Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Josh Jenkins' three big 'What Ifs' for the 2025 AFL season
SEN • February 23rd, 2025 5:53 pm
Josh Jenkins has three big “What If” storylines to watch as the 2025 AFL season unfolds.
Starting with the Crows, Jenkins believes 2025 simply has to be the year where Taylor Walker no longer is the focal point of the forward line.
Despite having the likes of Riley Thilthorpe, Izak Rankine and Darcy Fogarty inside 50, Walker has mostly remained the spearhead of the group.
Jenkins wants to see the other tall forwards take command.
“Adelaide have not advanced if Tex is still the sharpest forward in their forward line,” Jenkins told SEN’s The Run Home.
“It needs to be a conversation at the end of the season as to whether he’s in their best team. That’s no blight against him, that’s where they need to get to.”
His next ‘What if’ scenario sits at Geelong, with Jenkins believing their 2025 fortunes rest solely on the health of Jeremy Cameron.
Star key forward Tom Hawkins has now retired and the Cats will be hoping youngster Shannon Neale can step up and fill that role, while others like Oliver Henry can also step up.
However, Jenkins feels it may be Cameron or bust for Geelong.
“If Jeremy Cameron gets injured for a sustained period of time, Geelong are out of business.”
Lastly at Collingwood, Jenkins believes they are all-in this season – banking on an ageing list to attempt to win one last flag before the group falls away.
They traded for Port Adelaide star Dan Houston and backed in their veterans for another tilt at a premiership.
“If Collingwood’s veterans tip over the edge in 2025, start the rebuild,” Jenkins said.
“They are doing the most dangerous dance in footy, which is making the assessment that your list has got one more year in it because if you’re wrong and Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury and Jeremy Howe and these guys all tip over the edge at once, you haven’t exposed many of your kids, and you’ve got to get rid of four or five of these guys.
“It’s a very dangerous game. I love their point of view and their mentality, but if you get it wrong, then you’re in strife.”
Listen to the full season preview on SEN’s The Run Home below:
