West Coast Eagles among bookies’ favourites to win 2021 AFL flag, Nat Fyfe second favourite for Brownlow Medal

West Coast are among the bookies’ favourites to win their second flag in four seasons next year.

The Eagles are on the fourth line in the betting for the flag at $8, behind only two-time reigning premiers Richmond ($4.50), grand finalists Geelong ($5.50) and the Brisbane Lions ($7.50) with Neds.

Preliminary finalist Port Adelaide are next best at $9, while Fremantle are equal-12th favourites alongside Hawthorn at $51.

Last season's wooden spooners Adelaide ($101) and North Melbourne ($151), who had a radical post-season list overhaul, are on the last lines of betting.

West Coast are also right up there in top-four ($2.50) and top-eight ($1.30) calculations, with the Dockers rated a $4 chance to make finals in Justin Longmuir’s second season in charge.

Adam Simpson’s men finished fifth on the ladder after the home-and-away season, with a 12-5 record, but were knocked out by Collingwood at home in the first week of finals in a disappointing end.

They added defender Alex Witherden (Brisbane) and small forward Zac Langdon (GWS Giants) in the trade period and Peel Thunder speedster Isiah Winder, South Australian Luke Edwards and Swan Districts midfielder Zane Trew in the drafts.

The young-and-exciting Dockers secured plenty of talent in the national draft, headlined by West Perth product Heath Chapman, Perth midfielder Nathan O’Driscoll and Next Generation Academy graduates Brandon Walker (East Fremantle) and Joel Western (Claremont).

Victorian key forward Josh Treacy also joined the club via the rookie draft.

Fremantle showed some promising signs in Longmuir’s debut season, finishing 12th with a 7-10 record.

Ex-Docker Lachie Neale is tipped to claim back-to-back Brownlow Medals, sitting atop the betting at $6 ahead of of his former teammate and two-time winner Nat Fyfe.

Fyfe and fellow West Aussie, Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps, are equal-second favourites at $8.

Midfielder Tim Kelly has West Coast’s lowest odds at $34, followed by winger Andrew Gaff ($41).

It comes as the AFL’s opening-round fixture reveal which sees Fremantle travel to Melbourne to take on the Demons at the MCG on March 20 and the Eagles host Gold Coast the following day.

Five round-one match will be held in Melbourne, with the Tigers to kick off their flag defence with their usual Thursday night fixture against Carlton at the MCG on March 18.

At least the first six rounds of the AFL fixtures are set to be released tomorrow.