The Amazing Race Australia 2019 – Pre-Season Assessment

The youngest team in the season, Alana and Niko are losted as ‘Gen Z Siblings’. They say they have long been fans of the show, so much so they used to make their own race as kids together around the house. Believing their family doesn’t have high expectations for them, they are set to prove them wrong and take out the title and prize money. Weakness? Eating challenges and brute strength. Neither are keen on eating something they don’t want to, which will probably cost them at some point during the race. Being siblings however, they believe they’ll have an advantage because they’ve spent their whole lives together. They’re a ‘cute and innocent’ team. They’re not coming off as massively strategic or planning or being the powerhouses, they’re here for the fun and I can see them being a middle of the road team. I think they’ll have what it takes to last a few legs, but I doubt they’ll be able to beat some of the other teams later on, and thus might finish in 8th or 7th place.

The Nuns are here to live out the adventure they never thought they’d play. Into the cultural aspects of the race, Judy and Therese are fun-loving, but are scared of some of the fundamental aspects of the game, like running. Their dynamic isn’t as developed as any siblings or couples, so that’ll be interesting to see, and whether they can make it far enough to make a real impact on the season. Look, I don’t want to underestimate the Nuns because they are an older team, but I’m not feeling confident in them making it deep into the game. There is something in the back of my mind saying they’ll manage to make it to the far (hell, retired grandparents Meredith and Gretchen made it to 4th in Season 7), but I’m just going to stick with logic and against these other teams, I’d say Judy and Therese might be able to outlast a leg or two, but could be undone in a sprint to the finish line, and fall in 10th or 9th.

The footy mates, the typical all-male team for The Amazing Race, these boys are probably you’re likely tips to win at face-first value. Their family do have high expectations for their performance, so I can see these guys really coming from competitive families and making it far because of their drive to win. They’re not too keen on navigation and surviving the nightmares of rapid travel. Tom’s the brawn, and Tyler’s the reluctant brains in the pair, but they ensure their dynamic is solid because of playing footy in being in the stressful situations. Their sheer physicality will probably assist them in any down-to-the-wire situations, but they have to stay cool under pressure to make it before they break it. They are keen on the friendly and social game of the race, hoping to form some nice guys alliance to possibly help them out. Will they be ruthless? I don’t think so. But I’d say these guys are gonna give it a red hot crack and probably, as expected, make it deep into the competition. First impressions are telling me they’re finale bound.

Tagged as the ‘deadly duo’, Jasmin and Jerome are representing their Aboriginal regions up in and around Darwin. Jasmin raises her hand as the superfan of the show, while Jerome is dropped into team member two after some convincing by his partner. They have both been pretty successful in the past, but are also not keen on the food challenges (as other teams agree). Underwater challenges are also going to be a struggle for Jerome, whereas Jasmin isn’t too keen for the height challenges, although insists she’s not scared of them. Problem solving is a strength for Jasmin, and Jerome hopes she can carry them in those portions of the race. Being competitive and resilient, I see Jasmin and Jerome doing very well this season. I’m not quite ready to call them making it to finale night, although I wouldn’t be surprised. I’m thinking they may just fall short, and land in 4th or 5th place.

The Mum and daughter duo are set to outlast everyone else and become the winners of The Amazing Race. Amani is only 18, so for me, it’s pretty awesome to see someone my age competing in the race. They are both big fans of the show, and can’t wait to explore the world and compete in the show. What’s a revolving theme for all the teams? Food challenges are a HORROR for these ladies. Another hiccup is who’s taking leadership during the competition, with both seemingly ready to step into the power position when time calls for it. They are after the win, but remind each other their relationship is the most important. Any mental aspects of the game might be a good strength according to the two. I really like this pair, and while I’m sure they’ll probably bicker more than some other teams, I do think they can do well and are going to be my darkhorse pick to make it to the finale. There’s a small chance they sit in the middle of the season, but I do think they’ll probably come last in a non-elimination leg and use that fuel to catapult them into the final few stages of the race. I’m excited to see Rowah and Amani this season.

Nurses and best friends, Femi and Nick believe they’ve got the right dynamic to win this show. They’ve already had a rift after fighting over a girl, but have since reconnected and are now ready to play as massive fans of the game. They bounce off each other very well, and are great additions to this season of the race. I’m really liking their style, and I think they’re gonna be the biggest threats to everyone else, because they’re so daring and competitive. I do believe the guys are going to make it far, and possibly make it to the finale or just fall short of it. They can’t really identify any weaknesses, and it doesn’t surprise me considering they are so in tune with each other. I’m thinking these guys are going to be a force to be reckoned with, and I’ll be surprised if Femi and Nick are out any earlier than 6th place.

