Michael Fish is a BPL citizen journalist.

1. Will the Hawks be the real deal?

We will know pretty soon. Hawthorn should have beaten Collingwood in the preliminary final and the early reports are that the 'fire is burning' in the guts of Alastair Clarkson's players. An opening fortnight against grand finalists Collingwood and Geelong - the Hawks couldn't beat either in five attempts this year - will tell us a bit about whether the Hawks have bridged the gaps. With a trip to West Coast in round 4, the Hawks could slip to 1-3 if they're not playing well.

2. Get on Adelaide for the finals

Four of Adelaide's first five games are against Gold Coast, the Western Bulldogs, GWS and Port Adelaide. A 4-1 start beckons for the Crows, and with return games against the Suns and Giants also on their schedule, the Crows, under new coach Brenton Sanderson, are already halfway towards the 12 wins needed to make the finals. Get around them.

3. Tough gig for the Pies

Collingwood faces return games against each of the other top five sides - Geelong, Hawthorn, West Coast and Carlton, as well as eighth-placed Essendon. Yes, the Magpies get their obligatory 14 games at the MCG, but they also travel five times. Season one for new coach Nathan Buckley won't be quite the cakewalk

4. Bring the GPS

GWS will mark it's debut season in the AFL with games at 12 different locations. The only state or territory Kevin Sheedy's mob won't visit over the course of the season is the Northern Territory and the even play in Hobart in round 2, in the first of North Melbourne's home games at what was Bellerive Oval,but what is now Blundstone Arena. Look for the Kangas to give them a good kicking, pardon the pun. Also notable for the Giants is that they play home games at four locations and not until they play Essendon in a much-hyped clash in round 9, that will pit Kevin Sheedy against James Hird, will they play at their new home at Skoda Stadium in Sydney's Olympic precinct.

5. Piercing the Saints bubble

Ross Lyon created the Saints Bubble and Saints Footy in the last two years of his time in charge of St Kilda and got the club into consecutive grand finals. In round 4 at Etihad Stadium, as coach of Fremantle, he will try to bring the Saints down in what will be a massive Friday night match. The build up will be immense.

6. Cameras love Carlton

Six Friday night matches, three Thursday nights and 15 night matches altogether, the Blues are the night time specialists.

7. Anzac Day - still worth it?

Collingwood and Essendon have made Anzac Day their own, and good luck to them. But this will be the year, they earn the privilege. Both teams play their round 4 game on Saturday afternoons. Four days later, they back up on on Anzac Day. It will be a big ask and major exercise in man management for both clubs.