My 2022 AFL Predictions

The AFL season is obviously coming up, and with that I’m going to try to predict the season. Let’s get into it.

Written by Lachlan Sherriff

At eighteen, I’ve got the Gold Coast Suns with a 2-20 record. The Suns are going to hit rock bottom this year. In my eyes, they’ve only got a handful of players who are actually any good, and one of them is out with an ACL injury. There will be a lot of hype around Matt Rowell, who is entering his third year, and while I hope he succeeds you have to start questioning his injury history. A player who I’m excited to watch from Gold Coast is Charlie Constable, who showed promise in Geelong and now has more opportunities in a weaker Gold Coast team. Mac Andrew is also going to be a star, though he will take some time to adjust to the AFL. With Ben King out Gold Coast will struggle to kick goals this year. New recruit Levi Casboult will kick his fair share, but I’ve actually got Josh Corbett scoring the most goals for the Suns this year, as he has a breakout year through King’s absence. But it’s going to be a miserable year at Metricon in 2022. I think the Suns will cause an upset win over Carlton in round five, as well as a win in the Northern Territory against the Roos come round twelve, but that’s it. Touk Miller will win his second consecutive Best and Fairest, but don’t be surprised if he asks for a trade at the conclusion of this season either, as no one who’s actually good wants to play for the Suns.

At seventeen I’ve got the Adelaide Crows with a 4-18 record. The Crows are starting the season poorly. Captain Taylor Walker is suspended for the first three games, and even when he comes back he’ll need some time to adjust, leaving the Crows forward line shaky. Luckily, I can also see Adelaide having a second-half surgence, picking up four wins and coming close in some others. And this will be thanks to the forward line. Riley Thilthorpe will kick over thirty goals this season, while I’m also expecting big years from Darcy Fogarty and Elliot Himmelberg. Looking towards smaller options, new draftee Josh Rachele will hit the ground running, making a case for the NAB Rising Star, while I also think Tariek Newchurch will make his debut and keep his spot somewhere around week eight. I’m gonna say Riley Thilthorpe wins the Best and Fairest for the Crows in 2022, and will show the world that he could be the star forward in the AFL.

In sixteenth, I’ve got the North Melbourne Kangaroos with a 5-17 record. The Roos will be better this year, but anything higher than six or seven wins is ambitious. I’ll play it safe and give them five. North have a great midfield, with first round pick Jason Horne-Francis joining Jy Simpkin, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Tarryn Thomas, while Bailey Scott and new recruit Hugh Greenwood take their place on the wings. One thing to look out for at North is the ruck situation. Todd Goldstein is a club legend with 273 games for the Roos, but now at 33 years old, we could see him lose his spot to former Tiger Callum Coleman-Jones or even Jacob Edwards, who was pick one in the mid-season draft last year. I’m not so sure about their forward line, as their tall forward options are thin, but Jaidyn Stephenson and Cameron Zurhaar are still great goal-scoring options, while Phoenix Spicer will be looking to add more matches into his one game career. Also keep an eye on Will Phillips, who can play both midfield and forward. The nineteen year old has trained the house down at Arden Street this summer, and will look to follow up a successful first season, in which he played sixteen games. But I’m actually going to go with a defender to win the club’s B&F, Josh Walker. This sounds like a weird one, but the former Cat and Lion played all but one game with North last season. Clearly one of the first names on the Roos team sheet, I can see him taking his game to new heights this season.

At fifteen, I’ve got the Collingwood Magpies with a 7-15 record. The Pies are going to be better than a lot of people think this year, but only slightly. All the hype will be around Josh Daicos, and I think he’ll live up to the expectations. One thing to look out for with Collingwood is the new revamped midfield. With everything going on around Jordan De Goey, there’s gonna be chances for many young midifelders on Collingwood’s list, including Tyler Brown, Finlay Macrae, Arlo Draper, and the Daicos brothers, while former Bulldog Patrick Lipinski will also make an impact in his first year in the black and white. Isaac Quaynor is also gonna have a brilliant year down back for Collingwood, and up forward, I’ve got Darcy Cameron kicking over 25 goals. I’ve also got Cameron winning the Pies best and fairest, in a transitional year for Collingwood where they win seven games and start to get back to their best.

