Opinion 2018 Expectations

Should strive to build a premiership side. If that means losing an extra game or two in the short run. So be it.
Finals experience is important.

Can't be forever in building mode then expect to win the flag as soon as you make finals.
 

Bomberbuzz1

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My expectation is that team defence, fitness and stoppage work will be the substantial improvements of next year.
Our motto this year was to kick a winning score, get to 100 points and we will most likely win. From coming last the year before we didn't/ couldn't of had the expectation of coming top 4/ winning a flag. We built a really good base for the future.
When opposition teams brought their best we lost out due to fitness, we couldn't sustain the repeat efforts. Lack of fitness was a catalyst to the midfield and defensive breakdown.
The other emphasis has to be team defence. If we can improve our selflessness and willingness to get back to help in numbers. This can be measured, prevent 2-3 less goals on our avg this year.
Tough year next year, plenty of teams on the rise which will require us to improve on our weaknesses to maintain our upward trend.
So even though we won't have an unstoppable team like 2000 we can still have the belief that going all the way is achievable based on the recent results of tigers and bulldogs.
 

blitzer

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I want: us to win a finals game.

I expect: us to not make the finals and blood lots of new players (that we should have done more of this year). Our veterans are not up to the task. Time to stop using guys like Howlett/Bird/Hocking as a crutch and give young players a go. They aren't taking us anywhere. Begley and Mutch should have gotten more AFL experience this year.

We need our midfield to transform the way our forward line has. Can we find the contested ball winners? Big question mark in that area.
Also need to look into why teams take an absolute ton of contested marks against us. That was embarassing against Sydney (and prior to that against Bulldogs too). I'd go as far to say its been a hallmark of our finals games in recent years. It's not even the talls - its the smalls. If guys like Langford, Laverde and Francis don't come on - this could be a long term weakness.
 

JayJ20

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Also need to look into why teams take an absolute ton of contested marks against us. That was embarassing against Sydney (and prior to that against Bulldogs too). I'd go as far to say its been a hallmark of our finals games in recent years. It's not even the talls - its the smalls. If guys like Langford, Laverde and Francis don't come on - this could be a long term weakness.
I know why. It's about our style of play. We try to out mark our opposition to continue our more uncontested game style instead of spoiling it. It's why teams like Adelaide, Sydney, North and GWS who are taller than us across the ground take a lot of marks on us. We try to play our game when it isn't working. Part of it is of course personnel because we don't have that much ball winners, nor do we have enough players that put on the required pressure once the ball hits the deck.

Richmond are even shorter than us across the ground and I've been closely analysing what they do.
Instead of trying to take the contested mark, their smaller players focus all of their energy on bringing the ball to the ground. They then have 3 players ready to pounce on the ground ball or tackle if the opposition gets it. Improving our one-on-one game is one of our priorities.
 
win a final at a minimum.

If we dont do that its a failure.
 
Yep Goddard said training at a 'Grand Final' standard is what the team will be doing in the off season so hopefully we see a better all over the ground defence next year.
To be honest, if "Grand Final Standard" means training as hard as possible, I'm not sure why only now we're training at a "Grand Final Standard". The concept in itself sounds like something that every team should just be doing as a standard.
 

CBombers17

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I'd like us to play the game style Woosha is implementing and see it look like a plan that's going to win us a Premiership.
 

Bomberbuzz1

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To be honest, if "Grand Final Standard" means training as hard as possible, I'm not sure why only now we're training at a "Grand Final Standard". The concept in itself sounds like something that every team should just be doing as a standard.
Maturity, dedication, veracious and honest with eachothers strengths and weaknesses a complete understanding of what's required. Train as hard as you like but without a purpose you won't go anywhere.
 
Maturity, dedication, veracious and honest with eachothers strengths and weaknesses a complete understanding of what's required. Train as hard as you like but without a purpose you won't go anywhere.
Again, why are we only starting this now? Like, obviously we'll be continually refining the process but statements like that only suggest we've been doing the bare minimum up until now which I'd certainly hope is untrue.

On Pixel using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

Bomberbuzz1

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Again, why are we only starting this now? Like, obviously we'll be continually refining the process but statements like that only suggest we've been doing the bare minimum up until now which I'd certainly hope is untrue.

On Pixel using BigFooty.com mobile app
I think it's more a reflection that more could have been done rather than not attempting to do it.
 
Aim for top 4.
Win a final at a minimum.
Some 21 to 24 year old mids with skills.
A shutfdown defender to help Pidge as much as i love Bags i think his agility and mobility are gone.
Cale Hooker's run up and kicking action to look slightly less unco!
Trade Leuey and maybe tthrow Draper in the deep end pre season and give him a crack
 
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I don't think we're that far off.

