If you look at the lists Gold Coast and GWS have and then you look at ours we just can't compete. If we don't win next year I'm sorry to say that GC will go past us.
GC will play finals next year. The year after that the world is their oyster. They may not win the flag in 2015 but they will defiantly be a better team than us.
Having said that, we are building a good list and we have some great young kids coming through. I hope like hell that they can produce the goods within the next two years.
Disagree - GC will target the eight in 2014 - But theyv'e still only win or 8 games in 2013.
If the list holds together - and if Bomber coaches in the interim I think we’ll keep the players - then the anger and injustice will burn inside the team next year. The last time we were in a similar position (though for much more acceptable reasons) was 1999, when the Scum wrenched a potential flag from our grasp. Remember what happened in 2000?
For this reason I think we’re a real shot at the flag in 2014.
If the list holds together - and if Bomber coaches in the interim I think we'll keep the players - then the anger and injustice will burn inside the team next year. The last time we were in a similar position (though for much more acceptable reasons) was 1999, when the Scum wrenched a potential flag from our grasp. Remember what happened in 2000?
For this reason I think we're a real shot at the flag in 2014.
It all depends on how we mentally rebound from this year from hell. If it pulls the team closer together then I genuinely believe we can win the premiership…not of this ■■■■ that we need to win a few finals first. You’ve seen hawthorn and Sydney in the past win the flag not because they were the best team but because they had a bit of luck and they were the best team on the day.
In terms of making our list cherry ripe for a tilt at it next year then somehow getting a small forward and another classy midfielder is what we need. I don’t know how it could be done now that Belly seems to have been resigned but TRB will have a strategy for sure.
Who knows maybe some of Gumbleton, Pears, Jetta, Hardingham, Browne?, Colyer can indirectly get us enough to acquire Taylor Adams and then we nab either Betts via FA or Gartlett slips through to our first pick. Yes we would lose some valuable depth but who could argue if it improves your best 22. Is it possible? Could you imagine Adams working with Heppell, Melksham, Zaka, Myers, Stanton, Goddard, Hocking and Watson to continuously feed the footy to a blossoming deep forward partnership of Daniher and Betts?
think it is fair to say we are going to be hard pressed to attract players at this point. Think we need to focus on developing a few. Merrett has plenty to work with, if we could just get some consistency into colyer's kicking who would fit very well in the best 22. maybe it might suddenly all click for leroy. perhaps kav has a ripping preseason and is a real bolter next year.
It all depends on how we mentally rebound from this year from hell. If it pulls the team closer together then I genuinely believe we can win the premiership....not of this **** that we need to win a few finals first. You've seen hawthorn and Sydney in the past win the flag not because they were the best team but because they had a bit of luck and they were the best team on the day.
In terms of making our list cherry ripe for a tilt at it next year then somehow getting a small forward and another classy midfielder is what we need. I don't know how it could be done now that Belly seems to have been resigned but TRB will have a strategy for sure.
Who knows maybe some of Gumbleton, Pears, Jetta, Hardingham, Browne?, Colyer can indirectly get us enough to acquire Taylor Adams and then we nab either Betts via FA or Gartlett slips through to our first pick. Yes we would lose some valuable depth but who could argue if it improves your best 22. Is it possible? Could you imagine Adams working with Heppell, Melksham, Zaka, Myers, Stanton, Goddard, Hocking and Watson to continuously feed the footy to a blossoming deep forward partnership of Daniher and Betts?
If you look at the lists Gold Coast and GWS have and then you look at ours we just can't compete. If we don't win next year I'm sorry to say that GC will go past us.
GC will play finals next year. The year after that the world is their oyster. They may not win the flag in 2015 but they will defiantly be a better team than us.
Having said that, we are building a good list and we have some great young kids coming through. I hope like hell that they can produce the goods within the next two years.
Disagree - GC will target the eight in 2014 - But theyv'e still only win or 8 games in 2013.
I think the threat of GC and GWS is over-rated.
I hope you're right. But if GC improve at the same rate they did this year then they are on track to be one of the top 3 sides in 2015. The majority of their young list will be around 80 - 100 games and they will be batting VERY deep. Our comparatively aged players like Joe, Kav!, Browne, Hams, Obrien & Dalgleish will be lucky to be on 30 - 50 games. That is a huge differential in games.
