Salvaging the rest of the season, 2016 and beyond

[demondavey]

Fair to say that 2015 has been a disappointment. There have been so good victories along the way, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs, Richmond, and Geelong, but also some disasters in GWS, Port Adelaide, St Kilda, and Essendon. They just make you stop and think, will these guys ever start valuing 4 points and closing out games properly? Perhaps I am being harsh, or perhaps it is fair? Jesse Hogan has emerged as a great forward with potential for the next 10 years. In the mould of a J Brown type to be fair. Probably the only thing making 2015 better than previous years.

I look at this as another poor season, and hope that next year we can claim 10 victories with the hope of finals in 2017 and a flag by 2020. The rest of the year shapes up this way;

• St Kilda (G)
  
• Collingwood (G)
  
• North Melbourne (G)
  
• Western Bulldogs (ES)
  
• Carlton (G)
  
• Fremantle (away)
  
• GWS (ES)

If we have any mettle about our playing group, we should be winning a minimum of 3 games. That is St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, and Carlton. We would seriously want to take it up to Collingwood and North Melbourne, and also give a decent account of ourselves against Fremantle and GWS. Anything less than 3 wins is a fail.

This would round out a poor season with some hope for 2016 and beyond. I would seriously hope that this club has a 5 year plan in place to win a premiership. And I would expect that anything less than a finals appearance in 2017 is an utter failure. This club needs to move forward, and these players need to get better every year.

Is it unreasonable for me to expect this by 2020?

 

[Djcjdees]

Agree that anything less than 3 wins is a fail

 

[Ando727]

Correct, anything less than 3 wins and I'll personally post them their poster-size failure certificate.

 

[stabler]

I'm loath to evaluate this season when there is still a handful of winnable games left. If we knock St Kilda off on Sunday i'll be feeling a whole lot better about 2015 than I am as we sit here now. I think this list needed at least two years of heavy psychotherapy and re-programming which Roosy is only just reaching the tail end of now, so to be one win up on last years result already is a bonus in my eyes. Next year will see serious improvement I have no doubt. I wouldn't be so quick to write off this season yet though so lets see what the boys can give us for the remaining games.

 

[LeverPuller]

Nope. Less than 2 is a fail.

There's some gettable games. But I can see us dropping all of them.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

What a depressing thread.

 

[demondavey]

What a depressing thread.

How so?

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

How so?

Lots of 'fail/failure/poor/disappointment/etc' - we've improved on last year, obviously not quick enough for some.

 

[demondavey]

I'm loath to evaluate this season when there is still a handful of winnable games left. If we knock St Kilda off on Sunday i'll be feeling a whole lot better about 2015 than I am as we sit here now. I think this list needed at least two years of heavy psychotherapy and re-programming which Roosy is only just reaching the tail end of now, so to be one win up on last years result already is a bonus in my eyes. Next year will see serious improvement I have no doubt. I wouldn't be so quick to write off this season yet though so lets see what the boys can give us for the remaining games.

I look at two games where we had the choke on our opponents and let them off with ease by not playing out 4 quarters; GWS and Port Adelaide. These things should not happen next year. Can it be excused? Just.

St Kilda, failing to flood when we had a 4 point lead with 25 minutes on the clock. Can it be excused? Not even in u/16's football could that be excused. Leadership at fault, and runners at fault.

Essendon, poor kicking and failure to convert. Can it be excused? No. Must be able to kick goals with that many opportunities.

Roos has done a lot to instill a defensive mindset to the group, that is very evident and much needed. Next year has to go to the next level, so the defensive aspects need to remain and become stronger, and we also need to be able to kick more goals and apply more attacking pressure next year. Next year we simply need to double the amount of wins from this year, we don't have time to make small incremental changes, we need to make bigger improvements and wipe away the pre Roos era permanently. Any player that goes into a defensive mindset when we are on the front foot should be automatically dragged and given a dressing down. Or at worst, dropped.

 

[demondavey]

Lots of 'fail/failure/poor/disappointment/etc' - we've improved on last year, obviously not quick enough for some.

Yeah we have improved, but only marginally, we are still bottom 4 cellar dwellers. We have also backed up a decent win with losses. We have also 'gone into our shells', that defensive 'save our skin' mindset is reminiscent of the pre Roos era. So, no, in many ways we have not improved.

 

[demondavey]

Nope. Less than 2 is a fail.

There's some gettable games. But I can see us dropping all of them.

To be honest, the one I am really worried about is Carlton. Playing much better footy under Barker.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Yeah we have improved, but only marginally, we are still bottom 4 cellar dwellers. We have also backed up a decent win with losses. We have also 'gone into our shells', that defensive 'save our skin' mindset is reminiscent of the pre Roos era. So, no, in many ways we have not improved.

The main thing is our guys didn't know what was required to play league football.

Habits take time to change - not sure on a time frame but I know culture is often quoted as taking at least 3 years to change.

 

[Crusty Demon]

We SHOULD win 3 games. Carlton and the Saints(losing twice to them in a season would be inexcusable) are must wins. I'm expecting us to win these two games, and we should tbh! And if we are fair dinkum, we should snag one other. Either a surprise win against Pies or Kangas, or gettable wins against either GWS or Dogs. We SHOULD win 3 more minimum.

If we do that, we win 8 games for the year. I don't think that's a disappointment tbh. I think nearly every one of us here would have accepted an 8 win season this year. And next year if we do the same but pick up the wins against Essendon and Saints, plus snag a couple more gettable wins, we play finals. And the club did come out and say they EXPECT us to be playing finals next year. That expectation will either grow stronger or weaker amongst the supporters(and playing group which is obviously crucial) during these final 7 rounds. If we snag 3 or more, then I thinks finals IS a chance next year. If we win less than 3 then my expectation will be for 2017. Either way, we have to and SHOULD be playing finals within the next two years..

