Most improved club & biggest disappointment

[the dog's kennel]

Haha - always a Saints supporter or two pumping themselves up.

This thread could do with some clarification. Does it mean "Most Improved" and ""Biggest Droppers" or "Performing Most Above Expectations" and "Performing Most Under Expectations"? Because they are very different things.

Teams like the Pies (they were on the same number of points at this time last year) aren't actually doing that much better than they were at this time last year. And while the Dogs have won 4 more games than this time last year, I also think our improvement has been exaggerated in some people's minds. Because since both teams were widely expected to drop down the ladder they have both performed well above expectations. Same with the Saints (have only won 2 more games than the same point last year) - since many people expected them to be a rabble this year (alongside the Dogs) they have performed well above expectation.

Interestingly, if we are talking 'Most Improved' we should remember Freo have won 4 more games than this point last year.

Having said that, I think both the Most Improved and the Team Performing most above expectation are West Coast (5 more wins than this point last year). They are killing it, and cruising towards a home PF.

Similarly, Essendon (lost 2 more matches than this point last year) and North (lost 1 more match than this point last year) really aren't performing that much worse than they were at this stage last year. It's just people expected both of them to jump up the ladder. Gold Coast and Port have both lost 5 more matches than this point last year - so they are clearly the biggest droppers. Would be tough to separate who is performing most under expectations because I think big things were expected from both of them, but GC have the injuries excuse.

 

[AFDogs]

Have to pick my mob as the biggest improvers, as I originally thought we'd be competing for the wooden spoon. Instead we are a game clear in the 8.

Biggest disappointments would be North or Port. Take your pick.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Collingwood the most improved. Young and tough with a bit of flair. Just lacking some polish.

Port the biggest disappointments. Gold Coast I can excuse with the injuries they've had and never rated the likes of North, Essendon, Carlton or Brisbane.

 

[Stratton_Gun]

Improved: Saints, Dogs, Eagles, Collingwood
Disappointments: Port, North, Gold Coast, Brisbane

 

[bombard]

Improved: THE COAST!
Dissapointment: THE COAST!

OR THE POWER

Would think this is a crap post without seeing the Zoidberg. Quality.

 

[askdotcom]

Nope. I didn't have Port as grand finalists though.

The side sitting in last place has been the worst team of the year.

when you almost have more injurys then non injured players it is hard, at the start we were bad but just as we started to pick up we were smashed with injury.

 

[Jesse Custer]

A certain media person had St Kilda not winning a game for the year. Going on that and the fact they were last years wooden spooners they have been the most improved. Essendon and Port on the flipside.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Saints and Dogs are my big improvers this season.
So refreshing to see both young teams absolutely killing it.

Port would have to be the biggest disappointment - expected big things from them this year.

 

[Spook]

The stand out clubs for most improved this year; West Coast, Bulldogs and GWS have what in common? Coaches that came from the Hawthorn System and worked under Clarkson

 

[Leviathan Pie]

From Round 15 2014 to Round 15 2015 (22 rounds), this is how the ladder looks (not including finals because all teams aren't included Adel/Geel included as a draw).

1. Fremantle 19-3 (76)
2. Richmond 17-5 (68)
3. Sydney 17-5 (68)
4. Hawthorn 16-6 (64)
5. West Coast 15-7 (60)
6. Geelong 14-8 (56)
7. Adelaide 12-9-1 (50)
8. North Melbourne 12-10 (48)
----------------------------
9. Collingwood 11-11 (44)
10. W. Bulldogs 11-11 (44)
11. Essendon 9-12-1 (38)
12. GWS 9-13 (36)
13. Port Adelaide 8-14 (32)
14. Carlton 6-15-1 (26)
15. St.Kilda 6-16 (24)
16. Brisbane 6-16 (24)
17. Melbourne 4-18 (16)
18. Gold Coast 4-18 (16)

Weird sample size

 

[Slax]

Most Improved
1. St Kilda - expected them to win the spoon (like most others) since loss to Carlton in NZ have been very competitive and with some more composure could've won two more games than they have.
2. West Coast - thought they would be sort of 9-14 range not top 4, especially with the backline injuries they've had.
3. Bulldogs - loss of senior players and coach in offseason made things look grim, then lost best player to knee injury before the season started, but have been very good.
4. GWS - didn't expect the list to of come along as much as it has.

Biggest Disappointment
1. Port Adelaide - really thought they would be top 2, but have Preliminary final hangover.
2. North - were supposed to be taking the next and be competiting for top 4 spot, but difference between their best and worst is miles apart and they can do both within 15 minutes of each other.
3. Gold Coast - sure had some injuries, but also had the opportunity to show that the no Ablett, no Suns theory was a myth. Well sorry but it is no myth.
4. Essendon - what has happened here in the last 6 weeks? gone from being in the finals mix to looking like a wooden spoon contender. (have saved Brisbane from making the list)

 

[frizzle]

Biggest improvers - Eagles & Doggies.
Biggest Form Slump - Port & Suns

 

[Forward Press]

The stand out clubs for most improved this year; West Coast, Bulldogs and GWS have what in common?

They have 'West' in their names?

 

[PieNSauce]

I find people expressing surprise at Collingwood's form a little bit strange to be honest. I think that in truth we have not improved all that much from the team that played out the early part of 2014 although there is definitely some improvement. My suspicion is that a lot of people take little notice of what really goes on at other clubs but to Pies supporters it was pretty obvious that the second half of 2014 was no indication of the quality of the team because quite plainly much of that quality was watching games from the sidelines. People who had us pegged for bottom four to me just had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. In reality I reckon most who knew where we were at would have had us pegged for the lower half of the 8 and that was on the assumption that we would have Reid and a couple of others fit and firing. On present form, if we can add those one or two experienced players back and get something from a couple of our high draft picks we might just exceed even those expectations but it's hardly a shock where we are now IMO.

 

[Lsta062]

I think Western Bulldogs is the most improved team. I already knew West Coast had the capabilities to be in this position (judging from the last half of last year) and were unlucky to miss out on the top 8 with healthy percentage because Richmond had an upset win over Sydney in the final round.

Others in this category would include: St Kilda, GWS, West Coast, Collingwood, Melbourne and Fremantle.

For the most disappointing team it has to be North Melbourne for me. I really thought they would finish in the top 4 this year. While they can still make finals (and even top 4 mathematically), they are the most disappointing so far. I expected Port Adelaide's slide because of the tough start they had. That destroyed their confidence. Essendon? Well, ASADA/WADA saga probably wore them down.

Others in this category would include: Port Adelaide, Essendon, Brisbane and Gold Coast.