2012 Predictions

[ThePuppetMaster]

Just because you're confused doesn't mean all of us are!!!

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

1 Collingwood Still has the best list
2 West Coast Got a taste for it
3 Hawthorn Midfield getting old will hold them back
4 Geelong Still better than the rest even without Ottens
5 Carlton No key forwards will tell again. Can cause upsets though
6 Fremantle Bound to improve defensively
7 Essendon Same again until midfield and forwards develop
8 Adelaide Better than last year suggests. Can jump up
9 Richmond Is there any other position
10 St. Kilda Will drop, inevitable. Too slow
11 Sydney Sides will go past them in 2012
12 North Melbourne No self belief, one step back before two steps forward
13 Melbourne Confused club, no idea what's going on
14 Bulldogs No key forward, no grunt
15 Lions Same as Melbourne
16 Gold Coast Still young, will still get whipped
17 Port Adelaide Same again, no depth, no talent, no hope
18 GWS The % booster, new kids on the block

Premiers Collingwood (Only injuries will stop them)
Runners-Up Carlton (Please God make this happen)
Brownlow Pendlebury
Coleman Buddy
NAB Cup Fremantle

Lol at the bolded. Our oldest mid is Mitchell who is 29. Hodge is next and is 27 Don't think that's going to have impact on 2012.

And only injuries will stop/can stop Collingwood What happened this year?

 

[Gus]

TAB 2012 Afl Ladder to play finals:

Pies $1.08
Cats $1.12
Hawks $1.20
Saints $1.35
Blues $1.45
WCE $1.45
Swans $1.50
Roos $1.75

Crows $1.80
Essendon $1.80
Freo - $1.90
Rich $3.00
Bris $3.50
Melb $3.50
Dogs $4.00
Port - $11.00
Suns $17.00
GWS $51.00

Saints shorter than WCE and Blues?? Bris and Melb on the same line. Dogs rated a bottom 4 team in 2012.

If I can find a spare 50 bucks I might chuck it on the Dogs. Never know what could happen, I think we're still good enough to scrape into the 8 with guys like Lake, Cooney, Morris back and fit.

 

[Monco Matt]

^^^ Melbourne are confused, accept it, have been since the 1960's.

^^ Hawks, well, I was really just thinking about Mitchell, Sewell, Bateman, Osbourne mostly.....I still rate the Hawks though.

Pies lost to Cats in GF and will cop that on the chin but injuries played it's part. If we were able to push a healthy list into the finals the result may have been different, like 2010, but shit happens!

 

[spudmaster]

^^^ Melbourne are confused, accept it, have been since the 1960's.

^^ Hawks, well, I was really just thinking about Mitchell, Sewell, Bateman, Osbourne mostly.....I still rate the Hawks though.

Pies lost to Cats in GF and will cop that on the chin but injuries played it's part. If we were able to push a healthy list into the finals the result may have been different, like 2010, but shit happens!

And if we had a healthy list you wouldn't have been playing in the Grand Final

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

We haven't looked confused this pre-season.

 

[kid_a]

1. Hawthorn
2. Collingwood
3. Carlton
4. Geelong
5. West Coast
6. Fremantle
7. Essendon
8. St.Kilda
--------------
9. Richmond
10. Sydney
11. Melbourne
12. North Melbourne
13. Brisbane
14. Gold Coast
15. Port Adelaide
16. Western Bulldogs
17. Adelaide
18. GWS

Hawks to beat Blues in GF

 

[Godzke]

Interesting re Dogs. This time last year many would've said the Dogs are primed for an epic premiership tilt and now they're ... effectively ... favourites for bottom 4? I thought they'd drop quickly but nothing like that.

Still, it's all speculation until it happens.

 

[eddie betts]

1. Hawthorn
2. Collingwood
3. Carlton
4. West Coast
5. Geelong
6. Fremantle
7. North Melbourne
8. Melbourne

9. Sydney
10.St. Kilda
11. Essendon
12. Richmond
13. Adelaide
14. Western Bulldogs
15. Brisbane
16. Gold Coast
17. Port Adelaide
18. GWS

Premiership: Collingwood
Grand Finalist: Collingwood & Hawthorn
Brownlow: Pendlebury
Coleman: Franklin
NAB: North Melbourne

 

[darsh!]

