Some discussion from our learned friends on this board a few weeks back about how crap we are and how we need to bottom out, the Hopp/Taz gamble had failed, and so on and so forth. Sure, we were playing crap, crippled by injuries, Cotchin a shadow of himself, Dusty missing gimmies, Lynch gone for months, Nank out, Dimma looking perplexed, whatever. I wouldn't even mention the absurdity of calling for a tank in the year we have no first round draft picks, but I just did.
Making finals this year will be tough, and top four is out, but things are never as bad (or as good usually) as they seem - and here's why.
The backs - never as bad as the game day threads would have it, we still have a serviceable Grimes, a Vlastuin who is getting back to his best, Balta doing the job and running off Porkins and the like, nothing more needs to be said about Bakes, shorty or The Prince. Points conceded showed the backline was doing its job. And here's the good news - we have Tylar Young and Gibcus waiting in the wings with Miller showing he can do a job down back. We still have a few years of Vlas, heaps for Bakes/Rioli, Balta has resigned - really Grimes is the only one of the set on his sunset. We have a quality backine for the next five years.
Mids/on ballers - Hopper and Taranto A - A minus mids good for the next few years. Graham is crucial as the number 3 steady defensive hard runner/link man. Shai - killing it and if he spends more time in the middle he's the new Dusty star factor, if he's not already. Cotch will be gone but still has shown some great cameos so far, still has something to give. Dusty - new lease on life. Good for two more years at high quality, and still kicking goals as a forward. Next gen is where the questions still remain - Sonz, talented but flaky, Ross a good ordinary type, Dow not much yet. Short as a mid yes maybe, but not as a permanent.
Rucks - Ryan, Nank. Soldo is back-up only - love the big guy but you can see NankSon have much more hurt factor than Soldo now.
Wings - Kmac does the fat side running he always does - he's coming back into form. Pickett we really miss on the other side but I get the need. No obvious standouts - Ross/Sonz are not wingers.
Forwards - looking bad at the start of the year, but we've got something to work with. Lynch still has three years in him. Jack will go, ok. But we have Ryan now - as well as being a high-end future ruck prospect he can kick goals, he's accurate, he'll take more marks, he's mobile, he's skillful. Gotta say I thought this kid was no good up to this year, he's proved me wrong big time. I’m on the Samson bus.
The forwards are still the weakest link this year - particularly the smalls. I hated the Pickett move forward but I get it now. He's just about ready to take mark of the year next week and is putting the fear of god into your intercept markers and groundball types. Mansell could be the grunt defensive one, Cumbers could be the mercurial goal kicking one - jury still out on both of course. MJ will add that manic defensive pressure once he's back. Forward line still has massive upside even this year, if/when it clicks.
Coaching I leave to another thread, but to sum up - we are a couple of forwards and some second rotation mids away from being a tough side to beat. Backs good. Midfield set. Forwards - we just need Lynch and Nank back to cover Ryan, and we are a gun side once again.
We'll make finals if Lynch can get back by mid-season and stays fit.
Making finals this year will be tough, and top four is out, but things are never as bad (or as good usually) as they seem - and here's why.
The backs - never as bad as the game day threads would have it, we still have a serviceable Grimes, a Vlastuin who is getting back to his best, Balta doing the job and running off Porkins and the like, nothing more needs to be said about Bakes, shorty or The Prince. Points conceded showed the backline was doing its job. And here's the good news - we have Tylar Young and Gibcus waiting in the wings with Miller showing he can do a job down back. We still have a few years of Vlas, heaps for Bakes/Rioli, Balta has resigned - really Grimes is the only one of the set on his sunset. We have a quality backine for the next five years.
Mids/on ballers - Hopper and Taranto A - A minus mids good for the next few years. Graham is crucial as the number 3 steady defensive hard runner/link man. Shai - killing it and if he spends more time in the middle he's the new Dusty star factor, if he's not already. Cotch will be gone but still has shown some great cameos so far, still has something to give. Dusty - new lease on life. Good for two more years at high quality, and still kicking goals as a forward. Next gen is where the questions still remain - Sonz, talented but flaky, Ross a good ordinary type, Dow not much yet. Short as a mid yes maybe, but not as a permanent.
Rucks - Ryan, Nank. Soldo is back-up only - love the big guy but you can see NankSon have much more hurt factor than Soldo now.
Wings - Kmac does the fat side running he always does - he's coming back into form. Pickett we really miss on the other side but I get the need. No obvious standouts - Ross/Sonz are not wingers.
Forwards - looking bad at the start of the year, but we've got something to work with. Lynch still has three years in him. Jack will go, ok. But we have Ryan now - as well as being a high-end future ruck prospect he can kick goals, he's accurate, he'll take more marks, he's mobile, he's skillful. Gotta say I thought this kid was no good up to this year, he's proved me wrong big time. I’m on the Samson bus.
The forwards are still the weakest link this year - particularly the smalls. I hated the Pickett move forward but I get it now. He's just about ready to take mark of the year next week and is putting the fear of god into your intercept markers and groundball types. Mansell could be the grunt defensive one, Cumbers could be the mercurial goal kicking one - jury still out on both of course. MJ will add that manic defensive pressure once he's back. Forward line still has massive upside even this year, if/when it clicks.
Coaching I leave to another thread, but to sum up - we are a couple of forwards and some second rotation mids away from being a tough side to beat. Backs good. Midfield set. Forwards - we just need Lynch and Nank back to cover Ryan, and we are a gun side once again.
We'll make finals if Lynch can get back by mid-season and stays fit.
