Geelong V Hawthorn 2016, who will finish higher on the AFL Ladder ?

[Czechlions]

Geelong V Hawthorn 2016, who will finish higher on the AFL Ladder ?

For me, despite the impressive Geelong Recruitment. Hawthorn will still have the edge on them, thoughts?

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

Hawthorn ... by 7 or 8 spots

 

[Lsta062]

I'll guess Geelong

 

[Lethality]

Geelong's recruitment can look exciting, but when you balance out their gains and losses, they have not gained all that much. The addition of Dangerfield for example can be tempered by the loss of Steve Johnson. Scott Selwood comes in, but out goes Mathew Stokes. Henderson IN, Rivers OUT. Even the addition of Zac Smith saw the loss of two other ruckmen in Dawson Simpson and Hamish McIntosh.

It's been a desperate ploy by Geelong, and they have sold the farm, but they may also not have gained all that much either.

 

[IschenkoUBeauty]

Can't believe this is even a thread. The days of the Hawks and Cats being equally matched, playing thrillers and discussions such as this one are over...and have been for some time.

Hawks for a top four finish...Cats may sneak into the bottom rungs of the eight.

 

[TEDDY24INC]

Geelong's recruitment can look exciting, but when you balance out their gains and losses, they have not gained all that much. The addition of Dangerfield for example can be tempered by the loss of Steve Johnson. Scott Selwood comes in, but out goes Mathew Stokes. Henderson IN, Rivers OUT. Even the addition of Zac Smith saw the loss of two other ruckmen in Dawson Simpson and Hamish McIntosh.

It's been a desperate ploy by Geelong, and they have sold the farm, but they may also not have gained all that much either.

Lost me at dangerfield and Johnson been at the same lvl at this point in time.. plz

 

[Lethality]

Lost me at dangerfield and Johnson been at the same lvl at this point in time.. plz

I didn't say they were at the same level.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Lost me at dangerfield and Johnson been at the same lvl at this point in time.. plz

Trust me, he's not worth an argument.

That said I voted Hawks, we'll improve no question but not enough to surpass the reigning premiers.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

I am very optimistic we have the ability to go all the way to a premiership. Hawthorn won't have any improvement to come. It will be a very big task for Mitchell hodge Lewis Burgoyne to keep playing at an elite level another year older, and hawthorn rely very very heavily on their senior 30+ to carry their side. Geelong has a lot of key players entering their prime 23-24 years of age in the following season with the addition of A grade off season trades. We will be better than hawthorn more than likely, and f not better, it will be very very close with us likely overtaking their tiring side at seasons end

 

[Lethality]

I am very optimistic we have the ability to go all the way to a premiership. Hawthorn won't have any improvement to come. It will be a very big task for Mitchell hodge Lewis Burgoyne to keep playing at an elite level another year older, and hawthorn rely very very heavily on their senior 30+ to carry their side. Geelong has a lot of key players entering their prime 23-24 years of age in the following season with the addition of A grade off season trades. We will be better than hawthorn more than likely, and f not better, it will be very very close with us likely overtaking their tiring side at seasons end

Hawthorn and Geelong have the same average age, 24.3 years per player. The only difference is Hawthorn have come off a threepeat and are operating through the draft while Geelong finished in the bottom 10 and are topping up.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Hawthorn and Geelong have the same average age, 24.3 years per player. The only difference is Hawthorn have come off a threepeat and are operating through the draft while Geelong finished in the bottom 10 and are topping up.

Difference is Hawthorn rely much more on their older players than Geelong do. Hodge and Mitchell wont be around for much longer

As for operating through the draft, before last weeks draft Hawthorn have traded way 6 first round draft picks in a row which is the total opposite to operating through the draft.

The reality is that no club will benefit more from free agency than Geelong , if you want play AFL and live a regional lifestyle Geelong is your only option , there are 9 clubs in Melbourne.

 

[Lethality]

Difference is Hawthorn rely much more on their older players than Geelong do. Hodge and Mitchell wont be around for much longer

It's probably the opposite, what with Geelong's backline full of 30+ year olds. Mackie Lonergan, Bartel, Enright. If it weren't for Geelong's 30-plus players they wouldn't have a backline.

