This is exactly the list build we are aiming at, maybe for 2024. A lot of the young kids need more time to mature and develop.
We will also add some trades and or FA, to fill any holes.
Ohh I’d have perkins starting mid, the kid will be our x factor match winner on the way to being a superstar in 2 years time.
Once we hit 2024 thats when we should judge if the list team has been capable of building a flag team. Not the start of a 2nd year rebuild/development year. Patience.
If you look at our age group and assumed that any player over 29 won’t be playing in 4 years. We are actually not loosing anything except Hurley, Phillips, Hepp and Potentially Shiel.
So we are a young side, and our list to contend in 2-4 years is probably ok. I think is more about coaching and player development, whilst adding talent.
If we have a lower year we should look at how we maximise picks before attacking FA next two after that.
One of the glaring weaknesses in the list is that we are so light on for leadership options. It’s unbelievable given that seems to be a prerequisite for every draft selection we ever take.
It may also explain why we struggle to stop sides getting a run on during games and why the effort across the group is so inconsistent.
Heppell from all reports is great in terms of building relationships across the group and has been unanimously voted in as leader each year, but he has no on-field presence. He has needed strong leaders around him over the past 5 years and we’ve barely had anyone.
If we lose to Adelaide and/or Freo, Please don’t rally in the 2nd half of the year to finish 9th/10th, play all the kids and really play for the future.
Pick 1-4 please not 7-10
While I understand, didn’t the swans win a flag from 0-5 one year?
Not flag, they made finals after a 0-6 start I think
GWS boot Cameron
They appoint Hird
Assist coach Dew
We boot Rutten
We appoint Hinkley
Port boot Hinkley
They appoint Cameron
GC boot Dew
They appoint Clarkson
Assist coach Rioli
Going purely off how we have been playing in the first 3 rounds:
Crows @ Marvel W
Dockers @ Marvel L
Magpies @ MCG L
Bulldogs @ Marvel L
Hawks @ Marvel L
Swans @ SCG L
Tigers @ MCG L
Power @ AO L
Bye Round
If we are 1-10 after the bye, or even 2-9, just tank.
Get 11 games into Bryan, Reid, Baldwin, Hobbs, Brand, etc.
If our season panned out like that then yes 100% play the next gen
My thoughts exactly, we have been middle of the road for a decade and should have bottomed out properly and hit those top shelf kids
Didn’t we lose against the same 3 teams in 2021? Didn’t we make Finals?
Let’s not level the joint and rebuild because the rooms are messy.
Didn’t we have Hooker, Jones & Walla playing??
Pretty sure we started tanking 3 weeks ago.
we also played
18th x 2
17 x 2
14 x 2 and only won one of the games.
compare that to this year were we
play lions again who we lost to already and as you so eloquently pointed out, last year.
we are still to play sydney x 2 who will no doubt be a top 8 side again
we are still to play port x 2 as well, who knows how they will be but they were top 4 last year
we also play richmond x 2 and how long since we’ve beaten them, 2013 is it ?
There’s a big ■■■■■■■ difference in the draw compared to last year, and shows how soft our draw was last year, and how easily it is to get ahead of yourself in believing you’re more advanced than you really are.
a list build is somewhat irrelevant until the club learns and realises that no matter how much it may give you warm fuzzy feelings to get success with your believed best 22 and to get success with guys like hepp in the side cos you know he was hard done by and yada yada, it’s simply not going to happen.
you aren’t going to have any meaningful success with
hepp
smith
shiel
stewart
redman
cutler
langford
it’s just never going to lead to anything beyond what we’ve already achieved, they are not top 4 team material and they are pretty much to a tea a core part of the coaches best 22.
until they start moving away from those players as the answer, nothing is going to change, other than certain fans vocal “i told you we were good” when we theoretically beat up on some ■■■■■■■ sides later this year, IF they you know haven’t improved beyond what this club has for this year.
I think a more realistic scenario is 6 Ws and 5Ls after Rd.11:
Crows @ Marvel W
Dockers @ Marvel W
Magpies @ MCG W
Bulldogs @ Marvel W
Hawks @ Marvel W
Swans @ SCG L
Tigers @ MCG W
Power @ AO L
Bye Round
lol that is EXTREMELY optimistic.
I appreciate your positivity my friend, but this post probably belongs in the Lid Off thread.
You may need to scroll down a little in order to find it.
I’d swap Dogs to a loss and Power to a w. But if we find some confidence in the next 2 weeks and get going, I think it’s possible to be 6-5 or 5-6 at half way.
I know most are calling for McGrath to be moved to defence, but given our struggles there, im starting to come round to the idea of Merrett moving to defence as well. He would play the Rich or Salem distributor role, and would probably the best in the league at it.
Having Andy as your tighter half back in combination with a freed up Merrett could be a great combo.
This would allow our better contested and clearance players in Shiel, Caldwell and Hobbs do all the tough inside work.
This move would probably preserve Zachs body and allow him to play well into his 30s at a high level
Not saying it should happen this year, but maybe Merrett is the one that takes Hepps position when Hepp retires