2012 Predictions

[AG]

Is being 'too undersized for a KP' becoming the most irrelevant argument on BF. I fell into the trap of saying that previously but results are starting to speak for themselves.

Jack Riewoldt, Josh Gibson, Ted Richards etc. All names who are targeted with the above label of being undersized. The fact is they perform as key position players. Riewoldt won the Coleman after dominating at FF. Gibson and Richards were outstanding this season at FB. That argument is dead for those players.

Sort of agree with the rest of your post but a key point is the competitive nature of the club, which means we are normally a chance at sneaking wins agains the top teams, like Geelong this year for example. We are an average team performance wise, or very slightly above average. Yes we have average key forwards but, as I said before, you are flat out wrong about the defence.

 

[Slattery_20]

Is being 'too undersized for a KP' becoming the most irrelevant argument on BF. I fell into the trap of saying that previously but results are starting to speak for themselves.

Jack Riewoldt, Josh Gibson, Ted Richards etc. All names who are targeted with the above label of being undersized. The fact is they perform as key position players. Riewoldt won the Coleman after dominating at FF. Gibson and Richards were outstanding this season at FB. That argument is dead for those players.

Sort of agree with the rest of your post but a key point is the competitive nature of the club, which means we are normally a chance at sneaking wins agains the top teams, like Geelong this year for example. We are an average team performance wise, or very slightly above average. Yes we have average key forwards but, as I said before, you are flat out wrong about the defence.

Leo Barry would be just about the prime example IMHO. Shorter than most of the flankers next to him.
Wouldn't call Reiwoldt or Richards undersized, both 192-193 odd OTOH, that's about what you'd want.

Certainly it's not cut and dried, the best job I've seen anyone do on Gumbleton (and he's a very, very big man) was Andrew Walker.
I would take a good 190cm player over a 194cm dud most times. You do need the odd gorilla (195+), probably one each end (for you guys Reid & Spangher), to make sure you can cover all the likely match-ups.

 

[MaddAdam]

Is being 'too undersized for a KP' becoming the most irrelevant argument on BF. I fell into the trap of saying that previously but results are starting to speak for themselves.

Jack Riewoldt, Josh Gibson, Ted Richards etc. All names who are targeted with the above label of being undersized. The fact is they perform as key position players. Riewoldt won the Coleman after dominating at FF. Gibson and Richards were outstanding this season at FB. That argument is dead for those players.

Sort of agree with the rest of your post but a key point is the competitive nature of the club, which means we are normally a chance at sneaking wins agains the top teams, like Geelong this year for example. We are an average team performance wise, or very slightly above average. Yes we have average key forwards but, as I said before, you are flat out wrong about the defence.

Yet when push came to shove, Gibson was beaten when it counted by the big beastly forwards. As he always did at North, as he always will. Because he's undersized for that role.

 

[.Shotties.]

Ted Richards - struggled to make the side for the first 2/3 of the season.

Way to prove DA wrong on that whole "knowing something about our list" thing.

 

[AG]

Yet when push came to shove, Gibson was beaten when it counted by the big beastly forwards. As he always did at North, as he always will. Because he's undersized for that role.

Not purely because of his size, because they were the better players. He played 20+ games, probably would have been beaten in less than 5. So what, he plays on dwarfs the other 15+ games?

You're just looking at size because it's Gibson. Cloke, JPod, etc. were the players who got on top of him and it's because they are two of the best key forwards in the league. Size plays a part but he played the whole year at FB and was recognised as one of the best, so surely he is more than capable of playing key position. As is Richards. Dale Morris is another one.

 

[Pinpoint Pass]

Is being 'too undersized for a KP' becoming the most irrelevant argument on BF.

No.

The most irrelevant or incorrect statement, which was used by the same poster, is someone or a team playing above themselves.

It is impossible, without the use of drugs, to play better than what you are capable of.

Coming a close second is the term giving 110%

 

[J_Moore]

Ted Richards - struggled to make the side for the first 2/3 of the season, he's a 3rd tall backman and an undersized FB or CHB.

No he didn't. That was 2010. He was excellent for the entire year this year. I'm not saying he'll necessary carry that over into next season, and his consistency this year was an aberration in terms of his career, but he was a fixture in our side for the entire year, and one of the best backs in the competition.

 

[Blue and Silver]

Dale Morris, Chris Tarrant, Craig Bolton all undersized defenders

Fev is 190 if the club stats were to be believed but never looked taller than Judd at 188.

