We try to predict whether you club will meet win-loss expectations next season
CAN Richmond or Collingwood climb the ladder? Will North Melbourne and Hawthorn continue to win? We predict whether your club will meet expectations in 2017.
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HERALD Sun football writers Jay Clark and Gilbert Gardiner opens his crystal ball for 2017 and predicts whether your team will meet TAB’s expectations for next season.
Can Richmond, Collingwood or Port Adelaide climb into the top eight? Will North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Carlton maintain their win-loss ratio?
We look at how many wins your club might win in 2017.
SUPERCOACH: WILL YOU SPLASH OUT ON DANGERFIELD?
RUNNING KINGS: WHO WON YOUR CLUB’S TIME TRIAL?
EAGLES COACH: SIMPSON WANTS MORE FROM RECRUITS IN 2017
ADELAIDE CROWS
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 14.5 wins
So they missed out on Bryce Gibbs. The Crows are still stacked with guns at both ends and this is the year the Crouch brothers make a statement in the midfield. Kind draw helps.
GIL’S TIP: Over 14.5 wins
Can’t help but feel the Crows wet the bed in the finals and that should drive them to greater heights in 2017.
TAB MARKET
$2.00 Over 14.5
$1.80 Under 14.5
LAST SEASON: 16 wins
BRISBANE LIONS
CLARKY’S TIP: Under 4.5
This line will be touch and go for the Lions. Surely they will be better under Chris Fagan next season and play with more system, discipline and unity. But the spine is still so young and vulnerable. A slow burn.
GIL’S TIP: Under 4.5
Hard to pencil in many wins for the young Lions especially in December but rookie coach Chris Fagan and a fit Dayne Beams should see them pinch a couple along the way. The line is bang on here.
$1.90 Over 4.5
$1.90 Under 4.5
LAST SEASON: 3
CARLTON
CLARKY’S TIP: Under 7.5
They surprised us early on last season, but the Blues are very much rebuilding from the ground floor up and Brendon Bolton will keep playing the kids. Chance for the spoon.
GIL’S TIP: Under 7.5
Surprised a few last year but Bolton’s boys were quickly found wanting when the whips got cracking.
$2.00 Over 7.5
$1.80 Under 7.5
LAST SEASON: 7
COLLINGWOOD
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 10.5
The defensive system is the key. They were picked apart by opposition sides early last year and Nathan Buckley faces a big pre-season tightening up the mechanics of the Collingwood zone. The talent is there.
GIL’S TIP: Under 10.5
Loads of talent in the guts, but too many question marks at both ends of the ground for me to pencil in wins against genuine opposition. Nathan Buckley could do worse than watch tapes of West Coast’s 2015 games over the Christmas period.
$1.95 Over 10.5
$1.85 Under 10.5
LAST SEASON: 9
ESSENDON
CLARKY’S TIP: Under 10.5
Love what’s happening at Essendon, but 10.5 wins is a bridge too far in their ‘comeback’ year. Second-half of the year will test the legs of the players who have spent a year out of the game.
GIL’S TIP: Under 10.5
Please. Half the team hasn’t played for 12 months and the other half benefited from opposition teams last year taking the foot off the gas pedal. Eight to 10 wins would be a brilliant return and watch out for 2018.
$1.80 Over 10.5
$2.00 Under 10.5
LAST SEASON: 3
FREMANTLE
CLARKY’S TIP: Under 10.5
The big unknown. Nat Fyfe returns, but can you bank on Cam McCarthy and Harley Bennell? On paper they look capable of climbing back towards the top eight but not sure the turnaround, in reality, will be as quick as that.
GIL’S TIP: Over 10.5
Should walk it in if Sandilands and Fyfe play 20 games. Loads of upside and developed a couple of handy defenders last year.
$1.90 Over 10.5
$1.90 Under 10.5
LAST SEASON: 4
GEELONG
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 13.5
They looked the best team in it at times last year but the big midfield cracks appeared in the preliminary final loss to the Swans. That middle tier just has to step up.
GIL’S TIP: Over 13.5
Can’t see them being any worse than 8-2 after 10 rounds and that should see Geelong cover its line in July.
$1.90 Over 13.5
$1.90 Under 10.5
LAST SEASON: 17
GOLD COAST SUNS
CLARKY’S TIP: Under 7.5
When will the Suns deliver? We keep banging on about how talented the kids are but they either leave or get injured, most of the time. We’ll enjoy watching the twin tower forward set-up, with Peter Wright and Tom Lynch, but the Suns are still miles off.
GIL’S TIP: Under 7.5
We’ve seen the best of Gaz but I’m backing him in to help the Suns register 8-10 wins in 2017. Need David Swallow fit and Aaron Hall to iron out the inconsistencies in his game to get the job done.
$1.95 Over 7.5
$1.85 Under 7.5
LAST SEASON: 6
GWS GIANTS
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 14.5
This is not a typo. The Giants’ line has been set at least two wins too low and with Brett Deledio in the fold, Leon Cameron’s men will have this covered in August. Get on.
GIL’S TIP: Over 14.5
Dropped the ball last year and will make amends. Too much talent on this list not to figure deep in September.
