2012 Predictions

[Arwib]

Crap, now the popular belief is "Sydney are underrated" instead of "will slide" we are clearly going to fall in a heap.

 

[rioli is a hack]

OK. Ran through the fixture and came up with:

Carlton 20-2 (Yeah probs biased in some of the bigger games, lose two in the middle)
Hawthorn 17-5 (Start very strong , mid slump, good finish)
Geelong 16-6 (Start strong, lose a few in the middle, then limp home)
Collingwood 15-7 (Starts poorly 1-2, then fairly strong with the occassional loss)
Fremantle 15-7 (Weak start 2-3, then hit their stride, patchy end)
North Melbourne 13-9 (Very strong start, with a 2-6 period towards the end)
West Coast 13-9 (Strong start 3-0, hits strife but comes home with 6-2)
Brisbane 12-10 (Patchy early, 7-3 end of season)
Richmond 12-10 (Patchy at start and end but 6-1 patch mid-season)
Sydney 11.5-10 (Start strong 3-0, but don't re-gain that form till too late)
St Kilda 10-12 (Starts well but fades into a bad mid-season, ends strong with 5-2)
Gold Coast 9-13 (Win, loss, win for most of the season)
Western Bulldogs 8.5-13 (Very string start 4-1, collapses)
Adelaide 8-14 (Poor start, strong finish 4-1)
Melbourne 8-14 (Bad start, but a purple patch with 5-2)
Essendon 6-16 (purple patch mid-season and that was it)
Port Adelaide 3-19 (Yeah...)
GWS 2-20 (I won't say who they beat in my predictions)

On what basis will Nth make the finals? They were never a serious threat in 2011 and their best 2 players (Harvey, Peatree) are in their mid fifties. Despite the softest draw in history I can't find more than 8 wins for them in 2012.

 

[Kimbo]

OK. Ran through the fixture and came up with:

North Melbourne 13-9 (Very strong start, with a 2-6 period towards the end)

You have us at 11-3?! Which are the three losses?

Edit: Geelong, Eagles at Subi, Hawks, I assume. Nice to see you have us beating Bombers (again), Saints and Swans (about time).

 

[HeHateMe]

1. Hawthorn
2. Carlton
3. Collingwood
4. St Kilda
5. Geelong
6. Fremantle
7. West Coast
8. Essendon

9. Sydney
10. North Melbourne
11. Adelaide
12. Melbourne
13. Richmond
14. Brisbane Lions
15. Gold Coast
16. Western Bulldogs
17. Port Adelaide
18. GWS

Red - Top 2 candidates
Blue - Top 4 candidates
Green - Top 8 candidates
Brown - Bottom 4 candidates
Black - Bottom 2 candidates

 

[Belltower]

Collingwood
Hawthorn
Geelong
Carlton
West Coast
Essendon
Sydney
Nth Melbourne
Melbourne
Freo
St Kilda
Richmond
Adelaide
Western Bulldogs
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Port
GWS

 

[MARK In TIME]

omg Collingwood third, how preposterous!!

It has more to do with North finishing fourth, but don't let logic get in the way of your bitter sarcasm...

Geelong, Collingwood and Hawthorn are clearly the most capable of wining the flag. Carlton, West Coast and perhaps Freo appear to be capable of improving enough to challenge whether that is this year or next. Obviously Lyon's changes will take time, but I think once he has established a stronger defensive platform, the Dockers have the right players to do well (injures permitting).

Everybody else has a long way to go.

 

[CURVE]

1. North Melbourne
2. Geelong
3. Collingwood
4. Hawthorn
5. West Coast
6. Carlton
7. Fremantle
8. Sydney

9. St. Kilda
10. Melbourne
11. Essendon
12. Richmond
13. Western Bulldogs
14. Adelaide
15. Gold Coast
16. Brisbane
17. Port Adelaide
18. Western Sydney

No bias, but by the end of the season I expect North Melbourne to be on a record 26 game winning streak.

