Everyone wants to win the flag but the reality is that at least half the competition is almost no chance every season. That doesn't mean there's nothing to hope for though.
Every club's situation is different, for some it's more wins, for others it's finals and for a select few, only the premiership will do.
With the AFL's unpredictability being one of its major draws, there's always the chance of a miracle season or a sudden upswing in form. Likewise, there's just as much chance of a nightmare campaign in terms of both form and injury.
As we look across the competition, the passing marks for the year will all be different. Simply saying premiership or bust is not reflective of where the majority of clubs are placed.
With that in mind, here are our pass marks for each AFL team for 2023.
Melbourne
Season 2022 didn't go as planned for the Dees, having started like a house on fire, they lost form and momentum, with off-field issues creating distractions. Losing Luke Jackson didn't help, particularly after they didn't fire a shot in the second half of their loss to Brisbane in the finals.
Yet this list is still good enough to compete for the flag and gaining Brodie Grundy to team up with Max Gawn has added another element of intrigue to this season. The key will be avoiding injuries and suspensions to key players.
The likes of Steven May, Jake Lever, Ben Brown and Jack Viney are all crucial to their hopes, coupled with their powerful midfield trio of Gawn, Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.
The Demons will be aiming to get back to the last Saturday in September, anything short of that can't be considered a pass.
Pass Mark: 16-18 wins and top four.
