Who will win the premiership in 2015

[Herne Hill Hammer]

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.

In your opinion. Hawthorn and Port for mine with Sydney the next cab off the rank and then it's a lottery. Freo will be thereabouts up in the top 8 but aren't good enough and North are the overrated ones.

Gold Coast aren't good enough to win it but they're the only side I can see really making a leap forward from previous years. All the other teams people might mention like North, Essendon, Richmond etc etc are full of players that we basically know what we're going to get from them. They're teams full of good ordinary footballers.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Hawthorn are the team to beat - everything went wrong - and they still won it - the lure of 3 in a row will keep them focussed - not that - that being an issue anyway

Port are a chance - id like to see them win it

I think Fremantle has got as good if not better chance than Sydney - if you look at the last 6 weeks last year - they didnt do much wrong - Mundie had the shot after the siren against Geelong - the following week they beat their bogey side Hawthorn by about 4 goals in an impressive performance - and could have had that Final in the bag at half time against the Power

As for the others - teams like Richmond and North - who the media normally pump up - well good luck to them - because in my opinion their not good enough

I think the big improver is going to be the Gold Coast - purely because theve now got a street smart coach in Rodney Eade - their going to be infinitely harder to beat week in week out

 

[mike123]

I have. Pies have no place in flag discussion

Good for you, that nice to know.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Hawthorn have it tied up

 

[Hawkas1988]

Hawthorn have it tied up

No team has it tied up. One off day and it's over, if Hawthorn make another prelim this year hopefully for my sake it's not another heart stopper. 4 years in a row of prelims under a goal has taken its toll haha.

Honestly it's all about finishing top 4 and in reality top 2 or at least a home final first week.

It's probably going to be out of Hawks, Swans and Port but who knows, one team may surprise us all.

 

[captain peanut]

I think these things can always go either way but my gut tells me that the Swans will be as hard to beat as anyone next year and if you do happen to get to the big dance, I'd just about guarantee that you won't perform as badly as you did this year.

Gee big call. It would be pretty hard to be worse than they were in 2014 GF

Swans are no chance in 2015. Hawks are miles ahead of them and port are also a better side already and rising. Swans are sliding. Have a look at their defence for instance , old and slow. And now without malceski. They were sliced and diced on the big stage away from the narrow confines of the scg

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

No team has it tied up. One off day and it's over, if Hawthorn make another prelim this year hopefully for my sake it's not another heart stopper. 4 years in a row of prelims under a goal has taken its toll haha.

Honestly it's all about finishing top 4 and in reality top 2 or at least a home final first week.

It's probably going to be out of Hawks, Swans and Port but who knows, one team may surprise us all.

Port juts isn't there yet, I'd say you guys will beat Swans again this year and then Port will beat you the next

 

[bkozican]

Hawks...

 

[NotAMagpieBogan]

I swear to god if Hawthorn win again..

 

[51niwstac]

Geelong have a plethora of talls now. Rebuild perhaps. Should only take until September. Oh and they will be in the top 4.

 

[Mningasimisonda]

Geelong have a plethora of talls now. Rebuild perhaps. Should only take until September. Oh and they will be in the top 4.

Yeah, I'm still unsure if last season was an aberration or the end.

There wasn't a game where we played four quarters for the whole year, Hawkins had little support, and we didn't have rucks for the finals. The old guys are getting older, but Enright is still moving beautifully, we have some new recruits and the young guys will be a year better. I don't think it's that clear whether we will improve or drop off this year.

 

[51niwstac]

Yeah, I'm still unsure if last season was an aberration or the end.

There wasn't a game where we played four quarters for the whole year, Hawkins had little support, and we didn't have rucks for the finals. The old guys are getting older, but Enright is still moving beautifully, we have some new recruits and the young guys will be a year better. I don't think it's that clear whether we will improve or drop off this year.

I hear you. Have to get the balance right between controlled play and relying on contested possession. Too much faith can work against you. Also need to work on effective tackling and more timely crumbing.

 

[illavitar]

Shouldn't need a rebuild our overall core is easily good enough to win the flag, we were easy favorites up until rd 8 or so and then turned to shit with a negative attitude towards travelling amongst listcloggers dropping our momentum and morale. Bundy, Motlop and others were out early in the year also, the loss of fringe players didn't affect us our core is solid. The team looked burnt out and over it by the end of the year, probably decided to give this year a miss and regroup. In my opinion it will come down to how the players respond and feel this year.

 

[Jack_the_Ninja]

Hawks will win it by a mile and go down as one of the greatest teams of the modern era, that said Port could just about get there if injuries and form is kind to them.

 

[cryptor]

Shouldn't need a rebuild our overall core is easily good enough to win the flag, we were easy favorites up until rd 8 or so and then turned to shit with a negative attitude towards travelling amongst listcloggers dropping our momentum and morale. Bundy, Motlop and others were out early in the year also, the loss of fringe players didn't affect us our core is solid. The team looked burnt out and over it by the end of the year, probably decided to give this year a miss and regroup. In my opinion it will come down to how the players respond and feel this year.

So they made the finals by finishing 3rd on the ladder, only separated from 1st and 2nd by %, are burnt out and over it ("it" being what they've trained for and got out of bed for most of their lives trying to achieve) and so they "probably decided to give this year a miss and regroup"?

If you honestly believe that's true then it's no wonder the club has got the handbaggers nickname.

 

[Hawkk]

So they made the finals by finishing 3rd on the ladder, only separated from 1st and 2nd by %, are burnt out and over it ("it" being what they've trained for and got out of bed for most of their lives trying to achieve) and so they "probably decided to give this year a miss and regroup"?

If you honestly believe that's true then it's no wonder the club has got the handbaggers nickname.

1-5 record in finals since the 2011 premiership must be a concern though.

Has a very Hawthorn 1992-1994 feel about it.

 

[bungee]

Gee big call. It would be pretty hard to be worse than they were in 2014 GF

Swans are no chance in 2015. Hawks are miles ahead of them and port are also a better side already and rising. Swans are sliding. Have a look at their defence for instance , old and slow. And now without malceski. They were sliced and diced on the big stage away from the narrow confines of the scg

Defence isn't going to be a Swans weakness. Malceski (All Oz half back) can be replaced with McVeigh (All Oz half back) with plenty of young new talent like Mitchell to come into midfield to replace Macca. Rohan still growing in defence. Jones to come in. Laidler pushing for selection. Alex Johnson to come back at some stage (hopefully late season). Reid still training in defence but potential to be an LRT type swingman. In addition there's Goodes in his first full preseason in years, Buddy and Tippet starting to click together and a raging appetite for revenge and atonement for the GF.

No chance ? I'd say a very good chance despite the efforts of your club president and the AFL to drag them down to your level. We'll be thereabouts come September. Hawks will be hungry for the 3-peat, Port to continue their form, Geelong are always in the mix, North or Freo an outside chance and the rest are wild-cards. Really, the only certainty is the Pies are unlikely to finish top 8.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Hawthorn are in the box seat for mine, followed by the Swans.

I reckon there's a bit of a gap after that and you can throw a blanket over a shitload of clubs. Anyone could bob up but I doubt they'll win it over the top 2.

Some like Geelong and Freo are probably going backward and others like Port and GC getting better, but I think they're all playing for third place.

 

[bungee]

Hawks, Swans and Cats were good enough to finish top 4 carrying multiple injuries at some period. Swans in early rounds, Hawks mid-season and Cats late. The difference was Swans and Hawks had most of their best to choose for the finals whereas Cats hit injuries at the wrong end (like Swans 2013). I'd say Cats are still very much in the mix.

Hawks/Swans/Port/Cats - would seem the logical top 4 so therefore the most likely contenders.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I swear to god if Hawthorn win again..

Party at yours?

 

[MaddAdam]

Watching North train the other day, full contested match practise with the entire squad save for injured players in position, going for it like it was an actual game, we are aiming 100 per cent to shark a flag this year. Not saying we will, but don't be surprised.

That midfield is killer now.

 

[MaddAdam]

Port have a slight issue in that two of the players they'll be relying on (one yet to play for the club) won't be getting much game time next season. If any.

 

[spinynorman]

Richmond 2014 was clearly Geelong 2006.

 

[lmach]

Richmond 2014 was clearly Geelong 2006.

Clearly

 

[Shaxx Attaxx]

Port have a slight issue in that two of the players they'll be relying on (one yet to play for the club) won't be getting much game time next season. If any.

I don't think we will be relying on Monfries too much. He had an injury interrupted season last year and we coped fairly well. I'd say Krak could step into his spot if needed(hopefully)