Footy is finally (almost) back. With the new season just around the corner, we're assessing each club's hopes for 2019, starting with Adelaide-Fremantle, then Geelong-North Melbourne and finishing up with Port Adelaide-Western Bulldogs.
Here, we preview Geelong through to North Melbourne.
Geelong
What's changed since 2018?
The Cats are one of the hardest clubs to predict heading into 2019 with so much A-grade talent but also so many question marks. They again loaded up with mature talent in the offseason, bringing in Gary Rohan and Luke Dahlhaus to hopefully inject speed and pressure into their best 22 but the biggest change could be the permanent move of Gary Ablett to the forwardline, which the Cats' decision-makers have committed to. Could the Little Master reinvent himself as one of the league's best small forwards?
JLT results
Geelong 65 lost to West Coast 99
Geelong 101 beat Essendon 73
First month
Talk about a brutal start to the year - Geelong face four of this year's likely finalists in the first four weeks, with a powerful Collingwood unit first-up in a blockbuster Friday night clash at the MCG. The Demons are next, and the Cats will no doubt still be smarting from their elimination final smacking at the hands of the Dees last year. The Crows are another tough test before the ever-dangerous Giants head to Geelong.
Round 1: Collingwood, MCG, Friday March 22
Round 2: Melbourne, GMHBA Stadium, Saturday March 30
Round 3: Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, Thursday April 4
Round 4: GWS, GMHBA Stadium, Saturday April 13
Prediction: The Cats to lose their first two before then beating the Crows and Giants to be 2-2 after four weeks.
ESPN traffic light rating (green = rising, red = falling, amber = treading water)
Amber. Geelong's premiership hopes may well be decided after the first third of the season: after the aforementioned first four games, the Cats then face Hawthorn on Easter Monday, West Coast at home and Essendon at the MCG. There's nowhere to hide in that first seven weeks. But if the Cats can win three or four of those, it should set them up for the rest of the season. They have enough top-end talent to worry their rivals, but the concern is again their soft underbelly.
Gold Coast
What's changed since 2018?
There's no avoiding the fact the Suns made the decision to start from the ground up, again, after a disastrous 2018. Gone are their two finest key position players, Tom Lynch to Richmond and Steven May to Melbourne, with veteran talent Aaron Hall, Kade Kolodjashnij and Jarryd Lyons also departing. They've loaded up with draft picks, including the prodigious No. 2 and 3 selectoins Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine, and signed several journeymen including Corey Ellis, Anthony Miles, George Horlin-Smith, Jack Hombsch and Jordan Murdoch. Another tough season looms.
JLT results
Gold Coast 77 beat Western Bulldogs 72
Gold Coast 81 lost to Sydney 123
First month
Make no mistake, every match looks difficult for Gold Coast at this stage but the AFL has gifted them at least some winnable games early on. With so many offseason changes, it could also take a while for the Suns to gel but they'll fancy their chances of snagging one win in the first month.
Round 1: St Kilda, Marvel Stadium, Sunday March 24
Round 2: Fremantle, Metricon Stadium, Sunday March 31
Round 3: Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium, Sunday April 7
Round 4: Carlton, Metricon Stadium, Sunday April 14
Prediction: The Suns have to make the most of this soft start and will snare a win over Fremantle in Round 2 in a 1-3 start to the season.
ESPN traffic light rating (green = rising, red = falling, amber = treading water)
Red. There's only one spot lower than 17th (where the Suns finished last year) but unfortunately Gold Coast look most likely to finish with this year's wooden spoon. Stuart Dew's men were already facing a long season, before injuries mounted to make things even tougher. Important key defender Rory Thompson (ACL) and Harrison Wigg (ACL) are done for the year, while No. 3 draft pick Rankine's hamstring injury will keep him out for the first couple of months. The Suns appear to have the weakest list in the league and will need a serious turnaround in luck and form to avoid dropping to 18th.
Greater Western Sydney
What's changed since 2018?
The Giants were huge players in the offeason, saying goodbye to a wealth of talent including Ryan Griffen (retired), Dylan Shiel (Essendon), Tom Scully (Hawthorn) and Rory Lobb (Fremantle) and bringing in another wave of elite young talent. The moves helped free up salary cap space for out-of-contract stars Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio, with the Giants confident of retaining the brilliant midfielders. Shane Mumford also decided to come out of retirement to shore up the Giants' ruck stocks, although he won't be seen until Round 3 at the earliest due to his infamous 'white powder' video.
JLT results
GWS 81 beat Sydney 59
GWS 57 lost to Adelaide 75
First month
The Giants are another club facing a daunting opening few weeks. Shiel returns 'home' to face his former teammates in the opening round before the Eagles (away), Tigers (home) and Geelong (away). Not an easy game among that lot.
Round 1: Essendon, Sydney Showgrounds, Sunday March 24
Round 2: West Coast, Optus Stadium, Saturday March 30
Round 3: Richmond, Sydney Showgrounds, Saturday April 6
Round 4: Geelong, GMHBA Stadium, Saturday April 13
Prediction: The Giants will roll Essendon in Round 1 before finding themselves in a spot of bother by losing their next three.
