AFL Finals 2016: our experts look into the crystal ball to see how September will play out

PATRICK Dangerfield a near unanimous Brownlow pick and the premiership race down to three. We look into the crystal ball to see how September (and one day in October) will play out.

Patrick Dangerfield in action against Melbourne in Round 23.

BRING on the finals.

Our experts have looked into the crystal ball and had a crack at how September (and one day in October) will play out.

Patrick Dangerfield is an almost unanimous Brownlow Medal pick while the premiership race looks to be a race in three with Sydney, Geelong and Hawthorn the popular picks.

Check out our predictions and have your say.

MARK ROBINSON

PREMIER: Sydney

There’s not a team in better nick than the Swans and if they can hold that form they will be difficult to beat. Home finals help. So do Franklin, Hannebery, Kennedy, Parker, Heeney ... the the list is very impressive.

RUNNER-UP: Hawthorn

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: Steve Johnson (GWS)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Caleb Daniel (W.Bulldogs)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)

CRYSTAL FORM (from pre-season predictions)

PRE-SEASON TICK - Geelong top four

PRE-SEASON CROSS - Collingwood eighth

Lance Franklin is sure to have a big say in September.

DERMOTT BRERETON

PREMIER: Hawthorn

The Hawks have come back to the field a bit this season. And the field has come up to them and caught them but the field still hasn’t definitively overtaken them. In the final broad-stroke analysis, no one plays the MCG better than the Hawks.

RUNNER-UP: Sydney

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)

MR SEPTEMBER: Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn)

SPRING SURPRISE: Charlie Cameron (Adelaide)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Christian Petracca (Melbourne)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - GWS to make first finals series

CROSS - Port Adelaide, Fremantle and Richmond in the eight

JONATHAN BROWN

PREMIER: Adelaide

The Crows are flying. Too good in too many areas and blessed with multiple goalkicking options. The backline was a worry earlier in the year but has improved significantly. Rory Sloane attacks the best opposition midfielder each week and consistently comes out on top.

RUNNER-UP: Sydney

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Rory Sloane (Adelaide)

MR SEPTEMBER: Taylor Walker (Adelaide)

SPRING SURPRISE: Charlie Cameron (Adelaide)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Joel Selwood (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Essendon spoon

CROSS - Port Adelaide fourth

Will Taylor Walker be holding the premiership cup on October 1?

DAVID KING

PREMIER: Geelong

History teaches us that the top two from the home-and-away season generally make the Grand Final. Both healthy, in great form and have genuine star factor. The experience and composure of the Cats’ back six will prove the difference. It will be “Dangerfield Week”. Brownlow Medal, premiership and Norm Smith Medal.

RUNNER-UP: Sydney

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

MR SEPTEMBER: Corey Enright (Geelong)

SPRING SURPRISE: Sam Naismith (Sydney)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - GWS making first finals series

CROSS - Fremantle premier

PATRICK DANGERFIELD

PREMIER: Geelong

RUNNER-UP: Sydney

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Joel Selwood (Geelong)

MR SEPTEMBER: Joel Selwood (Geelong)

SPRING SURPRISE: Sam Menegola (Geelong)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Luke Parker (Sydney)

RISING STAR: Caleb Daniel (W.Bulldogs)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Josh Kennedy (West Coast)

Patrick Dangerfield is an almost unanimous pick for the Brownlow Medal.

SHANE CRAWFORD

PREMIER: Hawthorn

Everything Hawthorn has done this year has been about peaking at the right time. That time is now, and Clarko’s men are well placed to make it four in a row. They need everything to go right from here, but if they get to the big dance, look out.

RUNNER-UP: Geelong

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Jack Gunston (Hawthorn)

MR SEPTEMBER: Josh Kelly (GWS)

SPRING SURPRISE: Aliir Aliir (Sydney)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Eddie Betts (Adelaide)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Hawthorn to win the flag. Still confident that will happen

CROSS - Fremantle minor premier, Harley Bennell the Brownlow Medal

JON RALPH

PREMIER: Geelong

My pre-season pick and I can’t find a good reason to go elsewhere. Imagine a week that starts with Patrick Dangerfield’s Brownlow Medal speech and finishes with him being handed the Norm Smith and a premiership medal.

RUNNER-UP: Sydney

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

MR SEPTEMBER: Luke Parker (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: Steve Johnson (GWS)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Jacob Weitering (Carlton)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Six of eight finalists

CROSS - Richmond sixth, Carlton wooden spoon

Can Dustin Martin cause a Brownlow boilover?

MICHAEL WARNER

PREMIER: Sydney

Lance Franklin’s nine-year, $10 million deal was worth every cent and Sydney’s pay-day comes Grand Final day. Deepest midfield, scoring power and the game’s No.1 ranked defence.

RUNNER-UP: Adelaide

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Dan Hannebery (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: Aliir Aliir (Sydney)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Dustin Martin (Richmond)

RISING STAR: Caleb Daniel (W.Bulldogs)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Geelong top two

CROSS - Richmond. Enough said

JAY CLARK

PREMIER: Geelong

As much as we bang on about ‘‘Dangerwood’’, Harry Taylor holds the key. He is just about unbeatable in the air at the moment and can stop Lance Franklin on the biggest day. Harry can next month stamp himself as perhaps the third greatest key defender of the modern era (behind Matthew Scarlett and Josh Gibson). Some cognac, anyone?

