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A.F.L Thread
- Thread starter SirBloody Idiot
- Start date
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Jono
Virat Kohli (c)
Not really IMO. Time will tell if the specific trades/players were right yes. Not necessarily the strategy (i.e. try and boost the team whilst they still have two all-time-greats)
If Raines and Clarke fail, it doesn't mean boosting the list was the bad move. It just means he chose injury prone players.
If Raines and Clarke fail, it doesn't mean boosting the list was the bad move. It just means he chose injury prone players.
vic_orthdox
Global Moderator
Like who he is related to?
irfan
State Captain
Haha, well played.Like who he is related to?
superkingdave
Hall of Fame Member
New facility looks pretty impressive 
howardj
International Coach
Agreed.
The premiership window will only be ajar for probably the next two or at maximum three years. Smash the glass in, rather than trying to squeeze through the gap.
Mr Casson
Cricketer Of The Year
Anyone want to put their reputation on the line with a prediction of the ladder next year?
1. Geelong
2. Collingwood
3. Hawks
4. Saints
5. Brisbane
6. Bulldogs
7. Adelaide
8. West Coast
===========
9. Carlton
10. Sydney
11. Essendon
12. North Melbourne
13. Fremantle
14. Port Adelaide
15. Melbourne
16. Richmond
I think Geelong still have what it takes for one more year, and they usually handle injuries quite well. St Kilda on the other hand, remain to be seen whether they are the real deal without a dream run of health for their best players. I think Collingwood will be improvers based on their off-season recruits, but I won't put them down for the flag given the record they have for capitulation in GFs. I think the Hawks will be up there again fit and firing after a proper preseason and hopefully less injuries.
Brisbane were hard to place because they've been the talking point of the off-season and everyone expects big things of them with Voss' ring-ins, but to me all the talent in the world doesn't prove anything until they work together on the field. If Brown and Fev can stay out of each other's way though five could be too low, especially with the midfield options they will have to deliver it to the big blokes. With all the recruits it's hard to work out a best 22 for these guys, so I really don't know what to expect.
The Bulldogs at 6 seems a bit counter-intuitive based on their fairly successful last few campaigns and the fact they have recruited a genuine lead-up forward in Hall, but I think a few teams have played a good game of catch-up on them and it's going to be a real fight for top 4 spots next year.
I couldn't really have Adelaide any lower than 7 because they are a very good side and the way Craig sends his young blokes to develop in the SANFL there's almost certainly a couple of gems ready to make an impact next year. Losing Otten will hurt off HB and in the midfield but it's probably not enough to impact their season markedly.
My picks for 8-12 are what I see as the next tier of teams and is sort of more based on hope rather than analysis. I can really only see room for one of these five teams in the top 8, and based on last season you'd expect that to be Carlton, but I've put them in for 9th, (and am really hoping they slide a lot further than that). West Coast at 8 would be a bolter but I think they're on the verge of making Subi a fortress again, and with the away voodoo broken they might even be able to sneak 2-4 wins on the road. North Melbourne I think have gone about their rebuild in style and in saying that, 12th is perhaps too low, but I just don't know which team I could put them above. The same goes for Sydney - I think they're rebuilding well but I just don't know where they fit in.
Port and Freo are Port and Freo. They get to sit in the naughty corner until they prove they can play with the big boys.
Finally, I won't be surprised if Melbourne get right off the bottom last year. I wouldn't forecast a finish any higher than 11th or 12th but they've had enough spoonage to last them a while and it's time the talent they've been accruing over the last few years starts to mature.
Richmond are just ****.
1. Geelong
2. Collingwood
3. Hawks
4. Saints
5. Brisbane
6. Bulldogs
7. Adelaide
8. West Coast
===========
9. Carlton
10. Sydney
11. Essendon
12. North Melbourne
13. Fremantle
14. Port Adelaide
15. Melbourne
16. Richmond
I think Geelong still have what it takes for one more year, and they usually handle injuries quite well. St Kilda on the other hand, remain to be seen whether they are the real deal without a dream run of health for their best players. I think Collingwood will be improvers based on their off-season recruits, but I won't put them down for the flag given the record they have for capitulation in GFs. I think the Hawks will be up there again fit and firing after a proper preseason and hopefully less injuries.
Brisbane were hard to place because they've been the talking point of the off-season and everyone expects big things of them with Voss' ring-ins, but to me all the talent in the world doesn't prove anything until they work together on the field. If Brown and Fev can stay out of each other's way though five could be too low, especially with the midfield options they will have to deliver it to the big blokes. With all the recruits it's hard to work out a best 22 for these guys, so I really don't know what to expect.
The Bulldogs at 6 seems a bit counter-intuitive based on their fairly successful last few campaigns and the fact they have recruited a genuine lead-up forward in Hall, but I think a few teams have played a good game of catch-up on them and it's going to be a real fight for top 4 spots next year.
I couldn't really have Adelaide any lower than 7 because they are a very good side and the way Craig sends his young blokes to develop in the SANFL there's almost certainly a couple of gems ready to make an impact next year. Losing Otten will hurt off HB and in the midfield but it's probably not enough to impact their season markedly.
My picks for 8-12 are what I see as the next tier of teams and is sort of more based on hope rather than analysis. I can really only see room for one of these five teams in the top 8, and based on last season you'd expect that to be Carlton, but I've put them in for 9th, (and am really hoping they slide a lot further than that). West Coast at 8 would be a bolter but I think they're on the verge of making Subi a fortress again, and with the away voodoo broken they might even be able to sneak 2-4 wins on the road. North Melbourne I think have gone about their rebuild in style and in saying that, 12th is perhaps too low, but I just don't know which team I could put them above. The same goes for Sydney - I think they're rebuilding well but I just don't know where they fit in.
Port and Freo are Port and Freo. They get to sit in the naughty corner until they prove they can play with the big boys.
Finally, I won't be surprised if Melbourne get right off the bottom last year. I wouldn't forecast a finish any higher than 11th or 12th but they've had enough spoonage to last them a while and it's time the talent they've been accruing over the last few years starts to mature.
Richmond are just ****.
Last edited:
superkingdave
Hall of Fame Member
If a lot of things go right we could make the 8, but i think 10-12th would be about right for a prediction for us this year. Be interesting to see how Scotts gameplan pans out, we certainly have a decent foundation for a contested footy style which is how he's said he wants to go.
vic_orthdox
Global Moderator
Don't reckon North Melbourne will go well next year, but they'll start to head in the right direction. Think that Scott has been given the chance to go one step back for two steps forward, which other coaches have been either unwilling to do, or too afraid to do.
superkingdave
Hall of Fame Member
Maybe, he certainly won't be in trouble if we do have a bad year, but when you look at who we lost last year, Simpson and Gibson are the only guys we will miss, Harvey is the only guy getting on and he missed half of last year. A lot depends on how our injuries go, because we had a terrible run last year with Wells, Harvey, Warren, Zeibell, Anthony, Campbell, Wright, Harding all missing for periods of the season.
will be more concerned with us having a game plan, and getting more points on the board tbh
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