 

[demondavey]

We SHOULD win 3 games. Carlton and the Saints(losing twice to them in a season would be inexcusable) are must wins. I'm expecting us to win these two games, and we should tbh! And if we are fair dinkum, we should snag one other. Either a surprise win against Pies or Kangas, or gettable wins against either GWS or Dogs. We SHOULD win 3 more minimum.

If we do that, we win 8 games for the year. I don't think that's a disappointment tbh. I think nearly every one of us here would have accepted an 8 win season this year. And next year if we do the same but pick up the wins against Essendon and Saints, plus snag a couple more gettable wins, we play finals. And the club did come out and say they EXPECT us to be playing finals next year. That expectation will either grow stronger or weaker amongst the supporters(and playing group which is obviously crucial) during these final 7 rounds. If we snag 3 or more, then I thinks finals IS a chance next year. If we win less than 3 then my expectation will be for 2017. Either way, we have to and SHOULD be playing finals within the next two years..

I am not as confident as you, I really am not. But yes, we should. St Kilda is a better side that we thought, and Carlton have improved. This is a huge test for us against these similar placed sides.

Don't know if these are 'gettable'. Both sides will want to be playing finals and will really want to play their best footy and knock us off. Huge if we can knock one of these sides at the pointy end of the year.

Agree that 8 wins is a good result.

Well, if the club wants us to be playing finals next year, then letting sides of the hook like GWS, Port, Essendon, and St Kilda, is not really acceptable the year before you want to play finals imo.

Agree - plan should be;

Elimination final in 2017
Semi in 2018
Prelim/GF appearance in 2019
Premiership in 2020.

Call me ambitious, but the higher you shoot, the further you'll go.

 

[Demon 16]

I'm not sure I would call this year a disappointment or failure to be honest.

I can see where we've improved, and the direction we're heading in.

Certainly would have been nice if we'd won a couple of extra games - but we've been pretty close, and I'm happy with our improvement. We were coming from a bloody long way back don't forget.

 

[schmuttt]

Not evaluating our season till the end, but my goal was always 8 wins. Win this week and we are on track, lose and it looks very difficult.

 

[demon21]

I have been satisfied with the year so far no doubt there has been some poor games, But in my mind i thought if we get 6 to 8 wins for the year i be pretty happy and we are on track to get that. Maybe others expected more but we are coming from a long way back and we have changed over a lot of players the last few years and its always going to take time.

And we still a fair few players to get rid of too which we will do in the net 2 years or so then hopefully we can get some better depth because when we have a few injuries it stands out that we haven't got lot of depth at this stage.

 

[Klyntonius]

Overreaction negative thread.

This has been - to date - a positive year in my opinion. We've improved in lots of areas but still have lots of improving to do, we've unveiled some exciting kids for the future but still need to strengthen the list, we've won some games that we "shouldn't" have and lost some we "should" have.

I expected 7-8 wins to be a pass mark and to this point we're on target. The job is far from done but the turnaround tangibly looks to be in motion.

 

[Demon 16]

Pretty sure we did a pre/off-season thread about what we each thought the pass mark would be for the ear ahead.

I can't find it though.

I think I might have said 6 wins would be pass and I'd be very happy with anything more - but most wanted 7 or 8 wins.

 

[ponsdale]

Pretty sure we did a pre/off-season thread about what we each thought the pass mark would be for the ear ahead.

I can't find it though.

I think I might have said 6 wins would be pass and I'd be very happy with anything more - but most wanted 7 or 8 wins.

I think all of us want more than that!

 

[bjwilliams]

Personally this has been a pass year so far.

Agree that we've dropped some games we should've won (Essendon and St Kilda) though we've been much more competitive all year. Plus we have some exciting kids who seem to be getting things right early. We're coming back from such a long way I'm just happy to go to games with some hope of a win.

We may be bottom 4 but at least I see light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[scalesofjustice]

I'm not sure I would call this year a disappointment or failure to be honest.

Nor would I if I was a Demon supporter.

5 wins is 1 ahead of last year with 7 games still left. If you can get to 8 wins thats a very nice improvement, even 7 wins would be good.. but I can see you winning 3-4 of the last 7. If anyone calls that disappointing then they had unrealistic expectations to start with.

And theres also these two kids called Brayshaw and Hogan who Id love at the Hawks. Salem too thanks.

Your team is tracking well and I have no doubt a very nice list with solid depth will to be handed over to Goodwin who will be aiming for Finals right off the bat. Enjoy it.

 

[Tempy Tiger]

Nor would I if I was a Demon supporter.

5 wins is 1 ahead of last year with 7 games still left. If you can get to 8 wins thats a very nice improvement, even 7 wins would be good.. but I can see you winning 3-4 of the last 7. If anyone calls that disappointing then they had unrealistic expectations to start with.

And theres also these two kids called Brayshaw and Hogan who Id love at the Hawks. Salem too thanks.

Your team is tracking well and I have no doubt a very nice list with solid depth will to be handed over to Goodwin who will be aiming for Finals right off the bat. Enjoy it.

Spot on. Plus C. Petracca who could be the pick of them.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Honestly, if we can't beat Carlton, we should shut the club down. I know Hawks are too good, but 140 point loss tonight! Saints and Blues are must wins for the club...

 

[Cannon82]

Honestly, if we can't beat Carlton, we should shut the club down. I know Hawks are too good, but 140 point loss tonight! Saints and Blues are must wins for the club...

Yep, totally agree, those are games we could not possibly lose, ever, at all, in a million years. Those points are double bagged.