Adelaide has again spent significant time focusing on physical strength this pre-season in an attempt to increase the effectiveness of Brenton Sanderson's contested game-plan. Brodie Smith insists players are lifting more than last year and are running personal best times to boot. While likely to spend the vast majority of his time in Adelaide's forward line this season, don't be surprised to see Josh Jenkins drift back at times. At 197cm and 104kg, the athletic forward shares almost identical physical attributes to his predecessor Kurt Tippett and is a formidable attacking target. But he's trained with the Crows' defensive group over the pre-season and is set to add serious versatility to the side's best 22.
BRISBANE LIONS
After struggling to find a forward partner for Jonathan Brown last season, watch for the Lions to stack their front half with three talls in 2013. Regular full-back Daniel Merrett did a terrific job as a makeshift target last year, but he will return to the more familiar surroundings of the defensive 50. The acquisition of Stefan Martin gives Michael Voss his much cherished forward/ruckman, while Brent Staker's return from a knee reconstruction could be the perfect foil as a third tall. Aaron Cornelius is also a good third option, while even Irishman Niall McKeever has trained forward to ensure Voss has plenty of choices to stack the front half.
CARLTON
Blues coach Mick Malthouse's desire for more versatile players, less predictability and a deeper, more diverse midfield to take some pressure off Chris Judd and Marc Murphy is likely to result in key playmakers Bryce Gibbs and Chris Yarran spending more time in the midfield. Even livewire forwards Eddie Betts, Jeff Garlett and Andrew Walker are expected to have bursts on the ball, just as Malthouse did at Collingwood with instinctive types like Leon Davis and Alan Didak. The new Blues mentor has also been implementing his tried-and-true safety-first approach to ball movement: wide from defence before going more direct from wing/half-forward, and only going inboard when the target is well clear.
COLLINGWOOD
The Magpies expect Quinten Lynch to be very valuable as a tall forward and relief ruckman. Lynch runs high and kicks long meaning Travis Cloke can play deeper when needed and cause headaches for teams without a strong defender to match up on him. Imagine Cloke sitting under long bombs from a free running Clinton Young and you have the ideal picture in mind. The midfield rotations will be high with so many players capable of playing either inside 50 or in the middle. Expect midfielders such as Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury to find themselves parked forward occasionally to rest and test.
ESSENDON
It's hard to see too many positional changes within the Bombers, but one guy who could pop into the side and play a useful role is Nick Kommer. Essendon went to last year's NAB AFL Draft looking for a couple of players who could immediately step into the senior side and the 22-year-old West Australian is one of those. He appears a good chance to play in the NAB Cup on Friday against Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, and it wouldn't surprise to see him used through the midfield, possibly in a 'run-with' role. His defensive traits, like his tackling and running, are well regarded by the club, which is hoping to be tighter defensively across the ground in 2013.
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FREMANTLE
Playing in tandem from round 16 onwards last season, small forwards Hayden Ballantyne and Michael Walters combined for 43 goals in 10 games. In an ominous sign ahead of the season, both have been standouts on the track this summer and are shaping as a dangerous combination in 2013. Both have focused on lifting their running ability and it is expected they will rotate between high and deep roles to add unpredictability to Fremantle's forward line this season. With 187cm forward Josh Mellington pushing for a round one berth, Fremantle could have a smaller than expected support cast in attack alongside captain Matthew Pavlich.
GEELONG
Key forward James Podsiadly has spent time training with the Cats' defensive group this summer after being sent into the backline late in Geelong's elimination final loss to Fremantle last year. With Matthew Scarlett's retirement, Podsiadly could be used to bolster the Cats' key defensive stocks this year, especially if they continue to give Harry Taylor occasional stints in attack as a marking target. Travis Varcoe and Steven Motlop have been used off half-back during the Cats' match practice sessions, with Geelong keen to add some line-breaking dash from defence. Mitch Duncan and Allen Christensen look set to spend more time in the midfield this season.
GOLD COAST
There's no doubt the Suns are focusing more on defence in their third season. Criticised for going one-on-one too often in 2011, they slowly introduced a defensive zone last year. That will be taken another step this season, with lots of work being put into a compressed defensive set-up that pushes further up the ground. Adding the experience of Greg Broughton and Tom Murphy to the back half ensures plenty of talk coming from behind the younger midfielders and forwards. Watch for Karmichael Hunt to play as a tagger – a further sign the Suns are intent on slowing down their opponents' scoring.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
The Giants are well aware of the need for their young players to develop in all aspects, but there have been some areas of focus. In particular there is a strong emphasis on improving skill execution in the context of a game. The Giants are also keen for players to move the ball on quickly and play on in the right circumstances. Indigenous All Star Curtly Hampton, who started as a forward before being shifted to defence last season, appears to have found a home in the backline, where he has been training. Part-time forwards coach Dermott Brereton has also been impressed with Adam Tomlinson, who could be set for a more significant role up front this season.
HAWTHORN
The Hawks don't often invite outsiders to watch pre-season training, and even decided not to hold their usual open intra-club practice match in Launceston this year. But the snippets coming out of Waverley say Jarryd Roughead has spent very little time working with Hawthorn's ruck group, suggesting the possibility he'll be spending more time forward this season. The additions of Brian Lake and Matt Spangher (who has trained impressively over summer) have bolstered Alastair Clarkson's key defensive options, and may free up Ryan Schoenmakers and the mid-sized Ben Stratton to develop their playmaking skills.
