Analysis Are we a 2016 threat?

[ThisIsJake]

After arguably our best ever trade period what do you think our 2016 prospects are.

Personally I saw us cracking the 8 again before I knew we were landing Treloar, Howe or Aish.

If I were to take a stab now i'd say 4-5, I have always been optimistic about our 2017+ prospects but I truly believe we could bolt a year early with the events of the last few days.

There is almost no area that will drop off in 2016, Swan being the only possibility. With so many potential improvements, from our captain getting over his 2015 injuries to adding GWS best 2015 midfielder into our already deep mix, it's almost endless.

You may think this is going a little early but outside of what will be a very uneventful Collingwood draft we won't get anymore fact based indications about the ability of this group until the Nab cup.

I did one of these last year and we did pretty well as a collective, so, where will we finish up 2016?

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Definitely, but as I've been saying all along, a lot still needs to go right.

- Decent year from Cloke
- FULL year from Reid
- Straighter kicking
- minimal injuries

Combined with this year's trade period, if the above 4 things happen next year, I reckon we're a serious threat.

 

[partypie]

Given that it's likely to take 13 wins again I'm thinking that being in the hunt for 7th-8th spot with 13-14 wins is probably just about the best case scenario. Need the forward line to fire (and kick straight) and full (healthy) seasons from no's 10, 16, 20, 32 and 36 (hopefully as a half forward) for that to happen.

Our depth in the midfield is significantly improved now at the top end (at the expense of fringe players), so hopefully we'll be able to handle the attrition that will inevitably come as the season unfolds.

 

[Stoods]

Ive voted 5-6th. Dont think we are quite ready for top 4 just yet (happy to be proven wrong) but i think we will be the bolter for next year, we have absolutely no reason to not make the finals. Id be happy with 5-6th as it means a home final..

A lot depends on-
- Reid staying fit
- Decent injury list in general
- Disposal Efficiency improves
- Game plan has some adjustments (the press can be good but once it gets exposed teams almost always score and our defenders are caught out)

 

[HappyRed]

I voted top 8. I believe we have a shot of 5th maybe or higher but feel its unlikely atm.
I think we will need a little bit of time for our team to settle yet. Really hoping we can get a steller year out of Reid, Cloke, Elliot, Pendles, Swan. Then we could do anything.

 

[crackedlogic]

Around 7-8th sounds about right, i mean anything can happen but a large portion of our player base could use another pre-season in the gym and another year to mature the body.

The talent on our list is fantastic and i would be happy to be proven wrong and we finish higher, i think the biggest point is the future is bright at the Collingwood football club!

 

[Shaneprice97]

The forwardline will still be a issue i think, unless a few things happen up there.

-Cloke goes back to 2011/2013 form.

-Howe gets played as the 2nd key forward in a Gunston/Jack Darling/Jake Stringer fashion and averages about 2 goals a game. I guess we will find out if he improves or declines playing in a higher scoring side. Plant him at CHF and see how he goes with his engine and strong contested marking.

-Jarrod Witts has a break out year playing 60% forward and 40% ruck, if he can kick 25 goals over 25 games, he will be huge for us.

-And if Elliot and Fasolo can play a consistent season, they will be borderline impossible to stop, they both had great half seasons.

 

[Good_Old]

Let's not get carried away.

5-9 at best imo.

 

[PieBeast]

Cloke getting back to form and a good output from Reid will be the most vital indicators of our position.

7/8th finish is definitely on the cards, well it better be....

 

[Stoods]

 

[dansa]

No.

But 2017,18,19 & 20 is looking positive.

 

[Chameleon75]

talent is there, if it's used correctly why not, should have played finals this year

 

[lenny20]

I'm pretty excited.

• Treloar comes in and instantly becomes one of our best players. Our starting midfield now contains Pendlebury, Treloar, Sidebottom and Adams. Then on the periphery we've got Crisp, Greenwood, De Goey, Broomhead, Varcoe and Swan. Add in players like Williams and Langdon who can rotate through, even Elliott, maybe even Scharenberg, and it's an amazingly deep running side. Then there's Aish:
• Aish is genuine silk - he won games for Brisbane off his own boot in his first year. The kid's ready to go. He only fell to the Lions' pick 7 because we were obliged to take Scharenberg after he slipped to our pick. He's highly rated by Hine and the South Australian master Rendell, that's good enough for me.
• Howe is handy, and in addition to being spectacular, he'll finish second only to Sidebottom in the 2km time trial - an excellent runner. He's got elite endurance, sticky hands, a great kick and a fair whack of X-factor. He seems a great fit for a high half-forward role which we've been lacking - Fasolo and Elliott both excel playing closer to goal, and White has been adequate but underwhelming.
• All three recruits showed a real determination to get to Collingwood when offers from other teams were superior. Treloar committed to the Pies early above all others and continually rebuffed increased offers from Richmond. Aish was "hell-bent" on reaching the Pies even when North were offering both he and Brisbane the world. Howe took a reduced contract to get to Collingwood. These three guys want to be here - that's the sort of loyalty you can really build a team ethos around.
• Our list is another year older and more experienced. We've got so many players on the verge of entering their prime. To name just a few: Adams, Treloar, Elliott, Williams, Crisp, De Goey, Moore, Scharenberg, Broomhead, Aish, Grundy, Langdon and Marsh should all be improved prospects going forward.
• At the top end, Pendles, Swan and Cloke will still be a handful for the very best opposition on their days.

