2026 Ladder Predictions

[PowerfulPies2023]

Gold Coast
Brisbane
Hawthorn
Geelong
Fremantle
Gws
Sydney
West Coast
-------------------
Adelaide
Richmond
Collingwood
Essendon
Port
Western
North
Melbourne
Carlton
Saints

There will be some big imrovers next year and some big sliders. West Coast are the one to watch out for. Then I turned off my Xbox.

 

[Wolfgang West]

Just a heads up - Lions finishing 1st is pretty unlikely. They tend to cruise through the season reserving their best footy for the top teams and finals. Will probably be a few unexpected losses to lower ranked teams, like this year with Melbourne.

No they don't cruise at all. They have injuries & loss of form and anything else that might get in the way. They tough it out and just happen to have the most talented durable list in the comp that has no bottom. They don't cruise or time their run. They are just simply the best team we have seen in a fair while. See what 2026 brings.

 

[timokane]

Pies a bit of a dip this season 2026.
Need another off season 2026 into 2027.
then launch again in 2027.
Kind of 2026 a platform year.
As in flag window closing up in 2026.
But go again in 2027 back on for another tilt in 2027.
Be in times life after Pendles Side Howe.
Need some big fish at long last after 2026 season.
Pies will come again in 2027.
Just a holding phase now at Collingwood.
But should be good enough to make finals in 2026.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Exactly.

 

[Fadge]

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

 

[The Feeder Club]

Mini prediction, only 2 vic sides will make the 8.

Two too many

 

[RUNVS]

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

An interesting choice given Collingwood lost 6 of its last 9 games in 2025.

 

[Battlepants]

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

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

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Pies a bit of a dip this season 2026.
Need another off season 2026 into 2027.
then launch again in 2027.
Kind of 2026 a platform year.
As in flag window closing up in 2026.
But go again in 2027 back on for another tilt in 2027.
Be in times life after Pendles Side Howe.
Need some big fish at long last after 2026 season.
Pies will come again in 2027.
Just a holding phase now at Collingwood.
But should be good enough to make finals in 2026.

What

 

[Fadge]

An interesting choice given Collingwood lost 6 of its last 9 games in 2025.

Do we carry those results over to 2026?

Given Carlton won their last 2 games of 2025, should I consider them as one of the form teams going into 2026?

 

[RUNVS]

Do we carry those results over to 2026?

Given Carlton won their last 2 games of 2025, should I consider them as one of the form teams going into 2026?

9 games is a trend though, and not a good one.

 

[Fadge]

9 games is a trend though, and not a good one.

So is the 16 game trend of 14 and 2 that we started the season with.

Teo can play this game.

 

[RUNVS]

So is the 16 game trend of 14 and 2 that we started the season with.

Teo can play this game.

Yes, but the 16 games was considerably earlier than the 9 game trend.

Sydney had a very good start to 2024, still mattered for nothing when our form suddenly dropped, and that form in the latter part of the season continued into 2025.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

So is the 16 game trend of 14 and 2 that we started the season with.

Teo can play this game.

Teofimo Lopez?


In all seriousness hard to know what to make of us. If Elliot gets that free kick in the prelim t's a one goal game iland it changes things dramatically. Instead they go up the other end it's 3 goals and game over. We would of had the momentum at least. We were good against the Crows and did lose 3 close ones to gold coast, freo and crows. We weren't all that bad but Poor against Hawthorn, Richmond and Melbourne. We ended the season well and had a good crack but I'm not very optimistic for next year.

 

[Fadge]

Yes, but the 16 games was considerably earlier than the 9 game trend.

Sydney had a very good start to 2024, still mattered for nothing when our form suddenly dropped, and that form in the latter part of the season continued into 2025.

Yeah, I reckon missing Gulden and a couple of others for the first part of 2025 had more impact on your 2025 form, than a 'drop' in form in late 2024 (where you still made the Grand Final).

 

[bungalow_bill]

Yes, but the 16 games was considerably earlier than the 9 game trend.

Sydney had a very good start to 2024, still mattered for nothing when our form suddenly dropped, and that form in the latter part of the season continued into 2025.

Yeah Pies imploded big time. Will inevitably get worse & be a mid table team IMO - maybe scrape into the top 8.