As for operating through the draft, before last weeks draft Hawthorn have traded way 6 first round draft picks in a row which is the total opposite to operating through the draft.

They usually also trade in a pick, usually an early 2nd rounder which gets players like Hartung, o'Brien, Brad Hill, Isaac Smith into the club. Essentially they're late first rounders but we do pretty well with them. I'd say Hartung Hill and Smith are worthy of first round or even Top 10 selections, so we probably haven't missed out.

 

[12Chill]

I don't think Geelong will make the 8 next year.

Hawthorn.

 

[CollarJazzKnee]

Is this a serious question?

 

[Czechlions]

What question collarjazzknee?

 

[Bobby_]

It's probably the opposite, what with Geelong's backline full of 30+ year olds. Mackie Lonergan, Bartel, Enright. If it weren't for Geelong's 30-plus players they wouldn't have a backline.

we should have fu**ed off Mackie while we had the chance at the end of the year. Disgraceful the sea gull will now take away invaluable game time from a youngster just as Kelly and Stokes did this passing season.
Enright is Enright. He's not what he was but he's still among the best small-mid sized defenders in the game.
Henderson is a big signing. He will be a better footballer than Rivers and given Jake Kolodjashnij is going to be a star defender (someone I was continually harping on to debut as early as last year), I see both he and Henderson forming a solid partnership for the next 5, 6, 7 seasons.
Blicavs may finally spend considerable time in defence too, at least that is what I am hoping if Stanley & Smith are to be healthy and playing in the center of the square.

Henderson, Thurlow, Kolodjashnij, Blicavs & Bews is a very youthful athletic back-line.

 

[CollarJazzKnee]

What question collarjazzknee?

Very happy with the signings, but I am a realist. It will take a year or two before Geelong will gel and the younger players develop. They will finish 6-10.
Hawks will probably win the flag next year. Maybe not top 2 but lock in top 4.

 

[Lethality]

we should have fu**ed off Mackie while we had the chance at the end of the year. Disgraceful the sea gull will now take away invaluable game time from a youngster just as Kelly and Stokes did this passing season.
Enright is Enright. He's not what he was but he's still among the best small-mid sized defenders in the game.
Henderson is a big signing. He will be a better footballer than Rivers and given Jake Kolodjashnij is going to be a star defender (someone I was continually harping on to debut as early as last year), I see both he and Henderson forming a solid partnership for the next 5, 6, 7 seasons.
Blicavs may finally spend considerable time in defence too, at least that is what I am hoping if Stanley & Smith are to be healthy and playing in the center of the square.

Henderson, Thurlow, Kolodjashnij, Blicavs & Bews is a very youthful athletic back-line.

Blicavs in defense isn't really plausible when he has played his best football in the midfield.
Has Mackie declined much?
Henderson should be better than Rivers but he has to prove it first. Granted Rivers would've been cooked this year, but Henderson hasn't played better than 2015 Rivers for at least a little while.
Enright will probably go on like Dustin Fletcher. He's a smart player and can play as a loose man in defence.
It will be interesting to see how Lonergan holds up because he was starting to struggle this year.

 

[Bobby_]

Blicavs in defense isn't really plausible when he has played his best football in the midfield.
Has Mackie declined much?
Henderson should be better than Rivers but he has to prove it first. Granted Rivers would've been cooked this year, but Henderson hasn't played better than 2015 Rivers for at least a little while.
Enright will probably go on like Dustin Fletcher. He's a smart player and can play as a loose man in defence.
It will be interesting to see how Lonergan holds up because he was starting to struggle this year.

Blicavs in defense is very plausible. He drifted down that end during periods last year and again this year before having to shuffle into the midfield on a full time basis when Stanley went down. His overhead marking (intercepting in particular) was very promising. His agility makes him a tough prospect for an opposing forward and with his length of 198cm, he would be a similar type to Jake Carlisle.
And yes, Mackie was piss poor throughout 2015. Came good at the end of the year but he's on the cusp of declining in a very big way. Game is passing him by. Slower than a snail these days and that uncontested brand of footy that he plays, well, it's a real burden now we have so many young players in the team.

