<p>The 2024 AFL season gets underway in less than a fortnight, as all 18 teams get set to do battle for the flag.</p> <p>The lists are locked and the anticipation for the opening round is building. All that’s left is to predict where each side will finish come season’s end.</p> <p>Who will be the biggest movers for better or worse in 2024? Is this the year the Suns finally play finals? Can West Coast claw themselves off the foot of the ladder? And can anyone stop Collingwood?</p> <p>Here at Sportsbet we’re going to attempt to answer all these questions and more with our 2024 AFL ladder predictions.</p> <p>Who will finish top of the pops? Who will play finals footy? And who will collect the dreaded wooden spoon?</p> <p>For the latest predictions, premiership odds and analysis of all 18 teams’ chances for the upcoming season, be sure to check out our AFL Ladder 2024 Predictions.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>18. West Coast Eagles</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>We don’t predict much movement at the foot of the ladder in 2024. That’s where dismal West Coast ended up last year and that’s where we are tipping them to stay.</p> <p>Things will get better for the Eagles, perhaps sooner than most people think. Just not in 2024.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>17. North Melbourne</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Much like West Coast, we’re predicting another season of less than desirable results for North Melbourne.</p> <p>Season 2024 is already off to the worst possible start for the Kangaroos before they’ve had the chance to even kick a ball.</p> <p>Star midfielder Tarryn Thomas was sacked by the club for an off-field indiscretion, which was the latest in a long line of incidents.</p> <p>Off-field disruptions never play out well for clubs in crisis, with the only silver lining for North Melbourne being, they don’t really have anywhere left to fall to.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>16. Hawthorn</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>So far, it’s business as usual at the foot of the ladder. We aren’t predicting any changes to the bottom three of last season, with Hawthorn our chief candidates to reclaim 16th spot in the standings.</p> <p>We have no doubt that the Hawks will continue their rebuild in 2024, but we don’t think we’ll see its effects for a few more seasons.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>15. Richmond</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Eras come and eras go, just ask Taylor Swift. For recent perennial powerhouse Richmond, their time in the sun is at an end, although it may still come as a shock to some to see we have them finishing the 2024 season in 15th.</p> <p>The exploits of Shai Bolton and superstar Dustin Martin will be enough to pick up some wins (he is still one of the<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/afl/news/highest-paid-players"> highest paid players in the AFL</a> for a reason), but they can only do so much.</p> <p>Inconsistencies and injuries, like the ones that have dogged Tom Lynch are what will keep them closer to the foot of the ladder than the top.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>14. Fremantle</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It’s hard to get a read on Freo. There’s no doubt they have talent in their roster and on any given home game can trouble even the AFL’s best.</p> <p>Then they’ll turn around and lose to one of the cellar dwellers or get dismantled on the road by one of the top teams.</p> <p>Their biggest issue remains in front of goal after Nat Fyfe showed he can’t solve every problem they have. If they don’t solve their scoring woes, we foresee another season well outside of the final’s places for Fremantle.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>13. Gold Coast Suns</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Is this the year the Gold Coast finally play finals? We doubt it. The boys from the Glitter Strip are yet to make the eight in all their years as an AFL franchise and we don’t think that is going to change in 2024.</p> <p>Yes, they’ve now got three-time premiership winner Damien Hardwick at the helm, but he’s a coach, not a miracle worker.</p> <p>It’ll take Dimma more than a season to get the Suns rising to finals standards, but we’re sure they will be a force sooner rather than later.</p> <p>Unfortunately, at the moment there is simply too much quality ahead of them yet again.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>12. Sydney Swans</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Bye bye Buddy. With <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/afl/news/afl-legend-lance-franklin-calls-it-quits">Lance Franklin hanging them</a> up last year, it’s a new era for the Swans.</p> <p>They just scraped into the eight last year and were swiftly sent packing by Carlton at the first time of asking.</p> <p>We’re tipping 2024 to be the start of somewhat of a decline for the Swans as they start again and search for a new superstar to lead them back to the promised land.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>11. Western Bulldogs</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It feels strange to put a team with Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Marcus Bontempelli outside the top eight, but after that’s where they finished last year, maybe it’s where they belong?</p> <p>The Doggies are somewhat of an optical illusion, one that flatters to deceive. In a lot of people's minds they are probably a top four list, one that never gets there.</p> <p>Then a new season rolls around, and people are tricked all over again. But not us, we’re going big and bold and placing them in 11th.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>10. Essendon</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Bombers to bomb? Well not exactly, but there are still some problems that need addressing badly at Essendon.</p> <p>Namely the way they lost games in 2023. Sure, they nearly won as many as they lost last season, but when they lost, they really lost.</p> <p>Their inability to stop the bleeding during mid-game lulls needs to be rectified and quick, if they want to set up a date with the eight.