Greater Western Sydney, the AFL’s newest franchise has had a productive fortnight in terms of recruitment, this week signing the AFL’s newly highest player Tom Scully for $6 million over six years, other established players Callan Ward and Rhys Palmer and seasoned veterans Dean Brogan and Chad Cornes. However as the competitions 18th team prepares to enter AFL, they aren’t the only giants stirring from a their slumber.
The season 2011, is the first time since the VFL-AFL expansion that all of Collingwood, Hawthorn, Carlton and Essendon have played finals, more importantly that three of those clubs are in with a genuine chance of going deep into September or for some, the first week of October.
As is the norm when the AFL has introduced expansion teams in the past, new clubs will receive draft concessions and larger salary caps in order to increase their chances for early success on field, in the hope that off field sustenance will follow. More often than not it equates to periods of dominance as we saw Brisbane’s three-peat in the early 2000’s, Sydney and West Coast making consecutive grand finals along with both Adelaide and Port Adelaide never being too far from September action.
With two or three years before the Gold Coast’s crop of youngsters matures into a formidable outfit and with the GWS theoretically being one year behind them, this provides a window of opportunity for traditional powerhouse clubs to be right in the thick of it, for the first time in a long time.
It is hard to see Collingwood’s form dwindling after this year as they shape up for a tilt at back-to-back flags with young stars such as Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas and Steele Sidebottom entering the prime of their careers, particularly when you factor in the will-drilled, team orientated football Mick Malthouse has them playing. Even considering they will wave goodbye to one of footballs great minds at the end of this season as Geelong have proven this year a fresh face can do no harm.
The last few seasons have seen ups and downs for the Hawks, highlights such as snatching the 2008 premiership form the hands of Geelong, to a devastating loss to Essendon in the final round of the following season seeing them bundled out of the premiership race. A horror run with injuries and “Clarko’s Cluster” being superseded by modern tactics meant a wait for Hawks fans before their beloved brown and gold would be thereabouts once again. The 2011 season has shown what they are capable, with some smart recruiting in the likes of Isaac Smith from North Ballarat, the further development of its youngsters and a bit of luck with injury.
Carlton’s much publicized need for improvement stated by club president Steve Kernaghan at the start of the season placed unwanted pressure on coach Brett Ratten, as his club came off the back of two finals appearances for two consecutive first round exits. As the season wore on and his star-studded midfield would grow into one of the best in the league, Carlton continued to account for its lesser opponents and become a picture of consistency defeating teams it was expected to, a trait not associated with the old dark navy blues in seasons gone past. This resulted in the Blues being unlucky not to scrape in for a top four finish and faced with the challenge of toppling West Coast at Subiaco this weekend, win or lose they will be better for the experience. 2011 has seen massive steps forward for Brett Ratten’s side and you can count on them being thereabouts again in 2012.
Essendon’s rise from 14th to a finals appearance in James Hird’s first year as coach would have exceeded most people’s expectations. In contrast to what saw Carlton improve, Essendon were inconsistency defined, breaking a five game losing streak with a win over the then undefeated and flag favourites Geelong and then coming within a whisker of a loss to wooden-spooners Port Adelaide in round 24. Essendon supporters will seek consolation in the fact that this can be attributed to its young playing list and its attempts to learn an entirely new game-plan. With emerging stars such as Michael Hurley, Dyson Heppell and David Zaharakis there is reason to believe that the bombers rise up the ladder this time is for real, another preseason under Hird and Mark Thompson should see them improve further in 2012.
If these four teams can fulfil expectations and finish towards the top rungs of the ladder in 2012, September will bring with it many scarves blowing in the wind up Wellington Parade, much joy, heartache and a lot of taunting around office buildings as traditional rivalries are reignited. Whether these clubs are your friends or foes, one thing is for certain over the next few years September will be an exciting time to be a football fan in Melbourne.