Prediction Who finishes highest out of Port, Crows and North in 2020?

[aussierulesrules]

These 3 teams finished 10th to 12th last season, with just one win and 6% separating them, but who finishes highest in 2020?

Port have added some elite young talent to their list that was largely relying on its older stars. Will they take their games to another level in 2020 and help propel their team back into the finals, or will they get SYB's?

While the wheels have obviously fallen off at the Crows since their GF year in 2017, and there was a mass exodus at the end of last season, including Pyke. Will all the list changes and a new coaching group give the club renewed energy to bounce back into the finals, or are they going to struggle, and perhaps start rebuilding?

As for North, like at Port the year before, they added a lot of new faces to their list last season, but it didn't seem to make much difference, and they struggled, until they sacked Scott. Things improved a bunch under Shaw though (8-5), so will that continue into 2020 and see North back in September action?

 

[Baird]

North will finish top 6.

 

[HairyO]

Port should. but North will probably fight them for 8th.

In theory Adelaide should see a big fall but who knows.

 

[Freomaniac]

Now this is a tough one......

On Paper, Crows should easily finish bottom 6 or even possibly bottom 4. But I dont see it happening. This is gonna sound stupid, but I threw $50 on the crows to make the 8 at $5 in December last year. Gutted I didnt do it earlier as they are paying $7.

Backline looks solid with Talia, Haritigan, Dodee (when fully fit) and Laird there.

Midfield isnt too bad with Sloane, Crouch brothers, Milera, Seedsman and Gallucci. They cant get too many injuries in the middle.

Forward line is the worry. Only Tex Walker and Tom Lynch. The crows had the best forwardline in 2017 and there are the only 2 guys left from the 2017 forward line that made the Grand final. Charlie Cameron got traded after the grand final in 2017, McGovern got traded a year later. Both Betts and Jenkins got old and were traded too.

they bring in Frampton as a 2nd ruck/ff, Fogarty plays as a floating CHF or a tall flanker if he doesnt play midfield. Either tyson stengle or Shane McAdam or both guys have to fill the Forward pocket spot.

the other major weakness is the ruck stocks. Rielly o brien is their main ruck and besides frampton, there isnt much else.

If all the cards fall their way I can see the crows make finals.

 

[Yojimbo]

Let us have a look at each teams top three goal kickers in 2019 to see if it gives us a Nostradamus like magic
crystal ball type prediction as to their fortunes in 2020.

North Melbourne:
Ben Brown- 64 Goals
Cameron Zurhaar- 26 Goals
Nick Larkey- 26 Goals

Adelaide:
Taylor Walker- 43 Goals
Eddie Betts- 37 Goals (Gone)
Josh Jenkins- 22 Goals (Gone)

Port Adelaide:
Connor Rozee- 29 Goals
Robbie Gray- 24 Goals
Sam Gray- 20 Goals (Gone)

North Melbourne conceded 400+ Disposals twice for the year compared to Adelaide with six and Port Adelaide
with five. Adelaide and North Melbourne are both heavy handballers, Port Adelaide are too, but not too the
same extent. The adding of another "Big Fish" in Josh Walker probably gives the edge to North Melbourne, but
just like in the movie Jaws with all these big fish "We are going to need a bigger boat".

It's about to click for Mason Wood this year, but it could be as a defender.

 

[Hank Scorpion]

North should easily.

Crows and Power would be spoon contenders if Gold Coast didn't exist.

 

[B4Bear]

It's about to click for Mason Wood this year, but it could be as a defender.

I am curious to see how this goes too. He has the skills, it seems that the mindset has not been right.

Being put on the table and no one going after you would be pretty humiliating. Same thing that happened to Dustin Martin (comparing situations, not players). It was the wake up call he needed, maybe the same will happen to Wood.

Hopefully Shaw can continue extracting more from the players than Scott did in his last few years. There is an aura of accountability and hardness in the team that has been missing for years.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

North and Port could potentially make the 8 but are just as likely to finish mid-table. The Crows are way off though and should finish bottom 4 unless they pull a rabbit out of the hat. They spent the last 2 years doing everything they could to not play their younger guys so I'm not expecting those players to suddenly bob up and save our asses. Port and North are 12-24 months ahead of Adelaide in their rebuilding and should start to see some upside.

 

[Papa G]

I'm more bullish on the Crows than most. Not saying they will finish in the top 4 but they won't finish bottom 4 either. They still have a good core of senior players. Sloane, Crouch x 2, Smith, Laird, Talia, Lynch, Milera, Doodee. Gibbs and Walker should still be serviceable, O'Brien improved as a ruckman. Fogarty may come on given the absence of Jenkins means he must now play. Their depth is probably a little shallow and they'll need some of the youngsters to replace some of their multitude of C grade talent, but I still reckon they completely dropped their bundle last year due to them hating the coaching group, but will get a new coach bounce from Nicks.

