Prediction Who will finish higher - Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, Brisbane or St Kilda

[Doashuey]

Between Freo and Bris for me. Giving the nod to Bris just mostly because of Neale. He is a gun and Freo will really miss his experience which Bris gain(loss of Beams hurts tho). Freo have a really young midfield so a.lot of work will be put into Fyfe.
Freos forward line looks much better this yet but with the Lyon game plan I can't help but feel they will be wasted to a degree.
Freo gain a more significant home ground advantage than Bris but they need to pick up their form on the road which was disastrous last year.
Bris have the makings of a really good list and the quality talls in Andrews and Hopwood may benifits from the 666 rule especially if their mids get first use. They are well coached but still relatively young so expecting them to improve sharply.
Dogs I just don't have confidence in. Thought they were putrid for most of last year and 2017 wasnt much better.
Saints will contend for the spoon.
Bris 9th Freo 10th WB 12th Saints 16th.

 

[Black Stripe]

F*** knows what’s going on at the kennel

Hangover Part III

 

[Black Stripe]

St Kilda looked good in the JLT winning both their games including beating the Bulldogs.

Have opinions changed regarding St Kilda given they've been rated lower than the Bulldogs, Fremantle and Brisbane.

 

[Dazb86]

St Kilda looked good in the JLT winning both their games including beating the Bulldogs.

Have opinions changed regarding St Kilda given they've been rated lower than the Bulldogs, Fremantle and Brisbane.

Not yet for mine. Their pressure has been good so far. If they keep it up and get to round 5 with a couple of wins I'll start believing.

 

[joop]

I chose the Dogs in the poll but they look very average. Gameplan is way too handball happy, and their forward line is a massive concern.
Yes it was only JLT, but some worrying signs in my opinion.

 

[Virgin Dog]

I chose the Dogs in the poll but they look very average. Gameplan is way too handball happy, and their forward line is a massive concern.
Yes it was only JLT, but some worrying signs in my opinion.

This is what makes this poll so hard to choose. All 4 teams are going to be extremely hard to predict, and JLT really tells us very little besides form of individual players (due to coaches messing around with structures and plays).

But you're right about the forward line especially, at least more specifically the entries. So much long bombing yet we don't have any real beast KPFs, even if Naughton is an elite contested marker. Gowers has been atrocious in the two JLT games, Schache was patchy (just like early last year) and for some unknown reason Dickson has been playing in VFL praccies. Our entire forward structure just has massive question marks right now, so it's very difficult to tell where the side is at overall.

Saints impressed me on the weekend, but the head knock to McCartin is extremely worrying - has there been any news on that?

 

[aussierulesrules]

We'll just go through all the usual protocols with Paddy. The much more concerning thing for us as a team is Roberton, if he has more heart issues.

Paddy we can cover for with Marshall (who showed some terrific signs last year and was again impressive yesterday) going back to the forwardline, or even Battle returning there, but Robbo would be much harder to cover for, and is also much better than Paddy currently is.

It's no coincidence that we've looked a much better team in these two games with Robbo back, and if we were to lose him on top of Carlisle that would be a massive hit.

 

[joop]

This is what makes this poll so hard to choose. All 4 teams are going to be extremely hard to predict, and JLT really tells us very little besides form of individual players (due to coaches messing around with structures and plays).

But you're right about the forward line especially, at least more specifically the entries. So much long bombing yet we don't have any real beast KPFs, even if Naughton is an elite contested marker. Gowers has been atrocious in the two JLT games, Schache was patchy (just like early last year) and for some unknown reason Dickson has been playing in VFL praccies. Our entire forward structure just has massive question marks right now, so it's very difficult to tell where the side is at overall.

Saints impressed me on the weekend, but the head knock to McCartin is extremely worrying - has there been any news on that?

Just the usual 'we're being really cautious' talk. Fact is he's had 7 (maybe 8) concussions in 4 years. He's gotta start thinking about his future in my opinion. The last 2 weeks has pretty much summed up his career. Done some great things, some bad, then gets injured. As bad as it sounds he's not a massive loss to our side, although after he went off yesterday the forward line didn't seem to function as well with Bruce & Membrey as the 2 talls.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Just the usual 'we're being really cautious' talk. Fact is he's had 7 (maybe 8) concussions in 4 years. He's gotta start thinking about his future in my opinion. The last 2 weeks has pretty much summed up his career. Done some great things, some bad, then gets injured. As bad as it sounds he's not a massive loss to our side, although after he went off yesterday the forward line didn't seem to function as well with Bruce & Membrey as the 2 talls.

