2017 AFL Crystal Ball: Read The Roar's predictions for the year ahead

The 2017 AFL season begins tonight! That being the case, our team here at The Roar have put our collective coconuts together and come up with some crystal ball predictions for the year ahead.

From editors to experts, video produces to live bloggers, we’ve got a wide range of Roaring views below. Have a read and let us know in the comments what you think will happen in 2017.

Kishan Badrinath
Premiers: GWS Giants.
Runners-up: Geelong Cats.
Wooden Spoon: Brisbane Lions.
Brownlow Medal: Patrick Dangerfield.
Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Fremantle Dockers.
Definitely will happen: Michael Barlow will prove to be the best value pick up of the off-season.
Definitely won’t happen: Daniel Wells plays more than 15 games in the 2017 season.
Make one really bad prediction: Brian Taylor shines in new role as Friday night commentator.

Ryan Buckland
Premiers: GWS Giants.
Runners-up: West Coast Eagles.
Wooden spoon: Brisbane Lions (just…).
Brownlow Medal: Marcus Bontempelli.
Coleman Medal: Tom J Lynch.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Fremantle for Christ’s sake.
Definitely will happen: Jaeger O’Meara plays 22 games during the home and away season.
Definitely won’t happen: The last game at Subiaco Oval will be memorable.
Make one really bad prediction: Both Essendon and Fremantle make the finals, with the Western Bulldogs and GWS the teams making way.

Stirling Coates
Premiers: Western Bulldogs.
Runners-Up: GWS Giants.
Wooden Spoon: Gold Coast Suns.
Brownlow Medal: Josh P Kennedy.
Coleman Medal: Josh J Kennedy.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Fremantle Dockers.
Definitely will happen: Paul Roos getting a mention if/when a coach gets the sack.
Definitely won’t happen: Roos entertaining the prospect of returning to football.
Make one really bad prediction: Rhys Palmer and Liam Jones form the best one-two forward line punch in the competition as Carlton storm back to September.

Jay Croucher
Premiers: Sydney Swans.
Runners-up: GWS Giants.
Wooden spoon: Brisbane Lions.
Brownlow Medal: Nat Fyfe.
Coleman Medal: Tom J Lynch.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Fremantle Dockers.
Definitely will happen: People will start realising that Scott Pendlebury does the Joel Selwood raise the elbow trick just as reprehensibly and ingeniously as Selwood himself.
Definitely won’t happen: Any of Victoria’s ‘traditional’ big four clubs (Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond) making the finals.
Make one really bad prediction: None of GWS, West Coast or the Bulldogs will end the home and away season as the highest placed team in their respective states.

Anthony D’Arcy
Premiers: Adelaide Crows.
Runners-up: GWS Giants.
Wooden spoon: The Carlton Giants.
Brownlow Medal: Adam Treloar.
Coleman Medal: Eddie Betts.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: The love of the game (…or more specifically, Fremantle I guess).
Definitely will happen: Hardwick to be removed as Tigers coach.
Definitely won’t happen: The AFL taking a step back, admitting some fault, and not changing rules/rule interpretations on a weekly basis.
Make one really bad prediction: There will be zero discussions about how to stop the congestion, and footy will be as free-flowing as a high fibre diet.

Josh Elliott
Premiers: West Coast Eagles.
Runners-up: Western Bulldogs.
Wooden spoon: Carlton Blues.
Brownlow Medal: Josh P Kennedy.
Coleman Medal: Josh J Kennedy.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Hawthorn Hawks (sadface).
Definitely will happen: Bizarre free kicks paid over third-man-up confusion.
Definitely won’t happen: A new CBA announced before the season opener.
Make one really bad prediction: Captain of the year Jack Ziebell leads North Melbourne to finals.

Maddy Friend
Premiers: GWS Giants.
Runners-up: Sydney Swans.
Wooden spoon: Carlton Blues.
Brownlow Medal: Patrick Dangerfield.
Coleman Medal: Tom J Lynch.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Fremantle Dockers.
Definitely will happen: Dustin Martin leaves Richmond.
Definitely won’t happen: Improvement in my footy tipping ability.
Make one really bad prediction: It’s back to the finals for Richmond.

Daniel Jeffrey
Premiers: GWS Giants.
Runners-up: Sydney Swans.
Wooden spoon: Brisbane Lions.
Brownlow Medal: Nat Fyfe.
Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Fremantle Dockers. Loyalty isn’t dead yet.
Definitely will happen: Max Gawn will absolutely dominate in the ruck and guide Melbourne into the finals.
Definitely won’t happen: Collingwood making the finals.
Make one really bad prediction: Travis Cloke to be the buy of the season, carrying the Bulldogs to a second-straight flag.

Tim Miller
Premiers: Geelong Cats.
Runners-up: GWS Giants.
Wooden spoon: Carlton Blues.
Brownlow Medal: Luke Parker.
Coleman Medal: Josh J Kennedy.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Fremantle Dockers.
Definitely will happen: Damien Hardwick gone by Round 12.
Definitely won’t happen: Daniel Wells plays more than 10 games this season.
Make one really bad prediction: Mick Gatto announced as Richmond’s next senior coach.

Cameron Rose
Premiers: GWS Giants, if they don’t get ahead of themselves.
Runners-up: Sydney Swans, again. The dream AFL House match-up.
Wooden spoon: Carlton Blues.
Brownlow Medal: I’d love for Scott Pendlebury to win one, so I’ll keep picking him in the hope he does.
Coleman Medal: Tom J Lynch.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Leaning Freo. St Kilda if he comes to Victoria.
Definitely will happen: Stoppages will be much more aesthetically pleasing thanks to the introduction of the excellent “no third man up” rule.
Definitely won’t happen: Mainstream media raising their standards above the mundane and ludicrous.
Make one really bad prediction: After a player makes an off-field indiscretion, a club releases a statement that says “Why would we suspend him? He can help us win games of football, which is what we’re here for.”

Ken Sakata
Premiers: West Coast Eagles.
Runners-up: GWS Giants.
Wooden spoon: Brisbane Lions.
Brownlow Medal: Marcus Bontempelli.
Coleman Medal: Josh J Kennedy.
In 2018, Nat Fyfe will play for: Himself, as always.
Definitely will happen: Another AFL player gets catfished on Tinder.
Definitely won’t happen: Jaeger O’Meara plays more than 15 games next season.
Make one really bad prediction: Patrick Cripps to Fremantle for two first rounders and a player.