I don't want Port to play finals because it means Hinkley will remain.

Who knows with North.

 

[dylan93]

Port Adelaide - Between 10th and 14th.
Adelaide - Between 14th and 18th.
North Melbourne - Between 13th and 17th.

 

[Ambrosia]

Reckon North could push top 6 if everything goes right. Obviously could all fall apart if aging players drop away.

Looks like a rebuilding year for port and Adelaide to me.

 

[HTT]

I cannot possibly see the crows finishing higher than Port and North
So with that in mind, I believe the crows will finish highest.

 

[WilloTree]

Let us have a look at each teams top three goal kickers in 2019 to see if it gives us a Nostradamus like magic
crystal ball type prediction as to their fortunes in 2020.

North Melbourne:
Ben Brown- 64 Goals
Cameron Zurhaar- 26 Goals
Nick Larkey- 26 Goals

Adelaide:
Taylor Walker- 43 Goals
Eddie Betts- 37 Goals (Gone)
Josh Jenkins- 22 Goals (Gone)

Port Adelaide:
Connor Rozee- 29 Goals
Robbie Gray- 24 Goals
Sam Gray- 20 Goals (Gone)

North Melbourne conceded 400+ Disposals twice for the year compared to Adelaide with six and Port Adelaide
with five. Adelaide and North Melbourne are both heavy handballers, Port Adelaide are too, but not too the
same extent. The adding of another "Big Fish" in Josh Walker probably gives the edge to North Melbourne, but
just like in the movie Jaws with all these big fish "We are going to need a bigger boat".

It's about to click for Mason Wood this year, but it could be as a defender.

Some good stats there. Really hard to get a read on these teams.

Read today Dixon having a good preseason, so I'd expect him (and Marshall) to come into the Port forward line more regularly, which will make it significantly better. They also still have some seriously talented players (Grey, Boak, Wines) and didn't miss playing finals last year by much. Having said that, losing Wingard, Hombsch, Polec, Pittard, Ryder and Howard over the past 2 off seasons is a lot of gaps to keep plugging.

Crows 1st rotation mids are still very strong with Crouch, Crouch and Sloan, and the defence is good on paper. But, the well worn stat of only 2 of the 6 forwards from the 2017 GF remain at the club must be a worry. It's also not often you see 6 players leave a club at the end of a season, which could indicate there's a bit of work to do off field as well.

North were very quiet in the off season. Just the one player traded in, and then decided to sit out the 1st round of the draft (for a much better deal long term). So, the improvement will have to come from within - which is fine, because they also didn't lose much off the list at the and of 2019 and they have a good group of under 25s. North fans will have to be patient but the list looks like it's beginning to take shape for a longer plan. I also question weather North have the top end talent of the other two, particularly for 2020. Beyond that... who knows. I personally get the felling the worm will turn, but as with all young lists getting games into the kids takes time.

So I'll go:
Port
Crows
North

 

[DEVO]

I have no idea how North are going to perform, there were some performances last season (Richmond, Collingwood and Port) that suggest that North have a competitive list and the potential to play finals, and with a pre season under Shaw perhaps even second or third week into the finals. But then there were the games against West Coast and Geelong. The Geelong game in particular was one the worst performances I've ever seen in the 40+ years following them. I'm hoping that what I saw against Richmond and Collingwood is what Shaw is aiming for this season and it that's the case, then I would expect North to finish in the top 8 and perhaps the top 4, especially in Brown, Larkey, Zurhaar and Thomas can fire up forward.

Adelaide look to be in a rebuilding stage at the moment and may even fall a little further down the ladder in the next season or two.

Port Adelaide is also a bit of an unknown for me, they showed some good signs at stages last season, but then against us were truly pitiful. I would think that a top 8 finish is real possibility, but I wouldn't be surprised if they finish around 10th-12th either.

I think North will finish the highest, followed by Port and Adelaide.

 

[le dominateur]

North, then Port, Crows last of this bunch

 

[crows dude]

Crows and Port -6-8
North the lowest

We never finish lower than 12th. We will now see our depth playing who by the way did get our SANFL side to the prelim final last year. Jones, McHenry, Gallucci, Poholke, Hamill, Sholl, Butts all to get a lot of games this year

 

[Arr0w]

All around a similar mark, Port to finish higher, just

 

[Engimal v3]

It's about to click for Mason Wood this year, but it could be as a defender.

