2015 Predictions

Righto, we're getting close enough to the season now to have a crack at predicting the finishing ladder for 2015.....

Here's my early attempt (yes, I'm being optimistic about my own teams chances! Haha):

Hawks
Port
Sydney
Fremantle
Adelaide
Essendon
North Melbourne
Gold Coast

West Coast
Geelong
GWS
Richmond
Collingwood
Brisbane
Carlton
St Kilda
Melbourne
Western Bulldogs

I agree with a couple of your predictions there Ginge. GWS improving quickly, Collingwood dropping quickly and the bottom 4, but, I think St.Kilda are easily the worst list going around and will cop some real beltings while Carlton won't be much better.

Port, Hawthorn and Sydney can win it.

North Melbourne I think are the only real challengers to the top 3.

Fremantle are relying on the 30+ bodies of Sandilands (33), Pavlich(34), McPharlin(34) and the not so surprising Ross Lyon game plan. I think these guys might slide, with Geelong.

Adelaide ( full strength at their best ), Essendon* ( ASADA ) and the Gold Coast ( with Ablett ) are the teams fighting for 5-8 with Fremantle, Geelong, Richmond and West Coast.

From there, GWS will win 7+ games, Brisbane won't be quite as bad as Collingwood, the Bulldogs and Melbourne while Carlton and St.Kilda will be whipping boys.

Hawthorn
Port
Sydney
North
West Coast
Fremantle
Geelong
Adelaide

Gold Coast
Richmond
GWS
Essendon*
Brisbane
Collingwood
Melbourne
Bulldogs
Carlton
St Kilda

I've got a feeling the gap between the top 3 and the rest will be as big as it has been for a while, whilst I think the next 10 will be closer than it has ever been.

I predict with 5 rounds to go 12 or more teams will still be a real shot of playing finals footy.

Booney wrote: I've got a feeling the gap between the top 3 and the rest will be as big as it has been for a while, whilst I think the next 10 will be closer than it has ever been.

See I actually reckon the opposite Booney. I think this year's race will be wide open.

While I think Hawthorn is a cert for top 4, their squad isn't getting any younger. Blokes like Roughead, Hodge, Mitchell ain't getting any younger.

As for Sydney, they got pumped in last year's GF and there was a time when the famed 'Bloods culture' would never have let that happen. I reckon there's a real chance some cracks could start to appear in 2015.

Then we have Port - if all their prime movers are fit and firing they will be incredibly hard to stop, but a couple of injuries could really hurt them IMO.

I feel like anything could happen this year TBH.

Agreed. I'm basing my theory on everyone playing at full strength. Impossible to cater for who might get injured/suspended when and for how long.

I think behind the top 3 the race will be very tightly run and the likes of Adelaide and the Gold Coast with some luck, could be 4th or with none, 12th.

Port Adelaide
Sydney
Hawthorn
Richmond
Gold Coast
Collingwood
Brisbane
Fremantle

Geelong
North Melbourne
West Coast
Adelaide
Western Bulldogs
Essendon
GWS
Melbourne
Carlton
St.Kilda

PREDICTED MINOR ROUND FINISH
This is my speculation at the end of the Minor round

1 FR
2 SS
3 HW
4 PP
5 WC
6 RI
7 GWS
8 CO
9 AC
10 NM
11GE
12 WB
13 ES
14 ML
15 SK
16 GC
17 CA
18 BL

We are all waiting for Hawthorn to play at their best, trouble is they might be to far behind Fremantle and Sydney at present
Hawks if they finish 3rd will have to play either Fremantle or Sydney in an interstate final