2011 Top 8 Predictions

[deeboy]

Now that the draw is out I think it is a good time to start making our early top 8 predictions for next year.

Here is my predicted ladder:

1. Collingwood - Consistent enough to finish top again.
2. Western Bulldogs - Easy draw helps.
3. St Kilda - Will still be thereabouts.
4. Hawthorn - Should finally get back to top 4.
5. Geelong - A little slip courtesy of ageing legs and no Ablett and Thompson.
6. Melbourne - Easy draw should ensure that the Dees continue their climb.
7. Fremantle - Will drop off, but still win enough games at home to make top 8
8. Adelaide - Good young players + great coach = top 8.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Sydney - Slight drop post Roos/
10. Carlton - I think they will stagnate a bit and be passed by a few teams.
11. Port Adelaide - Plenty of young players will be given chances.
12. Brisbane - Brown and Fev will win a few off their own boots, but that is it.
13. North Melbourne - Tougher year for Kangas as Boomer and Rawlings age.
14. Essendon - Time to bottom out and rebuild.
15. West Coast - Their list is simply not good enough. Bye Bye Woosha.
16. Richmond - Despite encouraging end to last year, still a long way off.
17. Gold Coast - No forward line and no midfield depth = tough debut year.

 

[craxzydan]

you have Melbourne at 6th and North at 13th, biased much?

 

[TheKITC]

Nuh...

 

[deeboy]

Actually, if I was overly biased I would have Melbourne on top.

North have one of the toughest draws next year and I don't believe that their young kids are as good as people think. Also, their best players are still Harvey (33 next year) and Rawlings (30 next year).

I have nothing against North, but I think they are in line for a drop next year.

 

[hilly]

We may struggle as Blakey and Archer are getting on a bit.

 

[Boris the Contradiction]

Pies
Saints
Dockers
Cats
---------
Hawks
Dogs
Demons
Blues
--------
--------
Swans
Crows
Tigers
Kangaroos
--------
Power
Lions
Suns
Eagles
Bombers
---------


This is exactly how it will happen, mark it down

 

[Joshen]

I don't believe that their young kids are as good as people think.

Who? No one rates us, Dennis Cometti put it perfectly when we beat (50pts) Richmond earlier this year. "Grima's a good young player and if he were at Carlton he'd be a star" (words to that effect).

 

[ballanFYNE]

1. Collingwood
2. Hawthorn
3. Sydney
4. Fremantle
5. St. Kilda
6. Geelong
7. Carlton
8. North Melbourne

Melbourne or Richmond at 9th.

 

[deeboy]

Phew! Lucky Rusler put North in 12th and not 13th like me... he might have just avoided offending the masses

 

[Sin City]

Actually, if I was overly biased I would have Melbourne on top.

Nope, you pretty much nailed the overly biased thing as you were.

 

[The Donners]

14. Essendon - Time to bottom out and rebuild.

Do you seriously know that little about Essendon's list? More than half of Essendon's senior list are made up of players 22 or under.

22 or under = 20

24 or under = 6

26 or under = 5

28 or under = 3

30 or under = 2

30+ = 1

 

[Easty]

1. Collingwood
2. Hawthorn
3. Sydney
4. Fremantle
5. St. Kilda
6. Geelong
7. Carlton
8. North Melbourne

Melbourne or Richmond at 9th.

Surely you jest not including the Bulldogs in your top 10.

FWIW my ladder.

1. Collingwood - Best side in the competition by a street.
2. Fremantle - Heaps of upside as their kids continue to develop. Also they now have a genuine second ruckman.
3. St Kilda - Will be very good early but expect them to fade as most of their good players are aging.
4. Western Bulldogs - Good draw, and traded pretty well should keep them thereabouts.
5. Geelong - Will slip, but not because of Ablett.
6. Hawthorn - Good side, but 9 interstate games will hurt them.
7. Sydney - Good kids at the club and Longmire won't miss a beat taking over the senior role. Needs a star in his prime.
8. Adelaide - Will be a threat in finals next year when their young players find consistency and form, will storm home.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Melbourne - Some quality players, shame Bailey isn't good enough as a coach.
10. Port Adelaide - Younger players to show a bit as the season progresses.
11. North Melbourne - Same as Sydney, all their good players are still young.
12. Carlton - Ratten to be sacked before the end of the year when Judd can no longer carry them.
13. Brisbane - Brown will win them a couple but they will be relatively uncompetitive.
14. Richmond - Will start to come good in 2012 after they finally draft well.
15. Essendon - No good, coach is too green as are their players.
16. Gold Coast - Ablett to be exposed in a lower quality midfield.
17. West Coast - No upside. Good players too old, kids not up to it. Sad end to a good coaching stint for Worsfold.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Do you seriously know that little about Essendon's list?

