THE START of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season is just over a month and a half away.
Clubs are well and truly back into the swing of things, preparing for another massive campaign.
Some have enjoyed quieter off-seasons than others, with injuries, new contracts and potential positional changes the major talking points.
So, in case you missed it, here's what's been happening at your club over summer.
It's been a busy off-season for the Crows, with two players dropping off the senior list in January, allowing the club to add some new faces ahead of the season. The decision of former top-10 pick Fischer McAsey to walk away from the AFL and Paul Seedsman's ongoing battle with concussion opened the door for delisted Collingwood midfielder Tyler Brown to join the club before another ex-Magpie, Irishman Mark Keane, followed just a few days later. Seedsman, who hasn't played since he was concussed in late 2021, has been placed on the inactive list, with teammate Rory Laird backing the decision to prioritise the former Magpie's long-term health over football. Meanwhile, Rory Sloane is bullish about playing in round one of the new season after an interrupted 2022.
After an exciting trade and draft period that saw Brisbane pick up Josh Dunkley, Jack Gunston, Will Ashcroft, Jaspa Fletcher and then Conor McKenna via the SSP, the good news continued for the Lions over summer. Eric Hipwood and Zac Bailey both signed lengthy contract extensions and the arrival of Dunkley, who has spoken about adding a more defensive mindset to Brisbane's dynamic midfield, has some thinking this could be the year the Lions end their premiership drought. The only downside over recent months was regarding defender Marcus Adams, who is set to miss the entire season due to ongoing concussion symptoms. However, moving Adams to the inactive list did allow the club to bring in Irishman Darragh Joyce, the former St Kilda defender who was signed via the SSP.
Carlton's hopes of finally ending its finals drought copped a massive blow just two days before Christmas when Sam Walsh was booked in for back surgery. The star midfielder will miss at least the first month of the season and his exact return date is still up in the air, with the club saying "the long-term nature" of his rehab made it difficult to set a timeline. Elsewhere, Matthew Cottrell and Jordan Boyd were both sidelined by foot injuries in mid-January and their return to full fitness is yet to be determined.
It's been an eventful off-season for the Magpies, starting with Jordan De Goey (shoulder) and Darcy Moore (bone infection) being hospitalised in December before returning to training in January, although both players are confident of being available for round one. The news is not so good for Nathan Kreuger, however, who underwent shoulder surgery in January and is expected to miss the start of the season. We're also still yet to find out who will captain the club in 2023 after Scott Pendlebury stood down in December, ending an outstanding nine-year stint at the helm that included 206 games, the seventh most in VFL/AFL history. The Pies also have a list spot that is yet to be filled, with former Gold Coast and Richmond defender Oleg Markov as well as South Australian ruckman Oscar Steene both auditioning for the spot.
New coach, new Bombers in 2023? Essendon will have a point to prove under Brad Scott this year, but the new coach is already urging patience with his young side after a miserable 2022 season. There is also talk over the captaincy, with current skipper Dyson Heppell prepared to step down. Perhaps the Dons are already bringing a renewed intensity, with Jake Stringer and Mason Redman separated by teammates during a training session earlier this month. Andy McGrath, the top pick in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft, is set for a positional switch under Scott, while there has also been some bad news on the injury front. Promising defender Zach Reid has had an interrupted pre-season, while No.5 pick Elijah Tsatas is set to miss the start of the campaign due to knee surgery and last year's leading goalkicker Peter Wright sent a scare through the camp after suffering a calf injury during match sim. Essendon also apologised to former CEO Andrew Thorburn late last year, while the Bombers have been looking at Hudson O'Keeffe and Mitch Szybkowski during the pre-season supplemental selection period.
The Dockers received an excellent Christmas present with news gun midfielder Caleb Serong had re-signed with the club until at least the end of the 2027 season. With Serong and Freo's younger brigade making the midfield their own, Nat Fyfe is set to play even more time forward this season. The Dockers will need Fyfe to stand up as they move on from Rory Lobb's departure, with Josh Treacy ready to replace the now-Western Bulldog. Matt Johnson and Neil Erasmus have been standouts in pre-season training, while Sean Darcy has grown in his ruck battle with Luke Jackson, but just how the duo is used together remains to be seen. After making the finals last year, the Dockers are facing the equal hardest draw in 2023.
Not surprisingly, the reigning premiers have enjoyed a stress-free off-season as they set their sights on the task of securing back-to-back flags for the first time since 1951-52. They will have to overcome the equal-hardest draw in the League to do so, but that's unlikely to faze the most experienced team in the competition. The good news at the Cattery continued over summer with emerging key defender Sam De Koning signing a contract extension until the end of 2025, before exciting Gaelic star Oisin Mullin finally joined the club in December, becoming the third Irishman at the Cats alongside Zach Tuohy and Mark O'Connor, who returned to GMHBA Stadium this month after an extended break back in his homeland. The only concern heading into 2023 is the fitness of star forward Tom Hawkins, who is recovering from foot surgery.
