Five AFL club captains have tipped Adelaide to return to the Grand Final stage in 2018.
In the lead-up to Round One, the 18 club leaders were asked for their predictions for the season.
Greater Western Sydney (seven) was the most popular choice among the skippers to reach the last Saturday in September.
Last year’s Grand Finalists, Richmond and Adelaide each received five nominations.
Perennial finalists, the Sydney Swans (one) were the only other club to earn a nod.
The Giants, Crows, Tigers, Swans and Geelong were unanimously selected to make the top eight, while 14 captains picked Port Adelaide to play finals.
Melbourne has been tipped as the competition's big mover, with 10 skippers selecting the Demons to be part of September action for the first time since 2006.
Hawthorn was next with five, followed by Essendon and West Coast (four votes each), the Western Bulldogs (two), and Collingwood and St Kilda (one each).
Vice-captain Rory Sloane was deemed Adelaide’s best Brownlow Medal chance, earning one vote.
Cats star and 2017 winner Patrick Dangerfield (seven votes) was the clear favourite.
On the back of an impressive performance in the JLT Community Series, Crows forward Darcy Fogarty was backed by one skipper to be the 2018 Rising Star.
Twelve captains picked Swans spearhead Lance to win a fifth Coleman Medal, with West Coast's Josh Kennedy – who has won two of his own – to provide the most competition.
Kennedy polled three votes while Joe Daniher, Charlie Dixon and Tom Hawkins were nominated by one captain each to top the League's goal-kicking.
The captains gathered in Melbourne on Thursday for a media and photo opportunity at Etihad Stadium
Which seven other clubs apart from your own do you think can make this year's top eight?
17 – Adelaide Crows, Geelong Cats, GWS Giants, Richmond, Sydney Swans.
14 – Port Adelaide
10 – Melbourne
5 – Hawthorn
4 – Essendon, West Coast
2 – Western Bulldogs
1 – Collingwood, St Kilda
Which other club apart from your own is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
7 – GWS Giants
5 – Richmond, Adelaide Crows
1 – Sydney Swans
Who do you think will win the 2018 Brownlow Medal?
7 – Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong Cats)
3 – Dustin Martin (Richmond)
2 – Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle)
1 – Josh Kelly (GWS Giants), Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans), Zac Merrett (Essendon), Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn), Luke Parker (Sydney Swans), Rory Sloane (Adelaide Crows)
Who do you think will win the 2018 Coleman Medal?
12 – Lance Franklin (Sydney Swans)
3 – Josh Kennedy (West Coast)
1 – Joe Daniher (Essendon), Charlie Dixon (Port Adelaide), Tom Hawkins (Geelong Cats)
Who do you think will win the 2018 NAB AFL Rising Star?
4 – Paddy Dow (Carlton)
3 – Luke Davies-Uniacke (North Melbourne)
2 – Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle), Cam Rayner (Brisbane Lions)
1 – Aiden Bonar (GWS Giants), Nick Coffield (St Kilda), Darcy Fogarty (Adelaide Crows), Oliver Florent (Sydney Swans), Jack Graham (Richmond), Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs), Alex Witherden (Brisbane Lions)
