Oppo Camp Non-Essendon Thread XII

[Howard Moon]

Id take that bet, im with you Howie no way they are bottom 4.

I think, every year at least one team streaks into the 8 that nobody expected

Collingwoods midfield, and list is too good for it to have been performing as poorly as it has - clearly its the way its been coached.

That is an easy thing to change, ask Richmomd and Hardwick, little tweaks can go along way when it comes to coaching and game style.

I think Collingwood can do a Richmond, not so much win a flag, but they can improve into the 8 off the back of a coach under pressure who may have been sacked last year, all things being equal. (like hardwick could have been the year before)

 

[Blind Turn]

Brief thoughts on this years unfolding season

Adelaide

The team to beat, Deadly Forward line, good in transition, addition of Gibbs a plus, free up Sloane? Cant see them being much different to last year so up to them to play a better final.

Brisbane

Building a nice young list - will be more competitive in games but not enough for finals. Be on guard against this mob

Carlton

Much like the above but really need to add some attacking flair and intent to their game, is this the year they take another step forward? not for me. There will be no easy game against them but they wont put you to the sword either

Collingwood

Have a sneaky feeling they might come from the clouds and make the 8, they have a top notch middle area, can they find a functional forward set up? Im sensing a new style with lots of goals from midfield and fast transition. One to watch

Essendon

no comment.

Fremantle

Still in restump, rewire, rejig phase - need to find goals. bottom half of the ladder.

Geelong

Marquee signing will help to keep them relevant but still not at the extreme pointy end - home games at the cattery give them a solid base of wins. finalists maybe, any more? remains to be seen.

Gws

I don't see them making the step from last year - can see them waltzing through the season proper dong as they please then falling at the last few hurdles again when it gets tough - team > individual silver spooners.

GC

Long road ahead

Hawthorne

Wont be as bad as some hope/wish/expect. Will push for finals again but end in the 10-12 bracket. Have done ok finding some good kids, gamestyle always keeps them relevant

Melbourne

No matter how good their list becomes I don't see them ever challenging, too much mental baggage at that club, should/could make the 8 this time around but no more

Norf

Hobart.

Port Adelaide

Serious challengers, went all in for a crack at it in the short term, some handy ins

Richmond

Wont be as lucky as last year - call it a hang over, call it what you will, injuries will come like they did the dogs the year before. Will start well then fall away, bottom reaches of the 8 or maybe slip out

Sydney

Sydney will keep sydneying, make finals, wont win it, 4-6th maybe?

Stk

Can see them jumping up a few notches, they have the cattle, do they have the mentality? another melboune case - maybe they are still fighting for the same spot

West Coast

Home games will take them up the ladder - new stadium factor? but probably on the way down rather than up - no finals. Cant play anywhere east of Adelaide.

Western Bulldogs

will come back and come back hard.

finals?

in no order

ADE
GWS
PORT
SYD
ESS
DOGS
MELB
COLL

No Geelong surprises me here. Replace bottom 3 of your 8 with Richmond, Geelong and possibly Saints to nudge Melbourne. Dogs might be culturally wobbly at the moment, same with Dees, and Pies are still shaking their collective heads at each other about the Mayne deal. Their froward line desperately needs a consistent playing group, learning to combine together. But with Moore set for defence, and Elliot and Fasolo injured, and Mayne being collectively shook at, they don’t look potent at all.

My smoky to have an unexpected fall is GWS. They make the 8 but they will need to find some new rebounders from their stacked back-up of youngsters.

 

[eth-dog]

I sense a wager

bottom 4?

They have a forward line with no quality key forward (yet) and two injury prone smalls.
Their midfield is the most overrated in the league. Yeah they have good names in there but most are horrible kicks of the pill thus exacerbating the lack of forward options.
Their defence is full of players who can't kick, can't defend, or both.

To top it off they have the worst coach in the league who has taken them backwards every single year he's been in charge. Is it too much of a stretch that Freo, Brisbane and even Carlton can overtake them in terms of ladder position next year?

Id take that bet, im with you Howie no way they are bottom 4.

Done. Collingwood will finish bottom 4 next year

 

[Howard Moon]

They have a forward line with no quality key forward (yet) and two injury prone smalls.
Their midfield is the most overrated in the league. Yeah they have good names in there but most are horrible kicks of the pill thus exacerbating the lack of forward options.
Their defence is full of players who can't kick, can't defend, or both.

To top it off they have the worst coach in the league who has taken them backwards every single year he's been in charge. Is it too much of a stretch that Freo, Brisbane and even Carlton can overtake them in terms of ladder position next year?

Done. Collingwood will finish bottom 4 next year

Mercurial89 we have to sig/avatar bet him here. whets the worst possible thing we could give him?

 

[Kakkle]

Mercurial89 we have to sig/avatar bet him here. whets the worst possible thing we could give him?

Anything to change his god awful signature he has now.

 

[eth-dog]

Anything to change his god awful signature he has now.

You do realize that the more you complain, the more I enjoy it?

 

[Kakkle]

You do realize that the more you complain, the more I enjoy it?

You're the one that looks like an idiot, so

¯\_(ツ)_/¯


Oh, and Collingwood won't finish bottom 4.

 

[DapperJong]

We lost the saints trade which is why you're meant to say we got Parish.

 

[eth-dog]

You're the one that looks like an idiot, so

¯\_(ツ)_/¯


Oh, and Collingwood won't finish bottom 4.

It's a troll signature. It's obviously working on you, so do I really?

 

[DapperJong]

It's a troll signature. It's obviously working on you, so do I really?

