Great expectations

[Kumarangk]

Agree about Heeney. Mills has been excellent since his debut although it is probably a bit easier down back.

But Mills , when pressured tends to fumble badly.Plays well ( not great IMO ) but in big games with high intensity has been found wanting.Perhaps it's because he hasn't found his true position yet ? Heeney has way more upside.Just my opinion.

[Ralph Dawg]

Just out of curiosity,how would you rate Rance?

Best defender in the competition prior to his injury, and an out an out superstar. His closing speed just phenomenal. Never liked his staging but if he's actually able to play to his best, I'd be thrilled to see him red and white!

[dimelb]

+1 all of that. But not a superstar to me. I consider a superstar to be a top 8/9/10 player in the league. A superstar goes on to become an all-time great of the game. Don't think any KPD has held that rank since, off the top of my head, Scarlett.

Just out of curiosity,how would you rate Rance?

[TheBloods]

You wouldn’t say Rampe is a superstar of the comp ? He’s stiff to not be a dual AA defender. He is very rarely beaten one on one, provides run and drive and long , penetrating , efficient kicking from defence. He’d be walk up start in ANY team in the comp. I think he’s the best pound for pound defender in the league, and that’s without factoring in the attacks he brings as well.




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+1 all of that. But not a superstar to me. I consider a superstar to be a top 8/9/10 player in the league. A superstar goes on to become an all-time great of the game. Don't think any KPD has held that rank since, off the top of my head, Scarlett.

[Melbourne_Blood]

You are being rather generous there. Rampe and Parker are champions of our club but I would not say either are superstars of the competition, top ten players that can dominate games. Under Longmire, I'd only bestow the title 'superstar' to Buddy and Kennedy. When Hawthorn and Geelong won three premierships, they had too many superstars to count.

While I am quite happy with where our list is at, I am not convinced there is a future 'superstar' in the bunch. Possibly Blakey, possibly Heeney, though I am less convinced with each year that passes for Isaac. Who else is going to be? I think Dawson, Aliir, Florent, Mills and Rowbottom will be very good players, but not superstars. McCartin and Hayward I am not convinced will make it yet.

What I don't want is what has happened to many other teams, falling into the trap of believing a group of young players to be better than they are. That is a Carlton model. Wasting away years persisting with a youth group that ends up taking them nowhere because they showed promise. I hope that this is the year we make some tough calls on young players if they aren't anything more than serviceable. At the top of the list would be Ronke and Melican.

You wouldn’t say Rampe is a superstar of the comp ? He’s stiff to not be a dual AA defender. He is very rarely beaten one on one, provides run and drive and long , penetrating , efficient kicking from defence. He’d be walk up start in ANY team in the comp. I think he’s the best pound for pound defender in the league, and that’s without factoring in the attacks he brings as well.




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[TheBloods]

I'm thinking about how we're going to win our next flag and what is required. Certainly won't disagree with you on a champion team, with solid contributors from 1-22. But invariably, a champion team has a core of champions and as it stands, I would only put Rampe, Parker and Buddy in that category. Need a few more to be a threat these days.

You are being rather generous there. Rampe and Parker are champions of our club but I would not say either are superstars of the competition, top ten players that can dominate games. Under Longmire, I'd only bestow the title 'superstar' to Buddy and Kennedy. When Hawthorn and Geelong won three premierships, they had too many superstars to count.

While I am quite happy with where our list is at, I am not convinced there is a future 'superstar' in the bunch. Possibly Blakey, possibly Heeney, though I am less convinced with each year that passes for Isaac. Who else is going to be? I think Dawson, Aliir, Florent, Mills and Rowbottom will be very good players, but not superstars. McCartin and Hayward I am not convinced will make it yet.

What I don't want is what has happened to many other teams, falling into the trap of believing a group of young players to be better than they are. That is a Carlton model. Wasting away years persisting with a youth group that ends up taking them nowhere because they showed promise. I hope that this is the year we make some tough calls on young players if they aren't anything more than serviceable. At the top of the list would be Ronke and Melican.

[Ralph Dawg]

First, maybe they're not that good. No shame there. You're setting a pretty high bar.

Second, aren't we often saying we don't want superstars, we just want a champion team?

I'm thinking about how we're going to win our next flag and what is required. Certainly won't disagree with you on a champion team, with solid contributors from 1-22. But invariably, a champion team has a core of champions and as it stands, I would only put Rampe, Parker and Buddy in that category. Need a few more to be a threat these days.

[Blood Fever]

Mills and Heeney need to rise a level as well. They are good to very good currently and need to move into the very good to elite categories. Players like The Bont and Josh Kelly are only a year ahead and they stepped up.

Agree about Heeney. Mills has been excellent since his debut although it is probably a bit easier down back.

[bloodspirit]

First, maybe they're not that good. No shame there. You're setting a pretty high bar.

Second, aren't we often saying we don't want superstars, we just want a champion team?

[Ralph Dawg]

Mills and Heeney need to rise a level as well. They are good to very good currently and need to move into the very good to elite categories. Players like The Bont and Josh Kelly are only a year ahead and they stepped up.

Agree 100%. We will not improve our position on the ladder if these two don't take the game into the elite category. If they step up, it would be equivalent to adding, for argument's sake, Dangerfield and Hodge (when they were in their prime) to our lineup.

What would be fantastic is if Dawson, Aliir, Hewett or even Rowbottom were to have a breakout season.

[Captain]

I'm confident Ollie Florent will have a breakout year and give our midfield that missing spark.

Nic Blakey to play more explosive footy and have more impact.

Jordan Dawson to continue his rise in becoming an elite rebounding defender.

It's these 3 players who i see will be pivotal to our climb up this year, alongside Heeney, Mills, Papely plus an injury free Buddy and Naismith.

Mills and Heeney need to rise a level as well. They are good to very good currently and need to move into the very good to elite categories. Players like The Bont and Josh Kelly are only a year ahead and they stepped up.

[Boddo]

For this year I’d agree with Harley. Aim finals and see what happens.

IMO this is what most clubs would aim for in Sydney’s situation. May not happen but you’d be derelict Not to look for that outcome.

A year into Stephens, Gould & Warner with a first round pick plus Campbell & Gulden plus the possibility of fit Daniher for free added to what Sydney already have n your almost there ready for a massive climb up to the top.

The future is bright.

[KSAS]

I'm confident Ollie Florent will have a breakout year and give our midfield that missing spark.

Nic Blakey to play more explosive footy and have more impact.

Jordan Dawson to continue his rise in becoming an elite rebounding defender.

It's these 3 players who i see will be pivotal to our climb up this year, alongside Heeney, Mills, Papely plus an injury free Buddy and Naismith.

[stevoswan]

Barry, our % was 97 last year with an average losing margin of 22 points. We were in the game in our losing games up to 3 quarter time on most occasions. Natural improvement on that must take us up the ladder. And the 4 who retired had very few games for the season.

Sound reasoning but I'd like to see some gelling and some system along with some improved skills and grit on display in Tassie this weekend to be confident of a rise up the ladder.

[Nico]

There is no reason, on paper, why we can climb up the ladder to be vying for a spot in the bottom of the 8.

What is concerning from last year and this year is the absolute dogged determination to always be in the game seems to have gone.

Barry, our % was 97 last year with an average losing margin of 22 points. We were in the game in our losing games up to 3 quarter time on most occasions. Natural improvement on that must take us up the ladder. And the 4 who retired had very few games for the season.