Bombers star knows ‘resilient’ fans will be cheering them on

LAST SEASON: CAPTAIN: COACH:

INS:

11th (10-12)

Rory Sloane

Matthew Nicks

Ben Crocker (Coll), Billy Frampton

(Port Adelaide), Ben Keays (Brisbane)

Eddie Betts (Carlton), Cam EllisYolmen (Brisbane), Hugh Greenwood

(Gold Coast), Sam Jacobs (GWS), Josh

Jenkins (Geelong), Alex Keath (Bulldogs),

Richard Douglas, Andy Otten (retired)

Talls Darcy Fogarty and Elliot Himmelberg. With Betts and Jenkins gone and Taylor Walker waning, the future of the forwardline is now.

Brad Crouch (pictured), albeit the out-of-contract reigning club champion is being wooed by the Suns.

Second-year midfielder Chayce Jones won both 2km time trials after Christmas and is primed to make a midfield spot his own.

OUTS: LOOK OUT FOR: KEY MAN: PRE-SEASON HERO: LAST SEASON: CAPTAIN: COACH:

INS:

3rd (17-8)

Joel Selwood (pictured)

Chris Scott

Josh Jenkins (Adelaide), Jack Steven (St Kilda)

Tim Kelly (West Coast), Zac Smith

(Gold Coast), Scott Selwood (delisted)

Esava Ratugolea is one of the most exciting young players in the game, but can he, Tom Hawkins and Jenkins coexist in the same forward line?

Left out for their last game, the athletic Rhys Stanley has work to do to regain status as first choice ruck.

OUTS: UNKNOWN QUANTITY: UNDER THE PUMP: LOOK OUT FOR:

Jack Steven is the wildcard. The former Saint lost his way last year but back home in Geelong the Cats are hoping his leg speed and experience can help cover the massive loss of Tim Kelly.

LAST SEASON: CAPTAIN: COACH:

INS:

10th (11-11)

Tom Jonas

Ken Hinkley

Wylie Buzza (Geel); Mitch Georgiades, Trent Burgoyne (draft)

Billy Frampton (Adel); Dougal Howard, Paddy Ryder (St K); Sam Gray (Sydney),

Matthew Broadbent, Jack Trengove (delisted)

Hinkley’s coaching career rests on the broad shoulders of Charlie Dixon (pictured), who, at

29, is in the best shape of his career, looking strong during the pre-season competition.

Steven Motlop hasn’t delivered what Port wanted when signed to a four-year deal worth $2m, the 29-yearold forward-midfielder twice dropped to the SANFL last year. Mitch Georgiades, Port’s second pick at last year’s national draft (No.18 overall), has turned heads at Alberton with his Jack Darling-like athleticism, leap and courage.

OUTS: KEY MAN: UNDER THE PUMP: PRE-SEASON HERO: LAST SEASON: CAPTAIN: COACH:

INS:

5th (16-8)

Dayne Zorko

Chris Fagan

Callum Ah Chee (Gold Coast);

Grant Birchall (Hawthorn); Cam Ellis-Yolman (Adelaide); Deven Robertson (draft)

Luke Hodge (retired), Ryan Bastinac

(SANFL), Tom Cutler (Essendon); Lewis Taylor

(Sydney), Ben Keays (Adelaide), Nick Robertson (WAFL), Josh Walker (Nth Melb)

Allen Christensen. Offcontract at the end of 2020 and one of a few

Lions to have had an injury-disrupted pre-season.

Ruckman Stef Martin turns 34 in November but is in the best shape of his career after a full pre-season.

Key forward Eric Hipwood (pictured) has bulked up 5kg while the powerful Cam Rayner is losing the puppy fat and keen to spend more time in the midfield.

OUTS: UNDER THE PUMP: KEY MAN: LOOK OUT FOR: LAST SEASON: CAPTAINS: INS: KEY MAN:

18th (3-19)

Jarrod Witts/David Swallow

Brandon Ellis (pictured, Richmond), Hugh Greenwood (Adelaide), Zac Smith (Geelong) Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson (draft)

OUTS:

Michael Rischitelli (retired), Jack

Leslie (delisted), Callum Ah Chee (Brisbane), Tom Nicholls (retired)

Boom forward Ben

King is the future. But for the present, Peter Wright and Sam Day need to step up and lead the attack.

Will Brodie has managed just 19 games in three seasons but has shown good signs throughout the pre-season. Ben Ainsworth has got over injuries which have plagued him in recent years and is noticeably fitter.

UNDER THE PUMP: BIG YEAR FOR: PRE SEASON HERO: LAST SEASON: CAPTAIN: COACH:

INS:

OUTS:

1st (19-6)

Trent Cotchin

Damien Hardwick

Noah Cumberland (draft)

Dan Butler (St Kilda), Brandon Ellis

(Gold Coast), Jacob Townsend (Essendon), Shaun Grigg, Alex Rance, Maverick Weller (all retired)

LOOK OUT FOR:

Marlion Pickett famously debuted in the grand final last year, logging 22 disposals, having been drafted mid-season. How will he go having completed a pre-season?

