Noted

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Sessions

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Launching into the season

Four men seated on stools by a window during a panel discussion, one holding a microphone and speaking

Launching into the season

Game on

As the 2025 AFL season officially kicks off we welcomed the hard hitters to the Galerie stage. Hosted by Nick Maxwell , talking off season, insights into the preparation of getting to game 1 and personal stories through their illustrious careers.

AFL LEGENDS

Dale Thomas: Dale Thomas is a former Australian Rules footballer known for his dynamic play and versatility. Drafted by Collingwood in 2005, he became a key figure in their 2010 premiership win before later joining Carlton. Renowned for his flair, athleticism, and clutch performances, Thomas retired in 2019 after 258 AFL games.

Michael Voss: Michael Voss is a legendary Australian Rules footballer and coach, renowned for his leadership and toughness. A three-time premiership captain with the Brisbane Lions, he won the 1996 Brownlow Medal. After retiring, he transitioned into coaching, becoming Carlton’s senior coach in 2022, aiming to restore the club’s former glory.

Jarryd Roughead: Jarryd Roughead is a former Australian Rules footballer celebrated for his leadership and goal-scoring ability. A four-time premiership player with Hawthorn, he played a key role in their dominant era. Roughead retired in 2019, leaving a lasting impact on the AFL community.

Guests walking past rows of chairs each holding a Sherrin football, with a screen reading "AFL Season Launch, Eclat Session" naming Michael Voss, Dale Thomas and Jarryd Roughead
Group of men chatting and holding drinks by a sunlit window
Close-up of a red Sherrin football branded "Kangaroo Brand" resting on a chair arm
Three men smiling with arms around each other in a bar area
Guests seated in rows of chairs, each with a Sherrin football, watching a panel discussion

As the 2025 AFL season unfolds, former Collingwood and Carlton star Dale Thomas has shared his insights and predictions, offering a fresh perspective on the teams and players to watch.

Top 8 Predictions

Thomas has forecasted a dynamic shift in the league’s hierarchy, introducing three new teams into the top eight and notably excluding last year’s grand finalists, Sydney. His projected top eight are: 

In alignment with his top eight forecast, Thomas envisions a thrilling Grand Final showdown between the GWS Giants and Carlton, with the Giants clinching the premiership title. 

Individual Accolades

Turning to individual honors, Thomas predicts Collingwood’s Nick Daicos will secure the Brownlow Medal, reflecting Daicos’s consistent excellence on the field. For the Coleman Medal, awarded to the season’s leading goal kicker, he anticipates Carlton’s Harry McKay will emerge victorious.

Hands reaching for sausage rolls with tomato sauce on a plate marked with a repeating logo pattern
Empty chairs each holding a Sherrin football arranged for a panel discussion, with a screen reading "AFL Season Launch, Eclat Session" naming Michael Voss, Dale Thomas and Jarryd Roughead
Guests gathered around a bar stocked with spirits, chatting in small groups

What you do is not your identity

Michael Voss spoke of the issues and thus importance of players being able to separate what they not being all that they are. Making sure the footballer with all of the mistakes, wins, losses and everything within the sphere of being a professional athlete is just a part of their life not their entire identity.

Image Credits

Hey Diddle Wines