 

[Ironmonger]

BaH! Senior players? What about breakout seasons for McKenzie, Smith, Gaff , Darling, Natanui, Scott Selwood,Shuey, Kennedy, Schoefield etc
Loads of improvement still in these guys.

Definitely loads of improvement in those guys, but I think young players often find it hard to back up after a break-out season, so that might be a bit of an issue for the Eagles in 2012.

For similar reasons I'm convinced that Gold Coast will finish seventeenth in 2012, unless someone really bombs out. Young teams and players have more improvement left in them over their careers, but that does not mean they always improve more quickly.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Ted Richards - struggled to make the side for the first 2/3 of the season

I really shouldn't bother with any more of your points after this shocker, but I will.

Johnson after 1 season you think you backline is set?

Over confident to the extreme.

The years he's played doesn't matter, what we know is his 2011 was very good and along with the two other guys I mentioned that's a very capable and dependable backline.

Do you discard Darling from your forward plans when discussing West Coast's chances for 2012? I seriously doubt it and I wouldn't expect you to.

Here's a thought. How many opposition supporters post "I would love to have (Johnson / Grundy / Johnson / White / Walsh) in my side, it would make us a top two side?

Not sure, depends on how many opposition supporters knows as little about our players as you do, which given the nature of BigFooty is probably quite a lot. If there are any teams around the 3-5 mark in need of a quality defender, then Grundy, Richards and to a lesser extent AJ could definitely make that difference.


P.S. Who's the other Johnson?

 

[10571z]

Going to be an epic year. I cant wait for Collingwood v Hawks round 1. Could tell quite a tale

 

[democritus]

Collingwood and Hawthorn to battle it out for top honours.
Geelong to slide slightly and Carlton to finish top four
All I'm willing to call at the moment.

Pretty much every team bar GCS, GWS and Port will fancy themselves as finals contenders.

 

[MaddAdam]

Not purely because of his size, because they were the better players. He played 20+ games, probably would have been beaten in less than 5. So what, he plays on dwarfs the other 15+ games?

You're just looking at size because it's Gibson. Cloke, JPod, etc. were the players who got on top of him and it's because they are two of the best key forwards in the league. Size plays a part but he played the whole year at FB and was recognised as one of the best, so surely he is more than capable of playing key position. As is Richards. Dale Morris is another one.

He certainly didn't play as a traditional FB. Gibson had an excellent year but it was in a carefully constructed role in a very tightly run defence and then, when it counted and finals footy happened and there was big beast forwards, he got found out.

Because fundamentally you can orchestrate a defence to have him going third man up a lot, but in the first ten minutes of a close final, footy gets hot and those structures often fall apart and the undersized defender taking on a key forward gets found out.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

What are peoples opinions on the dogs?? I reckon they could sneak into the 8 but probably do no real damage....time for a rebuild?

 

[100action]

What are peoples opinions on the dogs?? I reckon they could sneak into the 8 but probably do no real damage....time for a rebuild?

as you can see from this thread bottom 4.

 

[Joshen]

I doubt they'll fall that far. There's too much quality on their list for that to happen and with a fit and firing Lake, Cooney etc. with continued output from Griffen, Murphy etc. finals are a possibility. You can't predict how a new coach will affec them but losing Ward will hurt + Hall is gone so I think they are more likely to fall in the 9-12 region; same as this year.

 

[cramdogs]

I doubt they'll fall that far. There's too much quality on their list for that to happen and with a fit and firing Lake, Cooney etc. with continued output from Griffen, Murphy etc. finals are a possibility. You can't predict how a new coach will affec them but losing Ward will hurt + Hall is gone so I think they are more likely to fall in the 9-12 region; same as this year.

Yeah I'd agree with this. Not getting my hopes up for 2012, but bottom 3-4 on the ladder predictions are starting to get me worried! Did I miss something? If our main players get up each week, I doubt we will fall that far.

 

[Obeanie1]

Yeah I'd agree with this. Not getting my hopes up for 2012, but bottom 3-4 on the ladder predictions are starting to get me worried! Did I miss something? If our main players get up each week, I doubt we will fall that far.

Bottom 3 or 4 won't happen unless injuries take major toll.

Just outside the 8, 9 > 14 is a reasonable guess, you have a number of decent mids and small forwards and backs. The improvement of your younger KP forwards is the key, that and Lake down back.

