[ad_1]
With a new season comes recalibrated expectations, but all of them come with a predicted ladder range.
Be it a surge up the ladder, a plummet down or a continuation of form, the AFL hierarchy will quickly take shape after the ball is bounced for Opening Round.
With that in mind, foxfooty.com.au has predicted each club’s ladder range for the 2024 season.
The only place to watch every game of the AFL Season live is Fox Footy, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >
ADELAIDE CROWS: 5th-8th
The Crows are raring for an explosive campaign after controversially falling short of the finals last year. Many pundits are tipping Adelaide to fire into the top eight at a minimum, with some even touting the West Lakes club for a top-four finish amongst a competitive crop. Captain Jordan Dawson and stars-in-the-making Izak Rankine and Josh Rachele are expected to propel the Crows, with evergreen spearhead Taylor Walker positioned in attack, big man Reilly O’Brien setting the tone at the centre bounce and first-year defender Daniel Curtin ready to make an instant impact. Riley Thilthorpe’s meniscus setback at the very end of the pre-season hurts, but the fourth-year key forward will still look to put together a strong season upon his return.
BRISBANE LIONS: 1st-4th
Brisbane is preparing to embark on a vengeance-powered campaign after falling agonisingly short in last year’s decider. Widely tipped to make it to the pointy end again in 2024, the Lions will lean heavily on their Gabba fortress after winning all 13 times they were fixtured at home last season. Former Crow Toe Doedee was added to a stout defending contingent, while ACL-struck midfielder Will Ashcroft will return mid-year. Brisbane has made the top-four in four of the last five seasons, with Lions legend Alastair Lynch recently expressing his confidence: “They’re the only team to play finals in all of the past five years and they’ve won the most games over the past five years. The team that narrowly got beaten on Grand Final day last year will improve: Will Ashcroft will come in for the second half of the year, Tom Doedee comes in too and their better players like Hugh McCluggage and Zac Bailey are young and improving … They’ve got to win one.”
Prototype defender: who made the list? | 02:59
CARLTON: 2nd-6th
Injuries to franchise pillars Sam Walsh (back) and Jacob Weitering (calf) are by no means ideal, but the Blues still feel destined for a monumental campaign. Having reached the penultimate weekend of the season last year, Carlton seems poised to go a step further in ‘24, particularly after natural internal improvement and adding ex-Sun Elijah Hollands. Carlton has also achieved stability in its football department, with coach Michael Voss and CEO Brian Cook each re-pledging their commitment to Princes Park.
COLLINGWOOD: 1st-4th
The Magpies are dreaming of a dynasty under Craig McRae. Considering the systemic success of the past pair of seasons and the list’s continued improvement, there aren’t many signs suggesting this squad is slowing down. Add Lachie Schultz to this vaunted Collingwood attacking brigade? Fasten your seatbelts. Said Fox Footy expert David King recently: “I think the Pies will be better in year three under Craig McRae. Collingwood played awesome football pre-bye last year, but patchy after that point, winning games in bursts — which avails significant scope for improvement.”
Hill breaks down spinetingling GF show | 03:18
ESSENDON: 8th-12th
The buoyant Bombers enter Brad Scott’s second year in charge with a renewed sense of optimism after fading late in the 2023 season. A bevy of list boosts, a galvanising player-driven trip and a re-jig of the club’s football department leave Essendon fans with big expectations exiting the off-season. However, while discernible on-field improvement is well within reach this year, a simultaneous rise up the ladder is harder to envision in an incredibly tight competition. With numerous other clubs at a similar level of contention, the Bombers will have to go above and beyond expectations to cement a finals berth. But, with a 20-year drought there for the breaking, perhaps they have the most motivation of all.
FREMANTLE: 12th-16th
Fremantle will believe its contingent of youngsters has taken a step forward — and Hayden Young’s move into the midfield should prove fruitful — but as Fox Footy analyst David King notes, a considerable improvement in the ball movement sector needs to be observed before a Dockers rise is a possibility. “What they do, to me, hasn’t allowed them to score over the last three to four years,” King told Fox Footy. “I’m looking at where they win the ball back, how often they win the ball back and their ball movement. That’s been sub-AFL standard for a long time. I think they’ve got enough talent on this list to make a serious spike, but I just can’t endorse it without seeing the back-office influence.”
Tensions building at Freo | 02:01
GEELONG CATS: 6th-10th
In both average games played and average age, the Cats are the oldest and most experienced outfit in the AFL — leaving many pundits to (again) doubt Geelong’s capabilities. Premiership stalwarts Tom Hawkins and Patrick Dangerfield are still firing on all cylinders, while Chris Scott’s younger brigade of up-and-coming stars — headlined by Max Holmes, Tanner Bruhn, Jyhe Clark and Connor O’Sullivan. VFL graduate Shaun Mannagh adds another crafty element to a team of Geelong smalls that already boasts All-Australian Tyson Stengle, goal-assist maestro Gryan Miers and mid-sized threat Ollie Henry. Said Fox Footy analyst Leigh Montagna in the pre-season: “If you’re writing the Cats off, do it at your peril, because I still think there’s a lot to like about this group. When you look at their profile it stacks up really well … I’m pretty bullish (that) they spike and they rebound again this year.”
GOLD COAST SUNS: 6th-10th
To be honest, anything other than a top eight finish would be considered a disappointment for the Suns, given the hype that is accompanying them ahead of Opening Round. Damien Hardwick has arrived and so too have even more prodigiously talented youngsters. It should be enough to see them finally breakthrough for their first finals appearance. From there, who knows? As long as injury doesn’t take too much of a toll, this is a list that should be competing in September. As Hardwick himself said, 80 per cent of the premiership list is already there, so it’s time for them to start performing at a high level. No injury to Touk Miller and even more improvement from Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell gives them one of the fiercest engine rooms in the competition, while Ben King is primed to explode this year. As Hardwick said on AFL 360 this week, no more talking about doing it, time to actually do it!
