Adelaide

The big question on everyone's lips is WILL THEY DO THE POWER STANCE AGAIN… only joking. After failing them on the biggest stage, surely that fad has been and gone forever… like planking. Now I think about it, the power stance was really just a vertical version of planking. Equally ridiculous.

So how will the Crows perform in 2018 after going to close? It'll take only a couple of weeks for us to know, with Essendon at The Docklands first up, before the Grand Final rematch in round two.

Bryce Gibbs is a valuable inclusion, with at least another one to two elite seasons left in the body, and you can never have too many midfielders, but some might wonder whether he accounts for the loss of an intercepting defender (Jake Lever) and grass burning mid / forward (Charlie Cameron).

*History shows a number of teams who've lost the previous season's Grand Final march straight back there the next year, with Collingwood (2003), West Coast (2006), Geelong (2009), St Kilda (2011) and Hawthorn (2013) managing to do it this century.

There appears to be continued hype around the Crows for this season, boasting an elite midfield and above average forward line, but one wonders if they can recapture what they had last year. I suspect not, well at least not to the same extent. Yes their forwards will look unstoppable at times, but most will carry Grand Final day scars. Eddie, as electric as he is, couldn't have yet another better year that his previous few.

Verdict: For that reason, I have Adelaide outside of the top two.

*(NOTE: Collingwood (2003) and St Kilda (2011) were the only ones unfortunate enough to lose again.

Brisbane

Some think Luke Hodge, Cameron Rayner, and Charlie Cameron are big inclusions to an improving Lions outfit, but they pale in significance to the biggest arrival at Brisbane over the off-season - Josh Walkers new glorious head of hair. *It looks sensational.

Allen Christensen has good football in him, Hugh McCluggage has a year under the belt, Stefan Martin is an under-appreciated (outside Brisbane) star, The Big Hippy could be anything, Daniel McStay is McGood, and the great Da(y)ne's are goal kicking midfield gold - so this is a team that have turned the corner.

You just get the feeling Hodge's impact around the dressing room improves the Lions by one win a year, then having him on field late in games probably steadies them for another.

Verdict: With that in mind, I expect Brisbane to improve on last season's five meritorious victories to seven or eight which would be very solid in an even season.

*If you know what shop he got these follicles from, please tell me. I could use a few thousand. Sponsors HMU…

Carlton (*said in a John Elliot voice)

The Baggers plateaued a little last year, which is troubling when you're starting at a very low height. If winning a flag is climbing Everest, to steal a Richmond season 2017 analogy, the Blues got out of their car at base camp and stepped up the gutter (in 2016), then have not elevated again since.

In the offseason they've seen two of their last four John Nicholls medallists disappear from the team sheet in different circumstances. Bryce Gibbs was finally allowed to go home, and Sam Docherty sadly did a knee, so significant improvement isn't guaranteed. But there's plenty to like.

Patrick Cripps heads that list, with Charlie Curnow only narrowly behind. The thought of these two playing together for the next 200 games is cause for excitement, but also expectation.

For all the hype Cripps and Curnow command, Sam Petrevski-Seaton and Jarrod Pickett (despite breaking his scaphoid) deserve almost as much and will give the Carlton fans excitement factor they've not had since Eddie departed.

Complimenting this enviable list of young guns is the makings of an elite defence. Veteran Kade Simpson won't be around forever, but will leave a lasting impact on Caleb Marchbank, Jacob Weitering and Lachie "Mr Plow" Plowman. They're the foundation of a contending defence.

Verdict: After six wins last season, I expect Carlton to take the next step this year, improving by a win or two.

*An old salary cap rorter for you kids

Collingwood

Bucks survived the post-season and was re-signed, but it all means little for the ravenous football media who will apply the blowtorch if Collingwood are winless after the first month.

With Hawthorn, GWS, Carlton, Adelaide, Essendon and Richmond in the first six rounds - there's every chance the Magpies will be way below .500.

The midfield is a relative strength, with seasoned veterans Scott Pendlebury, Adam Treloar, Steele Sidebottom and Taylor Adams supported by the promising Brodie Grundy. It's at either end that's the problem, and has been for two years.

Buckley has had injuries hamper him, but he really hasn't had the answer to his sides continual torching of inside fifties thus far. Mason Cox has looked reasonable in the pre-season, but we've seen him play up forward before so it's hard to imagine all of a sudden he's going to be the sole difference.

