50 things we can’t wait to see in the 2018 AFL season
LITTLE Gaz, the evolution of Charlie, clean air for Bucks, a return to tribunal Tuesday and Libba pulling his finger out — JON RALPH with the 50 things we can’t wait to see in 2018.
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THE AFL season is officially 52 days away but, with the Australian Open over tonight, for many fans, the focus really starts to build from now.
Here are 50 reason to be excited about what is to come:
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1. Little Gaz. A sign on the side of the highway down to Geelong’s Surf Coast says simply “Welcome Home Gaz”. It is an emotion shared by the whole competition as a favourite son returns.
2. Hopefully an end to the Gazza bashing. Much of it was deserved but one of the AFL’s greatest ever players will not have to answer constant questions about his leadership and missing games for contentious reasons.
3. A clean bill of health for the Pies and a controversy-free zone for a club seldom off the back page in recent years. Then Nathan Buckley gets the clean air and stable platform to show us if he can truly coach — or not.
4. The evolution of Charlie Curnow. We all know about the hype but if he turns last year’s 21-game, 20-goal season into 20 games and 35 goals, it will still have been a wildly successful year at just 21.
5. What happens next to Josh Jenkins and Tex Walker? Both failed at the big dance and Walker threw some verbal cheapies at Jake Lever on the way out. Only one way for both to dispel legitimate criticism.
6. John Longmire as tactical innovator. With Kurt Tippett retired and Lance Franklin poor in last year’s semi-final defeat, can he do an Al Clarkson and reconfigure his forward line?
7. Sydney’s first month of footy. After such a horrific start to the season last year, they have to burst out of the blocks against West Coast (away), Port, GWS, the Dogs (away) and Adelaide.
8. What Dusty does next? Not since Ben Cousins suited up for Richmond will there be more focus and hype on a player’s Round 1 performance after Martin’s stunning dominance last year. After all, he does have seven years left on a contract.
9. Leon Cameron’s adaptability. No better chance to show he can coach than rejigging a defence that has suddenly lost brilliant rebounders Zak Williams (achilles) and Nathan Wilson (Perth).
10. The footy gods handing Patrick McCartin a break. Just 22 games so far. Has done the hard work, has a gaping hole to fill in Nick Riewoldt’s absence but can’t stop getting concussed. The recent spate of retirements from concussion mean that is now a hope rather than an absolute certainty.
11. Jack Billings turning into one of the competition’s top 20 players. He had 500 touches and kicked 23.36 last year. Can the goalkicking whisperer Ben Dixon straighten him up?
12. His sidekick making a similar jump up the pecking order. Jade Gresham is electric but kicked 30.30. Imagine Acres, Gresham, Blake Acres and Josh Battle as small/midsized forwards at their peak in a few years.
13. More players following Patrick Dangerfield’s lead down Media St. As he says, if players are paid like they are they should give back to the fans.
14. A welcome return to Tuesday night as tribunal night. Clubs will risk the cash. And many contentious cases actually should go to the tribunal so evidence is tested and precedents set.
15. More thorough examination into the links between social media abuse and mental health issues, after club presidents including Peter Gordon raised it as an agenda item for the AFL commission.
16. A proper, reasoned discussion about whether the MCG should always host the Grand Final after five Victorian sides beat interstaters in the season’s last game in the past five years.
17. More glimpses of something special from Harry McKay, who could be anything but also has played just two games of AFL footy. Green shoots, Blues fans, green shoots.
18. A Mark of the Year competition that actually recognises the best mark of the year. Oh, and Jeremy Howe retaining a licence to thrill.
19. Adam Simpson handing Liam Ryan that same licence. The human highlights reel stood on heads in the WAFL every week and kicked bags of goals.
20. A new nickname for Essendon’s dynamic duo of small forwards in Jake Stringer and Orazio Fantasia. What a combo at full flight. And with Anthony McDonald Tipungwuti to slot in there too. Over to you, Brian Taylor.
21. A new nickname for Essendon’s dynamic duo of small defenders in Adam Saad and Connor McKenna. Talk about pace off halfback. Oh boy, wowee.
22. Melbourne’s players channelling their aggression at the ball rather than the man.
23. A season that again goes down to the wire, after the home-and-away denouement last year that lasted until the final seconds. Pity the finals were filled with blowouts.
