WHAT THE AFL CAPTAINS SAY ABOUT 2018 AND THEIR FORM:
TOP EIGHT
Richmond, Adelaide, Geelong, GWS Giants and Sydney (17) will make the finals. Port Adelaide (14) and Melbourne (10) are next but opinion is divided over Hawthorn (5), Essendon, West Coast (4), Western Bulldogs (2), Collingwood and St Kilda (1).
Past five years: Four of the top six have generally been picked but be wary. St Kilda and Western Bulldogs failed to make the eight last year after being popular choices to be there while only one skipper saw Fremantle missing out on the finals in 2016.
GRAND FINAL OPPONENT
GWS (7), Richmond, Adelaide (5 each) are well liked with one skipper keeping his eyes on 2017 semi-finalists Sydney Swans.
Past: Hawthorn's three-peat was backed but only two captains picked any of the past four grand finalists.
BROWNLOW MEDAL WINNER
The past three winners Patrick Dangerfield (7), Dustin Martin (3) and Nat Fyfe (2) received more than one vote.
Past: Skippers were spot on with Fyfe and Dangerfield in 2015 and 2016 but just two predicted Martin's dominant 2017.
COLEMAN MEDAL WINNER
Two-thirds reckon Sydney star Lance Franklin will win his fifth award for leading goalkicker. John Coleman was the last to do so. West Coast's past winner Josh Kennedy (3) is also supported.
Past: The last two winners were correct but only a handful were correct between 2013 and 2015.
RISING STAR
Little consensus here. No.3 draft pick Paddy Dow (Carlton, 4 votes) is ahead of No.4 pick Luke Davies-Uniacke (North Melbourne, 3). The top two picks, Cam Rayner (Lions) and Fremantle's Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle), both received two votes.
Past: Nobody picked either Lewis Taylor or Jesse Hogan's wins, but got it right with Andrew McGrath (2016) and Callum Mills (2017).
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