2012 AFL Ladder


1. Collingwood 80
2. Geelong Cats 72
3. Carlton Blues 64
4. Hawthorn 64
5. North Melb 56
6. West Coast 56
7. Fremantle 48
8. Essendon 48
9. Sydney 48
10. Richmond 44
11. Melbourne 40
12. Brisbane 36
13. St Kilda 32
14. Gold Coast 28
15. Adelaide 24
16. Wbulldogs 24
17. Port Ade 24
18. GWS 8

 

[liz]

Interesting re Dogs. This time last year many would've said the Dogs are primed for an epic premiership tilt and now they're ... effectively ... favourites for bottom 4? I thought they'd drop quickly but nothing like that.

Still, it's all speculation until it happens.

This time a year ago, the Dogs had AA quality bookends in Lake and Hall. Now they have lost Hall, while Lake had an eminently forgettable season and no-one outside the club really has much idea why.

Lake might recapture his form of recent seasons past. A Jones or Grant might stand up and prove to be a real focal point in the forward line. The Dogs might find a way to manage Cooney's knees so that he can play close to his best footy for more weeks than he was able in 2011. But is is understandable why outsiders, at least, have reservations that any, let any all, these things will happen.

 

[tacopavlich]

no Freo v Saints never on my must watch list

So your argument that Freo will bottom out with Lyons defensive game plan at Subi is based on nothing?

why do you bother posting

 

[Slattery_20]

If I can find a spare 50 bucks I might chuck it on the Dogs. Never know what could happen, I think we're still good enough to scrape into the 8 with guys like Lake, Cooney, Morris back and fit.

You're at least as good a side/list/chance as Dogs, Dees, and a class above Brisbane. Only value there IMHO.

 

[yeee_haaaa!!!!!]

Lol at the bolded. Our oldest mid is Mitchell who is 29. Hodge is next and is 27 Don't think that's going to have impact on 2012.

And only injuries will stop/can stop Collingwood What happened this year?

injuries and suspensions did stop them. endured a horror run in the 2nd half of the season and the only surprising thing really was first of all that neither the eagles or haw could beat them in their 1st 2 finals and then how well they played for 3 quarters of the GF coming off such an interrupted preparation. in an ironic sort of way the finals did actually demonstrate just how much better than the rest they were - with such a banged up 22 heading into finals they still won 2 finals and were thereabouts at 3/4 time on the big day

pies still clearly the best list heading into 2012 but as 2011 shows that is no guarantee of anything. much rather be one of the best 3-4 lists but the fittest and best prepared/managed of those best 3-4 heading into sept

as for the hawk midfield getting old - i don't buy into that. shiels savage smith to name just a few showed some of their wares in 2011. they can only improve in 2012. plus if rioli's hammy holds together he should be a regular in the middle as well. hawks are well placed for a genuine tilt in 2012

 

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

Most people are making this mistake and so did I with my ladder but there is no possible way Adelaide will finish with less than 6 wins with 2 games against Port, Gold Coast and GWS.

Minimum 10th place next year by default. Could be higher.

My revised ladder

1 Hawthorn - Roughead back will be huge. 2008 was unexpected, this is the time they were meant to peak.
2 Collingwood - Tough draw, but still too even and have too deep a list
3 Geelong - Lots of good kids to fill the void, amazing off-field culture
4 Sydney - Always a surprise top 4, 2nd year for horse, good kids, culture of success
5 Carlton - Don't see them continuing to evolve and improve, still too many gaps to be a challenger, lack the evenness and depth of teams above
6 North Melbourne - Lost lost of close ones last year, good draw, need kpp kids to stand up though
7 West Coast - Consolidation year, had a good run last year, Woosha is a gun
8 St Kilda - Can't write off a team with Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Hayes, Fisher. Not much underneath though. A desperately needed new voice, more freedom.

