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We'll see how he goes when we re-visit this page at end of season 2011
SHANE Crawford gives an insider's view into how your club is shaping up in the race for the 2011 flag.
FLAG: Collingwood
SPOON: Gold Coast
BROWNLOW: Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
COLEMAN: Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)
RISING STAR: David Swallow (Gold Coast)
1 COLLINGWOOD
THE EARLY MAIL: Has taken zoning and defensive structures to a new level. The early signs are they have prepared themselves even better than last year.
GAME PLAN: High in rotations where every player has a great understanding of their roles. The Pies don't just chase the ball carrier; they pressure the possible receivers, meaning they are ahead of the game.
CONCERN: It will be interesting to see if they retain the hunger. Depth is perhaps not as good, with the loss of Tarkyn Lockyer, Josh Fraser, Shane O'Bree, Simon Prestigiacomo and Paul Medhurst. None played in the Grand Finals, but it was nice to have them there as back-ups.
FLAG: Yes. Definitely. FINALS: Yes
HOW MANY WINS: 16-18.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Andrew Krakouer will push Leon Davis and other small forwards for a regular spot. Word is that he will spend as much time in the midfield.
UNDER THE PUMP: Talented young forward Brad Dick can play good football, but can his body stand up to the rigours of an AFL season? Has had shoulder issues in recent years.
PASS MARK: Grand Final.
2 WESTERN BULLDOGS
THE EARLY MAIL: Contender or pretender? Had a more balanced pre-season compared with last year where they were up and running too early. Will play a lot of younger players in the NAB Cup.
GAME PLAN: Has been working to introduce a number of new faces into the forward line to make it less reliant on Barry Hall. Has recruited well at trading table/father son picks.
CONCERN: Never seems to be in the right vein of form when the finals come. Can't expect Hall to do everything in attack.
FLAG: Yes. FINALS: Yes
HOW MANY WINS: 13-15.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Recruited Justin Sherman from the Lions to make up for the loss of Brad Johnson and Jason Akermanis. They are big shoes to fill, but Sherman just needs to compete.
UNDER THE PUMP: As harsh as it sounds, Robert Murphy. A very good player who is often hit or miss. Has had injury issues, but sometimes doesn't look desperate enough.
PASS MARK: Getting past a preliminary final. Must make the Grand Final.
3 ST KILDA
THE EARLY MAIL: The off-field distractions have been many. Collingwood was in a similar situation a few years ago, but dealt with it well. Will the "us-against-the-world" mentality be a galvanising one.
GAME PLAN: Crying out for leg-speed. Has good skill levels in the middle of the ground, but needs to find more avenues to goal. Chasing bigger scores, so expect new faces in attack.
CONCERN: Has been up for a long time, without the ultimate reward. How much will the distractions impact on the players, and importantly, how much petrol is left in the tank?
FLAG: Yes. FINALS: Yes
HOW MANY WINS: 13-15.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Nick Riewoldt has been under enormous pressure, but expect him to fire and let his footy do the talking.
UNDER THE PUMP: Probably an easy target, but Justin Koschitzke. Has already had surgery and will miss early matches. Normally needs a good fitness base, but won't get one. Must play in the ruck.
PASS MARK: Internally, it will be that elusive premiership, but realistically it should be top four.
4 HAWTHORN
THE EARLY MAIL: The pressure is on. The coach says they won't play on the edge this year. I expect them to play on it more than ever. The list is better prepared than 2010.
GAME PLAN: Focus will be on more direct style,
with the forwards pushing up the field and creating space to work into.
CONCERN: Lack of leg speed through the middle is a worry. If Clinton Young and Chance Bateman get injured, they are in a bit of trouble.
FLAG: Yes. FINALS: Yes
HOW MANY WINS: 13-15.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Clinton Young is arguably the club's most important player as he runs, carries and uses the ball so well. A key player for club's fortunes.
UNDER THE PUMP: Former Kangaroo David Hale wants to play in the ruck. To achieve this, he needs to have a big impact.
PASS MARK: Top four. Needs to win a final for the first time since 2008 flag.
5 GEELONG
THE EARLY MAIL: Has completed its toughest pre-season in years under new coach Chris Scott. There are plenty tipping the side will slide, but beware of the re-energised Cats.
GAME PLAN: Expect them to play a lot of attacking football, especially off half-back. Might follow the path of the Brisbane Lions from their glory years - creating spare players behind the ball.
CONCERN: How do you replace the massive hole left by Gary Ablett? The short answer is, you can't..
FLAG: No. FINALS: Yes
HOW MANY WINS: 12-14.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Big season for Tom Hawkins. He needs to have a consistent influence and spend time in the ruck.
UNDER THE PUMP: Cameron Ling was criticised for his finals performances last year, but expect his true character to shine.
PASS MARK: Top six would be a passable return in Scott's first year.
6 CARLTON
THE EARLY MAIL: Has employed John Donehue exclusively as a full-time tackling coach, much to the chagrin of a few other clubs who were using him. They will hit harder and tackle harder.
