Trade period is over, draft picks are settled, so it’s time for a predictions thread.
Where will we finish? Can we contend for a flag straight away or just sneak into the 8? Who else will rise and fall?
For me, I have said consistently on these boards that the addition of Shiel should have the effect of accelerating us into flag contention in 2019. I stand by that statement. The midfield will be more formidable with him in it, and the continued improvement of Parish, Langford and McGrath should mean that we are running a serious midfield unit by finals time.
Our most important players next year are probably Daniher and Fantasia. If the two of them stay on the park for 18+ games, that’s 100 goals we’ll have that we didn’t have last year. If they can’t get fit though, then the chances of us being serious contenders with a makeshift forward line are probably pretty slim.
The area of the field I’m most concerned about is the defence. Hooker I think will be 30 when the next season starts, and him and Hurley will need to rediscover their skills as lockdown defenders. With Gleeson and Francis being interceptors and Saad and McKenna the rebounding defenders, we will need Hurley and Hooker to lock down on the oppositions best forwards and be accountable.
As for the finals, I think we will see a changing of the guard next year, with Hawthorn, Geelong, Sydney and GWS to drop out of the 8. There are plenty of young teams knocking on the door.
Next years final 8:
Collingwood
Melbourne
West Coast
Essendon
Richmond
North Melbourne
Adelaide
Brisbane
And yes, if you think I did this list deliberately to get a Coll/Ess final in the first week you would be right…
Brisbane in the 8 is a big call. They won 4 games. To go from that to 12-13 wins is a massive ask. We did it from 2016-17 but our circumstances were a lot different. If they can double their win tally they’ve done well IMO.
Yeah youre right. But they played another 6 or so games where the margin was 15 points or less and lost them all. That’s normally a sign of a side that can dramatically improve its win loss ratio the next year.
I think they’ve got huge potential and could see them sneaking into the 8, though you’re right that it would be a big ask.
Feel free to make an 8 prediction of your own, by the way!
Collingwood beat us up twice. Hard to see us going past them.
Same with Richmond.
GWS had a shocking run with injuries which won’t happen again.
I’d hope we could make top 8 and at least put on a competitive finals performance rather than the last two absolute debacles against Sydney and Carlton.
Lid on. Can’t see us being the best side in the comp.
Collingwood only beat us the second time around because we had half a forwardline that day, and then they ran over the top of us when had no-one fit left on the bench.
Also anyone who reckons our tips are worth the proverbial full of cold snow should check where they had WCE finishing for 2018. Plenty got that one wrong by about 16 or 17 spots.
