2026 Ladder Predictions

[timokane]

Who thinks Collingwood could be top of the ladder just needs not to fazz out in August.
Like top for 2/3rds of 2025.
Have a good august this time.
They could stay on top in 2026.
You never know.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Every year we finish in the top 8, this thread has us missing finals.

Every time we miss finals, this thread has us making the 8.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Every year we finish in the top 8, this thread has us missing finals.

Every time we miss finals, this thread has us making the 8.

Scray The Carn
Carn the Scray
Chilli con carn
Carn con Chili

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

What

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Tregenza
Viska
McKinnon
Robran
Wellman
Maynard
Schwerdt
Hall/Hodges/Eccles/Bassett

Scray The Carn
Carn the Scray
Chilli con carn
Carn con Chili

What

 

[Mr.X]

St kilda are looking at top 4 after trading in some quality.

Expect they’ll bounce

 

[Saints4ever]

St kilda are looking at top 4 after trading in some quality.

Expect they’ll bounce

I’d expect the 6-10 range.

Would love top 4.

Looking forward to the fixture.

Surely won’t have 3 trips to Adelaide in the first 5 weeks next year.

 

[Giant Gutsache]

Suns
Freo
Lions
Bulldogs
Crows
Hawks
Giants
Cats

Pies
Saints
Roos
Swans
Tigers
Eagles
Demons
Power
Blues
Bombers

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I’d expect the 6-10 range.

Would love top 4.

Looking forward to the fixture.

Surely won’t have 3 trips to Adelaide in the first 5 weeks next year.

Probably also won't get a run home against some of the worst teams seen at AFL level since "AFL" became a label used in Australian sport. Melbourne, North, Richmond, and a hospitalised Essendon. A pitifully dispirited Melbourne was the toughest in that run. Swings and roundabouts.

I don't know what to expect from St Kilda next year, depends how long it takes for all the recruits to gel into a new system and team. The year might start slow, as a result. 2027 could be interesting as there's still money "banked" to keep paying above the cap and they presumably won't have too many more changes beyond the normal annual changes.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Saints don't inspire me with confidence. Only played finals twice since 2011 so I won't believe the hype.

 

[Saints4ever]

Probably also won't get a run home against some of the worst teams seen at AFL level since "AFL" became a label used in Australian sport. Melbourne, North, Richmond, and a hospitalised Essendon. A pitifully dispirited Melbourne was the toughest in that run. Swings and roundabouts.

I don't know what to expect from St Kilda next year, depends how long it takes for all the recruits to gel into a new system and team. The year might start slow, as a result. 2027 could be interesting as there's still money "banked" to keep paying above the cap and they presumably won't have too many more changes beyond the normal annual changes.

True was an easy run home but the season was cooked by then.

Would be nice to have a better balance of easy and hard games from the start of the year to the end.

 

[wingersclub]

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

 

[Anyonebutken]

1 Brisbane - Will be shocked if they are not in the gf
2 Hawthorn - they are on thier way
3 West. Bulldogs - Expecting them to pass a few next year
4 Gold coast - will be there maybe too early for a gf.
5 Geelong - Are always there
6 Port - Footy world will realise finally what we have always known Ken was a dud coach
7 Adelaide - Midfield the concern
8 St. Kilda - Like what they are doing
9 Collingwood - Rebuild imminent
10 Freo - Coach hasn't got it
11 Gws - will spend a couple of years mid table
12 Sydney - Ditto
13 Carlton - in no man's land I think
14 North - maybe a little improvement
15 Melbourne - new era some kids will get a chance.
16 Richmond - Will show some improvement I like Yze
17 Essendon - alot of hard work needed over the next few years.
18 West Coast- must continue to blood kids.

 

[JPetro83]

Hawthorn (P)
Brisbane (RU)
Sydney
Geelong (Locks forever in the top 4)
Fremantle
Adelaide (Should never have finished top in 2025.. fluked wins against Bris & Hawks)
Gold Coast
St Kilda

GWS
Bulldogs
Collingwood (surely with that list its time they slide?)
Port
Carlton
North Melbourne
Melbourne
Richmond
Essendon
West Coast

 

[Masqualero]

Carlton already winning trade week so why not next season!?

 

[Borussia Teeth]

Who thinks Collingwood could be top of the ladder just needs not to fazz out in August.
Like top for 2/3rds of 2025.
Have a good august this time.
They could stay on top in 2026.
You never know.

