The AFL pre-season is officially over as the two-week practice games have come to an end.
As an audition for the 2023 campaign, we had to look closely at all 18 clubs and the changes over the summer months.
In short, there were some new faces, new hairstyles, and new game plans.
With the 2022 season really in the rear-view mirror, our entire focus is on the first round, which kicks off on March 16 with the traditional Thursday night blockbuster between Richmond and Carlton.
Collingwood and Geelong battle it out in a replay of the qualifying finals on Friday night, while the 2021 Grand Final between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs will also take place on the opening weekend.
Port Adelaide host Brisbane, Sydney flies north to the Gold Coast and an old rivalry rages on Sunday as Essendon and Hawthorn battle for Premiership points.
Ross Lyon is training against his old team – Fremantle – with his new old team, St Kilda.
North Melbourne begin their campaign against West Coast, while Adelaide will host GWS’ home ground.
The sports news predicts how all 18 teams will look in round one:
MORE: AFL Injury List 2023 – Check out who’s on the sidelines
TEAMS: Adelaide | Brisbane | Karlton | Collingwood | Essendon | Fremantle | Geelong | Gold Coast | GWS | Hawthorn | Melbourne | North Melbourne | Port Adelaide | Richmond | St Kilda | Sydney | west coast | Western bulldogs
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Adelaide predicted 23 against GWS
| full back |
Tom Doedee |
Jordan Butts |
BrodieSmith |
| half back |
Jordan Dawson (c) |
Nick Murray |
Wayne Milera |
| center |
Rory Sloane |
Sam Berry |
Ben Keays |
| half forward |
Josh Rachele |
Eliot Himmelberg |
Luke Pedler |
| Full forward |
Shane McAdam |
Taylor Walker |
Darcy Fogarty |
| Fan |
Riley O’Brien |
Rory Laird |
Izak Rankine |
| Exchange |
Tyler Brown |
Will Hamill |
Mitch Hinge |
| |
Jake Soligo |
|
|
| Substitute |
Max Michalanney |
|
|
Brisbane’s prediction 23 vs Port Adelaide
| full back |
Daniel Reich |
Harris Andrews |
Keidean Coleman |
| half back |
Conor McKenna |
Brandon Starcevich |
Cam Rayner |
| center |
Dayne Zorko |
Lachie Neale (c) |
Hugh McCluggage |
| half forward |
Zac Bailey |
Eric Hipwood |
Jack Gunston |
| Full forward |
Lincoln McCarthy |
Joe Daniher |
Charlie Cameron |
| Fan |
Oscar McInerney |
Josh Darkley |
Will Ashcroft |
| Exchange |
Jack Payne |
Jarrod Berry |
Jaxon Prior |
| |
Deven Robertson |
|
|
| Substitute |
Darcy Wilmot |
|
|
Carlton predicted 23 against Richmond
| full back |
Adam Saad |
Jakob Weitering |
Nick Newman |
| half back |
Mitch McGovern |
Lewis Young |
Lachie Ploughman |
| center |
Olli Hollands |
Patrick Cripps (c) |
Blake Acres |
| half forward |
Zac Fischer |
Charlie Curnow |
Jack Silvagni |
| Full forward |
Corey Durdin |
Harry McKay |
Jesse Motlop |
| Fan |
Marc Pittonet |
George Hewett |
Sam Docherty |
| Exchange |
Adam Cerra |
Lachie Cowan |
Tom De Koning |
| |
Matt Kennedy |
|
|
| Substitute |
Lochie O’Brien |
|
|
Collingwood predicted 23 against Geelong
| full back |
Brayden Maynard |
Billy Frampton |
Jeremy Howe |
| half back |
Nick Daicos |
Darcy Moore (c) |
Isaac Quaynor |
| center |
Josh Daicos |
Jack Crisp |
Steele side floor |
| half forward |
Taylor Adams |
Dan McStay |
Beau McCreery |
| Full forward |
Jamie Elliott |
Brody Mihockek |
Bobby Hill |
| Fan |
Mason Cox |
Jordan de Goey |
Tom Mitchell |
| Exchange |
Darcy Cameron |
John Edel |
Scott Pendlebury |
| |
Nathan Murphy |
|
|
| Substitute |
Josh Carmichael |
|
|
Essendon predicted 23 against Hawthorn
| full back |
Mason Redman |
Jayden Laverde |
Jake Kelly |
| half back |
Andrew McGrath |
Brandon Zerk Thatcher |
Jordan Ridley |
| center |
Nick Martin |
Zach Merrett (c) |
Sam Durham |
| half forward |
Matt Guelfi |
Sam Weideman |
Archie Perkins |
| Full forward |
Harrison Jones |
Peter Wright |
Alwyn Davey Jr |
| Fan |
Sam Draper |
Dylan Shiel |
Will Setterfield |
| Exchange |
Jye Caldwell |
Massimo D’Ambrosio |
Darcy community |
| |
Anthony McDonald Tipungwuti |
|
|
| Substitute |
Will Snelling |
|
|
Fremantle predicted 23 against St Kilda
| full back |
Luke Ryan |
Alex Pearce (c) |
Heath Chapman |
| half back |
Jordan Clark |
Brennan Cox |
Hayden Young |
| center |
James Aisch |
Jaeger O’Meara |
Nathan O’Driscoll |
| half forward |
Sam Switkowski |
Nat Fyfe |
Lachi Schulz |
| Full forward |
Michael Walters |
Matt Taberner |
Luke Jackson |
| Fan |
Sean Darcy |
Andrew Brayshaw |
Caleb Serong |
| Exchange |
Will Brodie |
Brandon Walker |
Michael Frederick |
| |
Bailey Banfield |
|
|
| Substitute |
Liam Henry |
|
|
Geelong predicted 23 against Collingwood
| full back |
Mark O’Connor |
Sam DeKoning |
Jed Bews |
| half back |
Tom Steward |
Esava Ratugolea |
Zach Guthrie |
| center |
Isaac Smith |
Patrick Dangerfield (c) |
Max Holmes |
| half forward |
Brad Close |
JeremyCameron |
Tanner Bruhn |
| Full forward |
Tyson Stengel |
Gary Rohan |
Olli Henry |
| Fan |
Rhys Stanley |
Cameron Guthrie |
Markus Blicavs |
| Exchange |
Tom Atkins |
Zach Tuohy |
Jack Bowes |
| |
Gryan Miers |
|
|
| Substitute |
Brandon Parfitt |
|
|
Gold Coast forecast 23 against Sydney
| full back |
Charlie Ballard |
SamCollins |
Jy Farrar |
| half back |
Charlie Constable |
Caleb Graham |
ben long |
| center |
Brandon Ellis |
Touk Miller (c) |
Elijah Hollands |
| half forward |
Nick Holman |
Levi Casbolt |
Malcolm Rosas |
| Full forward |
Ben Ainsworth |
ben king |
Mabior Chol |
| Fan |
Jarrod Witts (c) |
Noah Anderson |
Matt Rowell |
| Exchange |
David Schwalbe |
Sam Flanders |
Alex Davis |
| |
tom berry |
|
|
| Substitute |
Jack Lukasius |
|
|
GWS predicted 23 against Adelaide
| full back |
Isaac Cumming |
SamTaylor |
Connor Idun |
| half back |
Lachlan Ashes |
Nick Haynes |
Lachie Whitfield |
| center |
Josh Kelly |
Stephen Coniglio |
Finn Callaghan |
| half forward |
Toby Greene (c) |
Jess Hogan |
James Peating |
| Full forward |
Jake Riccardi |
Harry Himmelberg |
Daniel Lloyd |
| Fan |
Braddon Preuss |
Tom Green |
Callan Ward |
| Exchange |
Harry Perryman |
Matt Flynn |
Jacob Weir |
| |
Adam Kennedy |
|
|
| Substitute |
Xavier O’Halloran |
|
|
Hawthorn predicted 23 against Essendon
| full back |
Black Hardwick |
James Sicily (c) |
Sam Frost |
| half back |
Changkuoth Jiath |
Jacob Blanck |
Jack Scrimshaw |
| center |
Want day |
Josh Ward |
Karl Amon |
| half forward |
Dylan Moore |
Fergus Green |
Connor McDonald |
| Full forward |
Luke Breust |
Jacob Koschitzke |
Chad Wingard |
| Fan |
Ned Reeves |
Jacob Worpel |
Jai Newcombe |
| Exchange |
Lloyd Meek |
Cam Mackenzie |
Finn Maginness |
| |
Jarman Impey |
|
|
| Substitute |
Lachlan blackberry |
|
|
Melbourne’s prediction 23 vs. Western Bulldogs
| full back |
Jake Bowey |
Stephen May |
Harrison Petty |
| half back |
Angus Brayshaw |
Jake Lever |
Trient Rivers |
| center |
Ed Langdon |
ClaytonOliver |
Lachi hunter |
| half forward |
James Harmes |
Tom McDonald |
Alex Neal Bulls |
| Full forward |
Max Gawn (c) |
Ben Brown |
Bayley Fritsch |
| Fan |
Brodie Grundy |
Christian Petracca |
Kysaiah Pickett |
| Exchange |
Charlie Spargo |
Tom Sparrow |
Jack Viney |
| |
James Jordan |
|
|
| Substitute |
Kade Chandler |
|
|
North Melbourne has predicted 23 against West Coast
| full back |
Aaron Hall |
Ben McKay |
Aidan Corr |
| half back |
Jack Ziel |
Griffin Lodge |
Luke McDonald (c) |
| center |
Bailey Scott |
Luke Davies-Uniacke |
Liam Schiels |
| half forward |
Tom Powell |
Tristan Xerri |
Paul Curtis |
| Full forward |
Cam Zurhaar |
Nick Larkey |
Harry Shezel |
| Fan |
death Goldstein |
Ben Cunnington |
Jy Simpkin (c) |
| Exchange |
Will Phillips |
Curtis Taylor |
Lachi Young |
| |
Flyn Perez |
|
|
| Substitute |
Josh Goater |
|
|
Port Adelaide predicted 23 against Brisbane
| full back |
Tom Jonas (c) |
Tom Clurey |
Darcy Bryne Jones |
| half back |
Ryan Burton |
Aliir Aliir |
Dan Houston |
| center |
Travis book |
Connor Rozee |
Kane Farrell |
| half forward |
Zak Butters |
death Marshal |
Sam Powell Pepper |
| Full forward |
Junior Rioli |
Charlie Dixon |
Orazio fantasy |
| Fan |
Scott Lycett |
Ollie wines |
Willem Drew |
| Exchange |
Jason Horne-Francis |
Lachi Jones |
Mitch Georgiades |
| |
miles miner |
|
|
| Substitute |
Riley Bonner |
|
|
Richmond predicted 23 against Carlton
| full back |
Dylan Grimes (c) |
Noah Balta |
Nick Vlastuin |
| half back |
Daniel Rioli |
Robbie Tarrant |
Nathan Breit |
| center |
Jayden Kurz |
Shay Bolton |
Kamdyn McIntosh |
| half forward |
Liam Baker |
Tom Lynch |
Trento Cotchin |
| Full forward |
Dustin Martin |
Jack Riewoldt |
Moritz Rioli |
| Fan |
Toby Nankervis (c) |
Jacob Hopper |
Tim Taranto |
| Exchange |
Hugo Ralphsmith |
Ben Miller |
Dio Prestia |
| |
Judson Clark |
|
|
| Substitute |
Noah Cumberland |
|
|
St Kilda’s predicted 23 against Fremantle
| full back |
Callum Wilkie |
Zaine Cordy |
Nick Coffield |
| half back |
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera |
Douglas Howard |
Jack Sinclair |
| center |
Brad Hill |
Jack Steele (c) |
mason wood |
| half forward |
Jade Gresham |
Antony Caminiti |
Mattae Phillipou |
| Full forward |
Mitch Owens |
Josh battle |
Dan Butler |
| Fan |
Rowan Marshall |
Brad Crouch |
Markus Windhager |
| Exchange |
Tom Campbell |
Liam Stocker |
Ben Paton |
| |
Jack Higgins |
|
|
| Substitute |
Jack Bytel |
|
|
Sydney predicted 23 against Gold Coast
| full back |
Dane ramp (c) |
Paddy McCartin |
Jake Lloyd |
| half back |
Nick Blakey |
Tom McCartin |
Oliver Florent |
| center |
Justin McInerney |
Callum mills (c) |
Harry Cunningham |
| half forward |
Isaac Heeney |
Sam Reid |
Errol Gulden |
| Full forward |
Will Hayward |
Lance Franklin |
Tom Papley |
| Fan |
Peter Ladhams |
Luke Parker (c) |
Chad Warner |
| Exchange |
Dylan Stephens |
Logan McDonald |
James Rowbottom |
| |
Braden Campbell |
|
|
| Substitute |
Hayden McLean |
|
|
West Coast predicted 23 against North Melbourne
| full back |
Shannon Hurn |
Tom Barrass |
Liam Duggan |
| half back |
Reuben Ginbey |
Jeremy McGovern |
Jayden Hunt |
| center |
Andrew Gaffel |
Luke Shuey (c) |
Dom Shed |
| half forward |
Sam Petrevski-Seton |
Jake Wasserman |
Jamie Cripps |
| Full forward |
Jamaine Jones |
Oscar Allen |
Liam Ryan |
| Fan |
Callum Jamieson |
Eliot Yeo |
Tim Kelly |
| Exchange |
Jai Culley |
Elijah Hewett |
Tom Cole |
| |
Xavier O’Neill |
|
|
| Substitute |
Jack Petrucelle |
|
|
Western Bulldogs predicted 23 against Melbourne
| full back |
Liam Jones |
Josh Bruce |
Taylor Duryea |
| half back |
Ed Richards |
Alex Keath |
Bailey Dale |
| center |
Bailey Smith |
Tom Liberator |
Oscar Baker |
| half forward |
Anthony Scott |
Rory Lobb |
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan |
| Full forward |
Toby McLean |
Aaron Naughton |
Arthur Jones |
| Fan |
Timo English |
Markus Bontempelli |
Jack Macrae |
| Exchange |
Adam Treloar |
Sam Darcy |
Caleb Daniel |
| |
Bailey Williams |
|
|
| Substitute |
Hayden Crozier |
|
|
