AFL 2022: Mick McGuane’s power rankings on every club entering 2022 season
Expert analyst Mick McGuane has delivered his ultimate AFL power rankings for 2022. And it isn’t pretty for three big Victorian clubs. See where your team sits.
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Leading football analyst and Collingwood premiership player Mick McGuane was recently asked to rank every AFL club’s defence, midfield and forward line 1 to 18.
We have added up the combined scores from the exercise to find out which AFL lists he rates highest overall entering 2022 — and which ones might struggle.
It is worth noting that these rankings are purely based on where Mick ranked each line before the start of AFL practice matches and are not his predicted ladder for 2022.
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1. MELBOURNE
Defence: 1st
MICK SAYS: Continuity is the key for the Demons. Steven May, Jake Lever, Christian Salem and Trent Rivers all played 20 or more games last season, while Michael Hibberd (15 games) and Harrison Petty (16 games) were also regular fixtures. Add in Jayden Hunt, Jake Bowey and Adam Tomlinson and you have a competitive group that bats deep. The Demons were the hardest team to score against last season, conceding an average of just 57.7 points a game. In addition to that, they conceded a score from just 39.4 per cent of opposition inside-50 entries — the lowest ever recorded by Champion Data. Melbourne’s backline has great trust among each other, they are aggressive spoilers and proactive readers of the play. I can’t see why they won’t be the measuring stick of the competition again in 2022.
Midfield: 1st
MICK SAYS: You just have to admire what the Melbourne midfield has become. They are no longer a selfish group but instead possess a great understanding of surrendering the ‘me’ for the ‘we’. Max Gawn, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, James Harmes, Angus Brayshaw, Jack Viney, Ed Langdon and recruit Luke Dunstan are a tough, hardworking and extremely selfless group. After the 15 minute mark of the third quarter of last year’s Grand Final against the Western Bulldogs, the Demons’ midfield dominated and scored a remarkable 44 points from centre clearances. This group relishes the contest, is prepared to hunt after the footy post-clearance and has improved its balance of pursuing the loose ball with layers of defensive support. One room for improvement is still defensive transition. The Demons’ ability to reference the opposition’s most dangerous option is something for coach Simon Goodwin to continually challenge.
Forwards: 1st
Mick says: The reigning premiers’ attack was clearly brilliant last year. My question is, can they replicate that after ranking second for both scores per inside 50 and inside 50 marks? And will the hunger still be there to be one of the better forward 50 pressure teams in the competition? It will all come down to attitude. We know the supply will remain high through Melbourne’s midfield dominance. The talent is there in attack with the likes of Bailey Frisch, Kysaiah Pickett, Tom McDonald, Ben Brown, Charlie Spargo and a bit of Christian Petracca floating forward. But can they back it up? Can Fritsch kick 59 goals — or more — again? Don’t underestimate the role Alex Neale-Bullen plays as a high half-forward who helps the midfield structure and connects the forward line. Time will tell if Sam Weideman can finally deliver and play an integral role in this diverse attack. And let’s not forget about Luke Jackson. The Demons’ hierarchy should be locking him away for the next five years before significant offers come from the West.
2. WESTERN BULLDOGS
Defence: 3rd
MICK SAYS: Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge had an exceptional year in 2021 and one of his best coaching moves of the season was turning Bailey Dale into a defender. Alongside Caleb Daniel, Dale provides exceptional kicking skills and attacking flair coming out of defensive 50, which has turned this group into one of the best back lines to watch. Alex Keath is a strong first-choice key defender, assisted by Zaine Cordy and Ryan Gardner. The Bulldogs will miss the retired Easton Wood, but Bailey Williams continues to develop and has intercepting nous, along with Taylor Duryea. As a group the Bulldogs gave up the fourth-fewest points against last season. They defend stoppages and turnovers as well as anyone because their team defence is in sync and opposition sides struggle to move the ball as result.
Midfield: 2nd
MICK SAYS: Marcus Bontempelli is hands down one of the best players in the competition. Combine him with Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae, Bailey Smith, Josh Dunkley, Adam Treloar and Lachie Hunter and you have one very handy midfield group. All of these midfielders and wingers are high possession winners who tend to play to their strengths around stoppages. A strength of the Bulldogs’ game is their ability to share the footy in a congested situation and get it out to a player in space to kick the ball. Hunter and Smith are prepared to run hard and spread the ground on the outside. With another pre-season under his belt, I’m expecting big things from young ruckman Tim English in 2022.
Forwards: 2nd
MICK SAYS: Aaron Naughton is a serious talent. But we will find out a bit about him this year and whether he can consistently handle being the main man inside 50 without the injured Josh Bruce. Naughton took the second-most forward 50 marks behind Carlton’s Harry McKay last year and the fifth-highest uncontested marks, given the great separation he is able to get from defenders on the lead. The challenge for coach Luke Beveridge will be to find a second marking target to Naughton. Opportunity will be there for Josh Schache and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan to step up and they must put their names in the frame at selection. But Richmond went all the way in 2017 with Jack Riewoldt as the only key target, so it can be done without a second tall. Marcus Bontempelli is the X-Factor and had a much greater scoreboard impact last year. When he gets tagged, it’s a great opportunity for him to slide forward. His versatility makes him such a valuable commodity for the Bulldogs.
