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.<\/p>\n
In the top four, King has Melbourne, Brisbane, Richmond and Collingwood – reigning premiers Geelong sliding out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love Melbourne\u2019s pre-season, I think they\u2019re absolutely primed to go deep again. I love the attitude to their pre-season,\u201d King said on SEN Breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they\u2019re going to be there when the whips are cracking.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrisbane 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\u2019ll be there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a huge Richmond believer. I still think they\u2019ve 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\u2019ve been the intercept kings who punish on turnover, and now they have another way to win. They\u2019re third for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got Collingwood. I maintain the faith on Collingwood. Everyone is jumping off Collingwood. They\u2019re saying \u2018oh they won nine of 10 close games\u2019, how many are you supposed to win? I think they can win the whole thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Western Bulldogs, Sydney, Geelong and Carlton round out King\u2019s top eight sides.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got the Dogs in fifth, but I love the fact that they\u2019re doing something different and they\u2019re one that really could spike. You\u2019ve 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,\u201d Kingy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never seen four talls work forward of centre, so I\u2019m fascinated by what happens.<\/p>\n
\u201cSydney for me off the back of a humbling loss in the Grand Final may have one of those reset type years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got the Cats sliding a little bit. I think it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I\u2019ve 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\u2019ve got in there, they\u2019ve got a healthy forward line with Harry McKay having done the whole pre-season and Charlie Curnow, every drill they\u2019ve done they\u2019ve together as a pairing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are going to be an unstoppable combination this season. They\u2019ve got some injuries and some concerns, they wouldn\u2019t want to lose to many more.<\/p>\n
\u201cBall movement has been a priority this off-season and I think they make the eight. I think they\u2019re charging into premiership contention.\u201d<\/p>\n