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The real stuff is just about here, and recent years have shown us just about anything is possible. Here are 18 players – well, 17, actually – who will need to step up for their team to reach its potential, whatever that may be.
Adelaide – Taylor Walker
Tex was statistically down in just about every area last season after a consistent and high-quality four years prior. Whether that was a consequence of injury, a hangover after the Crows’ grand final disaster and equally disastrous off-season, a sign of decline, or a bit of each, we should find out this season.
At 28, Walker should still have at least a couple of years of high-quality footy in him. If he can get back to something near his best, the Crows can again content for a flag. If he can’t, 2018 might not look like a blip.
Brisbane – Lewis Taylor
Taylor has been a bit of a punchline since winning the Rising Star award ahead of Marcus Bontempelli.
But in the meantime, the 107-gamer has become a solid footballer: a smart and skilful mid-forward who finds space, uses the ball well and kicks goals. Big things are expected of the Lions this season, and if Taylor can increase his output by ten to 15 per cent, it will help his side a great deal.
Carlton – Sam Petrevski-Seton
Petrevski-Seton is a lovely player to watch. His footwork is a delight, whether he’s kicking the footy or dancing around an opponent. He has good speed, agility and vision and he just doesn’t get enough of the ball.
He’s barely turned 21, so there’s no need to panic. He’ll likely never be a high-disposal player and that’s OK – raw disposal numbers can be overrated – he just needs to get a bit more of it. Just four times last season did he have 20 or more touches – the same number as his rookie year, 2017 – if he can get that into double digits, the Blues will be better for it. More importantly, an average of 1.5 inside-50s a game simply isn’t enough – that needs to double.
Collingwood – Darcy Moore
As he enters his fifth season, we’ve seen but flashes of Moore’s brilliance. Injuries cut him down in 2018 but he should be primed to stamp himself as one of the better key defenders in the competition if his body allows it.
The Magpies’ 2018 was an overwhelming success, but had Moore been fit to take on one of West Coast’s monster forwards on grand final day, Collingwood could well have another premiership trophy in their cabinet. The Magpies’ midfield is arguably the best in the league, and their collection of mid-sized forwards work beautifully together. Moore could well be the final piece of the premiership puzzle.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Essendon – John Worsfold
It’s fair to say the Bombers have underachieved in Worsfold’s two ‘real’ years at the helm. Despite being a premiership-winning coach, the knock on Worsfold has always been that he lacks imagination. Essendon should have enough talent to reach September in 2019, but if this coach can’t find a way to end the Dons’ loooong finals-winning drought, the club might just look for another one.
Fremantle – Michael Walters
Can you believe Walters is 28? The veteran Docker’s talent is undeniable. He’s capable of tearing a game apart like few others in the league, he just doesn’t do it often enough. With Lachie Neale gone, Fremantle are suddenly relying on some very young players to do some heavy lifting.
Walters has the ability to lighten that midfield load while still doing damage in attack. Perhaps it’s foolish to expect improvement from a player entering his 11th season, but this is a player of All-Australian calibre. And if he can deliver that, the Dockers can become very interesting.
Geelong – Luke Dahlhaus
The best version of Dahlhaus is exactly what the Cats have been crying out for for years. A relentless hunter of both ball and man, the premiership-winning ex-Bulldog can win his own ball in tight and pressure the life out of opponents, be it in the middle of the ground of up forward.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen that version of Dahlhaus though – his 2017 was a stinker. I’m expecting him to be rejuvenated after a change of clubs – he’s still just 26 – and give Geelong a meaningful boost.
Gold Coast – Peter Wright
Expectations – at least externally – couldn’t be lower for the Suns this year. Whether that’s a good or bad thing for the players probably depends on the players. Hopefully it’s a good thing for Peter Wright. The Gold Coast big man is now in year five. He’s already had 27- and 31-goal seasons. There’s no reason he can’t boot 40 this season and make the forward line his own.
GWS – Jeremy Cameron
Already a fine player, Cameron has taken his game to a higher level the past two seasons, working further up the ground to stay involved in games without losing too much of his scoring power – 91 goals from 37 games.
With Rory Lobb gone and Jon Patton unlikely to play much of a role in this season, the time is right for the 25-year-old to stamp himself as one of the league’s very best players and make the Giants contenders once more.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Hawthorn – Chad Wingard
Wingard has been harshly judged in recent years, and Hawks fans will be equally harsh markers, having lost the popular Ryan Burton to bring him in. The 25-year-old has already made two All-Australian teams.
When asked to play more midfield time the past two seasons, he’s performed very well, averaging better than 20 touches, four inside-50s and a goal a game. He’s really, really good, but there might still be greatness in him, and if anyone can get it out, Alastair Clarkson can. They might need it, with Tom Mitchell out for the year.
Melbourne – Steven May
May has been a good player in this league, but it’s been easy for him to fly under the radar when not playing well at the league’s most pointless and dysfunctional club. No longer does he have that luxury, because a premiership contender paid a high price to bring him in. The scrutiny will be fierce. This is his ninth season, it’s time to step up.
North Melbourne – Jared Polec
North once again missed out on the superstar recruit they craved, but Polec isn’t a bad consolation prize. The former Brisbane and Port winger is coming off perhaps his best season and wouldn’t have been out of place in the All-Australian 40. If he can bring his best to North, he’ll provide the Roos with an exceptionally dangerous attacking weapon.
Port Adelaide – Travis Boak
What is Boak these days? The now former skipper has essentially transitioned into a half forward the past couple of seasons and been… OK, I suppose? Port need more from him. Whether that’s more goals – he’s never managed a goal a game across a whole season – disposals, physicality… something. He just needs to give more of something.
Richmond – Tom Lynch
See Steven May above. Lynch has been a good player in this league, but it’s been easy for him to fly under the radar when not playing well at the league’s most pointless and dysfunctional club.
No longer does he have that luxury, because a premiership contender paid a high price to bring him in. The scrutiny will be fierce. This is his ninth season, it’s time to step up.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
St Kilda – Blake Acres
There are few, if any, players that confound me more than Blake Acres. At 191cm and 90kg, with solid skills, he’s just about the prototype modern midfielder. But too often he floats and drifts out of games. He might just cruise through his career as a C+ midfielder, but he should be a better footballer. The Saints need him to be.
Sydney – Isaac Heeney
Heeney is a heck of a footballer. The Roar experts recently rated him their 20th-best player heading into this season. Will that be enough to stop the Swans from the slide so many are predicting?
Josh Kennedy isn’t the player he once was, and Kieren Jack has long since passed his prime. Luke Parker is still very good, and Will Hayward, Callum Mills and Oliver Florent are exciting, but if Heeney can take a figurative leap this season into the super-duper-star many think he can become, it will be a game-changer for Sydney.
West Coast – Andrew Gaff
I almost copped out here and wrote “No one, it’s all gravy”, but the Eagles aren’t getting off that easy. I doubt they’d want to. West Coast might just be the most powerful club in the AFL. They print money and are seemingly never more than a few years away from contention.
Since the VFL became the AFL, no club has played in more grand finals than the Eagles (seven). Despite that, they have yet to go back-to-back. Gaff will be stinging after missing the flag in his finest season as a player. If he can back it up or improve, West Coast will be up to their neck in it again.
Western Bulldogs – Josh Schache
The Dogs’ weakness is an open secret – their forward line stinks. It’s not quite now or never for Schache, but the former No.2 pick is now in his fourth season and has all the attributes to be a quality key forward.
If he can become a regular, reliable forward target for the Dogs, it could settle their seemingly never settled attack and lift them out out of the bottom six and back in the finals mix.