3. PORT ADELAIDE
Defence: 2nd
MICK SAYS: The more footy that Aliir Aliir, Trent McKenzie, Tom Jonas, Dan Houston and Ryan Burton play together, the better this group will be. Trust and reliability will continue to evolve. The strong leadership, direction and guidance that Jonas provides is visible for everyone to see, but the others must upskill themselves to his level if they want to be a Grand Final participant this year. An aggressive and assertive team defensive structure also relies on players further afield to provide pressure and power at the ball, which Port Adelaide does well. Aliir will be better again in his second year with the Power and Burton has the potential to elevate himself to All-Australian status. Port Adelaide gave up third-fewest points against in 2021 and I see no reason why this will change.
Midfield: 4th
MICK SAYS: Ruckman Scott Lycett is a warrior who his midfielders feed off on the back of his exceptional work rate and competitive attitude. Ollie Wines was magnificent last year on his way to winning the Brownlow Medal and Travis Boak is a professional who diligently prepares to still give the best version of himself. Willem Drew is a good task-oriented player but needs to take his game to another level. Recruit Trent Dumont brings hardness around the ball and should prove a handy relief midfielder. I’d like to see Ken Hinkley use the dynamic Connor Rozee and Zac Butters more through the middle part of the ground. My one big concern – who rucks if Lycett gets injured? Sam Hayes is entering his fifth season and hasn’t played an AFL game. Is he good enough? If not, the Power would need to look to the likes of forwards Charlie Dixon, Todd Marshall and Jeremy Finlayson to fill the ruck void, which is not ideal.
Forwards: 5th
MICK SAYS: Charlie Dixon has long been the focal point, which is good for the Power to have but can also make forward-50 thrusts predictable for the opposition. It’s time for two others to step up and help. Todd Marshall is ready to grab the competition by the throat and Mitch Georgiades has all the attributes to become Port Adelaide’s most damaging forward. Georgiades has only played 28 AFL games entering his third year but he is a Coleman medallist in waiting. The talls are well complemented by the ever-creative Robbie Gray, the opportunitisic Connor Rozee, the hardness of Zak Butters and the speed of Steven Motlop and Orazio Fantasia. Given the breadth of tall talent, recruit Jeremy Finlayson could also benefit from getting a third or fourth-string defender this year.
4. BRISBANE
Defence: 4th
MICK SAYS: The Lions backline — led by Harris Andrews and Marcus Adams — must stand up week-in, week-out for them to be a legitimate Grand Final contender. I think they can. Andrews is an elite key defender and Adams had a breakout year in 2021 after finally getting his body right. Both players back themselves to mark the ball, which is a trait I greatly admire. Brandon Starcevich is a competitive beast who can play on smalls and talls. With Grant Birchall retiring, the door has opened for Keidean Coleman or Callum Ah Chee to step up and make that spot their own, complementing the attacking and dangerous Daniel Rich. Add in Ryan Lester and James Madden and it is a group that complements each other well.
Midfield: 4th
MICK SAYS: I love the forward line mix that Lions’ coach Chris Fagan has at his disposal. Joe Daniher finally got his body right last year and produced some fine football. They have the energetic, exciting and unpredictable Charlie Cameron, the opportunistic Zac Bailey and the marking ability of mid-sized forward Lincoln McCarthy. Eric Hipwood improved alongside Daniher last year and Daniel McStay is the other piece of the puzzle who can provide aerial support. Cam Rayner was clearly missed last year but returns from a knee reconstruction. Lively mid-sized Nakia Cockatoo is another important player if he can stay injury-free, while midfielder Dayne Zorko will spend time in the forward six as he brings ground-ball winning ability and goalkicking nous. The Lions ranked No. 1 in the competition in points for last season. They can do some damage.
Forwards: 5th
MICK SAYS: The Lions have a deep midfield group, but coach Chris Fagan needs to be more daring and give lesser names an opportunity to run through there more often. The mainstays in Lachie Neale, Dayne Zorko and Jarryd Lyons are all elite. We know that. But the Lions will become less predictable and more dynamic in the engine room if the likes of Hugh McCluggage, Jarrod Berry, Zac Bailey, Deven Robertson and a fit Cam Rayner are given more time on the ball. Rhys Mathieson should also be used whenever a good run-with role presents. Acceptance of a secondary role for Neale, Zorko and Lyons up forward is paramount. Look what Melbourne achieved with a similar selfless approach. Brisbane is already a strong territory team and can only become stronger with different combinations that will challenge opposition midfields.
5. GEELONG
Defence: 7th
MICK SAYS: Cats coach Chris Scott has a group of players in defence that know each other inside out and familiarity and trust are key pillars if any team is going to have a strong backline. The Cats have experienced players in Mark Blicavs and Tom Stewart (injured at the wrong time last year) as well as the emerging Jack Henry and Mark O’Connor. Add in a desperate Tom Atkins, a reliable Jed Bews and a versatile Jake Kolodjashnij and Geelong’s backline looks in good shape. The midfielders’ ability to roll back strongly and help the defence by clogging up space is also a key factor to consider and one of the reasons why the Cats are so hard to score against. However, Geelong did slip from 2nd to 10th for opposition scores per inside 50 last year, which is something Scott will be keen to rectify.
Midfield: 3rd
MICK SAYS: Age shall not weary them. Dismiss the Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield-led Geelong midfield at your peril. The Cats are still loaded with enough hardness and creative flare to generate ample opportunities for their forwards. Geelong plays to their style on the back of a strong, contested brand which helps them kickstart their kick-mark, uncontested style. Don’t underestimate their proactive footballer’s minds, as it allows them to get after the loose ball and as a group they were as good as anyone at winning contested possessions post-clearance last year. Their stoppage game is also in good shape.
