With the AFL season just an agonising two months away, we take a look at the contenders and pretenders for the 2013 flag, in alphabetical order.
First up are the Adelaide Crows.
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Crows are an interesting team to start out with for my 2013 AFL season previews. They were unfortunately on the wrong end of the biggest off-season football scandal, and they lost one of their better players.
However, this is a young team, already one of the best in the AFL, with a great, young coach. They should definitely make some noise in the late finals.
Can they go one better to the MCG on the last Saturday of September?
If anything good is to come out of the Adelaide Crows’ off-season, it’s that they got rid of what could have been some dangerous discord in the locker-room regarding Kurt Tippett.
As good a player as Tippett is, the Crows have both Taylor Walker and Sam Jacobs to fill the void that he leaves. As far as other positives go for the Crows, they have a great young team with exciting players such Patrick Dangerfield, Scott Thompson, Nathan van Berlo.
They also have one of the best young coaches in the league in Brenton Sanderson, who plays a run-and-gun style of game. What’s not to like about the Crows?
On the minus side, they lost Kurt Tippett, to one of their biggest competitors in the league. And they didn’t get anything back.
As big a cancer as Tippett could’ve become, he was still a very good player who provides mismatches wherever he plays. To make matters worse, they did not get any compensation for him.
Despite the scandal Tippett went through, he was still at high demand. If the Crows had’ve had the opportunity to trade Tippett during trade week, they could’ve gotten a few players and/or draft picks and become an even bigger premiership threat. That’s a big chance lost.
Despite the disappointment of losing Tippett for nothing, the Crows are still in a very strong position. They have a good, young team and some of the best players in the league, and a great coaching staff. Nothing should stop the Crows finishing in the top three.
Prediction: 3rd.
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions had another disappointing year sprinkled with bright spots in 2012. One was the play of young stars such as Jack Redden, James Polkinghorne and Daniel Rich in a year where captain Jonathan Brown was again decimated with injuries.
With not too many off-season moves, and Michael Voss still in the head coaching role, the Brisbane Lions don’t look like they’ll be taking any steps towards the greatness they achieved in the early naughties.
The Lions are a good team – they did add Brent Moloney, who is a good midfielder at his best. They blooded plenty of young cubs with big ceilings this season, such as Dayne Zorko and Josh Green, and did well working them into the core of young future stars.
Next year, everyone is a year older, a year more experienced, a year more developed and has had another pre-season together. Things can only get better from here.
If they can keep Jonathan Brown on the field for most matches this year, they can definitely exceed expectations, and I hope they do.
Unfortunately for Lions fans, the front office is still unwilling to part with Michael Voss, after he has repeatedly proved he needs a superstar-studded lineup to have any chance of competing in the AFL. Yes we love to respect club legends, such as Vossy, but the best for the team needs to always be in mind.
And of course, this Lions club is still young and developing. The Lions need to focus on mixing some more veterans in with their young core, and they have started to do that by bringing in Moloney, but more is needed next year.
If the Lions can gather required veterans to get their team into the finals, they can hopefully send Jonathan Brown out respectably, as lengthy injury time away from the game has certainly shortened his career.
The Brisbane Lions are an encouraging team, as they are close to the bottom of the ladder, but still on the rise. They have plenty of young pieces and a good environment that free-agents will want to come to in future years.
If they develop their young kids whilst Brown is still around, bring in some more vets and send Vossy packing, the Lions can be as good as they make themselves.
Prediction: 13th.
Carlton Blues
The navy Blues certainly had an old, dark year in 2012. They finished off the year being the victims of the Gold Coast Suns’ greatest win ever, and capped off the year by firing Brett Ratten.
However, their off-season was one of the best in the league, bringing in multiple premiership and grand-final coach Mick Malthouse to lead the troops.
Chris Judd has also surrendered the captaincy, signalling the Blues are flying the flag of change. It should be an interesting year for the Blue baggers.
The Blues have everything to be excited about.
Mick Malthouse is one of the all-time coaching greats, and the Blues community will be hoping he can lead them to the promised land that they were supposed to reach a few years ago. It can only be up from now on for the Blues.
The only thing that could be playing on Carlton’s mind is last year’s results. With a virtually unchanged playing squad, they’ll need to pick up the play monstrously from last year if they’re to return to relevancy. Obviously a healthy Marc Murphy will help, but they can’t afford any injuries if they want to hang with much younger, fitter healthier teams.
On the surface, the Blues’ season looks to be a positive one. If they can get everything together, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be contending for a premiership, perhaps for the next few years. They have champion players, a champion coach, and are a champion club looking to return to football relevancy.
But that’s what we all said last season.
Prediction: 6th.
vocans
Guest
There's a lot of improvement left in this young team. Remember they went down to the Hawks by only 5pts. Finals experience adds to them. The young backs should be even tougher this year. The competition for a place is enormous and that adds significantly to attitude on the ground, and the options open to the coach. The 8 certainly and should be a flag contender. Top 4 and even no. 1.
Brendon
Guest
I think you underestimate Port and to a lesser extent Gold Coast, both have recruited well over the off season. Port has a good midfiled core group and GC has brought some experience in. The bottom 5 is not all sewn up in my opinion
Brendon
Guest
I am just going to have a guess based on last years form and news I've hear on injuries so far as well as the trade period. in order Geelong Hawthorne West Coast Sydney Freo Collingwood Adelaide Carlton North Melbourne Essendon Richmond Port Brisbane St Kilda Western Bulldogs Gold Coast Melbourne GWS Port and Brisbane and Gold Coast could go higher, I'm a Port fan and am really excited by the coming year. Richmond will choke as usual, I see they are talking finals already. Essendon don't have the class everyone gives them credit for. Adelaide somehow gets a super easy draw again, not sure why but that gets them into the finals by default St Kilda to be the big slider, surely Lenny can't continue playing that good forever, Riewoldt is highly overrated and Goddards gone. GWS to win only one game, the honeymoon is over.
