Every year a handful of players have career-changing seasons – although that’s not to say they are always career-changing for the better.
So who will have the maximum impact at your club this season, and who will have the minimum?
Adelaide
Good: Rory Sloane – He’s getting better every season. He’s underrated and he’ll win Adelaide’s best and fairest this year.
Not so good: James Podsiadly – Tex Walker is back and Josh Jenkins is developing. Do they still need Podsiadly? If he kicks 26 goals like last year, I will definitely admit my error.
Brisbane
Good: Daniel Rich – He’s back from an ACL and with a loaded, new midfield, Rich is primed for a huge comeback season.
Not so good: Daniel Merrett – Brisbane have no big forward target who can kick a bag of goals. Merrett can do it once every five games. There will be a lot of pressure on him and I don’t think he will deliver.
Carlton
Good: Troy Menzel – He kicked 26 goals in 2014, two goals behind Lachie Henderson in Carlton’s leading goal scorers. He’s a livewire in the forward line and we’ll see him running through the middle this year as well.
Not so good: Liam Jones – It’s a tough pick because he’s starting a fresh at Carlton this season, however Jones is inconsistent. He needs to take contested marks and kick two goals a game to be effective.
Collingwood
Good: Travis Varcoe – Collingwood haven’t had a player with genuine pace in their line-up since Leon Davis in 2010. Varcoe will give them pace off the half back line, through the midfield, and in the forward line. He is incredible versatile and highly skilled.
Not so good: Jesse White – Sorry Jesse, I can’t see you having a better season than last, and that’s an issue. Patrick Karnezis will be coming for your spot and Corey Gault showed he could hold his own in the NAB Challenge.
Essendon
Good: Joe Daniher – 2015 will mark Joe’s third year in the AFL system. He kicked 28 goals in 2014, and he has the ability to kick 40 this season. If Essendon can provide good forward 50 entries to him, he’s a chance to start making the forward 50 his own.
Not so good: Adam Cooney – Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems the general consensus is that Cooney’s best days are behind him, with injuries plaguing him since his Brownlow win. Essendon’s midfield is loaded with talent, and in terms of playing a small forward type the Merrett brothers and Chapman seem to have that role covered.
Fremantle
Good: Anthony Morabito – Considering all well went with his minor knee surgery in the preseason, Morabito will be injury free for the first time in three seasons for the Dockers. Watch out.
Not so good: Colin Sylvia – 2014 was a massive bust for Sylvia after crossing from Melbourne. I would assume this is his last chance – one I can’t see him taking.
Geelong
Good: Nakia Cockatoo – What an exciting preseason he had. He’s quick, skilled, young and complements this Geelong team incredibly well.
Not so good: Rhys Stanley – I don’t know where Stanley fits in Geelong’s forward line. He’s athletic, but he was better suited at St Kilda playing in front of Nick Reiwoldt.
Gold Coast
Good: Gary Ablett – Couldn’t go past Ablett on this one. He’s back from a season-ending injury, determined to get Gold Coast inside the top eight and possibly add a third Brownlow to his collection.
Not so good: Andrew Raines – I liked Raines at Brisbane but I don’t know what he adds to Gold Coast’s youthful, yet now experienced list.
Greater Western Sydney
Good: Joel Patfull – Huge recruit. Huge addition to their inexperienced backline. Huge pick-up for GWS.
Not so good: Dylan Addison – He’s now surrounded by his old Western Bulldogs teammates but I can’t see him being good enough to play beyond 2015.
Hawthorn
Good: Jed Anderson – After a great preseason Anderson is primed to show an already stocked Hawthorn midfield how good he can be.
Not so good: Brian Lake – Tough pick. The younger, more disciplined James Frawley will edge him out and take his spot.
Melbourne
Good: Heritier Lumumba – Has to be the Big H. Provides experience, skill and run from the backline pushing forward.