GAME PLAN: Will have a strong Collingwood flavour, with Gavin Brown and Alan Richardson joining the club. They have implemented a lot of defensive set-ups.
CONCERN: Will the Blues be able to kick enough goals to make the next step up the ladder needs addressing.
FLAG: No. FINALS: Yes
HOW MANY WINS: 11-13.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Jarrad Waite should be ready for a big year in the second season after his knee reconstruction. Keep him up forward, please.
UNDER THE PUMP: Brock McLean had an injury-plagued season in 2010, but has had a better pre-season and dropped a lot of weight. If he can get his body right, he can take the pressure off Chris Judd around the ball.
PASS MARK: Must win a final in 2011.
7 MELBOURNE
THE EARLY MAIL: The most exciting young team in the AFL. The Demons are miles ahead of last year in skill and preparation.
GAME PLAN: Still expecting an attacking style but when the opposition has the ball, they will be a bit more defensive-minded.
CONCERN: Will the talk of Tom Scully possibly going to Greater Western Sydney annoy them all season as it did with Geelong and Gary Ablett last year. Possibly. For the record, I reckon he will stay.
FLAG: No. FINALS: Yes
HOW MANY WINS: 11-13.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Colin Sylvia has that real X-factor about him and is developing into a leader. Could be a future captain.
UNDER THE PUMP: Harsh, but I want to see Jack Watts start to show consistency. He's got time on his side, but hopefully he can have a big year.
PASS MARK: Finals for the first time since 2006.
8 FREMANTLE
THE EARLY MAIL: The developing list is good and got some finals exposure last season, but I think 2012 and 2013 will see the Dockers at their peak.
GAME PLAN: Aaron Sandilands is a crucial part of this by getting first use of the ball. They like to switch play, but sometimes can be a bit predictable.
CONCERN: Will they be satisfied with what they achieved last year, as previous Dockers sides have, or is this one made of sterner stuff?
FLAG: No. FINALS: Yes
HOW MANY WINS: 11-13.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Great name, very good prospect. Tendai Mzungu has had strong WAFL form and is a fit, mature-aged recruit ready to make an impact.
UNDER THE PUMP: Not sure where Kepler Bradley is going to fit in if the new interchange rules rule out second ruckmen. May play forward.
PASS MARK: Must make the finals for the second year in a row.
9 SYDNEY
THE EARLY MAIL: Played a more attacking game last season, so expect that to go to the next level under new coach John Longmire. The loss of spiritual leader Brett Kirk will be sorely felt.
GAME PLAN: Hard to say with the new coach. But will likely play even more attacking football this year.
CONCERN: If key players such as Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Ryan O'Keefe go down, the Swans will be in trouble.
FLAG: No.
FINALS: Possibly, but not in my top eight.
HOW MANY WINS: 11-13.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Love watching Daniel Hannebery play the game. He has terrific skill level and the attributes every recruiter wants. Good kid.
UNDER THE PUMP: Craig Bolton just can't get his body right. Transformed his career with the Swans after leaving Brisbane, but needs luck to overcome injury setbacks.
PASS MARK: Needs to be in the running for the finals, as is the case with the Swans each year.
10 NORTH MELBOURNE
THE EARLY MAIL: Liked the development of these young kids and their young coach last year. Good mix of youth and experience. Still reckon we won't see them at their best until 2012-13.
GAME PLAN: Strong focus on getting their skill levels up to elite AFL standards. Also an emphasis on maintaining possession when they get the ball.
CONCERN: Their best player is rising 33. Brent Harvey is still the barometer after all these years, and is likely to be the same in 2011.
FLAG: No.
FINALS: Possibly, but not in my top eight.
HOW MANY WINS: 9-11
PLAYER TO WATCH: Lindsay Thomas played one of the great individual games last year, but would love to see him perform at a top level on a more regular basis. Reckon he can.
UNDER THE PUMP: Would love to see Drew Petrie get a change of luck. Hopefully his foot can stand up to the pressure of AFL football again, as he is a leader and a key to North
PASS MARK: Top 10.
11 ADELAIDE
THE EARLY MAIL: One of the smokies. But I'm not convinced that the Crows won't just be around the same mark as last year. Always focused on fitness, but also working in the pre-season on ball movement/skills.
GAME PLAN: Discipline is the backbone to the Neil Craig structure. They love to switch play. Expected to stick with those principles.
CONCERN: Was going to tip them to make the finals until analysing the loss of leadership. Gone are McLeod, Bock, Edwards, Burton and Goodwin.
FLAG: No.
FINALS: Possibly, but not in my top eight
HOW MANY WINS: 9-11.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Former Blue Sam Jacobs has played only 17 games but is one of the best tap ruckmen in the competition right now.
UNDER THE PUMP: Richard Tambling has been under pressure almost all of his career, and that won't change at a new club. A fresh start might be the secret as he seeks to play consistent football.
PASS MARK: To win more games than last year.
12 ESSENDON
THE EARLY MAIL: A strong focus on fitness before Christmas as well as defensive efforts and defending when the opposition has the football.