Dan
Guest
Last year the Lions won 8 games against the bottom 5 sides, with 2 good(close) wins against top 5 sides. However they got slapped around by the majority of the comp, and while they're heading in the right direction, they wont get the need 13-14 wins to make finals. Also not sure how the Lions could consider a North double up easy.
TomC
Roar Guru
I guess it goes to show that ultimately the best evidence for how a team goes in the future is how they went in the past. Doesn't mean it'll work out that way, but it's better than a bunch of subjective opinions.
NeeDeep
Roar Pro
Yeah - it does. Thanks for pointing that out om. Hadn't noticed before that. I certainly don't expect that wil be the way they finish. As Lroy noted, Carlton & Essendon and even the Tiges to some extent are being talked up - but are they really on the improve to be in that company. I think the Roos had a slghlty easy draw last year and the Saints played some fine football as well and it wouldn't surprise me if more than a couple of these sides forced their way into the 8. Having said that, someone then has to drop out and that's the hard part. Everyone is tagging North for that role. But who else? Are Collingwood or Geelong on the slide? Are Freo going to take a step backwards from last year, under Ross Lyon? Will Kurt Tippett's departure really hurt the Crows that much? Ulitmately, the consensus of 3 supporters of diffferent clubs came out that way, but individually we all had slight variances. One of us had Richmond as this years big improver taking out 6th, with Essendon grabbing 8th spot at the expense of the Crows and North. Another had the Bombers in 6th and the Saints 7th, at the expense f the same 2 clubs and the final ladder had the Saints in, with Adelaide clinging to 8th spot and North missing out. At this time of year, it is very theoretical - but that's my 2 cents worth. North to missout at the xpense of either Essendon or St. Kilda.
TomC
Roar Guru
Hmm. Apart rom Adelaide finishing slightly lower, that really sounds a lot like last year's ladder, NeeDeep.
NeeDeep
Roar Pro
Great read Myles and nice follow up, Lroy. Don’t want to steal anyone’s thunder, or get ahead of myself, but I and 2 of my buddies normally catch up around Christmas / New Year and we pick a final ladder for the coming season, each. Normally not too bad, with the odd exception (West Coast, last year for example). What I found interesting this year was that we seemed to agree on the top 5 and the bottom 5, albeit in varying order – Hawthorn, Sydney, WC Eagles, Geelong, Collingwood at the pointy end, with Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Bulldogs, Gold Coast and the Giants at the bottom. Brisbane is probably the next rung up (13th) as far as I’m seeing it and I reckon you would probably pencil in either Freo or Adelaide for 6th. If you’re going on form and have a liking for Ross Lyon – as a coach – you would stick in the Dockers, or if you like the looks of the Crows draw, you might have them in. Either way, that looks to take care of positions 1 to 7 and 13 to 18. Which narrows it down to 5 teams, vying for the 8th slot – ie. North Melbourne, St. Kilda, Carlton, Richmond and Essendon. Will be interested in your views on this group of teams in particular. Good luck with the rest of them!
Redb
Roar Guru
Jetta does some great work but tends to fade later in the season.
TomC
Roar Guru
I see Aspley and UWS were Lachlan's NEAFL tips. A combined win-loss record of 9-27 for those two.
Lroy
Guest
@Red, sounds greatd. As a non Bombers fan, I think Jetta works harder than he is given credit for, hope he has a good year ;-)
Lroy
Guest
@ AllSports - Cheers mate, I didnt mean to make it so long, began to get into it and bingo, bobs your uncle ;-)
Strummer Jones
Guest
One of last year's prediction pieces. Hmmmm, are these things a waste of time? http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/01/09/can-the-afl-in-2012-match-its-2011-highs/
Brewski
Guest
I can help ....... Lots and lots of stuff happening in NZ ..... :) http://www.worldfootynews.com/
Redb
Roar Guru
I think we need an article on the AFL International Cup. :)
Redb
Roar Guru
Leroy Jetta. Big improvers at Essendon are likely to be Zaharakis & HIbberd, Jetta is exciting to watch but inconsistent.
AllSports
Roar Rookie
Wow Lroy love your predictions. Im certain it will be Swans, Hawks, Pies, Eagles top four, with Dockers an outside chance for fourth. You can name about 6 other teams for the remainder of the 8. It will come down to who gets injured.
Lroy
Guest
Mate,I like Hannebury. He was very unlucky not to get the Norm Smith. With Tippet in the lineup, the Swans, barring injuries should be right up there come the pointy end of the season. Good luck ;-)
Strummer Jones
Guest
Hannebury played the game of his life in the GF, and probably went close to the Norm Smith. Unfortunately though, he really was making some pretty bad disposal errors before the GF, and on a consistent basis. Some Swans fans were calling for him to be dropped for a few weeks can you believe. Hopefully it can continue his excellent GF form in 2013.
Strummer Jones
Guest
True but Walker is looking pretty scary. 23 this year, that bloke could be an absolute superstar of the game (yes, I know we've heard it all before .......a mate once said Jesse White would be the new Wayne Carey!!!). Adelaide to hold a top 8, barring any major injuries throughout the team, for mine