It may be one of most even and competitive seasons in years, but former Melbourne great and SEN radio host, Garry Lyon, believes six teams have emerged as genuine premiership contenders after the first 17 rounds.
Lyon believes Geelong, Adelaide, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Richmond and Sydney are the only teams that can win the flag at this stage of the season.
“Adelaide, Geelong, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Richmond and Sydney – they’re the ones that right now are absolute (contenders),” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast on Wednesday morning.
Despite Lyon's former club, Melbourne, currently sitting seventh and recently taking some big scalps, he believes they cannot win it this season. However, it hasn't stopped the former star forward from dreaming, stating it would be the fairy tale result of the season if they were to win the grand final.
“Since 1964 the Demons haven’t won one, they haven’t been in finals for 10 years," Lyon said.
"They have been in a Grand Final twice since ’64 and both times the grand finals they played against arguably the greatest sides of that era – Hawthorn in 1988 and the Essendon team of 2000, so they got their pants pulled down in both of them.
“They are due…that’s the bottom line, long suffering and been to hell and back.”
Of the six teams Lyon believes are good enough to taste the ultimate glory this season, the Tigers have the longest drought, with Richmond's last flag coming in 1980, while the Giants are yet to win a premiership.
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