I just hope quality coaching, desire and mojo can give us the edge over the next 2 years because after that I just can¿t see the light... Sorry, probably not in the right frame of mind this week.
I don't think we are far away at all. All those close come from behind wins will give the players a belief that they can always win a game even when we're not travelling that well, similar to Geelong.
Another preseason into players like Kav will make them better prepared to stand up to the physicality of AFL and have an impact on games.
Plus the desire to stick it up the AFL for taking our points this year should galvanise the list.
The loss of draft picks won't hurt us next year but it will after 2015.
Incorrect. Now the AFL has opened Pandora's Box (but won't finish their investigations till well into 2014), the other 17 clubs will "forfeit" their rights to finals next year. We just have to last till round/week 25 ends. And that's why the interim coach will be happy to stand down and let Hird be coach in the final week before we win the premiership by default.
Incorrect. Now the AFL has opened Pandora's Box (but won't finish their investigations till well into 2014), the other 17 clubs will "forfeit" their rights to finals next year. We just have to last till round/week 25 ends. And that's why the interim coach will be happy to stand down and let Hird be coach in the final week before we win the premiership by default.
So this is a Melbourne style fine followed by an even bigger bailout? Kick us out of the finals then just give us a premiership?
Backline is probably top 4 for quality / depth with the potential to be one of the strongest in the league:
Hibberd / A / Up
Dempsey / A / Stable
Carlisle / B+ / Up
Hooker / B+ / Up
Fletcher / B+ / Down
Baguley / B / Up
Pears / C+ / Up
Hardingham / C+ / Up
Daulgleish / C+ / Up
Steinberg, Gregory, Davis etc.
Midfield is probably top 6 but we've only got a small window before some of the stalwarts start to decline
Watson / A+ / Stable
Goddard / A / Stable
Stanton / B+ / Stable
Heppell / B+ / Up
Howlett / B / Stable
Melksham / B / Up
Zaharakis / B / Up
Hocking / B / Stable
Myers / C+ / Up
O'Brien, Browne, Merrett, Kav, etc coming through
Forward line has plenty of potential but not many runs on the board. Probably bottom 8.
Crameri / B+ / Up
Hurley / B / ?
Davey / B / Stable
Winderlich / B+ / Stable
Kommer / C+ / Up
Jetta / C / ?
Daniher / C / Up
Gumbleton / C / ?
Dell'Olio / D+ / ?
Will Hams is the only forward that's coming through, or maybe Merrett.
Rucks are very strong, top 2-3.
Ryder / A / Up
Bellchambers / A / Up
Once again, not many players coming through.
I think we have a glaring weakness in the forward line but there have been teams that have won flags (e.g. West Coast) without a great forward line.
However, we're going to have to snag one in the next two years because Gold Coast with Ablett, Bennell, O'Meara, Swallow, Martin et al are going to be pretty much unstoppable when they hit their strides.
Give the players a long holiday this preseason IMO. They deserve it. Work heavily on skills and structures over the preseason. Then look at gradually building fitness through out the season so we’re peaking come September.
I’d rather see us start the season slowly and build to September, rather than explode out of the blocks and fall over the line at the end.
If you look at the lists Gold Coast and GWS have and then you look at ours we just can't compete. If we don't win next year I'm sorry to say that GC will go past us.
GC will play finals next year. The year after that the world is their oyster. They may not win the flag in 2015 but they will defiantly be a better team than us.
Having said that, we are building a good list and we have some great young kids coming through. I hope like hell that they can produce the goods within the next two years.
Disagree - GC will target the eight in 2014 - But theyv'e still only win or 8 games in 2013.
I think the threat of GC and GWS is over-rated.
agree with your comment about GC and GWS. They both have some good young kids. But are both still a hell of a long way off competing consistently with the big boys.
They both have good mids.
GWS have got a lot of holes down back. So do Gold Coast.
We need an injection of speed into our midfield. Our forward line is still a work in progress, but once it gains some structure we will be extremely dangerous.
I think getting a player like Yarran would help us get to that next level.......To win the flag you need a solid structure, game plan but also you need a weapon or two. I think he could be a game breaker....