David King’s top eight for the 2023 AFL season

NORTH Melbourne premiership great David King has tipped his top eight finishers for AFL season 2023 with only one change from last year, with Carlton set to replace Fremantle.

In the top four, King has Melbourne, Brisbane, Richmond and Collingwood – reigning premiers Geelong sliding out.

“I love Melbourne’s pre-season, I think they’re absolutely primed to go deep again. I love the attitude to their pre-season,” King said on SEN Breakfast.

“I think they’re going to be there when the whips are cracking.

“Brisbane has got the best list in the competition. If they can match that with some intel late in the piece and start winning those small margin games at the end of the year they’ll be there.

“I’m a huge Richmond believer. I still think they’ve got a system many teams struggle to stop. The additions of these two midfielders, Richmond has never relied on winning clearances to become a contender, they’ve been the intercept kings who punish on turnover, and now they have another way to win. They’re third for me.

“I’ve got Collingwood. I maintain the faith on Collingwood. Everyone is jumping off Collingwood. They’re saying ‘oh they won nine of 10 close games’, how many are you supposed to win? I think they can win the whole thing.

“They’ve got star factor talent. There will be growth and development through this new-look midfield for the Pies and I think Nick Daicos is going to have a massive season.”

The Western Bulldogs, Sydney, Geelong and Carlton round out King’s top eight sides.

“I’ve got the Dogs in fifth, but I love the fact that they’re doing something different and they’re one that really could spike. You’ve got to have a point of difference in this competition and to be a little bit tall is something that most teams will struggle to stop if the game suits the Dogs,” Kingy said.

“I’ve never seen four talls work forward of centre, so I’m fascinated by what happens.

“Sydney for me off the back of a humbling loss in the Grand Final may have one of those reset type years.

“I’ve got the Cats sliding a little bit. I think it’s incredibly difficult to go back-to-back and not a lot has to go wrong to lose a couple more home-and-away games. I think the loss of Joel Selwood is understated. Not just on game day, but during the week.

“And I’ve got Carlton in. Fremantle are out. I just think looking at Carlton, last year was about contest and uniting a club. This year has been about maintaining the contest, knowing what you’ve got in there, they’ve got a healthy forward line with Harry McKay having done the whole pre-season and Charlie Curnow, every drill they’ve done they’ve together as a pairing.

“They are going to be an unstoppable combination this season. They’ve got some injuries and some concerns, they wouldn’t want to lose to many more.

“Ball movement has been a priority this off-season and I think they make the eight. I think they’re charging into premiership contention.”

– BY NIC NEGREPONTIS/ SEN