The departure of Patrick Dangerfield from the Crows midfield opens a gaping hole that requires patching. Coach Don Pyke insists that hole cannot be plugged by one man and hopes his midfield will work as a team to avoid dependence on an individual. But there's no doubt the successful return of Brad Crouch from injury would provide a monumental boost to the potency of Pyke's running brigade. The football world has only seen tantalising glimpses of what the 21-year-old is capable of in his 25 games over four seasons. His latest setback, a stress fracture in his foot, sidelined him for all but two SANFL appearances last year. Make no mistake though – this guy is capable of just about anything at the elite level. He finished runner-up to Jaeger O'Meara in the 2013 NAB AFL Rising Star and only Rory Sloane polled more best and fairest votes in the last nine games of 2014. His inside and outside games are superb, he has great skills and accumulates possession. - Harry Thring

BRISBANE LIONS

After suffering an ACL injury in round two against North Melbourne, young forward Michael Close will be right to go from the opening bounce in 2016. Close, 21, had been earmarked as the number one target as the Lions searched for a successor to Jonathan Brown, but his year was cruelly cut short when he slipped on a piece of matting just outside the Etihad Stadium boundary line. He is already back into full running and will complete most of the pre-season with the main group. With Josh Walker coming from Geelong, Close will jostle with Jono Freeman for the secondary role. - Michael Whiting

CARLTON

Blues vice-captain Bryce Gibbs missed more than half of the 2015 season through injury and suspension and, worse still, was a shadow of his 2014 self when he did take the field. After playing the opening eight rounds, a back injury sidelined the South Australian for two games -  then in his first game back he put a sling tackle on Port Adelaide star Robbie Gray that earned him a two-game suspension. In his first game back from that ban, Gibbs tore his pectoral muscle, prematurely ending a lacklustre season when he averaged four fewer possessions than he did in his career-best 2014 (21 compared to 25). The midfielder has fully recovered from that injury and is set to start pre-season training when Carlton's senior players return on Monday (November 23). After Chris Judd's retirement, the Blues need Gibbs to return to his best and provide much-needed on-fielded leadership for Brendon Bolton's young team in 2016. - Nick Bowen

COLLINGWOOD

Ben Reid has had a horror 24 months with a series of soft tissue injuries restricting him to just nine games combined in 2014 and 2015. After battling a calf complaint for much of last season, Reid returned to play the last five games of the year and took up a position alongside Travis Cloke up forward. Seemingly having overcome his injury issues, Nathan Buckley revealed Reid will play mainly in defence when he returns to the field in 2016: "Reidy will be behind the ball more often than not," the coach said during the week. "He sees that that falls into his strengths more readily. We know we can throw him forward at times, but being a key back is in his DNA." - Ben Guthrie

David Myers' season was five minutes old when he suffered a shoulder injury that all but ruined his 2015 campaign. The key midfielder required shoulder surgery after the injury in the opening minutes of the Bombers' round one clash with the Sydney Swans, and then didn't return until round 20 against Adelaide. He gathered 22 disposals against the Crows, but finished the game with another injury, which kept him to just two senior appearances for the year. Essendon dropped to be one of the worst clearance teams last season and much of it can be put down to Myers' absence. The long-kicking left-footer digs in at the clearances, has the big body to help the teammates around him, and has a presence in the centre square. New Essendon coach John Worsfold will be keen for a full season from Myers next year.  - Callum Twomey

FREMANTLE

The Dockers had significant injury issues among their key defenders last season. Alex Silvagni played just two games and following the retirements of Luke McPharlin and Paul Duffield, his return to full fitness and availability will be important for the Dockers. Silvagni initially injured his hamstring in the pre-season and then tore the same hamstring badly in his first game back in the WAFL and required surgery. He finally returned to the Dockers' side in round 19 but was suspended for four weeks for striking in round 20 and did not play again. Fellow defender Zac Dawson played just five games last season due to groin issues, a broken thumb and suspension. Young key forward Michael Apeness also missed the entire season after damaging the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee and he will be like a new recruit in 2015. – Alex Malcolm