Forwards: 3rd
MICK SAYS: The Cats have two of the best natural forwards in the competition with Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron. After a second pre-season training together, we should see even greater synergy and cohesion than last year between the dynamic duo. They both understand space and separation really well and that allows one or the other to get a lick of the ice cream. Gary Rohan was again rightfully criticised for his performances at the pointy end of the season last year, but is the perfect support for Cameron and Hawkins when he brings energy and enthusiasm. Gryan Miers, Luke Dahlhaus, Brad Close and Sam Simpson are the creative pressure forwards that the team desperately needs. Can Tyson Stengle take his second chance, working with his mentor Eddie Betts? We will see if he has the discipline and brings the effort to survive in the AFL. If he does, he could pay back the Cats’ faith in spades.
6. RICHMOND
Defence: 5th
MICK SAYS: Out: David Astbury. In: Robbie Tarrant. It was clever recruiting by the Tigers, who are also set to get back Noah Balta following an ankle injury that saw him miss the second half of last season. Having Tarrant and Balta at your disposal to play on the best opposition key forwards allows Dylan Grimes and Nick Vlastuin to focus on the intercepting roles they are so good at. Add in Jayden Short, Liam Baker and Nathan Broad and the Tigers are as good as anyone defensively when great effort is given up the ground to limit or slow opposition entries. Sydney Stack shapes as the X-Factor. Someone has to take over the Bachar Houli role after his retirement last year. Stack has all the attributes to be that man and become an elite defender of the competition if he applies himself in a disciplined manner.
Midfield: 8th
MICK SAYS: From all accounts, Dustin Martin is as hungry as ever in ominous signs for opposition midfields. He’s a terrific centre bounce player who wins pure clearances and has the power, vision and ball use to make them impactful further up the ground. Martin also lifts his teammates around him. But I’d be challenging coach Damien Hardwick to change the mix of those players around him. As great as Trent Cotchin has been, when him and Dion Prestia play onball together the Tigers can look a bit pedestrian. Shai Bolton offers burst speed that troubles opposition midfielders and makes opposition defences uncomfortable. He should be spending more time through the middle. Liam Baker also provides a different dynamic and Kane Lambert is another option, having been used as a high forward in recent years. With the return of Ivan Soldo from a knee injury will the Tigers go back to a two-pronged ruck set up with Toby Nankervis? That will be an interesting watch.
Forwards: 6th
MICK SAYS: Having the Tigers this highly ranked might surprise some. But I still think Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch have the ability to still influence games and, more importantly, they have a great understanding of how each other play. Lynch’s form was patchy last year yet still kicked 35.33 from his 18 games. If he can improve his accuracy a little it will bode well for the team. Many thought Riewoldt’s days were numbered last year – including me – but he still finished equal-sixth in the Coleman Medal with 51 goals. Coach Damien Hardwick would hoping for similar returns this year, as well as 50-60 goals between Dustin Martin and Shai Bolton – which is entirely possible. The challenge for Richmond is to get their pressure game back, which waned a little bit last year. The Tigers’ forward half pressure factor ranked 13th last year, after sitting 7th in 2020. There’s no excuse for that when you have the speedy smalls that Richmond has.
7. ESSENDON
Defence: 8th
MICK SAYS: Ben Rutten has transformed Essendon into having a very solid backline, even though the Bombers can still be exposed at times. Former forward Jayden Laverde has seen his career resurrected as a key defender who is more than capable in one-on-one contests and is prepared to back himself. James Stewart is worth persevering with as a key defender given his strong ability to read the play, while Jordan Ridley is a star who possesses a good balance of knowing when to attack and when to defend. Mason Redman has genuine upside and the recruitment of Jake Kelly gives the group great flexibility and an added competition edge. Nick Hind and Tom Cutler provide great run and showed rapid improvement last year, while there are big wraps on Zach Reid. Expect Aaron Francis to spend more time forward, given the number of key defenders at Rutten’s disposal. The big question is: Will Michael Hurley gets back? Essendon will be focused on bringing through the youth but it wouldn’t surprise to see Hurley get one last hurrah.
Midfield: 6th
MICK SAYS: Get excited, Essendon fans. Sam Draper is on track to rocket up the charts as one of the prominent ruckmen of the competition this year and serve as a driving force in the Bombers’ midfield. Draper is just 21 games into his AFL career but should give the Essendon midfielders no shortage of hit-outs this year to kickstart their attack. Draper’s energy is infectious and he’s happy to get around the ground and support his defence as well as float forward and hit the scoreboard, which means he will become a weapon. Zach Merrett is a star, Darcy Parish has taken his game to another level and a reinvigorated Jake Stringer adds a different dynamic to the Essendon onball brigade. Add in the professionalism of Dylan Shiel and a bit of Jye Caldwell and possibly draftee Ben Hobbs this year and the Bombers have all the ingredients in the midfield to be a finals side again this season. Don’t be surprised to see the silky Andrew McGrath start at halfback this year and rotate with Merrett. At centre bounces, whoever starts at halfback will look to leave his opponent as soon as the ball is in motion and briefly look to support their midfield.
