The wacky stat which proves that second spot on the AFL ladder is cursed

The Brisbane Lions may be the AFL's hottest team at the moment, but they could be headed for a loss in the near future if a wacky curse is to continue.

It has been one of the most evenly-contested seasons in recent memory, and an AFL-obsessed Reddit user may have discovered why.

According to the research, it has been determined that teams coming into any given round in second position on the ladder have won just four of 15 games this season.

The Lions narrowly avoided defeat at the weekend, pulling out a 12-point win against the Kangaroos, although the win put Chris Fagan's side into the dreaded second spot after Collingwood's loss.

The slumping Magpies have been the team burnt most regularly by the second spot curse, having lost four consecutive matches when starting the round in second position.

Interestingly, the position that has given teams the most success is ninth, with teams coming into the round in ninth position, with teams winning 12 out of 16 such games so far this season.

Riding the wave of a five-match winning streak, Fagan's upstart Lions are tasked with one of the league's more daunting roadtrips this week, playing the resurgent Hawks in Tasmania.

Sitting in 10th position, the match is virtually a must-win for Alastair Clarkson's men who kept their slim finals chances alive by toppling the ladder-leading Cats on the weekend.