GEELONG CATS

Daniel Menzel's return to the field against Collingwood in round 22 was one of the feel-good stories of 2015. His four-goal haul, 1450 days after his last AFL game, the qualifying final against Hawthorn in 2011, came after four knee reconstructions and countless hours of rehabilitation. Those expecting Menzel to be rusty after such a long time out of the game were well off the mark, as the young forward stamped himself as Geelong's best player on the night. His first goal from 50m out on an acute angle in the first term was a fairytale moment, while Menzel's high-flying pack mark in the final term of the game demonstrated the type of talent Geelong had been missing during his enforced absence. A perfect replacement for departed champion Steve Johnson up forward. – Ben Guthrie

GOLD COAST SUNS

Young midfield star Jaeger O'Meara has endured the toughest 12 months of his football life, firstly undergoing surgery for patella tendinitis at the end of the 2014 season, then severing the patella tendon in his one practice match prior to 2015. O'Meara has just resumed strength and conditioning training, but no timeframe has been set for his full return to the main group. The club is hopeful it could be early in the new year, but with such a prized commodity, no risks will be taken. This also goes for his playing return – hopeful for the season start, but this will be constantly re-assessed as the pre-season continues. - Michael Whiting

The Giants were finals bound until a disastrous round 11 loss to Collingwood at the MCG, when star ruckman Shane Mumford went down with a season-ending ankle injury. Mumford will join in pre-season training when it begins for the Giants' experienced players on Monday, and although he'll be on a restricted program before Christmas, the big man will be fully fit by round one. Power forward Jon Patton is another GWS gun on the comeback trail, and even though he played three senior games in 2015, next year will be more like his official return after battling back from his second knee reconstruction. - Adam Curley

HAWTHORN

Matt Spangher, the cult hero of the 2014 flag, endured a miserable 2015 and only managed four games for the season due to a series of soft-tissue injuries.  He played four games midseason, continuing his remarkable record of just one loss in 23 matches for the Hawks so far. He'll return for the start of pre-season early next month looking to get strength and durability back into his legs. Spangher will be given every opportunity to win back a place in the side and with Brian Lake now retired, there will be at least one berth in the Hawks backline up for grabs. - Ashley Browne

MELBOURNE

A serious foot injury has dogged Jack Trengove, with the 24-year-old having played just two games in the past two seasons. He underwent surgery in April 2014 to repair a break in the navicular bone of his left foot. He was later found to have aggravated the same injury. However, Trengove has stepped up his running program in the last couple of months as he targets a return in the opening round of 2016. It remains to be seen whether the former co-captain can deliver on the promise he showed early in his career -  the Demons are prepared to give him every opportunity to do so. Although he is yet to play a game, Christian Petracca's return from a torn ACL that ruined his debut season in 2015 is also an exciting prospect for Melbourne fans. – Ben Guthrie

NORTH MELBOURNE

The Roos have been without star midfielder Daniel Wells for much of the past two seasons. A Lisfranc foot injury limited him to 10 games in 2014, while he did not play a senior game after round two this year because of a lingering Achilles problem. Wells did return in the VFL late in 2015 in a bid to play in  North's finals campaign, but was foiled by his lack of conditioning and a minor calf strain. In better news for North, the speedster is set to report for day one of pre-season training in early December, although he will be conservatively managed on a modified program before Christmas. If the West Australian, who turns 31 in February, can stay healthy he shapes as a key player for the Roos in 2016. As North strives to improve on two consecutive preliminary final appearances, Wells could add the outside run and class it needs to take the next step. - Nick Bowen

