If your AFL club could have anything under the Christmas tree for season 2022, what would it be?
It could be on the injury front, it could be a certain player to break through, or it could even be an incoming coaching staff to settle into their new surroundings.
Note: We’ve left out answers like ‘play finals’ and ‘win games’ because it’s blatantly obvious.
See below what we believe each club needs for Christmas:
A full season out of Wayne Milera
Wayne Milera’s career trajectory was heading upwards steeply in 2019, but he has barely been sighted since.
Knee and foot injuries have completely derailed his last two seasons, but the dashing defender is seemingly back at full fitness and completing pre-season training.
Adelaide has a few decent young outside players in their side and added another in Sydney’s Jordan Dawson. Throwing Milera back in that mix as essentially a fresh recruit will certainly give them some extra class off half-back.
The Cam Rayner breakout
The number one pick from the 2017 National Draft looked right on the verge of a breakout before rupturing his ACL before the 2021 season.
He is back in training and gearing up for 2022 and given how close Brisbane has been these last few years, they’ll be hoping he can be the final piece of the puzzle.
This is particularly important given Eric Hipwood’s own knee injury and their struggles to replace his forward line presence towards the end of the season.
Rayner, of course, is a different player to Hipwood, but just having him back will ease some pain in attack.
Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay to play 22 games together
The pair of key forwards were drafted together in 2015, but the Blues have barely seen them together at AFL level.
Curnow had his breakout across 2018 and 2019 before knee injuries crippled him, while McKay won the 2021 Coleman Medal.
You have to wonder what they could be capable of together in 2022, assuming both are fit and firing.
Their fitness could go a long way to deciding where the Blues finish next year.
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Less drama
From the 2020 trade period all the way through to Jordan De Goey’s latest moment in the spotlight, the last year has barely seen a week go by without Collingwood being in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
They now have a new president in place, a new coach, fresh coaching staff and head of footy Graham Wright has had 12 months to plant his roots.
The Magpies will be hoping for 12 months to work out their new identity under Craig McRae without unnecessary headlines.
A solution inside 50
Essendon played finals in 2021, but it’s hard not to look at their list and wonder where the goals come from next year.
The retired Cale Hooker was their focal point for most of the season, while Jake Stringer and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti also led the way. Even though that latter duo are both handy types inside 50, it’s hard to see them being leading goal kickers on a team pushing deep into finals.
The hope will be that Harrison Jones leads the way in that regard, but it’s a lot of pressure to put on a young key forward. The Bombers will be hoping to stumble into something reliable over summer.
A rejuvenated Nathan Fyfe
Ongoing shoulder issues held the Fremantle skipper back in 2021 and put a ceiling on what the Dockers were able to achieve.
Fyfe still has elite footy in him if he can have an uninterrupted stretch and given Freo is a team on the rise, their finals hopes might hinge on him as the cherry on top.
Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong are emerging stars, David Mundy is coming off a career-best season, they traded for Jordan Clark and Liam Henry will give them a different look on the wing.
Two-time Brownlow Medallist Fyfe is the one who could complete the puzzle provided he has recovered from his off-season setback.
An unexpected breakout from a youngster
Geelong has dominated home-and-away seasons for a few years now without being able to convert it into September success.
Their list is what it is at this stage, helmed by savvy veterans all over the ground.
What they really need is another Jack Henry situation, where a young player forces their way into their best 22. Someone like Sam De Koning, Max Holmes, Cooper Stephens or even Tyson Stengle breaking out could give them a whole knew dynamic.
Ben King’s signature
If you’re a Gold Coast fan reading this, you better have been on your best behaviour this year because Santa’s not bringing you this one unless you’ve truly earned it.
Ben King’s 2021 season almost flew under the radar, given he kicked 47 goals in a battling side, but his signature looms as one of the big stories of 2022.
Can Gold Coast convince him to stay or will the lure of Victoria take hold?
Toby Greene to not be on the naughty list
New captain Toby Greene will have a delayed start to the 2022 season as his suspension carries over from the finals series.
Given his increased responsibilities and his status as one of the 10 best players in the competition, GWS needs a full year from their co-skipper free of off-field indiscretions.
As one of the most dynamic players in the game, the more Greene we get to watch, the merrier. And the Giants benefit greatly too.
The pressure to come off Sam Mitchell
Sacking the most successful coach of the modern era tends to heap pressure on the next man in the hot seat.
