The famous SEN Breakfast Vault has been cracked open for one last time in 2017, and we’ve had a tongue-in-cheek look at all the predictions that were locked away this year...
Mick Warner - “The Giants will not lose a game” in season 2017.
Result: The Herald Sun journalist was out of the Vault just as quickly as he went in, with GWS’s 56 point hiding to Adelaide in Round 1 the first of eight defeats the Giants would endure in 2017.
Garry Lyon - The Round 1 clash between St Kilda and Melbourne should be moved to the MCG as it would sell out Etihad Stadium “twice over”.
Result: 36,249 fans turned up to see the Dees win by 30 points and end a 14 game losing streak against the Saints, well short of Etihad Stadium’s capacity of 56,347. The game at the MCG that day? That was Essendon versus Hawthorn, which drew 78,294 spectators. We think the AFL made the right call here Gaz!
David King – Richmond’s Brandon Ellis “had a month of football” at the start of the season to justify his place in the senior team, saying that he would be surprised if he kept his place in their best 22 after four weeks.
Result: Kingy was fairly off on this one! Ellis played all 25 games for the Tigers this year on the way to their drought-breaking premiership, averaging 22.3 disposals, five marks and three rebound 50s a game at 79.4 per cent efficiency.
Greg Denham – Richmond star Dustin Martin was “sealed and secured” to stay at the Tigers beyond 2017 on February 27.
Result: Greg was eventually right on this one, with Martin committing to the Tigers for life on a huge contract on August 31, but only after the headlines in the six months between the journalist’s prediction and pen being put to paper being dominated by Dusty’s decision.
Jon Ralph – Lleyton Hewitt would coach Nick Kyrgios this year following Australia’s Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic, predicting the Aussies to lose the match.
Result: Despite Ralphy being known for his crystal ball predictions on Hungry For Sport, he got this one completely wrong. Australia went on to sweep the Czechs 3-0 at Kooyong, with Hewitt still Davis Cup captain to this day. Kyrgios would end up being coached this year by former French tennis star Sebastien Grosjean on a part-time basis.
Tim Watson – The AFLW Grand Final this year would attract a crowd over 75,000 to the MCG.
Result: The AFLW Grand Final between Brisbane and Adelaide was played at Metricon Stadium, with 15,610 fans attending. A great crowd for the first ever AFLW premiership decider, but a fair way off Tim’s lofty prediction.
Andrew Jarman – Said in 2014 that four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson would join the Adelaide Crows on a five year deal worth $1.4 million a season.
Result: This one still hasn’t eventuated to no one’s real surprise, but we’ll still keep this one in here in case it ever does!
Greg Denham – Believed St Kilda were a chance of finishing top four in season 2017 and that they were definitely going to play finals.
Result: Not so successful this time Greg! The Saints went on to lose 11 games this year, one more than 2016, and finished 11th.
Adam Cooney – Ty Vickery would finish 2017 as Hawthorn’s leading goal kicker.
Result: The former Tiger finished his final year of AFL football with two goals from six senior games at the Hawks, 36 short of Jarryd Roughead’s 38 goals this season. Not one of your best predictions Coons!
Kevin Bartlett – Said Hawthorn would not make the eight this year on the 27th of February.
Result: Despite winning four premierships between 2008 and 2015 and not missing the finals since 2009, the Hawks would suffer a disappointing 2017, winning only 10 games and finishing 12th. KB got this one spot on and was anointed a Vault Hall of Famer by Garry Lyon.
Caller Matt from Frankston – 2016 premiers the Western Bulldogs would not play finals in 2017.
Result: Despite this sounding close to unthinkable at the start of the season, Matt got this one right. The Dogs ended up becoming the first team in eight years to miss the eight the year after winning the flag. They finished 10th with 11 wins.
Mark Allen – Tiger Woods will never again win a PGA Tour event, calling the golf star “cooked”.
Result: While it’s still too early to say this for certain, Marko’s call is looking pretty good at this stage, with back issues continuing to keep the 14-time major champion off the fairways.
David Schwarz – Eddie McGuire would step down as Collingwood president after a poor year, with coach Nathan Buckley unlikely to survive in his position post-2017.
Result: While the Ox was right regarding Collingwood’s poor season - only winning nine games and finishing 13th - Buckley would end up being recontracted by the Pies for two more seasons, with McGuire still the club’s president to this day.
Gerard Healy – Adam Treloar will kick a “big bag” of seven or eight goals one day.
Result: The Pie’s best in a game remains at three goals, and while Adam still has plenty of time in his career change this fact, kicking seven goals in a game may just be a little past the midfielder’s capabilities.
Donald Trump – The US would build a “great wall” on the Mexican border, with Mexico to pay for said wall.
Result: Trump’s wall is still yet to exist, and just like the long promised train line between the city and Melbourne Airport, we doubt it actually ever sees the light of day.