Which team will face the most criticism for finishing ninth?

The SEN Crunch Time team has given their thoughts as to which side would be under the most criticism for finishing ninth this season.

Compared to the previous years, this year's finals race has not been as open, with a clear difference between the top nine and bottom nine teams.

As a result, this has meant the competition amongst the top sides has become far more more intense as the end of home and away season draws near.

With three of the top four spots likely to be secured by Collingwood, Brisbane, and Adelaide, this leaves only five spots left up for grabs within the final eight.

And it is within the battle for these spots where the competition is hottest.

At the end of Round 18, there was only a one-game difference between Geelong, who was in fourth place and the Western Bulldogs in ninth place, with Greater Western Sydney, Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Fremantle being tied on 44 points with the Cats.  

At this stage, Geelong is the most likely of these six teams to make the finals, as they don’t have to play any more top-eight sides.

That means the remaining four spots could be granted to any combination of the sides positioned between fifth and ninth.

Speaking on the topic, SEN’s Gerard Whateley thinks that it won’t be the two expansion clubs in the Gold Coast and GWS, but feels that whoever does miss out would be extremely unlucky.

“So, the Giants aren’t quite safe yet, but they probably have to get 14 (wins) with their percentage to be absolutely safe,” Whateley noted on SEN’s Crunch Time.

“Gold Coast have the game in hand, which is the Essendon game. So, if you give them that game and put them into 48 (points), then you’ve got this incredible scramble.

“One of Hawthorn, Fremantle or the Bulldogs is going to miss, and that is going to be so bitterly disappointing for that team.”

This led Adam Simpson to pose the question: "And who would get the most criticism out of those three sides?"

For Whateley, he would set out the scenario for all three sides, but felt that if the Gold Coast Suns were to make it 15 straight seasons of not playing finals, then it would be them under the most scrutiny.

“That is such a high bar,” Whateley said.

“Because the Bulldogs will get nailed to the wall for re-signing the coach and missing the eight.

"Fremantle might sack the coach if they miss the eight.

“And Hawthorn, who were the darlings of the competition, coming in to (then) miss the eight?

“And if it was the Suns, then the condemnation couldn’t be strong enough as to still be that team (that hasn’t made finals).”

However, there would be consensus between Simpson, Mark Bickley and Sam Edmund that it would be Fremantle and Justin Longmuir that would face the most scrutiny for a 9th place finish.

But Bickley also predicted that Hawthorn would miss the eight. However, he feels there wouldn't be as much criticism given what they came from at the start of 2024.

“I’d say Fremantle,” Simpson said.

“Yeah, I think Fremantle, that’s who I was going to say”, Bickley stated.

“I’ve got Hawthorn missing, but I think there is a fair bit of goodwill still with Sam Mitchell."