24. A united stand made by the AFL playing group against the staging and ducking for free kicks that is a blight on the game. Still think Luke Shuey milked the free that won West Coast the final.
25. Nic Nat somewhere near full flight. The game needs him.
26. Nathan Fyfe at absolute full flight. Which would spark a debate about whether he, Dusty, Buddy, Paddy, The Bont or Little Gaz are the best player in the comp.
27. Luke Hodge miked up on the field at least twice after his unique insight into on-field coaching. Might go OK on the field, too.
28. Tom Liberatore winning back some of the competition’s respect after his horror 2017 season.
29. A Hawks backline with James Frawley, Ben Stratton, Grant Birchall, James Sicily, Ryan Burton, Blake Hardwick and Conor Glass. Damned fine on paper. And throw Jack Gunston forward with Jarryd Roughead and Cyril Rioli. Then do you leave them out of your top eight?
30. Wylie Buzza. Can’t help thinking he will be a lock in the Geelong side by mid-season, with the Cats cult hero providing hardness, second efforts, marking power and goal scoring as a rangy left-footed ruckman.
31. The Port Adelaide conundrum. Are Jack Watts, Jack Trengove, Steven Motlop, Trent McKenzie and Dom Barry list cloggers or the top-ups that help the Power win the flag? High-risk strategy. Gutsy.
32. New-found respect for Tom Rockliff. The footy world has focused on what he can’t do rather than his work as an absolute clearance beast. That might change with a bright start at his new home at the Power.
33. Lion Mitch Robinson as the human wrecking ball. A young midfield with kids like Jarrod Berry, Hugh McCluggage and Alex Witherden needs a protector. Bull-at-gate Robinson missed the last 16 games with a foot injury but teammates stand taller around him.
34. The Jake Lever effect. His recruitment at Melbourne releases Tom McDonald forward full-time after 23 goals in half a season there last year. He and Jesse Hogan shape as a future FF-CHF premiership combination.
35. Those footy gods sharing some of that luck with Jesse Hogan. His father’s passing, testicular cancer, a broken collarbone, trade speculation. It was some kind of year.
36. Joe Daniher as an 80-goal full forward. Kicked 13.16 to Round 6, then 52.23 to close the year. Keep the radar intact and he wins the Coleman.
37. Tom Lynch re-signing with Gold Coast. If he doesn’t, God help the Suns.
38. A decision early from Rory Sloane. If not, what cruel punishment for Adelaide fans enduring year-long speculation over Patty Dangerfield, then Jake Lever, then Sloane in successive years.
39. What Clarko does next. Still the master tactical innovator.
40. A full season from North Melbourne’s Jy Simpkin. As KB would say, this kid can dance on a dollar.
41. Ross the Boss cracking down. Too many off-field issues from his players in pre-season years. Ross Lyon likes to execute one to educate a thousand, but he has had too execute too many of late, Harley Bennell the latest.
42. Lachie Weller returning Gold Coast’s investment. Loved the decision to go all out to lure him home, so hopefully he vindicates that decision with an outstanding year. The pressure will be on.
43. A defender winning the Brownlow. As if. Alex Rance won eight Brownlow votes, Jake Lever one, Michael Hurley four, Heath Grundy two.
44. What Richmond kid Jack Graham does next. Three goals in his fifth game for a premiership, smashed Rory Sloane after half time. What is his next trick? Intriguing.
45. Josh Schache’s gradual development. Never seen more vitriol about a second year key forward. Except for Tom Boyd the year before. Give the kid some time.
46. Charlie Cameron and Dayne Zorko in full flight. Zorko’s year was underrated (34 goals, 526 touches). At times both will run amok at half forward with pace and flair. Can’t wait.
47. More of Patrick Cripps’ bravery. At one stage he played with a broken jaw and broken ribs last year. Still just 22. Wow,
48. That moment where fans of underperforming teams will switch to focus of the 2018 “superdraft”. How many times will hear that phrase this year?
49. Clayton Oliver’s evolution to an even more damaging player after 177 kicks and 482 handballs. What an upside after only 35 games.
50. Did we mention little Gaz?
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