At fourteen, I’ve the West Coast Eagles with a 7-15 record. West Coast are on their way down, but it won’t get that bad straight away. One thing that the Eagles have in their favor is the fact that they make Optus Stadium a fortress. The Eagles had a 7-5 record at Optus last season, but were let down by a 3-7 record outside of Perth. I think the Eagles will continue to dominate in WA, where they will pick up six wins, but only win one game outside of Optus Stadium throughout the entire season, which will be in the round twenty clash against the Suns at Metricon. One player I’m looking forward to watching is Brady Hough. While first round draftee Campbell Chesser will be sidelined for the first half of the season with an ankle injury, West Coast’s second selection will certainly live up to the hype. The utility player averaged 22.3 touches in the WAFL last year, and the club have already announced that he’s ready for round one, which is a great sign. Meanwhile, former Blue Sam Petreveski-Seton will look like a genius pick-up by West Coast. SPS averaged 19.1 disposals in his third season, but then followed it up with only 13.6 touches in 2020. He did slightly raise his numbers last season, and back in his home state, I believe he’ll show his quality, which just went hiding throughout the uncertain Covid seasons, and will look like an absolute bargain for pick 56. I’m gonna say that Tim Kelly wins West Coast’s B&F. That sounds like a weird decision, considering he’s been significantly worse since leaving Geelong, but since numerous Eagles are gonna miss time, I believe he’ll step up and re-find his best form.

At thirteen, I’ve got the St. Kilda Saints with a 9-12-1 record. I think I’m the only one who doesn’t see the Saints improving this year. None of the moves that were made in the off-season have improved St. Kilda. I still don’t understand the move of letting Luke Dunstan leave for Melbourne when getting nothing in return, while also letting Jack Lonie leave weakens the squad depth. Tom Campbell joining also makes no sense, as the Saints now have five ruckmen, as the former Kangaroo fights against Paddy Ryder, Rowan Marshall, Oscar Adams and Max Heath for ruck minutes. The draft hasn’t boosted the Saints either. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will be great for the future, but won’t make an immediate impact with the Saints. But still, there’s enough talent at Moorabin to get enough points for a decent season. I’ll give them nine wins and a draw. And surprise, surprise, Jack Steele will win his third Best and Fairest award in a row for the red, white and black.

At twelve, I’ve got the GWS Giants with a 10-12 record. The Giants have been inconsistent ever since their 2019 Grand Final humiliation, the Giants have been very inconsistent. They missed out on the finals in 2020, but re-made it in 2021. I don’t think they’ll make it 2022. They’ve got a tough fixture, having to play Brisbane, Carlton, Fremantle, Sydney and the Bulldogs twice, and also have to play Essendon, the Bulldogs and Freo in their last three games. Toby Greene missing the first five games will hurt GWS, while there are questions around if Bobby Hill is committed to the team. With the uncertainies around the forward line, I think medium forward Callum Brown will be able to certify his spot in the team. The Irishman played two games in his first season in 2021, and should improve over the season. Tanner Bruhn is another player who will take his place in a new GWS forward line, while Ryan Angwin will be able to learn from Stephen Coniglio and Callan Ward to cement his spot with the Giants midfield. As for the B&F, I’ve got Tim Taranto making his second with a true breakout year to put the league on notice.

At eleven, I’ve got the Geelong Cats with a 10-12 record. The Cats dynasty is over. Their team is too old to compete with the best of them anymore, we saw it in the Prelim last year. I can see the Cats starting strong, but falling off after their bye, similar to the Richmond team of last season. In the second half of the season, Geelong had to play West Coast away, the Tigers, the Demons, Port away, and the Bulldogs. With an older side running out the season will be tough, and I can see them losing the five games I recently mentioned. There are bright sides though. As Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield start to move away from the center square, Brandan Parfitt has an opportunity to step up. Parfitt is now in his sixth season, and averaged 18.8 touches last year, which I can see going even higher in 2022. I’ve also got Jeremy Cameron as Geelong’s Best and Fairest with the former Giant getting back to his best in 2022. Cameron will kick over thirty goals in the blue and white hoops this year and prove he’s still one of the better tall forwards in the league.

