St Kilda’s Matthew Parker impressed in his first JLT game with two goals and some good touches. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
Last AFL season saw the emergence of Jaidyn Stephenson, the eventual Rising Star winner. Tom Doedee stood tall for Adelaide in his first season and Geelong’s Tim Kelly proved you can be a readymade AFL player at any age.
There are hidden gems everywhere on AFL lists, and 2018 taught us that there are always a few players at each club ready to burst on to the scene.
They aren’t always first or second year players, either. Often, a player who has been on the list four or five seasons can break out into an AFL star.
Which players might fit that mould in 2019? Footyology assesses those most likely, club by club, today looking at St Kilda, Sydney, West Coast and Western Bulldogs.
ST KILDA
The Saints have already been written off by most in the media, and after four-and-a-half wins last season, you can’t blame them.
This is a huge year for St Kilda, which needs to show some genuine improvement if coach Alan Richardson is going to see out the year. The Saints have some great young talent on their list, but will need a solid contribution from all of them to have any sort of impact on 2019.
Hunter Clark is a name fans should see plenty of this year, with the second year product showing signs of his true potential in his debut, the midfielder averaging 15 disposals from his 15 games and showing poise with ball in hand.
Saints fans are most excited about livewire midfield/forward Jade Gresham and he is getting serious recognition for his crafty ball use and awareness around the goals. Gresham kicked 35 goals from his 22 games last year and racked up plenty of ball, too, averaging 18 disposals.
Injuries, sadly, will also be a key word early in the season, with Jake Carlisle (back), Jack Steven (mental health issues), Billy Longer (hamstring) Oscar Clavarino (ankle), Dan Hannebery (hamstring) and Nathan Brown (suspension) all set to be sidelined for round one.
It means the younger brigade, including Ben Long, Bailey Rice, Rowan Marshall, Josh Battle, Nick Coffield and Jack Billings need to stand up and be counted.
Keep a close eye, also, on three exciting draftees who will feature early, in Matthew Parker, Nick Hind and Robbie Young, all of whom starred in the Saints recent intra-club game at Moorabbin, Parker and Hind also impressive in Saturday’s JLT win over North Melbourne.
It may well be a tough year at the Saints, and if they truly want to prove the doubters wrong, they need to get on the board early with games against the Suns, Hawks, and Fremantle all in the first five matches.
SYDNEY
The Swans were bundled out of the finals by crosstown rivals GWS in the first week last season, an ominous loss in which they could managed only four goals.
They have drafted a super talent in Nick Blakey, who could well debut in round one with star Lance Franklin looking increasingly unlikely to play due to a groin strain.
That could give Blakey and Tom McCartin the chance to press their claims as Sydney’s next forward combination.
Aliir Aliir stood up last year, taking 7.2 marks per game, and looms as the Swans most important defender, his ability to read the play, intercept mark and rebound from defensive 50 critical to the Swans.
Ollie Florent has been on the verge of breaking out and has elite skills and awareness around the contest, so expect to see plenty from the exciting Swans midfielder again in 2019 after he averaged 17 disposals a game last season.
WEST COAST
The reigning premiers will again be the team to beat this season after proving they could win it all even without Andrew Gaff and Nic Naitanui.
Willie Rioli showed some silky skills in the back end of the season, and was a huge part of the premiership success, playing every game for the Eagles.
Rioli booted 28 goals for the year and averaged 11 disposals per game, and was a key player in the key play of the season, holding off Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard to allow teammate Dom Sheed to mark and kick the winning goal in the grand final.
There’s still more talent on the rise at West Coast, too. Jake Waterman, Daniel Venables and Jackson Nelson showed a lot of promise throughout the season, and Oscar Allen looks ready to go up a level also after an impressive first JLT outing against Geelong.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
An eight-win season at the kennel wasn’t what the doctor ordered, but there was at least some encouragement for coach Luke Beveridge and the Bulldogs later in the 2018 season.
Billy Gowers announced himself on the AFL scene with 26 goals, and he ended the season as the Dogs’ leading forward target, averaging 4.5 marks from his 20 matches. A broken arm in a pre-season car accident was a setback, but the Dogs are confident Gowers will play in the opening round against Sydney.
Aaron Naughton steadily improved across 2018, with the tall, robust defender averaging four marks per game and becoming one of the Dogs most reliable defenders, finishing fourth in the best and fairest.
Ed Richards also made a good impression with plenty of pace and skill, proving handy around goals as well.
The Dogs also have a potential draft star in Bailey Smith, an elite midfielder a bull at the footy who wins plenty of ball.
Check out John’s assessment of who to look out for at Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon HERE.
Check out John’s assessment of who to look out for at Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney HERE.
Check out John’s assessment of who to look out for at Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Richmond HERE.
