Collingwood faces a titanic task to make it back to the Grand Final next year, according to Champion Data's difficult rating of the 2019 fixture. 

The AFL's official number cruncher believes the Magpies have the toughest draw of all teams, ahead of Hawthorn, North Melbourne, West Coast and Melbourne.

The Magpies had the easiest draw in 2018.

2017 minor premier Adelaide, which slid to 12th this past season, could be set for a major bounce back. 

Only St Kilda was considered to have a simpler draw than the Crows.

Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Western Bulldogs have the next-easiest draws on the Champion Data formula. 

As shown below, the teams were ranked in four categories with the the top-four teams highlighted in red, teams in fifth to eighth in pink, ninth to 14th in white, and 15th to 18th in green.

The colours are based on points differential from last season and were then averaged according to their opponents in the 2019 fixture.

Fixture breakdown

Plays twice

Games against
top four
Games against
bottom four
Six-day
breaks
Five-day
breaks
Interstate
'away' trips
AdelaideCats, Suns, Saints
Power, Eagles
566110
BrisbaneHawks, Roos, Power,
Dogs, Suns
444110
CarltonTigers, Swans, Dogs,
Saints, Suns
55406
CollingwoodTigers, Dees, Eagles,
Dons, Dogs
64805
EssendonPies, Giants, Roos,
Swans, Freo
54716
FremantleEagles, Power, Dons,
Dogs, Saints
556010
GeelongHawks, Roos, Swans,
Crows, Dogs
44516
Gold CoastGiants, Crows, Lions,
Saints, Blues
463010
GWSDons, Suns, Hawks, 
Tigers, Swans
554010
HawthornEagles, Cats, Giants,
Roos, Lions
55605
MelbourneTigers, Eagles, Pies,
Swans, Saints
6561 (four days)5
North MelbourneCats, Hawks, Power,
Dons, Lions
45605
Port AdelaideTigers, Roos, Crows,
Lions, Freo
553011*
RichmondDees, Pies, Giants,
Power, Blues
5561 (four days)5
St KildaDees, Crows, Freo,
Suns, Blues
55506*
SydneyBlues, Dons, Cats, 
Giants, Dees
555110
West CoastDees, Pies, Hawks,
Crows, Freo
545010
Western BulldogsPies, Cats, Freo,
Lions, Blues
56315