If everything clicks then the bottom of the 8.

 

[93567]

My prediction is that, next year, fewer posters will feel that the threat of starting a poll is a legitimate technique to settle a difference of opinion. Actually, that's not my prediction, that's just what I dearly hope. Do I have to start a poll to get this through to people?

Seriously, my prediction is that the Dockers will win both the Grand Final and the Wooden Spoon, and everything in between. If you don't believe me, will the hollow and utterly sapless threat of a poll convince you otherwise? hmm?

 

[TheLastEmperor]

1. Pies - Bounce back
2. Hawks - Improve enough to challenge for a Granny
3. Cats - Still thereabouts
4. Blues - Continue to improve and make a prelim
5. WC - There draw isn't as easy as 2011 however still a good team and on the up
6. Freo - Players back on the park and a decent coach. Will improve
7. Swans - Still hanging around the bottom half of the 8
8. Demons - A bit of professionalism and the club will begin to show their potential
9. Bombers - Touch and go for a finals birth
10. Saints - Will get games into youngsters however slide in the process
11. North - Too reliant on to few. There up and comers need to find some consistency
12. Tigers - Still a year or two away from challenging for a finals gig
13. Crows - I can't see them improve too much from last year
14. Dogs - on the slide
15. Suns - A slight improvement and could win 6 games with a couple against GWS
16. Lions - I can't see there rut finishing anytime soon
17. Port - As above
18. GWS - Will be lucky to win one game

Grand Final - Pies / Hawks
Premiers - Pies
Brownlow - Pendlebury
Coleman - Buddy

 

[Pegasaur]

1. Pies - Bounce back
2. Hawks - Improve enough to challenge for a Granny
3. Cats - Still thereabouts
4. Blues - Continue to improve and make a prelim
5. WC - There draw isn't as easy as 2011 however still a good team and on the up
6. Freo - Players back on the park and a decent coach. Will improve
7. Swans - Still hanging around the bottom half of the 8
8. Demons - A bit of professionalism and the club will begin to show their potential
9. Bombers - Touch and go for a finals birth
10. Saints - Will get games into youngsters however slide in the process
11. North - Too reliant on to few. There up and comers need to find some consistency
12. Tigers - Still a year or two away from challenging for a finals gig
13. Crows - I can't see them improve too much from last year
14. Dogs - on the slide
15. Suns - A slight improvement and could win 6 games with a couple against GWS
16. Lions - I can't see there rut finishing anytime soon
17. Port - As above
18. GWS - Will be lucky to win one game

Grand Final - Pies / Hawks
Premiers - Pies
Brownlow - Pendlebury
Coleman - Buddy

Don't be too adventurous.

 

[Hu$tler]

Don't be too adventurous.

Took the words out of my mouth.

Apart from last 4 lines, post is not even close to predicting anything lol.

 

[WinmarToLockett]

I think it's quite a sensible prediction.

Everyone always expects there to be slight changes to the ladder from the previous year, but there never is. Teams always improve dramatically, and teams slide equally dramatically. When you consider injuries, scandals, poor runs of form, anything can happen to a team.

 

[TheFourPillars]

He certainly didn't play as a traditional FB. Gibson had an excellent year but it was in a carefully constructed role in a very tightly run defence and then, when it counted and finals footy happened and there was big beast forwards, he got found out.

Because fundamentally you can orchestrate a defence to have him going third man up a lot, but in the first ten minutes of a close final, footy gets hot and those structures often fall apart and the undersized defender taking on a key forward gets found out.

I think you are being simplistic in your descriptions with your sort of reasoning harry taylor is an ordinary defender because he got found out in the grand final. I think what Geelong did really well is take advantage of and isolate Schoenmakers. Gibson and the rest of our defenders rotate through different opponents during the game. We were found out for experience and fitness more than anything else. Schoenmakers had three different opponents and they kicked the ball to him which meant he was spent chasing them around. His fitness levels were not upto it. he had a limited pre season and also missed 6 weeks during the regular season.

P.S Gibson was our FB this year most weeks and he was one of the reasons we finished 3rd this year

 

[Pegasaur]

I think it's quite a sensible prediction.

Everyone always expects there to be slight changes to the ladder from the previous year, but there never is. Teams always improve dramatically, and teams slide equally dramatically. When you consider injuries, scandals, poor runs of form, anything can happen to a team.

I was being sarcastic, there is hardly any change in that ladder.