The captains of all 18 teams have made their predictions on the awards, results and winners of the upcoming season.
In the confidential annual survey conducted by the AFL, the captains were asked to predict which teams would make finals, who would make the Grand Final as well as this year’s Brownlow Medallist, Coleman Medallist and Rising Star.
After being in finals contention for much of last season before eventually finishing 11th with 11 wins, six captains picked the GIANTS to finish in the top-8 for the first time in their history.
Showing just how even this year's competition could be, a total of 12 different clubs were nominated as top-eight possibilities and six were a chance to make the Grand Final.
One captain nominated star forward Jeremy Cameron to win this year’s Coleman Medal after his 63 goals last season but it will be a tough task for the 22-year-old now he has been suspended from the first four games of the season.
No one picked a GIANTS player for the Brownlow Medal even though co-captain Callan Ward polled in nine of his 22 games to finish equal-eighth last season with 19 votes.
Another surprising omission was the race for the NAB AFL Rising Star. Second-year GIANT Jack Steele is still in contention after seven games last season and he caught the eye of many watchers with a prolific NAB Challenge series.
Young promising defender Caleb Marchbank is also still eligible to be nominated while last year’s number seven draft pick Jacob Hopper got no love from the captains despite being named by Champion Data as the number one player in last year’s draft after being the No.1 player at championships for contested footy, clearances and third for metres gained.
Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight?
(Seven selections for each captain)
Fremantle (17), Geelong (17), Hawthorn (17), West Coast (17), Sydney Swans (14), Port Adelaide (12), Richmond (7), North Melbourne (6), GWS (6), Western Bulldogs (6), Adelaide (4), Collingwood (3).
Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
(11 captains picked eventual premier Hawthorn in 2015)
Hawthorn (7), West Coast (5), Fremantle (3), Geelong (1), Richmond (1), Sydney Swans (1).
Who do you think will win the 2016 Brownlow Medal?
(Four captains correctly nominated Nat Fyfe in 2015)
Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong, four votes), Gary Ablett (Gold Coast, three votes), Nat Fyfe (Fremantle, three votes), Dan Hannebery (Sydney Swans, three votes), Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans, one vote), Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs, one vote), Dustin Martin (Richmond, one vote), Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood, one vote), Luke Shuey (West Coast, one vote).
Who do you think will win the 2016 Coleman Medal?
(One captain correctly nominated Josh Kennedy in 2015)
Josh Kennedy (West Coast, seven votes), Lance Franklin (Sydney Swans, four votes), Tom Hawkins (Geelong, two votes), Taylor Walker (Adelaide, two votes), Jeremy Cameron (GWS, one vote), Charlie Dixon (Port Adelaide, one vote), Jack Riewoldt (Richmond, two votes).
Who do you think will win the 2016 NAB AFL Rising Star?
(No captain correctly nominated Jesse Hogan in 2015)
Callum Mills (Sydney Swans, seven votes), Clayton Oliver (Melbourne, three votes), Darcy Moore (Collingwood, two votes), Jacob Weitering (Carlton, two votes), Callum Ah Chee (Gold Coast, one vote), Wayne Milera (Adelaide, one vote), Christian Petracca (Melbourne, one vote), Josh Schache (Brisbane Lions, one vote).