 

[bungalow_bill]

An interesting choice given Collingwood lost 6 of its last 9 games in 2025.

"Interesting" is being very kind..

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Fun fact. Craig Starcevich was going for who in the 2023 Grand Final? Neither. His alliance changed to West Coast after he retired from VFL/AFL Football.

Bro story cool

 

[Mr.X]

Do we carry those results over to 2026?

Given Carlton won their last 2 games of 2025, should I consider them as one of the form teams going into 2026?

The smart money says yes.

Those kind of wins are great momentum to carry forward

 

[Fadge]

The smart money says yes.

Those kind of wins are great momentum to carry forward

As is an away Qualifying Final win.

Oops, certain teams wouldn't know about them...

 

[Andrewgtv05]

1. Brisbane - To the Shock of No One
2. Fremantle - Expectations are Sky High
3. Carlton - Hey if Collingwood managed to go from bad to good in a year Carlton can do the same
4. Gold Coast - They shocked me last year and with the finals woe gone I can safely say they get better
5. Hawthorn - They aren't ready for top four yet but I think they are close enough
6. GWS - Same as the last year but a tiny bit worse
7. Geelong - Sure they lost in the Grand Final by Forty Points but they are too good not to finish below the top 8
8. Port Adelaide - A Bounce back year from last year

9. Collingwood - Where they should be
10. Adelaide - Get ready to get back to reality
11. Western Bulldogs - I did this team last and this was the only spot available
12. Melborune - Gonna be mid at best
13. Richmond - I expect a lot from Sam Lalor and the 2025 picks
14. Essendon - It's gonna be a bumpy ride
15. Sydney - I pretty much expect them to be like the 2010 Lions
16. St Kilda - They are Frauds
17. North Melborune - Clarkson get's sacked at the end of Year
18. West Coast - Possible Winless Season

Grand Final: Fremantle Beats Brisbane - Surely the legacy of Failure has to end here

Brownlow: George Hewett

29

George Hewett

Age

30

Ht

187cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.7

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

10.3

5star

M

2.7

3star

T

4.1

5star

CL

3.3

5star

D

13.8

3star

K

4.8

2star

HB

9.0

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.4

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.4

3star

- I liked what he did last year, and I only expect him to be better

Coleman Medal: Harry McKay

10

Harry Mckay

Age

28

Ht

200cm

Wt

106kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

2.4

2star

M

5.5

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.4

5star

D

6.6

1star

K

4.6

2star

HB

2.0

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

2star

G

1.4

5star

D

8.8

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

4.4

4star

T

0.8

3star

G

2.0

5star

- Without Curnow surely he has to recreate his 2021 form

Rising Star: Jagga Smith - There is literally no other option for this award

 

[Swans007]

Brisbane
Adelaide
Gold Coast
Swans
Bulldogs
Geelong
Fremantle
GWS

Collingwood
Hawthorn
St Kilda
Port
Carlton
Melbourne
North
Richmond
Essendon
West Coast

 

[beside the seaside]

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

 

[Jirik13]

Brisbane - clear favourite, loaded list only complacency could derailed them or 6 years playing finals
Adelaide - they will be there again despite falling off in finals, Draper, Curtin to step up
Suns - with Petracca they should compete for top 4
Freo - great young list, just not sure about coach
Cats - the best in rebuilding on the run, will be there again
Swans - will be back with Curnow and decent injuries run
Hawks - they did not improve list but I have them in finals, can Day stay healthy?
WB - surely the coach will not mess it up again

GWS - not sure about depth, just miss out
Collingwood - older, did not improve list, slide down
Saints - it will take some time to gel, decent inclusions but no A grade
Port - midfield still good but a lot of holes
Carlton - a bit of rebuilding, re-balancing, last year of Voss
North - time to win more or Clarko should retire
Essendon - better injuries list should see them compete better
Melbourne - re-build
Richmond - still long way to go
Eagles - even longer way to go

 

[blueiris]

Adelaide
Hawthorn
Gold Coast
Fremantle
Sydney
Geelong
St.Kilda
Bulldogs

Brisbane
GWS
West Coast
Collingwood
Carlton
Port
North
Melbourne
Richmond
Essendon

Jesus Ah Chee must be one hell of a player if Adelaide are raising 5 positions and Lions are dropping 8