RUNNER-UP: Sydney

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Harry Taylor (Geelong)

MR SEPTEMBER: Joel Selwood (Geelong)

SPRING SURPRISE: Sam Menegola (Geelong)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK — Geelong second

CROSS — Fremantle fifth

Harry Taylor is sure to play a key role if Geelong win the premiership.

SAM EDMUND

PREMIER: Sydney.

In form, healthy and settled at the right time, which history says is at least half the battle. Home finals have to help. Also boast the biggest collection of contested-ball bulls, and they only get bigger and stronger in the cut and thrust of finals football.

RUNNER-UP: Geelong

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Luke Parker (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: Aliir Aliir (Sydney)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong). If not, there should be a national inquiry.

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Six of eight finalists

CROSS - Fremantle third

SAM LANDSBERGER

PREMIER: Geelong

The Cats’ 8-2 record against fellow finalists looks ominous, they won’t have to budge from the MCG and they are still flush with seasoned finals stars.

RUNNER-UP: Sydney

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Harry Taylor (Geelong)

MR SEPTEMBER: Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn)

SPRING SURPRISE: Jack Fitzpatrick (Hawthorn)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Marcus Bontempelli (W.Bulldogs)

RISING STAR: Caleb Daniel (W.Bulldogs)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Marcus Bontempelli Brownlow, hopefully

CROSS - Fremantle seventh

Callum Mills is the Rising Star favourite.

Caleb Daniel is a close second.

GLENN McFARLANE

PREMIER: Sydney

Been on Hawthorn all the way through, but switching to Sydney - just. The Swans are the in-form team going in. Would be a cracking contest if the Swans and Hawks meet in the big one.

RUNNER-UP: Hawthorn

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Dan Hannebery (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: Callum Mills (Sydney)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Dangerfield to win the Brownlow. Get in the queue

CROSS - Fremantle and Collingwood in the eight

SCOTT GULLAN

PREMIER - Geelong

Recruited the right players to have another tilt with stars still around who know how to win the big one.

RUNNER-UP: Hawthorn

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Steven Motlop (Geelong)

MR SEPTEMBER: Jake Stringer (W.Bulldogs)

SPRING SURPRISE: Nakia Cockatoo (Geelong)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Caleb Daniel (W.Bulldogs)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Joel Selwood (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Patrick Dangerfield Brownlow

CROSS - Richmond top eight

Can Jake Stringer rebound from his demotion to the VFL?

GRANT BAKER

PREMIER: Sydney

The Swans are a good chance to play their first two finals in Sydney. They are the top eight side least affected by injuries. And they are pretty good.

RUNNER UP: Adelaide

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Josh Kennedy (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: Jake Stringer (W.Bulldogs)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Caleb Daniel (W.Bulldogs)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Left Fremantle out of my eight

CROSS - ... and Sydney.

LAUREN WOOD

PREMIER: Sydney

The form team all year and we know the Swans know how to get it done in September. Kurt Tippett is back and Buddy is ready to fire. Any defence they face will have to look out.

RUNNER-UP: Hawthorn

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Luke Parker (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: Aliir Aliir (Sydney)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Hawthorn right up there again

CROSS - Richmond in the eight.

Kurt Tippett’s return for Sydney has been timely.

REBECCA WILLIAMS

PREMIER: Sydney

Minor premiership and strong lead-in form into September with stars on fire. Best-placed side to end the Hawthorn streak.

RUNNER-UP: Hawthorn

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Josh Kennedy (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: James Sicily (Hawthorn)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Caleb Daniel (W.Bulldogs)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Joel Selwood (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Geelong finishing top four

CROSS - Richmond making finals

ELIZA SEWELL

PREMIER: Sydney

With Lance leading the way, Kurt Tippett back and that incomparable midfield, the Swans are at the height of their powers. A solid backline has become impenetrable with the elevation of Dane Rampe to the absolute top rank, Gary Rohan gives the hyper-speed X-factor and I really like what “Gentleman” George Hewett brings.

RUNNER-UP: Geelong

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Lance Franklin (Sydney)

SPRING SURPRISE: Sam Menegola (Geelong)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

CRYSTAL FORM

TICK - Dangerfield’s Brownlow. C’mon, he’s over the line

CROSS - Fremantle, Collingwood and Richmond all in the eight

Luke Parker has had a huge season for Sydney.

GILBERT GARDINER

PREMIER: Sydney

Adelaide ticks a lot of boxes but it’s impossible to ignore Sydney’s form, versatility and strength on every line. The Swans boast the Mariana Trench of midfields, while the backline is almost impossible to score against. As for scoring, they’ve got that in spades behind superstar Lance Franklin and goalkicking smalls Isaac Heeney, Gary Rohan and Ben McGlynn.

RUNNER-UP: Adelaide

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Luke Parker (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Taylor Walker (Adelaide)

SPRING SURPRISE: Charlie Cameron (Adelaide)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

LEO SCHLINK

PREMIER: Sydney.

A team for almost every contingency — wet, dry, interstate or at home — the Swans’ stellar season has been built on discipline, workrate and class. Armed with lethal talent on every line, they are the benchmark and the team to beat.

RUNNER UP: Hawthorn

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Luke Parker (Sydney)

MR SEPTEMBER: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

SPRING SURPRISE: Aliir Aliir (Sydney)

BROWNLOW MEDALLIST: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

RISING STAR: Callum Mills (Sydney)

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN: Kieren Jack (Sydney)