Grade the season - 2021

I personally see this is a comparison about how we went compared to expectations.

I expected we would finish last, so clearly I am going to think we had a better year than most others.

Having said that, I think we have objectively had a fantastic year, though it doesn’t feel like it right now.

Positives:

  • Cohesive game plan for the first time in years
  • A number of players reinvented themselves with new positions - Laverde, Hind, Stewart
  • Career best seasons from a wide range of players
  • Emergence of Parish as an elite midfielder
  • Energence of Draper as the competition’s best young ruckman
  • Young kids showed promise - Cox, Perkins
  • 2MP trade looks inspired

Negatives:

  • Walloped in final
  • Reid didn’t get on the park
  • Bottom end of list still looks flaky - Clarke, Guelfi, Gleeson etc
  • Shiel, McGrath, Caldwell all spent majority of year injured
  • Only one win against a top 8 side.

Overall, despite the awful ending, I thought we had a really good year all things considered. Particularly given it was Truck’s first year in charge and we lost three of our best players in the trade period. Better than anyone could have expected and for the first time I have some actual hope we are headed in the right direction in a sustainable way.

Solid B+ for mine.

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I’d suggest posting this in a few days.

F today but it will probably improve over the course of the week.

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: B

B+.

  • Walloped in final

Can’t get an A.

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B-

Would have been a B+ if we won today, and B if we lost but were competitive.

2nd half capitulation resulting in another finals smashing drags it down and really put a dampner on what was for yhe most part a highly promising season.

C+ For mine. Would’ve been a B but I can’t ignore that 2nd half of the final.

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B - would have given a B+ if it was a closer game.

I think the mood on here prior to today’s last half gives the rating; we all have hope, can see the way forward. Today was a reality check, but we have plenty of improvement. B rating when we all thought it would Z

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A

Everyone forgets we had bottom 4-8 style expectations. Check the prediction thread if you forget.

We played like a side finishing 8th against a good side in a final. No surprises there, except this time we competed harder for longer.

Rome ain’t built in a day. We need finals again next year, a home final in Melbourne.

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C+

Beat 1 top 8 side all season and saved our worst for when it mattered the most.

Last season was an F so 2021 is an improvement.

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A-

Not sure what you guys were expecting this year, but we got much more than the bottom 4 that was predicted. Onwards and upwards!

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B+ before today.

It’s now a solid B.

Why?

  • Won 4 to 5 games more than was expected/predicted by a majority of experts & even our own supporter base
  • Solid to excellent recruiting in the last 12-18 months
  • 11 of our 23 games this year played outside of Melbourne
  • Emerging midfield & defence
  • Forward line ranked 4th (points for) in the competition.
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B good solid season with finals loss. Developed alot of players along the way.

Not a great day to start this thread. Maybe wait a month.

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A

I’m probably in the minority around here, but I got past the disappointment of the finals loss pretty quickly. I thought we’d end up bottom 4 for sure, so my expectations were blown right the ■■■■ away.

  • We consistently fielded one of the youngest sides in the league each week.
  • New coaches and new gameplan.
  • Our backline was completely unrecognisable compared to last year.
  • Long term injuries to key players.

Still made finals. Brilliant.

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It’s almost impossible to rank this season based on this season alone. In my opinion, I’ll only be able to rank at the end of next season.

By then I’ll know if this season was the first step of a number of positive steps towards becoming a competitive football club again, or it was just a flash in the pan due to it being first year of new coach and new plan.

I’m a harsh marker, if I HAD to rank it now it would be an F. This sport is about winning finals and winning premierships. And we did neither.

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D+
Improved greatly since last year, obviously.
Made the finals, so that’s a pass.
Last year would have been a solid F.

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We actually did one of those things.

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I meant winning. Edited now.