The eight burning questions ahead of the 2021 AFL season
Starved of success in recent years, Carlton fans won’t accept another year of mediocrity — but can the Blues deliver? Check out our burning questions of 2021.
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The 2021 AFL season promises to be another year of trials, triumphs, ups and downs – yet there can only be one team holding the premiership cup aloft at the end of it.
Following a busy off-season full of big free agency and trade moves, plus a draft unlike any other, here are the eight burning questions many footy fans are asking before Round 1 kicks off.
DO THE PIES MAKE THE EIGHT?
Is Collingwood already in a rebuild or still in contention?
There’s no doubt it has gone back to the draft, with a bumper draft night landing the Magpies five youngsters inside the top 31.
Crucially, they were also afforded the luxury of getting away their two first round selections before a bid came for academy kid Reef McInnes, who they nabbed at pick No. 23.
A huge win.
But what about 2021? TAB have the Pies at $1.80 to make the eight and $1.95 to miss, so they’re on a knife’s edge.
They are less confident about their top four hopes, framing them at $4.50 to earn the double chance.
If they are missing the eight, what does that mean for coach Nathan Buckley, who’ll be in the final year of his contract in 2021?
Is he the man to lead them through a rebuild, or after almost a decade at the helm is his time up at Collingwood?
COLLINGWOOD TAB ODDS
Winner ($14), Minor premiership ($15), Top 4 ($4.50), Top 8 ($1.80), To miss top 4 ($1.20), To miss top 8 ($1.95).
DOES DANIHER PUSH LIONS OVER THE TOP?
The Lions are cherry ripe for another strong push towards claiming their first flag since 2003.
In 2020 they missed a golden opportunity to win a premiership on their home deck, but their lack of scoring power let them down at the crucial moment.
Eric Hipwood, Daniel McStay, Charlie Cameron and Oscar McInerney didn’t’ really fire a shot in Brisbane’s preliminary final loss to Geelong, but it will go into 2021 with Joe Daniher adding to the mix.
Will he make the difference?
TAB certainly like the Lions’ chances, with the Queensland team at $1.20 to make the eight, $1.90 to make the top four and at $8 to win it all.
BRISBANE TAB ODDS
Winner ($8), Minor premiership ($7), Top 4 ($1.90), Top 8 ($1.20), To miss top 4 ($1.90), To miss top 8 ($4.50).
IS THE TIME NOW FOR CARLTON?
It was time in 2020 if not earlier, but surely 2021 is the year Carlton finally get a move on.
The TAB have the Blues at $2.50 to make the finals, $6 to make the top four and $1.50 to miss the eight.
But Blues fans will not entertain another year of no September action.
They’ve certainly recruited for the now, with Adam Saad and Zac Williams both handy additions.
They should also take a bit of the burden off the shoulders of superstar co-captain Patty Cripps, who is second favourite for the Brownlow ($7) in 2021 behind Lachie Neale.
No more excuses, Bluebaggers.
CARLTON TAB ODDS
Winner ($34), Minor premiership ($26), Top 4 ($6), Top 8 ($2.50), To miss top 4 ($1.12), To miss top 8 ($1.50).
SHOULD ESSENDON APPOINT A NEW SKIPPER?
They have a new coach, is it time for a new skipper?
Dyson Heppell has been wonderful, but he has been struggling to get on the field for a while now and would probably do well with having the captaincy burden taken off his shoulders.
Andrew McGrath is only 22 but there are many who think he is already ready to take the reins.
No matter what the Bombers do, it appears certain they’re in for a medium to long rebuild.
TAB agree, with the Bombers posted at $1.16 to miss the eight.
For the diehards, they’re also at $5 to play finals.
ESSENDON TAB ODDS
Winner ($67), Minor premiership ($81), Top 4 ($11), Top 8 ($5), To miss top 4 ($1.03), To miss top 8 ($1.16).
DOES CAMERON DELIVER THE CATS A FLAG?
For so long Tom Hawkins has been the Cats’ focal point up forward.
Will his new found combination with boom recruit Jeremy Cameron be an instant success or will it take some time to adjust to?
The inclusion should allow Hawkins to be able to roam, and it should also mean Patrick Dangerfield can move into the midfield on a more permanent basis and to provide that X-factor they’ve lacked at times.
They’re all in at Geelong and TAB have them as second favourite at $5 to win the cup in 2021.
Only Richmond ($4) sits ahead of it.
Does Cameron finally push them over the edge? It should.
GEELONG TAB ODDS
Winner ($5), Minor premiership ($4), Top 4 ($1.60), Top 8 ($1.10), To miss top 4 ($2.35), To miss top 8 ($7).
JUST WHAT EXACTLY IS CLARKO’S PLAN?
If anyone out there can explain what the Hawks are doing, please let us know.
Are they coming or are they going?
It’s very hard to say, but here’s what we know.
They’ve had minimal draft picks in the door with just 12 national draft selections the past four years.
Only four of those have been in the top 30, which is just not enough.
They had the opportunity to trade Jack Gunston and Luke Breust at the end of this season when there was interest, but they inexplicably baulked at it.
And now Gunston has had back surgery, which means a delayed start to the new season.
This was bizarre given the moving on of Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis, Luke Hodge and Grant Birchall in previous years.
It was an opportunity missed and they appear to be stuck in limbo right now.
Can Clarko see something we can’t? The TAB have them at $1.16 to miss the eight.
HAWTHORN TAB ODDS
Winner ($51), Minor premiership ($67), Top 4 ($9), Top 8 ($5), To miss top 4 ($1.05), To miss top 8 ($1.16).
HOW DO YOU STOP RICHMOND?
Until a team can prove it can take away the way Richmond play, can it be stopped from winning a fourth flag in five years?
The big question will be its hunger level in 2021.
Is the belly full or is it motivated for more silverware?
Only it can answer that, but one thing we can be sure of is its game style not changing too drastically.
The Tigers have their own unique style while so many other team are hellbent on controlling the ball.
We know they love playing a chaotic style, and so far no team has been able to consistently stop them from playing this way to great effect.
Until they do, it is again Richmond’s to lose and the TAB agree.
The Tigers are favourites to claim the cup again at $4 and at $1.60 to earn the double chance in the finals.
RICHMOND TAB ODDS
Winner ($4), Minor premiership ($4), Top 4 ($1.60), Top 8 ($1.10), To miss top 4 ($2.35), To miss top 8 ($7).
ARE THE DOGS IN DEEP CONTENTION?
The Bulldogs are in an intriguing spot as they enter 2021.
Opinion is divided about where they’re at, although many are bullish they’ll be right in the thick of it in 2021.
The TAB have the Dogs at $3.50 to make the top four and at just $1.60 to play finals.
They’ve added some midfield depth with the unexpected addition of ball magnet Adam Treloar.
There is also the massive inclusion of No. 1 draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
To improve, they’d want forward Josh Bruce to have a much stronger season after a nightmarish debut season at the kennel.
If they can get him back up with Ugle-Hagan, Mitch Wallis and Mitch Hannan in their forward 50, the Dogs look super potent.
Does Aaron Naughton go down back in 2021? Coach Luke Beveridge is surely considering it.
WESTERN BULLDOGS TAB ODDS
Winner ($13), Minor premiership ($13), Top 4 ($3.50), Top 8 ($1.60), To miss top 4 ($1.30), To miss top 8 ($2.30).
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