With the ‘hit and giggle' matches and the arduous pre-season training regimes now behind each team, fans, coaches, and players alike have set their sights on the real deal – Round 1.

For some clubs, the pre-season period could not have panned out better, whilst the unlucky remainder will be counting the cost of their campaigns.

Although there were a myriad of positives to be taken from the summer months, all teams will be striving to improve on their practice match form and learn from the lessons dealt out across them.

With the first bounce of the Sherrin just over a week away, we raise the big question that face each of the AFL's 18 clubs.

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Richmond

How have the premiers adapted?

The scoreboard at the end of Friday night's clash with Collingwood may have had them in front by a mere six points, but the footballing world saw Richmond pick up where they left off.

Damian Hardwick employed his usual tactic of deploying kids for the incidental hit out, with many, including Riley Collier-Dawkins, Callum Coleman-Jones and Will Martyn, performing well in the minutes they were offered.

With the new rules stipulating a need for every team to adapt, Richmond's alterations were seamless, as proven by Jayden Short and Josh Caddy racking up possessions from back to front.

The Tigers have built their success off clean ball movement, and with the game expected to become quicker, they will once again prove lethal on the expanses of the MCG.

Questions were raised pre-game about how Hardwick would modify his ruck position due to the loss of Ivan Soldo, but strong performances from Coleman-Jones and Mabior Chol proves there is unlikely to be a dearth of options for the position below Toby Nankervis.

Rule changes or otherwise, Richmond looks set to be a force again in 2021.

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