NO AFL club captain picked the Western Bulldogs to finish in the top eight this season, while just one skipper tipped West Coast to make the eight.
In the League's annual pre-season captain's survey, the 18 leaders were asked to select which seven teams other than their own would feature in September action.
No captain believed the Bulldogs would rebound so quickly under first-year coach Luke Beveridge, given the departures of coach Brendan McCartney, captain Ryan Griffen and chief executive Simon Garlick in a tumultuous off-season.
Only one rival skipper selected the Eagles to play finals despite Adam Simpson's men finishing the 2014 season in ninth position, while just three captains had Adelaide in the mix for finals.
Every opposing captain in the competition backed Hawthorn and the Sydney Swans to again finish in the eight.
Of the teams that didn't make the finals this season, Port Adelaide received the most votes, with every captain nominating the Power to remain in the top eight after last year's fifth-placed finish.
No leader selected minor premier Fremantle or second-placed West Coast as the team most likely to reach this year's Grand Final, with Hawthorn leading the way with 11 votes.
Meanwhile, just one skipper correctly tipped Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy, who was crowned the league's leading goalkicker after netting 75 goals for the Eagles.
Hawthorn spearhead Jarryd Roughead was the best backed forward in this category with seven nominations.
In the NAB AFL Rising Star, raging favourites Patrick Cripps and Jesse Hogan were also largely overlooked at the start of the season by the captains.
Carlton's Cripps drew one nomination, while Melbourne's Hogan had no votes next to his name.
Geelong draftee Nakia Cockatoo, the No.10 selection in last year's NAB AFL Draft, was the most fancied Rising Star candidate with four votes. Cockatoo was not nominated for the award during the season.