I hope you're right. A similar move saved Daw's career.

 

[JerryRapidRiser]

While the wheels have obviously fallen off at the Crows since their GF year in 2017, and there was a mass exodus at the end of last season, including Pyke. Will all the list changes and a new coaching group give the club renewed energy to bounce back into the finals, or are they going to struggle, and perhaps start rebuilding?

Translation: "Hi! I'm a mindless drone who doesn't actually follow footy with any great gusto and prefer to source my information from headline-hunting moneywhores at Fox Sports. I actually have no idea what has actually gone on at Adelaide but I read fellow Neanderthal Tom Morris refer to a mass-exodus so that must be true, I mean, he features in Sportsbet ads because he is so cool so I'm comfortable with his moral compass based on this".

Seriously, Adelaide went from being one of the oldest lists to sliding back in the pack- we essentially cut our crusties. They, as evidenced by our fortunes in the last 2 years, weren't taking us back to the promised land. Our core players of actual competence nearly all remain. The only player you'd want back is Keath. This is the healthiest list change we have had.

Sure, we might miss finals again but people predicting a spoon fight have no clue whatsoever. There are still plenty of AA jackets running around.

I'D take our list over Norths any day (and their coach isn't that good - started to flounder the moment he got his contract so that honeymoon period is well over) and Port will continue to be hamstrung by their coach so the answer is clear - we will smoke both these s**t clubs.


I'd happily take your money if you wish but the bet needs to be at least 5 figures (currently have 25 000 on Crows to make finals at 6.50).

 

[Power Raid]

Port will be shittier this year in terms of the squad but the easier draw may cover up the slow midfield, impotent forward line, midget defence, poor skills and s**t game plan.

Whinging wines should F off now, if he’s sad about not being captain. However I hope he returns focused, thinner and mature.

Weak as piss Motlop and Watts will be a bell weather. Both great players if they dedicate themselves but football doesn’t seem to be their thing.

Dixon and Marshall could be anything this year.....a total disaster or a beautiful combination.

Under Hinkley though I expect nothing and hinkleys call of round 1’s being Port’s greatest ever win last year against Melbourne says it all.


North
Crows
Then Port

 

[B4Bear]

I'D take our list over Norths any day (and their coach isn't that good - started to flounder the moment he got his contract so that honeymoon period is well over) and Port will continue to be hamstrung by their coach so the answer is clear - we will smoke both these s**t clubs.


I'd happily take your money if you wish but the bet needs to be at least 5 figures (currently have 25 000 on Crows to make finals at 6.50).

So much absolute shite in one post.

It will be a pleasure to know that Shaw will prove you wrong on every level.

Oh and Adelaide are s**t.

 

[JerryRapidRiser]

So much absolute shite in one post.

It will be a pleasure to know that Shaw will prove you wrong on every level.

Oh and Adelaide are s**t.

Can you name more than 3 quality players in the Kangas?

 

[Yojimbo]

Can you name more than 3 quality players in the Kangas?

Shaun Higgins, Ben Cunnington, Jared Polec, Robbie Tarrant, Todd Goldstein, Jed Anderson, Jack Ziebell,
Ben Brown, Jy Simpkin and a wealth of young talent ready to take the competition by storm and watch
out for the debut of Lachlan Hosie impressed in the VFL late last year.

 

[JerryRapidRiser]

Shaun Higgins, Ben Cunnington, Jared Polec, Robbie Tarrant, Todd Goldstein, Jed Anderson, Jack Ziebell,
Ben Brown, Jy Simpkin and a wealth of young talent ready to take the competition by storm and watch
out for the debut of Lachlan Hosie impressed in the VFL late last year.

Higgins - Yes
Cunnington - Yes
Polec - do North fans even think yes? Seriously.
Tarrant - Yes
Goldstein- Way past it
Anderson- no
Ziebell - god no
Brown - as long as he has the umpires whistle yes
Simpkin- no
Youth - probably bottom 6 in terms of youth prospects.

Although I can understand why a dogs fan would be so keen to defend an overrated list given their own is probably THE most overrated.

 

[Yojimbo]

Although I can understand why a dogs fan would be so keen to defend an overrated list given their own is probably THE most overrated.

This is not about the Dogs, this is about North Melbourne and people like you who fail to recognise a great
club that has delivered some of the best footballers to ever take the field.

If the Bulldogs had Todd Goldstein instead of Tim English last year I doubt we would have had to worry
about a pissy Elimination Final and the Herald Sun poster may of been more canine than feline.