The Suns have endured a mixed off-season, adding former Roo Jed Anderson to their list via the pre-season supplemental selection period. In more good news, former No.1 pick Matt Rowell inked a two-year deal to remain with Gold Coast until at least the end of 2025 before Noah Anderson re-committed until the end of 2027. The Suns will be without Mac Andrew for the first two games of the season after banning the youngster, who was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in December. Wil Powell is on the road back after his sickening injury, while the Suns had a gruelling session with champion ironman Ali Day last year.
It's been a relatively quiet off-season for the Giants as they hit the refresh button under new coach Adam Kingsley. The former Richmond assistant was appointed in August and has immediately set about tinkering the gameplan to become more attack-focused. Ex-Demon Toby Bedford looks set for more game time after winning the club's 2km time trial earlier in January, while No.1 draft pick Aaron Cadman has already impressed in his first few weeks at the club. The positivity around the Giants was somewhat tempered last week with the news that head of development Robbie Chancellor has been sacked after just three months in the role.
Perhaps the biggest intrigue at the Hawks will be who they appoint as the next captain. James Sicily has long been the frontrunner - at least externally - to replace the retired Ben McEvoy, with the club set to make a decision after a four-day camp in Morwell this week. Sam Mitchell also faces a (pleasant) dilemma over who will lead the ruck in 2023, with Ned Reeves, Max Lynch and new recruit Lloyd Meek battling it out for the No.1 role. The Hawks have had a positive summer on the track, with James Worpel impressing onlookers in match sim, while Sam Frost and Reeves are back to full fitness after injury issues last season and Josh Weddle, taken with pick 18 in November's draft, won all four 1km time trials earlier this month. Jai Newcombe's re-signing late last year was also another boost for the competition's youngest team. The only negative has been a minor injury to Mitch Lewis, which will see him miss at least round one. And off the field, former premiership player Andy Gowers was elected president to replace the outgoing Jeff Kennett.
After disappointing straight-sets finals exit last year, Melbourne's young brigade were leading the way on the track once training resumed, particularly Jacob van Rooyen, who returned from the off-season considerably fitter and stronger. Just before the Christmas break, the club announced 19-year-old tall Blake Howes had signed a contract extension until the end of 2025. It’s been good news on the injury front, with key forward Tom McDonald returning to full fitness after a Lisfranc injury ruined his 2022. Captain Max Gawn sent a scare through the Dees' camp when he injured his hamstring at training, but subsequent scans confirmed it was a low-grade strain and he would be on light duties for a fortnight before returning to training.
North Melbourne is taking a cautious approach with gun recruit George Wardlaw, but is confident hamstring injuries are now behind the No.4 pick. Will Phillips has impressed this pre-season after being limited to just three VFL games last year due to two bouts of glandular fever, while recruit Darcy Tucker is fighting to be fit in time for round one after undergoing surgery on his knee. Gun midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke signed on until the end of 2025, while on the coaching front, Josh Gibson joined as a specialist coach of defence alongside his former coach Alastair Clarkson. Jack Ziebell stepped down as skipper after six seasons, then the Roos appointed co-captains – Luke McDonald and Jy Simpkin – for the first time in the club's history. Veteran Ben Cunnington is eyeing a return to his best and a full complement of games in 2023 after his cancer diagnosis and a long-term back injury restricted him to 20 games across the last three seasons. It wasn't all good news for the Roos, with young talent Tarryn Thomas charged by police with a single count of threatening to distribute an intimate image after being stopped by police while driving with a suspended licence.
Port Adelaide kept surgeons busy in the off-season, with star Ollie Wines revealing his post-season surgery discovered more damage in his troublesome left knee than initially thought. Jase Burgoyne and Mitch Georgiades went under the knife in December for knee and ankle surgery, respectively, but returned to light training post-Christmas, while former No.1 pick Jason Horne-Francis, who sensationally requested a trade to Port Adelaide on the eve of last year’s trade period, resumed training in December after undergoing surgery on both legs to decompress the arteries behind his knees. Coach Ken Hinkley announced expectations were high for the Power’s 2023 season after a disappointing 2022. Xavier Duursma echoed those sentiments when he revealed he was setting himself for a big year as he aims to make the wing his own after two disappointing seasons. After a breakout 2022 season, Connor Rozee told AFL.com.au he wants even more this year.
Tim Taranto backed up a strong pre-Christmas showing at Richmond, taking out top time trial honours when the Tigers returned to training after the Christmas break. Dustin Martin is also looking in top shape ahead of the season, with Brendon Gale tipping the superstar will return to his brilliant best. Tom Lynch has been training away from the main group while he manages a plantar fascia problem but is expected to return to the main group later in the pre-season. Livewire forward Shai Bolton put pen to paper on a contract extension that ties him to the club until at least the end of 2028, while former Cat Quinton Narkle is looking likely to snare a spot on the Tigers' list via the pre-season supplemental selection period. Country footy star Kaelan Bradtke is also vying for a list spot with the club. Young gun Josh Gibcus will miss the start of the season after being booked in for surgery on a hamstring tendon injury sustained at training.
