OUR ESTEEMED team of journalists have peered into football's crystal ball and come up with their prognostications for season 2025.

There were five different teams tipped to win the premiership, with Brisbane selected the most, while our experts were unanimous in picking Richmond to claim the wooden spoon.

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On an individual level, Nick Daicos is tipped to win the Brownlow Medal, while six different players were predicted to secure the Telstra AFL Rising Star Award, led by Brisbane's Levi Ashcroft.

Spooky or just kooky? Read 'em and weep (or laugh).

Damian Barrett

Premier: Geelong
Runner-up: Fremantle
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Fremantle
Set to fall: Western Bulldogs
Club under the most pressure (and why): Fremantle. It wants for nothing. It has high-end talent everywhere. It is primed. But I'm not convinced it is capable of dealing with fully ramped-up, potential premiership-winning pressure
Will the Suns finally make finals?: Nup
Brownlow Medal: Chad Warner
Coleman Medal: Josh Treacy
AFL Rising Star: Harvey Langford
Recruit of the year: Dan Houston
Surprise All-Australian: Sam Darcy
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Def Leppard and Icehouse
Headline you'll see: Jamarra wants out
Headline you won't see: Richmond: Oops, we cut way too deep
Big call: Suns pick up Dusty in mid-season draft

Barrett's ladder prediction

1. Geelong
2. Fremantle
3. Greater Western Sydney
4. Brisbane
5. Sydney
6. Collingwood
7. Carlton
8. Hawthorn

9. Melbourne
10. Adelaide
11. Port Adelaide
12. Gold Coast
13. Western Bulldogs
14. Essendon
15. St Kilda
16. West Coast
17. North Melbourne 
18. Richmond

Gemma Bastiani

Premier: Hawthorn
Runner-up: Brisbane
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: North Melbourne
Set to fall: Western Bulldogs
Club under the most pressure (and why): Gold Coast. The Suns made some big moves in the off season, headlined by the addition of Daniel Rioli and appointment of Noah Anderson as captain, and it is crucial that they start to see some reward.
Will Gold Coast finally make the AFL finals: Yes, in a round 24 that has everyone glued to the live ladder.
Brownlow Medal: Chad Warner, to make contract discussions that much more intriguing.
Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron
AFL Rising Star: Levi Ashcroft
Recruit of the year: Josh Battle
Surprise All-Australian: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Billie Eilish
Headline you'll see: Too far gone: Blues left to count the cost of early season injuries
Headline you won't see: Hawk regret: Barrass and Battle proving to be not the right fit in the brown and gold
Big call: The Jamarra gap is expertly filled by Sam Darcy, who will become the Dogs' most important forward.

Bastiani's ladder prediction

1. Hawthorn
2. Brisbane
3. Collingwood
4. Sydney
5. Geelong
6. Fremantle
7. Port Adelaide
8. Gold Coast

9. Greater Western Sydney
10. Melbourne
11. Western Bulldogs
12. Carlton
13. Adelaide
14. Essendon
15. North Melbourne
16. St Kilda
17. West Coast
18. Richmond

Riley Beveridge

Premier: Brisbane
Runner-up: Fremantle
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Fremantle
Set to fall: Geelong
Club under the most pressure (and why): Fremantle has a top four list and the best midfield in the competition. It's time to finally see the purple haze back in the last weeks of September
Will the Suns finally make finals?: No
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Ben King
AFL Rising Star: Isaac Kako
Recruit of the year: Shai Bolton
Surprise All-Australian: Kai Lohmann
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Dua Lipa
Headline you'll see: Star free agent pair LDU and TDK shun big rival offers to stay
Headline you won't see: Lions suffer from premiership hangover
Big call: We'll see the first all non-Victorian top four since 2006

Beveridge's ladder prediction

1. Brisbane
2. Fremantle
3. Sydney
4. Greater Western Sydney
5. Hawthorn
6. Collingwood
7. Carlton
8. Port Adelaide

9. Geelong
10. Melbourne
11. Gold Coast
12. Western Bulldogs
13. Adelaide
14. Essendon
15. North Melbourne
16. West Coast
17. St Kilda
18. Richmond

Sarah Black

Premier: Greater Western Sydney
Runner-up: Brisbane
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Collingwood
Set to fall: St Kilda
Club under the most pressure (and why): Melbourne is in a really tricky mid-table zone – will the Dees go again? Or is it time to pull the pin, with Tassie and its many draft picks looming on the horizon?
Will the Suns finally make finals?: Nope
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Jesse Hogan
AFL Rising Star: Sam Lalor
Recruit of the year: Tim Membrey – underrated at the Saints, and fills a big hole for the Pies
Surprise All-Australian: Nic Martin
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? TayTay knows how to play the 'G…
Headline you'll see: More than just a big, big sound: The Giants deliver
Headline you won't see: Finally, Geelong falls in a heap
Big call: Sydney will win 10 straight during the year, but fail to make the Grand Final

