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1. Collingwood: It'd take a brave man to pick against them based on what we've seen. Still a young list with room for improvement. Gain Tarrant and Krakouer. The question is whether or not sides can catch them.
2. Western Bulldogs: I see us improving a fair bit. Our depth looks better, although we'll struggle if we suffer injuries to key backs. Need a relatively injury free year, but we've got a heap of improvement from the majority of our list.
3. Fremantle: Not convinced they'll definitely make the top four, but they are certainly a young and quality side on the rise. Depends how they cope with Tarrant leaving. Key backs aren't great.
4. St. Kilda: Predicting a slide. Outside of their top 5 or so players, they aren't impressive. Milne and Hayes a year older, but the Goddard/Riewoldt/Dal Santo types will still cement them in the top quarter IMO.
5. Hawthorn: Due for an injury free season. Schoenmakers (sp?) to hold down a role as a KPD. Their best is very good - with a few tinkers and some luck, perhaps they'll be more consistent. Still young enough.
6. Geelong: Hard to see them slip any further. Still will win their fair share of games, but should slide with the older brigade and loss of Ablett.
7. Adelaide: Lot of their good players had average seasons including Tippett, Porp and McKay. Injury free + development of Sloane etc. and they should be back. Potential to finish 4-10th, hard side to place.
8. Melbourne: Possibly a year early as they need Watts, Jurrah, Scully, Trengove etc. to stand up. However, they did OK in '10 and should still improve. Need to start performing more consistently.
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9. Carlton: Another side that is a little hard to place. Could finish as high as 5th, although it seems a stretch. Too reliant on a few players (Judd, Waite, Betts). Some quality young players need to have big years (Henderson, Yarran) ditto McLean.
10. North Melbourne: Still think they are lacking the ability to beat the sides named above them on a consistent basis. Petrie will be a huge inclusion and they have scope for improvement but I haven't seen enough to judge them higher. Harvey a year older doesn't help.
11. Sydney: Few of their better players are getting on so they become a little more reliant on first to third year players. Still a well drilled side and they seem to find a way of making the final 8 each year.
12. Richmond: Got some of their passion back under Hardwick, he did a wonderful job after a rocky start. Some good young kids coming through, I see them improving again.
13. Essendon: Hird may save them from holding up the ladder, but you can only do so much with a horrible list. Great coaching panel though. They'll still win a few games here and there due to pace, but eh, that's about it.
14. Port Adelaide: Difficult to see them finishing much higher, although I don't know their list inside out. Seem to be going nowhere the last few years, might need a few more before they rise up again.
15. Brisbane: A fit Brown/Fevola duo saves them from finishing bottom. Also will get back players like Adcock and Drummond, and whilst they may not be as good as they were prior to injury, they'll keep Brisbane off the bottom.
16. Gold Coast: No forward line and if/when injuries hit they'll be stuffed.
17. West Coast: Still the worst list in the AFL. Been saying for 2 years they can't hit the side of a barn. Fail to see how that will improve. Rubbish team.
2. Western Bulldogs: I see us improving a fair bit. Our depth looks better, although we'll struggle if we suffer injuries to key backs. Need a relatively injury free year, but we've got a heap of improvement from the majority of our list.
3. Fremantle: Not convinced they'll definitely make the top four, but they are certainly a young and quality side on the rise. Depends how they cope with Tarrant leaving. Key backs aren't great.
4. St. Kilda: Predicting a slide. Outside of their top 5 or so players, they aren't impressive. Milne and Hayes a year older, but the Goddard/Riewoldt/Dal Santo types will still cement them in the top quarter IMO.
5. Hawthorn: Due for an injury free season. Schoenmakers (sp?) to hold down a role as a KPD. Their best is very good - with a few tinkers and some luck, perhaps they'll be more consistent. Still young enough.
6. Geelong: Hard to see them slip any further. Still will win their fair share of games, but should slide with the older brigade and loss of Ablett.
7. Adelaide: Lot of their good players had average seasons including Tippett, Porp and McKay. Injury free + development of Sloane etc. and they should be back. Potential to finish 4-10th, hard side to place.
8. Melbourne: Possibly a year early as they need Watts, Jurrah, Scully, Trengove etc. to stand up. However, they did OK in '10 and should still improve. Need to start performing more consistently.
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9. Carlton: Another side that is a little hard to place. Could finish as high as 5th, although it seems a stretch. Too reliant on a few players (Judd, Waite, Betts). Some quality young players need to have big years (Henderson, Yarran) ditto McLean.
10. North Melbourne: Still think they are lacking the ability to beat the sides named above them on a consistent basis. Petrie will be a huge inclusion and they have scope for improvement but I haven't seen enough to judge them higher. Harvey a year older doesn't help.
11. Sydney: Few of their better players are getting on so they become a little more reliant on first to third year players. Still a well drilled side and they seem to find a way of making the final 8 each year.
12. Richmond: Got some of their passion back under Hardwick, he did a wonderful job after a rocky start. Some good young kids coming through, I see them improving again.
13. Essendon: Hird may save them from holding up the ladder, but you can only do so much with a horrible list. Great coaching panel though. They'll still win a few games here and there due to pace, but eh, that's about it.
14. Port Adelaide: Difficult to see them finishing much higher, although I don't know their list inside out. Seem to be going nowhere the last few years, might need a few more before they rise up again.
15. Brisbane: A fit Brown/Fevola duo saves them from finishing bottom. Also will get back players like Adcock and Drummond, and whilst they may not be as good as they were prior to injury, they'll keep Brisbane off the bottom.
16. Gold Coast: No forward line and if/when injuries hit they'll be stuffed.
17. West Coast: Still the worst list in the AFL. Been saying for 2 years they can't hit the side of a barn. Fail to see how that will improve. Rubbish team.
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