While days at the beach, ice creams and AFLW football are currently ruling the roost, the 2022 AFL season is fast approaching.
And with the first set of pre-season practice matches set to take place in a month's time, the sole goal of the many names currently sweating it out at clubland has just entered their horizon.
Although only eight teams will eventually play finals before a single side claims the cup in September, there are a plethora of headlines that are set to be raised across the course of the marathon campaign.
As the recommencement of the season's roller coaster is yet to begin after coming to halt in Perth last year, it may seem both presumptuous and foolhardy to try and write our leads so far in advance.
However, it hasn't stopped us from giving it our best shot.
So, before the Sherrin hits the middle of the Melbourne Cricket Ground to set the latest AFL schedule in motion, we gazed into our crystal ball to provide you with the 10 headlines you are sure to read before the season's final siren.
1. Lions finally leap preliminary hurdle
Having won 83 per cent of their games at the Gabba across the past three seasons, Chris Fagan's pride are the kings of the River City.
Yet, when analysing their recent finals form on Vulture Street, the Lions' 1-4 record is suitably lame in comparison.
Given thisย discrepancy in performances, it isn't surprising to see them paired with Port Adelaide as the competition's classiest pretenders.
Still, with a clean bill of health - including the imminent returns of Cameron Rayner and Eric Hipwood - as well as maturation across the board, there is no time like the present for Brisbane to buck their preliminary blues.
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While some may see this view as hypocritical due to my recent thoughts on the Power's perennial outages, but as the Queenslander's have beaten the South Australian side in each of their past four meetings by an average of five straight kicks, the numbers prove a difference in class.
Although it will come as no surprise to see the Lions make their way through to their first grand final since 2004, the fact that the crystal ball has them facing Melbourne in Melbourne will likely see the result of that history-breaking afternoon repeated.
