As has become customary over recent years, the AFL polled every club Captain to determine their own predictions for the season ahead.

The 18 Captains were asked five key questions in the lead-up to Thursday’s AFL Season Launch in Sydney, with the proviso that their individual answers would be treated anonymously to ensure personal views.

The questions were as follows:

• Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight?

• Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?

• Who do you think will win the 2012 Coleman Medal?

• Who do you think will win the 2012 NAB AFL Rising Star?

• Who do you think will win the 2012 Brownlow Medal?

Not surprisingly - particularly considering the team’s 13th ladder placing in 2011 - the Brisbane Lions didn’t rate a mention in either of the questions relating to the Finals or Grand Final.

In fact, the Lions were one of five clubs - along with Gold Coast, GWS, Port Adelaide and Melbourne - not to receive a single vote.

The only Lions representation from the poll responses were in relation to the AFL Rising Star award, with 18 year-old ruckman Billy Longer and second year midfielder Jared Polec considered potential candidates for the honour.

Longer and Polec are just two of 16 Lions players eligible for the this year's AFL Rising Star award. 

The full voting from each question was as follows:

Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight?

Collingwood (17), Carlton (17), Geelong Cats (17), West Coast (17), Hawthorn (16), Fremantle (12), Sydney Swans (nine), Adelaide Crows (eight), St Kilda (six), Western Bulldogs (two), Essendon (two), North Melbourne (two), Richmond (one), Brisbane Lions (nil), Gold Coast Suns (nil), GWS Giants (nil), Port Adelaide (nil), Melbourne (nil).

Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?

Hawthorn (11), West Coast (four), Geelong (two), Collingwood (one).

Who do you think will win the 2012 Brownlow Medal?

Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood (eight), Lance Franklin, Hawthorn (four), Gary Ablett, Gold Coast Suns (two), Nat Fyfe, Fremantle (one), Daniel Kerr, West Coast (one), Sam Mitchell, Hawthorn (one), Joel Selwood, Geelong Cats (one).

Who do you think will win the 2012 Coleman Medal?

Lance Franklin, Hawthorn (14), Jack Riewoldt, Richmond (two), Mitch Clark, Melbourne (one), Travis Cloke (one).

Who do you think will win the 2012 NAB AFL Rising Star?

Stephen Coniglio, GWS Giants, (seven), Josh Caddy, Gold Coast Suns (three), Brandon Ellis, Richmond (one), Billy Longer, Brisbane Lions (one), Kane Lucas, Carlton (one), Tom Mitchell, Sydney Swans (one), Jared Polec, Brisbane Lions (one), Billie Smedts, Geelong Cats (one), Clay Smith, Western Bulldogs (one), Chad Wingard, Port Adelaide (one).