"Prelim final or bust": Kane Cornes' early 2025 pass marks for each of the 18 AFL clubs

10/31/2024 06:20 PM

Kane Cornes has undertaken the challenge of assessing next season's expectations of each AFL club.

The criteria is simple: What is a pass mark for your club in 2025?

Cornes has come up with 18 pass marks of his own, describing this as "the accurate version".

Read his thoughts below:

WIN A FINAL

"Adelaide must win a final," Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.

"100 percent they must win a final. This group should have been winning a final last year.

"The expectation last year was to make the finals, so they don't just get off lightly because you absolutely butchered your season and the group that you've got finished bottom four.

"Last year was the year to make the finals in year five of Mathew Nicks' rebuild. Now it's year six. It is to win a final.

"You recruit Alex Neal-Bullen, James Peatling, you pay six years for Isaac Cumming, you pay ridiculous money for all of that, you sign Darcy Fogarty on a seven-year contract, you keep Taylor Walker and Brodie Smith, you keep all the veterans.

"You are all in. This group has invested significantly in their list, Izak Rankine, Jordan Dawson, given up first-round draft picks.

"This is a group that must win a final, that's not a big ask."

MAKE THE GRAND FINAL

"I think go back to the Grand Final.

"Joe Daniher leaves but they're going to get some players back from injury, they'll have a handy player come in with the first pick in the draft (Levi Ashcroft).

"I think they'll be back there."

MAKE THE GRAND FINAL

"Some have it it as make a prelim, but that happened a couple of years ago.

"I think they need to make the Grand Final. I think this group has been ready to go for some time.

"The salary cap is absolutely bursting at the seams, that doesn't happen if you haven't put together a list that's ready to win now.

"Making a prelim, whilst that's a pretty successful year, I think it's making a Grand Final. The Blues are ready to go now.

"It's a high bar, but are Carlton fans going to be happy if they bombed out in a prelim?"

MAKE THE GRAND FINAL

"With what we've seen and the aggression they've shown with putting this list together, there's no excuses here.

"This team with all their 30-year-olds, with the lack of draft picks, with the investment they've made…and they would even say this.

"Geez I'd love to see a Carlton v Collingwood Grand Final."

MAKE THE FINALS

"I don't think that will happen, I think they've conditioned themselves for more disappointment and more failure with the way they're talking.

"I think everyone would say that if they make the finals it would be a pass mark."

MAKE THE PRELIMINARY FINAL

"I would think for the Dockers it's getting to prelim final weekend.

"I think they're good enough to do that. They won a final against the Bulldogs two seasons ago so they should have made it further this year and then continuing on that path.

"I don't give them a get-out this year because they lost their last four games and didn't make the finals.

"Win a final? Is that going to save the coach?"

MAKE THE PRELIMINARY FINAL

"I'm happy with them making a prelim.

"The sustained success for Geelong means a prelim would be enough."

MAKE THE FINALS

"I think they're capable of winning a final, but I think as a pass mark that is fair."

MAKE THE PRELIMINARY FINAL

"I think that's fair for the Giants after making the last two prelims."

MAKE THE PRELIMINARY FINAL

"Hawthorn won a final this year and almost made a prelim.

"Winning a final is not a pass mark when you've gone and got Tom Barrass and Josh Battle and you've already won a final.

"They've got to make a prelim. I think they can win it, but as a pass mark for the way this group is tracking (it's a prelim)."

MAKE THE PRELIMINARY FINAL

"Some have said avoid the bottom six for Melbourne.

"Goody is looking for a job if their pass mark is avoiding the bottom six.

"It's prelim final or bust for Melbourne, surely, with where this is at. That's the proper pass mark."

WIN EIGHT GAMES

"I know they won three games this year, but winning six games as a pass mark?

"It's got to be eight. Hawthorn won eight in 2023 so North Melbourne are easily capable of winning eight games this year.

"I think that's a realistic pass mark."

MAKE THE GRAND FINAL

"I don't think they're good enough to make a Grand Final, but I think we would agree that is the pass mark."

WIN FOUR GAMES

"I'm ok with that, I think that would be a pass mark for them."

WIN A FINAL

"The Saints made finals a season ago. I think they should be winning a final.

"St Kilda hosted an Elimination Final in 2023, why would they not be able to get back to that and win a final?"

MAKE THE GRAND FINAL

"I'm never going to sit here and say that winning a premiership is a pass mark. That's ridiculous, isn't it?

"Winning a premiership is brutal as a pass mark, so making the Grand Final is a pass."

WIN SIX GAMES

"I'm ok with that, I think that's a good pass mark."

MAKE THE PRELIMINARY FINAL

"People are so kind to the Western Bulldogs. Have you not looked at their list?

"Winning a final for the Bulldogs (is not enough). The capabilities that they have and the talent at their disposal, they've got to be making the prelim."