2026 Ladder Predictions

[JZTIME!]

Without any confidence I'll put one out there. My opinion only so please be gentle

1. Gold Coast - recruited beautifully, academy kids get better and have a finals win now to build off
2. Western Bulldogs - Sam Darcy to explode even further. Midfield is deep and they want for nothing at either end
3. Sydney - finish to last year showed what they are capable of. Midfield now has Curnow to kick to. Swans of 2024
4. Geelong - will dominate at home and have some further midfield depth with Worpedo and Bruhn
5. Brisbane - Off field sagas always translate on the field like it or not. Too good not to win enough to play finals
6. Fremantle - New ruck rules will see Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

24

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

dominate, midfield is elite and the window is open
7. Adelaide - Bit of a tougher draw and the straight sets exit will see them start slower, still finals bound
8. GWS - Too many good players at either end, Tom Greene and Finn Callahan in the guts, should play finals
9. Hawthorn - Will Day and Worpedo will hurt their midfield depth. Hard to read them although so well coached
10. Collingwood - Leg speed was shown to be the way to beat them. Teams will continue to do this. Forward half looks thin
11. St. Kilda -I can't get a read on the Saints.TDK will love the new ruck rules. Max King the missing piece we just won't see
12. North Melbourne - Forward/Mid group showed great improvement last year. It should grow more to win those close ones
13. Carlton - Curnow a massive out. Jagga could be anything but leg speed and Walsh fitness are why I'm not confident
14. Port Adelaide - New coach, hard to implement a new style in a few months. If fit an awesome midfield group
15. Essendon - Basically a new team with everyone back. I think they play a lot of their new kids too, super young group
16. Melbourne - Trac and Oliver out has to hurt any team. A lot of mature players still so i could be way off here
17. West Coast - Lost Gov and midfield depth isn't great. Excited to watch though cos Harley is ready to explode
18. Richmond - Leg speed a problem with their most mature mid group. Kids will take time before they bounce big. Next year

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

Crows are the easiest to predict to fall off given the draw is much harder than last year, just a matter of how far you have them sliding.

Swans are the easiest to predict a rise from given the way they finished last year and a much easier draw this year, just a matter of how far you think they will go up

1. Sydney
2. Fremantle
3. Brisbane
4. Hawthorn
5. GWS
6. Western Bulldogs
7. Collingwood
8. Gold Coast

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

Adelaide had 10 games against the other finalists, the only other teams to have more were brisbane and colingwood, who had 10 each

 

[Davidoff]

Adelaide had 10 games against the other finalists, the only other teams to have more were brisbane and colingwood, who had 10 each

I've still got you finishing 11th despite this

 

[Jirik13]

Adelaide had 10 games against the other finalists, the only other teams to have more were brisbane and colingwood, who had 10 each

Suns also played 10 games against finalists in regular season. Hawks too. Only 2 teams I checked.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

Suns also played 10 games against finalists in regular season. Hawks too. Only 2 teams I checked.

geelong and gws had 9 , fremantle 8

 

[Nunez]

Without any confidence I'll put one out there. My opinion only so please be gentle

1. Gold Coast - recruited beautifully, academy kids get better and have a finals win now to build off
2. Western Bulldogs - Sam Darcy to explode even further. Midfield is deep and they want for nothing at either end
3. Sydney - finish to last year showed what they are capable of. Midfield now has Curnow to kick to. Swans of 2024
4. Geelong - will dominate at home and have some further midfield depth with Worpedo and Bruhn
5. Brisbane - Off field sagas always translate on the field like it or not. Too good not to win enough to play finals
6. Fremantle - New ruck rules will see Luke Jackson dominate, midfield is elite and the window is open
7. Adelaide - Bit of a tougher draw and the straight sets exit will see them start slower, still finals bound
8. GWS - Too many good players at either end, Tom Greene and Finn Callahan in the guts, should play finals
9. Hawthorn - Will Day and Worpedo will hurt their midfield depth. Hard to read them although so well coached
10. Collingwood - Leg speed was shown to be the way to beat them. Teams will continue to do this. Forward half looks thin
11. St. Kilda -I can't get a read on the Saints.TDK will love the new ruck rules. Max King the missing piece we just won't see
12. North Melbourne - Forward/Mid group showed great improvement last year. It should grow more to win those close ones
13. Carlton - Curnow a massive out. Jagga could be anything but leg speed and Walsh fitness are why I'm not confident
14. Port Adelaide - New coach, hard to implement a new style in a few months. If fit an awesome midfield group
15. Essendon - Basically a new team with everyone back. I think they play a lot of their new kids too, super young group
16. Melbourne - Trac and Oliver out has to hurt any team. A lot of mature players still so i could be way off here
17. West Coast - Lost Gov and midfield depth isn't great. Excited to watch though cos Harley is ready to explode
18. Richmond - Leg speed a problem with their most mature mid group. Kids will take time before they bounce big. Next year

Brisbane's off field dramas of the last few years have led to flags my friend

 

[Crouch]

Didn't Gold Coast have the easiest draw last year and the 2nd hardest this year?