Black's ladder prediction

1. Greater Western Sydney
2. Brisbane
3. Sydney
4. Collingwood
5. Hawthorn
6. Carlton
7. Geelong
8. Fremantle

9. Adelaide
10. Port Adelaide
11. Melbourne
12. Western Bulldogs
13. Essendon
14. Gold Coast
15. St Kilda
16. West Coast
17. North Melbourne
18. Richmond

Nat Edwards

Premier: Brisbane
Runner-up: Collingwood
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Fremantle
Set to fall: Port Adelaide
Club under the most pressure (and why): Fremantle. The coach’s new rolling employee agreement does nothing to relieve the pressure that’s on Justin Longmuir in 2025. Add to that, the president's declaration at  season launch that it's now time for action, then finals is a must for the Dockers. The club has never won a flag, but they've now got a list that can deliver it. 
Will Gold Coast finally make the AFL finals: No - I've been burned too many times by the Suns by answering 'yes' to this question. Murphy's Law says by saying no, they are now a certainty. I know they'll be helped by a relatively soft fixture early on, but I just can't trust them. Yet. 
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron
AFL Rising Star: Isaac Kako 
Recruit of the year: Shai Bolton
Surprise All-Australian: Bobby Hill
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Chappell Roan
Headline you'll see: Games record in sight: Pendles signs on for 2026 
Headline you won't see: Clubs unanimously back Tassie list concessions
Big call: I won't mention Essendon’s finals win drought for an entire year 

Edwards' ladder prediction

1. Brisbane
2. Carlton
3. Collingwood
4. Fremantle
5. Sydney
6. Greater Western Sydney
7. Hawthorn
8. Geelong

9. Adelaide
10. Gold Coast
11. Port Adelaide
12. Essendon
13. Western Bulldogs
14. Melbourne
15. St Kilda
16. North Melbourne 
17. West Coast
18. Richmond

Josh Gabelich

Premier: Greater Western Sydney
Runner-up: Collingwood
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Fremantle
Set to fall: Port Adelaide
Club under the most pressure (and why): Gold Coast. Have to finally play finals with this fixture
Will Gold Coast finally make the AFL finals: No
Brownlow Medal: Will Day
Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron
AFL Rising Star: Levi Ashcroft
Recruit of the year: Dan Houston
Surprise All-Australian: Ed Richards
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Oasis
Headline you'll see: The remarkable rise of Nick Daicos reaches new heights
Headline you won't see: Fremantle part ways with Longmuir

Gabelich's ladder prediction

1. Greater Western Sydney
2. Collingwood
3. Geelong
4. Fremantle
5. Brisbane
6. Hawthorn
7. Sydney
8. Melbourne

9. Carlton
10. Gold Coast
11. Western Bulldogs
12. Port Adelaide
13. Adelaide
14. Essendon
15. St Kilda
16. North Melbourne
17. West Coast
18. Richmond

Sarah Olle

Premier: Geelong
Runner-up: Greater Western Sydney
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Fremantle
Set to fall: Western Bulldogs
Club under the most pressure (and why): Adelaide hasn’t made finals since the 2017 Grand Final – and are yet to do so under coach Matthew Nicks.  
Will Gold Coast finally make the AFL finals: No – been made to look silly here too many times.
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Josh Treacy
AFL Rising Star: Levi Ashcroft
Recruit of the year: Shai Bolton
Surprise All-Australian: Sam Darcy
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Billie Eilish
Headline you'll see: Chad still pondering his future
Headline you won't see: Port fans say coaching handover is a total success
Big call: Twilight GF given the green light for 2026

Olle's ladder prediction

1. Geelong
2. Greater Western Sydney
3. Brisbane
4. Fremantle
5. Sydney
6. Hawthorn
7. Collingwood
8. Carlton

9. Gold Coast
10. Adelaide
11. Port Adelaide
12. Western Bulldogs
13. Melbourne
14. Essendon
15. North Melbourne
16. St Kilda
17. West Coast
18. Richmond

Nathan Schmook

Premier: Greater Western Sydney
Runner-up: Brisbane
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Fremantle
Set to fall: Western Bulldogs
Club under the most pressure (and why): A massive injury toll and a coach out of contract will be a challenging mix for the Bulldogs
Will Gold Coast finally make the AFL finals?: No
Brownlow Medal: Caleb Serong
Coleman Medal: Jesse Hogan
AFL Rising Star: Finn O'Sullivan
Recruit of the year: Tom Barrass
Surprise All-Australian: Jake Soligo
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Kings of Leon
Headline you'll see: Devils circle Longmire for early coaching coup
Headline you won't see: Lions become third straight premiers to miss finals
Big call: 100+ combined goals from Josh Treacy and Jye Amiss