At tenth I’ve got the Carlton Blues with an 11-11 record. The Blues are close to breaking their finals drought. But they're just gonna fall short in 2022. Michael Voss’ development as the head coach will be interesting. Over a four year coaching job with Brisbane, Voss lost 70% of his games. After leaving the role in 2013, he joined Port as an assistant coach, where he made three preliminary finals. Now as a more experienced coach, it will be interesting to see if he has what it takes to lead a team to finals. On the field, the loss of Liam Jones will hurt the Blues, especially since they never got to draft or trade for a replacement. One person who will be happy with Jones’ departure is Brodie Kemp. Taken in the first round of the 2019 draft, injuries prevented Kemp from finding the field in 2020 and he only played two games in 2021. If he can stay healthy, he certainly looks capable of filling the hole in Carlton’s back six. New recruit George Hewett will add something to Carlton’s midfield, while draftee Jesse Motlop will look to get in the side ASAP. But even with the new additions, I can see Carlton just missing out on the top eight. They’ve got some big egos, high expectations, and a new coach, and I can just see all these things stopping them from making the finals. 2023 will be their year. In brighter news, Sam Walsh is going to have an unstoppable season, putting him in contention for the Brownlow, and also will pick up the B&F for Carlton.

At ninth I’ve got the Richmond Tigers with an 11-10-1 record. Good to see the Tigers finally getting back to their natural habitat. But seriously, I can’t see Richmond getting into the eight. They’ll get close, but it’s such an unbalanced side that I can’t see it working. Most of their best players are either over thirty or near it, with Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt, Dion Prestia, Trent Cotchin, Dylan Grimes and Shane Edwards all leaving their prime years. There’s some young talent at Punt Road, but there’s some concern around it. Sydney Stack is one dumb decision away from never playing again, while Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli also had their off the field troubles in 2021. Still, the young talent at Richmond branches out, with Jack Ross and Riley Collier-Dawkins in particular two promising players in the yellow and black. Both play midfield, and could line up for the Tigers in the center square this year. First round picks Joshua Gibcus and Tom Brown are also going to add something, though I can’t see it happening straight away. In the end I think the Tigers will have a bounce back year, but will narrowly fall out of the eight at the end of the season. As for the B&F, I can see Liam Baker winning it. Baker has proved to be a great defender, and I can see him taking his game to the next level in 2022.

At eighth, I’ve got the Hawthorn Hawks with an 11-10-1 record. This is a big call. Let me explain. There’s been a lot of talk around the Hawks this off-season, and it hasn’t been good. There was the news that the Alastair Clarkson-Sam Mitchell takeover wasn’t going smoothly, and then there were rumours that Jeff Kennett was willing to blow up the team and trade his best players. And despite all this, I’ve put them in the eight. Hear me out. In Alastair Clarkson’s last three seasons, in which the Hawks didn’t make the finals, it was clear the team needed a change. They might’ve gotten it. Under Sam Mitchell’s new tactics, Hawthorn have a breath of fresh air. This will be great for their young players, and they’ve got quite a few who could flourish under Mitchell. Conor Nash, Will Day and Changkuoth Jiath and Jai Newcombe are four young players who have already established themselves in Hawthorn’s best 22. They’ve also got a young forward line with players including Jacob Koschitzke, Tyler Brockman and Emerson Jeka, while Denver Granger-Barras has shown great potential as filling into a role in the Hawks back six. Joshua Ward has also looked great over his first offseason and could be the NAB Rising Star. Throw in the fact that the Hawks have a Brownlow medalist and numerous former All Australians, and is it really that big of a call that they make the finals? I don’t think so. As for their Best and Fairest, Tom Mitchell will win it as he returns to his pre-injury form and becomes a main reason why Hawthorn play finals footy.

At seventh, I’ve got the Fremantle Dockers with a 12-9-1 record. Everyone has been sleeping on the Dockers recently. They had the best trade period out of any team, managing to get pick six for wantaway midfielder Adam Cerra, while picking up Jordan Clark and Will Brodie. I like both those pickups for Freo. Clark is a speedster who will benefit from consistent footy in WA, something he struggled to find in Geelong, while Will Brodie is a talented inside midfielder who was held back by injuries with the Suns. Jye Amiss and Neil Erasmus were both great draft choices by Freo, and both might be able to crack the best 22 in their first year. Throw all that in with Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw, Sean Darcy, Liam Henry and Michael Frederick and it’s a pretty promising side. They should live up to the expectations and crack their long awaited seven year finals drought. I’ve got Brayshaw winning Freo’s best and fairest after averaging an impressive 30 touches a game and having a massive year, certifying him as one of the best in the league.

