Which of this year's non-finalists will finish highest in 2009?

[one-eyed]

The latest poll on the AFL askes which of this year's non-finalists will finish highest in 2009? The Tiges are favourite with the voters so far....

Richmond           34%
Brisbane Lions    14%
Carlton               25%
Essendon              9%
Port Adelaide         2%
Fremantle              3%
West Coast Eagles  9%
Melbourne              5%

148 votes

[Beren]

Can't understand why Carltank are rated higher...after all EVERYBODY says they are the up and comers. ()

[one-eyed]

TAB Sportsbet Odds for the Flag has us 7th:

1. GEELONG              3.10   
2. HAWTHORN           3.40     
3. W.BULLDOGS       13.00     
4. COLLINGWOOD    15.00     
5. ST KILDA             15.00     
6. CARLTON             16.00     
7. RICHMOND          17.00     
8. FREMANTLE          21.00     
9. ADELAIDE            26.00     
10. BRISBANE          26.00     
11. PORT ADELAIDE  26.00     
12. NORTH MELB      34.00     
13. SYDNEY              34.00     
14. ESSENDON         41.00     
15. WEST COAST      41.00     
16. MELBOURNE      101.00

TAB.com.au

[mightytiges]

I think the average is at least two changes to the final 8 from year to year since 1994 with one top 4 side bombing out the following year too. The comp is so even now that apart from the top 2 and bottom couple any of these middle of the rung sides (like us) could finish anywhere between top 4 and bottom 4. You need a good run with injuries to make the finals and to win the close games.

[yellowandback]

I think the average is at least two changes to the final 8 from year to year since 1994 with one top 4 side bombing out the following year too. The comp is so even now that apart from the top 2 and bottom couple any of these middle of the rung sides (like us) could finish anywhere between top 4 and bottom 4. You need a good run with injuries to make the finals and to win the close games.

Pencil in the Saints to bomb. Remarkable they even made the Top 4 this year.
The sides outside the 8 that most worry me are Port, Lions and the Visy co-bluesions.

[Chuck17]

The comp is so even now that apart from the top 2 and bottom couple any of these middle of the rung sides (like us) could finish anywhere between top 4 and bottom 4. You need a good run with injuries to make the finals and to win the close games.

Agree with that MT, you also need a good draw and from memory I think the Blues draw is better than ours.  Although if we can pull a few of the earlier games with our run home we will be very hard to stop.

[mightytiges]

All the more reason Chuck to knock the Blues off in round 1  .

Pencil in the Saints to bomb. Remarkable they even made the Top 4 this year.
The sides outside the 8 that most worry me are Port, Lions and the Visy co-bluesions.

Agree with all that. The Saints can thank us for that  . Hopefully we knock the Pies out too in round 20.

[Hellenic Tiger]

I think Collingwood North and The Saints are most vulnerable to miss out with
The Mighty Tiges, Carlcheatliescum and a bolter like a Port to possibly sneak in.