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Thread: Thoughts about other teams in 2017 and into the future

  1. #1

    Thoughts about other teams in 2017 and into the future

    I just thought there should be a thread to post thoughts about other AFL teams, so here it is.

    Here are some random thoughts from me:

    * Brisbane got an excellent draft haul in 2016 including Hugh McCluggage who was widely regarded as a #1 pick, plus they have resigned Hipwood and Schache plus they are pretty much a lock to get #1 pick this year. That adds up to real hope for the future in my book. It would be good to see a Queensland team being competitive again and I feel a little more sympathetically disposed towards the Lions than the Suns.

    * During the off-season I tipped the Dees to make finals ahead of the Saints. They haven't done it yet but they are on track. The Saints haven't looked good the past couple of weeks but they have played tough opposition. Will be interesting to see how the Saints go this week.

    * Giants doing well to be on (equal) top of the ladder while missing so many stars. Getting games into their fringe players is very helpful particularly when it hasn't cost them games. Now they need to get their stars back and they can still be scary good before finals.

    * It's great to see the Hawks languishing down the bottom of the ladder, particularly when they traded their first round pick away to the Saints for nothing!

    That'll do for now. But I might add more later. Please join in.

  2. #2
    Outer wing, Lake Oval Sandridge's Avatar
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    I feel that we have left our run too late to make the finals - losing close ones at the SCG has really cost us. However, a glimmer of hope for us as far as finals goes is that it's a very even competition this year. I feel there are no real standout teams and that all teams in the top 8 are beatable and prone to losing streaks.

    Great to see Hawks and Pies down with us. Hope they stay there as we continue to rise. Also hope the Bulldogs continue to struggle.

  3. #3
    pr. dim-melb; m not f
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    Quote Originally Posted by bloodspirit View Post
    I just thought there should be a thread to post thoughts about other AFL teams, so here it is.

    Here are some random thoughts from me:

    * Brisbane got an excellent draft haul in 2016 including Hugh McCluggage who was widely regarded as a #1 pick, plus they have resigned Hipwood and Schache plus they are pretty much a lock to get #1 pick this year. That adds up to real hope for the future in my book. It would be good to see a Queensland team being competitive again and I feel a little more sympathetically disposed towards the Lions than the Suns.

    * During the off-season I tipped the Dees to make finals ahead of the Saints. They haven't done it yet but they are on track. The Saints haven't looked good the past couple of weeks but they have played tough opposition. Will be interesting to see how the Saints go this week.

    * Giants doing well to be on (equal) top of the ladder while missing so many stars. Getting games into their fringe players is very helpful particularly when it hasn't cost them games. Now they need to get their stars back and they can still be scary good before finals.

    * It's great to see the Hawks languishing down the bottom of the ladder, particularly when they traded their first round pick away to the Saints for nothing!

    That'll do for now. But I might add more later. Please join in.
    Appreciated your thoughts bs (don't misread that!). I think that what Brisbane and Cold Ghost need is a return of the retention allowance. It was asinine to remove it and it's time to restore it. But i won't hold my breath.
    He reminds him of the guys, close-set, slow, and never rattled, who were play-makers on the team. (John Updike, seeing Josh Kennedy in a crystal ball)

  4. #4
    I think a retention allowance for Queensland teams is worth considering.

    Jeepers! What about the Giants' injury list??!! It's not getting any better for them. Hard to see them winning the flag at this rate. If they're out of the equation (and I wouldn't quite go that far) it certainly makes me feel more bullish about our prospects!

  5. #5
    Aut vincere aut mori Thunder Shaker's Avatar
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    Hawthorn were foolish to trade away this year's first round draft pick after gimping their draft so badly last year. They're going to finish bottom four and not have a pick inside the first 20 to show for it. They will finish bottom four in the next few years as their veterans retire and may end up collecting a spoon.

    St Kilda will be major beneficiaries of Hawthorn's low finish. They will end up with picks around #3-#4 and #8-#10 and that will give them a shot at two players to replace Riewoldt when he retires. St Kilda are not a good side without Riewoldt, having lost their last nine or so games with him out of the side.

    North Melbourne have performed more or less as expected and plunged from last year's finals where they were just making up the numbers after being the latest victims of the Sydney curse (they were top of the ladder after round 9 with no losses, they lost to Sydney round 10, their form then drops away to go 3-9 the rest of the season - another victim was St Kilda in 2004: 10-0, lose to Swans in round 11, they were 6-5 for the rest of the 2004 home and away season). They are now in the bottom four. Unlike Hawthorn though, North Melbourne haven't traded away their first-round draft pick. They will probably end up with pick #2 and that will get them a very good player. They are clearly in a rebuilding mode, as evidenced by their ruthless decision to delist veterans at the end of last year. They will probably spend a couple of years near the bottom as their rebuild progresses.

    Carlton have finished their rebuild and are now getting games into their players. They are still near the bottom, but they have managed a few good wins against better sides. This is a sign of a side on the rise. They could go close to making the finals next year.

    Brisbane aren't yet out of their rebuilding phase, but they have drafted a few good players and will benefit greatly from their likely #1 draft pick. They should bide their time and get games into their players. I do not expect them to finish bottom next year.

    In general, the 2017 season demonstrates that the draft and equalisation policies are working well. Two games and percentage separating 12 sides after round 13. The only comparable season was 1993 where the top 12 sides (out of 15) ended the season separated by 3 and a half games.
    "Unbelievable!" -- Nick Davis leaves his mark on the 2005 semi final

  6. #6
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    You have to feel a bit for Brisbane these days, seeing so many of their former players at other clubs. When the Bombers got four
    plus goals up against them yesterday I wandered off away from the TV.
    I should have remembered after our game against them that no lead is ever enough, and time on the clock ever short enough
    for the Bombers. Anyway, good to see the Lions win a game for a change.
    At the moment both the Sydney teams are travelling OK, both on the ladder and at the ticket gate, but without competitive teams
    from Qld it's a bit of a hollow victory for the code nationally. I saw the GWS-Geelong game at Spotless and it was a great
    game with probably a fair result in the end. Watching Dangerfield rack up 45 touches against first rate opposition reminded me that
    living in Sydney we do not get to see the absolute elite players from the other clubs ply their trade live very often. As the bloke in
    front of us (a Giants supporter who drives from up from Orange with his kids for every home game) said, "If Josh Kelly is worth
    $9M, how much is Dangerfield worth?" All I could think of to say was, "more".

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