 

[Cynic]

No bias, but by the end of the season I expect North Melbourne to be on a record 26 game winning streak.

It's not biased if you've thought about if from a neutral perspective

 

[Blue and Silver]

On what basis will Nth make the finals? They were never a serious threat in 2011 and their best 2 players (Harvey, Peatree) are in their mid fifties. Despite the softest draw in history I can't find more than 8 wins for them in 2012.

I rate their midfield, Wells, Swallow Ziebell, Cunnington, Goldstein, highly and think they will rise above a lot of middle of the road teams

 

[Cat Tragic]

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

Premiers - Geelong
Brownlow - Sam Mitchell
Normie - J. Sellwood
Coleman - Buddy

 

[Gus]

15.Western Bulldogs- they have lost the coach there full-forward and center-half back for the season and I dont know what's wrong with Lake.

We haven't lost our coach. We sacked Eade and Brendan McCartney is coach now.

And Tom Williams is our CHB. If you were referring to Dale Morris, he'll play round 1.

As will Lake, who has resumed training after surgery.

 

[Dazb86]

My take....

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

 

[AGC]

We haven't lost our coach. We sacked Eade and Brendan McCartney is coach now.

And Tom Williams is our CHB. If you were referring to Dale Morris, he'll play round 1.

As will Lake, who has resumed training after surgery.

Not helping the argument there...

But there is no way the Dogs will finish bottom 4. They've got too many good players in the team to drop that quickly. They're finished for a flag chance at least for the next couple of years until Cordy, Libba, Howard, Jones etc develop into real guns, but for people to say they'll drop that low is absurd. They were solid in the second half of the season, and Lake is just like a new recruit to the side if he can stay fit.
Hard to see how people reckon the Dogs will tank, yet the Saints will be top 8 comfortably. Both teams that will be in the 6-12 region.

 

[Gus]

Not helping the argument there...

But there is no way the Dogs will finish bottom 4. They've got too many good players in the team to drop that quickly. They're finished for a flag chance at least for the next couple of years until Cordy, Libba, Howard, Jones etc develop into real guns, but for people to say they'll drop that low is absurd. They were solid in the second half of the season, and Lake is just like a new recruit to the side if he can stay fit.
Hard to see how people reckon the Dogs will tank, yet the Saints will be top 8 comfortably. Both teams that will be in the 6-12 region.

On 2010 form would be comfortably in North's best 22. Among other teams.

My ladder prediction:

Collingwood
Hawthorn
Geelong
Carlton
Fremantle
Essendon
West Coast
Sydney

North Melbourne
Melbourne
St Kilda
Bulldogs
Richmond
Adelaide
Brisbane
Port Adelaide
Gold Coast
Greater Western Sydney

 

[BrisbaneLion9636]

The Final 8

1) Collingwood - Similar to Bombers '11, will start on fire under Buckley, but the constant media pressure and inexperienced coaching will cause them to start fading around Round 18.

2) Hawthorn - Will beat everyone they play. Bar Geelong. And maybe a few due to resting players to avoid injury.

3) Geelong - The last hurrah?

4) Carlton - With only Scotland to possibly decline, and 10+ best 22 players getting closer to the peak age, the Blues are my pick to do damage come September.

5) Sydney - Reliable. Goodes still playing well.

6) WCE - still got a couple of good years left from their old guard.

7) Freo - will become very good after Round 6

8) Essendon - will improve with excellent coaching, but can only go so far with a midfield that is arguably the worst in the history of the AFL.

