The AFL’s good, bad and ugly: Scott Gullan’s take on the big — and small — issues ahead of season 2020
Oh the possibilities — and the chances for stuff-ups. Here are some of the good, the bad and the ugly on offer in season 2020. What do the punters really want to see and will the AFL get its wishes?
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Season 2020 promises yet another massive slathering of AFL footy, with plenty of heroes, villains, hopes and dreams for the competition, all 18 clubs and the fans.
***Footy20 is available from February 29 while stocks last at participating newsagents and IGA and Woolworths stores in Victoria/Riverina. See list of stockists here. Cost is $4.95 plus purchase price of that day’s Herald Sun.
From what we want to see, to what the AFL is dreaming of, who the headline grabbers will be and who is most under the pump, The Score’s very own Scott Gullan runs the rule over the upcoming season.
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WHAT THE PUNTERS WANT TO SEE
MAJAK DAW IN ROUND 1
The ultimate feel‑good story. The North Melbourne defender was back to playing briefly in the VFL late last season after his horrible setback. A promising summer has him in line to complete a remarkable comeback.
ALEX RANCE TO PLAY AGAIN
The full reasons behind the league’s best defender calling it quits may never come out, but fingers crossed his break from the game isn’t permanent and he can find his love for football again.
TRAVIS AULD GETTING A KNIGHTHOOD
The AFL fixture boss has had a tough couple of years, but all the right moves seem to have been made on paper for the 2020 draw. Nailing Friday night games remains his biggest challenge.
MORE MARLION PICKETT
Going to be hard to beat as the best AFL story for a long time. Troubled kid gets mid‑season call‑up to AFL and then plays his one and only game for the year in the Grand Final. How good is watching him and those blind turns for 20 weeks going to be?
JACK HIGGINS POST‑MATCH INTERVIEW
The young Tiger became a cult hero not only for his actions on the field but his brilliant TV interviews over the past couple of years. His fight with a brain injury rocked the football world, so seeing some more Higginsisms sooner rather than later would be perfect.
WHAT THE AFL WANTS TO SEE
A SCORE REVIEWER WITH 20/20 VISION
The score review bunker was launched with much fanfare in the finals last year but even then with 80 different camera angles they still stuffed it up. Appoint a chief reviewer — with good eyesight — and make him the public face of the whole thing.
GOALS GOALS AND MORE GOALS
The 6‑6‑6 rule was supposed to cut congestion and increase scoring. Instead the average team score in 2019 was 80.4 points — the lowest since 1967. That’s simply not good for business.
GOLD COAST DRAFT KIDS TO BE SPECIAL
Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, the best mates from Carey Grammar who went at No.1 and No.2 in the draft, have the future of a club in their hands. That may be a tad dramatic, but if they could light up the competition early it will give headquarters hope that the Suns have a pulse.
JEREMY CAMERON SIGNING
The league wants GWS to win a flag. It would be a major feather in the expansion cap, and stopping the leaking of elite talent is the next crucial step. New captain Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly committing was a good start, locking in their gun forward would solidify everything.
PADDY MCCARTIN BACK PLAYING
Sadly there have been too many players being forced into early retirement because of concussion. The former No.1 draft has been the poster boy for this increasingly disturbing dilemma which saw him quit the Saints. A McCartin comeback would be a ripping feel-good story.
WHAT WE WON’T SEE
A LOT OF JOE DANIHER
First there is the dodgy groin that continues to haunt him and then there is the broken heart about having his wish to go to Sydney denied. Put those two factors together and it’s not a good result for Essendon.
STATE OF ORIGIN STAYING
The coming together for the bushfires appeal was an inspired idea by everyone involved. It is sure to have itched a scratch for many but the reality is it won’t have the same support in clubland without such a heart‑breaking cause.
TAYLOR WALKER AND KANE CORNES BREAKING BREAD
A real legit feud is good fun. The Crows forward and the ex‑Port tagger come commentator have a genuine dislike for each other with constant social media barbs. More please.
STEPHEN SILVAGNI AT CARLTON LUNCHES
It all went pear‑shaped for the Blues favourite son last year. Silvagni departed as list boss after a stink involving his two sons and apparently gave the hierarchy a fair old spray on his way out. Don’t think he’ll be sharing chardonnay before the games this season.
