Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton has looked into his crystal ball to predict his top four for the 2024 AFL season.
Brereton named his top four in order and chose all of the four teams that played off in 2023 Preliminary Final week.
While Port Adelaide and Melbourne finished top four on the ladder in 2023, they both fell out of finals in straight sets and as a result he has both Carlton and GWS replacing them.
Brereton, who is a big fan of GWS’ prospects, has them as his likely minor premiers in 2024.
“The Giants, I’ve got them seeded one,” Brereton told SEN Afternoons.
“I've got Collingwood seeded two, I've got Carlton seeded three and I've got Brisbane seeded four.”
While picking last year’s Grand Finalists to again make the top four appears a no-brainer, Brereton explained why he liked GWS and Carlton so much on top of their 2023 September performances.
“If you look at from Round 13 last year, all the win-loss ratios … Collingwood were 10-4, Carlton were 11-3, GWS were 11-3 - no one else really came near to them. Brisbane were even 10-4,” Brereton said.
“No one got near those two teams - Carlton and the Giants.
“I think the Giants on their home ground will probably get more bankable wins.”
As for the reigning premiers, Brereton thinks they’re a great chance to go back-to-back and even doubled down on his thoughts that Collingwood could be on the verge of a multiple-flag winning dynasty.
“Collingwood are Collingwood, they're going to be good. I mentioned this to you last year, this could be the start of a dynasty,” Brereton said.
“A couple of people had a laugh at that, well they went through their flat spot, and they came out the other side and they were just completely and utterly awesome.
“They're the top four. Raffle them around at the moment as you will.”
The 2024 AFL season begins on Thursday, March 7 at the SCG when Sydney hosts Melbourne during Opening Round.
