Live: Make your 2022 AFL predictions as we build up to tonight’s season opener

Have your say

Okay, here’s the official call out. We’ve got a little bit of time until bouncedown, so fill the time by getting in your last-minute season predictions. These are legally binding and will be tied to your good name for the rest of the season, so make ’em count.

Myself and Andrew will be adding our own soon enough, but I want to hear from you. Get them in and we’ll get them in the blog.

I want:

• Premier:
• Losing GF team:
• Wooden Spoon:
• Biggest risers:
• Biggest fallers:
• Brownlow:
• Coleman:
• Rising Star:

Welcome home

A brand new season

Melbourne’s glorious summer of celebration is over, but they are as good a chance as anyone of lifting that cup again come September this year. But who looms as the greatest challengers to the Dees in 2022?

Our own Cody Atkinson and Sean Lawson have put the data to the test to come up with some answers – and a few fresh questions:

As expected, last year’s premiers are set to be the team to catch this year, but they will face a harder draw than most and the pack is close behind. Little is expected to separate the top six at this early stage, setting the stage for an epic season.

Recent seasons have seen surprise ‘risers’ through the competition, like Melbourne in 2021. Any team, from the predicted wooden spooner up, could make a real run at the finals.

Looming heavily on the horizon is Richmond, with its playing stocks dented but its will still intact. After a horror run with injuries in 2021, expect Damien Hardwick’s three-time premiers to rise back into finals contention this year.

Read Cody and Sean’s full preview here – the perfect intro to the new campaign.

Welcome to AFL season 2022

Hello! Welcome back! So good of you to join us! We have finally reached the opening day of the 2022 AFL season, and have launched this here blog to mark the occasion. And good news! The head honchos at AFL HQ have done us a solid by scheduling and absolute banger of a season opener.

Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. Last year’s grand finalists. Two teams that we are told can’t stand each other. Two of the most thrilling and fun watches in the sport. Under lights at the MCG with probably around 75,000 odd people there. It honestly doesn’t get much better.

We’re kicking things off early to get in the last lot of pre-season chat and predictions in before things kick off a little later. I will soon be joined by Andrew McGarry, who I can confirm is as pumped as anyone to get this show on the road. Let’s do this.