Elimination Finals
Freo 88 def WCE 85 (in a thriller Western Derby - Wowee!)
Sydney 1150 def Essendon 68 (Essendon to crumble under pressure, again)

Qualifying Finals
Carlton 120 def Collingwood 99 (Colliwobbles)
Geelong 65 def Hawthorn 64 (Geelong still have the wood over the Hawks)

After that it's any of Blues, Cats, Hawks, Pies, Swans or Dockers could win it. It's too far out to predict

I trust that's a typo? If not,

 

[BrisbaneLion9636]

• 1. Collingwood (new coach, new game plan, still have all their premiership players bar Leigh Brown, 2011 GF loss burning in their guts)

• 2. Hawthorn (2011 PF loss will burn in their guts. I can see them coming out showing no mercy, akin to Essendon 2000)

• 3. Geelong (still going to be a force next year)

• 4. Carlton (fit KPP's should see them secure a top 4 spot)

• 5. Fremantle (injuries cruelled them in 2011. A fit and firing list should see them push for a top 4 spot)

• 6. Sydney (will be around the mark, as they always are. Critics will underrate them as they do every year)

• 7. West Coast (came from nowhere in 2011 due to Cox, Glass, Embley, Kerr and Lynch all having close to best career seasons. Won't be as strong as they were this year)

• 8. North Melbourne (will beat all the teams they should, however there is still a large gap between them and the top teams)

• 9. Brisbane Lions (were competitive last year, youngsters showed great signs for the future. Expect them to rise a few rungs)

• 10. Melbourne (Turmoil of 2011 set them back IMO. Expect them to hover around 9-12 while Neeld and Craig turn things around

• 11. Richmond (finals still 2 years away IMO, young side and will still be inconsistent)

• 12. Essendon (played above themselves in 2011 due to the players actually wanting to play for the coach. List is still ordinary however)

• 13. St Kilda (Watters to begin rebuilding the list. Expect a few sides to go past them)

• 14. Western Bulldogs (in rebuild mode, expect them to slide towards the bottom 4)

• 15. Adelaide (can't see them winning too many next season, Sanderson needs to rebuild the list)

• 16. Gold Coast (should win another 2-3 games with another year into the kids)

• 17. Port Adelaide (a rabble on and off the field, next year will be about rebuilding. John Butcher is a bright prospect)

• 18. GWS (can't see them getting off the bottom, Gold Coast landed better players than GWS, yet they still won the spoon)

That is by far the most accurate list of all, and I'd wager $1000 that the ladder will be very similar to this one. Top job!

 

[The Donners]

That is by far the most accurate list of all, and I'd wager $1000 that the ladder will be very similar to this one. Top job!

Is the wager similar or the same? It's an open ended wager.

I'll be shattered as an Essendon supporter if Brisbane finish above Essendon even though our list is only just on the higher side of middle of the rung.

 

[stugots]

That is by far the most accurate list of all, and I'd wager $1000 that the ladder will be very similar to this one. Top job!

a fool & his money, well you know the rest

 

[tacopavlich]

I actually agree with this one.

Then his must be terrible

 

[Obeanie1]

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

Premiers - Geelong
Brownlow - Sam Mitchell
Normie - J. Sellwood
Coleman - Buddy

The one eyed Geelong bias is strong in this one.

So just how long will your mob be able to stay up the top end of the ladder?

Eagles at 12th is plain dumb.

 

[Blue and Silver]

The one eyed Geelong bias is strong in this one.

So just how long will your mob be able to stay up the top end of the ladder?

Eagles at 12th is plain dumb.

People would of said the same thing about Eagles at 4 this time last year.

Things change

 

[Joshen]

On what basis will Nth make the finals? They were never a serious threat in 2011 and their best 2 players (Harvey, Peatree) are in their mid fifties. Despite the softest draw in history I can't find more than 8 wins for them in 2012.

Wells and Swallow were our best players for the year. And pretty sure our draw is ranked 5th easiest.

 

[BrisbaneLion9636]

Wells and Swallow were our best players for the year. And pretty sure our draw is ranked 5th easiest.

Pretty sure it is the easiest draw in the history of AFL.

 

[benno87]

Pretty sure it is the easiest draw in the history of AFL.

No doubt it's a great draw, it will take a Fremantle style injury collapse for us not to be playing finals next season.

For the record I believe Adelaide technically have the 'easiest' draw for 2012, according to the journo's rankings.

 

[Arwib]

GWS have the easiest draw.

But it won't be easy for them, obviously.