MELBOURNE
Melbourne aims to have its twin towers Chris Dawes and Mitch Clark working in tandem up forward. Nothing surprising there, but it will also park Jeremy Howe inside 50 more often to use his leap and agility to test the opposition match-ups. Expect Cameron Pedersen to roam forward and in the ruck and Shannon Byrnes and Aaron Davey to lurk around their feet. It means the midfield does not need to finesse too much, although Jimmy Toumpas and Colin Sylvia add class to the grunt, and the backline, consisting of the likes of James Frawley, Tom McDonald, Colin Garland, Jack Watts and Lynden Dunn can remain settled.
NORTH MELBOURNE
North was the third-highest scoring team in last year's home and away season but ranked 13th in points against, so improving its defensive pressure all over the ground has been a focus this pre-season. North will continue to try and stretch opposition defences by playing three talls in attack after the successful teaming of Drew Petrie, Lachlan Hansen and Robbie Tarrant in the second half of 2012. Majak Daw will look to put pressure on that trio this season after training primarily with North's forward group rather than its ruckmen this summer. Half-back Shaun Atley is likely to spend more time in the midfield this year, which might mean the Roos introduce another line-breaker such as Daniel Wells into defence at times this year. Forward Kieran Harper is also likely to play a bigger midfield role in 2013.
PORT ADELAIDE
The arrival of Ken Hinkley heralded in a new era at Port and, as the club's first non-Port Adelaide coach for some 50 years he wasted no time in bringing in new talent. Angus Monfries was lured home to South Australia to bolster the Power's midfield and attack. The drafting of exciting crumber Jake Neade, athletic tall Mason Shaw and the continued development of Chad Wingard means the club's forward line will possess greater firepower than it did in 2012 and ensure it's more capable of making the most of Port's inside-50s. Hinkley hasn't focused his attention on one aspect of the Power's game, rather sculpting a "well-rounded" side. The return of fitness guru Darren Burgess certainly has the squad in better shape than last year and an increase in training intensity will see Port more able to compete until the final siren.
RICHMOND
Reece Conca has been training with the midfield group with an eye to spend more time in an inside role this season. Tall utility David Astbury has been training well after an injury-hit two years and is working at both ends of the ground. He will look to find his spot in the NAB Cup but spent time in the backline against the Indigenous All Stars last Friday night. Rookie Orren Stephenson has been working on his forward line craft, Luke McGuane carried on from last year and played in attack against the All Stars and Aaron Edwards will add something to their forward structure too.
ST KILDA
Scott Watters will hope to get an idea during the NAB Cup of whether he can play ruckmen Ben McEvoy and Tom Hickey in the same team. That would put less pressure on Justin Koschitzke, who could stay in the forward line alongside Nick Riewoldt. But it may mean the line-up would be too tall and short on midfield rotations. The Saints' damaging small forward trio of Stephen Milne, Terry Milera and Ahmed Saad look set to be a key plank in the club's attack again this season, after they teamed beautifully in the Saints' intra-club match on Saturday for a combined nine goals.
SYDNEY SWANS
The Swans have well and truly bought into coach John Longmire's game-plan, which has proven highly successful over the past two seasons. It is now in a fine-tuning stage, on top of a continued focus on further improving disposal and kicking skills. Despite his 11-game ban, Kurt Tippett has been training like he's going to play in round one and is in excellent shape. Lewis Roberts-Thomson looms as a real wildcard for opposition teams and has been training in virtually all areas of the ground. Longmire's ruck tactics will also be keenly observed. Shane Mumford and Mike Pyke impressed as a tandem last year, Roberts-Thomson is an adequate back-up and Tippett has also spent time training with the ruckmen.
WEST COAST
West Coast's forward line will be a clear area of strength in 2013, with Mark LeCras returning and Josh Kennedy fit after an interrupted 2012 season. Josh Hill earned his opportunity last season following LeCras' injury, but the Eagles appear set on playing both in their best team this year. Hill has enjoyed a strong pre-season, lifting his running ability to new heights in an effort to become a more flexible player. It means he could fit into West Coast's front half as a hard-running high forward, leaving LeCras deeper. It has even been floated that the former Bulldog, who kicked 36 goals last season, could be used across half-back at times.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs surprised many when they traded dual All Australian defender Brian Lake to Hawthorn, but there was method in their madness. A succession plan was already in place, with Jordan Roughead taken from his usual ruck/forward role to the backline in the second half of 2012. The 22-year-old showed the move was worth persevering with, holding his own when opposed to superstars Jack Riewoldt, Tom Hawkins and Jonathon Brown. The return of Dale Morris from a broken leg, and acquisition of Geelong champion Matthew Scarlett to the coaching panel will provide Roughead with invaluable support. Robert Murphy also looks set for a change of roles, with coach Brendan McCartney looking to use the creative veteran more in attack. The back to the future move is geared towards improving the Dogs' poor conversation rate of inside-50s into goals.
