Cameron Noakes' D grade for our season stirred a bit of debate and got me thinking. It instinctively feels too low given our injuries, the youth of our list, and the mostly promising performances. However, we did only win 5 games and slid down the ladder, so it can't be higher than a C grade I think.
And certainly we expect and need to improve next year. I felt John was a little anxious late in the year - both to, on one hand, contextualise our performances in light of the factors I mentioned above, but also to emphasise that we can't get used to/happy with losing. He knows we need to find winning habits quickly, before we institutionally forget how to win.
So I'm sure most, if not all of us expect us to improve next year. But just what kind of improvement is par?
I know we have a trade and draft period to come, but I think we can proceed on the basis that we'll get Gulden, Campbell and another top 5 pick. The unknown is ruck, which surely we'll address separately. We also need at least a young KPF, because we have to plan for Buddy to be missing again and possibly never return.
So, in 2021:
a) what do you think is par, where anything less than that would be underachievement/a failure; and
b) what is a realistic best case scenario, which we should aim for?
I think:
a) par is 10th
b) realistic best case scenario is 6th
Even putting aside the ruck/forward unknowns, we have to expect development from fifth year Florent and Hayward, third year Rowbottom and Blakey, and second year Stephens. Our backline should be strong, with Rampe, McCartin, Melican, Lloyd, Mills, Cunningham and swingman Dawson.
Heeney should play in the forward half, and he and Papley should aim for 30 goals each.
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