What do you see being the team's greatest weakness in 2015?

[B0SK]

This year I would've said the midfield was our greatest weakness at the start of the season, but Langford became a fixture in the team, Lewis had a brilliant year and of course Hill & Smith had a huge impact which allowed us to offset the minimal impact of Sewell and to a lesser degree Mitchell throughout the season.

You can make the case that the midfield will still be our biggest concern next year but I think its still an interesting question to ask. Perhaps the answer isn't quite as obvious as it has been in past years which would be a great omen.

 

[Dewnior]

Biggest threat is complacency. There may be no more 'unfinished business' in the minds of some the group.

 

[marklar]

Complacency. A 3-peat would be a fantastic achievement, but I'm not sure if the hunger will be there for the entire year.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

I think it's the lack of a tall forward option if Rough goes down. Possibly Frawley could be used as a swing man, leaving Lake and Spang to do the job down back. Possibly Schoey can refind some form and confidence. Maybe Grimley could show some desire to improve. Maybe TOB will step up, but he's still a few years off by the looks of it.

Our forward structure is a big key to our success the past few years - and a long-term injury to Rough would be a big hurdle. There's just too many question marks on those that would be left to fill his shoes.

 

[mightynineteen]

Biggest threat is complacency. There may be no more 'unfinished business' in the minds of some the group.

I am not to worried about complacency, as the impression I've got is that the boys not only want a 3 peat but they also want the guys who missed out to get one.

I am more worried about injuries to the older guys in September, and also if roughhead gets injured we could have major problems.

 

[Agent Smith]

Kryptonite.

 

[flinchfree]

Langford isn't enough in the guts, we'll need two fresh impact players to percolate the new on-ball brigade.......Mitch will cover less and less ground as the year goes on, Lewis will have to show that his new highwater mark for performance can become something to be relied upon and not an apex he struggles to reach again, and I think we'll see Hodge play ever more flank and pinch hit forward through 15' as opposed to the middle.......
I still see Smith and Hill as outside and don't know if Hartung can read the drop of the ball to rove, so who will it be?
Someone new has to give reason and spice to move the ball inexorably our way.
Anderson?
Woodward?
1st Pick ND?

The same old followers as last year won't stir the pot sufficiently in my opinion.

 

[madhawksfan]

Langford isn't enough in the guts, we'll need two fresh impact players to percolate the new on-ball brigade.......Mitch will cover less and less ground as the year goes on, Lewis will have to show that his new highwater mark for performance can become something to be relied upon and not an apex he struggles to reach again, and I think we'll see Hodge play ever more flank and pinch hit forward through 15' as opposed to the middle.......
I still see Smith and Hill as outside and don't know if Hartung can read the drop of the ball to rove, so who will it be?
Someone new has to give reason and spice to move the ball inexorably our way.
Anderson?
Woodward?
1st Pick ND?

The same old followers as last year won't stir the pot sufficiently in my opinion.

Fair point you raise about the midfield. We have plenty of options that weren't used much (or at all in 2014), including: Whitecross, Woody, Jed, O'Rourke, Bruest moving into the midfield for longer periods, Duryea (who looked good the couple of times he played in the middle) and maybe a smokie like Litherland. All those guys have a bit of zip and other than JOR, who is an unknown, are good contested players. These guys, along with further improvement from Shiels and Langers should allow us to go well enough in the midfield provided we don't get smashed by heaps of injuries. Mitch, Hodge and Burgoyne will be used in bursts only so plenty of chances for Lewis, Shiels and co to lead the way.

Mental fatigue is the biggest question mark for mine. Four years of elite level footy including three consecutive GF is mentally draining and may be our biggest hurdle. Although competition for spots and having the luxury to manage players through the year may avoid this problem.

I don't see many sides having the firepower to match us at or near our best for four quarters. North are a bogey side but I don't think we will take them as lightly as we did this year. Plus, they rely heavily on their top 6-8 players and go to water when those guys don't dominate.