 

[Fadge]

Didn't Gold Coast have the easiest draw last year and the 2nd hardest this year?

You can't confirm draw difficulty until the season plays out. It's not always a matter of who you play, it's also when you play them.

 

[Crouch]

You can't confirm draw difficulty until the season plays out. It's not always a matter of who you play, it's also when you play them.

I agree, just pointing out the double standards regarding our apparent upcoming downfall.

 

[Warwick]

2. Western Bulldogs - Sam Darcy to explode even further. Midfield is deep and they want for nothing at either end

Want for nothing at either end??

Their defence is woeful.

 

[Wolfgang West]

Want for nothing at either end??

Their defence is woeful.

They are going to be thereabouts again because they have some serious stars but you are spot on about their biggest area of required improvement. Having said that the overrating of their list across its entirety by a lot in the media which can lead to general perception of the AFL community causes an expectation that doesn’t fit and Beveridge sometimes unfairly becomes the one under the pump. They are top 8 no dramas at 6-8.

 

[Warwick]

They are going to be thereabouts again because they have some serious stars but you are spot on about their biggest area of required improvement. Having said that the overrating of their list across its entirety by a lot in the media which can lead to general perception of the AFL community causes an expectation that doesn’t fit and Beveridge sometimes unfairly becomes the one under the pump. They are top 8 no dramas at 6-8.

Yep, all well and good to have offensive stars galore but it means squat unless they are also putting in a defensive shift.

It’s not just the lack of names down back for the Bulldogs, it’s the overall lack of team defence. They’ll belt shit teams, but can they mix it with the challengers? They couldn’t last year.

 

[JZTIME!]

Yep, all well and good to have offensive stars galore but it means squat unless they are also putting in a defensive shift.

It’s not just the lack of names down back for the Bulldogs, it’s the overall lack of team defence. They’ll belt shit teams, but can they mix it with the challengers? They couldn’t last year.

O Donnell and Lobb are very good talls. They haven't been afraid to offload mature players and play some younger guys. I think they will improve their team defence and Traeloar and Weightman shape as a huge ins

 

[Wolfgang West]

O Donnell and Lobb are very good talls. They haven't been afraid to offload mature players and play some younger guys. I think they will improve their team defence and Traeloar and Weightman shape as a huge ins

Treloar only has to look at a Sherrin now and he gets hurt not to mention way past his best after his biggest asset, his legs deserted him. Weightman and his X factor of course would be a bonus but with the luck that kid has had in recent times would not expect him to be their point of difference this year.

 

[JPetro83]

Without any confidence I'll put one out there. My opinion only so please be gentle

1. Gold Coast - recruited beautifully, academy kids get better and have a finals win now to build off
2. Western Bulldogs - Sam Darcy to explode even further. Midfield is deep and they want for nothing at either end
3. Sydney - finish to last year showed what they are capable of. Midfield now has Curnow to kick to. Swans of 2024
4. Geelong - will dominate at home and have some further midfield depth with Worpedo and Bruhn
5. Brisbane - Off field sagas always translate on the field like it or not. Too good not to win enough to play finals
6. Fremantle - New ruck rules will see Luke Jackson dominate, midfield is elite and the window is open
7. Adelaide - Bit of a tougher draw and the straight sets exit will see them start slower, still finals bound
8. GWS - Too many good players at either end, Tom Greene and Finn Callahan in the guts, should play finals
9. Hawthorn - Will Day and Worpedo will hurt their midfield depth. Hard to read them although so well coached
10. Collingwood - Leg speed was shown to be the way to beat them. Teams will continue to do this. Forward half looks thin
11. St. Kilda -I can't get a read on the Saints.TDK will love the new ruck rules. Max King the missing piece we just won't see
12. North Melbourne - Forward/Mid group showed great improvement last year. It should grow more to win those close ones
13. Carlton - Curnow a massive out. Jagga could be anything but leg speed and Walsh fitness are why I'm not confident
14. Port Adelaide - New coach, hard to implement a new style in a few months. If fit an awesome midfield group
15. Essendon - Basically a new team with everyone back. I think they play a lot of their new kids too, super young group
16. Melbourne - Trac and Oliver out has to hurt any team. A lot of mature players still so i could be way off here
17. West Coast - Lost Gov and midfield depth isn't great. Excited to watch though cos Harley is ready to explode
18. Richmond - Leg speed a problem with their most mature mid group. Kids will take time before they bounce big. Next year

Not sold on the dogs. i think Bevo is their issue not their list. I would swap them with Hawthorn and swap. Crows worry me, i can 100% see us finishing between 7th-11th. Richmond wont finish bottom. West Coast will struggle to win a game.

