David King has narrowed the premiership race down to four teams.
The two-time North Melbourne premiership player believes the current top three sides plus one on the brink of the top four are the only ones who can win the flag in 2022.
Pondering his premiership fancies on the morning after Richmond’s 15-point win over Carlton, King put forward current ladder leader Brisbane, reigning premier Melbourne, the much-improved Fremantle and the ever-present Geelong.
And it is the Cats who King is the most keen on.
He posed the following to Kane Cornes on SEN Breakfast: “How many teams do you seriously think can really win it?
“Are Richmond in that conversation now? Are they coming from too far back? I personally don’t have them in that line-up just yet.
“I don’t see anything outside of Brisbane, Melbourne, Freo and Geelong (winning it).
“I’ve been big on Geelong. I think they’re going to come right into calculations over the next few weeks given their health is likely to look pretty reasonable as well.”
The Cats currently sit in fifth position, just a win outside the four, and meet West Coast this Saturday.
Cornes responded to King’s question with his opinion.
Despite not considering them a premiership threat at the start of the season, he sees the Tigers as contenders.
Damien Hardwick’s side returned to the eight as a result of their 15-point victory over the Blues and are in a good position to mount a challenge in the back half of the season.
Cornes said: “When you ask me that I think - Who can I see playing on Prelim Final weekend?
“All the teams that you just mentioned, (but) anyone outside of that…?
“I could see Richmond playing on Prelim Final week.
“Now, whether they’re good enough and healthy enough. (Noah) Balta does his hammy last night, they do have soft tissue injuries that bob up with the age and demographic of their list.
“Are they healthy at that stage of the year? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Richmond were there on Prelim Final week.
“And that would be an unbelievable achievement because I didn’t have them anywhere near that at the start of the year.”
One team they will all have to contend with is of course the Demons.
Despite dropping their last three games and losing captain Max Gawn to an ankle injury, they remain in the hunt and according to Cornes are a lock to finish in the top four.
“I’m a little bit concerned about them and the chinks are starting to appear more regularly,” he said.
“They’re still going to finish top four and they’ll be a hard team to beat.
“Are they a lock?
“Their draw is the hardest in the comp… but I think they’re a lock.
“To put my you-know-whats on the line, I think they’re a lock for top four.”
The Demons enjoy their by this weekend before facing the Lions in a crunch top-two encounter at the MCG next Thursday.