Forwards: 8th
MICK SAYS: Essendon’s top three goalkickers last year were Jake Stringer (41 goals), Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (34 goals) and Cale Hooker (33 goals). Hooker is retired and a cloud hangs over the availability of McDonald-Tipungwuti. That is a dilemma for coach Ben Rutten, but it will also provide some great opportunities to others. Stringer can’t keep the scoreboard ticking over alone as a midfield-forward. Peter Wright simply has to step up and become the Bombers’ forward 50 contested marking beast. But Wright himself also needs some support. Harrison Jones is developing and will get more opportunities, but Rutten could also look to use youngster Kaine Baldwin and even defender Aaron Francis in attack. On the smalls front, Devon Smith and Will Snelling will need to significantly lift their output both on the scoreboard and with their tackling and pressure if McDonald-Tipungwuti is missing. A couple of early surprises could be the lightning quick James Hird Academy graduate Tex Wanganeen and creative West Australian Nick Martin.
8. SYDNEY
Defence: 6th
MICK SAYS: John Longmire and the Swans coaching staff made the necessary defensive adjustments last year and the overall team improvement that followed was stark. Sydney ranked fourth for opposition points from turnovers (up from 12th in 2020), seventh for opposition scores per inside-50 (up from ninth) and 6th for points against (up from 13th). Most importantly, they also stifled opposition ball movement, ranking first in the competition for opposition defensive 50 to inside-50 chains. That pressure up the ground makes life all the easier for the Dane Rampe and Jake Lloyd-led defensive group. Jordan Dawson’s defection to Adelaide during last year’s trade period is a big loss, given his ball use and defensive mindset. Who takes over his role? I hope Callum Mills is not dragged back from the midfield into defence.
Midfield: 10th
MICK SAYS: Here is what I’d like to see more of – Tom Papley attending centre bounces and spending more minutes as a midfielder. He did it to great effect in the final three rounds of last year and it’s a move that should absolutely continue. Papley brings a different skill set to the rest of the Swans midfielders as well as energy and agility, which complements the likes of Luke Parker, Callum Mills and Josh Kennedy well. Start him onball and give him the creative licence to push forward when he likes. The continued growth of Oliver Florent, Chad Warner and James Rowbottom will hold Sydney in good stead, plus a pinch of Isaac Heeney and Will Hayward rotating through the midfield. The recruitment of ruckman Peter Ladhams to support Tom Hickey will also prove important. The Swans improved in many key statistical areas last season and I’m expecting a further spike this year on the back of another pre-season for the younger players.
Forwards: 7th
MICK SAYS: The Swans were the most improved team in the competition last year on the back of a better territory game and how efficient they became forward of centre. They were the fourth-highest scoring team in 2021, which was quite remarkable after they ranked 15th in scores for in 2020. A lot of it came on the back of an injection of youth, which brought added speed and pressure in the forward half. Lance Franklin remains the focal point of the attack if he can stay fit, while Tom Papley and Isaac Heeney are perfect foils who are hard to match up on. Will Hayward and Sam Wicks should never be underestimated and Luke Parker is a nightmare match-up when he is playing or resting forward. With those names and their ability, I can’t see the Swans going backwards.
9. GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Defence: 9th
MICK SAYS: Sam Taylor is a gun defender and the incredible thing is that he is still only 53 games into his career. He’s the type of player any team could build a backline around. But for the Giants to be considered a finals participant, team defence must be a focus. A greater understanding of how it functions and a complete buy in by all players must take place. All aspects of their defence must be coached strongly and then they must rely on their leaders to put them in practice. Immense offensive talent is not enough. GWS sat in the bottom half of sides for protecting turnovers last season. Is that system or the player’s concentration to go from an attacking mindset to a defensive one? They also ranked bottom-six for opposition scores from stoppages. Too many Giants midfielders simply don’t put enough pressure on the opposition ball carrier when they charge into space. But with a shift in mindset, this group could improve dramatically with its defence this year.
Midfield: 7th
MICK SAYS: The Giants midfield group is a classic case of names on paper who haven’t got it done in recent years. And the question I’ve got going into 2022 is – how big a loss will Shane Mumford be? The onus goes on to Matt Flynn, Braydon Preuss and Kieren Briggs in the ruck department. Who wants to be the No. 1 ruck? I think Flynn is the man – and he needs to be – with a starting midfield group of Jacob Hopper, Callan Ward and any one of Josh Kelly, Tom Green, Tim Taranto and even a bit of Matt de Boer. Injuries to one side, Stephen Coniglio is a shadow of the player I thought he would become when he signed his monster contract. I love what he stands for as a leader, but I don’t think even coach Leon Cameron knows where he will play his best footy again when fully fit. I suspect if he is to recapture his best footy, he needs significant time around the ball.
Forwards: 12th
MICK SAYS: The Giants are a very efficient forward half scoring team when they’ve got their best personnel available. But the reality is they won’t have Toby Greene for the first five games this year, who was their leading goalkicker last season. They’ve also lost Jeremy Finlayson, who was a third-tall who could hit the scoreboard. It is therefore vital that recruit Jesse Hogan hits the ground running and justifies the faith that has been placed in him. Hogan kicked 20 goals from nine games last season and is more than capable of kicking 2.5 goals a game for the Giants this year if he stays fit and applies himself. It is his time to shine at a third club. Daniel Lloyd is a dead eye and Harry Himmelberg kicked the second-most goals at the club last year. The challenge is getting the combination right around the talls. Bobby Hill and Brent Daniels are the quick pressure forwards but the Giants need more goals out of them. Jake Riccardi could secure a permanent spot in the side. But is he good enough? And does he want it enough?