ESPN traffic light rating (green = rising, red = falling, amber = treading water)
Amber. After bowing out in last year's semifinals, the Giants look a weaker team on paper but counteracting that is the fact they should get a better run with injury after last year's woes. The Giants still boast the top-end talent that's the envy of most clubs but they don't appear to have the firepower to compete with the league's strongest teams.
Hawthorn
What's changed since 2018?
Tom Mitchell's likely season-ending leg break, which happened at training in January, was the major talking point of Hawthorn's offseason. It adds another layer of uncertainty after Hawthorn's eyebrow-raising summer. The Ryan Burton-Chad Wingard trade will be fascinating to follow, but Tom Scully's bargain-basement recruitment could be one of the value trades of all time if he can get 100 percent fit.
JLT results
Hawthorn 60 lost to Brisbane 102
Hawthorn 87 lost to Richmond 95
First month
After an opening-round match-up away to a powerful Adelaide unit, Hawthorn have three very winnable games to round out their opening month. The Hawks will be desperate to notch at least two wins as they plot redemption after last season's straight-sets September exit.
Round 1: Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, Saturday March 23
Round 2: Western Bulldogs, MCG, Sunday March 31
Round 3: North Melbourne, MCG, Sunday April 7
Round 4: St Kilda, Marvel Stadium, Sunday April 14
Prediction: The Hawks to alternate losses and wins in the first month to finish at 2-2.
ESPN traffic light rating (green = rising, red = falling, amber = treading water)
Red. There are just too many question marks surrounding Hawthorn's list to suggest they'll improve, with other clubs looking well placed to overtake them. The midfield especially, without Mitchell, appears light-on and a lack of key position depth could hurt their chances. But, as always, beware the Alastair Clarkson factor - with so many new rules introduced since last year, he's the one coach you know will have some aces up his sleeves.
Melbourne
What's changed since 2018?
The biggest change for Melbourne happened during the trade period with Jesse Hogan finally flying west, and Steven May coming in to strengthen the Dees' wobbly key defensive stocks. Another difference is that of expectations - having patiently rebuilt under Paul Roos and Simon Goodwin and inching their way up the ladder, the Demons have no excuses and must continue their path upwards.
JLT results
Melbourne 101 lost to Richmond 113
Melbourne 97 lost to Brisbane 97
First month
The Dees will know soon enough if they are legitimate contenders or whether last year's impressive campaign was just a flash in the pan. They should be confident of defeating Port Adelaide at home to kick off their season -- it is a danger game, however -- but then comes Geelong away, Essendon in a Friday night clash and then Sydney at the SCG.
Round 1: Port Adelaide, MCG, Saturday March 23
Round 2: Geelong, GMHBA Stadium, Saturday March 30
Round 3: Essendon, MCG, Friday April 5
Round 4: Sydney, SCG, Thursday April 11
Prediction: The Demons to split their opening four games and be 2-2 after one month.
ESPN traffic light rating (green = rising, red = falling, amber = treading water)
Amber. Many will expect Melbourne to challenge for a premiership and while they do have an enviable list, they might still be a year away from breaking their lengthy flag drought. There's no disgrace in winning two finals and finishing in the top four as they did in 2018 but other clubs -- notably Richmond, West Coast and Collingwood -- appear better placed to take home the premiership cup.
North Melbourne
What's changed since 2018?
Plenty. The Roos, who finished a sprightly ninth last year, were one of the league's most active in recent trade period, prioritising run, carry and foot skills. The additions of Aaron Hall, Jasper Pittard and Jared Polec are high-risk, high-reward players, while the signing of Dom Tyson will allow the Roos to use Jack Ziebell more up forward. However, a glut of injuries to important defenders could leave North a tad leaky in the early parts of the season - as their JLT performances showed.
JLT results
North Melbourne 77 lost to St Kilda 102
North Melbourne 102 lost to Port Adelaide 123
First month
The Roos' first four weeks will be fascinating. All four matches look winnable but they are also danger games, with Fremantle -- boasting some newfound tall timber -- a stern test first-up. The Lions, Hawks and Crows will all pose their own issues but North Melbourne should have enough quality to make a strong start to their season.
Round 1: Fremantle, Optus Stadium, Sunday March 24
Round 2: Brisbane, Marvel Stadium, Sunday March 31
Round 3: Hawthorn, MCG, Sunday April 7
Round 4: Adelaide, Marvel Stadium, Saturday April 13
Prediction: The Roos to go 3-1 in the first month of the season despite losing to Freo in Round 1.
ESPN traffic light rating (green = rising, red = falling, amber = treading water)
Green. North haven't received too much fanfare over the offseason but have the talent to make finals after just missing out in 2018. They boast one of the league's best inside midfield groups, which will revel in the new 6-6-6 rule, while there's now more silk to work alongside the grunt. Expect the Roos to at least play one final this year ... don't be surprised if they even win one.