Darcy Moore struggled last season, but is as good a forward prospect as any in the land. Daniel Wells would help their cause with guilt edged service, his body doesn't look to want to oblige him or Buckley though.

Verdict: Going 11th, 12th, 12th, 13th in the previous four years, I am predicting further pain. They won't advance up the ladder this year either.

Essendon

Like a vitamins injection in the bum, the horror of "you know what" is finally behind the Bombers.

New recruits come baring fruits, with speed, power and goal IQ walking into the Tullamarine clubrooms in the form of Adam Saad, Jake Stringer, and Devon Smith.

Complementing the youth and exuberance of last year's rising star, Andrew McGrath, Darcy Parish, and Zach Merrett, is my tip for the best player in the competition, smiling Joey "Dirt" Daniher. What a superstar.

Throw in the rock solid senior bookends Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker, plus the anger of Brendan Goddard, it's hard to argue that most of the pieces aren't in place at Essendon. However expecting a team to gel and perform doesn't automatically make it so.

The Bombers crawled into a finals campaign in 2017 and have no apparent reason to go backwards.

Verdict: Expect to find the bombers in the bottom half of the eight and anything less than a finals victory will be a disappointment after a stellar off season.

Fremantle

Someone tell me what to make of this side? Seriously.

Is Nathan Fyfe still in the league's elite? If not him, who for the Dockers is?

Sure, Lachie Neale racks them up, and Michael Walters looked scary at times playing in the middle last year, but the former isn't the most damaging, and while the latter most definitely is, his consistency isn't quite there.

Stephen Hill is thereabouts, and his brother, Bradley, has played games that are undeniable. Then there's David Mundy, Michael Johnson and Aaron Sandilands who all have been, yet none are anymore. They're a riddle befitting Jim Carrey in Batman Forever (circa 1995 kids).

That makes eight on the cusp of the elite bracket, but none you could call bonafide right now.

A forward line boasting Cam McCarthy, Matt Taberner, Hayden Ballantyne and Brandon Matera should kick goals… but is that what Ross Lyon wants? We all know he'd rather stop one than kick one.

Verdict: Who knows… somewhere between 5 - 16.

Geelong

The little master is back. No not Sachin Tendulkar, Gary Ablett of course. That can only be a good thing. I'll never forget the time I saw Gaz hiring a video from the Torquay video store… yes kids, we used to go and hire VHS version of films, watch them, rewind them, then return them - can you believe it.

I can't believe Geelong will be any better this year. There, I said it. Dangerfield, Selwood, Ablett - all absolute monsters, and will probably continue to be. But they're all under differing injury clouds. This is a big issue.

Jnr has rarely played in three years. Danger has sustained his first ever hammy, and when you explode the way he does, it could mean there's more to come, and; JoelWood has the ankle that interrupted 2017 to take care of, so as we all know - a lot rides on the health of their "Big Three".

Tom Hawkins is in footballing limbo. Is he a superstar, or is he just another big forward who can kick five occasionally, and have sub five kicks just as often? I love him, but don't know what kind of football he is most conducive too. I hope the coaches do.

I like to call Mitch Duncan "Mitch GUNcan", because he's an under the radar gun, but then what? Cockatoo is electric, and Gregson looked like a special player two seasons ago, but both have stalled thanks to injuries.

No one really knows how deeply, but the loss of back six mainstays Mackie and Lonergan will be felt - it has to be.

Verdict: Just scrape into the eight.

Gold Coast Suns

I've discussed the problem with the Gold Coast Sun's before. Read it here.

As for their chances this season…

Verdict: 12th

Greater Western Sydney

Let me start by saying, I'm not as bullish about GWS as many.

The obvious issue is that they cannot stay healthy. You need continuity and a fit list to choose from if you're going to win a flag - so really, it's a credit to them to have been in Preliminary Finals the previous two seasons. I'm just not convinced they march back into the top four for a third straight year.

There's AA calibre stars everywhere from midfield - forward, but the backline isn't quite as heralded, or accomplished, just yet.

In my opinion, Brett Deledio could still offer value, and is a little bit of an X-Factor - but see previous comments about staying healthy and directly apply that to him.

