AFL 2024: Captains answer the burning questions ahead of the season
The men in the know have fronted up to our questions about the big issues in the AFL – where a 20th team should be, who will the flag and their top SuperCoach picks.
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The men in the know want to see footy hit Darwin, with AFL captains surveyed on Tuesday naming the Northern Territory as the ideal location for a 20th team.
The skippers also want to boot the sub, with only two leaders backing the substitute and most calling for five players on the bench to be used whenever needed.
And somebody get on to Gene Simmons because a grand final rematch is in the offing with Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions tipped to win the flag.
Check out the responses from the skippers from Tuesday’s captains day.
ASSUMING TASMANIA GETS A TEAM, SHOULD WE HAVE A 20th SIDE AND WHERE?
Jordan Dawson: I don’t know if I’d like to see one. But if there was to be one, I think one up in Darwin would be pretty cool.
Harris Andrews: Far North Queensland, Northern Territory
Patrick Cripps: Perth
Zach Merrett: Northern Territory
Alex Pearce: I don’t know if we could have another one (in WA). Let’s say NT, Darwin.
Patrick Dangerfield: I reckon Perth could house another team. If you are talking purely about the economics of being able to fund themselves then Perth could easily handle another team. But is that robbing, say, the Northern Territory of a licence?
Touk Miller: Yes, in Queensland, I think there is scope to have one in FNQ (far north Queensland).
Josh Kelly: Yes – northern Queensland somewhere.
James Sicily: Nah, we’re good (with 19).
Jy Simpkin: Northern Territory
Connor Rozee: Great question. I’m not sure how the logistics work but it’s be nice to see a team in the Northern Territory at some stage.
Toby Nankervis: I am not too sure. West Australia has enough membership there to get a third team. They are the most obvious one.
Jack Steele: I feel like the Northern Territory definitely deserves it. I’m from Canberra, so it’d be pretty cool to see a team there.
Callum Mills: Darwin
Oscar Allen: Get another team in WA. That’d be nice. Down south, Dunsborough or Margaret River – it’s a beautiful part of the world so somewhere down there.
Totals: Darwin/NT 8, WA 4, North Queensland 4, None 1.
WHO IS YOUR PREMIERSHIP FAVOURITE (NOT COUNTING YOUR OWN TEAM)?
Jordan Dawson: Collingwood
Harris Andrews: GWS
Patrick Cripps: Brisbane
Zach Merrett: Brisbane
Alex Pearce: The Pies are going to be hard to beat. Can’t go past the Pies and Brissy.
Patrick Dangerfield: ‘Brissy’ are going to be bloody hard to beat, they were near on impossible to beat up there.
Touk Miller: Collingwood
Josh Kelly: Collingwood – looking pretty similar to last year, good team.
James Sicily: Collingwood
Jy Simpkin: Collingwood
Connor Rozee: Brisbane
Toby Nankervis: Brisbane will be hard to beat. Playing Brisbane in Brisbane is a very hard task.
Jack Steele: Collingwood
Callum Mills: Collingwood
Oscar Allen: Brisbane
Totals: Collingwood 8, Brisbane 6, GWS 1.
SHOULD CONCUSSED PLAYERS BE FORCED TO SIT OUT FOR 21 DAYS?
Jordan Dawson: Personally we don’t know enough information around concussion. For me if I was to be concussed, it’s obviously up to the doctors and medical staff.
Harris Andrews: The fact that it’s 12 days at the moment, I’m comfortable with that.
Alex Pearce: No, I think the current system works well and unless there’s some evidence, we keep it how it is.
Patrick Dangerfield: I think you have to base it on informative data, not just picking numbers out of a hat because longer is better. I think it is important to keep it based on all the available evidence on how the player is recovering rather than a blanket rule over a three-week period.
Touk Miller: No.
Josh Kelly: I’ll leave that to the professionals, whatever they think.
James Sicily: Whatever is best medically.
Connor Rozee: I think it should be based on whatever the research is.
Jack Steele: I think where it’s at now is probably pretty good.
Toby Nankervis: I think the AFL does a great job in protecting players and it’s paramount. There are a lot of smart people doing a lot of research into the 12-day rule so they are smarter than me.
Oscar Allen: Topical question, I think the research the AFL has done behind it has been really solid so I’m backing in what they’re doing for the moment.
