AFL captains vote on likely finalists, teams to beat and 2018 Brownlow Medallist in annual survey

Published by
Stephen Marson

There are only three spots in the top eight up for grabs in 2018, according to the captains as part of the annual AFL captains survey.

The captain of each club was tasked to vote on a number of different topics, with the toughest question asking the captains to pick the seven other clubs destined to finish in the top eight apart from their own.

Adelaide, Geelong, GWS, Richmond and Sydney were selected by every captain, while Port Adelaide (14) and Melbourne (10) were the next most popular selection.

Hawthorn were voted a top eight side by just five captains, while Essendon and West Coast were given just four votes each.

The Western Bulldogs (two), Collingwood (one) and St Kilda (one) were the other three sides that received votes.

GWS are set to make the grand final for the first time in their history according to the captains, with seven votes going the Giants' way, making them the most popular grand final choice.

Reigning grand finalists Richmond and Adelaide received five votes each, while Sydney was the only other side to receive a vote, gathering just the one.

Patrick Dangerfield will be crowned the 2018 Brownlow Medallist according to seven skippers, with last season's winner, Dustin Martin, picking up three votes in a bid to go back-to-back.

2015 winner Nat Fyfe was the only other player with multiple votes (two), while Josh Kelly, Josh P. Kennedy, Zac Merrett, Tom Mitchell, Luke Parker and Rory Sloane all picked up a vote.

In the most one-sided poll, Lance Franklin received 12 votes to win his fifth Coleman Medal, with Josh J. Kennedy picking up three votes of his own.

Joe Daniher, Charlie Dixon and Tom Hawkins were the other three players chosen.

Finally, Carlton's Paddy Dow is tipped as the Rising Star of 2018, with the Blues midfielder picking up four votes to take home the best first-year player award, ahead of North Melbourne's Luke Davies-Uniacke who grabbed three votes.

Fremantle's Andrew Brayshaw and Brisbane's Cam Rayner were the only other multiple vote getters, grabbing two a piece.

Published by
Stephen Marson