Your one BOLD prediction for 2012?

[Obeanie1]

I actually think the Brisbane Lions of the second half of 2010 looked a lot like the West Coast Eagles of the second half of 2009. Being in games for a very long time even against good teams but then not being able to perform for the full game. I predict Brisbane to make the top 6, possibly top 4.

Differences between West Coast and the Lions:

1. West Coast from 2008 > 2011 went to rebuild via the draft with youth and picked up J Kennedy in the Judd trade.
2. Lions traded in alot of older players which were short term fixes including Fevola, lost Brennan and Ritchatelli to the GC and also moved Power on.
3. West Coast has alot of very good KP depth with a good mix of youth and experience - Glass, Lynch, Cox - Kennedy, MacKenzie, Darling, M Brown and Naitanui which Schofield at 196cm the 3rd tall down back. Good depth here.
4. Lions have problems down back with their #1 FB coming back from a knee injury, Staker out for the entire season and J Brown up forward still being the key, Luenberger is looking very good but next they talked Hudson out of retirement and drafted another ruck at pick 6 who will take time. They lack depth in the big man department which will take time to develop.

It will be a bigger surprise than last years effort by the Eagles for the Lions to make finals IMO but they will improve. 15th>10th is where they should end up.

 

[pazza]

That's not a bold prediction,that's ****ing ridiculous.
Do you realise you include GWS in those first six games?
GWS will not win any games.
The closest they will get will be in round 10.
Carlton will win at least five of their first six.
There's nothing bold about that prediction,
it's just a fact.

Bring on round 4 then...we love playing your mob...come at us brah.

 

[Joshen]

So even with injuries to key and important players,you expect Carlton to make the eight?
They must be going to be a real force this year then.
I am glad you think so highly of them.
At the same time are you actually wishing injuries on the team?
That would make you a low scum bitch.

That's not a bold prediction,that's ****ing ridiculous.
Do you realise you include GWS in those first six games?
GWS will not win any games.
The closest they will get will be in round 10.
Carlton will win at least five of their first six.
There's nothing bold about that prediction,
it's just a fact.

Chilll out bro, it's a BOLD prediction thread, also nothing is guaranteed in football.

 

[Slattery_20]

Differences between West Coast and the Lions:

1. West Coast from 2008 > 2011 went to rebuild via the draft with youth and picked up J Kennedy in the Judd trade.
2. Lions traded in alot of older players which were short term fixes including Fevola, lost Brennan and Ritchatelli to the GC and also moved Power on.
3. West Coast has alot of very good KP depth with a good mix of youth and experience - Glass, Lynch, Cox - Kennedy, MacKenzie, Darling, M Brown and Naitanui which Schofield at 196cm the 3rd tall down back. Good depth here.
4. Lions have problems down back with their #1 FB coming back from a knee injury, Staker out for the entire season and J Brown up forward still being the key, Luenberger is looking very good but next they talked Hudson out of retirement and drafted another ruck at pick 6 who will take time. They lack depth in the big man department which will take time to develop.

It will be a bigger surprise than last years effort by the Eagles for the Lions to make finals IMO but they will improve. 15th>10th is where they should end up.

Re points 1, 3 & 4 -
To be fair, Brisbane has also picked up a young CHF in Lisle (altho Kennedy was always a bit higher rated).
WCE had fair old problems down back when they missed Glass & co; and across all of the tall positions when Cox was running on half-rat power and Lynch was carrying the can up forward (before Darling rocked up & Kennedy improved)

I'm not as keen on Brisbane as a lot of others but Bris & WCE do have some parallels.

 

[tigerfansince86]

Zaharakis to become better than Cotchin. 2012 the year of Zaka

I was having a drink reading this then I spat all over my screen, then elvis starting singing lol.

 

[Kong]

I didn't realise that there was a Ramcharan or someone of that cultural persuasion on an AFL list?

It's funny when I joke about it, but not North supporters.

 

[tugga]

Brisbane Lions to make the top 8.

 

[MaddAdam]

Tom Scully to have his break out year at GWS and finish top 10 in the Brownlow.

 

[tigerfansince86]

Geelong to beat GWS by 236 pts.

Actually thats not bold, you can lock that in.

 

[HurleyTheFuture]

Tom Scully to have his break out year at GWS and finish top 10 in the Brownlow.

Agree with this one, I think Scully could really have an impact, however the fact that GWS probably wont win more than 2 games may affect his brownlow votes

 

[Obeanie1]

Re points 1, 3 & 4 -
To be fair, Brisbane has also picked up a young CHF in Lisle (altho Kennedy was always a bit higher rated).
WCE had fair old problems down back when they missed Glass & co; and across all of the tall positions when Cox was running on half-rat power and Lynch was carrying the can up forward (before Darling rocked up & Kennedy improved)

I'm not as keen on Brisbane as a lot of others but Bris & WCE do have some parallels.

And this is one of the parallels I am making. Merret and Staker did knee's last season and in 2012 will struggle down back. McGuire will have to carry a big load as will Lisle who is unproven.

The Lions in 2012 won't have the depth in the KP and ruck departments that the Eagles did in 2011. The Lions in 2013 may be getting there but this season is a massive ask.

 

[tonkapies]

Bulldogs to win the spoon.

If not for GWS and port Fair call , they have the worst list in the comp, port and gws have better ones but one is poorly coached the other hasnt played a game yet. i cant see the dish lickers winning 5 games for the year.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

A Streaker in the grandfinal.

who is known to nerdy internet types as "stainedclass"

 

[Perry Pie]

Geelong will fail to make the 8. The suns will be in the 8 half way through the season (but will fade and drop out of the 8 by round 16).