At sixth, I’ve got the Essendon Bombers with a 13-9 record. The Bombers have a tough fixture this year, having to play Brisbane, Collingwood, Port Adelaide, Richmond, and Sydney twice. But I can only see them improving. The midfield trio of Darcy Parish, Zach Merrett and Jake Stringer is only going to get better this year, though I can also see Jake Stringer playing more minutes in his original forward position, as Essendon’s midfield is stacked. Draftee Ben Hobbs, Dylan Shiel, Devon Smith, Andrew McGrath, Jye Caldwell and Kyle Langford all have to compete with each other for minutes in the center square. Even though the Bombers conceded the most points out of anyone in the top eight in 2021, their defense looked strong, with Jordan Ridley, Jayden Laverde, and James Stewart all playing down back, while Mason Redman and Nick Hind provided run off the flanks. Due to the retirement of Cale Hooker and the temporary absence of Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, the Bombers forward line is probably their weakest area, though Harry Jones is now back in the team after recovering from injury. So the Bombers probably have enough to make the top eight. I’ll say they finish sixth, as Zach Merrett wins his fourth Best and Fairest.

At fifth, I’ve got the Brisbane Lions with a 15-7 record. The Lions just squeaked into the top four last year. This year I think they’ll just miss out. The Lions are definitely a contender this year. Eric Hipwood will be back before the halfway mark this year, which will be a big boost, while fellow tall forwards Joe Daniher and Oscar McInerney also know how to kick goals. Looking smaller, Cam Rayner, Charlie Cameron and Zac Bailey will all comfortably make Brisbane’s best 22, giving the Lions one of the best forward lines in the league. New draftee Darcy Wilmot is also going to be in that best 22 quickly enough, as a medium defender is exactly what Brisbane need. But for me, the best player at Brisbane this year is going to be Hugh McCluccage. McCluccage averaged 25 touches as a winger last year, and I think he can elevate on that this year and get close to thirty, which will get him the 2022 Brisbane best and fairest.

At fourth, I’ve got the Sydney Swans with a 15-7 record. The Swans are going to come out firing this year. After getting eliminated by their crosstown rivals GWS in last year’s finals, I can see Sydney coming out hunting for revenge. The Swans stars are going to get even better. Tom Papley will kick the most goals out of any small forward, Callum Mills will improve on his impressive 2021 season, and Lance Franklin will hit 1000 goals against Geelong in round two at the SCG. Someone at the Swans to look out for is Oliver Florent. The young speedster is going to average over twenty touches a game as he establishes himself into the Swans midfield. Errol Gulden is another to look out for. After an impressive rookie season, I can see Gulden average a couple goals a game as he holds his place in the Swans team. Sydney will rise back up to the top four for the first time in 2016, and will continue to look like a proper contender. As for the best and fairest, I think that’ll go to goal sneak Tom Papley, who will have a forty goal season

At third, I’ve got the Port Adelaide Power with a 16-6 record. The Power have been trying to establish themselves as a top two side forever. They’ve come close, making three preliminary finals in the last decade, and two in the last two years, but have lost all three of them. In the regular season they’re usually better, but this year I can’t see it happening. The Power are still going to be great though. Aliir Aliir will keep up the incredible form he showed in 2021, while I can also see fellow defender Jake Pasini making his debut for the club in 2022. Down forward, Port will need Orazio Fantasia to stay fit, but even if he can’t, Zac Butters can fill his spot, while Charlie Dixon still remains as the main key forward options for the Power. Reigning Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines will keep up his elite level of form, and once again average over thirty touches, and will also win the Power’s best and fairest, but despite all that I can’t see them making the top two.

At second I've got the Melbourne Demons with a 17-5 record. The Demons finally broke a 57 year premiership drought last inseason, and they're not going anywhere yet. Their squads only gotten stronger, as they snole Luke Dunstan off the Saints for nothing. Dunstan might not get into the Demons best 22 immediately, but it's a good pickup nonetheless. But the Demons look good from top to bottom. In my opinion, the midfield trio of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Angus Bradshaw is the best in the league, while the reigning premiership captain and the reigning NAB Rising Star alternate in the ruck. In other positions, I think Steven May is going to have his best season as a Demon, while Ben Brown kicks the most goals he ever has in a season. There’s numerous different players at Melbourne capable of winning the B&F, but I’ve got Clayton Oliver taking home his fourth.

