With crack forward Jonathan Brown set to miss the opening NAB Cup match, along with key talls Daniel Bradshaw, Daniel Merrett and Mitch Clark, the Lions will unearth bigman Lachlan Henderson – the club's first selection in last year's NAB AFL Draft.
CARLTON – How will the No.1 draftee fare in his first match?
With boom recruit Chris Judd on ice for a little longer – due to a groin injury – much of the attention during Carlton's NAB Cup campaign will focus on first-year ruckman Matthew Kreuzer, the first player taken in last year's NAB AFL Draft. Much will be expected of the young gun, but we must keep perspective. Kreuzer will likely take a while to get a feel for the game at this level, so be patient Carlton fans. Still, the continued progress of previous No.1 draftees Marc Murphy (2005) and Bryce Gibbs (2006) will excite fans.
ESSENDON – How will the post-Sheedy and Hird era take shape?
It 's way too early to tell how the Matthew Knights era will look, but be assured the former Richmond captain will be his own man. As the Dons start life without two of their most revered figures – Kevin Sheedy and James Hird – Knights has already shown in the build-up to this season he won't be a Sheedy clone..
FREMANTLE – Will the Essendon influence quickly emerge?
With Mark Harvey officially appointed senior coach last September, the triple Essendon premiership player now heads a group of former Dons now aiming for success at Fremantle. Combined with football operations general manager Robert Shaw,
GEELONG – Who will replace Nathan Ablett up forward?
With Nathan Ablett stepping away from the game over the summer, the opportunity has opened up considerably for Tom Hawkins. The young-gun has shed puppy fat for a lean, ripped figure and has the ability to make an big impact in 2008 – although it is just his second AFL-listed season. Also figuring in the match against Melbourne will be Tom Lonergan, whose bravery has been well-documented after he was involved in a life-threatening collision with Melbourne's Brad Miller in 2006.
HAWTHORN – Who steps up for Crawford, Lewis and Hodge?
With suspension ruling out three key Hawks – Shane Crawford (three matches), Jordan Lewis (two) and Luke Hodge (one) – for the start of the home-and-away season, the pre-season period will be a great opportunity for several emerging Hawks, including Xavier Ellis, Beau Muston and Travis Tuck, all drafted in 2005. Ellis, Muston and Tuck have already tasted playing at the highest level, but are on the cusp of becoming regulars in 2008. The club's will be looking to them to step up in the absence of Crawford, Lewis and Hodge. The loss of former skipper Richie Vandenberg, Joel Smith and Ben Dixon through retirement will also create further opportunities for players to make their mark in the brown and gold in 2008.
KANGAROOS – What can we expect with the return of Nathan Thompson?
When the key forward went down with a knee injury last pre-season, the doomsayers were out in force. What transpired was an outstanding season from the Roos – a preliminary final berth and a third-place finish. All of this occurred without the services of Thompson, who bagged 54 goals in 2006 to top the club's goalkicking. He also finished second in the Syd Barker Medal that year. Now the almost 30-year-old is back and ready reignite his career. He is set to take on the Western Bulldogs in Darwin this weekend and although he will be given time to find his feet, his big presence will be noticed immediately in his side's forward line.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
