Who will win the premiership in 2015

[Roddy]

False analogy. Adelaide had a piss easy draw in 2012 and did jack shit in 2011. Then they lost Tippett. Port have made the finals two years in a row with a reasonably hard draw in 2014. Then they recruited Ryder.

Of course, you can pick holes in any example like that, if you try hard enough.

I could probably come up with a dozen more examples, if I could be arsed. You would go searching for flaws, so I won't bother.

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

Not to mention, as good as Ryder 'is'....is he really that good. He has had 1 'vaguely' AA type season. He is very inconsistent and plays his best football as a ruck man. I am far from convinced he will be as good as a forward who rucks in patches.

For me Port are getting to the most ovverated status, and it isn't their fault. Everyone is saying...Ryder will get them a flag...well um no. He might but I'd be banking on Sydney and Hawthorn first!

You'd think so but I don't think Port are overrated. Depth was (and probably remains) an issue, particulary with Talls and Port have done well to secure Ryder. Westhoff will be filling holes across the back half and feeding the ball out to runners all year.

 

[Roddy]

Not to mention, as good as Ryder 'is'....is he really that good. He has had 1 'vaguely' AA type season. He is very inconsistent and plays his best football as a ruck man. I am far from convinced he will be as good as a forward who rucks in patches.

For me Port are getting to the most ovverated status, and it isn't their fault. Everyone is saying...Ryder will get them a flag...well um no. He might but I'd be banking on Sydney and Hawthorn first!

He will be a reasonable addition to their side, that's about it. He sure as all hell ain't no messiah.

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

Of course, you can pick holes in any example like that, if you try hard enough.

I could probably come up with a dozen more examples, if I could be arsed. You would go searching for flaws, so I won't bother.

No worries Rod. I couldn't be arsed looking for flaws either but you really are wary of Port aren't you.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

You'd think so but I don't think Port are overrated. Depth was (and probably remains) an issue, particulary with Talls and Port have done well to secure Ryder. Westhoff will be filling holes across the back half and feeding the ball out to runners all year.

We will see. I am far from convinced. As I said they have two ruck men who play their best in the ruck. Ryder has been tried as a forward before, he goes in an out of games up there. He is at his best in the ruck where he can rest forward. Not sure he'll get that luxury at Port.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

He will be a reasonable addition to their side, that's about it. He sure as all hell ain't no messiah.

Port better hope they have no injuries down back thats all I'll say. Sydney and Hawthorn were creamed with injuries. There is a reason why they played the GF.

 

[Roddy]

No worries Rod. I couldn't be arsed looking for flaws either but you really are wary of Port aren't you.

I'm wary of any good side, as I'm sure Clarko and the whole team is. Not rocket science. But that's ok, I've just watched us win back 2 back and 3 in the last 7 years, plus of course 11 in my lifetime, so I'm pretty satisfied....

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I'm wary of any good side, as I'm sure Clarko and the whole team is. Not rocket science. But that's ok, I've just watched us win back 2 back and 3 in the last 7 years, plus of course 11 in my lifetime, so I'm pretty satisfied....

Your side is the favourite this year and rightfully so. Only a real stack of injuries will stop you being in a prelim.

 

[Roddy]

Your side is the favourite this year and rightfully so. Only a real stack of injuries will stop you being in a prelim.

If I was a betting man, which I'm definitely not, I would put money on a 3rd Hawks v Swans grannie in 4 years. Tough in my household again, my Missus is a very passionate Swan, but that's footy....

 

[LukeParkerno1]

If I was a betting man, which I'm definitely not, I would put money on a 3rd Hawks v Swans grannie in 5 years. Tough in my household again, my Missus is a very passionate Swan, but that's footy....

Yep, honestly can't see it any other way. Both sides have the best depth and over the course of a season that is critical. While Port can match it with their best 22..once you get to their 25th-27th players you see a massive drop. They would want to hope they are at full fitness.

 

[Roddy]

Yep, honestly can't see it any other way. Both sides have the best depth and over the course of a season that is critical. While Port can match it with their best 22..once you get to their 25th-27th players you see a massive drop. They would want to hope they are at full fitness.

Anything can happen though, could end up being Port vs North or something insane like that....

 

[Lethality]

If premierships were decided by talent and teamwork alone, then I would pick Hawthorn again, but it doesn't work that way. There is a fair bit of luck involved to win a flag.

 

[Lethality]

Yep, honestly can't see it any other way. Both sides have the best depth and over the course of a season that is critical. While Port can match it with their best 22..once you get to their 25th-27th players you see a massive drop. They would want to hope they are at full fitness.

I don't have the Swans in the top 4 for next year. The loss of Malceski, the decline of Goodes and Shaw and Richards means that they are vulnerable.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Anything can happen though, could end up being Port vs North or something insane like that....

If North get a flag with their squad...well it aint happening. Fluking a few wins over sides half strength lol. What was the score in the Prelim again? Sydney were not even trying!

