Collingwood is set to return to the top eight, while Scott Pendlebury may finally break into the elite category of footballers to have won a Brownlow Medal.

That’s the opinion of the 18 AFL captains who have participated in the 2016 captains poll.

Three captains selected the Magpies to make the top eight, after two consecutive years of missing the finals.

A consensus was reached on just four sides, with all 18 captains agreeing that Fremantle, Hawthorn, West Coast and Geelong will contend in September action.

The growth of Collingwood’s young players, in addition to its offseason recruiting sees Nathan Buckley’s men held in higher regard than this time last year.

Just one opposition captain predicted that Collingwood would make the top eight in 2015.

Captains are often elected on not just skills and leadership, but their football smarts.

If the skippers are correct in predicting the Magpies will return to the finals, then there may very well be a big season in store for Scott Pendlebury.



WATCH - The captain slots a clever goal against North Melbourne.

At 27, Pendlebury shows no signs of slowing down. He won his fourth Copeland Trophy in 2015 and added another 15 Brownlow votes to his career tally of 133.

One fellow captain believes that after a third-place finish in 2011, Pendlebury will break his drought and win the coveted award in 2016.

Four captains believe Patrick Dangerfield will win the Brownlow Medal in his first season in Geelong, while three each voted for Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), Gary Ablett (Gold Coast) and Dan Hannebery (Syndey).

Finally, just as one captain predicted a big season for Pendlebury, two have forecast a breakout year for Darcy Moore.

Moore remains eligible to win the Rising Star award this season after nine games in the Black and White in his debut season.

He is the third favourite to win the award according to the AFL captains, with Callum Mills (Sydney) and Clayton Oliver (Melbourne) leading a pack of talented youngsters.

Finals, a Brownlow Medal and a Rising Star in 2016.

Wouldn’t it be nice.

Full survey

Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight? (Seven selections for each captain)

Fremantle (17), Geelong (17), Hawthorn (17), West Coast (17), Sydney Swans (14), Port Adelaide (12), Richmond (7), North Melbourne (6), GWS (6), Western Bulldogs (6), Adelaide (4), Collingwood (3).

Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final? (11 captains picked eventual premier Hawthorn in 2015)

Hawthorn (7), West Coast (5), Fremantle (3), Geelong (1), Richmond (1), Sydney Swans (1).

Who do you think will win the 2016 Brownlow Medal? (Four captains correctly nominated Nat Fyfe in 2015)

Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong, four votes), Gary Ablett (Gold Coast, three votes), Nat Fyfe (Fremantle, three votes), Dan Hannebery (Sydney Swans, three votes), Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans, one vote), Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs, one vote), Dustin Martin (Richmond, one vote), Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood, one vote), Luke Shuey (West Coast, one vote).

Who do you think will win the 2016 Coleman Medal? (One captain correctly nominated Josh Kennedy in 2015)

Josh Kennedy (West Coast, seven votes), Lance Franklin (Sydney Swans, four votes), Tom Hawkins (Geelong, two votes), Taylor Walker (Adelaide, two votes), Jeremy Cameron (GWS, one vote), Charlie Dixon (Port Adelaide, one vote), Jack Riewoldt (Richmond, two votes).

Who do you think will win the 2016 NAB AFL Rising Star? (No captain correctly nominated Jesse Hogan in 2015)

Callum Mills (Sydney Swans, seven votes), Clayton Oliver (Melbourne, three votes), Darcy Moore (Collingwood, two votes), Jacob Weitering (Carlton, two votes), Callum Ah Chee (Gold Coast, one vote), Wayne Milera (Adelaide, one vote), Christian Petracca (Melbourne, one vote), Josh Schache (Brisbane Lions, one vote).