MELBOURNE has been tipped as the competition's big mover, with 10 captains selecting the Demons to make the top eight. Captains are asked to nominate which clubs other than their own will reach the finals.
Melbourne narrowly missed the finals last season, and a berth in September this year would be its first since 2006.
Adelaide, Geelong, the Giants, Richmond and Sydney were all unanimous selections in this category, while Port Adelaide – fresh from a mature-age recruiting spree – was picked by 14 captains to play finals.
But Greater Western Sydney is the team to beat this season and Patrick Dangerfield is poised to win a second Brownlow medal, the AFL's captains say.
The League has polled 18 club leaders as the 2018 season is launched, and the results put the Giants firmly at the top of the pile, with seven skippers voting for them to make the Grand Final.
Richmond and Adelaide have been tipped by five captains each to make consecutive deciders, while Sydney picked up the remaining vote to win through to the last game of the year.
Dangerfield was the clear Brownlow standout, with seven of the skippers picking him to follow up from his 2016 medal to win another.
Just three captains picked Richmond bull Dustin Martin to go back-to-back, while two chose Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe to win a second medal following his 2015 triumph.
Giant Josh Kelly, Swans Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker, Bomber Zach Merrett, Hawk Tom Mitchell and Crow Rory Sloane polled one vote each.
The full voting was:
Which seven other clubs apart from your own do you think can make this year's top eight? (18 times seven selections)
17 - Adelaide Crows, Geelong Cats, GWS Giants, Richmond, Sydney Swans.
14 - Port Adelaide.
10 - Melbourne.
5 – Hawthorn.
4 - Essendon, West Coast.
2 - Western Bulldogs.
1 – Collingwood, St Kilda.
Which other club apart from your own is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
7 – GWS Giants.
5 – Richmond, Adelaide Crows.
1 - Sydney Swans.
Who do you think will win the 2018 Brownlow Medal?
7 - Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong Cats).
3 - Dustin Martin (Richmond).
2 - Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle).
1 - Josh Kelly (GWS Giants), Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans), Zac Merrett (Essendon), Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn), Luke Parker (Sydney Swans), Rory Sloane (Adelaide Crows).
Who do you think will win the 2018 Coleman Medal?
12 - Lance Franklin (Sydney Swans).
3 - Josh Kennedy (West Coast).
1 - Joe Daniher (Essendon), Charlie Dixon (Port Adelaide), Tom Hawkins (Geelong Cats).
Who do you think will win the 2018 NAB AFL Rising Star?
4 - Paddy Dow (Carlton).
3 - Luke Davies-Uniacke (North Melbourne).
2 - Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle), Cam Rayner (Brisbane Lions).
1 - Aiden Bonar (GWS Giants), Nick Coffield (St Kilda), Darcy Fogarty (Adelaide Crows), Oliver Florent (Sydney Swans), Jack Graham (Richmond), Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs), Alex Witherden (Brisbane Lions).