Does it really matter?

Its fun reading ppl's views especially when they have no idea.

 

[deeboy]

Do you seriously know that little about Essendon's list? More than half of Essendon's senior list are made up of players 22 or under.

22 or under = 20

24 or under = 6

26 or under = 5

28 or under = 3

30 or under = 2

30+ = 1

My young, simplisitic friend, rebuilding isn't just a matter of getting rid of old players and bringing in young players. When you have too many poor young players you still need to rebuild. Quality, not age, is the determinative factor.

 

[Scootyb]

Melbourne will make the top 8 for sure i feel. Pretty soft draw

 

[Dylz48]

Why do people continuely underate Sydney they make the top 8 easy and wouldn't be surprised if they make top 4.

 

[stabler]

Lol. Poster puts own team in top 8 and apparently this makes him 'biased'. Give it a rest. Everyone knows Melbourne are coming, unlike Carlton who are shooting blanks.

 

[Basti28]

If no club gets an injury

Collingwood
Western Bulldogs
Hawthorn
St Kilda
Fremantle
Geelong
Sydney
North
---------------
Melbourne
Adelaide
The rest

There's still far too many variables for this to be anything approaching a precise science.

If my own team have a good run with injury then I can see us winning 11 games in 2011 and being an even money chance in 5 other games, so I expect us to make the finals if our good players stay on the park.

 

[The Donners]

My young, simplisitic friend, rebuilding isn't just a matter of getting rid of old players and bringing in young players. When you have too many poor young players you still need to rebuild. Quality, not age, is the determinative factor.

Is that so? Please name these poor young players.

Let's not forget Melbourne only won 1.5 more games than Essendon in 2010 - and our coach was sacked.

 

[brjafi]

west coast
essendon
brisbane
port adelaide
adelaide
gold coast
north melbourne
melbourne

 

[The Donners]

Lol. Poster puts own team in top 8 and apparently this makes him 'biased'. Give it a rest. Everyone knows Melbourne are coming, unlike Carlton who are shooting blanks.

No developed KP forwards and too small around the pill - not to mention possible 2nd year blues.

Melbourne are coming... but not prematurely... err... I mean just have patience and don't expect too much too soon.

 

[Basti28]

No developed KP forwards and too small around the pill - not to mention possible 2nd year blues.

Melbourne are coming... but not prematurely... err... I mean just have patience and don't expect too much too soon.

I agree that Melbournes climb will be a little slower than expected because they have physicality issues. It's the prime reason a team of similiar vintage like North had it over them in 2010 and will continue to have it over them in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, many Melbourne supporters believe that they will fly up the ladder based on skill alone.

 

[deeboy]

Is that so? Please name these poor young players.

Let's not forget Melbourne only won 1.5 more games than Essendon in 2010 - and our coach was sacked.

Zaharakis
Neagle
Myers
Jetta
Howlett
Hocking
Dempsey
Colyer

None of those players are actually going to make it. You can disagree, but I don't rate those players.

That isn't even including mid-age players, who aren't up to it, like:

Atkinson
Davey
Dyson
Lovett Murray
Mcveigh
Prismall
Slattery
Williams

 

[Tish]

I honestly think there are a lot of posters who have no clue about AFL.


With the 2nd easiest draw this season, it would be hard for Carlton to not make finals.

 

[Paranoid]

Collingwood
Fremantle
Carlton
Geelong
Sydney
Hawthorn
North Melbourne
Adelaide

St Kilda
Western Bulldogs
Melbourne
Port Adelaide
Richmond
Essendon
Gold Coast
West Coast
Brisbane Lions

this is what will happen.