STRAP yourselves in, footy fans - Damian Barrett's Sliding Doors is back for 2025. 

With the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season underway, Damo's got plenty of thoughts about all 18 clubs - and the AFL - after another big off-season. 

So what is he saying about your team? What's he saying about the AFL? You can't say that, Damo, can you? Check it out below.

>> ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION FROM DAMIAN BARRETT

IF ...

this club is finally going to properly reassert itself as a gun team ...

THEN ...

it must start on Sunday. No injuries. Good recruits. Home game. Weak opponent. Yet another off-season of promises. Let's see how it goes.

IF ..

you win a flag in 2024 and in your first game of 2025 you're able to name on the interchange a Norm Smith medallist, a player who kicked four goals in the Grand Final, a gun back and another Ashcroft ...

THEN ...

you're clearly going OK. Respectively, Will Ashcroft, Callum Ah Chee, Brandon Starcevich and Levi Ashcroft. Even without Joe Daniher this year, the Lions will be thereabouts again.

IF ...

Thursday night was a dreadful and disastrous outcome ...

THEN ...

it also was a continuation of uber ordinary results. The loss to Richmond to open the 2025 season, when added to the final nine matches of 2024, took the Blues' tally in that stretch to 2-8, the only wins coming against North Melbourne and West Coast, the 16th and 17th placed teams from last year.

IF ...

Nick Daicos is the best kick in the comp ...

THEN ...

Dan Houston may be the second best. And Houston is going to need to perform to his two-time All-Australian standards to help his new club beat his old club on Saturday night, and thus help it "forget" last week's mess against the Giants.

IF ...

you haven't yet picked up on the Bombers' use of the word "stability" ...

THEN ...

you soon will. Stability this, stability that. Also, unity. Don't forget the unity, nor the "statement of stability and alignment" as proclaimed by president David Barham after he added the 2027 season to coach Brad Scott's deal, which already took in 2025 and 2026.

IF ...

the first-up 2025 task is the Cats at the Cattery ...

THEN ...

it's far from ideal that the AFL's biggest off-season recruit is unavailable. Dockers need to get Shai Bolton fit, very soon. Still, and even without him, Dockers need to, at the very least, hang tough in this crucial 2025 season scene-setting hitout.

IF ...

the really, really big in for the Cats for round one 2025 is Bailey Smith ...

THEN ...

the inclusion of Connor O'Sullivan is significant, too. Geelong's first pick from the 2023 national draft. Massive things are expected for this towering 19-year-old.

IF ...

former chairman Tony Cochrane was blowing up during the week about the Gold Coast "getting the rough end of the pineapple" over a lack of early season matches at the club's home stadium ... 

THEN ...

worth noting the Suns still got the smooth end of the mango with games against West Coast, North Melbourne and Richmond in a five-match sequence to round six.

IF ...

big Kingers with the big forearms and big biceps and big frame ever walked menacingly toward me and told me to "sit down" ... 

THEN ...

I would do so even quicker than Craig McRae last week! As well as anything else he may choose to request. In that moment, Kingsley loomed as intimidatingly as Plugger, G-Train and Duck in their prime.

IF ...

James Sicily is the Hawks' most celebrated forward swingman ...

THEN ...

also keep an eye on Jai Newcombe in that guise. Looked dangerous in opening round when positioned inside 50 for some centre bounces. This may sound weird for someone who has kicked 33 goals from 77 matches, but he looks capable of jagging a bag at some stage of 2025.

IF ...

it's been on off-season of declarations of love and positivity, and some more love, and then some more love after that ...

THEN ...

while I don't yet believe it, I don't mind the public strategy planning behind it. It ultimately won't mean anything, though, if the Demons don't get back into the finals.

IF ...

there comes a time in a champion coach's career to explode back into the mainstream ...

THEN ...

for Clarko that time is the 2025 season, with a heavy emphasis on 7.35pm Saturday night. Time to win. This club has got way too comfortable with losing. Dogs are smashed with injury. No excuses for this match and for the 22 which follow.

IF ...

there's a player I really hope explodes in 2025 ...

THEN ...

it's Mitch Georgiades. What he did last year after a knee reco in 2023 was excellent. Stood up big-time in the Power's biggest moment of the year, particularly the epic semi-final win against Hawthorn. Love the way he plays.

IF ...

Dusty back in 2010 registered five kicks, 13 handballs, three tackles, six contested possessions, and no goals, in his debut game ...

THEN ...

Sam Lalor on Thursday night produced even better numbers in his first game. Respectively, six, 12, two, six, as well as two goals. You will forever remember where you were watching this kid start his career, be it live among 80,000 at the 'G or watching on TV. It was mesmerising in its teenage aura, particularly the guts to push through fatigue in the final quarter. Don't forget he broke his jaw a month ago, and then had two wisdom teeth removed and a plate inserted in his mouth.

IF ...

it was good enough for the "stability" club Essendon to re-contract its coach beyond a current deal which already had the 2025 and 2026 seasons locked away ...

THEN ...

it was good enough for the Saints to do so, too, with Ross The Boss. St Kilda also seeking Bomber-like stability, unity and alignment.

IF ...

Braeden Campbell has been a good player in 72 matches ...

THEN ...

it's time for him to go to very good. His team needs him to.

IF ...

Oscar Allen gets to play a full season alongside Jake Waterman in the Eagles forward line ...

THEN ...

it's going to be must-watch. If it all works to plan, there's 120 goals between them.

IF ...

there's a silver lining in the absence of Bont ...

THEN ...

it will come in the onball opportunities it will provide Ryley Sanders. And let's see who stands up in the Great One's absence.

AND THIS ONE'S FOR THE AFL

IF ...

the AFL, rightly, chose not to fine Craig McRae for his goading of Giants players, particularly Toby Bedford, last weekend ...

THEN ...

the right thing would be to return the $20,000 it forced Kenny Hinkley to cough up after his words with Jack Ginnivan and James Sicily following last year's semi-final at Adelaide Oval.