Analysis Are we a 2016 threat?

[Pie eyed]

I voted top 4, but it all hinges on pre-seasons and injury.
I can see us starting a bit raw, but finishing hard.
Two finals wins would be great as a lead up to a real tilt in 2017.
Outside chance we could pinch a flag though like the Hawks

 

[Stratts4Norm]

7-8 give it a year once the new guys get used to your system. And then 2017 you guys should push top 4

 

[spartan-magpie]

Flag in the bag. We will win Next year. We will become unstoppable.

I'm not drunk or delirious. I just see bucks Borgs completely smashing all comers. We will finally squash the Hawks and everyone else we play.

Top 4... Play Richmond in a prelim and absolutely pants them. 10+ goals on out to beating Wet Coke in the granny and thus beginning he west coast wobbles.

 

[South of the Yarra]

“The way I look at it within myself, why not? Why can’t I be the MVP of the league,” he asked. “Why can’t I be the best player in the league? I don’t see why [not]. Why can’t I do that?

 

[South of the Yarra]

No top 2 choice?

 

[DoubleDraw7710]

Flag in the bag. We will win Next year. We will become unstoppable.

I'm not drunk or delirious. I just see bucks Borgs completely smashing all comers. We will finally squash the Hawks and everyone else we play.

Top 4... Play Richmond in a prelim and absolutely pants them. 10+ goals on out to beating Wet Coke in the granny and thus beginning he west coast wobbles.

No credibility, Richmond would have to win a final to play them in the prelim.

 

[spartan-magpie]

No credibility, Richmond would have to win a final to play them in the prelim.

True. Change Richmond for Adelaide.

We can just trounce Richmond during the home and away.


Everything else stands.

 

[DrDavoren]

All I know is our future is so bright the club better be giving away shades with our memberships next year

 

[DrDavoren]

Once we secure Spencer White we are a monty

 

[Obese Arachnid]

Flag in the bag. We will win Next year. We will become unstoppable.

I'm not drunk or delirious. I just see bucks Borgs completely smashing all comers. We will finally squash the Hawks and everyone else we play.

Top 4... Play Richmond in a prelim and absolutely pants them. 10+ goals on out to beating Wet Coke in the granny and thus beginning he west coast wobbles.

Resistance is futile. You will assimilate to Buck's philosophy.

 

[Pie eyed]

No. We're a bottom 8 side. Not really good enough. Some of our young.players just aren't that good yet.

Wrong board.
Getting your alias's mixed up?

 

[JayJay35]

I'd say top 8 as a first step, with maybe sneaking into the top 4 if injuries are kind. Remember we came close on a number of occasions to the top teams, dipping out by a small amount of points. As D:REAM once said. " Thiiiiiings can only get better"

 

[TheWoodsOf72]

In 2016 we start with 20 including 11 in the 100+ game bracket and 9 in the 50-100 range.

100+: Reid, Brown, Toovey, Goldsack, Pendles, Swan, Sidebottom, Cloke, White, Blair and Varcoe (NB: Young delisted but included here to highlight the 9 100+ gamers)

At the start of this season I thought 5-11 was our likely range with it more than likely we'd miss the 8. This year I think our range is 5-9 with it more than likely we'll finish 5-7.

Based on this years form, Reid, Brown, Toovey and Goldsack are not looking good. Only Reid has upside if he can remain fit.

 

[motr]

We got Reid back just as the the door was shutting on our finals chances. Cloke was a pretty big out as well.

Inject, Reid, Greenwood, Scharenberg, Treloar, Aish, Howe, a fit Cloke and an unhindered Pendlebury and Elliot, and you really can't project off 2015.

If Buckley has a ceiling on this team it won't be just a home final.

 

[Nicco_jj]

I'm always hesitant to suggest where we'll finish... We've been cruelled by injuries every year since 2011. Literally every year there's some kind of off season injury to a hug player.

I just want to see our best team on the Park vs Hawks and then I'll tell you where we're at

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Inject, Reid, Greenwood, Scharenberg, Treloar, Aish, Howe, a fit Cloke and an unhindered Pendlebury and Elliot, and you really can't project off 2015.

If Buckley has a ceiling on this team it won't be just a home final.

This. Additionally another year into Grundy. And injury permitting I don't see a decline in Swan any time soon. Also add another couple of kids, Moore of course but also Ramsay Broomhead Marsh etc who had injuries recently

 

[Horaceg]

Yes we are, until its mathematically impossible, even then we still could be.

 

[Horaceg]

This. Additionally another year into Grundy. And injury permitting I don't see a decline in Swan any time soon. Also add another couple of kids, Moore of course but also Ramsay Broomhead Marsh etc who had injuries recently

Ben Reid is the key, the guy is that important when he is fit and in form and playing back, plus he adds the flexibility to go forward and impact. If he is fit he is All Australian quality, he is virtually a new recruit, he has played in a winning GF team and understands what it takes. Add Treloar, Aish and possibly something special from Howe, natural progression in our young talent, this year looks very exciting.

