The New Daily’s 2018 AFL crystal ball: Demons soar, bad news for Tigers

If you’re a Melbourne fan with an annual holiday in September, it is time to change your plans.
That was the key takeaway from a survey of The New Daily’s AFL armchair experts ahead of the 2018 season, with all 10 tipping the Demons to play finals football for the first time since 2006.
And despite Richmond winning last year’s premiership, not one tipster thinks the Tigers can go back-to-back under Damien Hardwick.
That is not to say the Tigers aren’t tipped to have a good year.
Of the 10, including former AFL player and coach Peter Schwab and esteemed football journalist Rohan Connolly, nine had the Tigers making the finals and seven picked them for a top-four finish.
But winning the premiership seems beyond them, with Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney (four selections each) the favourites.
Geelong and Melbourne (one vote each) also won support.
The Demons and GWS are the only sides selected by all 10 tipsters to make the finals, with Adelaide, Geelong, Sydney and the Tigers (all nine) also well supported.
The New Daily editor Patrick Elligett went for a major boilover, tipping Carlton to reach the finals, while there was no support at all for Hawthorn, St Kilda, Collingwood, Fremantle, Brisbane, Gold Coast and North Melbourne to make the top eight.
The Magpies might be the AFL’s biggest club but are joint-favourites for the wooden spoon, with the Gold Coast (picked by three tipsters each), while Richmond’s Dustin Martin was the most popular Brownlow Medal pick.
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin was the top pick in the race for the Coach of the Year award while Sydney forward Lance Franklin and Essendon big man Joe Daniher topped the Coleman Medal predictions.
Three-time premiership player, ex-Hawthorn coach and The New Daily columnist
Premiers: GWS
Runners Up: Richmond
Top 8: GWS, Richmond, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Essendon
Wooden Spoon: North Melbourne
Brownlow Medal: Nathan Fyfe
Norm Smith Medal: Toby Greene
Coleman Medal: Jack Riewoldt
Coach of the Year: Leon Cameron
Rising Star: Alex Witherden (Brisbane Lions)
Headline we will see: ‘Richmond first club to hit 100,000 members’
Football journalist, commentator, TV panellist and The New Daily‘s Monday wrap-up man in 2018
Premiers: Adelaide
Runners Up: Port Adelaide
Top 8: Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Richmond, Melbourne, Sydney, GWS, Geelong, Essendon
Wooden Spoon: Gold Coast
Brownlow Medal: Tom Mitchell
Norm Smith Medal: Rory Laird
Coleman Medal: Lance Franklin
Rising Star Award: Luke Davies-Uniacke (North Melbourne)
Coach of the Year: Simon Goodwin
A headline we will see: ‘Pressure builds on Buckley’
Journalist, presenter, author and The New Daily columnist
Premiers: Adelaide
Runners up: GWS
Top 8: Adelaide, GWS, Sydney, Richmond, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs
Wooden Spoon: Carlton
Brownlow Medal: Dustin Martin
Norm Smith Medal: Rory Sloane
Coleman Medal: Lance Franklin
Rising Star Award: Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs)
Coach of the Year: Don Pyke
A headline we will see: ‘AFL enters the twilight zone’
Editorial Director of The New Daily and Bombers tragic
Premiers: Adelaide
Runners up: Essendon
Top 8: Adelaide, GWS, Sydney, Essendon, Geelong, Richmond, Port Adelaide, Melbourne
Wooden Spoon: North Melbourne
Brownlow Medal: Zach Merrett
Norm Smith Medal: Bryce Gibbs
Coleman Medal: Joe Daniher
Rising Star Award: Cameron Rayner
Coach of the Year: Chris Fagan
A headline we will see: ‘Ablett to miss again’
Editor of The New Daily and New South Welshman
Premiers: GWS
Runners up: Port Adelaide
Top 8: Richmond, GWS, Geelong, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Carlton, Western Bulldogs
Wooden Spoon: Collingwood
Brownlow Medal: Josh Kelly
Norm Smith Medal: Jonathon Patton
Coleman Medal: Jeremy Cameron
Rising Star Award: Paddy Dow
Coach of the Year: Brendon Bolton
A headline we will see: ‘Fans furious over AFL’s latest rule change’
Monash University teacher, author and hopeful Melbourne fan … barring a player strike over working conditions
Premiers: Melbourne
Runners up: Adelaide
Top 8: Melbourne, Adelaide, GWS, Geelong, Sydney, West Coast, Richmond, Port Adelaide
Wooden Spoon: Collingwood
Brownlow Medal: Patrick Dangerfield
Coleman Medal: Josh Kennedy
Norm Smith Medal: Clayton Oliver
Rising Star: Alex Witherden
Coach of the Year: Simon Goodwin
A headline we will see: ‘Buckley’s job safe: Eddie’
Sports Editor at The New Daily and Hawk who still wants Sam Mitchell to come back
Premiers: Adelaide
Runners-up: Sydney
Top 8: Adelaide, Richmond, GWS, Sydney, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Western Bulldogs
Wooden Spoon: Gold Coast
Brownlow Medal: Dustin Martin
Norm Smith Medal: Rory Laird
Coleman Medal: Lance Franklin
Rising Star Award: Sam Murray (Collingwood)
Coach of the Year: Don Pyke
A headline we will see: ‘Essendon drugs saga set to roll on into 2019’
PM News Editor at The New Daily and (still) the owner of a framed Paul Puopolo photo on his desk
Premiers: GWS Giants
Runners up: Richmond
Top 8: GWS, Adelaide, Richmond, Melbourne, Sydney, Essendon, Geelong, Western Bulldogs
Wooden Spoon: Brisbane Lions
Brownlow Medal: Dustin Martin
Norm Smith Medal: Toby Greene
Coleman Medal: Josh Kennedy (WC)
Rising Star Award: Riley Bonner
Coach of the Year: Simon Goodwin
A headline we will see: ‘Fans furious over AFL’s choice of grand final entertainment’
Homepage Editor at The New Daily who named his daughter Scarlett Ebony (do you want some thinking time?)
Premiers: Geelong
Runners up: Adelaide
Top 8: Geelong, Adelaide, West Coast, Richmond, Port Adelaide, GWS, Melbourne, Essendon
Wooden Spoon: Collingwood
Brownlow Medal: Gary Ablett
Norm Smith Medal: Patrick Dangerfield
Coleman Medal: Joe Daniher
Rising Star Award: Andrew Brayshaw
Coach of the Year: Chris Scott
A headline we will see: ‘Sheedy calls for 19th AFL team’
Entertainment Editor at The New Daily and a had-no-choice Essendon supporter
Premiers: GWS
Runners up: Geelong
Top 8: Geelong, GWS, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, West Coast, Essendon
Wooden Spoon: Gold Coast
Brownlow Medal: Nathan Fyfe
Norm Smith Medal: Josh Kelly
Coleman Medal: Joe Daniher
Rising Star Award: Paddy Dow
Coach of the Year: Chris Scott
A headline we will see: ‘Dustin Martin to star in Aussie remake of Sons of Anarchy called Sons of Anarchy: Don’t Argue‘