Who will drop out of the top 8 in 2013??

[Hodge is God]

they might get tippet although i would rather and i think he might be going to brisbane

He won't go to Port, he's going to Queensland, either GC or Brisbane, because he grew up there.

 

[MWPP]

Can't wait to see the fixture, man already excited for season 2013.

Haha really? Already conceded season 2012 then? (don't worry, I kind of have too... )
I just hope eagles get either GC or GWS twice next season (surely it's our turn now, given we only played GC once last season, and GC/GWS once each this season!)

 

[Smokeyr67]

Cloak is a big loss to Collingwood.

But I thought he was a spud?

 

[RooPower89]

This season's not yet done, and the annual blind optimism for the coming year by Norf supporters has started... already! BF has a whole off-season to put up with such shit without your mob going earlier than usual.

It was just abit of fun calm down
Was our optimism over the pre-season unfounded?
Despite a poor start North have overall had a solid season and made the finals.
Another pre-season in Utah will improve the young players fitness even more.

 

[D-N-R]

Hard to see who will drop out of the top 8.
Hawks - Unless something goes catastrophically wrong, they will probably be top 4.
Adelaide - Despite what many think, are a good side and even if they drop I think they will be in the 8.
Swans - Surprised a lot of people with how good they have been. Would suggest they will still be up in the 8 and a doing a good job or recharging their list.
Pies - Very good side, good young players, can't see them getting worse. Definitely top 8 material.
West Coast - A few injuries have made this season a bit harder and hopefully that will improve, good depth although think we lack a classy midfielder.
Geelong - About the only team which could be described as being on the decline, but have blooded quite a few players and if they turn over their list the right way, will still be up and about. Might even go all the way this year.
Fremantle - Slow start to the year, so if they get it right next year, they will be right up there.
North - Had a few hiccups this year, but a very good side. If they can play at a consistent level, they'll be in the mix.

St Kilda - Probably heading south, they've had their shot and probably won't threaten. Will still be a threat on gameday, but doubt they will win enough for top 8.
Carlton - New coach, reasonably good list. Malthouse can get a lot out of players, so they have to be considered a threat.
Essendon - Injuries the story of the season. Good side, good talent, will be a threat if they can keep a healthy list together.
Richmond - Up and down season, good young team with some classy players. Obviously need to improve and should provide a threat to the 8.
Brisbane - Can't see them making the 8, but they have done well in a few games this year and looked the goods. Probably still need another year to develop before challenging the 8, but you never know. Will be a threat on their day.
Port - Need to improve a lot. Can't see it next year.
Bulldogs - Nope. More pain.
Melbourne - Whilst written off a being rubbish, I think there is a glimmer of hope in this side. Their problem, as I see it, is between the ears. Last year, despite some disasters, they won some games well. This year when they have looked like they give a shit, they played quite well. Can't believe that all their players are just bad picks. Dark horse for mine.
GWS and Suns - Development years again.

In brief, hard to see who will drop out of the 8 and I can see at least 3 teams who will be kicking the door down. There are a coupe of teams that will nick points off the top 8, so I reckon we are in for another very tight year next year.

 

[Brisbane2013]

He won't go to Port, he's going to Queensland, either GC or Brisbane, because he grew up there.

i meant he might go to the gold coast but if he goes to brisbane then that will boost our top 8 chance for next year we already have brown and jordon lisle (a former hawk) in our forward line so tippet up there will give us a fearce forward pocket

 

[RooPower89]

Haha really? Already conceded season 2012 then? (don't worry, I kind of have too... )
I just hope eagles get either GC or GWS twice next season (surely it's our turn now, given we only played GC once last season, and GC/GWS once each this season!)

Well I'm still hopeful of a win next sunday, but it would be against the odds.
A finals win in Perth would probably be our best win since the 99 GF.
Everyone needs to play their absolute best if we were to win.

 

[rayven]

But I thought he was a spud?

who are you?

 

[MOONEY 21]

I think Geelong are more likely to be out than in.

Scarlett and Wojo likely gone. Pods, Enright, Chapman, Corey and Hunt all 30+ and close to being past it. Had a good run with injuries to key players this year as well.

pods has only had his body battered by afl football for 3 years, not 10. Will play at least another couple of seasons.

 

[Spitta09]

I think there are really only 3 teams that I can see that have the potential to jump in:
Carlton- Talent is there, need to keep more players on the park and most importantly play as a team and stop being softies.
Essendon- Will start on fire as always injuries will determine if they make it or not
Richmond- Who knows with this side there is potential there though.

Stkilda will be there and abouts.
I think Brisbane are still 2-3 years off.

 

[Hard_to_Beat]

2 or 3 crucial players go down and anyone of 5 or 6 sides could miss the top 8.

Hawthorn: Franklin, Birchall, Mitchell - They would still make it.
Sydney: Kennedy, Jack, Mumford - Iffy
Adelaide: Thompson, Dangerfield, Walker - Miss
Collingwood: Jolly, Swan, Cloke - Miss
West Coast: Cox, Kerr, Priddis - Miss
Geelong: Johnson, Sellwood, Taylor - Miss
Fremantle: Sandilands, McPharlin, Fyfe - Miss
North: Goldstein, Swallow, Wells - Miss

 

[brendan84]

Buddy contracts a nasty case of syphilis from an unclean "woman" on an offseason trip. Consequently, it throws Hawthorn's 2013 campaign into disaray, crashing to a miserly 15th.

 

[Hodge is God]

i meant he might go to the gold coast but if he goes to brisbane then that will boost our top 8 chance for next year we already have brown and jordon lisle (a former hawk) in our forward line so tippet up there will give us a fearce forward pocket

Haha, that's okay
If Tippett went to the Gold Coast, Gold Coast would have an experience, good key forward which the Gold Coast desperately need, right now, even though the likes of Dixon is delevoping.
If Tippett went to Brisbane, I think, would most likely get into the top 8. With Tippett, Brown, Lisle, Zorko and Greene in the forward line, Rich and Black in the midfield and Merrett in the back. That's pretty good. Brisbane, in fact both Queensland teams, are going really well and going places.

 

[WCE_phil]

No-one ever seems to think the Swans will make the finals and every year we make the finals so I'll get in before everyone else says the Swans won't make the finals next year and say I don't think the Swans will make the finals next year and that way we'll make the finals next year.

The swans are my antithesis when it comes to tips and predictions so i'll leave them alone. They'll make the top 8 again next year. Of the teams that are there i cant see the hawks dropping out, the same with the eagles as even with a very difficult draw, 6 day breaks and bad injuries we have still made it to 5th proving last year wasn't some fluke. Adelaide are interesting as i think they have a reliance on a few players and are one of the few sides i can't see improving their position with the likely loss of tippett. Freo could go either way especially if they pickup a big name through free agency in the off season like predicted. Collingwood could well lose cloke as well as already having lost tarrant for next year. I dont think johnson will go on which is loss of depth / borderline best 22 and Their most important player in jolly will fall back that little bit further. In saying that they have ball to come back, krakeour to have a full preseason etc so it could go either way. Geelong i have falling out, they have lost scarlett, the old firm get yet another year older than this is the first year of the slide and i think it will only continue next year. North are interesting as while they have a lot of very, very good youth i cant see their best players playing any better than they have this year. They are a potential slider.

Of the teams that could come in the most likely to me are carlton and essendon . Carlton with a new coach (possibly malthouse) and if they can acquire a key forward over the off season could be a top 4 or even top 2 threat. Essendon just need to sort their shit out with their fitness approach and injuries. They tried to play catch up on the top 4 and it didnt work, but they have next season.

Of the other potentials i dont see richmond making it as their best players played very, very well this year and a lot of their support cast is just below standard its that simple. They are still 2 years away imo and need to find 3-4 more genuine best 22 players. St kilda are on the way down, their old firm will likely fall further and while they have been quite a good side this year and the best side i've seen outside the top 8 in years i think they'll fall away rather than picking up slack on their opponents. Brisbane are a very slim possibility and i simply dont rate the rest. Will be interesting watching melbourne and the dogs though as i think they both went the tank at certain stages this year and should have at least been a lot more competitive than they were.

 

[tesseract]

It was just abit of fun calm down
Was our optimism over the pre-season unfounded?
Despite a poor start North have overall had a solid season and made the finals.
Another pre-season in Utah will improve the young players fitness even more.

