Yes I am disgusted as anyone with our effort yesterday. It’s happened far too often this year so we do need to rectify this issue.
But I do put a large part of our poor form down due to injuries.
I like our list.
We have nobody who is going to retire in the next 3-4 years who we will genuinely miss. Maybe Hooker? But key defenders are relatively easy to replace and we will get a handy one in the draft this year.
Hurley has been average for a while now. Zacka and TBC are cooked already. Not going to miss these guys even though they’ve had good careers.
We have a core midfield group who should play together for the next 5-6 years. I speak of Draper, Sheil, Merrett, McGrath, Parish, Heppell, Langford.
Joe and Stewart look to have overcome their groin issues. Stringer was having a fine season before injuries cut him down too. Lets see how Harrison Jones goes in the last 2 weeks of the season; give him a taste of senior footy so that’s at the forefront of his mind going into 2021.
Obviously there are a couple of areas that we need to address but I do feel that if we get a half decent run of injuries next year we can be top 4.
What we need in the off season:
inside mid
small defender
We will have a high draft pick and get access to Cody Brand who is a highly rated key defender.
I know media (plus our rightfully impatient supporters) will throw the baby out with the bathwater but you need context to assess our list.
It’s just my opinion and a lot hinges on Joe being fit but as I’ve alluded to before we’ve done well to be so competitive with Smack being our best available key forward for 3 seasons. Also done well without a competitive ruck over the past 2 season (cooked TBC and Zac Clarke). I have full confidence in Draper.
even with joe fit kicking 60 a year, we’d be maybe 7-8th at best. we are a long way off the good sides. supporters overrate the list. the club over rates the list
the sooner we do a full reset, which includes administration (they got us into this mess) the better. you cannot seriously expect to go into next year thinking a top 4 finish is reliant on a few blokes staying fit, or with the same terrible game style with the same bog average players. its just absolute farkin madness to go into 2021 just “hoping” things will change.
its not being optimistic, its unrealistic. this list isnt good enough and we need to invest in draft picks for the next 3-4 years
unless we make significant changes, nothing will change. starts at the board, Xavier Campbell, and Adrian Dodoro
I fully agree. he’s a good player but he’s exactly what we didn’t need. he added to the single biggest problem we have through the middle which is foot skills.