Prediction 2025 Time Capsule

[dogwatch]

For all our opinionating, fulminating and deep-dive analysis we proved once again in 2024 that we are only so-so in predicting what's actually going to happen during the season.

But wait! Here's your chance to establish or restore your reputation as one of footy's finest analysts. Just copy the table and post your predictions here. Or simply reply to the OP and use this table. You can edit your entry as many times as you like before the thread gets locked and the season gets under way.

This thread will be locked on Thursday 6th March just before the Brisbane-Geelong game in the (ludicrous) Rd 0 starts the season. And it will be opened up in about 12 months to see if anybody got it right in season 2025.

[Predictions for 2024 have been tabulated and winners determined ... results published very soon!]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION ​
Premiers:
Runners Up:
Wooden Spoon:
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle. Which teams out of these won't play finals?
Which other teams will play finals?
Brownlow winner:
Coleman Medal winner:
Rising Star winner:
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS	--------------------------------------------------------
How many wins in the H&A rounds?
Ladder position after H&A rounds?
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):
Leading WB goalkicker:
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)
Most Improved:
Most Courageous:
Best Team Player:
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)
Biggest win (opponent and margin):
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.

 

[dogwatch]

FYI, these were odds from one gambling company for the flag. While they show Fremantle and the WB as equal, most companies have Fremantle a touch shorter than us in the odds for the flag or the finals.

1. Brisbane $7.50
2. Hawthorn $8.50
3. Carlton $9.50
4. Collingwood $10
5. Geelong $10
6. GWS $10
7. Sydney $10
8. Fremantle$13
9. Bulldogs $13
10. Port Adelaide $18
11. Melbourne $26
12. Adelaide $34
13. Gold Coast $41
14. St Kilda $51
15. Essendon $67
16. North Melbourne $126
17. West Coast $126
18. Richmond $150

And for a giggle, these were the results of a SEN poll of fans on who will make the finals (surprisingly close to the bookie rankings):

1 - Brisbane (97.5%)
2 - Carlton (83.6%)
3 - Sydney (81.5%)
4 - GWS Giants (78.9%)
5 - Geelong (72.4%)
6 - Hawthorn (72.1%)
7 - Collingwood (65.8%)
8 - Fremantle (60.3%)
9 - Port Adelaide (54.4%)
10 - Western Bulldogs (46.4%)
11 - Gold Coast (28.8%)
12 - Adelaide (17.1%)
13 - Melbourne (14.9%)
14 - St Kilda (7.5%) - one more vote than Essendon
15 - Essendon (7.5%)
16 - North Melbourne (1.6%)
17 - Richmond (1.2%)
18 - West Coast (0.9%)

 

[Foxman98]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION
Premiers:	Western Bulldogs
Runners Up:	Collingwood
Wooden Spoon:	Richmond
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle. Which teams out of these won't play finals?	Carlton Geelong Hawthorn
Which other teams will play finals?	Western Bulldogs Port Adelaide Melbourne
Brownlow winner:	Marcus Bontempelli
Coleman Medal winner:	Sam Darcy
Rising Star winner:	Josh Smilie
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):	GWS Players suspended for harmless P diddy skit (More education required)
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS	--------------------------------------------------------
How many wins in the H&A rounds?	16
Ladder position after H&A rounds?	2
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?	Premiers
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):	Bont Treloar Darcy
Leading WB goalkicker:	Darcy
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)	58
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?	Bont Darcy Lobb
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)	Busslinger
Most Improved:	Gallagher
Most Courageous:	Kennedy
Best Team Player:	Richards
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)	Busslinger Kennedy Dolan
Biggest win (opponent and margin):	123 points North Melbourne
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):	28 points Geelong
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):	65784
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)	Sam Davidson
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.	Cleary/Baker/Scott/Duryea/JJ

 