Given the Hawks’ list profile and 2021 performance, few are expecting them to bolt up the ladder, but Mitchell’s every move at the helm will likely be scrutinised closely.
Fans will be hoping their club gets off to a reasonable start to move the narrative on and give Mitchell a chance to settle into the role.
The Luke Jackson contract extension
Let’s be honest, Dees fans woke up on Christmas morning to a PlayStation 5, the new jacket they’ve been waiting for and a stocking full of chocolate, they’re probably had their fill.
The next big box to tick for Melbourne is to lock away young ruckman Luke Jackson.
The 20-year-old is out of contract at the end of the 2022 season and offers from his native Western Australia will no doubt continue to come his way.
He looks a key part of their future.
A young key position player to sprout
North Melbourne has stocked up on young key position size players in the last few years with the hopes that one or more emerge next to Nick Larkey and Cam Zurhaar.
Jacob Edwards was their top pick in the mid-season draft, they traded for Callum Coleman-Jones from Richmond, Charlie Comben is rated highly internally and Tristian Xerri is only 22.
If one can elevate into the club’s best 22 next year, it will go a long way for the Roos.
Their young trio to stay healthy
After breaking out in the first two years and giving Port Adelaide a spark, Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Xavier Duursma were all hit with injuries in 2021.
All three have entered the pre-season fully fit and Power fans will be hoping a leap from these youngsters takes them one week deeper next September.
Butters has already revealed his desire to play more in the midfield next year, Duursma will likely continue across the wing and pushing forward and Rozee looms as the wildcard in the mix.
A fair crack with injuries
The Tigers copped a fairly raw deal in 2021 on the injury front.
It eventually became too much to handle and denied them any chance of getting anywhere near an unlikely three-peat.
The list profile is in good shape and should still have the club around the mark in terms of a finals assault, but they will need luck in the medical room.
If Richmond gets bulk games out of the likes of Dustin Martin, Dion Prestia, Shane Edwards, Kane Lambert, Nick Vlastuin, Toby Nankervis, Noah Balta and Nathan Broad, then they could have a serious say in 2022.
The Max King ascension year
There is so much to like about Saints youngster Max King.
He is extremely dangerous in attack and natural progression should only see him improve on last year’s 38 goals and 54 marks inside 50.
If King can take another step forward, while cleaning up his accuracy in front of goal, then it will go a long way to guiding St Kilda back to September action.
He has already shown a fair bit, but if 2022 is the ascension year of King then the Saints will be in a good place.
A full year from Buddy
The Swans won over a lot of fans in 2021 with their revitalised game plan and plethora of exciting youngsters.
While that group of talented young guns should again be at the forefront in 2022, it is the form of a key player at the other end of the age spectrum who still holds the key.
Lance Franklin may just be Sydney’s most important player when he’s in full flight and if he can deliver a complete season next year, then the Bloods will challenge.
Throw a firing Buddy into that mix of talent and it’s a fairly scary proposition.
A refreshed game plan
West Coast have been busy focusing on controlling the game, holding onto the ball and moving it slowly in recent years.
It didn’t quite work out for them in 2021, a season CEO Trevor Nisbett labelled as “unacceptable”, and change is now inevitable.
Adam Simpson will back in his ageing squad to return to finals, but he’ll have to tinker with the game plan in order for that to happen because the current one is devoid of dynamism and lacking in risk.
The Eagles need to modernise how they play by turning defence into attack more swiftly. If they can quicken things up a bit, then they can make their presence felt due to the fact that they possess a list full of quality footballers.
Jamarra to step up and partner the 'Astronaught'
Despite the Dogs’ explosive scoring last season, each press conference at Whitten Oval usually led with a question about first-year forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan
A tetchy but not unamused Luke Beveridge persistently cited the 19-year-old’s lack of match preparation, his entire U18 season having been wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.
Ugle-Hagan debuted late in the season, booted seven goals in five appearances, and impressed with his leading patterns, set shot conversion and willingness to defend.
He spent the summer travelling and training with skipper Marcus Bontempelli, spoke candidly of his discontent with his first season, and has swapped his No.22 jumper for No.2 in pursuit of a “reset”.
With Josh Bruce to miss most of the next season rehabilitating a knee injury, Ugle-Hagan’s capacity to find pockets of space and score is the perfect foil for Aaron Naughton’s leap and link-up play.