As everyone buzzes with excitement over trade week, it is the improvement from within that will shape the Western Bulldogs’ 2019 season.

And that improvement begins with Marcus Bontempelli.

Without a top 18 pick in ten years, the Hawks should be a spent force.

But here they are again, up to their eyeballs in trade week.

Carlton have endured years of mediocrity and ridicule, but the worm appears to be turning.

Midway through the 2018 trade period, the Blues up and about. Robert Abrahams believes there is a few very good reasons for this.

With the game getting faster and more attacking, is it time Ross Lyon left his ultra-defensive gameplan behind.

Or is it time for the Dockers to leave Ross behind?

They missed their deadline, they scared the hell out of supporters, but in the end… they didn’t do a bad job.

Tom Basso has a look at the nine rule changes for 2019.

With a new Mongrel leaning towards letting Kelly go home, this old Mongrel is leaning the other way.

The West Coast Eagles should pay a fair price. There’s no free hit in the footy business.

As West Coast and Geelong publicly bicker about the potential move of Tim Kelly, Rob Abrahams reminds us that there is a person involved in all this. And a family.

It’s been less than two weeks since the season wound up, but Gab Rossi is having withdrawals already. Aren’t we all?

Here’s the ten things the 2018 season taught him.

After a perfectly acceptable mixed response to his first five changes to the AFL in 2019, Paul Farina returns with his second bunch.

With Tom Lynch set to wear the yellow and black in 2019, there will be several who aren’t.

Is the addition of Lynch enough to counter the departure of several role players?

There were 22 players on the field as the West Coast Eagles defeated the Magpies to claim their fourth premiership.

But as with all flags, it is the sacrifice of many that makes it all possible.

The Kangaroos have opened the famous “warchest”.

As the money flows out, The Mongrel wonders whether they’re investing wisely, or whether this box more resembles Pandora’s Box?

With sporting codes fighting for your viewership, every last person counts.

With that in mind, isn’t it about time the AFL and NRL put their heads together instead of sticking them in the sand?

If there was ever a tale of two halves, it was the performance of Mason Cox in the 2018 Grand Final.

With news outlets in the USA taking notice of the big man down under, what is next for the Collingwood giant?

Ever wondered what our game looks like to someone who has never watched it?

Forget the stupid reaction videos on youtube, Mrs Mongrel watched the Eagles beat the Pies, and recorded her thoughts.

With the 2018 Grand Final being hailed as a classic, our minds drift to 2019 and what might be.

Tom Basso has a look at the game as it is, and if change is at all warranted?

Jeremy McGovern is an intercept marking beast, and in the Grand Final, he was at his best again.

The Mongrel takes a look at one of the best defenders of the modern age, and what’s next for him.

Gab Rossi has learnt a lot in 2018. As the Eagles reign supreme, he shares the ten things he learned watching them run over the Pies in the last minutes

Early Magpie dominance. A spirited West Comeback. A nail-biting finish. All the makings of a great AFL Grand Final.

Here’s the Mongrel’s good, bad and ugly.

Whilst there are prediction articles everywhere, The Mongrel adds something a little different.

Here are the Talking Points of the 2018 AFL Grand Final

We’re just over 24 hours away from the Grand Final. The teams are in and Trent Adam Shields has his preview ready to roll

The Mongrels have thrown their heads together and come up with their predictions for the Grand Final.

Check out their predictions for the result, Norm Smith, first goal scorer and most goals.

As the AFL throw around even more possible rule changes for 2019, Paul Farina looks at a few small changes that actually mean something.

Whilst the focus remains on the war for the flag, the battle for the Gary Ayres Medal is an intriguing little subplot, even if the Coaches Association did all they could to make as plain as could be.

It’s Brownlow night, and whilst Tom Mitchell is the raging favourite, there is another, with history, who finished the season like a rocket.

Two teams destroyed their opposition to earn their place in the 2018 Grand Final.

Here are the ten things the Preliminary Finals taught Gab Rossi.

The Melbourne dream is over, and the West Coast nightmare commenced at the first bounce. The Eagles smashed the Demons in the Prelim and moved into the Grand Final.

Here’s the Mongrel’s good, bad and ugly

The Kings are dead! Long live the would-be Kings. The Pies knocked over the Tigers to blow the premiership race wiiiiiide open.

Here’s The Mongrel’s good, bad and ugly

Oh man… time is ticking down and The Mongrel is getting excited. It’s Prelim Time!

Here’s the Talking Points of Richmond v Collingwood in the lead up.

Ah Preliminary Final weekend. The fans’ weekend. The best four teams of the year in front of the best fans in the world. What could be better?

Well, a preview from Trent Adam Shields is a nice way to start!