https://www.afl.com.au/news/717215/crystal-ball-our-predictions-for-the-2022-afl-season-are-in

What stands out for me:

5 out of 9 'experts' predicting Jeremy Cameron for the Coleman, 2 Aaron Naughton, 2 Harry Mackay. My questions are how many games will Cameron miss because of injury? How many goals won't he kick because Tom Hawkins will be kicking them instead? Aaron Naughton, seriously? Josh Bruce will be back later in the year. I think Bayley Fritsch is a bit of a smokey, but my money woud be on Harry Mackay.

8 of 9 picking Nick Daicos as Rising Star. Is he that good? What about Jason Horne-Francis? Is Jake Bowey a chance?

Brownlow: Petracca 3, Oliver 2, Bontempelli 2, Miller 1, Fyfe 1. I really think it will be like last year with Petracca taking votes off Oliver and vice versa, and Gawn taking votes off both. We got a record number of Brownlow votes last year and still Oliver didn't win. Ollie Wines won last year and yet no-one has picked him?

Damian Barrett picks Tom Sparrow to be All-Australian but Melbourne not to make the Grand Final. If Tom Sparrow is an All-Australian Melbourne won't lose a game in 2022 given the  rest of our midfield and our backline.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/717215/crystal-ball-our-predictions-for-the-2022-afl-season-are-in

Interesting no one picked Brown for Coleman. I reckon he is a sneaky chance this season. Hope so, as have him for Coleman, us winning flag and Oliver for Brownlow. Be a fluke for all 3 to get up but worth the $10 I put on it.

I've also tipped Fritsch for the Coleman mainly because we are a high scoring team so he and B. Brown will get a lot of opportunities.  Also opp teams don't know how to defend Bailey,

I discounted McKay because Charlie will be back and will take some opportunities from him and Carlton have said they aim to get more goals from midfielders, which suggests a change of game plan to not bomb it long to their talls. 

Naughton has a good chance as Bulldogs are a high scoring team, especially vs low sides and he doesn't have much competition until Bruce returns. 

Couldn't bring myself to tip a Geelong player.

Edited March 14, 20224 yr by Lucifers Hero

The only award the journos have a say in is the Rising Star. Is that right? Is it a panel or heaps of AFL hangers-on voting on it?

Either way if they think Daicos will be Rising star then he only has to be somewhere nearly as good as any other eligible player and he will win.

Their sycophantic ways are embarrassing. You can just hear the commentary every time he touches the ball. And they know it's Collingwood so only injury can stop the fools.

19 hours ago, deespicable me said:

The only award the journos have a say in is the Rising Star. Is that right? Is it a panel or heaps of AFL hangers-on voting on it?

Either way if they think Daicos will be Rising star then he only has to be somewhere nearly as good as any other eligible player and he will win.

Their sycophantic ways are embarrassing. You can just hear the commentary every time he touches the ball. And they know it's Collingwood so only injury can stop the fools.

For reasons I don't understand pre-season tips for Rising Star winners invariably seems to be one of the best credentialled first-year players. I'd choose an eligible second year player every time. More likely to get consistent game time and will be significantly fitter and stronger than first-year players. Luke Jackson is a perfect example.    

20 hours ago, Sydney_Demon said:

Damian Barrett picks Tom Sparrow to be All-Australian but Melbourne not to make the Grand Final.

Barrett picks a Brisbane-Geelong Grand Final. Melbourne to finish 3rd.

Then he picks GWS as "set to fall". Surely if he's not picking Melbourne for the Grand Final, then we are "set to fall". Isn't 1st to 3rd a "fall"? 

49 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

For reasons I don't understand pre-season tips for Rising Star winners invariably seems to be one of the best credentialled first-year players. I'd choose an eligible second year player every time. More likely to get consistent game time and will be significantly fitter and stronger than first-year players. Luke Jackson is a perfect example.    

Bowey?

Edited March 14, 20224 yr by Lucifers Hero

Love to see it LH but sadly Jake is a quiet achiever, not spectacular and his surname isn’t Daicos. 
These alleged “experts” vote on the Rising Star and the opportunity to use the words “Magpie” and “Daicos” in the same sentence multiples times are just too easy to sell to super hyped Collingwood fans and make allotted journo word counts.

36 minutes ago, ProperDee said:

Love to see it LH but sadly Jake is a quiet achiever, not spectacular and his surname isn’t Daicos. 
These alleged “experts” vote on the Rising Star and the opportunity to use the words “Magpie” and “Daicos” in the same sentence multiples times are just too easy to sell to super hyped Collingwood fans and make allotted journo word counts.

His bright red hair might help him stand out. And expect media commentators to refer consistently to him as having "won a Premiership in only his seventh game".