Play Nice Will Geelong win the 2016 premiership?

[Strangled Cat]

I think that nothing short of an absolute catastrophe will stop Geelong making top eight. Once there, who knows? Our midfield is A-grade on paper. Danger, Selwood, Duncan, Motlop with the ever improving Blitz as well as Caddy and Guthrie. If all of these guys stay fit and play consistently, if the youngsters like Cocoatoo, Gregson and Lang rotate through the midfield and show improvement... then anything can happen.

More pertinent than just having fit personnel is having personnel that have the talent, and who are backed up by a gameplan which can stand up in big games. If Smith and Henderson (should we manage to land thee) don't show improvement from 2015 then their addition won't make a lot of difference. If Scott Selwood can't get over his ankle injury then his aquisition while free will still be futile.

I have my concerns about the side moving forward, but if we land these guys (already got two of them) then my perception will change slightly. We are desperate for a ruckman and if Smith can stand up and be at the very least competitive, then we'll have gone a long way to fixing a major problem. In tandem with Danger, one of the best contested ball players of 2015, our lack of clearences will improve immensely. Once again, you've got to get your hands on the ball to give yourselves a shot.

If everything goes right, and I mean everything, then we're a small, sneaky chance.

 

[McRobie]

Top 4 or bust after this trade period, they will have traded away all picks from this year and next year. Cats have nowhere to hide if this goes wrong, big risk v reward, it could work wonders or it could set them to the bottom regions on the ladder.

 

[Catatonic Shock]

Top 4 or bust after this trade period, they will have traded away all picks from this tear and last year. Cats have nowhere to hide if this goes wrong, big risk v reward, it could work wonders or it could set them to the bottom regions on the ladder.

Last year?
Say what now?

 

[McRobie]

Last year?
Say what now?

I just edited it, as you pointed out, make absolutely no sense.

 

[hawksalltheway]

people thought Brisbane would climb up the ladder after their trades last year....Beams, Christensen etc....didnt go so well

it will depend on their youth coming through more than the players they bring in....if they develop nicely, and they look likely in most cases..then yes, i can see them challenging again....

people claiming smith and selwood will result in more wins are dreaming.....Danger might drag them over the line in a close one....but the others are hardly match winners....

 

[Sttew]

people thought Brisbane would climb up the ladder after their trades last year....Beams, Christensen etc....didnt go so well

it will depend on their youth coming through more than the players they bring in....if they develop nicely, and they look likely in most cases..then yes, i can see them challenging again....

people claiming smith and selwood will result in more wins are dreaming.....Danger might drag them over the line in a close one....but the others are hardly match winners....

You won't see me making premiership predictions, but one thing you have to remember is that players often need a change of scenery to come good or realise their potential. Look at Frawley. Had one good season at Melbourne and was floundering in his last years at the Dees. Even Lake needed a change for the best to come out again.

Scooter Selwood has been carrying injuries, including an ankle injury which restricted him severely in 2015. Assuming the medical advice is positive, hopefully he will bounce back. He is afterall, a B&F and now former vice captain of WCE

 

[Whiskers]

Top 4 or bust after this trade period, they will have traded away all picks from this year and next year. Cats have nowhere to hide if this goes wrong, big risk v reward, it could work wonders or it could set them to the bottom regions on the ladder.

Yeah we are going all out here but we do lack players in this crucial age range so I think it's important we chase these players.
Also it's not just about the guys we are trading in, we now have a healthy list so half our playing 22 will be different.
With so many changes requires a team to be able to gel and a good gameplan. We have the cattle, now Chris Scott goes under the pump.

 

[Sttew]

Yeah we are going all out here but we do lack players in this crucial age range so I think it's important we chase these players.
Also it's not just about the guys we are trading in, we now have a healthy list so half our playing 22 will be different.
With so many changes requires a team to be able to gel and a good gameplan. We have the cattle, now Chris Scott goes under the pump.

As I see it, we can / should / will expect improvement from the following players:
Duncan - IMO was on his way to becoming elite before injuries took hold
Hawkins - better delivery and no personal distraction should see him improve on his 46 goals this year.
Selwood - he will be the first to say 2015 was not a great season. Danger, a fit Duncan and continued improvement in Caddy will ease the pressure on Joel.
Stanley - won't be difficult to improve on his 8 games in 2015
Blicavs - if he doesn't have to masquerade as No.1 ruckman he could flourish
Menzel - no explanation needed
Vardy - as above
Thurlow - 2016 will be his fourth season
Murdoch - In his 5th season I expect improved consistency in his game. Hopefully that's not unreasonable.
Cockatoo - may not be his 'break-out' season, but....
Motlop - 1H 2015 was indifferent. Mots bounced back in 2H and was arguably Geelong's best player in 2H. He will relish the new talent.
Jake Kolodjashnij - a solid performer in 2015. He reminds me a bit of Egan
Josh Caddy - I am expecting massive things of Caddy in 2016. The attention will be on PD and Sewlood.
Cameron Guthrie - will play his 100th game in 2016.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

people thought Brisbane would climb up the ladder after their trades last year....Beams, Christensen etc....didnt go so well

it will depend on their youth coming through more than the players they bring in....if they develop nicely, and they look likely in most cases..then yes, i can see them challenging again....

people claiming smith and selwood will result in more wins are dreaming.....Danger might drag them over the line in a close one....but the others are hardly match winners....