10. ST KILDA
Defence: 11th
MICK SAYS: I like the makeup of the St Kilda backline. Dougal Howard has All-Australian qualities and is a competitor who doesn’t shirk the responsibility of playing on the best opposition forward each week. He demands high standards of his defensive group and is the glue that holds them together. Callum Wilkie is adaptable and will become more complete when he better understands angles and the strengths of opposition smalls and talls he plays on. Hunter Clark and Jack Sinclair give the team some class and clarity when they dispose the ball out of defensive 50. Tom Highmore has the ability to become something special this year after another pre-season under his belt. My question is can Ben Long go to another level? On the back of Nick Coffield’s ACL injury, he has to. The big recruit for the Saints might be an off-field one, with new defensive coach Corey Enright already having a big impact on the group. Players generally become an extension of their coach and Enright brings plenty of composure, class and clarity.
Midfield: 9th
MICK SAYS: Jack Steele is a star. No fuss, no fanfare. He’s a consummate professional and a captain you would want to play alongside who gets it done week in, week out. The loss of Luke Dunstan is not ideal and coach Brett Ratten will need to be creative and add another player into the primary midfield fold, which also includes Brad Crouch, Zak Jones, Seb Ross and a bit of Jack Bytel and Daniel McKenzie. Is Jade Gresham – off an Achilles injury – that man? It depends if he has the fitness and willingness to run both ways in the midfield. Brad Hill and Dan Hannebery are high-profile recruits who need to step up, as does Jack Billings. Will recruit Tom Campbell get an opportunity in the ruck, alongside Paddy Ryder? Rowan Marshall is better used as a starting forward and then he can ruck. The Saints ranked 16th last year for centre clearance differential, which will be a key focus area this season.
Forwards: 9th
MICK SAYS: Max King has the physical attributes to become one of the top-three key forwards in the competition. He took the third-most contested marks of any player in 2021 and with another pre-season of weight training under his belt he could become the competition’s No. 1 contested marker this year. If he masters his goalkicking, King could quite easily have a Coleman Medal hanging around his neck at year’s end. King and Tim Membrey form a formidable combination as key forwards and have great synergy. Rowan Marshall poses a threat when he is in attack, although I’d like to see him hit the scoreboard more than he does. Josh Battle is hard to match up on and kicks long goals. Dan Butler and Jack Higgins bring creativity and goal kicking ability while Jade Gresham has a high football IQ. Where St Kilda can improve is getting a better balance between their deep entries inside-50 and their hit-up entries.
11. WEST COAST
Defence: 12th
MICK SAYS: When we talk about team defence, the Eagles performed miserably in 2021. For a group so talented – granted, there were some injuries to key personnel – coach Adam Simpson would have been disappointed in his post-season review. West Coast ranked 17th in the competition for opposition scores per inside-50 and 14th for points against. Do the older players, who are still the Eagles’ best players, still put a high price on defensive actions and conform to defensive structures as well as they used to? Jeremy McGovern, Tom Barrass and Josh Rotham are as talented a trio of defenders as there is in the competition and must lead the way with their effort this season. If recruit Sam Petevski-Seton is deployed down back, he will need to defend better than he did in his Carlton days.
Midfield: 12th
MICK SAYS: The Eagles midfield leaves themselves open for criticism. Due to the influence of ruckman Nic Naitanui, they ranked first in the competition for centre bounce clearance differential last year and sixth for overall clearance differential. But they also ranked dead last for loose ball differential and uncontested possession differential. Too often last year, I witnessed a lack of work rate and desire to go after the loose footy from this group. It’s something that coach Adam Simpson desperately needs to address. That said, the Eagles should be boosted by getting more footy out of Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo after injury-interrupted 2021 campaigns. But does Simpson go back to the tried and true combination or change up his midfield mix? Recruit Sam Petrevski-Seton could add a point of difference if he’s fit enough to play there. Until Dom Sheed works as hard in defence as he does in offence, questions will be asked of him, but the midfielder suffered an ankle injury in their pre-season game. The big question is: Is this midfield group hungry enough?
Forwards: 10th
MICK SAYS: Let’s be blunt. West Coast’s forward 50 pressure was woeful last year and must improve. They ranked last in the AFL for forward 50 pressure. There are more questions than answers about the Eagles’ attack entering 2022. Will Jack Darling play? He was their leading goalkicker last year. Can Josh Kennedy continue to deliver or will his ageing legs get the better of him? Kennedy and Darling kicked 83 goals between them last year. The pressure to cover their output — if it drops or disappears — squarely falls on Oscar Allen, Liam Ryan, Jamie Cripps, a returning Willie Rioli and the speedy Jack Petruccelle. If the West Coast forwards are all fit and available, they are an efficient group that deserves to be ranked 10th. But they could also hit the wall this year.
12. FREMANTLE
Defence: 10th
MICK SAYS: Justin Longmuir would be pleading with the footy gods for Joel Hamling, Alex Pearce and Brennan Cox to have uninterrupted seasons. On paper, the Dockers have a strong defensive group. But they couldn’t keep them together on the park last year. Having Hamling, Pearce and Brennan available would free up Fremantle’s best defender, Luke Ryan, to become the elite intercept defender the side desperately needs. Drying up opposition scores per inside 50 would have been high on Longmuir’s summer whiteboard, after the Dockers ranked 16th in that area last season. However, if this backline group can enjoy an injection of consistency and continuity this year, it is capable of playing on most opposition forward lines and having success.