Shut up, dickhead.

 

[Borussia Teeth]

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

 

[Mr.X]

Gold Coast
Geelong
St kilda
Brisbane
Hawthorn
Sydney
Dogs
GWS

Collingwood
Freo
Richmond
Carlton
Adelaide
North
Port
Essendon
Melbourne
West Coast

 

[Reservoir tiger]

Sydney
Brisbane
Hawthorn
Gold Coast
Adelaide
GWS
Bulldogs
Geelong

St Kilda
Collingwood
Fremantle
Kangaroos
Port
Carlton
Melbourne
Richmond
Essendon
West coast

 

[The Kings Ransom]

Brisbane
Adelaide
Gold Coast
Bulldogs
Fremantle
Hawthorn
Geelong
Sydney

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

 

[OnWardnUpWard]

Brisbane
Gold Coast
Hawthorn
Adelaide
Geelong
Bulldogs
Sydney
Freo

 

[longdonkey]

1. Brisbane - too good and too much depth
2. Western Bulldogs - last chance to get it right before their champions fall off a cliff age wise
3. Hawthorn - getting close I will lift them one spot if they get Merrett
4. Gold Coast - not enough experience to crack a GF yet
5. Adelaide - will beat enough teams at the bottom to be in the mix
6. Geelong - will fall back a bit but will win enough games to be top 8
7. Port Adelaide - easier draw, competent coach and same players will mean improvement
8. Collingwood - about to fall off an age cliff

9. St Kilda - its St Kilda their recruits will be massive flops
10. GWS - will have a reset year
11. Fremantle - I consistently pick them to make finals and I've given up on them
12. Sydney - I think they might struggle scoring enough with or without Curnow
13. Carlton - aren't going to be better but have enough quality to not be in the bottom 5
14. Melbourne - reset year but still have quality
15. Richmond - Richmond will improve and be more competitive
16. North Melbourne - need a new defence
17. Essendon - if they lose Merrett they are in trouble
18. West Coast - need another year rebuilding

 

[1990crow]

1. Gold Coast
2. Adelaide
3. Brisbane
4. Geelong
5. Fremantle
6. Sydney
7. Hawthorn
8. Bulldogs

9. St Kilda
10. GWS
11. Collingwood
12. Carlton
13. North Melbourne
14. Port Adelaide
15. Melbourne
16. Essendon
17. Richmond
18. West Coast

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Before finals (not that it makes any different given how wrong I always am).
At a two minute guess, any of the top 13 could change anywhere. Pretty much locking in the bottom five, if not the order.

• Hawthorn - booooooooooo, die scum
• Sydney - once their injury run was less extreme, they were near the form team of the comp, add Curnow and scoring shouldn't be an issue even with the outs
• Gold Coast - could also slide dramatically, but enough talent to stay around this area
• Brisbane - they seem to have great Septembers partly by timing their run, and that can mean less wins early; the anti-Collingwood
• Greater Western Sydney - good, but is there the edge to really go deep?
• Adelaide - surprise myself putting them this low
• Geelong - surprise myself putting them this low
• Western Bulldogs - could also be 3rd or 13th
• ---unlucky---
• Port Adelaide - should make finals but for who? starting midfield is enough to finish near the top, but which other part of the team gets them there?
• Collingwood - could make finals, but for who?
• Carlton - losing Curnow doesn't hurt that much, if McKay stays fit, change coach early and could easily hit the eight
• St Kilda - before free agancy and trades, would have been 15th; might finish much higher but suspect a slow start
• Fremantle - could also be top four, there really is nothing between 1st and 13th
• --- there's a gap here ---
• Essendon - yes, they were smashed by injuries in 2025, but they really aren't great anyway
• --- and here ---
• Melbourne - could slip below a few more teams yet
• North Melbourne - might be better, won't be climbing the ladder but Melbourne might slide below them; need some players prepared to play defensively at times
• Richmond - more chance of climbing a few spots than North, but also more chance of not being any better at all
• West Coast - 2026 not the year they rejoin the ranks of the mediocre

 

[JD888]

I voted for Brisbane to win by a lot in the GF thread and I’m locking in the Lions for a 3peat.

Did “on the couch” steal their premiership window from this guy?

Hawks, Dogs and Suns as the next most likely.