Yes I get the bipolar thing. Yes you are probably right, but sports people just cannot be allowed to think that. It probably applies to supporters as well, but we cannot do anything about it. The players can, and thats why they must never have defeatist thoughts.
You see, I looked ahead and canāt see how we finish with anything less than 16 winsā¦
Obviously we need to start with a big win against the Pies, and then make use of the depth in our squad against Melbourne, but that seems perfectly likely to me!
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Team balance and getting our heads around the gamestyle as a collective unit are the key.
But far out, if we canāt put out a competitive midfield with Heppell and Merrett as the key planks then we need a whole new coaching group. On top of that we have the best key forward in the comp, and genuinely good small forwards, and some very very good key defenders.
It will take time, but it will come, and when it does youāll all be wondering why you were so worried after a loss away against a red hot Adelaide who were very well assisted by the umps.
Keep the faith.
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ATTENTION: FROSTY.
Apparently your account has been hacked by Mick Malthouse.
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Agree frosty, I donāt get the insta gloom from last nights result, . but I have to say, JD has maybe a bit to go for that handle.
Walker and Patton might have some claims there.
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Hahah.
But seriously, Adelaide at home are very very good.
The next bunch of matches are Coll, Melb, Freo, Geel, WCE (in Melb), Richmond.
None are lay down misereās, but at the same time weād have to be a chance in every single one of them. Even SCarey has us a chance in all of them. Given I see every 40% chance as a definite win, I stand by 16+ wins!!
(and at this point I get no joy from taking the view that every 50/50 is a loss. If I was gambling Iād obviously expect weād win 1/2 of them, but I figure at this point I may as well assume weāre going to win all of them, because trying to predict which ones are wins and losses isimpossible, and still having hope of us having a successful year makes the week pass a lot more easilyā¦ If I was trying to be a ārealistā Iād say weāll win between 9 and 14 games, depending on luck, injuries, how well we take our chances, how long until Hurls enters beast mode, and how well weāre coached etc etc, but who wants to be a ārealistā. Be aware of your biases, but then strap in and enjoy the rideā¦)
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Joe would have kicked 12 with that service last nightā¦
Patton has had about 8 solid weeks in his career at this point.
(I get your point, but Joeās ours, so (again, aware of my biases) heās clearly the best!)
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Too early to tell any of this yet. Need to wait until about round 10,
But I donāt think we are miles off it to be honest. We are probably just bellow average with a hell of a lot of upside once the team has played more footy together.
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All of what youāve said is a possibility. Who knows?
I agree that six day break seems like a pissweak excuse, but the fact that every club goes on about it, and particularly fitness blokes, thereās probably something in it.
Keep faith! The cavalry is coming!
Thatās right, our season is about to receive a massive boost! The Chosen One is almost here!
No, not Francis!
David Myers is coming, and he is going to turn the tide with our clearances!
And if you think Iām wrong, prove it.
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Lid off thread -------------->>>>>>>
āLid on 2017 - Iāve seen the future and itās time to start planning for 2018ā
You are a bit late with that. Before he was even appointed, Woosha put forward a plan for 2016,7,8,9 to the Senior Coach Selection Committee and Board.
Clearly the suspensions have forced a re-think. The reality is, the plan for this year already includes evaluation of which of the returning ( older) players are going to make it past 2017ā¦ The list will be thinned out at the top and Woosha will be more ruthless than his predecessors .when it comes to list regeneration.
Make no mistake. Woosha is a very strategic thinker.
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Frosty, you should post more.
And sorry SCarey, I realize you put a look of effort into your post, but for farks sake, we lost a game by ten goals, and you want to retire Jobe, Stants, and all returning blokes except for Colyer.
A bit of an over-reaction, and seeing Jobe has played 4 games in a very long time, maybe you should give him a break. Some goes with those who want to drop Hurley and move Hooker, gut Langford, retire Kelly, bag Bags and so on.
In Woosha we trust !!!
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It feels like Woosha plans to give the returned players every opportunity to find their feet and most of us would want that. Will he drop players in the second half if they cannot perform? I donāt know, weāll have to wait and see what happens.
One thing for certain is we must get games into our young players and some of our senior players could find themselves in the twoās. The twoās are more likely to play finals and I hope they do, it would be a real lift for the club, the players, the sponsors and the supporters.
This is a year of experimentation and hope. Everything is crossed.
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Preseason many posters suggested it would be a couple of months before match fitness and cohesive play. Itās pretty clear there are struggles with that, we canāt just throw it all away because ee got thrashed away by a side who looks destined for the top 4
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I donāt think we need to full tank.
Full tank would be tap Watson and co on the shoulder, draw a line through Myers/Hocking/Bellcho, and pick kids all the time. For a start, thereās too many of them still contracted - and we also need some of that leadership, even if it did (by and large) let us down in Adelaide.
I think our best way forward is going at about 80% strength, 20% development.
In the here and now, that probably means we donāt play 3 older small backs/half-backs; so we make a call between Kelly, Bags and Stanton right now, and Gleeson or McNiece comes in instead.
Jobe stays if his body keeps coming up OK, but if heās carrying any sort of niggle he misses out and we play a Mutch or Begley in his spot. And so on. The old guys still have value but (especially Watson and Stanton, returning after a year off) theyāre not going to star for 22 weeks. Rest them, rotate them, look at some kids in their roles.
I just get miffed when we see things like Ben Howlett playing forward pocket. Not a plan for the future, heāll, itās not even that great a plan for right now - why bother? Donāt mind Benny but he plays midfield or VFL.
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How anyone can watch that game against Adelaide and still come to the conclusion that Joe D is the best key forward in the game is a bit beyond me. Compare how straight Walker kicks for goal to Joeyās kicking and it isnāt even a discussion point at the moment. He simply has to get better with his kicking because taking marks might be exciting but that in itself doesnāt add to the scoreline.
I am torn because I always thinks we are a chance in almost every game (except for last year), but that hasnāt really worked out too well for me over the last decade and a half. We have a good core of a team, but unless the returning players actually āreturnā to their best or near best (and quickly), this will not be our year Iām afraid.
I havenāt given up all hope. Itās only round 4. We still have a reasonable chance of making finals this year, but they need to get their arses into gear, starting next Tuesday on ANZAC Day and playing some consistent footy.
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I think the past 10 years has already proved you wrong.
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Great analysis but itās round 4 ffs! Top 4 aspirations will be back come early evening on Anzac day.
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