And at first I’ve got the Western Bulldogs with a 17-5 record. The Dogs have a lot to prove in 2022. After firstly missing out on the top four by losing their last three games of the regular season, before being smashed by seventy points in the Grand Final, the Dogs really need to come out hot this year. But their team is so strong that I think they’ve got it in them. Despite being one of the strongest sides in the league, I can still see some younger players get in the side. Obviously Jammara Ugle-Hagan is the main guy people will think of, but I can also see guys like Rhylee West, Bhuku Khamis and Dominic Benendo get consistent game time. I'm also looking forward to seeing Adam Treloar after an interrupted 2021 campaign, as I think he can find his best form in a strong bulldogs midfield. As for their best and fairest, you can't look past the Bont. I think the Doggies number four will once again have an elite year with over thirty touches, putting him in Brownlow contention

Onto the finals. In week one the Dogs would play the Swans in the first qualifying final. Both teams are good, but in front of a home crowd I think the Bulldogs should get the job done by eighteen points. The Dees would then play the Power in the second qualifying final, and again, I think the home team should win. I’m gonna give Melbourne a 32 point victory. Over to the elimination finals. The Hawks would have to travel to Brisbane for a match against the Lions. While I’ve tipped an incredible year for Hawthorn, I don’t think they could beat Brisbane away. I’m gonna predict an absolutely massive 52 point win for Brisbane. And finally, Essendon vs Fremantle. Most times when the Bombers play Freo at Marvel the games are low-scoring and close. I could see that happening in this one. I’m gonna predict an eleven point win to the Bombers, as they finally break their finals drought. In week two of the finals, Port would play Essendon in the first semi-final. At home in front of a big crowd, Port should be able to handle the Bombers. I’ll say they pick up a 31 point win to put them in their third consecutive prelim. The Swans would then play the Lions at the SCG. But I’m not going to pick the home side. When the Lions get hot, they can be the best side in the league. I’ll say Brisbane take a seven point win in a famous game. Over to the preliminary finals. The Dogs would play Port in Melbourne. Port Adelaide have lost too many prelims recently. When they’re not favoured to win away from home, they might do it then. I’m gonna say that Port get a four point win and make their first Grand Final in fifteen years. The Dees would then play the Lions. Again, I can see it being a close game. In fact, I think it’s gonna go to overtime. In a grueling overtime, I can see the Lions winning by one singular point, meaning the Grand Final will be between Port Adelaide and Brisbane. The first quarter will go in the way of the Lions, with the Queensland side taking an eleven point lead, but Port will get back in it and lead by a point at half time. I can then see the Power taking a three goal lead at three quarter time, and then will see the game out, by picking up a 25 point win for their first Grand Final win in eighteen years. I’m gonna say former captain Travis Boak wins the Norm Smith with 33 touches and a goal.

Over to the season awards. I can see Marcus Bontempelli winning the Brownlow. Bontempelli has been an elite midfielder since entering the league, so it’s surprising that he hasn’t won a Brownlow yet. And after coming so close last season, I think 2022 will finally be the year. Playing in a team that will be minor premiers, Bontempelli will explode for 33.6 disposals, 5.8 clearances and 1.5 goals a game, and will manage to poll 34 Brownlow votes for his efforts. As for the Coleman, I think Ben Brown will win it with 57 goals. Brown hasn’t made an official impact in Melbourne yet, having only played 13 games in 2021. If he can stay healthy this season, I don’t see why he can’t win the Coleman. The delivery he’ll be getting from Petracca, Oliver, Brayshaw, Salem and co will be superb, and Brown will be able to flourish under it, and will win his first Colemen Medal. And as for the NAB Rising Star, I predict it’s gonna go to Joshua Ward. I narrowed it down to Ward, Jason Horne-Francis, Nick Daicos and Josh Rachele. But since I’ve predicted Hawthorn to have a successful season, I think it will go to Ward. I’ve got the rookie playing sixteen games in his first season, as he averages 16.9 touches, 5.3 tackles and 6 marks a game, and also kicks seven goals in his first season, which will grant him the 29th Rising Star award.

Before we end the video, I’m gonna go through my All-Australian team. I won’t get into it, but I’ll explain anything you want in the comments. In my back six, I’ve got Steven May, Allir Allir, Jordan Ridley, Caleb Daniel, Jake Lever and Hugh McCluggage. In the midfield I’ve got Max Gawn, Jack Steele, Marcus Bontempelli, Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and Sam Walsh. In the forward line I’ve got Jake Stringer, Ben Brown, Jeremy Cameron, Tom Papley, Harry McKay and Max King. And off the bench I’m going with Ollie Wines, Zach Merrett, Darcy Parish and Tim Taranto.