Coaching great Mick Malthouse is tipping the GWS Giants to win this year’s premiership.
Malthouse, who won three flags as a coach and one as a player, says Leon Cameron’s side has the perfect mix of talent and hunger following their Grand Final appearance in 2019.
“Greater Western Sydney is my tip to win the premiership,” he told the Sunday Footy Show.
“You talk about explosiveness and they’ve got that, they’ve got the hunger and they’ve also got the right age blend.”
Malthouse is expecting the more mature sides of the competition to thrive during the shorter season, which will resume on June 11 as Richmond take on Collingwood at the MCG.
He named the “five or six sides” who he expects to be in the premiership mix this year.
“It’s going to be the bigger, stronger and more mature sides that I think that will come out the other end,” Malthouse said.
“I think there’s only five or six sides that can win the premiership this year and each one of them have got a really good blend of senior players but they’ve got this explosive type of player – a Dustin Martin or Jordan De Goey.
“They make a habit of winning the ball in the middle but can do some damage in the forward line.
“Collingwood can win it, no doubt they’re a really explosive side and use the ball well. Their depth is strong and you’ll need some depth because we’ll see some injuries.
“West Coast will certainly feature, Richmond clearly. The toss up then is who is the next phase and I think maybe Brisbane – they’ve had a go at it.
“Port Adelaide, I’m not too sure. They tease you a fair bit. Hawthorn is probably the other one who may come from a long way back and cause some damage purely because of their age group.
“And they’re going to introduce a player this year who didn’t play at all last year (due to injury) and that’s Tom Mitchell.”