</p> <p>They have drafted well this off-season, and the addition of Ben McKay is a big one. They should make decent strides forward in 2024 but are still a little off the finals’ pace in our minds.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>9. Geelong</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>From premiers to 12th. Where to now for Geelong? After suffering one of the biggest single season slides in AFL history, we’re tipping the Cats to recover slightly and wind up just outside the eight.</p> <p>No doubt they have learnt plenty of lessons from last season, but they do know that Joel Selwood isn’t coming back, right? They’ll need to learn how to get it done without the modern day great.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>8. St Kilda</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Despite dropping off after a blistering start last season, the Saints still defied expectations to finish sixth.</p> <p>We don’t think they’ll start as hot in season 2024, but they’ll find enough consistency to make the eight, just.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>7. Melbourne Demons</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Gwan are the days on the Dees being a top four lock. There are now plenty of other challengers for the double chance places, meaning Melbourne might have to move down.</p> <p>They still have more than enough quality to push for the upper echelons of the ladder, but as it stands, we still have a number of teams ahead of them in the premiership pecking order.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>6. Port Adelaide</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Despite going on a 13-game winning streak in 2023, the only way to sum up their season last time out would be “disappointing.”</p> <p>Even the staunchest Power fan would have to admit that after their side went out of the finals in straight sets.</p> <p>Winning 13 on the spin counts for little when you can’t come up trumps when it matters most.</p> <p>No doubt like their supporters, Port will still be reeling from their finals capitulation and we don’t see them healing enough to retain their place in the top four this season.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>5. GWS Giants</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Orange Tsunami looks set to rise again. The Giants pack some serious firepower and it’s easy to forget they came within a single point of qualifying for last year’s grand final.</p> <p>They rallied from seventh all the way to the final four and can put themselves in an even better position if they get off to a fast start in 2024.</p> <p>Toby Greene? Stephen Coniglio? Josh Kelly? Need we say more? We have them in at fifth, but there’s no reason if results go their way that they can’t finish even higher.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>4. Adelaide Crows</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Do not adjust your devices. Yes, that really is the Adelaide Crows sitting in 4th place on our 2024 AFL predicted ladder.</p> <p>We’re tipping the Crows to be the biggest movers and rocket up the rankings six spots, going from also rans to title contenders in the space of a season.</p> <p>Stay with us, there is a method to our madness. Yes, they have some injury concerns at the back going into this season, but they showed last year they can pile on the points when required as well as more than match it with the big boys.</p> <p>They took down top eight teams Brisbane, Carlton, St Kilda, and Port Adelaide (twice) last season, as well as pushing Collingwood all the way in both their meetings with the eventual premiers.</p> <p>They also put home ground advantage to work better than nearly any other team in the comp. You heard it here first, Adelaide for the top four in 2024.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>3. Carlton</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The mid-season revival Carlton underwent in 2023 was like few we’d ever seen. Michael Voss went from the brink of the sack to the coach of a genuine premiership threat in the space of nine blistering weeks.</p> <p>They rode their tidal wave of momentum deep into the finals but ultimately couldn’t go all the way.</p> <p>If they can start this season, how they ended the last, there is no reason why they can’t finish in the top four and set themselves up for success in the finals.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>2. Collingwood</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Collingwood were king in 2023 and will be there or thereabouts again this year. They won both the minor premiership and Grand Final to cap off a dominant year all round.</p> <p>With stars like De Goey, Daicos and Hill there really is no reason why they can’t go again in 2024, other than winner’s fatigue.</p> <p>That being said, it is apparent just how hard it is to score back-to-back flags and as you’ll see we are tipping a force in the north to triumph this year.</p> <p>Meanwhile, even though we are not tipping him to collect another premiership medal, don’t be surprised to see Nick Daicos with<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl-brownlow-medal/2024-afl-brownlow-medal-7659953"> the Brownlow</a> round his neck at season’s end.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>1. Brisbane Lions</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>They were perfect at home in 2023 and did their best to reverse their Melbourne curse.</p> <p>They ultimately came up short against the Pies on Grand Final day, but only just. If Bobby Hill hadn’t decided to drop a masterclass when Collingwood needed it most, things could have been very different.</p> <p>Something has been bubbling away under the surface in Brisbane for some time now and we think this is the season it comes to a head. We’re calling it - 2024 is the year of the Lion.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>AFL Minor Premiership 2024 Odds</h2>

<p>Fancy a flutter on the 2024 AFL season? Check out our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/afl-betting-guide">AFL Betting Guide.</a></p>