Discussion 2026 Ladder Predictions

[rooboy19]

1. GC
2. Lions
3. Cats
4. Freo
5. Crows
6. Pies
7. Syd
8. St Kilda
--------------
9. Hawks
10. Dogs
11. GWS
12. Port
13. Blues
14. Roos
15. Dees
16. Tigs
17. Ess
18. WCE

 

[CaptainRisky]

I don't have time to do a full ladder ATM but those thinking the Pies will drop off the cliff when they have 20 home games are kidding and same for the Cats , the cats have been Old for 10 plus years and that has never stopped them in the past.

Its all well and good to say our list has improved well so has just about every other sides , If we could scrape into the 8 we would be doing well IMO , those who have us around 5th well i just cant see it.

 

[Saints43]

I don't have time to do a full ladder ATM but those thinking the Pies will drop off the cliff when they have 20 home games are kidding and same for the Cats , the cats have been Old for 10 plus years and that has never stopped them in the past.

Its all well and good to say our list has improved well so has just about every other sides , If we could scrape into the 8 we would be doing well IMO , those who have us around 5th well i just cant see it.

I agree. Dogs and Swans will be pushing into the 8 as well.
Going to be tough for every team that finished 11th and below to get into the 8.
I think we've improved our list most of those clubs though so fingers crossed we get a decent injury run and start the season reasonably well.

 

[gringo2011]

I agree. Dogs and Swans will be pushing into the 8 as well.
Going to be tough for every team that finished 11th and below to get into the 8.
I think we've improved our list most of those clubs though so fingers crossed we get a decent injury run and start the season reasonably well.

I think it will be a much more competitive year so it will be harder for even the top teams to rack up as many wins. West Coast are the only real basket case list at the moment. Richmond probably still 2 to 4 years from a serious rise. A few could rise or fall on how easy their fixture goes and how many injuries they get.

Collingwood look vulnerable, Geelong could have serious mental scars and their absolute cream are ancient. Port, North, Saints, Dogs, Sydney etc all potentially rising. It will be an interesting season.

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

1. Brisbane
In any order
Dockers
Doggies
GC
GWS
Hawks
Saints
Swans

 

[borderbarry]

At the end of the home and away season before the finals, I have it with Gold Coast on top, then maybe FReo, Brisbane, Crows, thats the top4, then 5th St.Kilda, 6th Sydney 7th BULLDOGS, 8th Geelong, and I dont care about the rest.

 

[Moral Decay]

Things that can be defined that will create a better list or club or drop it down the ladder.
1: players traded in and out.
2: change in off field staff, coaches, fitness etc.
3: improvement from within. Referring to list age, players getting more games and reaching potential.

4: The disease of more, just how united a club is? Pat Riley referred to the disease of more as why clubs that are great don't go on to create a dynasty. Referring to entitlement and grievance and I'll expand the idea so that any club regardless of success might be affected by it.

Some examples, Melbourne where both Petracca and Oliver managed to be both entitled and aggrieved at the same time. Will Melbourne actually be better without them and with May a diminished figure in the playing group.
Will GWS be worse off for including Oliver and Stringer, maybe with the players they have these two maybe just too much. What will GCS look like with Petracca and Ugle Hagen in the club rooms? Are these players of great talent too toxic in the club setting?

Carlton and Essendon where the entire club is both entitled and aggrieved.

Collingwood where the cult of N.Daicos to the point of changing the rules of B&F so Nick will win it. vs the rules that the younger players have run and do the hard work so that Nick can shine, an aging list and rumoured player unrest with the younger group not happy with the work ethic of Pendles, Moore and co.

OK the 2025 Ladder.
Adelaide - have marginally improved their list, AhChee. Question marks still around coaching and list. won't have an easy fixture, too much relies on Rankine and Thilthorpe. Will drop.

Geelong - Structural difference only with Worpel as an inside mid allowing Smith and Holmes even more room to run an aging group in desperate need of talented youth, do they have them on the list already? I have no idea, they will drop but how far? The new ruck rules will give a boost to their running mids but lack of jumping ruckmen will hurt.

Brisbane - have improved their list through trade and have improvement based on young players coming through. Injured players to come back, a steady hand at the helm, I can't see how they get worse.

Collingwood - no list improvements, indeed quite a clean out. Question marks on club culture, list and coaching. I'm expecting a big drop.

 

[Moral Decay]

GWS - a club built on entitlement and now banging the drum about other clubs chasing their players, a questionable coach a large injury list, aging. Not recruiting for need, I just can't see improvement other than other clubs Stuffing up.

Freemantle - if this list can't do it I'm not sure they ever can. Too many players incapable of making attacking decisions on their own, may improve but not for long.

GCS - should on the face of it be anything, but question marks around coaching and club culture, may improve but not for long.

