Rather it is the up and coming Gold Coast Suns that have been widely tipped to make the eight.

The 18 club captains were all asked confidentially to select which seven sides other than their own would make the finals.

Only four other club captains backed James Hird to match Mark Thompson's effort last year in coaching the Bombers to the finals, while just one skipper selected the Magpies to be there in September. That was still better than Carlton, with Mick Malthouse's side failing to obtain a single vote. Conversely the Suns, who were well placed to make the finals in 2014 before Gary Ablett's season ending injury, were fancied by 12 of the other 17 captains to taste finals action for the first time, making them the seventh most popular pick.

Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney were the only three unanimous tips, although Fremantle and Geelong were both chosen by all but one of the captains. None of last year's bottom six teams: the Blues, the Western Bulldogs, Brisbane Lions, GWS, Melbourne or St Kilda picked up a vote. The Hawks, Power and Swans were also the only three  teams that captains tipped as the most likely to make the grand final.

Meanwhile Ablett is no longer the most popular fancy for the Brownlow Medal. In a more evenly spread field of choices, Fremantle star Nat Fyfe (four votes) was favoured ahead of Ablett, Power  skipper Travis Boak and his Geelong counterpart Joel Selwood, all of whom were selected twice.

Hawthorn spearhead Jarryd Roughead was the best backed choice for the Coleman Medal, while Geelong youngster Nakia Cockatoo was selected as the most likely Rising Star winner.

FULL VOTING

Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight? (In 2014, the captains correctly nominated the Sydney Swans, Hawthorn, Fremantle, the Geelong Cats, North Melbourne and Richmond, but missed Port Adelaide and Essendon.)

Hawthorn (17), Port Adelaide (17), Sydney Swans (17), Fremantle (16), Geelong Cats (16), North Melbourne (14), Gold Coast Suns (12), Richmond (8), Essendon (4), Adelaide Crows (3), Collingwood (1), West Coast (1)

Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final? (Ten captains picked eventual premier Hawthorn in 2014, while five more captains also nominated the Sydney Swans to make the Grand Final.)

Hawthorn (11), Sydney Swans (4), Port Adelaide (3).

Who do you think will win the 2015 Brownlow Medal? (No captain correctly nominated Matt Priddis in 2014).

Nat Fyfe (Fremantle, four votes), Gary Ablett (Gold Coast Suns, two votes), Travis Boak (Port Adelaide, two votes), Joel Selwood (Geelong Cats, two votes), Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide Crows, two votes), Dayne Beams (Brisbane Lions, one vote), Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide, one vote), Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans, one vote), Dustin Martin (Richmond, one vote), Matt Priddis (West Coast, one vote), Daniel Wells (North Melbourne, one vote).

Who do you think will win the 2015 Coleman Medal? (Three captains correctly nominated Lance Franklin in 2014).

Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn, seven votes), Lance Franklin (Sydney Swans, three votes), Tom Hawkins (Geelong Cats, two votes), Jack Riewoldt (Richmond, two votes), Jeremy Cameron (GWS Giants, one vote), Josh Kennedy (West Coast, one vote), Kurt Tippett (Sydney Swans, one vote), T Walker (Adelaide Crows, one vote).

Who do you think will win the 2015 NAB AFL Rising Star? (No captain correctly nominated Lewis Taylor in 2014).

Nakia Cockatoo (Geelong, four votes), Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans, three votes), Jed Anderson (Hawthorn, two votes), Angus Brayshaw (Melbourne, one vote), Patrick Cripps (Carlton, one vote), Matt Crouch (Adelaide Crows, one vote), Jordan De Goey (Collingwood, one vote), Jarrod Garlett (Gold Coast Suns, one vote), Patrick McCartin (St Kilda, one vote), Jaden McGrath (Brisbane Lions, one vote), Matt Scharenburg (Collingwood, one vote), Kayne Turner (North Melbourne, one vote).