Part two of The Line-Up Lay Down has arrived, as we gauge the best 22 for the next six sides before the 2018 season begins.
Please keep in mind there will be some superstars missing from the initial line-ups due to injury, so don't be alarmed if you don't see some big names (Patrick Dangerfield).
Check out the team line-ups and compare them side by side - is your team set for a successful season, or are there other teams which have the edge over your own?
Tell us what you think!
GEELONG
Zac Standish
With the prodigal son Gary Ablett making his return to the Cattery after seven seasons with the Gold Coast, Geelong will be pushing to get past the preliminary final hurdle and add another premiership to their rich history.
The main talking point surrounding this Cats will be how they manage their stacked midfield, including the three-headed monster of Ablett, Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield.
With Dangerfield potentially out of the opening round after suffering a low-grade hamstring strain, there are promising youngsters who can take his place.
Mature-age recruit Tim Kelly has shown great signs through the pre-season which should see him earn selection, while draftee Charlie Constable looks to be an ideal replacement if Dangerfield doesn't get up for round one.
The make-up of the Geelong forward line will also be of interest, with Harry Taylor poised to move back to his traditional defensive role in order to fill the voids left by retired champions Tom Lonergan and Andrew Mackie.
Taylor's relocation opens the door for Stewart Crameri and Aaron Black, as they hope for a fresh start at AFL level and become much needed foils up forward for Tom Hawkins.
Lachie Henderson and Scott Selwood look set to miss the season opener through injury, but should slot back neatly into the regular line-up.
SEASON SUPERSTAR: Patrick Dangerfield
KEEP AN EYE ON: Nakia Cockatoo
YOUNG GUN: Charlie Constable
NOTABLE ABSENTEES: Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Henderson, Scott Selwood
GOLD COAST
Zac Standish
After years of mediocrity and the departure of legend Gary Ablett, 2018 marks the start of a new era of football for the Gold Coast as Stuart's Dew eagerly anticipated tenure as senior coach begins.
Despite losing Ablett, the Suns managed to gain some solid additions after acquiring talented Fremantle midfielder Lachie Weller and underrated Port Adelaide goal sneak Aaron Young.
Unseen Adelaide midfielder Harrison Wigg will be an exciting addition for the young Suns, yet is likely to miss round one with an ankle injury.
With a plethora of young talent on their list, the selection panel will have a lot to think about going into round one as they look to inject the right mix of experience and youth into their team.
David Swallow and Stephen May will be at the forefront of the Suns, as they lead the talented albeit struggling team into a new era.
Sporting an strong spine will be the major problem for the Suns going into the 2018 season, which has only been hampered following the departures of Ablett, Dion Prestia, Adam Saad and Jaeger O’Meara in recent times.
The forced restructures however have provided the likes of Ben Ainsworth, Will Brodie, Brayden Fiorini, Touk Miller and Jack Bowes excellent opportunities to develop into solid players for the club going forward.
UPDATE: Aaron Hall will miss the opening round of the season with a broken finger.
SEASON SUPERSTAR: Tom Lynch
KEEP AN EYE ON: Peter Wright
YOUNG GUN: Ben Ainsworth
NOTABLE ABSENTEES: Pearce Hanley, Sean Lemmens, Harrison Wigg
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Zac Standish
Two preliminary final losses in a row has many questioning the quality of this young Greater Western Sydney list, as they are yet to fulfil their optimistic promise and reach the last Saturday in September.
With players continuing to develop and a number of list changes, the Giants will gear up for another serious tilt at the premiership.
There's no doubt the Giants have some serious talent including Callan Ward, Toby Greene and Josh Kelly, but their main concern going into the new season lies in their defence.
Despite having Heath Shaw as their main distributor, opposition teams will look to exploit the Giants' lack of pace down back following the losses of running defenders Nathan Wilson to Fremantle and Zac Williams to a long-term injury.
To rectify their weakness add provide some flair, GWS look to trial the likes of Lachie Whitfield and Matt De Boer off half-back.
The Giants will hope to welcome back Ryan Griffen once he recovers from another soft tissue injury, but in the meantime will continue to develop Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper in the on-ball department.
The retirement of Shane Mumford has left a massive hole in the ruck, yet promising Rory Lobb will finally get an opportunity as the number one ruckman should he recover from niggling groin issue.
SEASON SUPERSTAR: Josh Kelly
KEEP AN EYE ON: Jacob Hopper
YOUNG GUN: Tim Taranto
NOTABLE ABSENTEES: Ryan Griffin, Will Setterfield, Zac Williams
HAWTHORN
Zac Standish
After the greatest period in modern football where the Alastair Clarkson led Hawks to four premierships in seven years, the club has gone into a rebuilding phase of sorts as they embark on a new era in Hawthorn history.
With the majority of their premiership champions moving on from the club - most recently Josh Gibson and Luke Hodge who has since joined Brisbane - the Hawks have done an incredible job in turning over their list.
