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Definitive guide to AFL 2019: Part 2

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20th March, 2019
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With the season less a day week away, it’s time to look at Part 2 of the definitive guide to season 2019.

If you missed the first part, feel free to have a read here.

Geelong
The Cats are grouped into a unique bunch of three teams that have moved on from their glory years over the past decade and our now fighting for the final spot in the top eight.

Geelong’s home-ground advantage immediately gives the club an advantage in securing that spot, particularly with its final three games at GMHBA stadium being against the Bulldogs, North Melbourne and Carlton.

Of course, there are justified concerns at the Cattery, particularly with the club’s ruck stocks and general attacking options. Gary Ablett playing as a permanent forward may be coming a year too late, but he could be kicking 40+ goals and stepping up while the Cats struggle to find that second forward.

With the midfield depth the Cats have, there should no longer be a reliance on Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood that has proven to be detrimental in the past. A strength in clearances will help Geelong move the ball forward quickly and the defensive zone can push right up the ground, keeping the ball stuck in the attacking half.

The Cats have the names, they just need to perform well at home to play finals this season.

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Predicted finish: 8th (12 wins, 10 losses)
Best and Fairest: Mitch Duncan
Leading Goalkicker: Tom Hawkins
Most Improved: Jake Kolodjashnij

Gold Coast
The Suns are going to struggle immensely in 2019 as they undergo a true transformation of the list and playing style. There are an incredible number of new faces and it will take time to gel, but these are the first steps to creating a positive environment and, in the future, a winning culture.

Stuart Dew has his work cut out for him. (AAP Image/Darren England) NO ARCHIVING

Jack Lukosius and Ben King should play close to every game, while Izak Rankine will be a key part of the team when he returns from injury.

Sam Collins will establish himself in defence, although many will need to temper their expectations given his role could change with Rory Thompson’s ACL injury. Expect Jarrod Witts, David Swallow, Touk Miller and Jack Martin to be the most spoken about players, while Brayden Fiorini will definitely be the most prolific Sun this season.

If the Suns can get more competitive as the season goes on, and the likes of Fiorini, Ben Ainsworth and Will Brodie experience the types of breakout seasons we expect from them, then it’ll be a tick for the club regardless of the lack of wins.

Predicted finish: 18th (1 win, 21 losses)
Best and Fairest: Brayden Fiorini
Leading Goalkicker: Ben Ainsworth
Most Improved: Will Brodie

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GWS Giants
Despite losing some quality, the Giants are still set to be a competitive finals side when the end of the season comes.

A slow start is to be expected, with Josh Kelly not having featured in any preseason matches and a slight reshuffle of the forward line required, but this team is still full of class names and capable of getting on a roll at any stage throughout the season.

Brett Deledio

Do the Giants still have what it takes? (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Despite not liking the recruitment of Shane Mumford, he’ll provide a strong presence in the ruck that the Giants have been lacking since his retirement, which should assist their clearance work.

The return of Zac Williams cannot be understated, as his penetrating kick and pace out of the backline should open up space for the Giants to run in waves. Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly are two of the best players in the game, while Lachie Whitfield’s move back to the wing should push him into the competition’s upper echelon as well.

It wouldn’t surprise to see GWS play more of its recent draftees as it aims to bring class and build experience into a team completing a mini re-stabilisation of its core group.

We can expect 2019 to be the year Jeremy Cameron absolutely dominates the competition, provided he can avoid unnecessary suspensions. He can post Buddy-like numbers and really make the Giants are dark horse

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With the defence set up nicely thanks to Phil Davis and Aidan Corr, and with Toby Greene back to full fitness, this is still a team that has quality all over the ground.

Predicted finish: 7th (13 wins, 9 losses)
Best and Fairest: Jeremy Cameron
Leading Goalkicker: Jeremy Cameron
Most Improved: Harry Perryman

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Hawthorn
The injury to Tom Mitchell has immediately placed question marks on Hawthorn’s 2019 after their straight sets exit from finals in 2018. Chad Wingard isn’t ready for the start of the season and the duo of Jarryd Roughead and James Frawley are still key pillars at either end despite heading into their final seasons at the club.