There's so much to like here. Go 'Pies.

 

[South of the Yarra]

Yes we can and will win it.

 

[Snell1234]

Absolutely no reason why we cannot win the flag next year.

Reasons for this are:

• We stack up well against our competition. Leaving Hawthorn aside, we are every bit as good as West Coast on paper. Out of the other top 4 teams this year, we should go past Sydney and in my view Freo. Our list is now superior to the Dogs and the Tigers have not improved. North are no good. Hawthorn still the best team, and we should have beaten them this year without our additions and all the subsequent development since that stage.
• Our midfield now has the elite players to complement the depth. We go deeper than anyone and the addition of treloar means we have an A grade starting midfield again - first time since 2011.
• Continued development of our younger players i.e. Moore, Grundy, De Goey, Scharenberg.
• We have a well balanced list - all key positions are covered except for maybe a bit of line-breaking pace and a small forward in the mould of Rioli.
• Ben Reid is finally fit and over his injuries. Watch the difference he makes to the team next year.
• History suggests Hawthorn will not win 4 in a row. We are as well placed as anyone to knock them off.

For me, top 4 is a minimum next year.

 

[sirlothie]

Not next year but should have a window after that.

 

[Maggie5]

To get into the 8 in 2016 we need to dislodge one of the following:

1 Fremantle - No
2 West Coast Eagles - No
3 Hawthorn - No
4 Sydney Swans - Maybe
5 Richmond - Yes
6 Western Bulldogs - No
7 Adelaide Crows - Maybe
8 North Melbourne- Yes

So there seems to be two spots available and i think that we would be competing for those two spots against:

Geelong
Port
St.Kilda - will be big improver

Will depend on things already mentioned plus our likely draw.

Might just sneak into 8th position which will be good experience.

 

[domin8tors]

someone made a comment earlier that we are basically adding the below to our best 22. I can't recall the number but I think that we lost this year 5 or 6 games under 10 pints. those 6 players below more then cater for those 10 points. that then puts us on 15/16 wins and on the cusp on the Top 4. Players on the fringe will be Blair / Mccaffer / Goldsack / Toovey all Premiership players. then Witts / White /Frost / Sinclair / Oxley & Maynard who are all capable and adding good depth.
Greenwood
Reid
Sharanberg
Treloar
Aish
Howe

 

[MarkT2]

No threat to the flag.
Small outside chance at top 4 if all goes right for us and few other fall in a heap.
Reasonable chance at playing finals.

I'd have us finishing 6-10.

 

[MarkT2]

someone made a comment earlier that we are basically adding the below to our best 22. I can't recall the number but I think that we lost this year 5 or 6 games under 10 pints. those 6 players below more then cater for those 10 points. that then puts us on 15/16 wins and on the cusp on the Top 4. Players on the fringe will be Blair / Mccaffer / Goldsack / Toovey all Premiership players. then Witts / White /Frost / Sinclair / Oxley & Maynard who are all capable and adding good depth.
Greenwood
Reid
Sharanberg
Treloar
Aish
Howe

That may be true but you can be certain that we will also lose best 22 players top injury as well. A lot will depend on who that is.

 

[domin8tors]

That may be true but you can be certain that we will also lose best 22 players top injury as well. A lot will depend on who that is.

of course but we lost top 22 players also this year year also. purely from Starting position we are much better placed. last year you would say that Toovey / Goldsack / Blair would be starting 22. now I'd say not.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

No. However, not making finals is completely unacceptable.

 

[iGNITER]

On our day we can mix it with the best.
On a bad day we lose to Melbourne.

 

[iGNITER]

No. However, not making finals is completely unacceptable.

Finals is a must next season. No excuses.

 

[NT.Thunder]

We need to learn to win the close games. Once we master that we are a genuine flag chance.