Jaeger O’Meara's return to the side after an injury-plagued 2017 will excite Hawthorn fans as he looks to finally deliver on his promise and form one of the best midfield duos in the league with All-Australian Tom Mitchell.
The roles of utility big men Jack Gunston and James Sicily will be difficult for opposition sides to control, after the two key forwards achieved success following their push into their crippled defence last season.
After ending the season very well, expect Clarkson to continue with these two as diverse athletic defenders alongside young gun Ryan Burton, who will play integral roles especially while Grant Birchall recovers from a knee injury.
The arrival of Port Adelaide speedster Jarman Impey will be a welcome addition to the Hawks side, as his class and skill will slot in beautifully off half-back and through the midfield.
UPDATE: Will Langford will miss the opening month of the season with a broken hand.
SEASON SUPERSTAR: Tom Mitchell
KEEP AN EYE ON: James Sicily
YOUNG GUN: Ryan Burton
NOTABLE ABSENTEES: Grant Birchall, Jonathan Ceglar, Ricky Henderson, Will Langford
MELBOURNE
Nick D'Urbano & Zac Standish
Following on from last season's end of year capitulation, Melbourne face a season full of expectation to make their long awaited return to the finals.
This heartbreak will without a doubt serve as motivation coming into 2018, as the young up-and-coming group set on breaking their finals hoodoo.
he Demons have bolstered their defensive stocks with the recruitment of Jake Lever, who just three years into his career has proven himself as one of the best intercept players in the competition.
Lever, along with the promising key defensive duo of Sam Frost and Oscar McDonald will add another string to the Demons' bow down in defence which struggled at the tail-end of last season.
With Tom McDonald set to play forward this year, this will allow for the Frost, O. McDonald and Lever to lock down defensive positions.
With the Dees not being overly active at the trade table and in the draft, Simon Goodwin is set to back his talented side into 2018 after a year of inconsistency and missing out on the finals by 0.48 of a per cent.
Melbourne will look to see continued growth from their young core of Dom Tyson, Clayton Oliver and Angus Brayshaw who along side Nathan Jones and Jordan Lewis, will form a very potent midfield.
Superstar and co-captain Jack Viney will also be a core member of the Melbourne midfield, but is set to miss round one with a persistent foot injury.
Christian Petracca will similarly be crucial for the Demons this year as he looks to become the game winning super star the club has been lacking for a very long time.
In the forward half, Melbourne’s fortunes will rely heavily on the play of key forward Jesse Hogan, who will be looking to put together a solid year of injury-free footy; his fitness more important than ever following the departure of Jack Watts.
Bayley Fritsch - one of Melbourne's VFL standouts last season - looks set to replace the departing Watts and is expected to line up for round one after a solid outing in the JLT Community Series, boosting their already stacked forward line.
SEASON SUPERSTAR: Christian Petracca
KEEP AN EYE ON: Angus Brayshaw
YOUNG GUN: Clayton Oliver
NOTABLE ABSENTEES: Jack Viney, Cameron Pedersen
NORTH MELBOURNE
Chris Nice
After only mustering six wins last season, North Melbourne will be determined to improve upon their less-than-memorable 2017.
Following the mass delistings of Brent Harvey, Michael Firrito, Nick Dal Santo and Drew Petrie in 2016, along with the retirement of former skipper Andrew Swallow last season, the Kangaroos are in desperate need of experienced heads.
With only ten players in their senior list having played over 100 games, the likes of Jack Ziebell, Scott Thompson, Shaun Higgins and Ben Cunnington will be crucial in guiding the young and generally inexperienced side to victory.
Despite their two thumpings during the JLT Community Series, getting game time into their young players will be a necessity for the Roos.
Pick No. 4 from last year's draft, Luke Davies-Uniacke, will be one of the Kangaroos' beacons of hope moving into the future, after signing a contract extension until the end of 2021 earlier this year without playing a senior game.
Similarly yet to make his senior debut, Paul Ahern will also be one for North Melbourne fans to keep a close eye on, as will Hawthorn recruit Billy Hartung.
Ben Brown will undoubtedly stamp himself as an elite forward in the Roos' forward line; his imposing height and unwavering accuracy setting him in good stead for a phenomenal season and a chance to assert himself as one of the competition's best key forwards.
With Majak Daw moving to a new role in defence, there will be great expectations from fans and critics alike, following his patchy 2017 which was riddled with injury and form slumps.
The Kangaroos certainly boast some talls, but the enigma of whether Daw, Brown, Todd Goldstein and Brayden Preuss can all play in the same team will only be answered come round one.
SUPER STAR: Shaun Higgins
KEEP AN EYE ON: Ben Brown
YOUNG GUN: Luke Davies-Uniacke
NOTABLE ABSENTEES: Robbie Tarrant, Jy Simpkin, Kyron Hayden, Declan Watson
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