Scott Gullan gives his unique take on what to expect from the 2019 AFL season
Alex Fasolo on WrestleMania? AFL players in Marvel costumes? A player to kick 100 goals? There are plenty of great (and not so great) storylines to follow during the season. SCOTT GULLAN takes a unique look at what to expect.
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There are always plenty of great (and not so great) storylines to follow during the AFL season and 2019 is no different.
The plethora of rule changes, scoring, TV ratings, bizarre injuries and the fixture have dominated headlines already and there’s a lot more to come.
SCOTT GULLAN takes a look at the serious, and not so serious, in a lighthearted look at what to expect in the AFL this year.
CRYSTAL BALL: EXPERT PREDICTIONS FOR SEASON 2019
GARY BUCKENARA: SUPERCOACH ROOKIES YOU NEED TO KNOW
DAVID KING: SHOULD WE BELIEVE THE ESSENDON HYPE?
WHAT THE PUNTERS WANT TO SEE
A CENTURY GOALKICKER
The new rules are supposed to mean more goals so for the first time in more than a decade someone needs to top the ton. It’s hard to believe the last century in the home-and-away season came from Buddy Franklin back in 2008.
THE BUMP
It would appear to be on life support given the dozens of new interpretations the match review officer now has but it needs to survive … somehow.
A REASON TO STAY HOME ON A FRIDAY NIGHT
The tradition of the family sitting on the couch watching the footy on a Friday night disappeared last year thanks to the worst fixture in recent history. The best games must be on a Friday night and Carlton for their sins of last year should be banned for at least five years.
EVERY GAME: SEE THE FULL 2019 AFL FIXTURE
CO-CAPTAIN: DOCHERTY HOPES TO RETURN FROM ACL THIS SEASON
GARY ABLETT TO WIND BACK THE CLOCK
Even if you’re not a Cats fan, there’s a piece of you that would love to see Gazza turn on the magic again. Last year was confusing for him and everyone. More clarity of role and a month of greatness please.
A NON-MIDFIELD BROWNLOW MEDAL WINNER
No disrespect to Tom Mitchell who had an extraordinary 2018 but it was a case of the ball magnet taking home Charlie again. Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn had an unbelievable season and could only finish equal fourth. C’mon umps, give us something different this year please.
WHAT THE AFL WANTS TO SEE
PLAYERS IN MARVEL COSTUMES
The league is obsessed with its new play toy, Marvel Stadium, and are determined to milk it for everything. They tried to get the girls to wear costumes but failed, maybe a desperate tenant who owes the league some favours might come at a Marvel round under the roof.
A TRIPLE SIX WINNER
After so much discussion and debate, plus a serious lot of work by footy ops boss Steve Hocking, the new rule changes with the six-six-six starting positions needs to work straight from the gun. A more free-flowing high-scoring first couple of rounds would be like an early Christmas present.
GOLD COAST TO WIN A GAME
Surely we’re at ground zero but maybe not. The Suns won four games last year but then lost their best player. For everyone’s sake, they need to sing the song at least a couple of times early to keep wolves at bay.
BUDDY FRANKLIN TO BE INJURY FREE
The Sydney superstar was hobbled after an opening round blitz in Perth last year. To keep the Sydney market bubbling along a season of Buddy magic would be the perfect tonic.
PINK TO FALL IN LOVE WITH AUSSIE RULES
She loves coming to Australia, which is a tick. She would best the best halftime grand final entertainment in history, which is a tick. She will cost a bomb, which is a cross. This is where the league needs to somehow manufacture a love of Aussie rules which makes her feel charitable.
WHAT WE WON’T SEE
ALAN RICHARDSON ON AFL360
It was tough to watch the St Kilda coach in his weekly TV spot last year. Poor old Richo fronting up as his side slipped from bad to worse was like watching a car crash in slow motion.
ALEX FASOLO ON WRESTLEMANIA
The new Blue at least gave us the opportunity to regale all those great off-season injury stories — ie Stevie Johnson jumping off pub roofs and Jeremy Howe breaking a finger playing frisbee with his dog — but his Australia Day wrestling move with mates after too many beers was at the high level of stupidity for a player on his last chance.
OLLIE WINES AT MOOMBA
Apparently he’s good enough to do the water skiing at Moomba but it might be pushing his luck. Publicly Port did the right thing and said they didn’t expect their players to be in cotton wool all year but it was a wrong step.
