Scodog10
Brownlow Medallist
A long way??? Swan and Broomhead, than we haven't even seen Freeman yet, nor BK with any semblance of fitness under his belt. I'll be shocked if our midfield doesn't equip itself quite well in round 1.
The Brisbane midfield is being massively overrated and many are getting sucked in by the media. I watched them plenty living up here. Have a look at the flogging they got from Adelaide by 100 points at the Gabba. Rockliff got 40 of the most worthless possessions I've ever seen. It was worse then the game we played against Hawthorn in 2012, where Beams, Swan & Pendles all had near 40 possies but we still got flogged.
Hanley and Beams are guns. Rich has the potential to be but he better get a move on. The others are solid players or not proven yet (Mayes/Aish), similar to some of our youngsters.
As for a defining trait for our midfield, I'll bet it's a shitload better, defensively and that's a big part of why our backline got exposed in the 2nd half of the year.
Not aiming it at you Doggy but it's quite funny how many talk up opposing team players based on stats and media comments but over analyse our own players who we watch day in day out.
It's cool I didn't feel like it was aimed at me. I just share Knightmare's opinion.
Nothing that we have done as a club over the past 24 months has yielded any improvement. Brisbane on the other hand injected pace galore and have a willingness to take the game on. Their KPP's are nowhere near as far off as some suggest as well with McStay, Gardiner, Freeman and Close all looking solid plus Keays in the 2015 draft.
We lack creativity, gamebreakers, ball winners (with Swan declining and Beams gone), skill and size. Plus a game plan that will overcome what we lack.
As for the defining trait being better defensively is not one. What I mean by that statement is Hawthorn's overall skill level, North Melbourne's grunt on the inside, Port's power running, Fremantle's defense first mantra, Geelong's willingness to hit the corridor, Brisbane now have run run and more run (with very good players to feed that) and we have Pendlebury. Oh and Broomhead who will be an absolute star, but Buckley will probably refuse to run him through the midfield next year anyway!!
In the space of 3 years we've gone from being the best at everything with every other club envious of us to having just two competitive advantages that are the best president in the league and us as the biggest supporter base. We've fallen behind the other clubs in just about every other area. Some of our operations behind closed doors have fallen so far behind the best teams it would genuinely shock you (not going to go into detail though).
I love the club went to 16 matches this year, spent over 1k a membership and merch and have a magpie tattoo, but I'm going to tell it straight, we are on struggle street ATM. However that being said I tend to take the view that Collingwood ATM is like a teenage kid that is spinning out of control. We have two choices 1. Mollycoddle them and say everything will be fine or 2. Be firm and give them the clip they deserve which will see them better in the long term.
It may all seem very bleak, but it could turn quickly with the right moves in the right areas. Eade taking on the GC role chief among them. Get that sorted move Hine to Football Director, Rendell to head of recruiting and Daveron answerable to Hine and thinks take shape off field. The on field stuff will become settled as well with fewer chiefs more indians and things more streamlined. I just have no faith in the club making these moves because of personalities...
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