cats 12th and Swans 8th
2021 Demons beats Dogs by 74 - Demons 2nd and Dogs 8th
2020 Tigers beats Cats by 31 - Tigers 12th and Cats 3rd

It seems one of the grand final lists will drop dramatically, my guess is that Geelong will be 8th and Lions 1st.

Yeah, Geelong and Collingwood are really aging teams, Geelong should have taken their chance.

 

[Mr Meow]

Yeah, Geelong and Collingwood are really aging teams, Geelong should have taken their chance.

Not really.

4 of Geelong's starting 22 on GF day were aged 30 or over. It was 11 in 2022, so I'm not sure how much aging there was over the past few seasons.

 

[Warwick]

Not really.

4 of Geelong's starting 22 on GF day were aged 30 or over. It was 11 in 2022, so I'm not sure how much aging there was over the past few seasons.

Dangerfield
Stanley
Blicavs
Atkins
Cameron

So 5. Plus Martin as the sub - which has now been abolished.

And missing Stewart obviously who walks straight back in.

And who were the 11 in 2022??

 

[hawkman]

Dangerfield
Stanley
Blicavs
Atkins
Cameron

So 5. Plus Martin as the sub - which has now been abolished.

And missing Stewart obviously who walks straight back in.

Brisbane had 7, Geelong 6

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Geelong
Adelaide
Fremantle
Gold Coast
Sydney
Hawthorn
Port
GWS
Collingwood
Brisbane

Lions to win it from 10th

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Not really.

4 of Geelong's starting 22 on GF day were aged 30 or over. It was 11 in 2022, so I'm not sure how much aging there was over the past few seasons.

A few years back it made sense, and it was fair criticism IMO.

Replacing the likes of Selwood, Hawkins, Taylor, and so on seemed an impossible task - much like Scarlett, Bartel, Ablett, Enright, Kelly, Chapman, and Johnson before them.

Now though, when most are throwing in the Stanleys, Bews, Atkins, and Kolodjashnijs of the world to suit the argument (players we've been told are spuds for years) it's a bit much.

Anything can happen obviously. Past performance isn't a reliable indicator and all that, and Stewart, Cameron, and Dangerfield are the core three that are going to take a lot of development to cover for, and/or a fair bit of good fortune in trade/FA.

With the rest though, they've already had a designated replacement for years now, or their absence isn't exactly going to make or break things.

 

[blueiris]

Brisbane had 7, Geelong 6

Lions also have depth in all areas missing 8 of their best 23 and 8 players 23 and under