WHO IS YOUR BROWNLOW TIP?
Jordan Dawson: Nick Daicos
Harris Andrews: Lachie Neale
Patrick Cripps: Sam Walsh
Zach Merrett: Darcy Parish
Alex Pearce: ‘The Bont’
Patrick Dangerfield: Jordan Dawson
James Sicily: Daic (Daicos) … Jai Newcombe
Touk Miller: Marcus Bontempelli
Josh Kelly: Zach Merrett
Jy Simpkin: Marcus Bontempelli
Connor Rozee: Marcus Bontempelli
Toby Nankervis: Nick Daicos or Marcus Bontempelli
Jack Steele: Marcus Bontempelli
Callum Mills: Errol Gulden
Oscar Allen: Errol Gulden
Most votes: Bontempelli 6.
WHO WILL WIN THE RISING STAR?
Jordan Dawson: George Wardlaw
Harris Andrews: Harley Reid
Patrick Cripps: George Wardlaw
Zach Merrett: Colby McKercher
Alex Pearce: Ryley Sanders, young Tassie boy so I hope he goes well.
Patrick Dangerfield: George Wardlaw
James Sicily: Henry Hustwaite
Touk Miller: Jed Walter
Josh Kelly: Phoenix Gothard
Jy Simpkin: George Wardlaw
Connor Rozee: Harley Reid
Toby Nankervis: Ryley Sanders. A good Tassie boy.
Jack Steele: Darcy Wilson
Callum Mills: Ryley Sanders
Oscar Allen: Harley (Reid). Harley will win the Rising Star.
Most votes: Wardlaw 4
WHICH TEAMMATE SHOULD BE A SUPERCOACH LOCK?
Jordan Dawson: Izak Rankine
Harris Andrews: Josh Dunkley
Patrick Cripps: Zac Williams
Zach Merrett: Nic Martin
Alex Pearce: He’s probably expensive, but Caleb Serong. Because he has been killing it on the track, also Nat Fyfe has been going well and I think he is a bit cheaper these days.
Patrick Dangerfield: Stewy (Tom Stewart), that is low hanging fruit though, not exactly a hard one. This is the first pre-season I can remember Mitch (Duncan) actually completing so I reckon he’s a safe bet to be very, very good this year.
Jy Simpkin: Colby McKercher
Connor Rozee: Zak Butters
Toby Nankervis: Shai Bolton. He’s taken his game to another level this pre-season.
Jack Steele: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
Callum Mills: Nick Blakey
Oscar Allen: Harley Reid. Cheap as chips rookie, and he is a good player. I think Jayden Hunt and Alex Witherden as well, they’ve been taking some kick-outs in pre-season – I know that is something all SuperCoach fans like to hear.
HOW SHOULD THE SUB OR BENCH LOOK?
Jordan Dawson: Just five on the bench
Patrick Cripps: Four on the bench
Alex Pearce: I think substitute works all right.
Patrick Dangerfield: I’d just extend the bench, I’d take it to five.
Touk Miller: Five on the bench
Josh Kelly: Five on the bench
James Sicily: Five on the bench
Jy Simpkin: Five on the bench
Connor Rozee: I think one extra on the bench would be nice. I know it can be frustrating talking to those guys that are the sub.
Jack Steele: I think having five on the bench would be pretty cool.
Callum Mills: Four on the bench
Oscar Allen: I like the idea of a substitute, so it can be tactical.
WHICH YOUNG TEAMMATE IS A FUTURE CAPTAIN?
Jordan Dawson: Max Michalanney
Harris Andrews: Cam Rayner, Brandon Starcevich
Patrick Cripps: Sam Walsh
Zach Merrett: Ben Hobbs
Alex Pearce: Caleb Serong, that is an easy one.
Patrick Dangerfield: Toby Conway, Connor O’Sullivan, Tanner Bruhn
Touk Miller: Noah Anderson
Josh Kelly: Finn Callaghan and Tom Green
James Sicily: Will Day
Jy Simpkin: Herry Sheezel
Connor Rozee: Jason Horne-Francis
Jack Steele: Mitch Owens, Marcus Windhager, Max King
Callum Mills: Errol Gulden
Oscar Allen: Noah Long
Originally published as AFL 2024: Captains answer the burning questions ahead of the season
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