[VitalDread]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION
Premiers:	Lions
Runners Up:	Melbourne
Wooden Spoon:	Richmond
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle. Which teams out of these won't play finals?	GWS
Which other teams will play finals?	Crows
Brownlow winner:	Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal winner:	Jeremy Cameron
Rising Star winner:	smillie
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):	Pre-Free Agent request a trade mid season
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS	--------------------------------------------------------
How many wins in the H&A rounds?	14
Ladder position after H&A rounds?	4th
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?	3
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):	Bont, Darcy, Richards
Leading WB goalkicker:	Darcy
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)	50
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?	Darcy, Richards, Bont
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)	Kennedy
Most Improved:	Richards
Most Courageous:	Liam Jones
Best Team Player:	Aaron Naughton
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)	Kennedy
Biggest win (opponent and margin):	Richmond-75
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):	Melborne-50
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):	67245
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)	Buss
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.	JJ, Doc, Clearly, Baker, Scott, Poulter

 

[iambrilliant]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION
Premiers:	Gws
Runners Up:	Brisbane
Wooden Spoon:	Richmond
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle. Which teams out of these won't play finals?	Hawthorn
Which other teams will play finals?	Port
Brownlow winner:	Daicos
Coleman Medal winner:	Curnow
Rising Star winner:	Jagga/caddy
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):	Stringer makes all Australian team
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS
How many wins in the H&A rounds?	12
Ladder position after H&A rounds?	9
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?	Finish between 6-10 maybe win 1 final
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):	Bont Richard’s lobb
Leading WB goalkicker:	Jamarra
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)	53
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?	Bont Richard’s Jamarra
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)	brew
Most Improved:	poulter
Most Courageous:	Libba
Best Team Player:	Naughton
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)	Busslinger Kennedy
Biggest win (opponent and margin):	88 points against Richmond
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):	46 port adl
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):	65,123
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)	Dom brew
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.	Cleary , JJ, Scott, Baker

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION ​
Premiers:	Fremantle
Runners Up:	Brisbane
Wooden Spoon:	Richmond
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle. Which teams out of these won't play finals?	Sydney, Collingwood
Which other teams will play finals?	Bulldogs, Melbourne
Brownlow winner:	Daicos
Coleman Medal winner:	Curnow
Rising Star winner:	Levi Ashcroft
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS	--------------------------------------------------------
How many wins in the H&A rounds?	13
Ladder position after H&A rounds?	5
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?	week 2
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):	Bont, Richards, Sanders
Leading WB goalkicker:	Naughton
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)	56
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?	Bont, Naughton
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)	LKennedy
Most Improved:	Sanders
Most Courageous:	Libba
Best Team Player:	Richards
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)	Croft, LKennedy, Jacques, Buss
Biggest win (opponent and margin):	Richmond 101
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):	Fremantle 36
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):	70,001
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)	LKennedy
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.	JJ, Gardner, Marra, Duryea, Cleary

 

[Sentinel]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION
Premiers:	Lions
Runners Up:	Melbourne
Wooden Spoon:	Richmond
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle. Which teams out of these won't play finals?	GWS
Which other teams will play finals?	Crows
Brownlow winner:	Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal winner:	Jeremy Cameron
Rising Star winner:	smillie
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):	Pre-Free Agent request a trade mid season
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS	--------------------------------------------------------
How many wins in the H&A rounds?	14
Ladder position after H&A rounds?	4th
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?	3
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):	Bont, Darcy, Richards
Leading WB goalkicker:	Darcy
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)	50
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?	Darcy, Richards, Bont
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)	Kennedy
Most Improved:	Richards
Most Courageous:	Liam Jones
Best Team Player:	Aaron Naughton
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)	Kennedy
Biggest win (opponent and margin):	Richmond-75
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):	Melborne-50
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):	67245
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)	Buss
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.	JJ, Doc, Clearly, Baker, Scott, Poulter

Might want to check that finals teams prediction...

 

[dogwatch]

Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)

Coffield

Dogs_r_barking you might want to edit this one. Coffield has played senior footy before (for us and Saints) so he's not eligible.

Maybe I didn't phrase it clearly? (I could have said "Which AFL debutant will play the most games ...")

