2016 Expectations & Predictions

[Mug Punter]

I'm in agreement with most of your points and Liz's well considered post.

I actually feel quite nervous about this season because for the first time in ages I really do fear we could miss the 8, if it goes badly then it could go terribly pear-shaped.

A fit and healthy Buddy would help enormously. The main thing is his health long term as he has a few good years left in him but for me it is simple, Buddy kicks 50+ goals this year and we're up there with a chance. Any less and it's in the lap of the gods.

And could that mean Tippett finally delivering. I rated him last season in the role he did for the team but on the coin he is on we expect more. I know this is unfair on him but for the money we pay Tippett we could probably have Mummy, a third KPD (possibly even Frawley as we'd probably avoided that criminal trade ban) and maybe an additional squad player.

In terms of our next generation we are banking on both Mills and Heeney being 200 gamers and for mine they look like crackers.

It's a big season for our fringe players too. AA, X and Harry must surely be on notice that they need to step up this year and earn a contract, I'm not sure any of them have what it takes.

Towers have the potential to really be a handful but he needs to deliver consistently this year or he too could be trade bait. And I'll include Sam Reid here too, for mine he has only shown us glimpses, he's not a young lad anymore. Rohan likewise notwithstanding the injuries he has endured.

I expect our unsung players like Smith, Laidler, Lloyd and Rampe to continue to do the business this year but I'm concerned about where the new unheralded players will come from (probably because they are still unheralded I guess) - Papley I like, Newman I think is 12 months away and whilst Dawson has a nice kick neither him or Leonardis look near ready for AFL football.

Our long term future looks pretty good when you see the talent we now have locked in to long tern deals but there are a few question marks for mine. Mitchell has a real chance to play every game and stamp himself as our best inside mid this year and I think he may do it - whether we can afford to keep him is another matter and the fact he is the only required player coming off contract now is telling. I'm assuming we want to keep him and are seeing what we have in the kitty when the new CBA is announced later this year. I guess we'd get very good trade value from a Carlton if we did decide to trade. We haven't had to make a sacrificial lamb to the salary cap yet for Buddy (Jed doesn't count) but I fear Tom may have to take one for the team.

The backline is very very vulnerable. By the grace of god we haven't had either Ted or Reg out lately but we really miss that third tall a la LRT. Reid we don't seem to knows what to do with and I doubt Talia is that good. I see no prospects coming through so I guess we'll be going to the draft, trade and free agency tables at season end. I personally think we need three (one a long term KPD in their mid 20s, one for experienced cover and a first round draft pick).

Oh how negative I seem now

Buddy kicks 50+ goals this year and we're up there with a chance. Any less and it's in the lap of the gods, how about a sweet century you idiot

[Plugger46]

Give yourselves a pat on the back later in the year.

[Mug Punter]

Give yourselves a pat on the back later in the year.

I agree, it's early days and still plenty of time for us to fall off the perch. But I do think it is the most even comp in years and we right in it and that's all you can ask at the turn.

A loss on Saturday to the Suns (and they have massive ins) and we are back to earth

[Ludwig]

We certainly have performed better than expected, mainly because nearly all of the uncertainties have fallen on the positive side of the ledger, with a few bonuses like Papley and Hewett to top things off.

It's worth taking into consideration that our relative position in the league this year has a lot to do with how some of the mighty have fallen, most notably Freo, and Hawthorn have really come back to the back. West Coast, my own pick for premiers at the start of the year, have been disappointing considering what they showed last year. Several teams, like GWS, Geelong and Adelaide have improved. So we find ourselves in a competition where no club has elevated to the level of Hawthorn, but rather Hawthorn and those threatening to be as good as Hawthorn are looking more like a normal team that makes plenty of skills errors, just like us.

The main reason we are doing well is that we've fought hard in every game and haven't put in too many lackluster quarters.

[RogueSwan]

West Coast's soft fixture from last year is showing through this year. A similar thing happened to Power after their surging year.

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[dimelb]

Here's Rohan Connolly's take on it:

Sydney Swans suit a well-worn premiership script

Apart from forgetting Hiscox and Aliir, it's fairly close to what we are saying overall.

[bloodbrother]

Here's Rohan Connolly's take on it:

Sydney Swans suit a well-worn premiership script

Apart from forgetting Hiscox and Aliir, it's fairly close to what we are saying overall.

we will play Adelaide in the gf for the flag