In the first of our weekly Round Table columns, our AFL experts Niall Seewang, Jake Michaels and Matt Walsh dissect all of the main talking points ahead of the opening round of the season.
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Could Fremantle have handled the Jesse Hogan situation better?
MW: It's such a tough situation but when the Dockers released a (pretty good) statement only for the damning videos to surface on social media not long after, it left Hogan open to a whole new level of vitriol from the public - something which can't be good for his mental health. The club is clearly between a rock and a hard place but surely being as honest about his situation as possible and backing his recovery from a dark place is paramount to maintaining positive mental health, and would be better accepted by the public.
NS: I doubt they could have. It's a highly sensitive issue and one the entire AFL landscape -- not just clubs and media -- is still learning how to best handle. The murky, often overlapping grey area between mental health issues and alcohol/substance abuse means there's no simple solution when these situations emerge. Freo's statement and media conferences regarding Hogan could have been clearer but in reality, there's only so much they can divulge to the public.
JM: How could they have handled it any better? If they didn't bring the issue to light, we would be saying that there's no transparency in the AFL. The Dockers did nothing wrong here - Hogan was the one who transgressed and will now be receiving the support he needs in his recovery. Hopefully we see him on the field sooner rather than later.
Is Carlton deserving of playing in the season opener?
MW: Why not? Despite Carlton having been in the lower reaches of the ladder for some time, the average crowd in the season opener has been 80,621 over the past four years. In years gone by (we're talking 10 or so years ago), the argument was always against the Tigers and why they were gifted a Round 1 spot against a superior Carlton outfit. Swings and roundabouts ... Let's just all take a deep breath - we'll be all right.
NS: In a word - no. Surely this honour should go to two strong clubs who we can trust to produce a high-quality, exciting contest for footy-starved fans after a long offseason. Richmond have certainly earned the big stage but Carlton would just about be the last logical choice. Start the season with a Grand Final re-match or even a Showdown or Western Derby (not that such a Victorian-centric league would ever allow that).
JM: No. Not because they've struggled in recent seasons, but because the opening game of the year should be a re-match of the AFL Grand Final. Just imagine Collingwood vs. West Coast at the MCG, or Optus Stadium (there's no reason the opener has to be in Victoria), to kick it all off. Now that is something to get excited about!
Which teams will be the biggest riser this year?
MW: The Crows are surely due to rocket back up the ladder after a dismal 2018 campaign. With the quality of their list and the players they're getting back from injury (hello Brodie Smith and Brad Crouch), anything less than a six place rise probably isn't good enough. This group is good enough to finish in the top four and I suspect they'll give the competition something to worry about.
NS: It's an obvious answer but Adelaide. The Crows finished 12th last year after their Grand Final appearance in 2017 but their list is still powerful. When fit, the Crouch brothers, Rory Sloane, Bryce Gibbs and Sam Jacobs form one of the best midfields in the league, but down back is where they look even more damaging: Daniel Talia, Kyle Hartigan and Tom Doedee blend beautifully as key talls while Rory Laird, the returning Brodie Smith and Wayne Milera are jets who can create havoc. The Crows should definitely go deep into September.
JM: My big, bold call ahead of season 2019 is that Lions will play finals football. Brisbane's rate of growth over the past two seasons has been immense and with Lachie Neale now on board -- someone who I believe will feature heavily on Brownlow Medal night come season's end -- a top eight berth is a real possibility.
Which teams will be the biggest slider this year?
MW: North Melbourne were just the one win (and percentage) out of the eight last year but they may struggle to get close to a finals berth in 2019. There are some glaring issues in defence that will be exacerbated early with no Scott Thompson (suspended) or Majak Daw. In brief, during JLT the Roos conceded 118.9 points per 50 minutes of the ball being in their back 50. This was 20 points worse off than the worst team from last season, St Kilda (99.6 points per 50 minutes in defensive 50).
NS: Hawthorn. I'm wary of the Alastair Clarkson factor -- if there's one coach who can take advantage of the new rules, it'll be Clarkson -- but the Hawks look a touch thin all over the park to me, especially without Tom Mitchell. Chad Wingard, Tom Scully and Jack Scrimshaw are all exceptionally talented but they're no certainty of making a big impact for differing reasons. I can see the Hawks sliding from fourth to 10th or below.
JM: It would be a miracle if the Hawks finish in the top four again. With Tom Mitchell out for the season and a far tougher draw, I'm expecting a big slide from Hawthorn. No finals in 2019 and a 10th place finish.