Every club is under varying degrees of pressure going into the 2019 season, but certain individuals will feel the heat more than others.
Whether it’s a coach under pressure, a high-profile recruit, or a side’s most important player, who is under the microscope next season?
This is not to say jobs are necessarily on the line, but these people in particular will have to perform in 2019.
Geelong: Nakia Cockatoo
Taken with pick 10 in the 2014 draft, injuries have derailed the start of his career.
Cockatoo has only managed 34 games and only played two in 2018, which is a shame because the Cats need outside run and carry.
The 22-year-old will hopefully get a good year of footy under his belt and start to show why Geelong rated him so highly.
Some Cats fans will want Chris Scott on this list, but given he signed a four-year contract extension last season, it’s fair to assume there isn’t a great deal of pressure on him.
Gold Coast: Craig Cameron
The entire Suns organisation is under pressure, but General Manager of List and Strategy Craig Cameron is coming off the back of a historically ugly trade period.
Gold Coast has lost three club captains in two years, as well top-10 draft picks Jack Scrimshaw and Kade Kolodjashnij and midfielder Aaron Hall.
They also chose to delist Jarryd Lyons, a player many believe to be clearly in their best midfield group.
Pressure will be on the Suns to show they’re able to keep their young players given Brisbane was able to get out of a similar slump when they hired Chris Fagan and David Noble.
GWS: The medical department
The Giants have been crippled by injuries consistently over the last three years and for a team seemingly in its premiership window, that needs to change.
They struggled to field anything close to their best 22 for the majority of 2018 and with several key players out the door in the trade period, their depth will best tested this season.
GWS can’t afford to have another year greatly impacted by injuries.
Hawthorn: Chad Wingard
The Hawks don’t really have anyone specifically under pressure in 2019, but high profile recruit Chad Wingard will be expected to come in and have an immediate impact.
Wingard’s exit from Port Adelaide was a messy affair and came seemingly out of nowhere.
The Hawks need players who can hit the scoreboard and coupling Wingard with Jack Gunston, Luke Breust, Paul Puopolo and Jarman Impey should be an interesting mix across half forward.
Melbourne: Sam Weideman
Jesse Hogan is gone, and he leaves big shoes to fill. The Demons will be expecting Sam Weideman to continue the form he showed in the back-half of 2018 when Hogan went down injured.
Weideman was impressive, showing why Melbourne took him ahead of the likes of Charlie Curnow and Eric Hipwood, but he’ll have to pick up where he left off as Tom McDonald’s partner in crime inside 50.
He became a contested marking machine when he returned to the side in Round 22 and showed he’s capable of winning plenty of the ball.
Whether he can do it for a full season is what fans will be watching closely.
North Melbourne: Mason Wood
Similar to Weideman, Mason Wood needs to step up in 2019 and fill the hole left in North Melbourne’s line-up by Jarrad Waite.
Wood was drafted by North Melbourne in 2012 and has only managed 39 games due to consistent injury problems, but this has to be the year he becomes reliable.
Ben Brown had a fantastic 2018, but needs help and Waite provided a great foil for him.
Wood will be expected to step into that forward line and help the Roos make a play at the top eight in 2019.
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