Midfield: 15th
MICK SAYS: I really rate ruckman Sean Darcy, who played 21 games in a breakout 2021 to win the Dockers’ best and fairest. He’s such an impressive player with his follow up work, he has good footy IQ and has the mobility to get around the ground to support in the air. He’s a prominent ruckman who complements an ever-evolving midfield group of Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong, Nat Fyfe and David Mundy very well. I also like the recruitment of Jordan Clark, who can play a key role on one wing for Fremantle this year. Does fellow recruit Will Brodie get a run? He was a highly-touted Gold Coast draftee but he hasn’t shown it yet. My concern for the Dockers is their on ball depth. Two or three injuries among the key midfield group and they look in trouble.
Forwards: 13th
MICK SAYS: Coach Justin Longmuir needs to work towards implementing a consistent three talls and three smalls structure. Matt Taberner is the focal point but needs to be given strong support by Rory Lobb. Contested marking can be a feature of Lobb’s game and he has the ability to kick 30-40 goals as a more permanent forward, which he is better suited to than being a ruckman. Josh Treacy showed some ability last year but needs to bring some consistency to complete what can become a formidable trio of talls. There are options with the smalls. Nat Fyfe provides plenty when he is forward and Michael Walters oozes class. Then you’ve got Lachie Schultz, Travis Colyer, Mitch Crowden and the speed of Liam Henry and Sam Switkowski, who can be weapons both offensively and defensively. The Dockers were the fourth-lowest scoring team last year, but there is some upside there.
13. CARLTON
Defence: 14th
MICK SAYS: Jacob Weitering is a star. He is the Blues’ defensive pillar who gives great strength and leadership to their backline. The big question on everyone’s lips is who replaces Liam Jones? It’s over to you, Oscar McDonald and Lewis Young. One of those two players has to step up and be a constant to support Weitering. Forward Mitch McGovern looks set for a move to defence this year and will be given the chance to rejuvenate his career and put his athleticism and marking ability on show. Zac Williams needs to play in defence and forget about becoming a full-time midfielder. He can rotate through the middle on occasion, but has to start as part of the back-six where he complements Adam Saad as another run and rebound option off halfback. Caleb Marchbank’s has been sorely missed due to injury and his return could force out Lachie Plowman, who plays much better on smalls than talls. The Blues would be better served by using Sam Docherty on a wing than in defence.
Midfield: 14th
MICK SAYS: Clearly the Blues had to add some more midfield talent to take the pressure off Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh and they did that during the trade period last year. Recruiting the talented young Adam Cerra and the experienced George Hewett — who can play midfield or defence — were really important to add to the depth. Cripps has to get back to being the inside competitive contested ball winner we know he can be and let Cerra and Walsh do the work on the outside. Walsh’s delayed start to the season with ankle surgery is far from ideal, but for the Blues’ sake hopefully their reigning best-and-fairest is back on the field and back firing soon. I’d move defender Sam Docherty to a wing role, where he is capable of doing what Mitch Robinson does for Brisbane. After a solid season as a defender, I’d also be looking to give Liam Stocker some time as a midfielder, which he was recruited to be. The great debate will be whether ruckman Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning can play in the same team as a ruck combination as they also have key forwards in Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow and even Jack Silvagni who was used as a relief ruckman last year. De Koning is an exciting and developing player but isn’t quite ready to take over the mantle as No. 1 ruckman.
Forwards: 11th
MICK SAYS: I am genuinely excited about the prospect of seeing Harry McKay and a fit Charlie Curnow working together, possibly with the addition of Jack Silvagni who is a natural forward but might also be used as a secondary ruck. But the heat will be on the small forwards to lift their pressure, particularly given Eddie Betts and Michael Gibbons are no longer there. Corey Durdin defends as well as anyone and should get plenty of chances. Josh Honey is quick and creative but needs to work on his defensive actions. I think Durdin and Honey jump ahead of Fogarty, who finds space but is slow and doesn’t apply the defensive pressure required. Matthew Owies is worth persevering with as he reads the game well but also needs to ramp up his pressure game.
14. HAWTHORN
Defence: 13th
MICK SAYS: The Hawks’ best defender, James Sicily, is set to return from a knee reconstruction. The question is, where will new coach Sam Mitchell play him? I’d imagine he slots straight back into defence, where he brings aerial supremacy, a competitive edge and class. Sicily complements Kyle Hartigan and Sam Frost and adds further support around Jack Scrimshaw, Changkuoth Jiath, Blake Hardwick and Jarman Impey. Will Day and Denver Grainger-Barras each only played five games last season but are the future of this backline and are already playing beyond their years. Both have cool heads, see the game in front of them really well and are good ball users coming out of the backline, which is vital in the modern game.
Midfield: 13th
MICK SAYS: With Jonathon Ceglar gone, new coach Sam Mitchell has some decisions to make. Does he pull Ben McEvoy from the backline to be No. 1 ruck once again? Or is the time right to develop Ned Reeves and recruit Max Lynch in the position? Lynch has played just three AFL games but has future No. 1 ruckman written all over him. You only have to look at what he did while playing for Collingwood against Melbourne star Max Gawn in Round 13 last year. The on-ballers largely look after themselves. We know what Tom Mitchell, Jaeger O’Meara and James Worpel bring. But the coach must also trust draftee Josh Ward to join that group this year. He’s been flying over summer and deserves a chance early in the season. Chad Wingard fills the “spitter role” nicely as that player who can get up to the centre bounce and then go forward. The Hawks midfield group does not have a problem finding the ball, but the one thing I would like to see is them kicking more goals. Mitchell, O’Meara and Worpel managed only 23 majors between them from a combined 60 games last year.