I agree with most of what you say, but please don't compare us to Brisbane...

 

[schmuttt]

Top 6 at best. I have question marks over their defence and they still have a big reliance on Hawkins up forward (Can't rely on Clark - he could come good but could also never play again).

 

[Sttew]

Top 6 at best. I have question marks over their defence and they still have a big reliance on Hawkins up forward (Can't rely on Clark - he could come good but could also never play again).

Menzel, Motlop, Vardy, Bartel?

 

[schmuttt]

Menzel, Motlop, Vardy, Bartel?

Thought the fact that both Hawkins and Geelong had under par years was no coincidence. I don't think the cats are a poor side by any means - should definitely make the 8 next year.

 

[Mningasimisonda]

Menzel, Motlop, Vardy, Bartel?

Agree. Menzel, Vardy and Bartel fully fit will make a big difference. Menzel alone is going to be enough of a handful to take a lot of attention off Tomahawk. If Clark is fit, it's a bonus.

 

[Furn2]

Wholesale top ups generally end in disaster, especially when you are trying to jump from outside the 8 to a contender.

You need to get nearly there and the add a player here and there to fill holes.

Scott Has been overating his list for a long time now.

 

[demondavey]

Agree. Menzel, Vardy and Bartel fully fit will make a big difference. Menzel alone is going to be enough of a handful to take a lot of attention off Tomahawk. If Clark is fit, it's a bonus.

I wouldn't hang my hopes on Clarke. His likely to up and leave for a better offer.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

Winning a premiership hasn't crossed my mind yet, after finishing 10th this year I'll be happy if we make the top 8 next year, hopefully top 6 or top 4 if everything goes right. Our list, IMO is better than what our ladder position suggested for this season, we've got a pretty exciting group of 22-24 year olds coming through and some good young lads ready to break in. Now trading away most of our picks for 25-26 year olds should mean we will fill a need in that area that we desperately needed, only Selwood and Hawkins were in that age bracket.

I'm pretty confident we won't bottom out, we will be competitive, the club is hoping to get our rise back up quicker than it would just drafting. Let's see how it goes.

 

[Sttew]

Wholesale top ups generally end in disaster, especially when you are trying to jump from outside the 8 to a contender.

You need to get nearly there and the add a player here and there to fill holes.

Scott Has been overating his list for a long time now.

Not sure what your definition of a long time is, but it wasn't 24 months ago that the Cats missed out on a GF berth by 5 points.

And, I am pretty sure Chris Scott has not been "overating" the Cats list, hence the strategic recruiting that has occurred in the past three years.

 

[Sttew]

I wouldn't hang my hopes on Clarke. His likely to up and leave for a better offer.

Hmm. I'd say its make or break for Mitch, i.e., he couldn't possibly move to another club now if he decided Geelong wasn't the right fit. Worst case, he will give it away for good. Best case, we get 15 - 18 games a season out of him.

 

[BEaston]

7th to 10th again.


So, no.

 

[StevenwellerHFC]

Will push for three premierships in a row now.

 

[kirbatron]

Will make the 8 & will be sniffing around top 4.

 

[caitsith01]

people claiming smith and selwood will result in more wins are dreaming.....

If you actually look at some stats, the two areas where Geelong really struggled were winning contested footy and clearances. This relates to having no actual first ruckman at all (sorry, Dawson Simpson) and a lack of competent inside mids other than J Selwood.

So these two will make a huge difference, because the other parts of the ground already work pretty well (e.g. forward line with Hawkins in it, Taylor etc in defence, outside mids/small forwards like Motlop).

 

[caitsith01]

Top 6 at best. I have question marks over their defence and they still have a big reliance on Hawkins up forward (Can't rely on Clark - he could come good but could also never play again).

Our defence will look a lot better once the ball stops going into it 200 times per match because we have no functional midfield.

 

[TheCoach16]

That nails it in one

Henderson needs a new motor - hes as slow as a wet week - and in a Carlton Friday night game this year - where he had his typical deplorable performance - and was getting annihilated by his opponent - Wayne Carey said he was timid in his approach - but he is going to put a Geelong jumper on - and alls going to be good - alls going to be well

Scott Selwood has got a chronic ankle problem - ordinary kick - not over endowered with pace - the only value i could possibility see if hes up to it - is tagging Mitchell - which Geelong unbelievably didnt do in the last qtr of the 2013PF - and likewise Fremantle didnt do in this years PF

Every half broken down cripple - with some sort of name - Hmac Clark Selwood Henderson - Geelong are into - this is Richmond 83/86 ( following their successfull era) all over again

As much I'd like to hang s**t on Henderson for leaving Carlton, I'll tell you this, you're getting a really good player... He didn't give a s**t this year at the Blues, he had checked out and wanted out very early on. Before that, he was our most important player. In a good side like yours, he will excell, you guys have the depth and the talent to settle him in one position and allow him to play good footy... I'm not kidding, he may turn out to be the recruit of the year if he gets to Geelong.

 

[bato]

people thought Brisbane would climb up the ladder after their trades last year....Beams, Christensen etc....didnt go so well

Aside from team gelling which took a while, it didn't help that we got smacked severely by injuries. Our midfield as a whole only played something like 3 full games together.

If Geelong can keep their important players fit, then it's hard to see them not climb up the ladder. Too much talent on their list.