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The only three teams Buddy Franklin thinks can win the flag
SEN • July 29th, 2025 11:03 am
Former AFL superstar Lance Franklin has named the three teams he thinks can realistically win the 2025 premiership.
While many see this year’s flag race as wide open, Franklin can only see a few sides competing come the end of September.
The three teams Franklin has real belief in are first-placed Collingwood, fourth-placed Geelong and sixth-placed GWS.
Franklin even thinks that GWS could be the best side of the lot, and he expects the Giants to play off in a decider to try and claim a maiden premiership.
“Let’s be realistic, I think there are three teams in it that can do damage,” Franklin said on The Buddy & Shane Show.
“I think these three teams (can win it), Geelong, Pies and Giants,
“I think it’ll be a Giants v Geelong Grand Final or Collingwood v Giants, that’s what I’m thinking.
“They’re just that little bit better than the other teams, they’ve got something a bit different, they’ve got x-factors. (Nick) Daicos for Collingwood, (Jeremy) Cameron for Geelong, the Giants have (Jesse) Hogan up forward and (Finn) Callaghan.
“I think obviously Collingwood at the MCG will be hard to beat.”
While most would agree that the Magpies, Cats and Giants are premiership contenders, others would also be backing the second-placed Crows and third-placed Lions.
Even though Brisbane proved they could get the job done last season from outside the top four, Franklin doesn’t have much confidence in them this season, and he can even foresee them dropping out of the eight altogether if things go wrong in the coming weeks.
“I’m just saying, don’t be surprised if they miss,” Franklin said.
“I think the Pies will beat them at the MCG, I think the Swans will come up here (to Brisbane) and have a red-hot crack, don’t be surprised if they miss finals.”
As things stand, Brisbane (54 points, 110.8%) is 10 points clear of the Western Bulldogs in ninth (44 points, 132.6%).
The Lions face Collingwood (MCG), Sydney (Gabba), Fremantle (Optus Stadium) and Hawthorn (Gabba) in their last four.
The Bulldogs face GWS (Marvel), Melbourne (MCG), West Coast (Marvel) and Fremantle (Marvel) in their remaining games.