GWS GIANTS: 2nd-6th
Pre-season games are always a bit dangerous to make assumptions from, but the Giants don’t look like dropping off whatsoever from their barnstorming form that saw them nearly defeat Collingwood at the MCG in a preliminary final. They should have natural improvement from their young brigade, including former number one draft pick Aaron Cadman, while the likes of Jesse Hogan and Stephen Coniglio look like continuing on from resurgent 2023 seasons. It’s an incredibly well-rounded side at Adam Kingsley’s disposal and there won’t be any teething problems like there were at the outset of last season. It should hold them in good stead and have them well-placed to make a deep run in September. Key to their hopes will be a full season from Sam Taylor, who is arguably the best defender in the game.
‘Really burned’ Giants to avenge Prelim | 03:58
HAWTHORN: 14th-18th
There are still likely plenty of bumps on the road ahead for Hawthorn and the sheer number of their injuries suggests it’s going to be rough going early in the year. Still, they have enough in their corner to at least avoid a bottom-two finish. Whether that happens or not depends on how effectively they’re able to prevent scores. That will be key to any potential improvement this year, with their fade outs at stages in games considerable. Sam Mitchell has already flagged they are looking to improve that this season, but whether they have the personnel to do so remains to be seen. While there was a heap of optimism around the Hawks over summer, the sheer weight of the injury toll means a significant surge may have to wait for another year.
MELBOURNE: 4th-8th
The Dees probably have the biggest ladder range of any club and that’s because of the uncertainty around them heading into Opening Round. It has been a tumultuous off-season for the Dees and yet they still have one of the best lists in the competition, certainly one that should be aiming higher than a straight sets exit from the finals. There’s so much on the line for the Dees this year as they try and steady the ship. If they perform at their best or somewhere near it, they’re going to be a hard team to stop. If they don’t, there’s going to be a hell of a lot spoken about them during the season for all the wrong reasons.
Clarkson issued ‘Please explain’ | 00:50
NORTH MELBOURNE: 14th-18th
While another bottom-four finish is likely on the menu this year, it feels like for the first time in a while the North Melbourne faithful has genuine reason to raise their expectations. Alastair Clarkson is entering his second season — a campaign that, for his sake, will hopefully be uninterrupted. Speedy recruits Zac Fisher and Dylan Stephens have showed promising flashes throughout the pre-season, while top-five draft picks Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma have given Shinboners everywhere reason to be excited. Jy Simpkin’s third concussion in nine months hurts the Kangaroos’ on-field product, as does Griffin Logue’s continued absence, but you get the sense that this side is finally starting to shape up.
PORT ADELAIDE: 3rd-6th
The Power recruited for needs and got all of their targets, now we get to see them in action. How well the Aliir – Ratugolea dynamic functions will be key in their season, given how unusual it is to have two primary interceptors. Getting more goals from their midfield is also crucial, but they have the pieces of the puzzle necessary now it seems. It’s up to them to put it altogether and they should prove themselves to be a very good home and away side once more before the pressure to perform in finals returns.
RICHMOND: 11th-14th
True, they’re in a new phase, but this is still a side with the likes of Dustin Martin and Shai Bolton, so it’s hard to predict a bottom four finish even with all the changes. What will be key is how quickly they adapt to Adem Yze’s game style and also whether Tom Lynch can return at the level he was at prior to his injury layoff. Should things fall into place, they’re a good enough side to hold off a bottom four finish. Either way, they’re set to go backwards in order to go forwards.
Webster reacts to seven match ban | 02:57
ST KILDA: 6th-10th
The Saints have divided opinions among footy experts, with some tipping them for a rise, some for them to stay the same and others for a decline. It’s a wide gamut for them heading into 2024, but really on paper they should be placed to at least return to the finals given they may have more availability in their key forward brigade and the youngsters that featured heavily throughout last season should be able to improve. Also, there should be even more familiarity with Ross Lyon’s game style. If they do fall off, it shouldn’t be much.
SYDNEY SWANS: 4th-8th
The Swans had many bullish with their targeted off-season recruits, but injuries have hampered their pre-season and perhaps taken some of the shine off. There’ll be no Callum Mills, Luke Parker or Taylor Adams in Opening Round and for likely a month, taking some significant grunt out of an area of the ground they need it in. They could still rally and push for a double chance, but there’s also the possibility they start behind the eight-ball as a result of their injury blows.
Longmire backs Swans despite injury woes | 02:24
WEST COAST EAGLES: 14th-18th
Similar to the Roos, the Eagles will be hoping their youth can take an important step amidst another rebuilding campaign. The progress of prodigy Harley Reid alone is worth monitoring this West Coast season, while intercepting backman Brady Hough should continue to emerge as a fruitful feature of Adam Simpson’s defence. The consistent availability of All-Australian tandem Jeremy McGovern and Tom Barrass would be another plus for the inexperienced Eagles.
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 4th-8th
Like Melbourne, this is a team that is underperforming given the talent available. Also like the Dees (albeit to a lesser extent), there has been some rumblings of discontent that saw some changes made at the club, with Luke Beveridge’s football department now shaping up a bit differently. Translating the change to an improvement in on-field performance is critical, with many eyes on the Dogs to see if they can finally maximise their premiership window headed by superstar Marcus Bontempelli. With a relatively thin injury list barring Bailey Smith, the time to strike is now for the Dogs, with improvement in 2024 an absolute must.
[ad_2]
Source link