Port are dangerous but the addition of a flexible defender like Frawley, along with Stratton, Duryea, Litherland and Burgoyne give us enough options to cover their medium forwards. Their backline cannot contain our forwards so if we break even in the middle I think we have them covered more often than not.

The GF would have to have had an impact on the mental psyche of Shitney. We are a better side than them and I reckon they know that now as the only win they've had against us in the past two years was when we were seriously depleted.

Geelong will probably get their usual armchair ride from the umps but don't think that will be enough in 2015. Clark may be amazing or he may be a total bust but even with him there, their midfield lacks speed and relies too heavily on Duckwood and Johnson.

 

[Argy]

Complacency.

 

[Davo23]

The clash jumper.

But will it actually clash?

I also worry that the mainly white clash jumper makes Hodgey look fat.

 

[Hawk Dork]

Old bodies

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I injuries. We stay fit and we will finish top 4.

 

[JoeHawk]

Langford isn't enough in the guts, we'll need two fresh impact players to percolate the new on-ball brigade.......Mitch will cover less and less ground as the year goes on, Lewis will have to show that his new highwater mark for performance can become something to be relied upon and not an apex he struggles to reach again, and I think we'll see Hodge play ever more flank and pinch hit forward through 15' as opposed to the middle.......
I still see Smith and Hill as outside and don't know if Hartung can read the drop of the ball to rove, so who will it be?
Someone new has to give reason and spice to move the ball inexorably our way.
Anderson?
Woodward?
1st Pick ND?

The same old followers as last year won't stir the pot sufficiently in my opinion.

You're forgetting Whitecross. Hopefully the footy gods can be kinder to him.

 

[Wittman10]

First thing I thought of, like a few others above, was complacency. It's funny, I can't recall any mention of the dreaded hangover this year, but next year may prove to be different. But...quite a few players mentioned post victory, that they were motivated to by Suckers, and one or two others no doubt, missing 2013. I'm sure Clarko will use Whitecross, Jed etc to try to inspire the group next year, along with the tantalizing prospect of a three-peat! How many sides have achieved this? Obviously the Lions, I can think of a couple of others, the Dees in the fifties and the Pies team in the 20's. Chance to make some history.

 

[shotgun_blues]

Roughead injured only during September 2015 is our biggest concern by far.

 

[cryptor]

Small defenders, defending players like Wingard & Walters
We have Duryea, Stratton and Litherland. All can play on a range of sizes including smalls.

Midfield grunt, having enough big bodies around the contest
Langford, Lewis, Mitchell and Shiels go pretty well. Roughead, Hodge and Burgoyne to go through also.

Midfield speed, mostly around clearances
Smith, Hill, Hartung, Rioli, Burgoyne, Langford and Shiels all have different powerful combinations of top speed, burst and agility.

Ruck, lack of a genuine dominant hitout winner
Hasn't been a huge issue for us in the past. I prefer our rucks strength of being able to compete at ground level and their second efforts.

Forwardline depth, question mark over quality tall support for Roughead
This is it for me. Need to hope that O'Brien has a big preseason and a breakout year. Sicily may be able to fill the spot but he's a different kind of player.

Accumlation of older players, putting the list at greater risk of injury
Would be of concern based on the injury run this year if not for the resultant unearthing of AFL ready depth players clawing for games.

Lack of hunger, and incentive to bust a gut after achieving B2B
If they didn't lose hunger after 2013 then I don't see why this would be any different. A shot at the clubs first three-peat and cementing their places as one of the greatest ever teams seems like it would be a good incentive. As per the above point there is certainly pressure for spots.

Mental fatigue, after being the hunted for the past three years
The boys seem to thrive on the challenge. This is the least worrisome of all.

 

[kenneje]

You'd have to make quite a case to convince me our midfield will be even the slightest of an issue next year.

No one from this year goes out, but we bring in Whitecross, Anderson, O'Rourke and - if the one person I know from the club gets it right - Vic Metros captain Touk Miller (ready to go).

Not only that, but you can just about lock Breust into playing more midfield time as well as hopefully one of Woodward/Hartung stepping up.

To me the only thing that might hold us back is complacency.
Our list is the strongest on paper, we have the best coach in the game, so right now, the only thing that might hinder us is our mindset.

At the end of '13, it was a different feeling to now. I was happy, but relieved more than anything. I definitely wanted more. Now... I'm fine.

Maybe it's just because of how I feel right at this moment, but I'm overly joyed with what our clubs done. We've got the recognition we deserve, we've destroyed our two recent rivals in Geelong and Sydney, and have an air of invincibility about us.

 

[Blaze Storm]

In a way, injuries to older players are a good thing if they get game time into some depth players prior to finals.

 

[seysearles]

In a way, injuries to older players are a good thing if they get game time into some depth players prior to finals.

We have a huge challenge ahead in replacing both the talent and leadership of Mitchell, Hodge and Burgoyne.

 

[James Colorado]

I doubt that complacency is going to be an issue, particularly with the guys that have yet to taste success in Whitecross and Anderson going to be pushing to make the team. Suckers, Langford and the Spang don't seem like they'll be satisfied with one, and Simpkin will be hurting and wanting to force his way back into the 22. Schoey will be wanting to convert all the doubters. More importantly, our core in Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Roughead, Rioli and Birchall will want to really solidify their legacy, and will never be happy with only being three time premiership players.

The issue is going to be midfield class, and our reliance on a couple of big names. We have plenty of guys pushing for spots in the midfield, and pace is no longer a problem, but you'll notice that 2 out of our best 3 on GF day are also the two that are going to need to be replaced in a year or 2, in Hodge and Mitchell. I don't know how much longer they've got left, but it'll be the end of an era when they do finish up. While we have a list full of hard players, it's the class of these two that means they are irreplaceable, and if either or both are injured, then while we may be able to replace them with tough, skilled players, it's just the "Hodge-factor" and the "Mitchell-factor" that we'll be missing. Hopefully we've got some more time to enjoy their careers, and they can farewell us with another premiership or two before they finish.

Lewis is in a similar position to Hodge and Mitchell, as he's added a rarefied class to his hardness after 2014, but he's got a couple more years in him, as does Roughead and Rioli, though Cyril's hamstrings may need to be managed, which is already the topic of another thread. Agree with the above posters who mention the nightmare scenario of Roughead being injured in September, which makes me wake up with cold sweats, thinking of 2011 again, however we have such a spread of goalkickers that we may be able to cover him.

Even though we can play the majority of the year with Hodge and Mitchell only spending a minority of game time in the centre square, the fact is for the biggest games of the year, we need to be able to throw them into the coal face. They can spend all season driving the play from the half back flank, but when the GF is there to be won, they need to be where the play is at its hottest. We saw how that worked this year, and we'll be wanting it to continue in the next. The problem is that it means we may be too reliant on them.

We can win without them, but can we win a GF without them, yet? I know that there is a succession plan in place, but I feel so much better with them in the team, fit and firing and going for their fourth premierships. Our reliance on them, with the risk of losing them, is our greatest weakness in 2015.

We've been lucky to have them at our club.

 

[James Colorado]

We have a huge challenge ahead in replacing both the talent and leadership of Mitchell, Hodge and Burgoyne.

You made my point while I was typing mine, and succinctly too

 

[Roger Rogerson]

The two question marks I have are:

1. Our ageing stars and their ability to a) stay on the park AND b) produce A grade football in September 2015. They may produce A grade football in May/June but can they do so another 3 months later after another full season in the legs. If Lake for some reason doesnt play in September then things will be tough even with Frawley. He is the bloke who separates us from the other contenders.

2. Where will the improvement come from? Anderson, Whitecross, Frawley, O'Rourke looks brilliant on paper but will any of them do a Langers in 2015 or even a Cegs or Doc?

