Finish: Premiers
Coach: Mark Thompson
Captain: Tom Harley
Best and Fairest: Gary Ablett, Corey Enright
Leading goalkicker: Cameron Mooney (46)
Most Brownlow votes: Gary Ablett – Winner (30)
All Australians: Gary Ablett, Paul Chapman, Corey Enright, Matthew Scarlett, Joel Selwood, Mark Thompson (coach)
What's changed: Premiership captain Tom Harley is a CEO (Sydney), teammate Jimmy Bartel is a football director (GWS), while defensive pillars Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright remain as assistant coaches. Four other members of the triumphant side will feature for the Cats this season – Harry Taylor, Joel Selwood, Tom Hawkins and Gary Ablett, with Travis Varcoe now a Pie. Incredibly, the entire 22 from the premiership side were involved in football in 2018, from media, to local coaching, playing, development roles and off-field positions at AFL club land. Chief executive Brian Cook will enter his 21st season in charge, former president Frank Costa remains the club's biggest fan, while coach Mark Thompson has been through his own struggles away from the game. In 2009, Skilled Stadium underwent stage two of its redevelopment to build the premiership stand, the Cats averaging 20,352 fans, compared to 28,518 in home games last year.