Forwards: 15th
MICK SAYS: Dylan Moore was a revelation as a small pressure forward last year. Everyone was wondering who would replace Paul Puopolo and he stepped up and did that. Moore kicked 27 goals last year and has still only played 30 games, which is impressive. Another young player that Sam Mitchell will be putting a lot of time into is Tyler Brockman, who has genuine upside. Mitch Lewis and Jacob Koschitzke are other young players who are going places, while veteran Luke Bruest still finished as the Hawks’ leading goalkicker last year with 33 majors. There is no better front-and-square player than Bruest. Chad Wingard brings genuine class and with a fit Jack Gunston back into the mix, this is a forward group that could pack a bite if you underestimate them. The Hawks could be a bit of a wildcard this year.
15. COLLINGWOOD
Defence: 15th
MICK SAYS: Darcy Moore is the key for Collingwood if they intend to rise up the ladder this year. He is the Magpies’ defensive barometer and must have another All-Australian season, just as he did in 2020 before a knee injury prematurely ended his campaign last year. You need super competitors in defence, of which Moore is one. But overall last season, Collingwood was not as strong in the one-on-one contests and it hurt the team. Moore, Jeremy Howe and Brayden Maynard have a great understanding of each other’s strengths and assist each other when one is vulnerable. Untried 20-year-old rookie Charlie Dean is in the mix to replace Jordan Roughead (shoulder) in the early part of the season after some strong form in match practice. I hope new coach Craig McRae resists any urge to play Maynard through the middle. He gives the team a hard edge at the defensive end of the ground. I would instead give Jack Crisp greater time through the middle, allowing Scott Pendlebury to bring his ball use and experience to halfback. Pendlebury’s move there will also help Isaac Quaynor further grow as a player. John Noble can play on a wing but is best served as a small defender. Is there a regular spot for Jack Madgen? Without injuries, probably not.
Midfield: 11th
MICK SAYS: I’m intrigued to see what new coach Craig McRae does with the Magpies’ midfield. There’s the tried and true group – Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams, Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom. But does he look to reinvigorate this area of the ground with more minutes for Josh Daicos, Finlay Macrae, Patrick Lipinski, Jack Crisp and even draftee Nick Daicos? The positive talk out of Collingwood is Grundy is as fit as ever after a terrific pre-season and that must carry over into the season proper. The Pies need him to recapture the mantle of the best ruckman in the competition if they intend to press into finals calculations. In my opinion, Collingwood has two matchwinners – Jordan De Goey and Jamie Elliott, who are both renowned goalkickers. But will McRae use them up the ground at the expense of their damaging forward craft? Watch this space.
Forwards: 17th
MICK SAYS: Can Craig McRae fix Collingwood’s forward-50 ball-winning ability and scoring issues? The Magpies were the third-lowest scoring team last season, averaging 70 points a game. Getting the right balance up forward is a priority, but also having players that can consistently win their own footy up there. We know Jordan De Goey and Jamie Elliott can do that. But are they needed through the midfield? Someone needs to step up and help key forward Brody Mihocek, who should not be the No. 1 forward. Mason Cox is just about out of chances and whether he and Darcy Cameron can play in the same team is up for debate. Will Kelly has been riddled with injuries, but has the ability to step up and force Cox out of the side. Jack Ginnivan was a positive last year and is a young player who can find space in a phone box and loves to kick goals. Oliver Henry has great X-Factor and I love what I’ve seen from him. Partick Lipinski has been recruited as another depth player, but his goalscoring the past two years at the Bulldogs has dried up. Beau McCreery is hard, applies great pressure and kicks goals so will be persevered with. I’d also be getting games into the 197cm Liam McMahon as quickly as possible if he is ready. He could be a player of the future.
16. ADELAIDE
Defence: 17th
MICK SAYS: Does this group ball watch? Do they get caught off-side? Do they lose opposition players in dangerous positions? There’s no doubt Crows coach Matthew Nicks wold have had behind the goals vision working overtime over the summer to determine why Adelaide was the worst team in the competition at defending turnovers last season. The positive for the Crows last season was that they were able to improve their forward half pressure, which helped protect their defence a little. Jordan Dawson is an outstanding recruit and if he plays as part of the back half he will provide great ball use which will help guard against creating turnovers. Dawson will clearly complement Brodie Smith, Luke Brown, Will Hamill, Tom Doedee and last season’s revelation, Jordon Butts. I don’t mind the change of role for Chayce Jones, too.
Midfield: 16th
MICK SAYS: I like the balance of the Crows’ midfield group in that Ben Keays can act as a defensive midfielder but also accumulates the ball and he allows prolific ball winners Rory Laird and Rory Sloane to do what they do best. The two ruckmen in Rilley O’Brien and Kieran Strachan are a work in progress but I like the development they are both showing. Lachlan Sholl and Harry Schoenberg are also developing nicely. Matt Crouch’s return from groin issues will help the Crows a lot, given his ball-winning and clearance ability, experience and short but effective ball use. What I would like to see is more goals from the Crows midfielders. Sloane and Laird each kicked only three goals last season. That’s not good enough from two of your side’s A-Graders.
