That’s not a knock on the footy. It’s just reality. We’re all looking for role clues, cheapies, breakout signs and one left-field POD we can talk ourselves into before Round 1.
The AAMI Community Series is useful. Just not in the “this tells us exactly what the season will look like” way.
It’s useful because you get one more proper look at how teams are setting up.
Who’s moving into the midfield? Who’s getting first crack up forward? Which younger players look ready? Which blokes look like they’ve had a huge summer?
That’s the lens I’d use. Not the scoreboard. Not the margin. Not the overreactions that always come after one hot quarter in late February.
This isn’t about punting. It’s about seeing who looks relevant heading into Round 1 and which names you’ll be annoyed you ignored when lockout rolls around.
What I care about in these games:
- Role – is he actually playing where we hoped?
- Centre bounce usage – who’s getting real midfield time?
- Forward mix – who looks involved, not just named?
- Conditioning – who looks fit, sharp and ready to go?
- SuperCoach relevance – does this player now deserve a harder look?
The Games I’m Most Interested In
Carlton vs Geelong is probably the one I’m looking at first.
Not because the result will mean much. It probably won’t. But because Jagga Smith is the obvious watch, and after everything he went through, everyone wants to see how he looks in proper match conditions.
On top of that, Carlton’s forward mix suddenly feels more interesting than it did a few months ago, with names like Ben Ainsworth and Will Hayward adding a different look around goal.
Then you’ve got Geelong, where I’m less worried about the result and more interested in whether the midfield looks fresh enough around players like Max Holmes and Tanner Bruhn. Geelong rarely shows everything in February anyway.
Melbourne vs Richmond is the other one that feels genuinely useful.
Melbourne looked sharp in the early hit-out, but the more interesting thing for me was seeing names like Jack Steele pop up in a meaningful inside-mid role. That sort of thing matters this time of year.
Richmond is still building, but Sam Lalor is exactly the type of player people want another look at heading into the season.
Match-by-Match Early Thoughts
Carlton vs Geelong (Wed 7:10pm AEDT)
This is a proper SuperCoach watch game. Jagga Smith is the headline, obviously. After that, I’m watching how involved Ben Ainsworth and Will Hayward look in Carlton’s forward half, and whether the Blues’ midfield still looks clean when the pressure lifts. For Geelong, I just want to see if the younger mids get enough genuine responsibility around the ball.
Sydney vs GWS Giants (Thu 4:10pm AEDT)
Hard game to get too carried away with. That’s not a bad thing. It just means the useful stuff will be in the roles. Which midfield mix looks more settled? Which half-backs are taking the game on? It feels more like a “watch the shape” game than a “watch the score” game.
Brisbane Lions vs Gold Coast Suns (Thu 6:10pm AEST)
This one has a genuine fantasy angle because Levi Ashcroft is the sort of player people are already trying to figure out. If he gets real midfield exposure again, that’ll get plenty of attention. Brisbane as a team still looks polished enough, but this one’s more about the pieces than the overall side for mine.
Melbourne vs Richmond (Fri 4:10pm AEDT)
I’m really not fussed about the margin here. I care more about Jack Steele and whether that inside-mid role still looks real, plus how much we see of Kysaiah Pickett around the ball and up forward. For Richmond, it’s another look at Sam Lalor and whether the kids look comfortable enough to matter early this year.
Western Bulldogs vs Hawthorn (Fri 7:10pm AEDT)
This might be the biggest fantasy watch outside Carlton. Everyone knows the Dogs have top-end talent, but the real question is whether Ryley Sanders gets the sort of midfield role that turns him from “nice player” into “serious SuperCoach consideration”. Hawthorn’s side is worth watching too, but Sanders is the name I keep coming back to.
St Kilda vs Essendon (Sat 3:10pm AEDT)
This is one where I’m mostly just watching for clarity. Which side looks more organised? Which runners are actually getting used? Which players are hovering around the footy instead of being parked in low-value roles? You don’t need a huge take here. You just need one or two clean observations.
Fremantle vs Adelaide (Sat 3:10pm AWST)
This is a really handy midfield watch. Caleb Serong always draws attention, but I’m just as interested in how Luke Jackson is used and whether Adelaide’s best pieces look settled around the contest. If the roles are clean, you learn something. If they’re messy, you move on.
North Melbourne vs Collingwood (Sun 3:10pm AEDT)
For North, this is less about the end result and more about whether the younger core looks more connected. For Collingwood, I just want to see the usual suspects look sharp without overthinking it. If the Pies look organised and North looks more competitive for longer, that’s probably enough of a takeaway.
West Coast vs Port Adelaide (Sun 3:10pm AWST)
This one’s about the younger Eagles, really. Harley Reid is still the obvious name, but more broadly I just want to see whether West Coast’s kids look like they’re starting to settle into proper AFL roles. Port’s stars should be fine. The more interesting angle is what the Eagles show underneath the headline names.
The POD I’m Watching Closely
Ryley Sanders.
That’s the one that feels a little bit controversial, because I can already hear the split opinions.
Some will say the role won’t be big enough. Others will say the Dogs have too many mouths to feed. Fair. But if Sanders gets genuine midfield usage and looks comfortable around the contest, he’s exactly the sort of player that can go from “interesting name” to “annoying POD I should’ve started with”. I’m not calling it yet. I just want one more look before lockout.
That’s really the honest way to look at the AAMI Community Series.
Watch the players, not the hype. Watch the role, not the result. And if one random bloke you barely considered suddenly gets a heap of centre bounce time, don’t worry — we’ll all be pretending we were onto him the whole time by Sunday night.
Pre-season footy gives you clues, not answers. For most of us, it’s really about the SuperCoach notes anyway.