Henderson should be better than Rivers but he has to prove it first.

Henderson doesn't have to prove it either as he is already an established player and one of the better defenders in the competition. Granted his end at Carlton was very suspect, but looking at the circumstances, the environment he was in, it was no wonder he appeared very disinterested. Rivers I never personally accepted. Felt he'd be a nice acquisition but he always made feel uncomfortable every time he had to man-up the tall blokes, especially resting rucks. Henderson will be an upgrade in that scenario.

Our back-line is the least of our worries anyways, it's the forward line which is the biggest concern as we have a coach who is fixated on the reliance of injury riddled footballers and with Menzel, Vardy, Clark . . . you have three of most injury prone players in the game. Throw in recent acquisition Zac Smith, who has already done an ACL plus various other soft tissue mishaps, we are going to require a hell of a lot of luck if we are to climb back up the ladder relying on such players for 22 rounds of the season.

 

[Lethality]

Blicavs in defense is very plausible. .

Does this mean Tom Lonergan is finished too?

 

[Jugada]

Cant wait for the West Coast vs Collingwood poll next week

 

[geelong_crazy26]

It's probably the opposite, what with Geelong's backline full of 30+ year olds. Mackie Lonergan, Bartel, Enright. If it weren't for Geelong's 30-plus players they wouldn't have a backline.



They usually also trade in a pick, usually an early 2nd rounder which gets players like Hartung, o'Brien, Brad Hill, Isaac Smith into the club. Essentially they're late first rounders but we do pretty well with them. I'd say Hartung Hill and Smith are worthy of first round or even Top 10 selections, so we probably haven't missed out.

Hawthorn had the oldest premiership side in the history of the AFL last year , anyone who thinks they can keep on going is a fool .

Lake and Hale are massive losses , against sides with 2 good key forwards or even 1 they will be in trouble . Don't forget people the problems they had down back .

Mitchell is the player who gets you going in the clearances ,Hodge is mister fix it ,Burgoyne sets you up on the outside and Gibson sets you up in defence. You will fall far enough to be out of premiership contention .

As for 2nd round draft picks buddy hawthorn needs more than 2nd round draft picks to build a premiership side , you guys needed picks 1,2,3,5 and 6 last time.

 

[Milanista28]

After Danger and Selwood their midfield is full of "Potential types" whether they hit that potential is the question, Have to pick Hawks.

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

After Danger and Selwood their midfield is full of "Potential types" whether they hit that potential is the question, Have to pick Hawks.

I'm glad a Cat fan didn't start this one. As a club we are hoping that blokes with poor injury records stay on the field and blokes who haven't come on do so. We really need blokes like Duncan and Caddy to play full seasons so that our defence isn't under the pump like it was last season. Got to start winning it in the middle again.

 

[Lethality]

Lake and Hale are massive losses , against sides with 2 good key forwards or even 1 they will be in trouble . Don't forget people the problems they had down back .

That's what Frawley is for, he's Lake's replacement, and he did pretty well on the Coleman medallist in last year's Grand Final. Hale has been a good servant but in 2015 he averaged 9 disposals and 15 hitouts a game. He was cooked. Ceglar will be a good replacement for him (averaged 11 disposals and 23 hitouts a game in 2015).

Mitchell is the player who gets you going in the clearances ,Hodge is mister fix it ,Burgoyne sets you up on the outside and Gibson sets you up in defence. You will fall far enough to be out of premiership contention .

The great thing about the Hawks is they don't rely on any particular player, not even through the midfield. In 2016 we should see the continued emergence of Hartung, Howe, Sicily, Langford through there, as well as the introduction of Keiran Lovell.

As for 2nd round draft picks buddy hawthorn needs more than 2nd round draft picks to build a premiership side , you guys needed picks 1,2,3,5 and 6 last time.

Does Pick 5 refer to Franklin? We didn't have him in 2015 or 14, and he's a pretty good example of Hawthorn's ability to regenerate.