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I don't have the Swans in the top 4 for next year. The loss of Malceski, the decline of Goodes and Shaw and Richards means that they are vulnerable.

Malcheski is the biggest loss. The others we can cope, not the Shaw played much last year anyway. Goodes is still good enough as that 3rd tall. Richards I agree, but like Lake for Hawthorn don't be that surprised to see him rested throughout the year. Has 1-2 years left. Hawthorn and Sydney are the best 2 sides.

 

[Roddy]

If North get a flag with their squad...well it aint happening. Fluking a few wins over sides half strength lol. What was the score in the Prelim again? Sydney were not even trying!

Were tired and running on empty by then. Beat all top 4 sides during the year. Have a mercurial side that could make a GF or finish out of the 8.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Were tired and running on empty by then. Beat all top 4 sides during the year. Have a mercurial side that could make a GF or finish out of the 8.

Yeah...they were tired. Beating a 1/4 strength Sydney doesn't count either. I just don't see how they have improved their list. Jarrad 'turn up 1 game in 10' Wite doesn't help.

 

[Marmozet]

haha can i have what you are smoking?

Just because he predicted a team that you don't like to win the flag, doesn't mean you have to personally attack him like that.

 

[Roddy]

Yeah...they were tired. Beating a 1/4 strength Sydney doesn't count either. I just don't see how they have improved their list. Jarrad 'turn up 1 game in 10' Wite doesn't help.

From a pure Hawthorn point of view, I'm actually more concerned about North than Port. North always seem to play above themselves when they play us, pull a ridiculous performance out of their arses somehow. I don't know how or why. Even when we beat them it's usually close, and they are in a position to win it close to the final siren.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

From a pure Hawthorn point of view, I'm actually more concerned about North than Port. North always seem to play above themselves when they play us, pull a ridiculous performance out of their arses somehow. I don't know how or why. Even when we beat them it's usually close, and they are in a position to win it close to the final siren.

On the positive it is the easiest game of the year to win money....take the line and you clean up every single year!

 

[captain cotch 9]

The Hawks are obviously a real chance again.
Port can definatley win if they keep their best 22 on the park. We saw how quickly their form droped off once they had a few injuries this year.

 

[DaVillaBlues]

Not to mention, as good as Ryder 'is'....is he really that good. He has had 1 'vaguely' AA type season. He is very inconsistent and plays his best football as a ruck man. I am far from convinced he will be as good as a forward who rucks in patches.

For me Port are getting to the most ovverated status, and it isn't their fault. Everyone is saying...Ryder will get them a flag...well um no. He might but I'd be banking on Sydney and Hawthorn first!

Not sold on the Swans at all, especially have they have aged another year and lost one of their (arguably) most important 6 players in Malcheski, and were (unfairly) locked out of trading.

Sam Reid, Jetta and Tippett certainly need to atone for appalling grand final performances, you can argue that Sydney went into the GF with too many talls, and Hawthorn, not the quickest team around, tore them to shreds,especially in the midfield on GF day.

Gary Rohan certainly hasn't come on as well as the Swans have hoped.

Tom Mitchell definitely needs more games in 2015, as well as the likes of talented young kids in Cunningham, Lloyd, the younger Jack etc

Swans may very well slide a spot or two next year, right now i can't tip them for the GF. Just think Port and Hawthorn have bolstered their list, Sydney haven't (least in the short term)

 

[Hawkas1988]

From a pure Hawthorn point of view, I'm actually more concerned about North than Port. North always seem to play above themselves when they play us, pull a ridiculous performance out of their arses somehow. I don't know how or why. Even when we beat them it's usually close, and they are in a position to win it close to the final siren.

The victory over them in 2012 in tassie wasn't close, over 100 points haha.

I get what you're saying though, most other matches against them dating back to 08 even have usually been more tight and we usually only break away in the last quarter or like this year, lose to them.

 

[Roddy]

The victory over them in 2012 in tassie wasn't close, over 100 points haha.

I get what you're saying though, most other matches against them dating back to 08 even have usually been more tight and we usually only break away in the last quarter or like this year, lose to them.

Yeah, that was a real anomaly, led by an anomaly of a player....

 

[Smartys Power]

Not to mention, as good as Ryder 'is'....is he really that good. He has had 1 'vaguely' AA type season. He is very inconsistent and plays his best football as a ruck man. I am far from convinced he will be as good as a forward who rucks in patches.

For me Port are getting to the most ovverated status, and it isn't their fault. Everyone is saying...Ryder will get them a flag...well um no. He might but I'd be banking on Sydney and Hawthorn first!

I'm not one to pump up my team's tyres and at doing that on here especially but we have a pretty decent track record of acquiring players from opposition clubs and getting them to have career best seasons. Ebert, Polec, White and Monfries to an extent are all examples of this.

Not saying that the same will happen with Ryder, but it may be something to be aware of.