Not so good: Jimmy Toumpas – Can this kid play? He needs to show something in 2015, because he’s quickly being overtaken by the other young kids at Melbourne.
North Melbourne
Good: Jarrad Waite – I went with Waite because he could kick 50 goals this season if North is up in the top four. Should build a great partnership with Drew Petrie.
Not so good: Shaun Higgins – North had a solid midfield before recruiting Higgins. Don’t think his impact will be bad, but it won’t be huge either.
Port Adelaide
Good: Paddy Ryder – Ryder was the obvious choice here. I rate him as the best off-season acquisition by any club, he’ll be All-Australian this season.
Not so good: Johann Wagner – Was great on The Recruit but definitely made the wrong decision. He won’t see any game time at Port, but would have had a chance at the two expansion clubs.
Richmond
Good: Jack Reiwoldt – It’s time for Reiwoldt to dominate like he did in 2012 when he won the Coleman Medal. I’m predicting a 70-goal year from the big Tiger.
Not so good: Nathan Foley – I’m not sure if I even agree with my pick here, but Foley’s best may be behind him.
St Kilda
Good: Jack Steven – All Australian. That’s all.
Not so good: Arryn Siposs – Stanley is gone so you would think this would be Siposs’ year to shine. I can’t see it happening – they’ll go to Paddy McCartin over Siposs surely.
Sydney
Good: Isaac Heeney – Young. Exciting. I can see him being in their starting 22 by Round 4, if not Round 1.
Not so good: Adam Goodes – No disrespect, I absolutely love Adam Goodes, but he should have hung up the boots last year. He won’t be bad, but he’ll have a minimum impact.
West Coast
Good: Nic Naitanui – He’s number one now. It’s time to start playing like it. And he will.
Not so good: Sharrod Wellingham – Since leaving Collingwood, his career has really gone down. What does he bring to this West Coast line up?
Western Bulldogs
Good: Marcus Bontempelli – He could very well be the best midfielder at the Dogs at the end of the season. He’ll be top three in their best and fairest, maybe one or two seasons away from All-Australian.
Not so good: Jarrad Grant – Like Liam Jones, he is so inconsistent I don’t know where to rate him in this team.
Do you agree with my predictions? If not, who do you think will most and the least impact this season?
jax
Guest
Nic Nat is the obvious choice and he already had his breakout year in 2012 when he was the AA ruckman. Sheed is going to have a breakout year, as is Wellingham who you picked to fail. McGovern will pick up where he left off as will Sheppard. There were so many others to pick from but you went with one obvious and one wrong with WC.
jax
Guest
Nic dominated in 2012 and was the AA ruckman, as a 21yo. He's been injured for the 2 years afterwards. I'm not sure which clowns picked him dominate in 2013-2014 when he was injured but they need their heads read. Were you one of them or are you just regurgitating what you've read at the time? He's now injury free so he should have a strong season. Wellingham has had an exceptional pre-season so barring injury you got that one wrong. He's also out of contract.
Paul
Guest
True. Depends whether it's Brian Lake or Brian Harris that turns up to play.
Don Freo
Guest
I'd reverse your two tips for Melbourne. Heri is just too loopy. He needs to sort himself out. Jimmy is very, very good. Love the call on Mora for Freo. Sit up and take notice. Tiarne knows what she is on about.
Katfish
Roar Guru
good way to create a bit of controversy
Radelaide
Guest
Easily!!!!!! In fact Goddard was rated to go higher so the Saints did really well out of that trade IMO.
Tiarne Swersky
Roar Guru
Yeah give it a go! I tried not to go for the obvious...more so the players who I think will have break out years and those that won't.
TomC
Roar Guru
I don't agree with every entry but I like the concept. I might try to come up with my own list.