On paper, it leaves the Hawks in an average position, but there is still a sense of excitement about the Hawthorn machine. Jaeger O’Meara is a genuine star who will thrive this season, while Liam Shiels will be the other dominant player through the midfield.

It’s the young core, though, that will provide great positivity for the club and establish their names as ones to watch. James Worpel should get more inside midfield time given Mitchell’s absence, while James Cousins has shown his ability over the preseason.

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Harry Morrison needs to take the next step on the wing, while it appears as though Conor Nash and Dylan Moore will have bigger roles to play this season. It would be smart for Alastair Clarkson to use the swingman ability of both James Sicily and Jack Gunston more in 2019, particularly given the likelihood of the Hawks suffering ebbs and flows throughout matches.

Hawthorn’s biggest advantage with the rule changes will be its kicking game. Accurate kicking out of defence and into the forward line, given the space allowed through 6-6-6, will make up for the below par clearance work we can expect.

No one uses angles better than the Hawks, which is why we will see a strong kicking game for the club. Expect Jack Scrimshaw to play every game, with the club finally finding a Grant Birchall replacement.

Chad Wingard Hawthorn

Chad Wingard is a Hawk. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Predicted finish: 10th (11 wins, 11 losses)
Best and Fairest: Jaeger O’Meara
Leading Goalkicker: Luke Breust
Most Improved: James Worpel

Melbourne
Melbourne is expected to make the big jump into true premiership contention and it appears likely that the year has finally come.

Jesse Hogan left the club but the Demons are more than capable of replacing him, with Sam Weideman on the verge of a big breakout season, Steven May potentially spending some time in attack and Max Gawn resting a little more in the forward line, particularly if the club plays Braydon Preuss.

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Perhaps the most exciting part of Melbourne’s team is the further development and experience in its elite players – Clayton Oliver and Angus Brayshaw are only just starting to discover how good they could be.

The one big factor for Melbourne in 2019 is Christian Petracca. After a lot of hype promoting a potential breakout last season, he performed solidly without breaking out.

With attention on other players in the competition, expect Petracca to play a lot more in the midfield and post big numbers – the 23-year-old could average 25 disposals, five tackles and more than a goal a game this season.

This is a team that is above average all over the ground, and the only thing stopping them in 2019 is the mental side of things, although the preliminary final run of 2018 should give the Demons plenty of confidence.

Predcited finish: 2nd (17 wins, 5 losses)
Best and Fairest: Clayton Oliver
Leading Goalkicker: Tom McDonald
Most Improved: Sam Weideman

North Melbourne
North Melbourne is in a bit of a tricky spot, where the team isn’t good enough to make finals, but it isn’t bad enough to be in the bottom four.

Jared Polec

Jared Polec. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

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Mediocrity is the worst possible position for a club and, unfortunately, that’s where the Kangaroos are stuck at the moment, given their reliance on ageing players and lacking as many potential stars as other clubs in the competition.

In terms of development and potential, defence is where North Melbourne may choose build from given the likes of Ben McKay, Sam Durdin and Ed Vickers-Willis can all come in and do a really solid job.

Ben Brown just doesn’t get enough help, and he can only win so many games off his own boot, while Shaun Higgins has a couple of seasons left in him. This is why the hype surrounding Paul Ahern, while justified thus far, needs to be turned into tangible results in the coming seasons.

This will only be his second season actually playing so expectations should be adjusted, but he could be an absolute star and the face of the team. Unfortunately, recruiting Jared Polec, Aaron Hall and Dom Tyson screamed of a team expecting to be playing finals this season, but the rest of the squad isn’t set up for it.

North Melbourne are definitely a team that can shape how the top eight ends up, but it’ll come from upset results rather than the club actually pushing for a spot.

Ben Brown should be a contender for the Coleman Medal this season, and the likes of Polec, Hall, Higgins and Ben Cunnington will post strong numbers individually, but overall, there just isn’t anything that stands out for North.

Predicted finish: 12th (9 wins, 13 losses)
Best and Fairest: Ben Brown
Leading Goalkicker: Ben Brown
Most Improved: Luke Davies-Uniacke

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