As Round 1 of the 2018 AFL season draws ever closer, Rohan Connolly has predicted the three narratives he believes will dominate the AFL news landscape this year.
In addition, the veteran journalist has noted three topics he believes won't be stories this season.
The three big stories
How does Richmond defend its premiership?
“How they have coped with the flag? How are they going to rebound from that flag and specifically, the main focus with them has been ‘will there be a hangover?’ and another is ‘will they go with the same forward setup?’
“A lot of discussion about how other sides will play will come back to Richmond and how they intend to counter that…that to me is an ongoing story.
“I think we will be reading a lot about Richmond and how other sides are going to come at Richmond and how Richmond are going to come at a second flag.”
The expectations on Geelong
“I have got question marks about the Cats, only minor ones, but what happened last season just re-affirmed to me that they are just a little bit short of premiership status.
“I think a real issue is their defence with the retirements of Tom Lonergan and Andrew Mackie. I think they are just crucial to how they play and the organisation down there and neither of them are going to be easily replaced at all. That’s a big if for me.”
The “positive” influence in club land
“I reckon you are going to see a lot more of the accentuating the positive and minimising the negative.
“The ledger is going to be balanced a bit more than it was before. It’s not going to be all about, we’re weak here, we have to improve that, it is going to be about, we can get a massive edge here by concentrating on this.
“It’s going to be a subtle story, you’re not going to see it in headlines, but I think it is going to be an ongoing narrative about clubs learning to dwell on their strengths and utilise them.”
The three dud stories
Rory Sloane’s playing future
“That annual guessing game of ‘will he, won’t he,’ I think people are over it and I’m hoping that even certain media outlets will realise that at the end of the day, we just aren’t going to know until someone comes out and says one thing or another. What’s the point in wasting endless column inches talking about it?
“It could be wishful thinking but I reckon there’s a chance that it will not be as nearly a big ‘will he, won’t he?’ story as Dustin Martin and Gary Ablett.”
Fantasy football
“I see various media experts desperately trying to talk it up. I’m not demeaning the concept of it, but it’s very niche. I don’t think you can make gripping, engaging news coverage over whether this pundit is going with this guy or that.”
Speculation on Eddie’s Collingwood presidency
“It’s already in a 20th year and I’m tipping that it is not going to end until I have shuffled off this mortal coil.”
Listen to Rohan Connolly's chat with Andy Maher on SEN Afternoons below: