Oppo Camp Non Geelong football (AFL) discussion 2024, Part 2

[cats_09]

"Biggest evening since the 2020 GF"

Exactly - surely the unfurling of the premiership flag in 2021 was their biggest evening since the 2020 grand final

 

[Vdubs]

Early prediction- GWS Swans GF 2025.
Based on lists & underperformance in 24.
Blues and Dogs in similar contention.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Who would be desperate enough to pay to attend an event like this

There's gonna be a lot of pressure on these kids.

 

[Gunf]

Early prediction- GWS Swans GF 2025.
Based on lists & underperformance in 24.
Blues and Dogs in similar contention.

Can the Swans bounce back from a second embarrassment if 3 years though? And if they do will they NOT choke in finals again?

 

[Vdubs]

Can the Swans bounce back from a second embarrassment if 3 years though? And if they do will they NOT choke in finals again?

If they played GWS in a GF, no HGA for either- Swans could win that; both teams are stacked with talent. Pretty enviable in some ways, that many picks over the next 2 years or so. Our grass is pretty green too, I know, it always is.

 

[My Tilly]

Can the Swans bounce back from a second embarrassment if 3 years though? And if they do will they NOT choke in finals again?

No.
They will slide and merely make up the numbers for years on end.

They do not have a champion caliber team. A few players are currently running on fumes. Grundy, Adams, Rampe, Fox and they have another core of players who are quickly turning out to be nothing more than journeyman.

 

[Vdubs]

No.
They will slide and merely make up the numbers for years on end.

They do not have a champion caliber team. A few players are currently running on fumes. Grundy, Adams, Rampe, Fox and they have another core of players who are quickly turning out to be nothing more than journeyman.

Heeney won some games individually- not sure he can do that again, but Gulden, and Warner, if he stays, are part of a formidable trio. It's ridiculous speculating now, but there are several teams that have excellent prospects- Bulldogs, Carlton, Hawthorn as well. Will not include us in this thread, but we are always there and abouts.

 

[cats_09]

Early prediction- GWS Swans GF 2025.
Based on lists & underperformance in 24.
Blues and Dogs in similar contention.

Sydney to miss the 8

 

[Strange Cat]

Can the Swans bounce back from a second embarrassment if 3 years though? And if they do will they NOT choke in finals again?

Big task mentally …I can’t see it

 

[Vdubs]

Sydney to miss the 8

Ok, GWS v Dogs GF?
You must really rate Luke Parker...?
But seriously, they are always in contention, ,like we are. Good list. Really well run club.

 

[Strange Cat]

Ok, GWS v Dogs GF?
You must really rate Luke Parker...?
But seriously, they are always in contention, ,like we are. Good list. Really well run club.

And mentally shot

 

[cats_09]

Ok, GWS v Dogs GF?
You must really rate Luke Parker...?
But seriously, they are always in contention, ,like we are. Good list. Really well run club.

I would have loved to have had Parker in the hoops a few years ago and while I think he'll be a solid addition (especially leadership wise) for North, I'm not sure Sydney will necessarily miss him - we need to remember that Sydney only loss 7 matches this year, and 4 of those losses were with Parker in the team

Like us, Sydney try to put themselves in a position to compete each year but after 2 absolute demoralising grand final losses from the past 3 seasons, I wouldn't be surprised to see it take it's toll in 2025 - there'll likely be a few mental scars

I think there's also questions if they have the ability to step up and find another gear in finals - from their 23 h&a matches this season, they broke the 100pt mark on 13 occasions. The last time they scored 100 points in a final was their elimination final win over Essendon back in 2017


Bulldogs are another team I expect to drop out if finals contention and don't consider them a premiership contender


I never discount us from being a contender and curious to see how we respond next season after disappointing loss in the prelim - think there was a lot of positives from this season and that with the next gen that stepped up this year having another year under their belt, we should be well placed to contend. Every year we seem to find 1 or 2 youngsters on our list who pleasantly surprise with the step up taken over summer -looking forward to seeing who that is next year