2012 is shaping up to be an intriguing AFL season. With the addition of Greater Western Sydney, we now have 18 teams that will battle it out over 23 home-and-away round and 198 matches.
The bookies currently have Collingwood as the early favourites for the flag. Geelong, Hawthorn and Carlton are all under single figure odds. West Coast and Sydney come next around the $13 to $17 range. As expected, Greater Western Sydney is a shoe-in for the wooden spoon.
For the non-Melbourne teams, West Coast, Fremantle and Sydney are at the top of the board as the most fancied interstate teams.
Who do you expect to play off in the grand final? Collingwood are favourites to either play the Cats or Hawks.
Once again, if the books are right, this year’s Brownlow Medal will be awarded to a midfielder. The top 10 names in betting all play on the ball.
Much has changed since the most recent Grand Final day, when the Cats proved their critics wrong by defeating Collingwood in Mick Malthouse’s final game as head coach.
Cameron Ling hung up his boots after nullifying Brownlow Medalist Dane Swan, as did teammates Brad Ottens, Darren Milburn and Mark Blake. What will Chris Scott pull out from his bag of tricks in the 2012 season?
In what has since been nicknamed the Kirribilli agreement, Nathan Buckley took over the reins from Mick and will have former Bulldogs coach Rocket Eade assisting as football and coaching strategies. Bucks, who played 280 career games, will not tolerate a drop-off from his players and we will see them once again in the last few weeks of the finals.
Brenton Sanderson signed as head coach of Adelaide and became one of several rookie coaches to take the head role at a clubs. St Kilda appointed former Pies assistant Scott Watters as their new coach and he was quick to have them standing knee deep at St Kilda beach, looking into each others’ eyes (probably not the best thing to do with a club in such a fragile state, mentally and physically). Mark Neeld was another to put his hand up; Garry Lyon and the Dees were impressed and duly signed him. The Western Bulldogs were the other club to go the rookie route when they gave Brendan McCartney a contract.
The big signing in the coaching ranks involved Ross Lyon and the Fremantle Dockers. After fives seasons with the Saints and three grand final appearances, Lyon signed a four-year contract and ousted Mark Harvey. The signing stunned the footy world – especially the media – as no one had any idea what was happening in the dark. Harvey would go on to agree to assist Michael Voss at Brisbane.
In 2012 we will also see the return of the master marketer. Kevin Sheedy will make a return to the coaches box, thanks to the AFL’s biggest experiment, Greater Western Sydney.
In addition to Sheedy, GWS have already claimed one of the final pieces of the puzzle leading up to the start of the season, selecting the 197cm key forward to be, Jonathon Patton.
I will be providing you with a team-by-team analysis for season. I will examine each list including the ins and outs, the coaches and his lieutenants, the team schedule, last season stats… it will be comprehensive.
But first things first, which club has your money for the flag?
The Cattery
Roar Guru
In yesterday's Age, in the editorial part of the paper no less, Martin Flanagan gave us his own inimitable take on entering a new footy season - the transcendental reason to celebrate the footy season. The game is like the Beatles - the sum of its many parts. He talks of Nathan Buckley's interesting family history - of having learned the game playing with aborigines in the NT. Buckley says: "Footy's like a tune that the indigenous players never forget. The rest of us struggle to remember it at times." Flanagan picks the Hawks to be premiers this season.
Veni, Vedi, Sherrin Calcitravi
Guest
I doubt anyone would question that the Saints will be well off the mark this year.
Big V
Guest
West Coast dark horse for the flag GWS- won't win a game Geelong to slide a little- tbh.
Cam Larkin
Roar Guru
I agree that Adelaide will be solid improvers this year. They have a few young guys that if given game time or greater game time, will show their strong potential to the competition.
Lachlan
Roar Guru
Hawthorn, Collingwood Grand finalists. Fremantle, Adelaide and Brisbane big improvers. North Melbourne and Richmond pushing for top 8. Port Adelaide and Gold Coast won't be as bad as last season. Greater Western Sydney to be more competitive than what some people suggest, but still win the spoon.
Cam Larkin
Roar Guru
The big O from down my hometown (Ballarat) will boost the big man stocks for the Cats ... another J-Pod story? Correct about the Pies not having the best start but at least it is happening now and they seem to be only minor (2-3 week injuries). It will be the top three of Geelong, Collingwood and Hawthorn once again. The Hawks need a full season of no injuries - if they played a full game agaisnt the Pies they play them in the granny last year - however, the fell asleep for 3 minutes near the end and it was too costly. I don't regard the Saints as a true GF contender - quote me if you like. They're too fragile, both mentally and physically and I doubt Watters' idea of getting them around in the bay would help. The team previews will commence over the next few weeks.
Redb
Roar Guru
Can't see Geelong falling too far from their perch. Collingwood have had a poor start with injuries and a few things going wrong. Its not the start Buckley would have wanted and perhaps could be a year when things don't go right, it happens. I think Hawthorn showed they are good, but just lack a class factor to go all the way.
brendon
Guest
my prediction is carlton will make it this yr. So hawthorn vs Carlton
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Couple of interesting aspects of season 2012 which you touch on: 1. entry of a new team 2. a few rookie coaches, some with unorthodox backgrounds 3. the flag favourite has a rookie coach, hot on the heels of the next favourite which won it last season with a rookie coach - my early prediction is that the 2012 grand final will NOT be a replay of last year's grand final - at least one of those two will not make it all the way to the end this year.