After a host of players returned to full fitness after injuries prematurely ended their 2022 season, the Saints have endured a horror run of injuries up forward this summer. Spearhead Max King needed a shoulder reconstruction that has ruled him out for at least the first month of the season, Jack Hayes is also set to miss the start of the season after cracking a metatarsal in his left foot at training while Matt Allison also injured his left foot and is out for five months. There was also bad news for draftee Olli Hotton, who is set to miss the first half of 2023 after he developed a stress fracture in his back. After more than four years at the Saints, list boss James Gallagher has left the club, while Stephen Silvagni and Gubby Allen arrived and delisted Blue Liam Stocker earned a lifeline via the pre-season supplemental selection period. On the training front, Bradley Hill won the 3km time trial and Rowan Marshall was a standout in match simulation.
Sydney lost one of its most influential figures in December when Brownlow medallist and AFL Hall of Fame inductee Barry Round passed away, aged 72. The Swans kicked off the New Year right, moving into their new training facility at the historic Royal Hall of Industries near the SCG in January. Midfielder Dylan Stephens continued his blistering pre-season form by taking out the 2km time trial when the club returned from the Christmas break. Forward Sam Reid is yet to resume full training following the adductor injury that hampered him in last year's Grand Final, while Marc Sheather (foot) and Hugo Hall-Kahan (knee) are also on modified programs following off-season surgeries.
Despite missing the entire 2022 season due to a foot injury, Eagles forward Oscar Allen said he is confident he can step up and fill the shoes left by retiring club champion Josh Kennedy. The club announced Isiah Winder had been charged with assault over an incident that occurred during his visit to Victoria in December for the AFL/AFLPA Indigenous and Multicultural Players Summit in Geelong. There were promising signs for the Eagles at training, with midfielder Campbell Chesser stepping things up as he builds towards a full return from serious bone and ligament damage to his right ankle. The Eagles' senior midfielders are in good shape, with experienced pair Dom Sheed and Andrew Gaff impressing in match simulation. Jeremy McGovern is looking in career-best shape after undertaking an intense running program last year while he was sidelined with a serious rib injury. Jai Culley has been a pre-season standout, with last year’s mid-season draftee backing himself to break into the Eagles' midfield in round one.
After more than 12 months away from the game, Liam Jones said he’s "no where near a finished product" and has plenty more to give after he returned to where it all started at the Western Bulldogs. Coach Luke Beveridge signed a contract extension that will keep him at the helm until at least the end of 2025. Young gun Sam Darcy returned to full training in January after an interrupted start to the summer due to an infection in his knee. Star midfielder Adam Treloar is taking a little bit longer than first hoped to recover from ankle surgery but is on track to be fit in time for round one. Recruit Rory Lobb sent a scare through the Dogs camp when he hobbled off the training track and applied ice to his ankle last week, but thankfully it wasn’t serious and Lobb was back to full training last week.
And in AFL news...
A revamped substitute rule
The AFL confirmed in December that a new-look sub rule would be introduced in 2023, but we won't see the famous subs vest re-introduced. Clubs will be able to replace a player with an unused substitute at any stage of the game, for any reason. The two-year-old rule of players needing a medical reason to be substituted out of the game will no longer apply.
All-Stars game
The AFL announced it is working towards holding an Indigenous v Multicultural All-Stars game in early 2024, ahead of the premiership season. The idea was discussed at the Indigenous and Multicultural Player Summit in Geelong late last year, which bought together more than 100 AFL and AFLW players from Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and multicultural backgrounds.
Brownlow voting rules
The AFL ruled out any changes to the voting process for the Brownlow Medal, despite this year's betting scandal. Former field umpire Michael Pell was one of four men arrested last month over suspicious betting activity, having allegedly leaked votes on specific matches this year. The umpires award Brownlow votes on a 3-2-1 basis after each game and there is tight security around those details until the AFL CEO reads them out on Brownlow night.
Fixture announcement
The AFL released the fixture for the 2023 season in December. The first round is set to be epic, with long-time rivals Richmond and Carlton to open the season on Thursday, March 16, then reigning premier Geelong hosts Collingwood in a Friday night blockbuster. Across the first 15 rounds, Carlton (seven), Brisbane (six) and Geelong (five) feature across the Thursday and Friday night marquee timeslots.
Rule tweaks
The AFL has made three tweaks to rule interpretations for this year, with umpires to no longer pay a 50m penalty when a player fakes a handball while behind the mark, drawing their opponent off their positions.
