Australia is brimming with excitement as fans gear up for the commencement of the Australian Football League season this Thursday.

With the teams revealed and the matches for the first round drawn, electricity is bound to fill the air.

Thursday evening in Melbourne will see two of its home teams vying in an interesting face off with last year premiers, Richmond taking on one of the promisingly emerging teams, Carlton.

An exhilarating kick-off to the season indeed!

According to entrepreneur and owner of the Aussie Rules Football site, Darren Herft Sports Central, the match will set the tone for the rest of the competition.

As to which teams are the top contenders for the AFL this year, he says, “I think Geelong, Port Adelaide, Richmond and Brisbane are set to have a very good season.”

Hailing from South Australia, Port Adelaide is coached by Ken Hinkley and finished in the top four last year. Herft feels that they’ve got a great chance to build upon their successes in 2021.

He says, “They have some extremely good young players who are maturing into seasoned, high powered athletes. I think they are very well placed to figure at the end of the season, even possibly winning the Premiership at the end of the year.”

Another team with a great list of young, talented athletes, eager to make their mark is the Brisbane Lions, the only team from Brisbane in Australia.

Herft says, “there are some highly skilled players at the Lions this year, with McCluggage & Berry set to stamp themselves on the 2021 season!” While very successful in last year’s competition, the Brisbane Lions missed out playing in the Grand final held in Brisbane by losing in their last major game where they were well beaten by Geelong.

Richmond, the reigning champions, have been continuously victorious over the last two years and have been working hard to gear up for an attempt at their third Premiership bid in a row.

“Richmond has a lot of depth. Not only do their main 22 players pack a punch but also those in reserve are extremely talented and ready to play when their chance arrives.”

In Herft’s opinion, Richmond are sure to make it to the Top 4 if they manage to avoid injuries during the season and are strong contenders for a Premiership hat-trick.

Geelong, who played in the grand final last year have swelled their ranks with some impressive additions. Most notably, Jeremey Cameron from the GWS Giants, Isaac Smith from Hawthorn, as well as Shaun Higgins, a very skillful midfielder from North Melbourne.

Herft says, “They're a little bit on the older side when it comes to the sport, which certainly ensures that they're experienced enough to get to the Grand Final again.”

But experience comes at a cost. “That also means that Geelong will have to be more mindful of fatigue and will need to make sure that their players are well looked after, well-rested and recovered,” says Herft.

All things considered; Australia is set to have a thrilling AFL season ahead!