Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton believes there are only four teams who can win the AFL premiership in 2024.
“I’ve whittled it down to four. Sydney Swans, Carlton, Collingwood and the Giants,” Brereton told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
The Swans are now short-priced favourites to finish the home and away season in 1st, sitting some 12 points clear of Carlton in second through Round 14.
The Blues and Magpies sit 2nd and 3rd, while GWS is 5th on the ladder. Essendon, Geelong, Port Adelaide and Fremantle were the other top eight sides Brereton wrote off as a result.
John Longmire’s Swans have conquered almost all before them in 2024, with their only loss coming to Richmond in Round 3. Since then, Sydney hasn’t lost and have won each contest by an average of 41 points.
Fresh off a 42-point win over Adelaide where developing forward Joel Amartey booted a career-high nine goals, Brereton believes the Swans have added another string to their bow.
“They just got better… Joel Amartey kicking nine goals throws a new slant onto Sydney,” he added.
“They’ve got a dominant midfield and they press forward and kick a few goals… that’s the way they’ve been winning games.
“They’re still going to do that but now Amartey has a taste for it (he will change how opposition play against Sydney).”
But that doesn’t mean he’s locking Sydney away for a win over cross-town rivals GWS this weekend.
The Swans got the chocolates in the battle of the bridge earlier in 2024 and although Adam Kingsley will be without star defender Sam Taylor this weekend, Lachie Ash and Stephen Coniglio are expected to return to aid a depleted Giants side.
“I know they lost their full back but I think.. the Giants’ best team playing good footy in the midfield, I think they can stand shoulder to shoulder with Sydney,” Brereton said of Saturday’s contest.
There are only 10 rounds of home and away footy left in 2024 and although the Swans present as the dominant force, don’t expect them to go without another loss this season.
“But there will be a twist somewhere. It won’t be Sydney 22-1 at the end of the year, there will be a twist somewhere and they will rise again,” Brereton concluded.
“This is such a body of evidence… there is daylight coming second at the moment but it doesn’t mean the season is done, we know this.”