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Sport Nation
Important SN update for SouthlandKey omissions in Tim Watson’s 2025 AFL top 8 prediction
SEN • March 5th, 2025 12:49 pm
The 2025 AFL season predictions are coming thick and fast.
Essendon great Tim Watson was next to get in on the act, predicting his top 8 for the season ahead.
Watson omitted GWS, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs from last year’s final eight.
“You can’t put them all in,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.
“Who knows whether we’re going to get it right or wrong, but that’s what we do, we line up at this time of the year and prepare ourselves to get shot down.”
Watson’s top 8 prediction
1 - Geelong2 - Sydney3 - Adelaide4 - Brisbane5 - Carlton6 - Collingwood7 - Fremantle8 - Melbourne
He explained why he has Matthew Nicks' Crows jumping up from 15th in 2024 to third this year.
“I really like Adelaide’s additions - James Peatling, Isaac Cumming and Alex Neal-Bullen,” Watson said of the Crows.
“The way that they went about their recruitment, I think that is really smart. These guys are ready-made, ready-to-perform players. They’re not superstars of the game, but they are exactly what this Adelaide Crows unit needs.
“I like their coach too, I think he’s got a bit of style and swagger about him.”
Watson says he is not sold on Hawthorn who many believe will be contending in 2025.
“I might be wrong about Hawthorn but I just think there might be too much swagger about this young outfit,” he said further.
“I think you’ve got to understand that sometimes you need the experience to go with the youthfulness.”
The 2025 season kicks off on Friday night when Sydney hosts the Hawks at the SCG from 7:40pm AEDT.
Opening Round has been thrown into disarray with the Brisbane v Geelong fixture and Gold Coast’s clash with Essendon both postponed due to Cyclone Alfred.