Katfish
Roar Guru
Don't think lake will have a bad year. Frawley will take the best forward so Lake will take the second best and look to take intercept marks in the backline. Good call on Goodes - I think him being in the team makes the forward line unbalanced with 4 talls and in the GF the hawks just walked the ball out without any pressure to contend with. The Toup has talent so the Crows had better make a play for him at the end of the year.
Katfish
Roar Guru
Take Hugh Goddard over Stanley any day
Macca
Guest
I'm wiht you Paul - as a Carlton fan this could be sour grapes but to me Higgins and Waite are roughly the same - both injury prone, both largley unfulfilled talents and both will have great games and poor games during the year - can't see one being good and the other being bad.
Macca
Guest
On the Blues the Good I ink will be a number of players including Menzel, Cripps & Yarran On the bad Jones being the is a little harsh, hopefully being the third tall will make things easier for him and I'd be happy for around 30-35 goals from him this year, roughly a goal and a half a game
Tanami Mehmet
Guest
Nic Nat is going to dominate every year but never quite does. He's almost always the 3rd best ruckmanon the ground which might change a little now Big Cox is retired.
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Brisbane - If you follow any sort of Lions news then you would be well aware that Leppitsch has flagged Merret for a permanent backline position this year, which Merrett is very happy about – he is no forward. They are going to back in the development of their young guys Close, McStay, Freeman and use Staker as the experienced head for the next couple of years. Jackson Paine and Luke McGuane are the two Senior players who have their careers on the line this year. They are both forwards and are behind the pecking order to the guys mentioned above. Not to mention that Brisbane this year will have the option of resting one of Leuenberger and Martin forward when not rucking. Paine just cannot cut it at Senior level although does very well at NEAFL level and McGuane is now injury prone and would not be viewed as part of the Brisbane future. I agree that Rich is excellent but maybe would have had Dayne Beams as someone ready to dominate – his NAB form has been excellent and looks primed for a big season at the Gabba. Gold Coast – Andrew Raines is on the Rookie List and will play in the NEAFL. He was brought in to add experience and professionalism to the Suns training. The added benefit is that should a long term injury be suffered by a Senior player on the Suns list then they can promote him to play a role. For the Gold Coast “Not so Good” I would have Aaron Hall and Daniel Gorringe as the two players with the most to lose this year. The positions that they play are very well stocked with Gorringe behind Smith and Lynch in the Ruck and all of Lynch, Dixon and Day in the forward line set up. His competition comes from Peter Wright who was taken with Pick 8 in last years’ draft and Keegan Brooksby who is a rookie draft prospect. Hall has already been surpassed by two new recruits in Touk Miller and Jarrod Garlett and his performance last Friday night in the NAB Cup will have done him no favours in winning a starting 22 position. He is fumbly with the footy, can’t lay tackles (a necessity for small forwards in current day footy) and misses easy shots for goal, either on the run or for set shots. Additionally he has to compete with Brandon Matera, Jack Martin, Alex Sexton and Andrew Boston who are all probably ahead of him in the pecking order.
johno
Guest
Morabito is on the injury list with availabilty as TBC He had to have his knee cleaned out in January .... so not so sure about the injury free claim there
Tiarne Swersky
Roar Guru
They did trade for him and gave up pick 21 to St Kilda. St Kilda used that pick to draft Hugh Goddard.
Andrew
Guest
Yes, Merrett won't be playing up front this year. Brisbane plans to use it's smalls/midfield to kick the bulk of it's goals this year until Close and McStay get comfortable. After two and a half years of yo-yo, look for Merrett to get back to his tag of best spoiler in the league.
David
Guest
I think Geelong traded for Stanley
Tiarne Swersky
Roar Guru
What you said about Waite surely could be applied to Brian Lake as well
Paul
Guest
Chip Frawley isn't fit to carry Lake's boots. "Waite because he could kick 50 goals this season" or he could be injured and/or suspended as usual. Shaun Higgins will be the icing on the cake for North now that he will be played in his true position instead of being stuck in the backline as his former mastermind, McCartney, tried.