Analysis Are we a 2016 threat?

[TradeDraft]

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

Getting Class Players in Aish and Treloar will hopefully help us win Close Games

 

[Magpie Since 1986]

If the likes of Goldsack, Blair, Toovey and White play less than 10 games between them then I reckon we will be a threat.

 

[Buckleys_Chance]

We should finish top 8 next year and the drums will start beating for Buckley's scalp if we don't. That being said, I hope the people who are saying we will finish top 4 or be a chance at a flag remember that they are the ones that set those expectations when our young list starts to fade towards the end of the season. We have a lot less finals experience in our team than most pies supporters are used to. We are moving the right direction but let's not get ahead of ourselves

 

[Antz]

I reckon we will finish top 4 or maybe just outside. With a bit of luck with injuries and winning the close games we will definitely be a premiership threat. We will do a 2014 Port Adelaide and a 2015 Western Bulldogs. Bookmark it

 

[left at home]

some where between 6-9 next year, but 2017 4-6

 

[Markfs]

I've been thinking about this question for the last 3 hours and I think the answer is that it might depend on how well we play....

 

[Ant85]

We definitely have the potential to finish 4-8. We already showed this year that we can match it with the best, so we should feel confident about our style of football.

A full pre-season, another year of fitness preparation for the younger bodies, fewer injuries, we're definitely up there. Not sure if we can launch an assault on the flag right away, we'll know by round 8 next year.

It might take a few rounds for our midfield and forward line to gel with the new recruits, but I expect more consistency across the season than we've seen in the past two years.

The challenge for Bucks will be to develop the game plan, and become more flexible given he now has more talent to work with.

 

[PicaBoo]

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?

Reminiscent of last year, no doubt we can challenge the best early in the season, not sure yet how we will do at the end of 2016.
Having said that, last year , for too many positions people were fighting over who should be in. Selection will be a lot contentious in 2016. We just added 3 best 22 , most places are locked down but we are not settled yet nor experienced.
Treloar and less extend Aish I am more then comfortable about their ceiling. I got high ( pun intended ) hopes for Howe and Elliott.

 

[dmoore30]

No silly idea in my opinion. Make top 8 first and give the team some sort of finals experience, then in 2017 aim for top 4 and possibly in 2017 aim for a premiership but definitely aim for a premiership 2018+.

But this is all my opinion

 

[motr]

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?

No problems with us paying overs to garner a team that will challenge this year.

Can't leave it to other clubs to perserve the legacy of the machine.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Reminds me of a more balanced 2007 squad (in terms of age). In 2007 we had some very special kids that were just a little too early to jag a flag and their development meant a few veterans were just a little too old to get their deserved medals in 2010 (Clement, Buckley, Burns, Rocca, Lockyer, Wakelin, Prestigiacomo, Davis, Medhurst, Fraser, O'Bree). I genuinely think we can go the whole way next year like we nearly did in 2007 but to do so we have to make the four which is probably the challenge.

 

[Gambit78]

We would have been a threat in 2015 if we could kick straight.

I'm really thrilled with our trade period, but I can't help feel a little worried about our inability to kick well at goal in the second half of 2015. It really killed us. We had Hawthorn on toast. We had Sydney on toast. We kicked 7.12 against freakin Melbourne. We have to get that right, because there's no point having the best midfield in the competition for the next ten years, if the forward line doesn't function.

 

[Troglodyte]

So long as we don't have another year ruined by injuries we are a great chance for top 4 and from there anything's possible. From this year's finalists we should be at least as good as Richmond/Bulldogs/North/Sydney/Adelaide and we already proved this year that we're not far behind the Hawks and the Dockers. If we're not good enough with the current list, we could be in trouble because our highest pick this year is 27 and next year (say we come 4th) 33 so there's no more top end talent to come in.

 

[motr]

Without injuries we were top
Eight material this year. Without an experienced ruck division probably had no right to expect anything more.

Gift us a Jolly this year and we are certainly a threat. So much depends on Witts and Grundy.

Anyone got an historical parallel with our inexperienced ruck division.

 

[4tone]

The point is definitely being missed here...

Prepare to bow to the great

Mr Brendon 2016 Abbott.

 

[doodles98]

Without injuries we were top
Eight material this year. Without an experienced ruck division probably had no right to expect anything more.

Gift us a Jolly this year and we are certainly a threat. So much depends on Witts and Grundy.

Anyone got an historical parallel with our inexperienced ruck division.

We had our best season in 4 years with respect to injuries.. absolutely zero excuse there.

 

[MrStealYourGirl]

Honestly I can't see us been a genuine top 4 side unless Cloke rekindles his 2011 form. Fasolo, Elliott, Broomy and even now Howe aren't proven consistent performers and unless these blokes find that consistency Cloke will always be heavily relied upon (darcy is a bit of a unknown in terms of what he will offer next year). Our midfield is elite and our backline is very solid in all aspects, but the forward line has what has let us down in the last 2 back ends of seasons when we fatigue and can't apply that manic pressure that leads to goals. I believe we can be a threat next season, but more realistically the year after when moore adds strength and is a 35+ goals forward option.

 

[motr]

We had our best season in 4 years with respect to injuries.. absolutely zero excuse there.

How do you measure that?

In my mind Reid are Greenwood were critical to our success. When they weren't major contributors, we were always going to struggle.

When key players are in place, you can cope with injuries.

 

[Snell1234]

Why is that?
Personally I cant see us finishing top 4. There is no way IMO we have one of the best 4 lists.

Have to disagree with you.

Hawthorn's list is better than ours. But only for probably next year.

Who's list would you have ahead of ours? We have way more depth than the dogs and we have added some A grade talent to match their top end talent. As I said, depth wise, we shit all over the dogs.

I wouldn't have Richmond ahead of us, nor would I have Sydney or Freo now. On paper, we are every bit as good as West Coast. They got on a run this year, coupled with an easy draw and their enormous home ground advantage, and things rolled on for them until they were stopped in their tracks on grand final day.

 

[Smoky]

Yes

 

[doodles98]

How do you measure that?

In my mind Reid are Greenwood were critical to our success. When they weren't major contributors, we were always going to struggle.

When key players are in place, you can cope with injuries.

Games missed through injury is measured and is a stat you can find somewhere. They do it on a club by club comparison and we were bottom third this year if I remember rightly. At least Reid did get back on the park this year and Greenwood was never going to be critical to our success. We struggled most when Reid and Greenwood did get in the team.. they weren't playing first half of the year remember. We had a good injury year compared to the last 3. Not a single acl this year and injuries do happen to every team you know.

 

[The Pied Piper]

Top 6+ next year with even luck with injuries. Bit more certainty about best 22 with the 3 additions. Lack of polish cost us dearly this year in all the close fought losses, & we could not have addressed that gap more immediately than with Treloar & Aish. Like Big Kev, I'm excited, but more. Looking fwd to the Hinester jagging a couple more good prospects in the draft ..

 

[Kappa]

People as usual have gone way too early, still 2-3 years away from being a contender.

 

[jjsmitty8]

The lid is well and truly off.

People as usual have gone way too early, still 2-3 years away from being a contender.

No one has to settle for that. If you don't do into a season trying to win the flag, you're wasting your time. Add a bit of good fortune and you can never say never.

 

[Visions]

Straighter kicking at goal...my god I'd love one day to be 12.4 instead of 4.12 wasting so much effort.

And therein lies our greatest problem. Has been for about a decade.