$1.90 Over 14.5
$1.90 Under 14.5
LAST SEASON: 16
HAWTHORN
CLARKY’S TIP: Under 13.5
The Hawks are in transition and made some bold calls in the trade period, meaning there will be some time taken to rejig things. Finals no certainty as they look to play the youngsters.
GIL’S TIP: Over 13.5
Not for the faint-hearted as this could easily go down to the wire. Tom Mitchell picks up where namesake Sam left off and you watch Al Clarkson turn Ty Vickery into a player. They might be going down the Hawks but not without a fight as long as Clarko and Hodgey are in charge.
$2.00 Over 13.5
$1.80 Under 13.5
LAST SEASON: 17
MELBOURNE
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 10.5
The Demons are on the rise and should play finals next season for the first time in 11 years. They have stockpiled talent and the aggressive ball movement is potent and systematic. The question mark is the second key forward.
GIL’S TIP: Under 10.5
The list screams 12 wins and finals but then you look back on 2016 and wonder how in the world did this lot lose to Essendon, St Kilda (twice) and Carlton, especially as the prospect of finals was still on the cards.
$1.90 Over 10.5
$1.90 Under 10.5
LAST SEASON: 10
NORTH MELBOURNE
CLARKY’S TIP: Under 10.5
No way. This is a big redevelopment year for North as the Kangas get set to find out if their largely unexposed young talent is as good as they hope. Ten wins is a big stretch.
GIL’S TIP: Under 10.5
Need to get top end talent in the door and the only way of doing that is not winning enough games. It simply makes no sense mucking about in no-man’s land.
$1.90 Over 10.5
$1.90 Under 10.5
LAST SEASON: 12
PORT ADELAIDE
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 11.5
Been one of the big disappointments the past two years, the Power. They have the cattle but the top-tier of players have failed to produce the goods consistently enough. Hamish Hartlett and Charlie Dixon must deliver and Paddy Ryder can re-energise the midfield.
GIL’S TIP: Under 11.5
Best is good enough by the length of the Flemington straight but all too often we’re left wondering what might have been. Not consistent enough to play finals in such an even competition.
$2.00 Over 11.5
$1.80 Under 11.5
LAST SEASON: 10
RICHMOND
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 8.5
Where are the Tigers at? The answer is clear as mud after a shocking 2016. They brought in a decent young ruckman and two hard-nut midfielders to give Cotch and Dusty a hand in the engine room next season and have two elite bookends. For Damien Hardwick’s sake, they have to be better.
GIL’S TIP: Over 8.5
Cotch and Dusty needed help in the midfield and they’ve got it in spades with Prestia and Caddy on board. No more excuses, should play finals in 2017.
$1.80 Over 8.5
$2.00 Under 8.5
LAST SEASON: 8
ST KILDA
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 9.5
The Saints have done well in recent years, solidly building for the future and Jack Steele and Koby Stevens will roll up the sleeves in the midfield. But Jack Billings is the one who needs to break out.
GIL’S TIP: Over 9.5
Alan Richardson has quietly gone about his business building a team to figure in finals but a tricky start to the year could see his best laid plans go to waste. Round 1 will be big regardless but a win over a team around them on the ladder will do the confidence a load of good.
$1.78 Over 9.5
$2.05 Under 9.5
LAST SEASON: 12
SYDNEY SWANS
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 14.5
Doubt this is the year the Swans drop off. Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills are superstars in the making and will help make up for the loss of Tom Mitchell. Won 17 games last year and will remain hungry after the Grand Final heartache.
GIL’S TIP: Over 14.5
Put them in the same basket as Adelaide and Geelong who must still be kicking themselves for missing out on a golden premiership opportunity.
$2.00 Over 14.5
$1.80 Under 14.5
LAST SEASON: 17
WEST COAST EAGLES
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 13.5
Redemption time for the Eagles. Given the talent on the list, Adam Simpson will be under some serious heat if he can’t get them to 14 wins and into the top-four. Sam Mitchell is a big addition.
GIL’S TIP: Under 13.5
I’m sorry but without Nic Nat this lot can’t push for top four.
$1.90 Over 13.5
$1.90 Under 13.5
LAST SEASON: 16
WESTERN BULLDOGS
CLARKY’S TIP: Over 13.5
May start slow after a short break, but we know how good the youngsters are at the kennel, plus they bring in Stew Crameri, Bob Murphy and some guy named Travis Cloke. Will never underestimate them as long as football’s Dalai Lama, Luke Beveridge, is in charge.
GIL’S TIP: Over 13.5
The hunter becomes the hunted and Lachie Hunter to finish top 5 in the Brownlow. Bark-to-bark not out of the question.
$1.80 Over 13.5
$1.95 Under 13.5
LAST SEASON: 15
SOURCE: TAB.COM.AU
AFL TIPS: Crows favoured to make it six straight
The Advertiser/Sunday Mail football experts have tipped Adelaide to stretch its winning streak to six straight, in Round 8 against Port Adelaide in Showdown 44.
Experts favour Power to shock Geelong
The Advertiser/Sunday Mail football tipsters believe Port Adelaide can bounce back from its loss to the Bombers and topple the Cats at Adelaide Oval.