We’re going through each side and predicting their best 22 for the 2020 season.
Today, we’ve looked at the potential best 22’s of Collingwood, Essendon and Fremantle.
B: Jeremy Howe, Jordan Roughead, Tom Langdon
HB: Brayden Maynard, Darcy Moore, Jack Crisp
C: Tom Phillips, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom
HF: Josh Thomas, Brody Mihocek, Jaidyn Stephenson
F: Jamie Elliott, Mason Cox, Jordan De Goey
FOLL: Brodie Grundy, Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams
I/C: Chris Mayne, Dayne Beams, Callum Brown, Will Hoskin-Elliott
Discussion: Collingwood will be looking to make another deep run into September after they fell at the penultimate hurdle in 2019.
After a heartbreaking five-point grand final loss to West Coast in 2018, the Pies appeared to be in the box seat to make back-to-back grand final appearances for the first time in almost a decade, but it wasn’t to be as they were unable to come-from-behind against GWS who proved to be too strong.
But going into 2020, the Pies have one of the best lineups in the competition and will undoubtedly be aiming to be in the thick of the action come the pointy end of the season.
Dayne Beams will be welcomed back into the fold after he took time off with mental health which ended his 2019 season, while the re-signing of Jamie Elliott further bolsters their already potent forward line.
A notable absentee from the line-up is Levi Greenwood, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the Pies’ Qualifying Final win over Geelong, but he is one who will definitely be in the mix whenever he makes his return in 2020.
The Pies bolstered their ruck stocks through the addition of former Swan Darcy Cameron in the trade period, while James Aish was squeezed out in an attempt to keep their current crop of players under the salary cap – as well as making room for what is expected to be a large contract offer to ruckman Brodie Grundy.
B: Aaron Francis, Cale Hooker, Patrick Ambrose
HB: Adam Saad, Michael Hurley, Conor McKenna
C: Zach Merrett, Dyson Heppell, Andrew McGrath
HF: Jake Stringer, Shaun McKernan, Devon Smith
F: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Joe Daniher, Orazio Fantasia
FOLL: Tom Bellchambers, Dylan Shiel, Darcy Parish
I/C: Mason Redman, Tom Cutler, Matt Guelfi, David Zaharakis
Discussion: The Bombers failed to live up to the pre-season hype in 2019, after they did just enough to finish in eighth place before they were embarrassed by the Eagles at Optus Stadium to continue their winless finals run.
Their search for a maiden finals win since 2004 will continue on in 2020, but if they are able to field a full-strength side, there’s no saying that they cannot do just that.
Devon Smith and Joe Daniher will slot straight back into the side when they make their returns from injuries which hampered the end of their 2019 season, as both are out-and-out stars in their own right.
The Bombers added a much-needed ruck to their stocks in Carlton’s Andrew Phillips, as well as adding former fringe Lion Tom Cutler, who fits in on the bench at this stage.
With the addition of Dylan Shiel in the 2018 off-season, many had the Bombers in the running for a top-four spot, with some even suggesting they could go all the way.
Yet while they fell drastically short of that last season, 2020 opens a new chapter and presents another opportunity for the Bombers to end their 15-year winless drought in finals matches.
B: Luke Ryan, Joel Hamling, Connor Blakely
HB: Blake Acres, Alex Pearce, Nathan Wilson
C: Adam Cerra, Nat Fyfe, James Aish
HF: Michael Walters, Matt Taberner, Darcy Tucker
F: Jesse Hogan, Rory Lobb, Brandon Matera
FOLL: Sean Darcy, Andrew Brayshaw, David Mundy
I/C: Brennan Cox, Stephen Hill, Ethan Hughes, Reece Conca
Discussion: The Dockers surprised most pundits in 2019, remaining in finals contention for the majority of the season before they eventually finished in 13th place, just three games outside the top-eight.
They sacked long-time coach Ross Lyon before the final round of the season, and farewelled club legends Aaron Sandilands and Hayden Ballantyne – while they lost Bradley Hill (St Kilda) and Ed Langdon (Melbourne) in the trade period.
The additions however of James Aish and Blake Acres will go some way to nullifying those losses, but the Dockers still have plenty of stars in the sheds who had their 2019 seasons hampered by injury.
Rory Lobb, Jesse Hogan, Alex Pearce and Luke Ryan all fit into the Dockers’ best 22, and all had issues with injury in 2019, meaning that when they make their return, the Dockers will look like a different and better outfit.
New coach Justin Longmire has a decent group to work with in 2020, after the former Pies assistant and Dockers player was elected as the man to replace Ross Lyon a month ago, with finals certainly in the picture if he is able to keep his squad on the park.
Look out for next-gen prospect Liam Henry to join the frame up forward, pending his draft selection.