2025 Ladder Predictions

[Mat Mann]

Relegated back to their VFA origins - they want their VFA flags to be counted to the AFL tally, they can go back there!!!

** It was early AM I'm bound to forget something

forgot the Saints too

 

[Madas]

Let's get this offseason started! With some waaaaaaayyyy too early ladder predictions!



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

Nice colours

 

[Madas]

Bloody tough one , looking forward to seeing how wrong I am
Trade period could change things a lot but as it stands

GWS
BRISBANE
SYDNEY
GEELONG
FREO
BULLDOGS
HAWTHORN
PORT

CARLTON
GC
SAINTS
PIES
ADELAIDE
ESSENDON
MELBOURNE
NORTH
WC
RICHMOND

Sydney most likely to fall out of the 8

 

[Madas]

He just confirmed he’s retired. So that’s the end of that

Is that a Dimma style retirement?

 

[Cleansweep17]

Is that a Dimma style retirement?

No

 

[MattyJayJ]

1. Carlton
2. Geelong
3. Hawthorn
4. GWS
5. Fremantle
6. Sydney
7. Western Bulldogs
8. Adelaide

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

 

[Rod Stroker]

I don't get why so many have Freo so high? To me their list doesn't scream top 4. Where will their improvement come from to climb from 10th?

 

[justlookingaround]

Top 4 - Geelong
Mid table - Essendon
Bottom 4 - Richmond
Brave picks, I know.

 

[burge13]

1. Crows
2. Geelong
3. Brisbane
4. Hawthorn
5. Sydney
6. Freo
7. Port
8. Gws
9. Pies
10. Blues
11. Dogs
12. Dons
13. Dees
14. North
15. Wce
16. Saints
17. Richmond

Typed all this out and forgot GCS. **** knows with them, mid table somewhere

Brownlow = Dawson
Coleman = Thillthorpe
Rising Star = Draper

Crows v Geelong GF. Geelong by 80

 

[CURVE]

1. GWS
2. Geelong
3. Brisbane
4. Syndey
5. Collingwood
6. Bulldogs
7. Fremantle
8. Carlton

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

 

[SGBeach]

Which team has the most b-grade free agents next year?
I suspect they'll aim for the wooden spoon....

 

[adammania9]

I don't get why so many have Freo so high? To me their list doesn't scream top 4. Where will their improvement come from to climb from 10th?

Played like a top 6 side for most of the year before injuries to their spine wiped them out for the last month, dropping them to 10th place. It's still their fault they didn't play finals but can't underestimate the impact of facing top teams in the last few weeks without Pearce, Treacy and Darcy.

As a result of drafting heavily and well from 2016-19, they've got a large chunk of the list in the sweet spot of flirting with or surpassing 100 games, which is where a lot of players find true consistency in their performance.

Shai Bolton should be a terrific top up and will be expected to get close to his 2022 AA form when he last played finals. Considering how irrelevant Walters was for much of the year, it's an enormous upgrade in their forward line. I don't expect them to land Pickett but he has signalled his interest and the trade period can be very long.

Their form next year would hinge quite heavily on whether or not Darcy and Pearce can play close to full seasons. If they do, the Dockers should be expecting top four at a minimum.

 

[aCunningPlan]

Bulldogs
Fremantle
GWS
Brisbane
Port Adelaide
Sydney
Adelaide
Geelong

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

 

[HTPunter]

Will do my top 15 at a later date.

For now
16. West Coast
17. North Melbourne
18. Richmond

In all seriousness, it’s remarkably difficult to see that changing. The Eagles are only a McGovern/Allen/Waterman injury from being severely exposed, and while they will improve their midfield & flanks this year, losing Barrass & Darling won’t help. Flynn doesn’t seem likely to help much, and Williams is the worst regular first ruck in the comp.
North suck and I can’t see Parker & Darling changing that in the short term. I can’t quite put my finger on it as North should be building like Brisbane did (competitive but just not getting over the hump) but seem to be going backwards. Good chance at the spoon if Sheezel or LDU goes down.
Richmond suck and while they MIGHT get some injury relief in 2025, that’s hardly going to replace Baker/Rioli/Bolton/Dusty/Graham/Pickett/maybe McIntosh/handful of games from Grimes. They are gonna get worse before they get better…Lefau is a serious talent but won’t be back until mid season after his 2nd ACL rupture, while Gibcus could be gently returned with his injury run, and Clarke is in the same boat. Prestia & Lynch don’t get younger. It’s entirely likely they have a similar run injury wise.

