Thoughts and views on where teams will finish in 2023 have started to be revealed.
In an exclusive interview with The Sporting News, Jason Akermanis has offered his early predictions for next year shortly after a very busy trade period.
Whilst some clubs have been believed to have won the period, others have failed and improvement for 2023 doesn't look on the cards.
For instance, Geelong and Richmond have added highly talented players from rival teams.
Fremantle arguably landed the biggest fish in Luke Jackson to go with Jaeger O'Meara.
Collingwood added a quartet of stars to help balance their list.
Whereas St Kilda only added Zaine Cordy and were unable to attract any other stars, including Jordan De Goey who stayed with the Pies.
Akermanis believes that 2023 is even harder to predict than the season just gone with the Cats taking out the premiership.
"If you picked the winner after last season, where it looked like Melbourne wasn’t going to lose for 3/4 years, then you’d be a monkey’s uncle," Akermanis said.
"Arguably the most even competition in the AFL of all time."
Here are the 2001 Brownlow Medalist's 2023 predictions:
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Adelaide
"10 wins, mid-pack, just outside the eight. Lost a bunch of close games and hugely competitive against the good teams."
| Retirements | Luke Brown | ||||
| Delistings | Ben Davis Brett Turner James Rowe | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 14th (8-14)
Brisbane
"A top four team if they play to their standard but the inclusions should make them better."
| Retirements | Mitch Robinson | ||||
| Delistings | Mitchell Cox Ely Smith Deividas Uosis | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 6th (15-7) - lost in a preliminary final
Carlton
"They are certainly a top four side. Top four next year. Their midfield is too good not be successful."
| Retirements | |||||
| Delistings | Will Hayes Oscar McDonald Jack Newnes Luke Parks Liam Stocker Tom Williamson | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 9th (12-10)
Collingwood
"Top six. Definitely. Outside of the eight will be a surprise. Craig is on the path of improvement."
| Retirements | Jordan Roughead | ||||
| Delistings | Callum Brown Tyler Brown Isaac Chugg Liam McMahon Jack Madgen Caleb Poulter Cooper Murley | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 4th (16-6) - lost in a preliminary final
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Essendon
"They’ll probably end up in ninth spot, where Carlton was this year... They’re going to be hard to beat. Tough team to come up against."
| Retirements | Michael Hurley Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti Devon Smith | ||||
| Delistings | Tom Cutler Tom Hird Garret McDonagh Brayden Ham Alec Waterman Cody Brand | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 15th (7-15)
Fremantle
"A top four team. It’ll surprise me if they didn’t finish top four... Got to improve where their goals come from."
| Retirements | David Mundy | ||||
| Delistings | Connor Blakely Joel Western Mitch Crowden | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 5th (15-6-1) - lost in a semi final
Geelong
"They have been the best club, season to season... Their consistency is quite amazing. Top four again."
| Retirements | Luke Dahlhaus Shaun Higgins Joel Selwood | ||||
| Delistings | Francis Evans Quinton Narkle Nick Stevens Paul Tsapatolis Zane Williams | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 1st (18-4) - Premiers
Gold Coast
"Thinking about finals... Knocking on the door and will be in the eight. Good enough to finish fifth or sixth."
| Retirements | |||||
| Delistings | Matt Conroy Jez McLennan Patrick Murtagh Rhys Nicholls | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 12th (10-12)
GWS Giants
"Bottom four but will be competitive. They will struggle with their age profile. But they will win the odd game here and there."
| Retirements | Matt De Boer | ||||
| Delistings | Jarrod Brander Zach Sproule Jake Stein | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 16th (6-16)
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Hawthorn
"Bottom four. If they play really well they might get 12th or 13th. It's going to be a hard year for the Hawks."
| Retirements | Ben McEvoy Liams Shiels | ||||
| Delistings | Jackson Callow Connor Downie Kyle Hartigan Daniel Howe Tom Phillips Jack Saunders | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 13th (8-14)
Melbourne
"They should be top four. They finished second and had a great home-and-away season. They have the depth, they'll have the hunger. They know it's not easy to win. Their window is three, four, five years."
| Retirements | Mitch Brown Majak Daw | ||||
| Delistings | Fraser Rosman Oskar Baker | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 2nd (16-6) - lost a semi final
North Melbourne
"They'll finish bottom four again, not because they're not good enough. They will be better than they have been."
| Retirements | Tom Lynch | ||||
| Delistings | Kyron Hayden Matt McGuinness Patrick Walker Jed Anderson Atu Bosenavulagi Kayne Turner Josh Walker Jared Polec | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 18th (2-20)
Port Adelaide
"They're a real conundrum. Their best is very good... Eight to four if they play their best footy. But can miss the finals. Very difficult to predict."
| Retirements | Robbie Gray Steven Motlop | ||||
| Delistings | Sam Mayes Taj Schofield Sam Skinner Martin Frederick Dylan Williams | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 11th (10-12)
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Richmond
"The great unknown. They can be a top four side when they play their best footy. I can't see them missing the finals, they're too good."
| Retirements | Josh Caddy Shane Edwards Kane Lambert | ||||
| Delistings | Matthew Parker Jake Aarts Riley Collier-Dawkins Sydney Stack Will Martyn | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 7th (13-8) - lost an elimination final
St Kilda
"Not thinking top 8, but just worry about improving."
| Retirements | Jarryn Geary Dan Hannebery Paddy Ryder Dean Kent | ||||
| Delistings | Darragh Joyce Jarrod Lienert | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 10th (11-11)
Sydney
"They're a top four side... the way they have improved, their list, great talent and their defence is strong. However, it doesn't worry me if they don't make top four... Good enough to finish right up there."
| Retirements | Josh Kennedy Colin O'Riordan Callum Sinclair | |||
| Delistings | Barry O'Connor Lewis Taylor Ben Ronke Sam Naismith James Bell | |||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 3rd (16-6) - lost a Grand Final
West Coast
"Their best will be pushing for the eight … worst: bottom four but very hard to predict. They're very confusing. If you can get around the eight you've had a good year."
| Retirements | Josh Kennedy Jack Redden | ||||
| Delistings | Hugh Dixon Tom Joyce Jackson Nelson Patrick Naish | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 17th (2-20)
Western Bulldogs
"Perennial top eight team but they’re better than that... they'll finish top eight but they could get on a roll and push top four."
| Retirements | Stefan Martin | ||||
| Delistings | Mitch Wallis Louis Butler Charlie Parker | ||||
| Trades |
|
2022 finish: 8th (12-10) - lost an elimination final
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