PORT ADELAIDE

After seemingly turning his career around in the space of one season in 2014, the expectations on Jared Polec were immense. They weren't quite as lofty as those on the Power, but they were significant. He arrived at Alberton in late 2013 as a player with great potential but one who had left the Brisbane Lions with questions over his attitude and ability to get the best out of himself. Under coach Ken Hinkley, Polec quickly established himself as a crucial member of the side. A stress fracture of the navicular bone in his foot ended his 2015 campaign after five rounds. Port badly missed his outside speed this season, not to mention his skill on his preferred left foot. He's back running at pre-season training, though, and all signs suggest he'll be available for the Power's opening round clash against St Kilda on March 27. The 23-year-old took a monumental leap forward in 2014 and the club will be crossing its fingers he can resume that path next year. - Harry Thring

Hamstring problems dogged Reece Conca in his fifth season but he overcame them in time to return for the Tigers' one and only final. Still, the 23-year-old missed most of the season and will be looking for an uninterrupted summer to give himself the best chance of being in the team in round one. Midfield recruit Nathan Drummond will also be looking for a change in luck after his AFL debut in round four this year lasted less than a half before he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament. He's started running and will look to resume at senior level in the first half of next season. And Tiger fans will be keen to get a look at a fully-fit Corey Ellis, after the first-round draft pick's 2015 was ruined by foot and hip problems. - Jennifer Phelan

ST KILDA

Jack Billings played just nine matches in 2015, his second season with the Saints and the club pulled the pin for good in July because of shin splints. But he played a pivotal role in St Kilda's standout win of the season, their seven-point win over the Western Bulldogs after trailing by 55 points early in the third quarter. His tireless running helped get the Saints back into the game in the third term and then he kicked three goals in the final stanza to help seal a famous victory. Track watchers at the Saints reckon Billings looks a bit bigger in the upper body this pre-season but he is still on a modified program. However, with the season still four months away, he should be in fine fettle by round one and a huge addition to a side still in the rebuilding phase, but whose best should be good enough to worry many teams in 2016. - Ashley Browne

SYDNEY SWANS

The Swans' forward line will be looking forward to a couple of key players returning in 2016. Star goalkicker Lance Franklin should be available after he stepped away from the game and missed his side's winless finals campaign to seek treatment for an ongoing mental health issue. Buddy is on track to be at pre-season training in early December, and as one of the best players in the competition, his impact on his side needs no explanation. Speedster Ben McGlynn played just nine games in 2015 thanks to a host of hamstring and calf problems, and kicked just six goals, the first time he's booted fewer than 23 goals in a season since he arrived at the club in 2010. McGlynn's tackling pressure was sorely missed this year and if he can stay fully fit, the little man will add plenty of bite to the Swans' forward structure. - Adam Curley

WEST COAST EAGLES

Remember when there were huge concerns on how the Eagles were going to deal with the loss of not one, but two key defenders to season-ending knee injuries earlier this year - shortly after the retirement of Darren Glass and Beau Waters? It was shocking to see both Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown go down with torn anterior cruciate ligaments in February and April, and many wondered how they'd patch together their backline with the duo of big men done for the year. A web-like defence was introduced to cover the holes made by their loss, which ended up making the Eagles one of the toughest teams to penetrate and saw them play off in the Grand Final. Adam Simpson's defensive reinvention worked this season, but there's no doubt they'll look forward to the return of the key pair at some stage in 2016. - Jennifer Phelan

WESTERN BULLDOGS

While the Dogs are just days away from adding more young talent to their exciting list at Tuesday's draft, midfielder Jack Macrae has already declared Tom Liberatore's return from a knee reconstruction will be akin to the club landing the No.1 pick. The prolific playmaker hasn't appeared since February, but looks set for a round one return after impressing on the track recently. Another player the Dogs will welcome back with open arms is rugged midfielder Koby Stevens. The 24-year-old was having a career-best season, averaging 20 possessions and five tackles a game before a stress facture in his foot ended his season in round 15. – Ryan Davidson