I reckon Max Gawn could have an All-Australian year if he plays every game like he did that day in Geelong. So I'll say:

GAWN!

If Gawn plays every game next year the way he did against the Cats, he'll win the Brownlow, let alone AA honours.

Imagine if all of those fringe players were to come on at once for us. If we see Petracca have a season like Hogan did this year, Kent show the form he had at the start of the season all year without injuries to stuff him up and Hunt and White secure places in the starting side. That would be amazing and the side would be giving finals a serious shake if that happened. Add King to the wish-list, who knows?

So basically imagine if all of our gambles paid off all at once and we had no injuries to any of them for the whole season. Wouldn't that be nice.

If we're going to make finals, we're going to need a few surprise packets. I think Kent will really solidify his place as one of the team's most important players, but I can't say that I'll be surprised if that happens as I thought he was going to do that this year before his injury.

I'll go with Melksham as the surprise packet for 2016. Provided he doesn't get slapped with a long ban, I think he'll make quite a few posters on here eat their words. Don't be surprised to see him finish top 10 in the Bluey.

I also think that Hunt, barring injury, will earn a few senior appearances this season.

Pick 46 will change the game

Billy Stretch for me. Has already surpassed expectations for year 1, and I feel an encore performance is a real possibility for year 2.

Harmes.

Billy Stretch. I was toying with Frost but I really think that Stretch is going to really impose himself on the outside this year. He is exactly what we are missing in our side.

Bugg as a ball winning mid in stead of tagger.

Jumbo admits Watts is a lemon, Stuie finally calms down Randle McMurphy style, and rpfc comes clean on his "only child" status.

Harmes for me. Has a point of difference to his game and shows the competitive drive to become a good player. I think we are all expecting big things from Salem but he will surprise the rest of the league, I've found many non-MFC supporters either know very little about him or don't rate him. I expect him to take a big step but I don't really want him to play much in the middle like the rest of our supporters apparently do. He should provide our class and creativity off half back while occasionally pushing up to a wing when circumstances allow for it. Skilled, tough and composed- he doesn't really have a weakness to his game, just need a clean run at it and he will gradually improve.

Stretch. He was very slight last year but still held his own. Already looks noticeably bigger.

Jumbo admits Watts is a lemon, Stuie finally calms down Randle McMurphy style, and rpfc comes clean on his "only child" status.

And ProDee/Ben Hur concedes there may be someone, somewhere in the world whose opinion carries as much weight as his own...

ANB be for mine, along similar line to Goodvibes I think he'll make the Round 1 side, and stay there. To come off those two knee dislocations to get the games he did was great.

And to see the way he tore apart Collingwood twice at VFL level shows he is a natural at accumulating the footy.

Neal-Bullen is my surprise packet smokey.

Tyson to reassert himself, provided he gets a clean run at it.

This was pretty much exactly what I was going to write.

Jumbo admits Watts is a lemon, Stuie finally calms down Randle McMurphy style, and rpfc comes clean on his "only child" status.

See - felt...See?

Tom Bugg as a mid and goal kicker. He's definitely more than a 'depth player', as many have predicted.

Christian Petracca is one, last pre season i had him and Chunk on par in terms of standards in training, he could come in and have a Hogan-like impact.

another pre season into Brayshaw and Salem should see them play in the middle abit more.

My smoky surprise packet for 2016 is Harmes.

Salem will surprise the comp, barely anyone has heard of him but his silky skills and composure will come to the fore.

With the help of Bugg, and Kennedy in the middle I can see Tyson being freed up more and having a great year reasserting himself as a great up and coming player. Bernie may also get off the leash more and have an even more outstanding year than he did, especially as Jones will hopefully be free of the neck injury which kept him back last year.

i reckon there's at least half a dozen on the cusp of taking a big step up (which is a good sign)

but i'm not going to stick my neck out and say who. i don't care, just happy for once there is a good choice of talent

i'll be happy if/when half of them do have a breakout year

the best part is that we now a good number of genuine (i think) contenders and choice

i might be deluding myself and getting a dose of pre-season euphoria but i'm feeling good that we are finally building something

Big Max will tear them all a new one in 2016.

The Midfileld

I reckon with a few more decent types it will finally click making us a whole different team to play

Chris Dawes to have a break-out season with 26 goals.

Nah he kicked 30 in the Pies Premiership year. And yes I did get your irony

i reckon there's at least half a dozen on the cusp of taking a big step up (which is a good sign)

but i'm not going to stick my neck out and say who. i don't care, just happy for once there is a good choice of talent

i'll be happy if/when half of them do have a breakout year

the best part is that we now a good number of genuine (i think) contenders and choice

i might be deluding myself and getting a dose of pre-season euphoria but i'm feeling good that we are finally building something

I think you are right on this. As usual early season momentum will be critical as the Dogs showed last year. We get a few wins and players will start believing in themselves. We may jst see 5 or 6 players really take a big step....

Christian Petracca is one, last pre season i had him and Chunk on par in terms of standards in training, he could come in and have a Hogan-like impact.

another pre season into Brayshaw and Salem should see them play in the middle abit more.

Never has a name better identified a poster.

Previous names.

Unstable Dees fan

Brayshawself

Sir Paul Roos

Mike Nolan

Sassy

D26

Demonfan26

Joking aside I agree on all points.