The AFL's skippers have cast their votes in the annual captain's survey. Image: AFL Photos.

ALL but one of the AFL captains thinks Port Adelaide will play finals in 2022 and two have picked the club to play off in the Grand Final.

The AFL polled the 18 club captains for their views on the impending season, and they see Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions at the top end of the ladder as the teams to beat.

In total, Melbourne and Brisbane Lions drew the votes of 11 of the 18 club captains as the teams most likely to be a part of Grand Final day this year. This was followed by Western Bulldogs (three votes) and Richmond and Port Adelaide (2 votes each).

A total of 12 different clubs were considered possible chances to contest the finals while five different clubs were considered to reach the Grand Final.

Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli is the favourite to win the Brownlow with eight votes from the captains, with Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver next closest according to them with four voting him as their favourite.

Carlton’s Harry McKay was the skippers’ favourite for the Coleman Medal and South Australian Jason Horne-Francis was the standout to claim the Ron Evans Medal as the NAB AFL Rising Star with seven of the 18 captains nominating the North Melbourne youngster to take out the award.

Before gathering in locations across the country today, the captains were asked five key questions on the season ahead, with the proviso that their individual answers would be treated anonymously to ensure personal views:

  • Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight?
  • Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
  • Who do you think will win the 2022 Brownlow Medal?
  • Who do you think will win the 2022 Coleman Medal?
  • Who do you think will win the 2022 NAB AFL Rising Star?


The full voting is below:

Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight?
(18 times seven selections).

17 – Brisbane Lions, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, 
16 – Port Adelaide
13 – Richmond, Geelong Cats
11 – Sydney Swans
9 – GWS Giants
5 – Essendon, Carlton
2 – Fremantle
1 – St Kilda

Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final? 
(No captains picked eventual premier Melbourne in 2021).

6 – Melbourne
5 – Brisbane Lions
3 – Western Bulldogs
2 – Richmond
2 – Port Adelaide

Which player from another club do you think will win the 2022 Brownlow Medal?
(One captain correctly nominated Oliver Wines in 2021).

8 – Marcus Bontempelli, Western Bulldogs
4 – Clayton Oliver, Melbourne
2 – Patrick Cripps, Carlton
2 – Josh Kelly, GWS Giants
1 – Christian Petracca, Melbourne
1 – Lachie Neale, Brisbane Lions

Which player from another club do you think will win the 2022 Coleman Medal?
 (No captain nominated eventual Coleman Medalist Harry McKay in 2021).

6 – Harry McKay, Carlton
4 – Jeremy Cameron, Geelong Cats
3 – Tom Hawkins, Geelong Cats
3 – Aaron Naughton, Western Bulldogs
1 – Max King, St Kilda
1 – Lance Franklin, Sydney Swans

Which player from another club do you think will win the 2022 NAB AFL Rising Star?
(No captain nominated eventual Ron Evans Medalist Luke Jackson in 2021).

7 – Jason Horne-Francis, North Melbourne 
5 – Nick Daicos, Collingwood
2 – Josh Rachele, Adelaide Crows
1 – Logan McDonald, Sydney Swans
1 – Finn Callaghan, GWS Giants
1 – Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Western Bulldogs
1 – Josh Ward, Hawthorn