 

[Obeanie1]

Geelong will fail to make the 8. The suns will be in the 8 half way through the season (but will fade and drop out of the 8 by round 16).

Alot of AFL players get second year blues after playing really well in their first season.

Gold Coast will have 80% of their side playing their second season, I won't be surprised to see them have only a slightly better year than last year but they won't even get close to top 8. Maybe if they win one of their first 2 games.

2013 they will be getting close.

 

[TheKanga]

North vs. Carlton preliminary final

 

[Slattery_20]

And this is one of the parallels I am making. Merret and Staker did knee's last season and in 2012 will struggle down back. McGuire will have to carry a big load as will Lisle who is unproven.

The Lions in 2012 won't have the depth in the KP and ruck departments that the Eagles did in 2011. The Lions in 2013 may be getting there but this season is a massive ask.

Depends if they're really right (100% fit), or not. Million dollar question.

I do see your point, but the WCE's resurgence wasn't really based on better depth, it was more having their better players right and finding 3 or 4 kids who contributed really well.

 

[WCE_phil]

Depends if they're really right (100% fit), or not. Million dollar question.

I do see your point, but the WCE's resurgence wasn't really based on better depth, it was more having their better players right and finding 3 or 4 kids who contributed really well.

I actually think a lot of improvement did come from depth as well as the return to form of senior players. When i looked at the west coast list at the end of 09 i thought the eagles list quality was very similar from about 14-30. In 2010 it turned out that 14-30 wasn't up to scratch. Almost all of those players in that group significantly improved and we had many strong performers in the wafl not getting games last year. Guys like mackenzie, schofield, smith, masten, nicoski, ebert, selwood, shuey, stevens, swift, sheppard, mcginnity, brown, strijk and hams.

Mackenzie, Schofield, Nicoski, Selwood and Shuey are now entrenched in the best 22 of a top 4 side along with the introduction of gaff and darling.

Smith, Masten, Hams, Stevens, Mcginnity and Brown were in and out of the team but were killing it in the wafl and had a real struggle to try and get a place in the side.

Strijk and Sheppard were basically injured and had fitness problems all year.

The only players that went backwards were swift and the above two with brown and hams staying at roughly the same level. People may have dismissed him but port got an absolute steal in ebert and i expect him to significantly improve them as a side this year as his hardness is something in particular they really missed this year and something we will really miss in the future. His desire to move home as well as the emergence of darling playing his forward role and scooter, shuey and kerr taking away his minutes in the middle put nails in his west coast coffin.

As far as my one bold prediction for the year i made 3 last year and got 2 right (i picked the wrong top 4 side to slide). This year i see sydney falling a lot as i expect them to get nothing from their new mature recruits and see a lot more players falling away rather than improving. As for a team to significantly improve i think melbourne can. Have youthful quality all over the ground, a very strong ruck department and just need a couple of their more senior players to have strong consistant seasons. Yes colin sylvia and aaron davey i am looking at you.

 

[winty]

Travis Varcoe and Tom Hawkins will both make the 40 player shortlist for the All-Australian side in 2012.

 

[gangsta deluxe]

Can def see Varcoe doing it, but what gives you the confidence that Hawkins will make it?

 

[Haso]

And this is one of the parallels I am making. Merret and Staker did knee's last season and in 2012 will struggle down back. McGuire will have to carry a big load as will Lisle who is unproven.

The Lions in 2012 won't have the depth in the KP and ruck departments that the Eagles did in 2011. The Lions in 2013 may be getting there but this season is a massive ask.

Where are you getting your Merrett knee information? He injured his back, not his knee, and he has been fit and training at full volume since the start of the pre-season. The only player from the back who is out for Brisbane now is staker with his knee until 2013.

 

[winty]

Can def see Varcoe doing it, but what gives you the confidence that Hawkins will make it?

I just think the confidence he would've got from his grand final efforts should stand him in good stead for the season ahead.

I remember mid-season Tony Shaw was saying that he doesn't demand enough of the ball, but he certainly did in the grand final, although it could be argued he had to after Pods went down.

If he gets enough confidence in himself to consistently crash packs and take contested marks, like Pods and Cloke do, and he works on his goalkicking over summer, he could be anything this year.

 

[Slattery_20]

I actually think a lot of improvement did come from depth as well as the return to form of senior players. When i looked at the west coast list at the end of 09 i thought the eagles list quality was very similar from about 14-30. In 2010 it turned out that 14-30 wasn't up to scratch. Almost all of those players in that group significantly improved and we had many strong performers in the wafl not getting games last year. Guys like mackenzie, schofield, smith, masten, nicoski, ebert, selwood, shuey, stevens, swift, sheppard, mcginnity, brown, strijk and hams.

Mackenzie, Schofield, Nicoski, Selwood and Shuey are now entrenched in the best 22 of a top 4 side along with the introduction of gaff and darling.

Smith, Masten, Hams, Stevens, Mcginnity and Brown were in and out of the team but were killing it in the wafl and had a real struggle to try and get a place in the side.

I think it's probably a case of two POVs of the same things, with a lot of those guys.
You say they improved, I say they were asked to do less & acquited those (smaller) roles better with senior players, or just plain better kids, coming in.
Tomato/tomato.

 

[_Mike_]

Western Bulldogs win a preliminary final

 

[WCE_phil]

Travis Varcoe and Tom Hawkins will both make the 40 player shortlist for the All-Australian side in 2012.

You know hawkins will most likely need to kick 60 goals to do so. I think he will do much better than in the past but maybe a similar output to josh kennedy of 2010 would be far more likely. 40-50 goals and a much greater presence.