 

[seysearles]

You made my point while I was typing mine, and succinctly too

Lewis is definitely the player in the next age group down that offers up some of what these guys offer but after that we still have unprovens who need to show us what they've got. The candidates for me are:

Gunston - Is the next captain after Lewis or Roughead if you ask me. Is young, sharp and talented. Perhaps not a game breaker like Hodge and Mitch but has many of their attributes.
Langford - Has shown glimpses of his talent and drive. Seems to be intelligent and a thinker. Has potential.
Hill - Has come on in leaps and bounds. Talent is all there. Is he a leader though? Tony Shaw is convinced that he is a future captain of the club.
Anderson - Exudes Hodge-like qualities to me. Brightest under 21 prospect in the squad.
Shiels - Strikes me as just been a serviceable mid but not a leader of men.
Smith - Similar to Shiels for me.
Woodward - Unproven.
Hartung - Unproven. Does not appear to be a leader.
Willsmore - I know very little about him but have heard that he has leadership qualities.
O'Rourke - Fingers crossed on his footballing potential but makes Buddy sound like Noam Chomsky when he speaks. Not a leader.
Pick.31 2014 draft - I really liked what I saw (and heard) in Touk Miller btw (see here ----> Video). Would be thrilled if he slipped to Pick.31. Well spoken and looks to have many of the above attributes.

Am I missing anyone?

 

[James Colorado]

The two question marks I have are:

1. Our ageing stars and their ability to a) stay on the park AND b) produce A grade football in September 2015. They may produce A grade football in May/June but can they do so another 3 months later after another full season in the legs. If Lake for some reason doesnt play in September then things will be tough even with Frawley. He is the bloke who separates us from the other contenders.

2. Where will the improvement come from? Anderson, Whitecross, Frawley, O'Rourke looks brilliant on paper but will any of them do a Langers in 2015 or even a Cegs or Doc?

Good questions.

In response to:

1. Hodge and Mitchell won't let us down, they both played their best footy this season in September and I trust them to know how to manage themselves (some of you may not have noticed, but I kind of like those guys). Lake I trust to play great footy in September, it's just a matter of him getting there. He's never let us down yet, and he played hurt this year and was one of our best when it mattered.

2. I'm expecting huge things from Whitecross. He was best 22 in '12 and '13, but cruelled by injury. I hate playing this game, but maybe '12 would have been a different story with him on the ground in the GF? Also, with the attitude he's displayed so far, he will not let anyone, no matter how big a body, get between him and the ball in '15; he wants a premiership. Anderson looks like he has the potential to be a star, as does O'Rourke, and Frawley was good enough to be AA in a woeful side. Now he can play with the knowledge that it's not all on him, he has Lake, Gibson, Spangher, Stratton, Birchall, Suckling, Duryea around him, not to mention Hodge, Mitchell and Burgoyne rotating through the backline. That would give anyone a lot of confidence

 

[cryptor]

Lewis is definitely the player in the next age group down that offers up some of what these guys offer but after that we still have unprovens who need to show us what they've got. The candidates for me are:

Gunston - Is the next captain after Lewis or Roughead if you ask me. Is young, sharp and talented. Perhaps not a game breaker like Hodge and Mitch but has many of their attributes.
Langford - Has shown glimpses of his talent and drive. Seems to be intelligent and a thinker. Has potential.
Hill - Has come on in leaps and bounds. Talent is all there. Is he a leader though? Tony Shaw is convinced that he is a future captain of the club.
Anderson - Exudes Hodge-like qualities to me. Brightest under 21 prospect in the squad.
Shiels - Strikes me as just been a serviceable mid but not a leader of men.
Smith - Similar to Shiels for me.
Woodward - Unproven.
Hartung - Unproven. Does not appear to be a leader.
Willsmore - I know very little about him but have heard that he has leadership qualities.
O'Rourke - Fingers crossed on his footballing potential but makes Buddy sound like Noam Chomsky when he speaks. Not a leader.
Pick.31 2014 draft - I really liked what I saw (and heard) in Touk Miller btw (see here ----> Video). Would be thrilled if he slipped to Pick.31. Well spoken and looks to have many of the above attributes.

Am I missing anyone?

Would you include Whitecross? Questions over how he may return from a second knee but otherwise sounds like a very good leader and much loved amongst the club.