There'll be natural improvement still in a list of very good players, but unless they have near their best 22 available, and a list of 36+ to select each week, I don't see this year being any different to last.

Verdict: 5th or 6th after the regular season with a caveat of good health making them a danger in September.

Hawthorn (*or Hawkorn as I like to call them)

Went 10 - 11 - 1 last season to drop out of the eight for the first time since 2009. A lot has changed since then. ie. Tiger Woods was considered a family man in those days.

The teams fabric has changed a lot from their "glory days" of a couple of years ago, punctuated by the retirement, then un-retirement of Luke Hodge (now at Brisbane).

You'd be stupid to count them out with Alistair Clarkson in charge. He found something tangible in James Sicily in defence, who combines well with future-star Ryan Burton, but there's not a lot of obvious gold among their youth stocks.

Jaeger O'Meara is potentially dominant, and Tom Mitchell is good for forty disposals a game, but unless Cyril Rioli picks up where he left off, it's hard to see too much blue sky just at this moment. It won't take long to work out where they're at, either way.

They have a helluva first four weeks, facing Collingwood first up, before three predicted top eight teams - Geelong, Richmond and Melbourne.

Verdict: They won't win as many this year as they did last season.

*To annoy people. Try it.

Melbourne

The Dees shit the bed and made their fans sleep in it last season. Does anyone get ahead of themselves better than this bunch? I'd have said only Richmond, but their flag dry-spell has ended, and it was only a mere 36 years in between drinks for them, which pales into insignificance compared to the Demons 53 trips around the sun since last holding the cup.

But everyone thinks they're on the up, so they must be, right?

Jake Lever arriving is a good thing, as is Jack Watts departing, so that's two steps in the right direction. *Just kidding, Jack (if you're reading).

Jesse Hogan looks set to blow and I rate Christian Petracca's stocks as highly as ASX investors and Chinese mothers rate A2 Milk's. Big Max Gawn will be better for last year, and Clayton Oliver will probably get the AA blazer he may have earned last year. He'll also probably get TKO'd in a twitter stoush or two, too.

There'll be expectation this year, which has never really suited Melbourne, and a couple of chances to prove they're not reading their own press with Brisbane and North Melbourne in the first three weeks, so we'll know a lot more after that.

Verdict: Like crypto currency - buy… but expect to get burned.

*HMU with some shorts

North Melbourne

Finished a flattering 15th last season, meaning there's a good three positions they can potentially fall.

There's a lack of genuine A Graders at Arden Street. Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell are what they are - very good, tough footballers. Shaun Higgins is a smooth operator with few flaws. Rob Tarrant is probably a little better than those three and in the elite bracket. Ben Brown probably just behind him. Then there's very little to talk about.

Taylor Garner looks good. He can take a big aerial and is "tough" in the street fighter sense of the word. I predict he'll get weeks at some stage this year. Mason Wood has promise but is very much in the Darcy Moore (Coll) mould, and last year, thanks to injuries, was a step back.

Verdict: Spoon.

Sign Up to SportChamps and play our FREE AFL Betting Tournament, there's $1,000 to be won

Port Adelaide

Active in the off-season, acquiring four pretty big name recruits in Jack Watts, Steven Motlop, Tom Rockliff and Lindsey Thomas, so one suspects they think they're thereabouts.

In a way, Watts, Motlop and Thomas do feel like a natural fit for the Power. Whether the stats back this up or not, they feel like a team of players who can make the game look easy, an inconvenience, fun, and irrelevant numerous times per season, if not each game.

Strangely, it's Rockliff that's the enigma of the group though. A club captain, best and fairest winner, tough, ball magnet. He appears to do most things well. So he'll be one to have the biggest impact.

Robbie Gray is a star. He's without peer in the "class" category. Charlie Dixon reminds me a bit like a young Jack Riewoldt. Whether things are going right or wrong, he's good to watch and eventually he'll win a Coleman and All Australian blazer. Is this the year?

Verdict: Someone has to drop out the eight to move the Dees and Doggies in, and here's my tip for one of them.

Richmond

Last year's finals campaign was like a month of Christmas' for the players and supporters. And in Nathan Broad's case it was like Christmas, Boxing Day and his Bucks party.

So do they even care this year? For seventeen other teams, I think sadly the answer is "yes" they do.

