Key players who have been thorns in our side for years are now hitting 30 and their teams have depended on them for a long time, but must surely start/continue to wane in 2018.
Pendlebury, 30, peaked 3 years ago, but his decline has flattened out this year.
Josh Kennedy ( Swans) hits 30 next year.peaked in 2016, but spoiled the party for us in the final. Swans depend on him a lot.
Franklin. hits 31 next year. Surely cannot keep on performing at the level for ever?
Selwood. hits 30 next year but peaked in 2014.
Burgoyne, 35 but playing better than ever. is currently the best small defender in the AFL. Amazing.
Goldstein. 30. Probably cooked eve now
Eddie Betts. 32 Like a bottle of Grange. Still playing well, but there are signs the amount of opportunty he gets is masking a decline this year.
Jones, Melb. 30 Melbourne have a ready made replacement.
Josh Kennedy, ( WCE) 31. Playing better than ever. No sign of a drop off yet.
Sam Mitchell. 36 Peaked in 2014 Great to see the end of this a-hole
Ablett 34. Peaked in 2014.
Mummy 32 Physically cooked.
Jacobs. 30 (AC) 47 hitouts in the granny. Peaked in 2015
Edwards ( Richmond) 30. Peaked in 2016
Westoff 32. Still playing at a decent level.
Martin ( BL) 32 still playing at a decent level.
Mundy 33, peaked in 2016
Douglas ( AC) 33 peaked in 2013
Boak ( PA) 30 peaked in 2014
Hawkins 30 Dinosaur.
Lewis 32 ( Melb) Peaked in 2014.
Question is, which sides will drop off in 2018 because of key players getting too old and not having good replacements.
I am thinking Adelaide, West Coast , Geelong and Hawthorn.