Bulletin tipsters submit their predictions for the coming AFL season

The AFL season has arrived and with that comes the yearly battle to be the one who can look back and say ‘I told you so’ once the grand final and accolades are done and dusted. Premiers? Brownlow winner? Here are the predictions of this year’s Bulletin AFL tipsters.

Tom Boswell

Premiers: Richmond
Brownlow Medal: Nat Fyfe
Coleman Medal: Tom Hawkins

Wooden spoon: Carlton

Suns will finish: 16th

Talking point: The new 6-6-6 zone rule will make the midfield battle at the centre-bounce the most salivating contest on the ground. True ball winners will flourish and become an even greater commodity given teams can no longer send an extra man back in order to prevent themselves from conceding multiple goals.

Nat Fyfe of the Dockers poses during the AFL 2019 Captain's Day at Marvel Stadium on March 15, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Eliza Reilly

Premiers: West Coast Eagles

Brownlow Medal: Angus Brayshaw

Coleman Medal: Josh Kennedy

Wooden spoon: St Kilda

Suns will finish: 17th

Talking point: This years’ Coleman medal winner will kick more than 90 goals because 2019 will mark the return of the key forward. After mosquito fleets were the buzz of the last few years, the Eagles proved that you can still win a flag with a traditional set-up of two big men and a resting ruck. Expect teams to capitalise on the new 6-6-6 rule and get it in quick to their key forwards who will relish the extra space and the softer hands in the back interpretation.

Stephen Daniel

Premiers: Richmond
Brownlow Medal: Josh Kelly
Coleman Medal: Tom Lynch

Wooden spoon: Suns

Suns will finish: 18th

Talking point: The new rules will be the centre of debate well into the season, particularly the new 50m free kick. It’s such a grey area and players are still unsure how it works. It showed in the JLT Series where many were pinged for 100m free kicks.

Tom Lynch of the Tigers, hoping to play round one after coming back from injury, performs a running drill by himself during the Richmond Tigers AFL training session at Punt Road Oval on March 19, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Brooke Hanson

Premiers: Richmond
Brownlow Medal: Patrick Cripps
Coleman Medal: Jack Riewoldt

Wooden spoon: St Kilda

Suns will finish: 12th

Talking point: Having 10 games at Metricon Stadium this year for the Suns will give them consistency and confidence to produce their best. I’m not sold on the twilight grand final and I think the 2.30pm start is perfect for families of all ages so the kids can watch their heroes. The new rules will make the game more free flowing too and create higher scoring.

B rad Moore

Premiers: Melbourne
Brownlow Medal: Nat Fyfe
Coleman Medal: Jack Riewoldt

Wooden spoon: Suns

Suns will finish: 18th

Talking point: The restrictions on runners will cause massive issues. If you look at young teams like Gold Coast, it is going to make life harder for coaches like Stuart Dew. I think the AFL will try to work out a better way they can go on to the ground through the season. Either that or they introduce a time out.

2019 AFL Captains Day. Carlton's Patrick Cripps. Picture: Mark Stewart

Kate Reynolds

Premiers: Collingwood
Brownlow Medal: Patrick Cripps
Coleman Medal: Josh Kennedy

Wooden spoon: St Kilda

Suns will finish: 15th

Talking point: It will be interesting to see how players use the new rules, particularly with the hands in the back and penalty play-on, to their advantage in terms of the fluidity of play. It will be entertaining to watch those players who haven’t bothered to learn them slip up, as did Shaun Higgins in the North Melbourne v Port Adelaide JLT Series game.