The 2024 season is faster poaching and everyone wants to know where their team is going to finish. Well, Mystic Mac has arrived. You've come to the right place. Here is my ladder predictions for this AFL season. All right, we'll go from the bottom of the ladder to the top of the ladder. Kicking things off, I have the West Coast Eagles dead last. I think that's just one of those easy ones that you can slot in. Still a very young side. Harley Reid's going to bring some excitement. I think they'll win more games than last year. I don't really see them galloping up the ladder any time soon. Second last, now this could be controversial. One of my favourite teams, the Richmond Football Club, I have second last. Lost a lot of experience, Hodgkin, Ray Wolt, and I think that Uzani's first year gets some games into the kids and maybe they'll do a Hawthorne type. Volt up the ladder where, you know, they're down for a couple of years. They're improving year on year out for their charge up the ladder. The North Melbourne Football Club in 16th, I think, Alistair Clarkson is an absolute genius. And now they've got Macurcher. They've got Dersmer added in with Sheasel and Wardlaw. Hopefully Wardlaw can play more games this season than he did last year. Hopefully the North Melbourne Football Club can be on the improve. Because I think that young core is going to be super exciting going forward. I've got the Hawks in 15th. Everyone thinks the Hawks are going to make this massive leap up the ladder, which they probably could. The forward line is scintillating, but they've got so many injuries over the preseason. I think they're still very young. Had a pretty solid year last year, but do they stagnate for a year before making that big jump up the ladder? That's probably what I'm basing this on, that and the injuries. In 14th position, and I saw this fact pop up somewhere. I don't think that the Long Football Club have finished lower than 12th in their career. So they're going to make me look silly, probably when they make the 8 again. But I've got you along in 14th. It's the midfield that I'm worried about. I think teams like the Cros and the Suns potentially go past them this year. I've got the Cats in 14th, but I've tipped the Cats to drop off many times before, and they've made me look silly. In 13th, I've got Frio. I think they just keep losing depth. I love their young players, but every trade period they seem to have depth players roll out. Like a couple of years ago, they lost Griffin, Low, Darcy, Tucker, Blake Aikers, Lust trade period, they lost Liam Henry and Locky Schultz. And we can't forget that Lloyd Meek left a couple of years ago as well. So it just feels like these depth players just keep getting recycled out, which I don't think can be healthy. Their young midfield is almost about to explode. Bit worried about the forward line and the backline. 13th for mine for the dockers. In 12th, I have the Sydney Swans, and I just feel like that's too low. What a ridiculous thing to say in your own ladder predictions. It shows how little I know about the great game of Aussie rules, but the swans in 12th feels wrong. It feels really wrong. They just weren't that competitive last year. I know they've added to the midfield. With Adams and my man Jimmy Jordan. Who's your star? I love James Jordan. There's a lot of talk around Angus Shaldrick taking the next leap this year. Do they improve on last year? I don't think so. Do they regress from last year? I don't think so. In 11th, I've got the Essend and Football Club. I think Brad Scott could work a miracle with this list. But they've sort of been between 11th and 8th for the last five years. Like, when are they going to make the leap up? Speaking of leap, Nate Cady looks like he's a player and a half. So I'm optimistic about the bombers, but once again, when you do these ladder predictions, the crows feel like they're a stronger team. Sons feel like they're a stronger team. There's just too many teams above them. So when you end up slotting every team in, that's just how it shaped out. So Essend and could be another team that make me look silly. All right, let's fire through a few of these. In 10th, I've got the Sons. In 9th, I've got the crows. So I don't think the crows are ready to make that jump just yet. I know they were super exciting last year and everyone absolutely frothed their socks off about the crows. And in last year's season predictions on my YouTube channel, I said that the crows have a really exciting forward line. And I couldn't think of the names off the top of my head. And I got laughed at. And that got used in edits on TikToks about us shooting on the crows. But I was genuinely saying they're forward lines exciting. And I was thinking of Rankin. I was thinking of Richali, Mick Adams. I was thinking of techs having a career best year, Foggedy. So they do have a really good forward line, which keeps me optimistic. But I feel like they'll win a couple of games they not favour it's to win. And then they'll drop a couple of games they should absolutely bank the crows. And I think that's while they'll finish night. Let's get into what everyone's paid their price of admission for the top eight. Let's go with the eighth position. I have the Western Bulldogs. Luke Beverage is under the pump. They have been so close to making the eight multiple years, but they keep dropping out. So close to making the four, but they'll finish fifth. I think Bayley Smith being out is a little bit concerning. Jamar, Yugel, Hagen's going to have a break out year and kick more than 40 goals. I feel like the dogs are on the way up, all that on the way down. And in that case, I've got them finishing eighth. I have the Giants in seventh. I think the Giants had a great season last year. Probably overexcited expectations. Can they back it up? Potentially they can. Yeah, I think I see the Giants back on it up finishing in the top eight. Not quite going as deep as what people assume they will, but yeah, I think the Giants will have another consistent season. In sixth position, I have tipped the Melbourne Football Club. I guess we don't know what effect the off season will have on the Melbourne Football Club. A lot of distractions has taken place. And if I tip with my head, I absorb all the commentary. I absorb all the experts saying that we're going to slide. And I've placed this in that sixth position. But if I tip with my heart, I see a team that was a kick away from beating the Premieres in a qualifying final was one or two points away from beating Carlton, who everyone is tipping to go all the way this season. We only need one more goal a game. And we make a pre-limb, and we're as good a share as anyone to go all the way. I think there's still improvement to come in this Melbourne Football Club list. I think we haven't seen the best of 30% of the list. I think Bowery, Rivers, Cos, Pettie, Ben Royan have so much growth and improvement to come. And then you add Windsor, Fullstrop. It is a super exciting time to be a Melbourne Football Club supporter. I don't want to come in to these ladder predictions and just go as a one-eyed supporter. I've tried to absorb some of the commentary from the league. And that's how I've landed with the days finishing in sixth. The power, I think, back up a really good year last year by finishing fifth. They've had some role players to the back line and added a little bit of depth into the squad. So I think the power can hang around. Maybe not improved from last year, but definitely be in and amongst it like they were last season. All right, the top four. This is what we've all been waiting for. In fourth position, I have Cullingwood, not for any reason. You know, if they finish first, it's not going to surprise me. Water football team. When I was doing these predictions, I just had them in fourth. But for no reason in particular. In third position, I have the St. Kilda Football Club. Ross Lyon is a genius. He can do a lot with the little. And they were injury ravage last season. And they were like five and zero. They were in the top four or in and around the top four for most of the season, dropped out late and then couldn't quite pinch a win in the finals. But I see the Saints going up. I think the Saints are on the brink of great things, to be honest. And I think it starts in season 2024. But also, you have to chuck a random one in the top four. There's always a random team that jumps up into the top four. And for me, this year, it's the Saints. In second, I've got the Lyons. They'll have another home final, which probably means they make another grand final. And is as good as a shout as anyone else. And in first position, I'm excited to have the Cullingwood Club in there. They have been trending like this for the last five years. And I think it's going to be so exciting when the Blues host big home finals at the MCG. And to have pies in the top four, well, look, yeah. Have a look at that. My ladder has the Blues versus the pies in a qualifying final. It doesn't get any more exciting than that. Once again, guys, thanks for tuning in to Mystic Mac for another 2024 season ladder predictions. Super excited, footies back. It's the best time of the year. Everyone's optimistic. I appreciate everyone for tuning in. I appreciate all of the support. And I'll see you for some more content. Very shortly. Cheers. MUSIC