With just three rounds left, it’s time to start sizing up the ladder and making some predictions where everyone will land.
Top four isn’t set, top eight isn’t set… by some fluke of a chance the final three rounds scheduled by the AFL will have a serious impact over who finishes where.
Here are my predictions:
Top Four
Geelong, West Coast, Richmond and Brisbane (not in order)
Geelong surely can’t let it slip from here, no matter how cold they’ve gone. I’m expecting you’ll see the Cats with a double chance come September.
Richmond will definitely make it, they are right back in form and have a decent run home on the MCG.
West Coast have two out of three matches at home in Perth, which should get them over the line.
The only ones I’m unsure about is Brisbane and GWS…
Can Brisbane hang in there? Do they have enough experience to get them home? Not to mention the Giants run home is far more favourable.
But don’t forget, GWS are really struggling with injuries at the moment.
Based on form, I’m going to have to back in Brisbane.
Top Eight
GWS, Collingwood, Adelaide/Port Adelaide/Essendon (not in order)
With the Giants slipping into fifth, I think Collingwood will join them as a lock for the top eight.
Seven and eight on the ladder is where it gets really intriguing.
Essendon are no dead certainty… If this loss to Port Adelaide sends them off the cliff, they could easily lose a spot in the finals given their run home.
As for Adelaide, it is theirs to lose - but that banks on two wins out of the last three matches at least.
West Coast away is a tough game, and I’m willing to bet Western Bulldogs in Ballarat (Round 23) won’t be a cake walk.
That gives Port Adelaide a look in.
At their best, the Power are a really dangerous side to come up against - just ask Essendon.
Their form is patchy and you can never predict how they will play… but they can certainly claim a spot in the eight.
The outsiders for those final two spots would be Western Bulldogs and Fremantle.
It’s uncanny they face Adelaide and Port Adelaide (respectively) in the final game of the season and it certainly makes for an exciting Sunday.
Keep an eye on seven and eight, they’ll go down to the wire.
The Grand Final
On current form you can exclude the Cats… They’re not good enough to make it.
Richmond absolutely, put them right in there.
As for who they play, I think there is a real opportunity for anyone.
If I had to stab at it, I’d say Brisbane… if they can finish top two.
But proper sense tells me West Coast.
And just as a dark horse suggestion, look out for Port Adelaide - I’ll say it again, if they play their best footy, they can beat anyone.
My tip for who wins the flag:
Richmond. 35-5 record at the MCG over the past two years speaks for itself.
Brownlow Medal
Patrick Cripps has caught my eye, despite Carlton not having won a huge amount of games this year.
Some of the footy he has played this season… He’ll be hard to knock off.
Otherwise it’s Tim Kelly, of Geelong.
The Cats have won plenty of games with him in the side and he’ll be right there alongside Cripps.
Take your pick of those two.
Dale Lewis is the co-host of Triple M’s The Rush Hour with Jars & Louie, weekdays from 3-4pm and 6-7pm.
Lewis played 182 games for the Sydney Swans between 1990 and 2001.
