The most to lose in order:
1. Richmond -- the good money was on another flag. The biggest shame is that surely would have quietened those who still question the legitimacy of our two recent flags.
2. GWS -- were next best placed for silverware. After the layoff, they could really struggle to regain the appetite for redemption that would have driven them to the next level.
3. Collingwood -- a relatively easy fixture meant they were in the mix. Champion Data ranked their fixture the 8th easiest and the way they stitched up the Bullies was impressive.
4. West Coast -- questions on next generation but current stars still in the right age bracket. Yeo, Gaff, Darling, Sheed, Kelly, McGovern and Shuey will keep them going although ageing Naitanui, Hurn, Kennedy, Redden and Sheppard a worry.
5. Geelong -- did they actually have much to lose in the first place? Nothing of any consequence changed for the Cats to believe they were in a better position this season compared with the previous few.
6. St Kilda -- good new coach, decent list and a missed chance for new players to gel. Reckon the Saints could have made the eight but the hiatus will stall their development for 12 months.
The least to lose in order:
1. Gold Coast -- with the right programmes, a chance for their highly rated kids to get bigger and stronger and more able to withstand a full season of playing against the hardened clubs.
2. Carlton -- were missing good players (McKay, Curnow, Betts, Marchbank and now Kreuzer) for a large chunk of time. Get them right and they'll be much better placed in 2021 than they were in 2020.
3. Essendon -- similar to Blues, Daniher's ongoing struggles won't hurt them as much with no footy this year. Also were likely to be without Heppell for a long stretch.