As for the rest, right now my ladder is
1. GWS
2. Fremantle
3. Brisbane
4. Collingwood
5. Hawthorn
6. Sydney
7. Gold Coast
8. St Kilda

9. Carlton
10. Port Adelaide
11. Geelong
12. Western Bulldogs
13. Melbourne
14. Adelaide
15. Essendon

Things never stay the same so tried to pick changes that either reflect end of season form, potential injury stakes & depth, and coaching ability (I.e. Hardwick & Lyon teams jump Voss, while Nicks can’t elevate Adelaide). Sydney the slight fall as they recover. Geelong or Collingwood I suspect miss finals - you can’t predict Geelong missing finals without their fans sooking about a random internet prediction, but I don’t know maybe the year they seemingly boost their list & improve their age profile they fall because they’ve got it all backwards down there defying the odds?

 

[HTPunter]

I don't get why so many have Freo so high? To me their list doesn't scream top 4. Where will their improvement come from to climb from 10th?

3rd with a month to go before running into a tough run home (Marvel, then 3x finalists) without multiple key players. Jury out on the durability on one of those (Darcy) but if he gets fit for a season the Dockers W-L record with him is seriously impressive. Treacy broke out this year and monstered defences and missed that last month. Pearce is the last man standing type that gives the rest of the Freo defence a bit of freedom.

Add to that they did find some midfield cohesiveness by bringing in Hayden Young, who adds something different, and they’re about to bring in a forward/mid with serious talent & wheels who can replace any of the ones they currently have, all of whom are in the bottom 6 in their side for talent. Frederick is inconsistent, Banfield is seriously limited, Switta the best of the lot but he’s still not on Boltons level.

And phase out Fyfe or O’Meara with a big pre season from either O’Driscoll or Erasmus is another step up. It’s ALL about improving their bottom end right now and it looks like Banfield for Shai Bolton, and a breakout season from either NOD/Erasmus which is huge.

Plus they get 2 WC games (went 1-1 in 2024 but you’d tip 2-0 on current sides) & if they get Bolton wouldn’t be surprised if the AFL schedule them Richmond twice too. Finishing in the middle 6 gives them a better shot at a decent draw (doesn’t help come finals but helps to get you there).

 

[Madas]

3rd with a month to go before running into a tough run home (Marvel, then 3x finalists) without multiple key players. Jury out on the durability on one of those (Darcy) but if he gets fit for a season the Dockers W-L record with him is seriously impressive. Treacy broke out this year and monstered defences and missed that last month. Pearce is the last man standing type that gives the rest of the Freo defence a bit of freedom.

Add to that they did find some midfield cohesiveness by bringing in Hayden Young, who adds something different, and they’re about to bring in a forward/mid with serious talent & wheels who can replace any of the ones they currently have, all of whom are in the bottom 6 in their side for talent. Frederick is inconsistent, Banfield is seriously limited, Switta the best of the lot but he’s still not on Boltons level.

And phase out Fyfe or O’Meara with a big pre season from either O’Driscoll or Erasmus is another step up. It’s ALL about improving their bottom end right now and it looks like Banfield for Shai Bolton, and a breakout season from either NOD/Erasmus which is huge.

Plus they get 2 WC games (went 1-1 in 2024 but you’d tip 2-0 on current sides) & if they get Bolton wouldn’t be surprised if the AFL schedule them Richmond twice too. Finishing in the middle 6 gives them a better shot at a decent draw (doesn’t help come finals but helps to get you there).

A Free Dockers membership to our punter mate here from the Roos
I reckon a lot of Dockers supporters don’t even know our list that well

On North I’m not sure the addition of Darling and Parker was a good idea but time will tell .
There were signs that it was clicking this year
First half against Freo when they were up by 30 odd points
Should have beat Collingwood
There was another one ?

But they just can’t close out cones
I think I had them around 12-14 this year, don’t see them bottom 3

 

[justlookingaround]

I think when it happens for North it'll happen quick, they had a month of really good form this year.
Wouldn't be surprised if they win 8-10 games next year.