Which team is lurking?

[fronkalicious]

As our 2014 season crashed and burned, and the club with it, most of us still felt we were amassing a nice base of young talent that could push the club forward in time.

None of us saw it happening this quickly, and in lots of ways, our 2015 season was more surprising than 2016, but a lot of us, and the club itself internally, felt the build was well and truly on track.

So hawthorn, Geelong, GWS and the swans will challenge again in 2017. Yawn.

But outside that group, there will be a club lurking, like we were a few years back. A club that is ready to pounce and launch a brazen assault on the top 4, as we did, and as port Adelaide did in 2014.

A new challenger will emerge in 2017.

So who will it be?

 

[BRWB]

If Melbourne weren't Melbourne, I'd say Melbourne. Love their list build. Lewis and Hibberd will be great additions adding leadership, hardness and ball use.

WC are interesting. If Mitchell can pass on his elite big game traits and coolness under pressure, then look out.

Freo could come from nowhere as well. Add Fyfe, Sandilands, Bennell, Hill, Hamling, Pearce, Johnson, McCarthy and Kersten to any team - and it's going to improve - a lot. Noting they finished top two years ago.

 

[VitalDread]

Melbourne and Saint Kilda will be my guess.
Both are building via the draft and added key pieces to their line up and a game style like ours (2015 us not premiers us).

 

[gangsta deluxe]

Collingwood have shown how good they can be when it clicks. Their midfield has the potential to match it with the best.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was them.

 

[TiAn_]

Melbourne.

If not for some bad luck (Norf) and inconsistent efforts (Bombers, Saints) they would have been playing finals last year.

Oliver, Petracca, Brayshaw, Vandenberg, Weideman, McDonald should all be better.

Lewis, Hibberd and Melksham will replace the Matt Jones types.

With Gawn & Hogan, and their ability to run up high scores, the Dees could be the Victorian version of the Eagles.

Saints will be decent but don't have the quality to go with the top 8 teams consistently.

 

[MJ_Dogs]

Saints. They have drafted and traded quite well over the last 3 years. They're building very nicely and have set themselves up to have a massive crack at a Fyfe type next year.

Still a lot of question marks though. Will the depth players they have recruited stand up consistently. Ours did/have.

How will they cover Reiwoldt?
Do they have enough top end talent atm? Billings hasn't done anywhere near enough (compare what we've got from Bont) apart from one game, which we never hear the end of where he kicked a bag against witches hats who were emotionally and physically crippled from 2 sets of circumstances. He needs to stand up. Will mccartin get a consistent run at it? Can see clear talent but the concussions are a real worry. For all the flack they've given us about Boyd, well our man won us a flag. Sorry, this isn't meant to be a bitter post! But this crap we've copped from them about Boyd v Mccartin and how Billings was a superstar after one game against witches hats and therefore greater than Bont still irks me. We ended up with the flag you bastards!!!

But alas, I do believe they're the next cab of the rank and ahead of Melbourne. It just remains to be seen if Billings, Mccartin, Carlisle and freeman can get to the level they'll need from them. Unfortunately for them though, they'll be coming up against the GWS juggernaut. We managed to get in just before that thank Bevo. But I see GWS, doggies and saints battling out prelims in the years to come.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

St Kilda, Melbourne, or Essendon

 

[Pannalstaroz]

Melbourne. Not convinced on the Saints yet.

As much as talent is important, I think our game plan and coaching has been the driving force behind our rise. Not sure Richo has a point of difference in his coaching that will take the Saints to the promised land.

And I just rate Melbourne's talent higher.

 

[Royale]

We were in a rebuild yes. But I firmly believe that if Macca was still coach we would still be struggling to make top 8.

Bevo has brought the best out of our list. And maybe we stole a premiership early. Who knows, time will tell.

But if teams like Saints and Melbourne and Pies are to get anywhere near a premiership, they may have half the equation right with their drafting and recruiting, but can the coaches. actually coach?

We were arguably a more talented team under Macca in 2014. Come the offseason we lose Griff, Higgins and Coons and in 2015 we make a finals series. That's no fluke. That's coaching.

Under Macca we could not put teams to the sword. We couldn't claw back leads, we couldn't beat teams above us on the ladder and we certainly struggled against teams we should've beaten.

The complete opposite under Bevo.

So the question is can these guys coach? You give them a pass because of a rebuild - for now.

 

[Mutt]

Melbourne for me as well. A new coach will make a huge difference. Roos was actually holding the team back with his unimaginative, overly defensive game plan. Goodwin will have them spreading from the stoppages much better and playing a more daring and attacking style.

Freo is the other option...surely they couldn't be that bad again. Could they?

 

[dogzrule]

St Kilda and Melbourne for me

 

[BrisDog]

Unfortunately for them though, they'll be coming up against the GWS juggernaut. We managed to get in just before that thank Bevo. But I see GWS, doggies and saints battling out prelims in the years to come.

How good is it that we broke the drought just before Gil's Globetrotters do their inevitable 3 peat in the next few years? Thank you Lordy - you have made my decade!

I said yesterday that the key for any club in the next few years is to avoid drawing GWS in a Prelim and hope GWS choke it up Grand Final Day - their list is that good.

I went to the Granny, but that Prelim at Spotless remains the best game I have ever been to.

 

[Yojimbo]

I think Essendon and Fremantle will be the teams in 2017 to
emerge from the bottom eight and challenge if they get all
their suspended and injured players back on the park and
playing good football.

St Kilda are like us two years ago in that their statistics at
Etihad stadium compared to away are stark and Melbourne
have a new coach next year so who will he favour and who
will become his Dean Terlich or whipping boy.

North Melbourne are training with scuba diving weights so
they can get to the bottom quicker and getting rid of the
dominant Robin Nahas (King of the showers) will only
speed their descent.

 

[Mofra]

None of us saw it happening this quickly, and in lots of ways, our 2015 season was more surprising than 2016, but a lot of us, and the club itself internally, felt the build was well and truly on track.

So hawthorn, Geelong, GWS and the swans will challenge again in 2017. Yawn.

I'd say Melbourne, perhaps St Kilda but Demons for sure.

FWIW I see Geelong and the Hawks beginning their decline - Geelong's cliff is approaching (Enright's loss is huge, our Matty Boyd record over the last two years is zero wins without him IIRC, Enright is as important to their backline).
Caddy reduces their already thin midfield depth.

Hawks just got rid of their no 1 & 2 B&F winners for peanuts, and bring in Tim Mitchell (8th best for the Swans) and a kid who hasn't played for 2 years.
Hodge, Burgoyne & Gibson aren't getting any younger either so will have to be managed.

 

[Libba39]

The answer is.....US!

People will expect us to drop off after our fairytale, underdog, against the odds win.

 

[AliPud]

St. Kilda for me. They have the top end talent, a good spine (with Carlisle in) and a game style which held up against this year's finalists (Cats, Dogs, Hawthorn lost by 3) when they applied it well.

This said, there are still a lot of question marks:
1. Can they eradicate the heavy losses?
2. Can McCartin stay on the park?
3. Do they have any genuine superstars?
4. Can they play well, week after week?
5. Will the recruits add the 10% they need?

My prediction; St. Kilda, Melbourne or Fremantle makes the 8, but none of them are close to making a prelim

 

[Optimistic Dog]

How good is it that we broke the drought just before Gil's Globetrotters do their inevitable 3 peat in the next few years? Thank you Lordy - you have made my decade!

I said yesterday that the key for any club in the next few years is to avoid drawing GWS in a Prelim and hope GWS choke it up Grand Final Day - their list is that good.

I went to the Granny, but that Prelim at Spotless remains the best game I have ever been to.

Hard to beat the Granny but the prelim was something special as well. I never get sick of replaying JJ's run and pass to the Bont the goal that put us in front and the same time never get sick of replaying Boyd's goal to seal the premiership.

 

[jdz101]

I have melbourne finishing higher than collingwood in a bet with a mate but it will take me a while (and a full list turnover) to rate melbourne to do anything significant in finals or perform when there is an expectation of success on them.

That team is still made up of half mental short people that think losing is an acceptable practice.

 

[stefoid]

As much as talent is important, I think our game plan and coaching has been the driving force behind our rise. Not sure Richo has a point of difference in his coaching that will take the Saints to the promised land.

For sure. Who saw this coming? Wood, Picken, Boyd, Dickson, Wallis, JJ ??? Nobody, thats who.

All these guys went from from fringe/trade-bait/delist discussion to having career best years in the blink of an eye. Purely due to coaching.

 

[Dazb86]

Melbourne and St Kilda seem to be tracking well.

 

[Metal]

Collingwood. They weren't far off it this year. Added 2 pacy players to their mix, plus Treloar is a gun, and I think they're a real chance in 2017.

Wells and WHE, if they can get it right, could make this team hard to contain, especially with Moore up front.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

I know it sounds ridiculous, especially as they have all the top 10 picks that will take a while to come on, but Gold Coast.

Tom Lynch is only going to get better and don't forget all their injuries last year.

 

[Struggle]

Port or gold coast will push for the 8 spot if they stay healthy. Gold coast have an amazing spine and if Gazza keeps fit they should be decent.

Not sold on st kilda or the dees, saints still have a pretty poor midfield and the dees backline and forwards outside of Hogan aren't quite there yet, Goodwin might not be up to it either.

Could make reasonable arguments for any of Collingwood, Fremantle and the bombers too but I don't see it

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Port or gold coast will push for the 8 spot if they stay healthy. Gold coast have an amazing spine and if Gazza keeps fit they should be decent.

Not sold on st kilda or the dees, saints still have a pretty poor midfield and the dees backline and forwards outside of Hogan aren't quite there yet, Goodwin might not be up to it either.

Port won't. Look at their age profile - they've got a team aged perfectly to challenge for the flag. This means they're not a young enough team to massively improve which means they need a change of coach to challenge for the flag after missing out for two years.

Players like Boak, Gray, Hartlett aren't exactly young anymore.

 

[Martyn_30_]

Melbourne and St Kilda both had great runs with injury this year I think both teams will struggle if they're having to bring in depth players.


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