Keep a lid on it, they may not hear us coming.

 

[Adnan]

I reckon 4-6 is our spot next year. A lot rids on our backline and forward line if we were to win a grand final next year, that coupled with our overall ball use which will no doubt become better with a good pre-season and more game time into some of our boys. I think next year is meant to be the year where our young squad start to make a name for themselves and hopefully play a few games of finals footy to understand the pressure of footy in September and also get more game time into our 20-23 year olds. After this, we will be more than ready for a premiership tilt.

 

[partypie]

Based on this years form, Reid, Brown, Toovey and Goldsack are not looking good. Only Reid has upside if he can remain fit.

Huh? Nate was excellent all season:

Best key defender: Nathan Brown; 17 games; 20 goals conceded; 1.31 goals conceded every 120 mins
The 2010 premiership defender has played every game and spent more time on the field than any Pies backman, losing just 10 (17.5 per cent) of his 57 one-on-one contests – fifth in the AFL among key forwards. The 26-year-old, 110-gamer is a reliable percentage player who uses his experience to cut the angles, is solid defensively in the air and deceptively quick to close on leading opponents. His season high point was a round 11 obliteration of Giants star Jeremy Cameron.​

The only query on Reid is keeping him on the park - he made us look so much more settled down there immediately when he played those few games at the end of the season and added that touch of class we were lacking.

Toovey and Goldsack have obvious question marks above their heads now - I still like Tooves as a stopper on small and medium forwards despite his poor disposal at times, but with Howe coming in I don't know how Goldsack will fit into the 22 (although he's good for depth at either end when injuries inevitably come).

 

[Stoods]

I made a bet with a work mate this morning, he is a Melbourne supporter. He reckons Melbourne will finish higher than Collingwood and i obviously thought the opposite.

Winner gets a slab of beer (what ever beer they want)

Am i going to have a slab come september next year?

 

[Horaceg]

I made a bet with a work mate this morning, he is a Melbourne supporter. He reckons Melbourne will finish higher than Collingwood and i obviously thought the opposite.

Winner gets a slab of beer (what ever beer they want)

Am i going to have a slab come september next year?

any chance he wants to send one my way, Free beer, pity you have to wait

 

[Ingy]

I made a bet with a work mate this morning, he is a Melbourne supporter. He reckons Melbourne will finish higher than Collingwood and i obviously thought the opposite.

Winner gets a slab of beer (what ever beer they want)

Am i going to have a slab come september next year?

Double down says I

 

[Ingy]

You'd have to be a troll or the ultimate pessimist to have us out of the eight.

Every year for the last 3 or 4 we have massively improved our list through high draft picks and trades.

Out of all the guys we've moved on in that time, Beams and Thomas are the only guys who would make our best 22 Round 1 2015. I don't think Wellingham would get in and I'm sure Dawes wouldn't. Lumumba no chance. And Daisy's arguable. Compare that list of one bloke, then, with the list of guys who are in that best 22 we've brought in over that period. And then check out their ages!

We were finalists this year until Cloke went down. Without him we really struggled.

The past two seasons, the first not to see us in the finals in a decade, we were 8 - 3. All we have to do is not fall over. That's easier than having to get up in the first place.

Moore's only had a handful of games but already has a 5-bagger. I do not predict 2nd year blues for him. In fact I think opposition fans will be grumbling through gritted teeth about him by the byes.

And as ever, our position on the ladder will be determined by the comparative improvement/decline of our opposition as much as our ability to develop ourselves. All of Freo, Sydney, Hawks have ageing lists that will struggle to maintain their level and simply cannot improve.

We need to improve by as much as the Dogs and GWS will and I think we can.

Geelong are tripping. Beams with a B and F at the Lions shows how much impact a single player makes. Danger doesn't put them back into flag contention and neither will any of the other blokes they've picked up. That mob have been doing vandalism to their own list for four years now IMO. In a couple more years they'll be implanted in the cellar.

Buckley said 2-3 years ago that the goal was not to catch up with Hawks and Freo, it was to keep up with and match the Dogs and GWS. Turns out he's a pretty good judge doesn't it? The club's been kicking goal after goal and assembled an outstanding group of young players.

Port is probably the team that is currently operating at a higher level than us, who can improve sufficiently to stay clear of us.

All of that says 3 - 6 to me, I voted for top 4 because I believe in this group we've been assembling. I really do.

 

[Smokeyr67]

I'm of the belief that we could make top 4 if we have a fantastic run with injuries. We'll have a favorable draw, the midfield has the potential to be one of the best, forward line is serviceable, and hopefully having a fit Reid (and another year under Frosts belt) will help stop the leaking late goal syndrome.

Realistically, making the 8 is a pass, winning a final a bonus and top 4 would be fantastic!

I jave more to say on the subject, but I'm sober, so I'll get back and edit this post later this evening