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The Aussies and the Indians have packed their whites away after a disappointing summer of Test cricket. The best tennis players in the world have farewelled Melbourne Park following another stunningly successful Australian Open.
The hours of avoiding the scorching Australian sun and sitting under the air conditioner to get your sports fix are about to cease – unless you live in Perth.
All that can mean only one thing: the AFL season is upon us. Australia’s best theatre company is about to hit the stage. “Hallelujah!”, cry the game’s followers in unison.
For all those playing at home, there are now only 16 days until the first round of the NAB Cup and 53 sleeps until the opening game of the home-and-away season between Sydney Swans and Greater Western Sydney Giants.
Not long now and our game will once again be dominating our weekends, weekdays – well, our whole life in general.
Footy has always been a bit like World Wrestling Entertainment – minus the pre-planned slams and punches. There are always new and developing storylines that you just never know which crooked path they will take.
And this season will be no exception.
So which AFL storyline are you most looking forward to following in 2012?
Arguably the most interest will surround Greater Western Sydney Giants, the 18th and newest club in the league.
How many games will the Giants win in 2012? Will they even win a game at all?
No doubt the general footy community will put some pressure on this team to at least be competitive in its first season, especially after Gold Coast pushed a number of teams throughout 2011.
Yes GWS is nowhere near the level the Suns were at this time last year in terms of experience and development. Therefore expectations will be lower.
But because the two teams have been introduced in consecutive years, they will always be compared to each other – if not now, definitely in the future.
One thing is for certain though: coach Kevin Sheedy will play more mind games with the other 17 AFL clubs than an intoxicated female trying to persuade a man she fancies at her local establishment.
Or are you most looking forward to following the progress of Collingwood, more specifically, Nathan Buckley?
The Magpies’ new coach inherits a list that is still at its peak but also seething after losing the 2011 Grand Final to Geelong.
Unlike fellow rookie coaches Brenton Sanderson (Adelaide), Mark Neeld (Melbourne), Scott Waters (St Kilda) and Brendan McCartney (Western Bulldogs), Buckley is expected to take this team to a flag straight away. No pressure.
To make the task seem more daunting, the 2003 Brownlow Medallist has to follow in the footsteps of Michael Malthouse.
Not only was Malthouse a doyen, yet one of the great and innovative modern-day coaches, he was also charismatic and had a terrific relationship with the playing group.
They were his players and they played for him.
Now Buckley must make this Magpies list his players and convince them to play for him.
Yes Buckley has already spent two years at the club as an assistant coach, therefore he will know his troops well, as both players and as men.
But to get them to all play for him using his own policies and tactics for an entire season will be easier said than done. Good luck, ‘Bucks’. Definitely watch this space.
Or are you most excited about Fox Sports’ new AFL channel, Fox Footy – a gift to the footy community delivered express from the good Lord himself?
For the first time in six years, there will be a pay television channel dedicated to AFL. It will provide live an uninterrupted coverage of every home-and-away game of the season in high definition.
“Hallelujah!”, cry the game’s followers in unison once again.
Fox Footy, a revival of the former Fox Footy channel that operated between 2002 and 2006, re-launches on 17 February, the opening night of the round-robin stage of the NAB Cup. Hands up who is already frothing at the mouth?
However the question is: are you prepared to put up with the ‘great’ Eddie McGuire calling games again? At least he is not calling Collingwood matches.
Or is there something else wetting your footy appetite?
Are you chomping at the bit to pick your Dream Team or SuperCoach sides for 2012?
Are you a St Kilda supporter that cannot wait to shout expletives at Ross Lyon about his mother when the Dockers travel to Etihad Stadium to play the Saints in round four?
Can you not wait to see the likes of West Coast’s Nic Naitanui, Gold Coast’s David Swallow or Sydney’s Gary Rohan take the next step in their exciting development?
Or are you simply looking forward to that very first bounce?
Whatever you are most excited about, you will not have to wait too long for it. It is just around the corner and will come quicker than you expect.
Footy fans are about to be diagnosed with ‘Big Kev’ disease – an infectious yet splendid illness where people become overly excited. And this disease is about to go viral amongst the AFL community.
Above all, what are you most looking forward to this AFL season?
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.