Yes you can smell it in the air, big pre season predictions are being made, every club (including the consistent under performers) are talking up their chances of the premiership and making finals and all the reports are in from the clubs intra-club matches. What does it mean however once the first “Mickey Mouse” NAB cup match is started?

Will 2012 be the year of the Tiger? Or will it be another year of wasted promises? Tyrone Vickery is one of the keys for Richmond to finally play some Finals football.

You will find very little actually changes, only once in a blue moon (or two decades) does a club do a West Coast and rise from the bottom four into the top four, usually the same clubs will struggle in Melbourne, North and Richmond. Fremantle will promise 2012 is their year – which they have been doing for the last two decades. One – maybe two clubs will drop out of the previous years top four which will most likely be West Coast with Carlton taking their spot and apart from that I do not see anything change. Do you?

Also do not rule out a struggling team to bolt into NAB finals which will give them a timely membership boost before the season is a flop again 5-6 weeks in. So with all those likelihoods happening hear are my predictions for the year a week out from the first NAB pre season.

My Pre NAB AFL Season Predictions

The Coleman is usually an easy tip but with no regular full forward anymore and Buddy playing more midfield/ up the ground a handful of players could win it including the most likelys in Travis Cloke, Buddy and Jonathon Brown but do not forget Josh Kennedy, Taylor Walker and even Jarryd Roughead who are all proven goal kickers. My prediction for the year however is Jonathon Brown who will play closer to goals without Fevola and Clarke getting in his way.

My early tip for the Grand Final is Collingwood and Hawthorn and I will go into each sides chances below in my ladder predictor.

Regarding the other awards you will always get the favourites like Swan, Ablett, Mitchell etc the favourite as a Brownlow and its such a lottery because its decided by the white maggots. However with NAB Rising Star Award a smoky could be Koby Stevens from West Coast who could do what Luke Shuey did last year by having a breakout year and be right up there or another third year/ mature player who makes a big splash.

My Pre NAB Ladder Prediction

Obviously this is mainly based on last year and a clubs natural improvement but like we learned with the Dogs and St Kilda disappointing years and West Coast’s Lazarus style rise from the death, anything can happen with luck. To save reading below and scrolling back up, I will add my comments on each side alongside were I think they will finish come the end of the regular season. Feel free to bag me and add your opinions below in the comments section.

1. Collingwood: Will be hungry after a turbulent year and will be wanting to prove they are not a one hit wonder.
2. Hawthorn: Have finally solved the depth issue and are no longer the under dog, its time to win another or they’ve underachieved.
3. Geelong: Will be a handful come finals but unsure the youngsters can carry the old dogs in the regular season.
4. Carlton: Look a more rounded side than WCE, St Kilda & Freo. Kreuzer is the key and needs to lift.
5. West Coast: Dream run with injuries in 2011 and unsure the oldies can fire again, no longer the hunter. Shuey and his fellow youngsters need to lift.
6. St Kilda: A lot of questions, probably even more than last year. Will be there and abouts.
7. Fremantle: Lets hope the ruthless sacking of Harvey is the start of a ruthless team.
8. North Melbourne: Along with Freo are IMO the big risers of 2012, no more excuses on their youthful side.
9. Richmond: Will always tease!
10. Essendon: Talented but the Hird bubble will pop and do not have enough depth.
11. Melbourne: Best two decisions was to recruit Clark and remove Green as captain, will the hard calls reflect on the ground?
12. Western Bulldogs: Way to many questions marks with their best players still the old guys and having question marks over them.
13. Sydney: Never write them off with their blood culture etc but again like the Swans too many old guys doing all the hard work.
14. Adelaide: Could be a cmoky but we have been saying that for years and they have done yet.
15. Brisbane: Another development year…
16. Gold Coast: Think next year will be their big improvement year.
17. Port Adelaide: Another development year…
18. Greater Western Sydney: Will be lucky and stoked to win a game. Says it all when it takes three people to do a one person job.

 Your Predictions

What are your predictions for the year? Got any big ones like Jonathan Brown or Taylor Walker to win the Coleman? Can Ablett win another Brownlow with his team on the wrong end of the ladder? Will Richmond finish 9th yet again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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