9 Freo - Don't believe Lyon is the saviour everyone thinks he is, should have won a flag at the saints, no guarantees Sandilands will be over his injuries
10 Adelaide - Strong club, like st kilda will relish greater freedom under a less draconian coach, crazy awesome draw
11 Essendon - Could finish anywhere between 6th and here, will be a good side, iffy draw
12 Richmond - like their list more than Essendon's, North's and Melb's. Vickery to be a star by season's end. Very impressed by Hardwick as a coach
13 Melbourne - Year of turmoil cant be forgotten so quickly, new coach, weak culture
14 Brisbane Lions - Very good midfield coming through, voss starting to earn his stripes
15 Gold Coast - Scarily good kids. We forget they had just a couple of months to train before season 2011, will be much better for a second pre-season together. Will have some decent wins
16 Western Bulldogs - Missed their shot, too old, injury prone a-graders, new coach, tough draw
17 Port Adelaide - GC and GWS are over-shadowing how terrible this side is, worst established side since Fitzroy 96
18 Greater Western Sydney - Will beat Port once, less experience than GC this year. There will be blood

Richmond look too low now

 

[Godzke]

^^ some fair points there ... and that definitely could be the ladder next year (although, anything could be). Personally I'd be swapping North and Freo, WCE and Sydney.

Can't disagree more on Richmond though. Not on where you have em (12 sounds about right) but on the comment regarding their list. Definitely take any of Ess, Melb or North's lists over Richmond. Definitely. Without blinking.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

There is always a trend; bottom 5 to top four.

I don't understand why or how, but it happens.

If Brown and Merret stay fit I'd almost say it could well be Brisbane.

 

[syl]

Ugh. Anyone who talks about club culture is an idiot.

Mine:

1 Collingwood
2 Geelong
3 Hawthorn
4 Sydney
5 West Coast
6 Carlton
7 North Melbourne
8 Fremantle

9 Essendon
10 Melbourne
11 Richmond
12 Adelaide
13 Brisbane
14 Western Bulldogs
15 St Kilda
16 Gold Coast
17 Port Adelaide
18 Greater Western Sydney

 

[Thats Wright]

I'm putting some money on Freo and I'll also put some on us as I feel we are slim chance if we can get a decent run without injuries.

Why invest with such astute gambling when the world's going to end next year?

 

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

Ugh. Anyone who talks about club culture is an idiot.

Anyone who ignores club culture is an idiot. It's why talented young teams get beaten by 186 points. Bad coaching can only be blamed for so much, everything else is above the shoulders.

 

[Leg End]

Anyone who ignores club culture is an idiot. It's why talented young teams get beaten by 186 points. Bad coaching can only be blamed for so much, everything else is above the shoulders.

I agree.
Sydney's continued finals appearances in recent years and success in 2005 (almost 2006) is due to a genuine team culture which helps overcome having many non-top tier players.

 

[theflea]

i think he means club culture is ingrained and cant be changed.

 

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

Not necessarily, I'd say Hardwick has done great things at the Tiges. Stems from leadership, Neeld and Craig could do the trick at the Dees.

 

[gangsta deluxe]

Not necessarily, I'd say Hardwick has done great things at the Tiges. Stems from leadership, Neeld and Craig could do the trick at the Dees.

Not McCartney at the dogs though eh? Part of your justification for putting us so low was 'new coach'. I think you'll have to justify that comment (not the others, they are fairly accurate), particularly as in the other cases you list the new coaches as positives, i.e. at St Kilda 'desperately needed new voice'.

You confuse me sir! I think you'll need an explanation, that or just put the comment about our coach as a throwaway.....

 

[fpm84]

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

9. North Melbourne
10. Adelaide
11. Western Bulldogs
12. Essendon
13. Melbourne
14. Richmond
15. Brisbane
16. Port Adelaide
17. Gold Coast
18. GWS

Grand Final: Collingwood v Carlton
Premiership: Collingwood
Norm Smith: Sidebottom
Brownlow: Selwood
Coleman: Franklin