Mark Robinson season preview: Collingwood’s belief and all the questions and unknowables about the 2024 season

The competition is as even as ever heading into the new season. MARK ROBINSON names the seven clubs that can win the flag in 2024.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. September 30, 2023. AFL Grand Final between Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions at the MCG. Collingwood player Bobby Hill kicks a goal Picture by David Caird

When Fox Footy’s AFL360 played its iconic post-Grand Final video montage on the Monday night last year, Collingwood coach Craig McRae sat in the guest’s chair basking in the glow of achievement.

As pivotal play after pivotal play was on rotation, with BT bellowing and music pumping, McRae was asked how it was that Collingwood seemed to have the widest player on the ground at a lot of the important plays.

Like, coming long out of their own defence, or a squirt kick wide from halfback, or even stifling the opposition out of their own D50.

Even in the final moments of the preliminary final against the Giants, when Collingwood, clutching a one-point lead, found Josh Daicos in rare space on the wing. Was that luck, desperation or smarts?

Craig McRae celebrates as the final siren sounds. Picture: Michael Klein

Without averting his eyes from the TV, McRae said: “It’s how we set up.”

Footy is about personnel, tactics and attitude and, on any day, any of those three components will be pivotal to winning the game.

The reigning premier has all three.

McRae calls it belief how his team wins so many games by less than a kick. But it’s way more than that.

No team has had recent success like the Pies have with their ability to play surge, breakneck footy and then a minute later go into a pattern of keeping the ball pinged in an area the size of a squash court.

Two of the modes are called Rocca (take risks) and Presti (close down), which were evident in the final 10 minutes of the Grand Final, and revealed by McRae in the post-match.

We learn so much after the premiership is won. Some not so subtle, and some, such as “how we set up” to have the widest players, are little gems.

It’s probably not revealing the state’s secrets to the other 17 coaches - although it’s easier to identify than it is to combat it - but for the fans, it’s further insight into how the best team in the competition goes about its business.

For all teams, the summer months are spent assessing what the better teams do and assessing where themselves can improve.

Some of it is personnel, some of it is attitude, the brighter minds concentrate on assessing defence, ball movement and “how we set up”.

Who knows which teams will tumble, stumble or pivot north?

What we do know is speed amid the combat is the job description.

Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee in pre-season training. Picture: Russell Millard Photography

Speaking for all coaches, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley told this masthead: “We train incredibly hard to allow us to play a high-octane game, whether it be on offence or whether it be in the contest,” he said. “Everyone now plays like that. I think last year we were ranked No. 1 for corridor ball use and I think every team in the competition is chasing that this year.”

Three years back, there was scarcely a corridor such was the defensive, bogged-down nature of the game.

The stand rule changed that - thankfully.

Indeed, the 2023 season delivered a momentous shift and unless a coach and his cohort has configured a plan to stifle speed for longer periods (unlikely), the game is set for an even more sizzling 2024 season.

What else can we expect?

It appears ‘plus ones’ at the back won’t be so prevalent, as clubs strive for 1v1 contest forward of the ball, and the quest to unleash the ‘free-wheelers’, the players with the license to attack and create, will be crucial.

Some clubs - West Coast and North Melbourne for example - are still honing the fundamentals as well as looking for improvement. Richmond is regathering under new coach Adem Yze, while the Hawks should be better at balancing when to play attacking football and when and how to defend stronger.

Make no mistake, ‘Norfball’ will bring plenty of smiles to the faces of Kangas fans.

Most teams have their flaws.

Has Essendon toughened their underbelly, as Nathan Buckley called it? And modified its game style? Found ‘freewheeling’ players who will separate games? The same could be asked of Fremantle and even Gold Coast under new coach Damien Hardwick.

The Bombers have some questions to answer. Among them, will Nic Martin thrive at halfback? Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

St Kilda should improve. Once a dour defensive coach, Ross Lyon has young, exciting, running talent at his disposal. They can’t win the premiership, but they can further win respect.

A quick snapshot of observations: Collingwood will be top four, same with Brisbane, Adelaide needs to play finals to continue the trajectory, Carlton and the Giants need to consolidate, Port Adelaide might be the sleeper and Melbourne, well, who really knows what Melbourne can deliver?

The same is asked of Geelong and the reorganised Bulldogs, and popular thought has Sydney surging.

The fact is probably 15 or so clubs believe they can play finals, and of them, there’s probably six or seven teams that can win the flag. They are the Pies, Lions, Blues, Giants, Port, Swans and Demons, despite their summer of setbacks.

There’s a gazillion questions about the players.

Will Nic Martin thrive at halfback? Will Ollie Wines find Brownlow Medal form? What of Fyfe and Dangerfield in their twilight? What can Chad Warner and Brodie Grundy deliver, and Cam Raynor, and Ugle-Hagan, and Clayton Oliver? Will Charlie Curnow find finals redemption? Can Harry kick straighter? Will the King boys stamp themselves? Is it Rankine time? Or will it be Humphrey? Or Wardlaw.

Pick a player and there’s a question.

Pick a team and there’s a question.

Of course, opinions in March can be dead and buried by June, but what we do know at this point is that everyone is chasing Collingwood.

Enjoy your footy.