THE CHARLIE CURNOW TRAIN ROLLING
There is no doubting the talent of the Blues forward but injury continues to deprive the competition of getting to see it often enough. Zero pre‑season again thanks to slipping on tiles and hurting his knee is going to see him missing for most of the first half of the season.
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DO WE REALLY CARE?
INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Back after a three-year hiatus, the Australia‑Ireland series is now essentially a junket for the AFL’s best players and the league hierarchy. A training camp in New York on the way to Ireland is the carrot which miraculously ensures the stars of the competition all put up their hands for the trip.
BRAD SCOTT’S NEW POSITION
The former North Melbourne coach has joined the AFL as the new competition evolution manager. We’re tipping we aren’t the only ones who have no idea what that means.
SEASON LENGTH
Every year the same scenarios are thrown up about what is more equitable. Newsflash people, the draw is never going to be equal. Those who want the season shortened are in la la land, the AFL and the broadcasters won’t let that happen because of a thing called money … and lots of it.
HALFTIME BREAK
It’s extraordinary that debate over how long the halftime break was going to be dominated the summer. Broadcasters wanted it shorter, fans wanted it to stay the same while players didn’t really care. In the end it all amounted to nothing.
GRAND FINAL STARTING TIME
Enough please. There must be a point where everyone is sick of talking about it. Why doesn’t the AFL come out and say we’re going to have a three‑year trial, this year it stays at 2.30pm, then twilight in 2021 with a proper night game in 2022. After that, a decision for the next decade will be made.
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IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR
JOHN WORSFOLD
Once you start talking about coaching handovers and transitioning during a season, it’s dangerous territory. The Bombers already played like a team receiving mixed messages, so get the popcorn out to watch how Worsfold makes it work with Ben Rutten.
DAN HANNEBERY
Came to St Kilda with a big reputation and a bigger contract. The knock was on his body and that was proven to be on the money with the former Swans star playing only five games. An early pre‑season setback hasn’t helped the redemption theory.
SIMON GOODWIN
What happened to Melbourne last year is still a mystery. Obviously injuries were a factor, but the Demons fell apart in every department. A lot of that comes back on the coach with the microscope set to be firmly trained on Goodwin as he enters his fourth year in the job.
JOSH JENKINS
Adelaide needed a scapegoat and the big forward was always at the top of the list. Spent a lot of time in the reserves last year but with the help of his best mate Patty Dangerfield he managed to convince the Cats to give him another chance. How he fits with Tom Hawkins and Esava Ratugolea will be intriguing.
STEVEN MAY
It’s fair to say the former Gold Coast captain didn’t get off on the right foot with the Demons. Turning up not in the best nick, getting caught having a lazy Sunday arvo beer that then ran into more injuries and only playing eight games. It was a mess.
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THE HEADLINE GRABBERS
HARLEY BENNELL
Hasn’t played a game for 2½ years but his every movement — or should we say every ping of his calf — will be monitored as Melbourne hopes for a miracle.
LANCE FRANKLIN
Another injury‑riddled pre‑season has the Swans star already behind and, at 33, the clock is starting to tick loudly.
DAVID KOCH
The Port Adelaide president won’t be able to help himself if the club is off to a slow start. Coach Ken Hinkley has a finals clause in his contract, so watch the fireworks.
CHRIS SCOTT
Not for his weather forecasting, which landed him in trouble, but, despite an extraordinary coaching record, the Cats faithful are getting restless.
MICHAEL CHRISTIAN
Easily the toughest gig in football. The match review officer will at some stage find himself under the griller.
AARON NAUGHTON
The next big thing. The Bulldogs key forward will announce himself as the next superstar of the competition.
CLICK ON THE INTERACTIVE BELOW TO SEE OUR TEAM’S PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2020 AFL SEASON
***Footy20 is available from February 29 while stocks last at participating newsagents and IGA and Woolworths stores in Victoria/Riverina. Cost is $4.95 plus purchase price of that day’s Herald Sun.
Originally published as The AFL’s good, bad and ugly: Scott Gullan’s take on the big — and small — issues ahead of season 2020