Oppo Camp Non Geelong football (AFL) discussion 2025, Part 1

[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

 

[My Tilly]

Adelaide will play finals. Reckon their forward line will collectively take off next season.
Good midfield core too with Rankine, Dawson, Soligo, Sholl and now Peatling added to the outside.

 

[Vdubs]

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

Barring injury, I think and hope Ollie Henry will turn it on big time over the next few seasons- he has something very special.
But there have been those surprises every year - DeK/Stengle 22, Humphries/Mannagh 24..
I also think Bruhn will step up next year into our best mid.

 

[BotsMaster]

GWS v Dogs GF

GWS vs Carlton

 

[Vdubs]

GWS vs Carlton

Agree, very possible.
Both have great lists and upside.

 

[cats_09]

Here's the latest long term contract extension

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Here's the latest long term contract extension

Thoughts are with Kane Cornes RN

 

[And_ROOS]

Could easily see Swans making another GF with their talent, but unless the team in 7th or 8th shithouses their way into the GF how could you back them to win? This year was set up for them, they got an interstate team who finished 5th and had a difficult PF and they rolled over for them.

If you make the GF next year and you are a Vic club and you see you are playing the Swans, you would be laughing.

Only GWS would not back themselves in.

 

[Strange Cat]

Could easily see Swans making another GF with their talent, but unless the team in 7th or 8th shithouses their way into the GF how could you back them to win? This year was set up for them, they got an interstate team who finished 5th and had a difficult PF and they rolled over for them.

If you make the GF next year and you are a Vic club and you see you are playing the Swans, you would be laughing.

Only GWS would not back themselves in.

I think Port would choke too personally if they made it that far …but they won’t so it’s a moot point

 

[Gunf]

Here's the latest long term contract extension

Hmm 6 years isn't bad depending on how long was left?

1 year acceptable 2+ bad

 

[Gunf]

I think Port would choke too personally if they made it that far …but they won’t so it’s a moot point

That would actually be a funny GF to see who could choke harder

 

[My Tilly]

I'm not convinced about Sydney.
A couple of players appear to running on fumes and may have just played the best footy of their careers (notably Grundy). They also have tall forwards who don't look as good what many thought 18 months ago. Amartey and McLean are journeyman. McDonald looks like becoming elite one-day, perhaps more so as a defender.

They also have a lot of finesse players. Similar to the Geelong sides of the 90's where half the team was all finesse with very little hard-nosed battlers compared to West Coast, Carlton, North Melbourne and Hawthorn.

 

[FootyLad0]

Hmm 6 years isn't bad depending on how long was left?

1 year acceptable 2+ bad

They said until 2031 so you'd assume end of 2025 is when he is out of contract.
new contract kicks in 2026-2031

 

[Art Vandelay_]