Annual captains’ survey shows no support for North Melbourne’s new coach

Dipping his toe back into coaching won’t have any first-year reward for Alastair Clarkson, according to the AFL club captains.

Kangaroos head coach Alastair Clarkson has a big job ahead. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Luring four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson to North Melbourne won’t be enough to lift last year’s wooden spooners in to the AFL finals, according to the league’s captains.

The annual skippers’ survey served a swift reminder to the new Kangaroos coach about the task in front of him, with not one of the captains picking North Melbourne to make the top eight.

But Clarkson’s men weren’t the only ones given a kick, with Essendon, who also have a new coach in Brad Scott, Hawthorn, the West Coast Eagles and GWS, under new mentor Adam Kingsley, all failing to draw a vote as a potential finalist.

Instead, Brisbane, reigning premiers Geelong and Melbourne were rated the best chances to not only make the finals but the grand final.

Eight of the 18 captains declared the Cats would return to the decider.

A repeat of Joel Selwood’s celebration is on the cards. Picture: Michael Klein

But curiously, at least one skipper, not new Geelong leader Patrick Dangerfield, felt the Cats wouldn’t even make the finals, drawing 16 votes, with club captains not allowed to vote for their own team.

In all, 13 different clubs were considered possible chances to contest the finals, while five different clubs were picked to reach the grand final, painting the picture of a limited race to the premiership.

When it came to individual honours, Melbourne star on-baller Clayton Oliver was the most popular choice as the Brownlow Medal winner, getting five of 18 votes.

Clayton Oliver is the popular choice to win the Brownlow Medal. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Brisbane star Lachie Neale and Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw were next best with three.

Gun Geelong forward Jeremy Cameron and Richmond’s Tom Lynch were the most popular picks to win the Coleman Medal as the AFL’s leading goalkicker, getting 12 of the 18 nominations.

The 2022 Coleman winner, Carlton’s Charlie Curnow, got just one vote to go back-to-back.

No.1 draft pick Will Ashcroft, taken by the Brisbane Lions as a father-son selection, was an overwhelming selection to take out this year’s Rising Star Award.

THE CAPTAINS’ PICKS

Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year’s top eight?

17 – Brisbane Lions

16 – Geelong Cats, Richmond

15 – Sydney Swans, Melbourne

12 – Fremantle

11 – Collingwood

9 – Carlton

6 – Western Bulldogs

5 – Port Adelaide

2 – Gold Coast SUNS

1 – St Kilda, Adelaide Crows

Which other club is most likely to reach the grand final?

8 – Geelong Cats

4 – Melbourne, Brisbane Lions

1 – Richmond, Sydney Swans

Will Ashcroft is tipped for a big season. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Which player from another club do you think will win the 2023 Brownlow Medal?

5 – Clayton Oliver, Melbourne

3 – Andrew Brayshaw, Fremantle; Lachie Neale, Brisbane Lions,

2 – Marcus Bontempelli, Western Bulldogs; Touk Miller, Gold Coast Suns,

1 – Patrick Cripps, Carlton; Christian Petracca, Melbourne; Callum Mills, Sydney Swans

Which player from another club do you think will win the 2023 Coleman Medal?

6 – Jeremy Cameron, Geelong Cats, Tom Lynch, Richmond

1 – Nat Fyfe, Fremantle; Harry McKay, Carlton; Jack Gunston, Brisbane Lions; Tom Hawkins, Geelong Cats; Charlie Curnow, Carlton; Aaron Naughton, Western Bulldogs

Which player from another club do you think will win the 2023 AFL Rising Star?

8 – Will Ashcroft, Brisbane Lions

2 – Sam Darcy, Western Bulldogs

1 – Aaron Cadman, GWS Giants; Jai Culley, West Coast Eagles; Finn Callaghan, GWS Giants; Cameron Mackenzie, Hawthorn; Reuben Ginbey, West Coast Eagles; Harry Sheezel, North Melbourne; Judd McVee, Melbourne; Mattaes Phillipou, St Kilda

Originally published as Annual captains’ survey shows no support for North Melbourne’s new coach