A revelation in his debut season until missing the backhalf of 2019 with injuries, Sydney Stack shapes as a fantastic addition to the premiership line-up.

Having kicked 63 goals in his first season with the Tigers, Tom Lynch (pictured) will be even better for the run and looms as a greater force in attack.

BIG YEAR FOR:

ESSENDON veteran David Zaharakis says his biggest regret heading into the Round 1 lockout is the club’s fans being forced to sit out the opener as the AFL moves to head off the coronavirus.

The star Bomber said he was devastated for the club’s fans, who had stuck tight with the club during dark times with the drugs scandal, yet found themselves on the receiving end again.

Essendon is to meet Fremantle at Marvel Stadium on Saturday at 1.45pm.

“They’re completely different, but the one thing this club is, it’s a very resilient place,”

Zaharakis said.

“We’ve got some great people who work here and obviously our fans are very resilient people.

“They’ve been through a lot with this footy club over the last sort of six, seven, eight years and it’s shattering that they can’t come and support us

LAST SEASON: CAPTAINS:

Cripps

COACH: IN:

David Teague

Eddie Betts (Adelaide), Marc Pittonet (Hawthorn), Jack Newnes (St Kilda), Jack Martin (GC)

Andrew Phillips (Essendon); Dale Thomas (retired); Alex Fasolo, Matthew Lobbe, Jarrod Garlett (delisted)

OUT: OUTS: OUTS: KEY MAN:

16th (7-15)

Sam Docherty/Patrick

UNKNOWN QUANTITY:

Blues will bemoan missing out on Tom Papley but master and apprentice Eddie Betts (pictured) and Jack Martin teaming in attack promises much.

Mitch McGovern is fit after attending fat camp, but will need to dine out on opposition defenders in the absence of Charlie Curnow (knee).

Tom Williamson could become a regular after back injuries have restricted him to 17 games in three years.

UNDER THE PUMP: PRE-SEASON HERO: LAST SEASON: CAPTAIN: COACH:

INS:

2nd (16-9)

Stephen Coniglio

Leon Cameron

Tom Green (draft), Tom Hutchesson (draft), Sam Jacobs (Adelaide)

Aiden Bonar (Nth Melb), Dylan

Buckley (delisted), Brett Deledio (retired), Jon Patton (Hawthorn), Adam Tomlinson (Melbourne)

BIG YEAR FOR:

After battling through injury for two seasons, Josh Kelly (pictured) has rediscovered the rhythm which led to his breakout 2017 season.

Forgotten man and former co-captain Cal Ward suffered a ruptured ACL in his left knee in Round 4 last season but has been diligently clocking up the kilometres on the track.

Tom Green, taken at No.10 in the national draft, has stunned Giants coaches in match simulations.

UNKNOWN QUANTITY: PRE-SEASON HERO: LAST SEASON: CAPTAIN: COACH:

IN:

14th (9-13)

Jarryn Geary

Brett Ratten

Bradley Hill (Fremantle), Dan Butler

(Richmond), Paddy Ryder, Dougal Howard

(Port Adel), Zak Jones (Sydney)

Blake Acres (Fremantle), Josh Bruce

(Bulldogs), Jack Steven (Geelong), Billy Longer

Brad Hill (pictured) has made an instant impact, the ‘Rolls Royce’ providing muchneeded run and carry, along with ex-Swan Zak

Jones on the opposite wing.

Initially tried as a forward, Ben Long has impressed in a new halfback role where he played his junior footy. No Josh Bruce. No Patty McCartin (concussion issues). Max King hasn’t played a senior game, yet the teen will spearhead the attack alongside Tim Membrey.

PRE-SEASON HERO: UNKNOWN QUANTITY:

at Round 1.

“But I know watching at home or (when) they sort of see you from a couple of metres away in the street, they give us their support.”

The 207-game veteran said while it would be tremendous to get back on the paddock, the Essendon players were aware of the significance of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This situation is way bigger than football and hopefully we can get through this as a club because we are a strong united club,” Zaharakis said.

Zaharakis famously refused the needles during the players’ supplements program that would eventually bring the club to its knees when a total of 34 Bombers players were banned for 12 months.

Meanwhile, Essendon’s tall stocks have received a timely boost with lead ruckman Tom Bellchambers cleared to play.

Bellchambers underwent knee surgery in early February that put his availability for round one in doubt, but if the season goes ahead, he’ll be ready to lead the ruck division.

Essendon’s coach John Worsfold said he had no problem with the season proceeding as planned given the health checks put in place.

THIS SITUATION IS WAY BIGGER THAN FOOTBALL AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS AS A CLUB...