Who is in the firing line? Take your pick. Steven Lowy, David Gallop, Kevin Muscat, Kenny Lowe and Darije Kalezic could all be out of a job by March, let alone the end of 2018.

Who will be the biggest riser and slider of the year? With the Algarve Cup in February, followed by the Asian Cup in April, the Matildas' epic rise is sure to continue. As for sliders, the longer Tim Cahill goes without a club, the less likely a spot in Russia will be for the 38-year-old. It would be an ignominious end to an otherwise legendary Socceroos career.

Who will win the A-League premiership? Sydney FC remains the team to beat, with Graham Arnold on the brink of a dynasty - but only if the Sky Blues can keep him away from the Socceroos helm!

What will be the headline of the year? Les Miserables: Socceroos slump to World Cup shocker vs. France

-Mike Wise

AFL

What will change from 2017? After Richmond's stunning 'small-ball' gamble that paid such incredible dividends -- not to mention the Western Bulldogs' similar strategy in 2016 -- rival clubs will increasingly look to stack their front halves with small and medium-sized forwards who focus on pressure and tackling. Key position forwards are still a long way from extinction but they may be edging closer to the endangered species list if this trend continues.

What will remain constant? The pressure on Nathan Buckley. Love him or loathe him, Buckley's record in charge of the Pies has been lukewarm at best, with the Magpies not making the finals since 2013. However, Collingwood bosses backed him in during the offseason, giving him two more years to finally reward their loyalty. With a favourable fixture, re-jigged line-up and renewed hope, the Magpies should enter the new season with confidence, but the blowtorch will certainly be applied if they don't fight their way up the ladder.

What will define the season? As much as the on-field action captivates us all, the off-field chase for 2018's bumper crop of free agents will have fans, the media, club staff and player managers in a heightened state through next season, just as the Dustin Martin decision enthralled the football world in 2017. While the will-he-won't-he Dusty drama eventually had a happy ending for the Tigers this year, the likes of Tom Lynch, Andrew Gaff, Rory Sloane, Marc Murphy, Ben Reid and Luke Dahlhaus will command much attention throughout next season.

Who will win the premiership? Sydney. The Swans' 2017 failure -- and any year sans silverware while Lance Franklin is part of the team can only be viewed as a failure -- will burn in Sydney's collective guts all summer long after their tardy start to the season proved insurmountable. The Swans boast a flag-quality list featuring elite talent and a bevy of young stars that should have them in the mix come the business end of the season.

Who will win the Brownlow Medal? Nat Fyfe. Injuries have prevented the star Docker from reaching the spellbinding heights he reached in the first half of his Brownlow Medal-winning season of 2015, but Fyfe looks set to again push for the mantle of the game's No. 1 player. The 26-year-old's efforts during Australia's International Rules series against Ireland were eyecatching to say the least. With Fremantle likely to emerge from the lower rungs of the ladder this year, Fyfe should earn plenty of votes, and he will also have less internal competition than Patrick Dangerfield, Dustin Martin and co.

Nat Fyfe Paul Kane/Getty Images

Who is in the firing line? Brendon Bolton. The Carlton coach and his list management staff have overseen a Philadelphia 76ers-style 'process' of shedding senior players and adding plenty of young talent. But in this results-driven industry, his finishes of 14th and 16th, plus his lack of a long-term contract, should be cause for concern. The Blues have lost arguably their two best players for the season -- Bryce Gibbs to Adelaide and Sam Docherty (ACL injury) -- meaning the losses may continue to pile up. Will the Blues stay patient with Bolton?

Who will be the biggest riser and slider of the year? We're backing Ross Lyon's notoriously terse frown to be turned upside down this year with Fremantle every chance to push for finals after an impressive off-season. Bringing in Nathan Wilson, Brandon Matera and ready-to-go No. 2 draft pick Andrew Brayshaw is a huge fillip for the club, as is the return to full fitness of Nat Fyfe and Aaron Sandilands. Adding to Freo fans' joy should be the demise of their fierce cross-town rivals, with West Coast set to tumble down the ladder. The Eagles won a final last year but that performance papered over several gaping gaps in their list which are yet to be repaired. With Matt Priddis and Sam Mitchell retired, a dearth of elite young talent and Nic Naitanui still on the comeback trail from his ACL injury, West Coast may be forced to watch Fremantle claim the WA bragging rights.

What will be the headline of the year? Northern Exposure: AFL under pressure as Queensland clubs hit rock bottom

-Niall Seewang

Rugby

What will change from 2017? Super Rugby will begin to make sense again. After two years of cross-conference confusion, a warped finals ranking system and scoreboard blowouts, the 2018 15-team version will slowly start to win back the fans. The home-and-away local derbies are back, which is great news for everyone - except those players involved in the five Kiwi franchises - while four consolidated Australian teams should be more competitive against international opposition. Spare a thought for those Western Force fans, though, who have every right to feel aggrieved by an expansion move SANZAAR got horribly wrong.

What will remain constant? The Bledisloe Cup eluding Australia. With Game III likely to be played in Japan, 2018 would seemingly offer the Wallabies a chance at reclaiming the oversized piece of silverware. But such have been Australia's pathetic performances in their last two Bledisloe openers in Sydney, and the fact that almost certain defeat awaits at their Eden Park graveyard a week later, that Wallabies fans may as well look to 2019, or even 2020.

What will define the season? In what will the final inbound June series, Australia's three-Test showdown with Ireland takes on extra significance just over a year out from the World Cup. The Irish are a team on the rise, themselves the owners of a victory over the All Blacks in 2016, with a squad boasting a nice mix of experience and rising talent. They are also very well coached by Joe Schmidt. After a disjointed June series this season, and then back-to-back losses to finish 2017, the Wallabies must hit the ground running. Lose the series to Ireland and coach Michael Cheika can expect to come under increased pressure.