Siblings from Cairns, these sisters say they spend a lot of time together and are just as ready for the race as they’ll ever be. Hayley is a huge fan of the show, and is so excited to embark on the journey ahead. They’re looking forward to the unknown, and seeing what lies ahead at any turning point within the game. Having their dreams turn into reality, it’s awesome for the girls. But a major weakness for Mikayla is flying, like one of the most fundamental aspects of the race. Whereas Hayley isn’t looking forward to the eating challenges (surprise, surprise). They do not want to give up on anything, but believe they will be underestimated by others, playing as the underdogs. I really think these girls have a great drive to play and potentially win, but I just see an imminent disaster leg for them where they just lose it completely and fail. I think Hayley and Mikayla might be out around 9th or 8th place.

The farmer and fire fighter are a married couple of 30 years. Adrienne is really keen on the challenges during the season, and believe her and Chris will fight to see who will play the challenges within the race. Maybe they’ll bring in conflicting leaderships, but Adrienne assures us they can work together and be a team to beat. Chris’ physical strength will be an asset to him, where Adrienne believes the endurance aspects might break through a few obstacles. They’ve seen the show, and know attention to detail is pivotal to the game and I think they’ve got a good mindset heading into the race. Because so many aspects of the pair are so complex, I really can’t pick where they might land in the game. Early boot maybe? Grand champions possibly? They’re hard to read based on first impressions, so I’m gonna say a safe 5th place and be prepared to be dead wrong. They are a pretty cool team with a nice dynamic, so there’s no doubt to me they’ll be fun to watch no matter how long they last.

Joey’s a marketing campaign manager, and Viv is a user-experience designer. They are massive fans of the show, and grew up watching together as brother and sister. They really want to compete and here they are, living out a lifelong dream. They had friends of theirs telling them to apply, and are ready to make their mark on the map. Viv believes she’s possibly going to suffer a meltdown at some point, and both are not keen on any bungy jump that might come up. Something unexpected? Driving a manual car. And it’s a great point. Driving a manual might be pretty difficult for someone that’s only used to automatics. So that’s interesting to hear. Joey’s the physical player, and Viv thinks she’ll be the problem solver, a perfect combination for the challenges that wait during the race. Overthinking might be an obstacle for Joey, so hopefully between the two they might be able to sneak out of it. Subtle villainous moves might reveal themselves, but they both confirm they’re not coming in to play an aggressive game and still want to be in with the good guys at the end of the day. I think they might do alright. But probably not far enough. I think maybe 7th or 6th, but I can’t lock it in since there’s a few others that I think might fall into that spot. So maybe Viv and Joey go up or down a place or two.

A couple of three years, Sid and Ash believe they can leave a legacy in the game and become the greatest success story of the season, franchise, everything! They think they’ll be pretty culturally and travel aware during the season, and are pretty in tune with each other if their stubbornness doesn’t get in the way. They are after the win, and think their strengths lie in being strategic and physical powerhouses. They are here to win and only win, so they’ll make the tough calls if they have to. Ensuring they stay is the first priority. They can’t identify any weaknesses, so either they’re going to be awesome, or they aren’t aware of their struggles. Time will tell which one holds true. I think Sid and Ash will be a great team to watch and play this season, and would be my ‘Rob and Amber in All-Stars’ pick for the season. A team so dominant that they fall short in one disaster of a leg. I think they’re gonna do pretty well, so I’ll say 6th or 5th place.

Both personal trainers, Tim and Rod are often mistaken as brothers or best mates. But some are shocked to learn these boys are actually a new married couple. Also owning a mortgage breaking business, the couple are both brawn and brains when it comes down to it. They are prepared for the adventure and adrenaline rush throughout the race, it’s a once in a lifetime event for both of them. They do think they’re in for a good shot during the race, and are at their physical prime right now. Rod’s scared of spiders, and Tim’s not up for heights, so it’d be awesome to see both of those come up lol. Rod does say he’s a perfectionist, and this will probably work both for and against the team. Hopefully, it’s not too much of a problem to make them completely lose a lead during a leg of the race. They insist they’re nice guys, even Tim admitting it’d be hard for him to watch other teams crash and burn at any moment. I think they’ll do pretty well during the race, and will work well together as a team and overcome the adversities they face. I know I’ve put a few teams in the 4th-5th range, but I don’t quite predict a finale finish for the team, so I’ll stick with being so close to the end.

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