THE AFL's captains expect Carlton to break their finals drought this year, while tipping Geelong to contest its third consecutive Grand Final. The AFL has released it annual captain's survey, where the 16 club leaders are asked to vote on the performances of the competition's other 15 teams.

Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola is the stand-out pick as the star forward in the game while the club leaders believe that Gary Ablett starts the year as the Brownlow Medal favourite.

The captains were asked the following:
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 2009 Cole Related LinksOur tips: Team-by-team pre-season reports
Sheedy: Tigers can win flag
man Medal?
Who do you think will win the 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star?
Who do you think will win the 2009 Brownlow Medal?

Geelong was nominated by 14 captains to reach the Grand Final and by a maximum 15 captains to reach September action.

Hawthorn and Carlton both also received a maximum 15 votes to reach the finals this year, with the Western Bulldogs polling 12 votes.

Ablett was nominated by nine captains as the Brownlow favourite, while Chris Judd drew votes from three skippers.

Fevola (10 votes) clearly headed the Coleman Medal voting ahead of last year's winner, Lance Franklin (five votes).

The Lions' Daniel Rich (five votes) and North Melbourne's Jack Ziebell (four votes) the stand outs for the NAB AFL Rising Star.

The full voting was:
Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight? (16 times seven selections)
Carlton (15), Geelong Cats (15), Hawthorn (15), Western Bulldogs (14), Collingwood (12), Port Adelaide (10), St Kilda (nine), Adelaide (six), Brisbane Lions (four), Richmond (four), North Melbourne (three), Sydney Swans (three), Essendon* (one), Fremantle (one), Melbourne (nil), West Coast Eagles (nil).

Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
Geelong Cats (14), Hawthorn (two).

Who do you think will win the 2009 Brownlow Medal?
Gary Ablett, Geelong Cats (nine), Chris Judd, Carlton (three), Jimmy Bartel, Geelong Cats (one), Lance Franklin, Hawthorn (one), Brent Harvey, North Melbourne (one), Matthew Richardson, Richmond (one).

Who do you think will win the 2009 Coleman Medal?
Brendan Fevola, Carlton (10), Lance Franklin, Hawthorn (five), Jarryd Roughead, Hawthorn (one).

Who do you think will win the 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star?
Daniel Rich, Brisbane Lions (five), Jack Ziebell, North Melbourne (four), Dayne Beams, Collingwood (two), Jarrad Grant, Western Bulldogs (one), Stephen Hill, Fremantle (one), Michael Hurley, Essendon* (one), Mitch Robinson, Carlton (one), Chris Yarran, Carlton (one).

Interesting that Robinson got a vote as a NAB Rising Star candidate - if Juddy voted for Yarran it means that one other club has Robinson on the radar.

The players are the best judges on who's the better teams... this result gives me more confidence than any expert, official or tipster out there...

Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight? (16 times seven selections)
Geelong (15), Hawthorn (14), St Kilda (14), West Coast (12), Port Adelaide (12), Adelaide (11), Sydney (11), Fremantle (nine), Collingwood (six), Western Bulldogs (three), Brisbane Lions (two), Essendon* (two), North Melbourne (one), Carlton (nil), Melbourne (nil), Richmond (nil).

Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
Geelong (14), St Kilda (two).

Who do you think will win the 2008 Brownlow Medal?
Gary Ablett, Geelong (six), Chris Judd, Carlton (three), Adam Goodes, Sydney (two), Jonathon Brown, Brisbane Lions (one), Daniel Kerr, West Coast (one), Joel Corey, Geelong (one), Nick Dal Santo, St Kilda (one), Brad Johnson, Western Bulldogs (one).

Who do you think will win the 2008 Coleman Medal?
Jonathan Brown, Brisbane Lions(six), Brendan Fevola, Carlton (five), Matthew Pavlich, Fremantle (two), Lance Franklin, Hawthorn (two), Matthew Lloyd, Essendon* (one).

Who do you think will win the 2008 NAB AFL Rising Star?
Matthew Kreuzer, Carlton (five), Cyril Rioli, Hawthorn (three), Matthew Leuenberger, Brisbane Lions (two), Craig Bird, Sydney (one), Tom Hawkins, Geelong (one), Brad Ebert, West Coast (one), Jarryn Geary, St Kilda (one), Andrejis Everitt, Western Bulldogs (one), James Sellar, Adelaide (one).


Some interesting points - Only Geelong and StKilda were picked to make the grand final.

Although taking out the Brownlow last year by 7 votes after missing the last 2 games, Jimmy Bartel was not nominated by any captain as going back to back Brownlows.

No captain picked either Carlton, Melbourne or Richmond to make the 8

Note - For the questions, it is automatically assumed that each captain believes their side will make the final 8 and play off in the Grand Final.