Yeah concussions are nothing to * around with. We're having the same problems with Picken, and honestly I wouldn't be against him retiring now.

Your forward line looks 10x better with Membrey firing. If he keeps that up then losing McCartin isn't the worst thing in the world

 

[aussierulesrules]

Your forward line looks 10x better with Membrey firing. If he keeps that up then losing McCartin isn't the worst thing in the world

Having Bruce back helped a heap as well.

Took 5 contested marks yesterday, which is a great sign, as that was a strength of his in the season where he kicked 50 goals, but really dropped off in 2017.

A big part of the reason we dropped off so badly last year was not only losing Riewoldt from our previous forwardline, but then only having Bruce for 3 games, Paddy for 13, and then Membrey had the yips something shocking until R10 (from that point in he kicked 28 goals from 13 games).

If those two play most of the season at or near their best it could take us a long way towards returning to the sort of team we were in 2016/2017.

The pressure we built our game around in those years also looks like it might be back.

 

[joop]

Yeah concussions are nothing to **** around with. We're having the same problems with Picken, and honestly I wouldn't be against him retiring now.

Your forward line looks 10x better with Membrey firing. If he keeps that up then losing McCartin isn't the worst thing in the world

Think it’s more to do with Bruce to be honest, he makes a massive difference and we missed him heaps last year.
7news just reported Paddy spent last night in hospital so probably one of the more severe concussions he’s had.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Think it’s more to do with Bruce to be honest, he makes a massive difference and we missed him heaps last year.
7news just reported Paddy spent last night in hospital so probably one of the more severe concussions he’s had.

s**t, that's not good. Picken suffered his concussion in JLT last year, and was still getting headaches as of 3 weeks ago (last time I heard anything). Don't even think he's entered full training yet, and that's a year later of concussion symptoms. Hope for McCartin's long term health that he pulls the pin now because it's just getting too risky. Bruce and Membrey are a very decent combination for now, and Max King will come on in a few years' time. Long term I think Saints will be fine without McCartin, and there's no use literally risking his life just for a sport

 

[joop]

s**t, that's not good. Picken suffered his concussion in JLT last year, and was still getting headaches as of 3 weeks ago (last time I heard anything). Don't even think he's entered full training yet, and that's a year later of concussion symptoms. Hope for McCartin's long term health that he pulls the pin now because it's just getting too risky. Bruce and Membrey are a very decent combination for now, and Max King will come on in a few years' time. Long term I think Saints will be fine without McCartin, and there's no use literally risking his life just for a sport

Yeh agree with you 100% on that. Paddy is only 22 and with the amount of concussions he’s had I wouldn’t begrudge him from walking away from the game today.

 

[Scotland]

Brisbane
Fremantle
WB
St Kilda

 

[Virgin Dog]

Brisbane
Fremantle
WB
St Kilda

What makes you come to these conclusions? Not arguing btw, just wondering if this is on last years' trajectory, list changes, JLT form, etc?

 

[bungalow_bill]

Think it’s more to do with Bruce to be honest, he makes a massive difference and we missed him heaps last year.
7news just reported Paddy spent last night in hospital so probably one of the more severe concussions he’s had.

Was he hospitalised for any of the previous concussions? You feel for the guy and want him to come good but not if it means risking his life or quality of life in future.

 

[Scotland]

What makes you come to these conclusions? Not arguing btw, just wondering if this is on last years' trajectory, list changes, JLT form, etc?

Bris - building nicely, have added Neale. I expect them to win 10+
Freo - finally have a forward line but still have Ross Lyon weighing them down. New rules could work in their favour.
WB - not sure about them. Suckling, Duryea, Trengove, Crozier, Schache, Lloyd. Just seem to keep picking up depth players from other teams.
St K - awful, and big question marks over McCartin and Roberton today.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Bris - building nicely, have added Neale. I expect them to win 10+
Freo - finally have a forward line but still have Ross Lyon weighing them down. New rules could work in their favour.
WB - not sure about them. Suckling, Duryea, Trengove, Crozier, Schache, Lloyd. Just seem to keep picking up depth players from other teams.
St K - awful, and big question marks over McCartin and Roberton today.

Fair call. Figured based on exposed JLT form it'd be Brisbane, Saints, Freo then Dogs (or Dogs then Freo, kinda interchangeable) so was just curious how you came to your list.