GAME PLAN: Wants to play the game on their terms. When under pressure, the big focus is on maintaining possession rather than giving it up.
CONCERN: Too much reliance on Jobe Watson in the midfield. They need to unearth some players to come through that mix.
FLAG: No. FINALS: No
HOW MANY WINS: 8-10.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Jake Melksham covers the ground well and showed a fair bit in his first year. If he can take the next step and help out in the midfield, it will be a bonus.
UNDER THE PUMP: Mark Williams needs more game time and to show some consistency. Is in much better shape going into this season than he was last year, and hopefully his knee holds up.
PASS MARK: Win more games than last year (7).
13 PORT ADELAIDE
THE EARLY MAIL: New coach Matthew Primus has not got the strongest list to work with, but expect him to go with the youngest players to try to make an early impression.
GAME PLAN: Impossible to gauge. We saw Primus as caretaker last season but he will get the chance to put his direct stamp on the team this year. Looking forward to seeing what he will bring to this team.
CONCERN: Consistency and depth are a real issue. The only thing predictable about Port is that they are unpredictable.
FLAG: No chance.
FINALS: No.
HOW MANY WINS: 7-9.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Jackson Trengove has been added to the leadership group, which probably says a bit about what the Power has got to choose from. He's a good kid.
UNDER THE PUMP: Couple of candidates here - Daniel Motlop and Chad Cornes. Motlop has amazing talent and can be a match winner, but his work ethic has always been in question. Cornes has dropped away and needs to improve to hold his spot.
PASS MARK: Not expecting much. Top 12.
14 BRISBANE LIONS
THE EARLY MAIL: Will have learnt a bit from its season of hell last year. Has new fitness staff, including former Crow Brett Burton. Their focus is on trying to remain fit and healthy, which didn't happen last year.
GAME PLAN: The plan is to have more flexibility in the midfield and to develop a few more avenues into attack, especially with a doubt on Brendan Fevola.
CONCERN: Their depth is a massive concern. Somehow Michael Voss needs to ease the pressure on Simon Black in the middle. If he struggles or is injury, the Lions are in trouble.
FLAG: No chance.
FINALS: No.
HOW MANY WINS: 7-9.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Mitch Clark showed a bit towards the end of last season, pushing forward and using his mobility to advantage.
UNDER THE PUMP: One guess, Brendan Fevola. He's had no pre-season since the New Year's Eve incident after being in rehab. If he gets the chance to play again, and that's a big if, he needs to prove in his actions that he wants to be a part of this game.
PASS MARK: More than the seven wins of last year.
15 WEST COAST
THE EARLY MAIL: By all reports, the Eagles are fit and ready to go, but still need a lot more attention on skill levels. There are fears the Eagles could be the first coach killer of 2011. Showed nice improvement at the end of 2009, but fell away terribly last year.
GAME PLAN: Have good ability to win the ball, but turn it over with regularity. The aim is to develop a steady side with regular patterns.
CONCERN: Just can't win interstate, and that simply puts too much pressure on the young side. Simply does not have the cattle.
FLAG: Could win a beach race at Scarborough, but as far as the AFL flag goes, no chance.
FINALS: No.
HOW MANY WINS: 7-8.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Nic Naitanui was criticised at stages last year after showing good early promise. Let's give him another year before we form a judgment.
UNDER THE PUMP: Other than a handful of players, including Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras, just about everyone on the list.
PASS MARK: Avoid a second wooden spoon.
16 RICHMOND
THE EARLY MAIL: No pre-season news is good news. Continues to develop I don't expect massive improvement in ladder terms, but will be looking ahead with confidence.
GAME PLAN: The plan will be more advanced than the long and direct style used last season. Expect the Tigers to switch a lot more and the defensive process will be fine tuned.
CONCERN: The Tigers desperately need more help for Jack Riewoldt. He can't do it on his own.
FLAG: No chance. n FINALS: No.
HOW MANY WINS: 7-8.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Riewoldt, of course. If he can maintain the form that won him the Coleman Medal, it will be a bonus.
UNDER THE PUMP: Nathan Foley is an important player for Richmond, but his body has let him down in recent times.
PASS MARK: Don't finish on the bottom. Ideally, win more games than last year.
17 GOLD COAST
THE EARLY MAIL: The wet weather has forced the Suns to do a lot of training indoors, which has frustrated the coaches as it is extremely hard to develop game styles and strategies.
GAME PLAN: Unknown, but suspect there will be a strong Collingwood flavour with Guy McKenna and assistant coach Shane O'Bree having trained under Mick Malthouse. Likely to play fast, attacking footy.
CONCERN: Lack of experience and match practice will be an issue. Might tire in second half of the season, and interstate.
FLAG: No chance. FINALS: No chance.
HOW MANY WINS: 6-7.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Brandon Matera reads the play beautifully and will kick plenty of goals.
UNDER THE PUMP: Nathan Krakouer has shown a bit, but made the move without really establishing himself.
PASS MARK: Win a few home games.
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