From Moonee Valley Leader newspaper
http://melbourne-leader.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/victorian-football...
It hasn’t been much of a summer, but footy season’s almost here. With the Victorian Football League set to get under way on Saturday, April 2, Leader’s Sam Landsberger has had a look at each club’s off-season ins and outs and given his predictions about the how he sees the 2011 season panning out.
Bendigo Bombers
Coach: Shannon Grant
Captain: Ben Duscher and Trent Shinners
Key arrivals: Matthew Little (Williamstown), Michael Hibberd (Frankston)
Key departures: Jason Cloke, Marcus Marigliani (Sandringham)
Big year for: Matthew Little - desperate to repeat his breakout 84-goal performance in a final bid to reignite his AFL dream.
Sam says: Shannon Grant’s charges will consolidate and play finals again.
Prediction: 6th
Box Hill Hawks
Coach: Damian Carroll (new)
Captain: Sam Gibson (new)
Key arrivals: Kyle Cheney (Melbourne), Paul Johnson (Melbourne)
Key departures: Cam Pedersen (North Melbourne), Ed Curnow (Carlton)
Big year for: Travis Tuck - will be an important year for the son of Hawthorn legend Michael.
Sam says: Box Hill flew home last year to make a preliminary final. Key losses hurt but Beau Muston and Adam Pattison are onboard and the coach is a proven genius with young lists.
Prediction: 5th
Casey Scorpions
Coach: Bradley Gotch
Captain: Kyle Matthews and James Wall
Key arrivals: Dan Nicholson (Uni Blues), Lucas Cook (TAC Cup),
Key departures: Ben MacReadie (West Adelaide), Brad Miller (Richmond)
Big year for: Kyle Matthews - Was on life support 11 months ago with fears for his future after he was king hit outside a Hawthorn bar. A remarkable recovery.
Sam says: Melbourne cleanout of Miller, Danny Hughes, Daniel Bell and Kyle Cheney hurts. Unlikely to challenge.
Prediction: 7th
Coburg Tigers
Coach: Adam Potter (new)
Captain: Nick Carnell
Key arrivals: Brad Miller (Melbourne), Tom Derrickx (Claremont)
Key departures: Jordan McMahon, Graham Polak
Big year for: Justin Kahlefedlt - in his second VFL year from Southport expect the flashy line-breaker to win more contested ball and become the complete package.
Sam says: The Tigers were competitive last year but lost a pile of close matches. Will again field a young line-up.
Prediction: 10th
Collingwood Magpies
Coach: Tarkyn Lockyer (new)
Captain: Kris Pendlebury
Key arrivals: Jon Ceglar (Gold Coast), Dan Farmer (TAC Cup)
Key departures: Josh Fraser (Gold Coast), Jack Anthony (Fremantle)
Big year for: Shae McNamara - the former American basketballer is in the final year of his international rookie contract and needs a strong year to extend Collingwood’s experiment a third season.
Sam says: The Pies have lost a wealth of depth. Chris Tarrant and Andrew Krakouer will push a couple of players back to the VFL but finals are no certainty.
Prediction: 9th
Frankston Dolphins
Coach: Simon Goosey
Captain: Paul Kennedy
Key arrivals: Riley Heddles (TAC Cup), Bob McAllum (Drouin)
Key departures: Michael Hibberd (Essendon), Ryan Hobbs
Big year for: Russell Gabriel - with GWS entering next season the ruckman with AFL hopes needs another sparkling season as he strives to complete his meteoric rise.
Sam says: Goosey says the Dolphins can make the finals, as he did this time last year and they only won one match. If they sign Brendan Fevola they will win a handful of games but it could be a long year.
Prediction: 13th
Geelong Cats
Coach: Dale Amos
Captain: Matthew Firman
Key arrivals: Troy Selwood (Brisbane), Jaxson Barham (Collingwood)
Key departures: Nathan Djerrkura (Western Bulldogs), Ryan Gamble (St Kilda)
Big year for: Ben Raidme - the wingman burst on to the VFL the scene in 2009 and won the best-and-fairest. Another solid year could have AFL scouts circling.
Sam says: Chris Scott has inherited a much thinner list that will trickle down and haunt Geelong’s VFL outfit.
Prediction: 12th
North Ballarat Roosters
Coach: Gerard FitzGerald
Captain: Marcus Greig (new)
Key arrivals: Ben Mabon, Cam Delaney (both TAC Cup)
Key departures: Stephen Clifton (GWS), Corey Jones (retired)
Big year for: Myles Sewell - another brilliant season, and Foxtel Cup, is his last chance of securing his AFL dream.
Sam says: The triple premiers lost a wealth of talent last year but proved they were capable of replenishment as the dynasty continued. It will be a far greater challenge this year but write off the Roosters at your peril.
Prediction: 4th
Northern Bullants
Coach: Darren Harris (new)
Captain: Adam Iacobucci
Key arrivals: Ed Curnow (Box Hill), Wayde Twomey (Swan Districts)
Key departures: Anton Woods (Williamstown), Brad Fisher (delisted)
Big year for: Ash Arrowsmith - the most impressive Ant all summer boasts a booming right foot and is ready for another big VFL year after two seasons on West Coast’s rookie list.
Sam says: After two grand finals the Ants have topped up nicely for a flag assault. Carlton’s influx of mature-age rookies help.
Prediction: 3rd
Port Melbourne
Coach: Gary Ayres
Captain: John Baird
Key arrivals: Patrick Rose (Williamstown), Wayde Skipper (Hawthorn),
Key departures: Phil Raymond, Dylan McLaren
Big year for: Callum Sinclair - needs to add consistency and a breakout year could beckon.
Sam says: The Boroughs were already top-four material but have loaded its side with star power over summer to rocket further into premiership contention. Will be hard to beat if Ayres can sign Brendan Fevola.
Prediction: 2nd
Sandringham Zebras
Coach: Brett Lovett (new)
Captain: To be announced
Key arrivals: Marcus Marigliani (Essendon), Dean Polo (Richmond)
Key departures: Nick Sautner (VAFA), Shane Tregear (West Perth)
Big year for: Chris Irving - settled into the VFL last year but has the potential to take the league by the scruff of the neck this season.
Sam says: It has gained a clever coach but lost its star power and will struggle to win as many games as last year (seven).
Prediction: 11th
Werribee Tigers
Coach: Paul Satterley (new)
Captain: Dom Gleeson
Key arrivals: Matt O’Dwyer (Sydney), Leigh Harding (North Melbourne)
Key departures: Marty Pask, Mitch Thorp
Big year for: Jordan Treloar - the strong, marking forward from the TAC Cup was stiff to miss at the rookie draft. He could flourish in attack this season.
Sam says: With a fairer spread of North Melbourne talent could surge towards the finals.
Prediction: 8th
Williamstown Seagulls
Coach: Peter German
Captain: Brett Johnson
Key arrivals: Brett Goodes, (NT Thunder), Anton Woods (Northern Bullants)
Key departures: Peter Faulks (Fremantle), Matthew Little (Bendigo Bombers)
Big year for: Ben Jolley - the 24-year-old unassuming midfielder continues to fly under the radar in a star-studded side.
Sam says: The perennial finals choker again has the polish and experience to go all the way. The Western Bulldogs have the deepest AFL list and Willi will benefit from a swag of Bulldogs class but the lack of a home ground could hurt.
Prediction: 1st