 

[Jirik13]

1. Brisbane. Only complacency could derail them. Injured players are back, fantastic top ups, many young players with a ring already. The list is envy of competition.
2. Crows. If they stay healthy they will be at the top again with Rachelle, Rankine more minutes in the middle.
3. Freo. Great young list. Got a taste of finals. Longmuir is a question mark.
4. Suns. Looking good especially midfield. Can some of Read/Walter/JUH/Rogers/Lombard step up?
5. Cats. Always there. Rejuvenated list nicely. Can Conway actually play and alleviate ruck issue?
6. Sydney. With a healthy list, adding Curnow and another pre-season under Cox they will challenge.
7. GWS. Quality is still there.
8. WB. Beveridge is my worry not the list. He will mess up line ups, strategies again.
9. Hawks. They did not improve the list. Day already missing half season.
10. Saints. It will take some time to incorporate new players.
11. Collingwood. The list is moving down to middle of the ladder.
12. Carlton. Can Voss save his career and implement a new plan? Not optimistic.
13. Port. A year of change, new plan. It will take time.
14. Melbourne. Transition time under new coach.
15. North. Can we see improvement or is Clarko gone?
16. Essendon. Not all injured players from last year will be in their best. Martin already done.
17. Eagles. It's a toss for me for wooden spoon. With a better injury run I go with Eagles getting ahead of Tigers.
18. Tigers. Great rebuild in 2025 season as mature players backbone served them well. Still long way to go with kids.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

When do you normally focus on footy and get into it again i say a couple of weeks leading into the rounds kind of not there yet for footy just cant get into its just yet.
When i start to book for things i get into it and around 1 week before round zero.
2026 not sure but finding it hard to get into it this year to be honest i dont know what it is normally im jumping out of my skin now and counting down the days

Living where I do i need to start looking for games I might get to as soon as the fixture comes out. Sunday games are essentially out, as the only affordable Sunday flights back are before lunch.
But actually beginning to care, maybe roughly round one and taking proper notice of what's happening maybe not until about round six oir seven when things have started taking shape. Opening half-round is a pointless tease I pay a bit more attention to than T20, but still barely registers as happening.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

15. North. Can we see improvement or is Clarko gone?

Neither. At least not improvement in terms of wins. But anyone who thought playing finals during his contract was realistic had no idea how bad things got in 2019-21.

 

[Jirik13]

Neither. At least not improvement in terms of wins. But anyone who thought playing finals during his contract was realistic had no idea how bad things got in 2019-21.

TBH, Clarko did not impressed me with North so far.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

TBH, Clark did not impressed me with North.

He hasn't been great, but the hand he was dealt was one probably nobody else could have done better with - except maybe Fagan.

 

[The Feeder Club]

3. Freo. Great young list. Got a taste of finals. Longmire is a question mark.

The poor bloke's been coach for 6 years and you people still can't get his name right.

The easiest way to remember is a little personality rhyme

Freo have Longmuir, as in demure. Not Longmire, as in inspire.

Simple.

Though some cruel types I hear substitute manure for demure

 

[THE_GUN]

17. Eagles. It's a toss for me for wooden spoon. With a better injury run I go with Eagles getting ahead of Tigers.
18. Tigers. Great rebuild in 2025 season as mature players backbone served them well. Still long way to go with kids.

You have noted the eagles with a better injury run getting ahead of Richmond

Maybe you might have missed it but Richmond's injury list last year was atrocious and we had 5 ACL injuries to start the year off before round 1 and had multiple weeks where we had only 1 or 2 players available to play in our VFL side
18 players on our injured list was disastrous.

Also the mature players even the usually inured ones this preseason have not missed a beat
Prestia , Hopper , Broad , Vlastuin , Nank , Short are all in full training and looking very fit and healthy and most still have 2-4 years left in their careers so we should expect similar out put.

 

[THE_GUN]

TBH, Clarko did not impressed me with North so far.

He looks a different coach to what he was and almost like he no longer has that killer instinct and the game has passed his game style.

Personally i think he should be finished end of 2026 and replaced with a new age coach that is more InTouch with todays game

 

[Jirik13]

The poor bloke's been coach for 6 years and you people still can't get his name right.

The easiest way to remember is a little personality rhyme

Freo have Longmuir, as in demure. Not Longmire, as in inspire.

Simple.

Though some cruel types I hear substitute manure for demure

Sorry, I fixed it. Honest mistake. I do know Longmuir is still Freo's coach . I still don't like his coaching.

 

[Mr Meow]

The poor bloke's been coach for 6 years and you people still can't get his name right.

The easiest way to remember is a little personality rhyme

Freo have Longmuir, as in demure. Not Longmire, as in inspire.

Simple.

Though some cruel types I hear substitute manure for demure

I remember it easiest like this:

Longmuir at Fremantle because he's been a Freo man a long time.

Longmire at Sydney because he's long (tall).