Hawks - not perfect but an interesting idea of list building creating a midfield, one that I suspect the Saints are watching closely, construct a group of 8 or 9 multi positional players, run them hard for every minute and rest them on the ground instead of 3 or 4 guns that play every minute on the ball. I'll watch closely for the last 5 mins of every quarter. Missing Merrett may be the best thing that ever happened to them.

 

[Moral Decay]

2025
Doggies - hard to know what to think, in terms of players in, Budarick will help as will Ugle-Hagen going out. They have holes that they haven't fixed and they've had them for a long time. The game plan according to trading notes an increase in tackling and an emphasis on attacking rum from defense. No mention of greater fitness nor mention of plans to adapt to greater running around the ground and speed in the midfield. The club seems still to be held to ransom by the the Dogs board and the coach. Dogs could be better but could be worse too.

Swans - have improved the list at the top end Curnow and the lifted the floor in defense with Serong, losing Francis, Hayward and Florent gets disgruntled players out of the changing room. Grundy is a problem with the new ruck rules and the players will have got their heads around Cox and his needs. A top four finish beckons, only injury can stop them.

Carlton - after 2024 the donutting of the list they've made better choices this time around in the same breath what they've done with the coaching is telegraphing the punch with Simpson, will Vossy be the coach at the bye break? I really doubt it. Carlton fans are building themselves up to be something they are not. A slow aging midfield a group of ruck men that can't jump or run the expecting a draftee to hold down a key defensive post, madness and the entitlement that they could be finals bound. Yeah they'll fall and I'd be amazed if it wasn't for a long time.

Saints - ok this is because I'm a Saints supporter, we've identified holes in the list and filled them better than any other team. We've lifted the ceiling and the floor, we'll have natural improvement in the kids, we will improve how far I have no idea top 4 in 2026 but 2027 could be fascinating. The other side of that is disgruntlement amongst the player group 2028 and the hero worship we'll give these young men, will take a much better man than me to manage.

 

[Moral Decay]

Of the bottom 6 I can only see Melbourne improving enough, they've got rid of the problem children and got good men in.

Port, I've got no idea they really could be wooden spooners, but then home ground advantage, but then no list improvement. Entitlement because well why not?

Essendon should be spooners

Nth, Richmond and West Coast could all lift a few places, surely Clarko needs to win 8 just to keep his job

 

[Moral Decay]

2026 final places
1 - Brisbane
2 - Hawthorn or Sydney
3 - Hawthorn or Sydney
4 - Saints
5 - Freo
6 - Geelong
7 - Gold Coast
8 - Adelaide
9 - Doggies
10 - GWS
11 - Melbourne
12 - Collingwood
13 - Nth Melbourne
14 - Port
15 - Carlton
16 - Richmond
17 - West Coast
18 - Essendon.

honestly any of the bottom five could fill any of the bottom five positions.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

2025
Doggies - hard to know what to think, in terms of players in, Budarick will help as will Ugle-Hagen going out. They have holes that they haven't fixed and they've had them for a long time. The game plan according to trading notes an increase in tackling and an emphasis on attacking rum from defense. No mention of greater fitness nor mention of plans to adapt to greater running around the ground and speed in the midfield. The club seems still to be held to ransom by the the Dogs board and the coach. Dogs could be better but could be worse too.

Swans - have improved the list at the top end Curnow and the lifted the floor in defense with Serong, losing Francis, Hayward and Florent gets disgruntled players out of the changing room. Grundy is a problem with the new ruck rules and the players will have got their heads around Cox and his needs. A top four finish beckons, only injury can stop them.

Carlton - after 2024 the donutting of the list they've made better choices this time around in the same breath what they've done with the coaching is telegraphing the punch with Simpson, will Vossy be the coach at the bye break? I really doubt it. Carlton fans are building themselves up to be something they are not. A slow aging midfield a group of ruck men that can't jump or run the expecting a draftee to hold down a key defensive post, madness and the entitlement that they could be finals bound. Yeah they'll fall and I'd be amazed if it wasn't for a long time.

Saints - ok this is because I'm a Saints supporter, we've identified holes in the list and filled them better than any other team. We've lifted the ceiling and the floor, we'll have natural improvement in the kids, we will improve how far I have no idea top 4 in 2026 but 2027 could be fascinating. The other side of that is disgruntlement amongst the player group 2028 and the hero worship we'll give these young men, will take a much better man than me to manage.

Well done mate.

 

[kernelT]

Looks like some viagra & cement should have been thrown into the membership packs for this year, if we're not in the 8 after that off-season, we need a new sport to follow.

Brisbane & Gold Coast should really be the top two unless they fall apart with injuries.

Crows, Freo, Hawks should be eyeing of a top 4 spot.

Then we're in the next group with Dogs, Pies, Cats & Giants.

The rest will be woeful.

GC
Lions
Freo
Hawks
Saints
Crows
Freo
GWS
-----------
Dogs
Cats
Pies
Port
North
Carlton
Melbourne
Tigers
WCE
Essington

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

Think it was GCS, Saints & Sydney whose list will benefit & improve the most in 2026.