AFL Ladder Predictor: Jon Ralph gives his way-too-early predictions for 2024

Club lists are all but finalised for the 2024 season – so who comes out on top? And who’s set for a big slide? Jon Ralph makes the big early calls for next year.

Before you say anything – we know, it’s early.

But with the trade and draft periods over and players slowly returning back to pre-season training … we are breaking out the ladder predictor.

Where will your club finish in 2024?

Jon Ralph has given his EARLY formguide below. Do you agree with his EARLY predictions? Let us know in the comments.

1ST – CARLTON

Going all in on the Blues but what do they want for in talent?

2ND – COLLINGWOOD

It’s damned hard to win back-to-back flags. But can we get the Carlton-Collingwood grand final that seemed likely when the Blues jumped Brisbane early in the Gabba preliminary final?

The Magpies will be chasing back-to-back. Picture: Michael Klein

3RD – BRISBANE

No reason they don’t win 16-plus home-and-away games even with Doedee and Ashcroft only back mid-season.

4TH – GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

The challenges are maintaining the game-plan in Kingsley’s second year and proving their depth after a charmed injury run late, but the Giants should hit the ground running early in 2024.

5TH – MELBOURNE

Nothing would surprise for the Demons given their upside is immense but their recent history shows a pair of straight-sets defeats.

6TH – PORT ADELAIDE

The list is improved from the one that logged 17 home-and-away wins so sixth might be harsh but the Power need to prove they can get it done in September.

7TH – SYDNEY

They still need to prove they can win 16 games to finish top four but you would be silly to leave them out of the top eight given their history.

8TH – GOLD COAST

Yes, we got sucked in again but even under Steven King the Suns played a better game style with wins over St Kilda and Brisbane (and a four-point loss to Carlton). Damien Hardwick can take them to the next level.

9TH – ADELAIDE

Will have to beat a fellow contender like Sydney, Gold Coast or Port Adelaide to one of the last spots in the eight.

Will the Crows be watching the finals from the sidelines once again. Picture: Getty Images

10TH – WESTERN BULLDOGS

Happy to be proved wrong but 2024 is stacked with contenders and teams on the rise. The Dogs are in that pack and nothing more given the way they finished the season.

11TH – ST KILDA

Could easily replicate this year’s finals finish but the 6-13 zone of teams is so cluttered. Two finals campaigns since 2011 so it‘s harder to trust St Kilda than others.

12TH – ESSENDON

Wouldn’t surprise if they played finals but they are in the pack alongside St Kilda, Adelaide and the Dogs. If you are doing finals predictions, you just can’t trust the Dons.

13TH – GEELONG

Preparing to wipe the egg off the face next September, but on 2023 form Essendon, St Kilda, Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs are rated slightly higher and they still aren’t in my predicted eight.

14TH – RICHMOND

Could easily surprise but they are deep in the chasing pack that includes Essendon, St Kilda, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Fremantle. Others better placed.

The Tigers will have a new-look under Adem Yze. Picture: Getty Images

15TH – FREMANTLE

Fremantle have exciting talent but just more holes and kids in positions of importance than many other contenders.

16TH – HAWTHORN

Could easily leap-frog Richmond, Fremantle and Geelong if their stars (Day, Sicily, Lewis) stay injury-free and the kids come on.

17TH – NORTH MELBOURNE

This rating doesn’t mean the Roos aren’t capable of vast improvement (six to eight wins) given Hawthorn, Fremantle, Geelong and Richmond will also hope to bolster 2023 win tallies.

18TH – WEST COAST

The question isn’t whether they finish bottom two, it’s whether they can eke out six games with real development from some future stars.