We've got to address the consistency thing. We need to be able to bring it every week and for four quarters.

The losses this year to Carlton, Brisbane and Sydney were sheer lunacy. Carlton we simply didn't rock up, Brisbane and Sydney we completely switched off when we thought we'd won.

Convert those and we're basically top 4.

Combine that with timing your run to peak in September and you're a decent show. In a league with no runaway standouts, that's important, as Richmond and the Bulldogs have shown.

Four quarters against Carlton and a quarter each against Brisbane and Sydney ruined our season.

We have to be consistent and not stop until the final siren.
 

JayJ20

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I don't think we're that far off.

We've got to address the consistency thing. We need to be able to bring it every week and for four quarters.

The losses this year to Carlton, Brisbane and Sydney were sheer lunacy. Carlton we simply didn't rock up, Brisbane and Sydney we completely switched off when we thought we'd won.

Convert those and we're basically top 4.

Combine that with timing your run to peak in September and you're a decent show. In a league with no runaway standouts, that's important, as Richmond and the Bulldogs have shown.

Four quarters against Carlton and a quarter each against Brisbane and Sydney ruined our season.

We have to be consistent and not stop until the final siren.
Don't forget blowing out the Fremantle (round 7), Melbourne and Bulldogs games when we couldn't be bothered anymore. Nearly cost us a finals spot had Melbourne not have choked against Collingwood
 
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Don't forget blowing out the Fremantle (round 7), Melbourne and Bulldogs games when we couldn't be bothered anymore. Nearly cost us a finals spot had Melbourne not have choked against Collingwood

True. Just saw those three as the real stinkers. Carlton are terrible and might as well have got the spoon. Brisbane we were five goals up against one of the worst teams around, and got done. Sydney we were 2 goals up with 70 seconds left and got done.

Just shows what fine margins there are. If you let that happen you're no chance.
 

JayJ20

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True. Just saw those three as the real stinkers. Carlton are terrible and might as well have got the spoon. Brisbane we were five goals up against one of the worst teams around, and got done. Sydney we were 2 goals up with 70 seconds left and got done.

Just shows what fine margins there are. If you let that happen you're no chance.
It's why we haven't played a home final since 2002. We continually drop these types of games and it does need to stop.

The bottom 4 have won 4 games against the top 8 sides. Half were against us.
 
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Also I hate this "win a final" folly. As the Bulldogs and Richmond have shown, it's crap and means nothing. It was started by Carlton during the Ratten years, when they clearly weren't good enough, as some sort of bullshit measure for their rabid fans. "Oh we want to win a final this year" as if it's a step towards something.

Beating 7th or 8th in a "final" means precisely * all. It's not some milestone to be hailed as a massive step forward.

There is one aim, and that's to be top 4. From there you can launch a premiership bid. Until then, you can win all the finals you like or lose all the finals you like (like Richmond did)... it makes no difference. Positions 5-8 are fools gold and so are the "finals" you play when you finish there.
 
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Find some intensity. I've been waiting a few years, it will surely come eventually.

Laverde, Langford, Francis, Mutch - in. Colyer, Myers, Jobe, Kelly - out.

Stop playing Goddard as the 7th defender.

Trades aside, the team i want to see for most of 2018.

Bags Hartley Ambrose
Gleeson Hurley McKenna
Parish Merrett McGrath
Begley Daniher Tippa
Fantasia Hooker Stewart
TBC Heppell Goddard
Francis Langford Laverde Mutch
 
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People here that are saying "richmond won the flag so we can" need to think about Richmond's top end talent. Do we have two players in the midfield that can play as well as Cotchin and Martin this year????

Doubt it.

If we win a final that will be a step in the right direction. We need to bring Stringer in and at least one other quality player.
 
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Also I hate this "win a final" folly. As the Bulldogs and Richmond have shown, it's crap and means nothing. It was started by Carlton during the Ratten years, when they clearly weren't good enough, as some sort of bullshit measure for their rabid fans. "Oh we want to win a final this year" as if it's a step towards something.

Beating 7th or 8th in a "final" means precisely **** all. It's not some milestone to be hailed as a massive step forward.

There is one aim, and that's to be top 4. From there you can launch a premiership bid. Until then, you can win all the finals you like or lose all the finals you like (like Richmond did)... it makes no difference. Positions 5-8 are fools gold and so are the "finals" you play when you finish there.


But i really do want to win a final
 
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