Pre-season form has never been something to set your watch to, so discounting their stellar practice match results, they lost no one from their Premiership side over the off-season, have the league's best player, a game style that's the competition benchmark, and have depth to burn. Players like Reece Conca, Shai Bolton, Jayden Short, etc will be banging the door down for senior selection, so there will be no taking the foot off the pedal at Tigerland.

Their reliance on Toby Nankervis is a concern, and their unblemished 2017 injury list will probably never be repeated, so there's that. Also, how they handle the unfamiliar position of being the team that everyone sets themselves for is going to be fascinating. They should be 4 - 2 after six, at worst, which puts them in a great position to mount another challenge.

Verdict: See no reason why they won't be top six at the end of the reg. No lock for top four though.

St Kilda

We expected big things last year, we got a very average (11 wins 11 losses) season. This year we expect little, and they might surprise.

The same won't cut it. One more win would have them very close, if not in the finals. But one more loss will have them among the quagmire of also rans who don't get the benefit of a top three draft pick.

They play their first three at the Docklands, and the first two (Brisbane and North Melbourne) should be pencilled in W's if they think they're going up the ladder this season.

There's some good kids - Hunter Clark, Nick Coffield, plus all the Jack's. The forward line will find its identity, now (jolly old) Saint Nick has retired, which could be a positive thing for Tim Membrey, Josh Bruce, Paddy McCartin, etc. who really look to be the Sainters X Factor.

If they get the front half firing, Adelaide-esque, this team is capable of 13 wins.

Verdict: Ninth. Ouch.

Sydney

There appears to be a lot of external hype around the Swans. Is it justified?

They blew their season up in the first six rounds last year, which forced them to exert everything just to make the finals, then it all came to a crashing halt.

They were the bookies favourites pre round one 2017, and whether they've earned it or not, are right back on the first line of betting. I wouldn't be jumping on though. They're now ruckless, too.

In saying that, the Swans are honest, and have a pretty strong home ground advantage at the SCG so should be in the mix again.

Verdict: Gary Rohan to get a full season in. Just joking, that couldn't happen. 4 - 8.

Western Bulldogs

The Hydralytes, blue Powerades and Zinger Combos have been consumed so the hangover is officially behind them. Therefore it must be time for them to bounce back into the eight.

A couple of tall arrivals in the form of Jackson Trengove and Josh Schache will bolster an apparent weakness in that department, and with the exception of "The Package" being returned to sender, most of the same men who got it done in 2016 are still there, and are still capable.

Players who improved on 2016 were virtually impossible to find last season, so there's a lot of this list that owe the coach an improved output, but Jack McCrae, Lachie Hunter and Toby McLean were some of the few who held their heads high in season 2017 that should continue to build.

The skipper, Easton Wood, appears to be a forward now, but no one knows how long this will last. He is an elite intercept marker and general of the defence, but life's a little tougher in the front half, as any good (or bad) forward will tell you. If I were a betting man, I'd back Luke Beveridge to get it right though.

Verdict: Doggies will win enough games to make the bottom half of the eight.

West Coast Eagles

Disturbing rumblings have been coming out of Perth for a few months now, and if the rumours are true - that a pint of beer is now sub $4 - I for one am absolutely disgusted… at not being there. This can't (Matty) bode well for the footballing plans of the "Big Birds, Kings of the Big Game" which surely now is beer pong.

Hopes will ride on a successful Nic Naitanui return, but like sleeping pills and red wine, big men and ACL's don't mix particularly well. The forward line has long looked dangerous, and the backline, with Eric McKenzie, Shannon Hurn and Jeremy (Shooter) McGovern being joined by Tom Barrass, it's more than solid. The same can't be said for the midfield.

Matt Priddis and Sam Mitchell depart, leaving underrated gun Luke Shuey as the only real topliner in there. Andrew Gaff is the competitions best space-eater / runner, and is all class on his wing, so add him to the A Grader list (of two). But then there's Chris Masten, Jack Redden, and good old INSERT NAME - you tell me who else runs through there because I don't even know. In short - there's still a lot of room for improvement in there.

The first three games (Swans, Dogs, Cats) are very solid, and although two are at home, none are assured.

Verdict: 7 - 10.

Get involved in the AFL action and play SportChamps FREE Round 1, Richmond Versus Carlton betting tournament. There's $1,000 to be won.