I'm completely calm.
Roo supporters are the most well known of all BF supporter groups to make outlandish and overly optimistic predictions for their own team. Making the finals is good, but it should've been a given with the draw North had. It's not that special of an achievement given this. North scraped into the finals thanks to Essendon's injuries and Carlton imploding.
Young players improving and better fitness is what all teams are about over the off-season. Not much of a reason to single out North in this regard.

 

[Smokeyr67]

who are you?

I could be your best friend, or your worst enemy, I could be your neighbour or from the other side of the planet, I am an enigma, hear me bore.

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

No-one ever seems to think the Swans will make the finals and every year we make the finals so I'll get in before everyone else says the Swans won't make the finals next year and say I don't think the Swans will make the finals next year and that way we'll make the finals next year.

Not 1 person has listed the swans to miss...

 

[Engimal]

-Geelong might finally feel the pinch from losing a couple more veterans and have a few other drop off. Though they've defied that before. You'd be brave to write them off.
-North 8th with a soft draw this year and a dream run with injuries. Probably the most likely to drop
-Soft draw for adelaide this year too, might lose tippet...also possible.

Rest should be there abouts.

This is a statement I hate. Yes, we did get a soft draw, a VERY soft draw. But to be blatantly honest, we sorta ****ed ourselves in the arse in the first half of the year, losing games you'd have expected us to win and getting a spanking from Hawthorn and nearly dropping the ball to Gold Coast. These canceled out that draw. From then on in, we won good games against hard opposition.
We deserve to play finals.

 

[Hard_to_Beat]

This is a statement I hate. Yes, we did get a soft draw, a VERY soft draw. But to be blatantly honest, we sorta screwed ourselves in the arse in the first half of the year, losing games you'd have expected us to win and getting a spanking from Hawthorn and nearly dropping the ball to Gold Coast. These canceled out that draw. From then on in, we won good games against hard opposition.
We deserve to play finals.

There's an element of truth in both angles.

I'm happy in the knowledge that we have a greater exponential improvement capacity than any other side in the top 8.

The is our real asset.

Goldstein, Cunnington, Ziebell, Harper, Bastinac, Atley, MacMillan, Wright, Hansen and Tarrant all have a shit load of upside.

8 of these players only became regular senior 22 players in 2012.

No other top 8 side has this level of potential upside.

McKenzie, Mullet, Black and Cam Delaney are expected to join that group in the next 18 months.

Majak Daw might even join them.

 

[Dickie Greenleaf]

I'm completely calm.
Roo supporters are the most well know of all BF supporter groups to make outlandish and overly optimistic predictions for their own team. Making the finals is good, but it should've been a given with the draw North had. It's not that special of an achievement given this. North scraped into the finals thanks to Essendon's injuries and Carlton imploding.
Young players improving and better fitness is what all teams are about over the off-season. Not much of a reason to single out North in this regard.

 

[bombermick]

It's impossible making predictions before the draft/trading period. Someone might destroy the draft WCE '10 style or trade really well like Richmond did last year.

Adelaide should improve getting Crouch, but other teams should improve more.

 

[RooPower89]

I'm completely calm.
Roo supporters are the most well know of all BF supporter groups to make outlandish and overly optimistic predictions for their own team. Making the finals is good, but it should've been a given with the draw North had. It's not that special of an achievement given this. North scraped into the finals thanks to Essendon's injuries and Carlton imploding.
Young players improving and better fitness is what all teams are about over the off-season. Not much of a reason to single out North in this regard.

Ok man, would you prefer if we all just said North will be bottom 4 next year?

We made to finals and deserved to, we won when it mattered.
We beat Essendon, St Kilda, Richmond & Carlton, who at the time were in contention for the top 8.
It wasn't to do with having luck with injuries or a soft draw.
Many other teams had it just as ''easy'' playing Port, Melb or Bulldogs x2
I've never known a team to be ridiculed as much as North has for not getting many injuries.
We obviously have competent medical staff.

 

[mufassa]

Wow - the draw is still 2 months from being released. I will have a look before knocking any teams out - or putting any teams in.

 

[RooPower89]

Not to mention we beat Essendon with two men down (Adams & Wells)
I'd say we made finals off our own back not Essendon/Carlton's mistakes.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Not 1 person has listed the swans to miss...

Yes, I know, I was referring more to some of the boneheads in the media who overlook us or underrate us time and again at the start of each season.