MELBOURNE, VICTORIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Dustin Martin of the Tigers celebrates with the AFL Premiership Cup on stage as confetti flies in the air after winning the 2017 Toyota AFL Grand Final match between the Adelaide Crows and the Richmond Tigers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Former Bulldogs skipper Bob Murphy has ranked the sides he thinks will make the top eight, using a different metric.

So much analytics and statistics are used these days, but Bulldog's legend Bob Murphy says he doesn't need any of it to rank where the AFL teams will finish on the ladder come the end of the season.

Murphy simply watches a game and based on his 'belief-o-metre' he can judge where each team will finish; or thereabouts.

“The belief-o-meter is taking all the noise and the analysis and the statistics around the game and pushing that aside and saying what do we actually think, who do we like and I just want to look at it from a different angle,” Murphy told SEN’s Whateley.

What Murphy is saying isn't completely out of the realm of reality. It could be argued that the past two premiers were not the most skilful teams in the league, but under a system led by a strong coach and captaincy team as well as some self-belief as a team, the Tigers and Bulldogs were able to become premiers.

Looking at Hawthorn's threepeat, a lot of it would have to come down to self-belief the way they would easily take care of their opponents on what many say is the game of the year where players have to put up with so much pressure.

Although outlandish, Murphy may have a point with the whole 'belief-o-meter' he's created. Here's Bob's prediction for the ladder come the end of the season using the 'believe-o-meter':

1st. Richmond
2nd. Melbourne
3rd. West Coast
4th. North Melbourne
5th. Sydney
6th. Collingwood
7th. GWS
8th. Geelong

“The wildcard is the Hawks," Murphy said.

They’ve done it before, they’ve got the man in charge, they’re just a unique football club. They’ve got enough confidence with guys like James Sicily and Jack Gunston down back."