TOPIC:

Ark when durtle re-enlivened this thread I saw you had PFC second last, even behind EF and EP. Did you mean this???

STT: good question: if the PFC get improvement from the squad they will finish a lot higher. I bassed the predicton on the terrible second half of the season, which followed the loss to EP by less than a goal. It is true, none the less, that at their best they nearly beat Subiaco. It will depend on which version of Perth turns up on the day.

SD should improve with Hampson
EF should improve

this should place them above the Demons -- such was my thinking

Don't know how this turned into a ladder prediction but here goes.

Subi
Claremont
EF
Perth (wishful thinking)
SF
WCE (I think will surprise)
Peel (will struggle while Frem have a big injury list)
WP
SD
EP

Ark, I think SD will struggle with Palmer and Taryce Stewart out. I think their top end talent is good - Gault, Hampson, Riggio, Notte, for example - but it falls away after that.

DD, I agree that both reserves teams will depend heavily on the state of the AFL team. I thought a month or back that PT should go ok. They should, on paper, have a number of experienced AFL guys playing most of the year, like Ballantyne, Matera, McCarthy, Kersten, Colyer, Jones and others. Then they have a core of decent locals: Bell, Howlett, Merritt, Ugle. However, with injuries, suspension and discipline seemingly affecting the Dockers, I am not so sure. By contrast, WC reserves look to have more inexperienced AFL players and fewer capable back up players. How Peel and WC play also depends on whether the league teams are playing interstate or locally. If the former, they may take a couple of emergencies. It is very hard to predict how they will go across the season.