 

[WAbulldog]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION
Premiers:	Brisbane
Runners Up:	Geelong
Wooden Spoon:	Richmond
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle.Which teams out of these won't play finals?	GWS, Sydney
Which other teams will play finals?	Melbourne, Bulldogs
Brownlow winner:	Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal winner:	Charlie Curnow
Rising Star winner:	Sam Lalor
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):	Ken Hinkley re-signs for another 10 years and Kane Cornes is rejoiced
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS	--------------------------------------------------------
How many wins in the H&A rounds?	15
Ladder position after H&A rounds?	5th
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?	Semi Finals
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):	1st Bont 2nd Richards 3rd Darcy
Leading WB goalkicker:	Sam Darcy
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)	53
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?	Bont, Richards
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)	Sam Davidson
Most Improved:	Ryley Sanders
Most Courageous:	Aaron Naughton
Best Team Player:	Adam Treloar
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)	Luke Kennedy, Sam Davidson
Biggest win (opponent and margin):	Richmond 107 points
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):	Brisbane @ Gabba 53 points
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):	65,273
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)	Sam Davidson
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.	Taylor Duryea (retired) Tom Liberatore (retired) Jason Johannisen (retired) Oskar Baker (delisted) Luke Cleary (delisted) Lachlan McNeil (delisted) Arthur Jones (delisted)

 

[bobs head soup]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION ​
Premiers:	Bulldogs
Runners Up:	GWS
Wooden Spoon:	Richmond
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle. Which teams out of these won't play finals?	Geelong, Collingwood
Which other teams will play finals?	Bulldogs, Port
Brownlow winner:	Jason Horne Francis
Coleman Medal winner:	Nick Larkey
Rising Star winner:	Daniel Curtin
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):	Jake Stringer has contract torn up after being exposed as the mystery defecator in Toby Greene's locker.
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS	--------------------------------------------------------
How many wins in the H&A rounds?	16
Ladder position after H&A rounds?	4
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?	Premiers
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):	Darcy Bont Lobb
Leading WB goalkicker:	Darcy
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)	63
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?	Darcy Bont Lobb Weightman
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)	Davidson
Most Improved:	Croft
Most Courageous:	Libba
Best Team Player:	M.Kennedy
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)	L.Kennedy
Biggest win (opponent and margin):	Richmond 99
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):	Suns 33
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):	66,666
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)	Davidson
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.	Retired - Duryea, JJ Delisted - Cleary, Scott, Baker

 

[BulldogMuscle]

AFL PREDICTIONS	YOUR PREDICTION:
Premiers:	Western Bulldogs
Runners Up:	Carlton
Wooden Spoon:	WCE
Top 8 - the bookies (Sportsbet, TAB) have the top 8 as Brisbane, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Sydney, GWS, Collingwood, Fremantle. Which teams out of these won't play finals?	Brisbane WB Carlton Hawthorn GWS Fremantle Collingwood GCS
Which other teams will play finals?	GCS
Brownlow winner:	Bont
Coleman Medal winner:	JUH
Rising Star winner:	Croft
Biggest AFL story of the year (a point for the funniest, most creative as judged by peers, doesn't have to come true!):	Bont wins everything
WESTERN BULLDOGS PREDICTIONS	--------------------------------------------------------
How many wins in the H&A rounds?	17
Ladder position after H&A rounds?	2nd
How far will we go in the finals? Week 1, 2, 3, 4 (if week 4: will we be runners up or premiers?) Or no finals at all?	GF
Charles Sutton Medal top 3 (in order):	Bont, Treloar, Libba
Leading WB goalkicker:	JUH
How many goals will he kick? (including finals)	76
Which WB players will be named in the final AA team?	Bont, Libba, Treloar
Best First Year Player: (I think the eligible players will be Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Davidson, Dolan, Jaques, Brew and L Smith)	Croft
Most Improved:	VDM
Most Courageous:	Libba
Best Team Player:	L. Jones
Which WB players will win Rising Star nominations? (I think the eligible players are Busslinger, Hynes, Croft, LKennedy, Dolan, Jaques, and L Smith.)	Buss, Croft, Dolan
Biggest win (opponent and margin):	150 points - WCE
Biggest loss (opponent and margin):	40 Points - Brisbane
Final membership tally (in 2024 it was 62,328):	58000
Which previously uncapped player (at any AFL club) will play the most games for the WB in 2025? (NB: M Kennedy is not eligible)	D. Brew
Which players will be gone by the time of final list lodgement at the end of the year? i.e. Retired, traded, delisted, etc. Covers all categories, e.g. main list, Cat A, Cat B.	Doc to become a coach.