IF | THEN | |
Adelaide | there's a footy phrase which needs new parameters ... | ... it is "low profile". Hello Don Pyke. And before anyone jumps up and down, that's not criticism. |
Brisbane Lions | Beams does indeed miss the first half of the season ... | ... nothing else can go wrong if this side is to reach that point with some form of hope for the second half. |
Carlton | there were any Cripps sceptics still around over summer... | ... surely they've all disappeared now. Genuine gun. |
Collingwood | there’s one player with a big Watch This Space tag on him right now ... | ... it is Travis Cloke. His 2014 and 2015 seasons were ordinary. |
Essendon | 2016 pans out the way most expect ... | ... the Bombers will get at least the first two picks in the draft (finish last, Hooker exits), and will argue to the AFL a case for the third as well (AFL commission-requested compo). |
Fremantle | Ross Lyon has now got another five years in charge ... | ... we're locking him in for two flags. At least one. Our faith in this man is still full-bore, and will remain so until the very end. Ross remains The Boss. For five more years at least. |
Geelong | you think the Danger hype is out of control, and it is ... | ... either remember or be aware that until he takes a chopper to a training session that it's got nothing on Brian Peake of 1981. |
Gold Coast | the Suns want to keep Prestia ... | ... it's simple: win games. Lots of them. A finals-qualifying amount of them. Good luck. |
Greater Western Sydney | the Giants lose their first four games (Dees, Cats, Swans, Power) by smallish margins ... | ... Jezza Cameron won't be feeling too flash. |
Hawthorn | the Hawks are going to have one regret from late 2015 ... | ... it will be the moving-on of Brian Lake. |
Melbourne | we're already tired of one topic in 2016 ... | ... it is Roos-Goodwin. Don't for a minute think that Roosy won't be having the final say, every single time, all the way through. |
North Melbourne | this team is to do anything of note this year ... | ... it just wins against Adelaide. |
Port Adelaide | Wingard actually still has some progress to make, and we're not sure there's much he hasn't already done ... | ... he’ll kick 65 goals this year. Maybe 70. Our No.1 favourite player to watch. |
Richmond | there's something we've already been saying for four years and will never, ever let go ... | ... it is this: play Jack Riewoldt from the square. Give him a licence to be selfish. Actually encourage him to kick as many goals as HE can. |
St Kilda | we're worried about a club's win-loss progress from last season as we enter 2016 ... | ... it is this one. |
Sydney Swans | some of the mail we've been getting from our traditionally A-grade sources in the past month is right ... | ... Buddy is primed to go 2008 all over again. But, even armed with that info, we still have doubts. |
West Coast | you cast your mind back to Grand Final night, 2012 ... | ... if you're honest, there's no way you would've predicted three premierships in the three seasons since for the Hawks. Now … cast your mind back to GF night 2015. |
Western Bulldogs | Wingard, Fyfe and Walters have been our favourite players to watch during the past three seasons ... | ... Stringer is a close fourth, and closing very hard. Super Impose style. And if that means nothing to you – YouTube his four wins in the Doncaster and Epsom Handicaps in 1990 and 1991. |
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Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian