At the start of the VFL season, we thought we would find out the season predictions from various people in the know. Here are their predictions for season 2011 way back in late March.
Results were: Premiers - Port Melbourne; Wooden Spooner - Frankston; Liston - Shane Valenti.
Five people predicted the premiers, 13 people tipped the wooden spooners, and two people named the Liston Medal winner.
Let's have a look at the tips:
Nigel Carmody
Nigel played 160 VFL games with Casey and Collingwood between 2000-2008 and is now a VFL Radio commentator and regular contributor on Evenings with Mark Fine on SEN
Premiers: Williamstown
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Brett Johnson (Williamstown)
Player/s to watch: Kyle Matthews (on his return to Casey)
Big improvers: Bendigo
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Issac Smith (North Ballarat - Hawthorn)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: "Record draft numbers expected for VFL"
Brent Diamond
Brent has been a VFL reporter for The Age since 2008. Before that, he also reported on the VFL and TAC Cup for Fairfax Community Newspapers, the Geelong Advertiser and Sportal.
Premiers: Box Hill Hawks
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Matthew Little (Bendigo Bombers)
Players to watch: Oliver Tate (North Ballarat), Travis Tuck (Werribee Tigers), Brendan Fevola (Casey Scorpions)
Big improvers: Bendigo Bombers and Werribee Tigers
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Ed Curnow (Box Hill Hawks - Carlton)
VFL headline you would like to see this year: Fev Defies Critics To Resurrect His AFL Career
Paul Amy
Paul covers the VFL for Leader Newspapers and Inside Football
Premiers: Port Melbourne
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Nick Peters (North Ballarat)
Player/s to watch: Ahmed Saad (Northern Bullants), Chris Irving (Sandringham),
Big improvers: Werribee/Geelong/Sandringham
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Tommy Schneider (Hawthorn)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: Fev On Fire for Scorps
Sam Landsberger
Sam is a 22-year-old sports journalist covering the VFL for the Herald Sun and Leader Newspapers this season.
Premiers: Williamstown
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Michael Stockdale (Casey Scorpions)
Player/s to watch: Ahmed Saad (Northern Bullants), Matt O’Dwyer (Werribee), Chris Irving (Sandringham)
Big improvers: Werribee to play finals
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Isaac Smith (North Ballarat - Hawthorn) Cam Pedersen (Box Hill - North Melbourne)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: SANFL clubs jealous as all-VFL Foxtel Cup Grand Final shifted to the MCG and sold out!
Adrian Dunn
Adrian has been a sports journalist at the Herald Sun for more than 30 years. He's been covering the VFA/VFL for the Footy Record for 20 years.
Premiers: North Ballarat
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Myles Sewell (North Ballarat)
Player/s to watch: Sam Dwyer (Port Melbourne)
Big improvers: Sandringham
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Ed Curnow (Box Hill – Carlton)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: Fev kicks 20 in front of 20,000
Ross Booth
Ross played 200 games of VAFA football, did a pre-season at Richmond and teaches economics at Monash University. He is part of the ABC VFL coverage.
Premiers: North Ballarat
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Paul Johnson (Box Hill)
Player/s to watch: Tory Dickson (Bendigo)
Big improvers: Geelong
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Cam Richardson (North Ballarat – North Melbourne)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: Shock: VFL teams line up as selected!
Mark Stone
Mark can be heard on 1116 SEN Thursday nights at 8.30pm talking VFL. He has followed the VFL for ten years as a media reporter on many fronts and in the last 4 seasons has been recruiting manager of VFL club the Werribee Tigers.
Premiers: Williamstown
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Sam Dwyer (Port Melbourne)
Player/s to watch: Callum Sinclair (Port Melbourne), Russell Gabriel (Frankston), Brett Dore (Sandringham), Tory Dickson (Bendigo), Steven Kennedy (Werribee)
Big improvers: Bendigo Bombers, Werribee
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Michael Hibbert (Frankston – Essendon), Cameron Richardson (North Ballarat – North Melbourne)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: The VFL to play more games in Regional areas, taking the game to the people. More exposure to more supporters.
Paul Hooper
Paul is entering his sixth year of calling VFL football on radio. Paul is also the co-producer of radio 3WBC 94.1fm VFL football broadcasts. Paul hosts “The Neutral Corner” sport program on 3WBC. Fridays, 7am till 9am.
Premiers: Box Hill Hawks
Wooden Spooner: Geelong
Liston Medallist: Shane Valenti (Port Melbourne)
Player/s to watch: Ryan Jackson (Box Hill), Michael Sikora (Sandringham), Adam Iacobucci (Northern Bullants) and Travis Tuck (Werribee)
Big improvers: Frankston and Coburg
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Ed Curnow (Box Hill – Carlton) & Cam Pedersen (Box Hill – North Melbourne)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: Pattison kicks 10 in Box Hill Grand Final Win
The Gospel
The Gospel has been a boom recruit for the VFL Record during the off season. With a keen eye for form, The Gospel is looking to grab this competition by the scruff of the neck and set the pace early. Catch me if you can!
Premiers: Northern Bullants
Wooden Spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Marcus Marigliani (Sandringham)
Player/s to watch: Marcus Marigliani (Sandringham), Ahmed Saad (Northern Bullants), Sam Conroy (North Ballarat), David Mirra (Box Hill), Mitch Keddell (Port Melbourne)
Big Improvers: James Orr (Sandringham)
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Ed Curnow (Carlton from Box Hill), Cam Richardson (North Melbourne from North Ballarat)
VFL Headline you would like to see: Northern Bullants/North Ballarat/Williamstown win inaugural Foxtel Cup.
Matt Lee
Matt 'Spider' Lee is a VFL commentator & producer of Evenings with Mark Fine on 1116 SEN
Premiers: Williamstown
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Myles Sewell (North Ballarat) & Sam Gibson (Box Hill Hawks)
Player/S To Watch: Kyle Matthews (Casey),Adrian Bonaddio (Port Melbourne) & Travis Tuck (Werribee)
Big Improvers: Werribee
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Michael Hibberd (Frankston – Essendon)
VFL headline you would like to see this year:Fev Boots Scorpions Into The Grand Final
Peter Holden
Peter is a regular commentator with 3WBC 94.1fm
Premiers: Port Melbourne
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Marcus Marigliani (Sandringham)
Player/s to watch: Patrick Rose (Port Melbourne)
Big improvers: Coburg
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Ed Curnow (Box Hill to Carlton)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: Frankston Cause First Round Upset
Brad McGrath
Brad is a journalist with The Weekly, (Frankston Weekly, Cranbourne Weekly, Berwick Weekly) and covers Frankston and Casey in the VFL
Premiers: Port Melbourne
Wooden spooner: Sandringham
Liston Medallist: Shane Valenti (Port Melbourne)
Player/s to watch: Kelvin Lawrence (Casey)
Big improvers: Port Melbourne
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Michael Hibberd (Frankston – Essendon)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: Fevola Bag, Guides Casey To Flag
Kain Pollard
Kain is a commentator with Casey Radio
Premiers: North Ballarat
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Michael Sharkey
Player/s to watch: Sharkey, Arrowsmith, Fevola, Saad, Tuck
Big improvers: Werribee and Coburg
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: Peter Faulks (Williamstown – Fremantle)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: Fevola Kicks A Ton!!
Peter Marcato
Peter is part of the VFL Radio team in 2011
Premiers: Port Melbourne
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Shane Valenti (Port Melbourne)
Player/s to watch: Marcus Marigliani (Sandringham)
Big improvers: Coburg
AFL draftee from VFL to watch : Cameron Richardson (North Ballarat – North Melbourne)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: Closest VFL season on record! & Record audiences on VFL RADIO!
Phil Cleary
Phil Cleary played 205 games with Coburg, was a member of the 1979 premiership side and coached the side to consecutive flags in 1988/89. He is also part of the ABC VFL coverage.
Premiers: Port Melbourne
Wooden spooner: Frankston
Liston Medallist: Kyle Matthews (Casey)
Player/s to watch: Patrick Rose (Port Melbourne)
Big improvers: Frankston
AFL draftee from VFL to watch: James Podsiadly (Geelong)
VFL Headline you would like to see this year: 20,000 Descend On Etihad For Grand Final.
Howard Leigh
Howard is the Sunday Herald Sun VFL reporter, and can also be heard on SEN116 radio-Gladiators of Sport.
Premiers: Williamstown
Liston Medallist: Wayde Skipper (Port Melbourne)
Wooden spoon: Frankston Dolphins
Players to watch: Derick Wanganeen (Box Hill Hawks), Jye Bolton (Collingwood), Billie Smedtz (Geelong), Shane Valenti (Port Melbourne), Mitch Hahn (Williamstown)
AFL draftees from VFL to watch: Dan Nicholson (Melbourne). Max Otten (Sydney)
VFL headline: VFL lock in 2012 night Grand Final at the MCG.
Last Modified on 28/09/2011 11:01