Could Tigers be even stronger in 2020?

The countdown is on to the AFL season restart and teams are ramping up their training and preparations.

But in what will be an unprecedented season, which clubs are best placed to challenge for what could be one of the great premierships of all time?

We asked three Fox Footy experts: Which teams will benefit most from the delayed, shortened and unique 2020 season?

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JORDAN LEWIS

Four-time Hawthorn premiership player

"If I was still a player, I would like to be surrounded by experience. So I think the more mature teams could possibly gain an advantage because it's been a shortened preparation. I don't think it changes my prediction. I still think Richmond, West Coast and GWS are probably the sides that will be there in the end. Good leadership, good coaches who are pretty realistic about it all will be key. I just think that sides with experience can cope better with adversity compared to sides who haven't been through such experiences before. I know this is a different experience, but certainly the same types of traits and experiences can relate."

ALASTAIR LYNCH

Three-time Brisbane premiership player

"With the way it's going to start and the first month as well, I think Brisbane have got a huge advantage. They lost their first match and they were disappointing so they went into the break knowing that they've got to be a lot better which might have helped their players in the break. Now they've got the next four games at the Gabba. That's a big bonus for them to potentially set up a season. The other team is West Coast. I think they have a great opportunity as well, if they're only coming to Queensland for four weeks. They're an experienced team, they're well-drilled, they know their systems so the fact that they haven't had contact with teammates and coaches face-to-face won't hurt them as much. Those well-drilled, more mature sides that have been around the mark for a while are probably going to be most advantaged and that's sides like West Coast, Collingwood, and Geelong."

NICK DAL SANTO

Three-time All-Australian with St Kilda and North Melbourne

"West Coast are the ones that have been put out at this stage, having to set up on the other side of the country. But I still think with their maturity, their experience, their ability to travel as much as they do anyway, I don't see them as being a huge detrimental effect on them. Geelong - who now get more home games - Greater Western Sydney and Richmond are still the best teams and any advantage or disadvantage that might have come from more teams in a hub or playing every four or five days, I think that's all been washed away now. We're just back to an honest competition as much as we can - aside from West Coast, Fremantle, Adelaide and Port Adelaide being in a hub for at least a month."

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Originally published as Could Tigers be even stronger in 2020?