Schmook's ladder prediction

1. Brisbane 
2. Greater Western Sydney 
3. Fremantle 
4. Geelong 
5. Sydney 
6. Hawthorn 
7. Adelaide 
8. Collingwood 

9. Carlton 
10. Gold Coast 
11. Port Adelaide
12. Melbourne 
13. Essendon 
14. Western Bulldogs 
15. North Melbourne 
16. St Kilda 
17. West Coast 
18. Richmond

Callum Twomey

Premier: Collingwood
Runner-up: Brisbane
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Melbourne
Set to fall: Western Bulldogs
Club under the most pressure (and why): Sydney after last year’s Grand Final 
Will Gold Coast finally make the AFL finals: No
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron
AFL Rising Star: Harvey Langford  
Recruit of the year: Bailey Smith
Surprise All-Australian: Nick Watson 
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Justin Timberlake
Headline you'll see: Clubs in disagreement over Tasmania start-up list rules 
Headline you won't see: Harley Reid tones down his EFOs (effective fend-offs) 
Big call: One game separates 8-13 on the ladder in tightest season ever  

Twomey's ladder prediction

1. Collingwood
2. Brisbane
3. Geelong
4. Greater Western Sydney
5. Sydney
6. Carlton
7. Melbourne
8. Hawthorn

9. Adelaide
10. Fremantle
11. Port Adelaide
12. Gold Coast
13. Essendon
14. Western Bulldogs
15. North Melbourne
16. St Kilda
17. West Coast
18. Richmond

Michael Whiting

Premier: Brisbane
Runner-up: Greater Western Sydney
Wooden spoon: Richmond
Moving up: Fremantle
Set to fall: Port Adelaide
Club under the most pressure (and why): Adelaide. One of the biggest clubs in the country hasn't played finals for seven years. A long run under Matthew Nicks, some good collective experience and astute off-season acquisitions – they should be ready to jump
Will the Suns finally make finals?: No. I’ll believe it when I see it
Brownlow Medal: Nick Daicos
Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron
AFL Rising Star: Jake Rogers
Recruit of the year: Shai Bolton
Surprise All-Australian: Brandon Starcevich (the surprise being a lockdown defender is never selected)
Who should headline the Grand Final entertainment? Foo Fighters
Headline you'll see: Harley Reid gets a $20 million offer
Headline you won't see: Unanimous club support behind Opening Round continuing in 2026
Big call: Taggers/run-with players to become an integral part of any successful team

Whiting's ladder prediction

1. Brisbane
2. Greater Western Sydney
3. Fremantle
4. Geelong
5. Hawthorn
6. Sydney
7. Adelaide
8. Collingwood 

9. Gold Coast
10. Western Bulldogs
11. Carlton
12. Melbourne
13. Port Adelaide
14. Essendon
15. North Melbourne
16. St Kilda
17. West Coast
18. Richmond

Combined votes

Premier
Brisbane - 3
Greater Western Sydney - 3
Geelong - 2
Hawthorn - 1
Collingwood - 1

Runner-up
Brisbane -  4
Fremantle - 2
Collingwood - 2
Greater Western Sydney - 2

Wooden spoon
Richmond - 10

Moving up
Fremantle - 7
North Melbourne - 1
Collingwood - 1
Melbourne - 1

Set to fall
Western Bulldogs - 5
Port Adelaide - 3
Geelong - 1
St Kilda - 1

Club under the most pressure
Fremantle - 3
Gold Coast - 2
Adelaide - 2
Melbourne - 1
Bulldogs - 1
Sydney - 1

Will the Suns finally play finals?
Yes - 1
No - 9

Who will win the Brownlow Medal?
Nick Daicos - 6
Chad Warner - 2
Will Day - 1
Caleb Serong - 1

Who will win the Coleman Medal?
Jeremy Cameron - 5
Jesse Hogan - 2
Josh Treacy - 2
Ben King - 1

Who will win the AFL Rising Star?
Levi Ashcroft - 3
Harvey Langford - 2
Isaac Kako - 2
Sam Lalor - 1
Finn O'Sullivan - 1
Jake Rogers - 1

Who will be the recruit of the year?
Shai Bolton - 4
Dan Houston - 2
Josh Battle - 1
Tim Membrey - 1
Tom Barrass - 1
Bailey Smith - 1