Forwards: 14th
MICK SAYS: The big question on everyone’s lips is how Taylor Walker is going to go this year. He made a flying start to last season, kicking 27 goals from his first seven games on his way to 48 majors for the year. Can he replicate that again? Walker will miss the first three games this season as part of the six-match ban he received last year for a racist slur which saw him banished from the club. But the Crows desperately need their ex-captain to produce that magnificent form of 12 months ago when he does return. Expect Riley Thilthorpe to take another big step forward this year and Darcy Fogarty has the talent to be a handy third-tall if he applies himself correctly. Ned McHenry reminds me of former Fremantle forward Hayden Ballantyne as an in-your-face competitor, but needs to back that up on the scoreboard more often. Lachlan Murphy and James Rowe are busy but must become more consistent and narrow the gap between their best and worst. I love the way Shane McAdam attacks the footy in the air and with another pre-season under his belt, he could be a bolter this year.
17. NORTH MELBOURNE
Defence: 18th
MICK SAYS: Even though Robbie Tarrant only played 10 games last season, he will be sorely missed by the Kangaroos. Ben McKay, Josh Walker and Aiden Corr (two games last year) will have to shoulder the responsibility as the tall defenders. Jack Ziebell, Aaron Hall, Kayne Turner and Aiden Bonar must continually challenge each other to be hard to play against. Coach David Noble needs to challenge this group to be more focused on becoming a miserly backline. They definitely need more consistency when it comes to their defensive actions. As a team, North need to work on reducing opposition scores from turnovers, stoppages and points per inside-50. And those require not only the back six doing their jobs but a full-ground team defence with 18 players buying in at any given time. Watching the Kangaroos last year, not everyone was on the same page. On the back of another pre-season to educate, hopefully we see that change.
Midfield: 17th
MICK SAYS: The Kangaroos are hard to judge, given the unknown with prime mover Ben Cunnington (cancer). The recruitment of Hugh Greenwood is a major positive as a big inside midfielder who can fill some of the void of Cunnington in the short-term.
There are some good younger players in Jy Simpkin, Tom Powell and Will Phillips, while the evergreen Todd Goldstein will continually work overtime. Goldstein plays his best footy when he’s the No. 1 ruckman, but might find himself having to share duties with recruit Callum Coleman-Jones a little this year. No. 1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis looks a ready-made AFL player. The rapid growth of Tarryn Thomas is also exciting for North fans. He’s got a great skill set. He is tough, breaks the lines, has good poise and makes good decisions. He can also float forward and hit the scoreboard.
Forwards: 16th
MICK SAYS: The L-plates are off. There’s no more excuses for North Melburne’s small and medium forwards, who need to step up and be consistent performers if the Kangaroos are going to average more than the 66 points a game they did last year. Curtis Taylor has been in the system for a while and needs to start hitting the scoreboard more in his high half-forward role. The likes of Bailey Scott, Charlie Lazaro and Jack Mahony also need to show improvement and bring greater consistency to their games. Cameron Zurhaar is super competitive and willing to risk his body both in the air and at ground level to win his own footy. Nick Larkey will continue to improve after showing some really good signs throughout 2021, particularly in the second half of the season when he kicked 21 goals from his last seven games. But who is going to complement those two? It will be intriguing to see how the Kangaroos use Tristan Xerri and whether Jaidyn Stephenson is left as a more permanent forward – where he is best suited – or is used in the midfield. Recruit Callum Colmean-Jones could add a bit to the attack as well as being a rotating ruck.
18. GOLD COAST
Defence: 16th
MICK SAYS: What version of the Suns’ defence are we going to see in 2022? What coach Stewart Dew needs is complete buy in from every player, every week – which we are yet to see. If Gold Coast wants to be a finals contender, their attitude to defence must change. The work players do without the ball tells you a lot about them, their team values and what price they are prepared to place on defence. When they are on song, the Suns are good to watch. But when they are not, they become easy beats of the competition. To lose five games by 60 or more points last year is not good enough. You have to be honest with yourself. Is it workrate? Is it application to role in spatial defence? Is the team littered with ball watchers? Because the talent is there.
Midfield: 18th
MICK SAYS: Hugh Greenwood was the loss the Suns didn’t need during last year’s off-season and will be sorely missed as a big inside midfielder who could win the contested ball and clearances.
More responsibility will fall on Touk Miller, David Swallow, Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson to fill the void. Lachie Weller can become the breakaway midfielder around congestion that the Suns desperately need.
Ruckman Jarrod Witts’ return from a knee reconstruction will be important, after the Suns were exposed around stoppages without him last year.
Witts will have some added assistance from recruit Mabior Chol as a forward-ruckman. Chol is a talent, but my knock on him is that he picks and chooses when to put his body on the line when he is needed to help out his defenders.
That reluctance must change if he wants to win respect at his new club. Coach Stuart Dew has the talent there, but the Suns can’t afford to rank 17th for contested possession differential and 15th for centre bounce clearance differential again.
Dramatic change is needed.
Forwards: 18th
MICK SAYS: Coach Stuart Dew has to bite the bullet. With Ben King’s cruel injury blow ruling him out for the season, Jack Lukosius needs to be thrown forward. He’s 195cm and was a forward as a junior in South Australia.
He averaged 2.3 goals from four national championships matches in his under-18 year. It is worth the gamble because the Gold Coast forward line does not have a lot going for it otherwise.
The recruitment of Levi Casboult is timely in the wake of King’s injury, but he is not going to deliver the 47 goals that King did last year.
Sam Day’s body has continually let him down, but he gives his all and remains an important part of the team if he can stay on the park.
There has long been plenty of hype around Izak Rankine, but is he living up to it? The Suns desperately need to improve their scores per inside-50 and forward 50 marks if they are to climb the ladder this season.
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Originally published as AFL 2022: Mick McGuane’s power rankings on every club entering 2022 season
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