HARLEY BENNELL
Yes, he’s still on Fremantle’s list. And yes Ross Lyon is still predicting amazing things for the troubled former Gold Coast Sun who has played just two games in three years. We’re not buying that one Rossy.
BEN KING SIGNING A FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION
Poor old Gold Coast had to draft the Melbourne boy because he’s a jet but even before he’d left Tullamarine the rumours had started that he’d be back with his twin Max at St Kilda inside 12 months.
DO WE REALLY CARE?
RECORD MEMBERSHIPS
Clubs are obsessed and, yes, we get that memberships are very important to the business, but no one believes the figures that are being thrown up (ie claims Adelaide fudged the numbers last year).
NORTH MELBOURNE WAR CHEST
Hats off to the Kangaroos for having a crack, but please can we have a moratorium about war chest stories and the millions they’re going to throw at the biggest free agent until August?
CHANNEL 9: NEW-LOOK FOOTY SHOW REVEALED
ON-AIR TALENT: THE FEMALE FOOTY SHOW HOST ON NINE’S RADAR
AFLX: AFL DEFENDS CONCEPT DESPITE FAN CRITICISM
CHANNEL 9 FOOTY SHOW
The original and the best is gone, so Nine shouldn’t even bother with a token replacement. The Front Bar on Channel 7 is killing it and sometimes you’ve just got to dip your lid and move on.
TASSIE DEBATE
The league should definitely be pouring money into grassroots football on the Apple Isle, but that’s going to take at least five years to get right. So until then, can we put the yearly push for an AFL licence on ice?
AFLX
Ahhhhhh, let’s have a long think about this. So the league forks out some serious cash to get a few megastars to be the face of the gimmick, which is supposed to sell it to the fans. Sorry, it’s a big fat no here.
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR …
BRENDON BOLTON
There comes a point where the free passes run out. This is Bolton’s fourth year, which is more than enough time to put your stamp on a group. Two wins last year was horrendous and there’s enough good young talent at Carlton now, so it’s time the coach showed he’s up to it.
TAYLOR WALKER
The Adelaide skipper had a ’mare. His handling of Jake Lever’s departure was childish and, unfortunately for Tex, he failed to back up his Season’big words on the field, where injury and horrible form was the story of his season.
GILL McLACHLAN
Is coming off a shocker on many fronts. Too many sloppy errors and missteps last year by the league. Gill is a good operator, but he desperately needs to get some credits back in the bank.
JOE DANIHER
Was going to be the saviour of the game 12 months ago. Here was our 100‑goal full‑forward who could jump over small buildings and bring crowds back to the game. Unfortunately, a sore groin turned into a full-blown injury crisis that had his season cooked in May.
CHANNEL 7
To be fair, it wasn’t helped by the draw handed to it by the AFL, but there was a sense of tiredness and sameness about the coverage. Fox Footy certainly showed Seven up, so it’s time for Bruce and BT to bring the excitement back.
THE HEADLINE GRABBERS
There are always a select few who manage to hog the headlines each year. Poor old Nathan Buckley has been one in recent years. The following is a betting market on who will be in the 2019 spotlight.
2/1 Alan Richardson
If the Saints lose games early, the scrutiny on his job will go through the roof.
3/1 Josh Kelly
Knocked back big money last time, so stand by for weekly updates with his contract up at the end of the season.
5/1 Ross Lyon
Has escaped scrutiny to a large degree because of his aura, but 16th, 14th and 14th over the past three years is rubbish.
6/1 Jordan De Goey
Thankfully his on‑field deeds have caught up, but he’s yet to get through a full season without a serious off‑field headline grabber.
6/1 Brendon Bolton
The narrative around Carlton will start to turn to the coach’s ability if the Blues stink again.
8/1 Gary Ablett
For one of the greatest players of the modern era, the critics are quick to whack him, so another so‑so year will keep him in the news.
10/1 Tom Lynch
A hiding to nothing in a way. If he fires then the former Sun will be lauded, if he doesn’t then there will be plenty of discussion about the Tigers’ new forward structure.
10/1 Dylan Shiel
Comes to Essendon with some question marks about where he actually sits in the pecking order of elite midfielders after losing some ground last year.
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Originally published as Scott Gullan gives his unique take on what to expect from the 2019 AFL season
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