Also just with the Dogs - Crozier is basically a whole new player compared to where he was at while at Freo. Not an absolute star, but a solid B-grade player who earns his spot. Schache was a reluctant trade from Brisbane and not really "depth". The others I can see the argument, guess we just needed their types more than the original side (especially Lloyd)

 

[Scotland]

JLT form is overrated every year. We got pantsed by Freo this time last year.

 

[joop]

Was he hospitalised for any of the previous concussions? You feel for the guy and want him to come good but not if it means risking his life or quality of life in future.

aussierulesrules is probably better suited to answer the question as I can’t really remember. I know that a few of them have been glancing blows though, where he doesn’t even appear to be that affected by it. Yesterday’s was a bit different, he seemed to be out before he hit the ground and then hit his head on the ground too.

 

[aussierulesrules]

First time I remember hearing that he'd gone to hospital but that doesn't mean it hasn't been the case previously.

Both of them have been released according to the radio news.

 

[Ambrosia]

Don't see McCartin as a big loss for the Saints. Despite all the talks of him getting fit he still looked to be carrying too many kgs.

I think it's time to give the blokes who have the discipline required to get an AFL physique (Marshall/Battle) a go.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Don't see McCartin as a big loss for the Saints. Despite all the talks of him getting fit he still looked to be carrying too many kgs.

I think it's time to give the blokes who have the discipline required to get an AFL physique (Marshall/Battle) a go.

With Paddy's weight, a huge amount of it has had to do with his diabetes I believe.

In his first preseason he only did 40% of the work to ease him into it due to the diabetes, and then in his 2nd he only did 80%. Then in his 3rd he upped it to the whole thing, but apparently that meant he had to eat a lot more "crap" (ie lollies etc) in order to keep his blood sugar levels where they needed to be in response to the increased workload, and despite having done his biggest preseason ever that year, he started that season looking worse for it, as eating all that crap to be able to handle the increased workload of course led to weight/fat gain, and undid most of the benefits of doing more work.

Consequently he looked less promising that season than he had in the previous one.

Going by what both he and the club have said, it's clearly been a significant challenge for him to find that right balance between managing his diabetes and increasing his workload, but they reckon they've now got it pretty much down pat, and he's the lightest and fittest he's been since he got to the club as a result, apparently.

Will still need more preseasons to capitalise on that though, as Rome wasn't built in a day.

I think it's grossly unfair for anyone to suggest he's undisciplined and so-on, as I'd say that's about the last thing he is (when you've got diabetes you have to be super-disciplined) and they have no idea what he has to go through that the average Joe doesn't have to deal with.

Even getting excited/pumped-up before a game spikes his blood-sugar and leaves him feeling like he's got a hangover.

 

[Ambrosia]

With Paddy's weight, a huge amount of it has had to do with his diabetes I believe.

In his first preseason he only did 40% of the work to ease him into it due to the diabetes, and then in his 2nd he only did 80%. Then in his 3rd he upped it to the whole thing, but apparently that meant he had to eat a lot more "crap" (ie lollies etc) in order to keep his blood sugar levels where they needed to be in response to the increased workload, and despite having done his biggest preseason ever that year, he started that season looking worse for it, as eating all that crap to be able to handle the increased workload of course led to weight/fat gain, and undid most of the benefits of doing more work.

Consequently he looked less promising that season than he had in the previous one.

Going by what both he and the club have said, it's clearly been a significant challenge for him to find that right balance between managing his diabetes and increasing his workload, but they reckon they've now got it pretty much down pat, and he's the lightest and fittest he's been since he got to the club as a result, apparently.

Will still need more preseasons to capitalise on that though, as Rome wasn't built in a day.

I think it's grossly unfair for anyone to suggest he's undisciplined and so-on, as I'd say that's about the last thing he is (when you've got diabetes you have to be super-disciplined) and they have no idea what he has to go through that the average Joe doesn't have to deal with.

Even getting excited/pumped-up before a game spikes his blood-sugar and leaves him feeling like he's got a hangover.

I'll admit I don't have a good grasp of the effects of type 1 diabetes but I know multiple people with the condition who are extremely fit and lean.

I'd accept the training loads restrictions as an excuse if it was just his tank but he's just plain fat for an elite athlete and I don't diabetes is an excuse for eating too much.

No doubt Diabetes combined with concussions and the pressure of being a number one pick is a lot to manage for a young bloke but he should be held to the same standards as his teammates.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Isn't there another player with diabetes? Perhaps a different type though. Type 2 is a delicate balancing act