Australian Rules legend Robert Walls has predicted a bleak year for West Coast in the wake of losing experienced players the likes of Matt Priddis and Sam Mitchell - tipping them to take home the wooden spoon this season.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL Tonight the Carlton legend, who won three flags as a player and one as a coach, said he believed it would take the Eagles some time to get back into finals contention despite their extra-time win in last year’s elimination finals.

Asked for his tip for the team to finish last on the ladder, Walls didn’t hesitate.

“I reckon West Coast, they’ve lost a lot of experienced players,” he said.

“They’ll take a couple of years to get themselves up and going again. I think it will be a lean season for the Eagles.”

However, Walls tipped a far more lucrative season for the Eagles’ WA rivals.

Selecting his likely top eight for the year, Walls believed Fremantle could be shock finalists in 2018 on the back of a favourable fixture.

The Dockers will play 13 games at Optus Stadium this season, one as the away team in the western derby and one as the away team against Gold Coast in round three after the expansion side was forced to farm out their home games due to a clash with the Commonwealth Games.

Camera Icon Can Freo cause an upset? Credit: Daniel Wilkins

Following Saturday’s game against Port Adelaide the Dockers will have only one interstate trip before round seven, with four games out of five at Perth’s new stadium.

Four of their final five games of the season are also fixtured at their home ground.

Walls said on the back of that, he expected them to sneak into the top eight.

“A roughie down the bottom there is Fremantle, and one of the reasons for that is that they play 13 games at Perth Stadium, so 13 games at home is a pretty good start to the season,” he said.

Robert Walls’ 2018 top eight

GWS

Adelaide

Richmond

Port Adelaide

Geelong

Sydney

Melbourne

Fremantle