Why would you troll your own team?

 

[Kakkle]

It's a troll signature. It's obviously working on you, so do I really?

How is that a troll signature? Any St Kilda fan would see it, and go 'Well, OK, we got the only AFL standard player in the whole trade, uh thanks?'

 

[Howard Moon]

its the cheers saints bit that confuses it..

 

[eth-dog]

Why would you troll your own team?

Not my own team, just gullible posters

How is that a troll signature? Any St Kilda fan would see it, and go 'Well, OK, we got the only AFL standard player in the whole trade, uh thanks?'

You're underestimating the stupidity of Saints fans. I've had a few angry saint fans abuse me about it.

 

[Beerfish]

Done. Collingwood will finish bottom 4 next year

This year not next year.

 

[Mercurial89]

Mercurial89 we have to sig/avatar bet him here. whets the worst possible thing we could give him?

You are usually the creative one Howie.

 

[Drummer_19]

You could make it something embarrassing like "It's just the way I say things".

 

[Beerfish]

'Ask me about the catch I dropped in cricket.'

 

[Howard Moon]

link in sig - gif as avatar

 

[GUMBLETRON]

I've had a few angry saint fans abuse me about it.

Your mother would be proud.

 

[ant555]

They did about a month in advance. It just didn't get to the media until a few weeks later.

Come on eth , a month in advance. Whoopee. The fact that some players went to the leadership group and others went to the AFLPA shows how unhinged they where about it. You should know by now I do not get my info via what i hear on SEN or read in the HS. Should have been knocked on the head within weeks of the last camp finishing if that is how they felt. As a group they should have been on the front foot and said to the coach , look we do not think the boot camp helped us in anyway. We are behind you coach and willing to work hard but we need something different in a camp situation. At the very least it should have come up in the EOS review.

They have a good list and will play some good footy but currently I suspect they are missing the extra few percent that allow teams to go further. Buy in is buy in. It has to be 100%. I know that even coaching under 18 it can make a difference . Have been involved with sides of lesser talent that have won a GF because they all got behind the game plan and where prepared to do their bit even if they where the in the bottom end of the list. Then I have coached sides who should have easily won a GF but fell in the Prelim or SF because not everyone was behind the game plan or had complete buy into what the team had to do.
There is a fine line between being great and being a side that floats around the bottom end of the 8 and it is all above the shoulders. Those sides willing to go the extra yard to play an all in team game and play any role needed are the ones who come out winning.

 

[ant555]

I am most likely going to be way off the mark as always when predicting the ladder this far out but...

Adelaide - top 4 side. Really only played a couple of bad games last year. Too bad one was the GF.

Brisbane - how far up they go will depend on players like Christenson and Beams not being injured. Have some good young players. On the way up but still building. Bottom 6.

Carlton - will remain the same sort of side. Will play some good footy at times but development is still the key word. Bottom 6.

Collingwood - two issues. Who is going to kick their goals ? Their midfield are down hill skiers who need to find a defensive side. Find the answer and they will get better but I wonder if they have the answer. Bottom 7.

Essendon - looks good on paper for us but we have to prove we can do it. We have enough top end talent, it now comes down to who wants to put their hand up and play team first footy week in and week out. Time for cheap talk is over. Need to walk the walk. With the list we have winning 12 games would be the minimum. Would be a total failure otherwise unless we get smashed by injury. If we do not make the 8 then it is a flop and time to move a few more pretenders on. 5th - 8th.

Fremantle- should improve but by how much. Still turning their list over so I would say bottom 7.

Geelong - how much further they go will depend on Ablett and a few of their young brigade who have had injuries. Ablett will help even if he is 70% Ablett. Should be top 6. Good chance to make a GF but time is running out.

Gold Coast - will be another long year but there is some quality in the young players. They just have to be decent at home and look like the are realistic about competing . Bottom 4.

Giants - big year coming up but the injury stick is already giving them a beating. They have what it takes, it now comes down to how much losing two prelim finals hurts. They had a massive year last season given how many injuries they had. If they bring it as a team the will win the GF. However they are yet to prove they can take the last step. Top 6.

Hawthorne - will be around the mark with some very good players back from injury but I am not sure about them bounding into the top 6. Could make the bottom end of the 8. I think 7th to 12th somewhere.

Melbourne - building a good list but as I have said I just wonder about the buy in from the whole list. Really should make the 8 but I would not be shocked if they id not.6th-10th

North Melbourne - they will scrap and compete as they do but they are in rebuild mode. Bottom 4.

Port Adelaide - Rockliff adds to them the most. Should be top 6 again.

Richmond - if they keep up the rage then they can win it again. Should play finals as they have plenty of under rated players. Top 6.

St.Kilda -just not sure. Have a lot of good players but few genuine stars who win games. I think they will be mid pack 7th - 12th.

Sydney - history says they will be finals quality. Big effort to make the 8 last year. I suspect 6th to 10th.

West Coast - will win home games. Nic Nat will help but if they are to play finals again then they need some of the young brigade to step up. 6th to 11th.

Bulldogs - I keep hearing everything is not so hunky dory down at the kennel anymore. Coach has the big stick out after last season and some players not responding to it. You would think they would bounce back but I wonder. 6th to 10th.

Looks good now. In 9 months it will most likely look like a 5 year old has made his selections

 

[DERO]

Not my own team, just gullible posters

You're underestimating the stupidity of Saints fans. I've had a few angry saint fans abuse me about it.

Seriously Eth, ditch the sig. It is ridiculous.

Also, tell Kakkle to get stuffed.

 

[eth-dog]

For me:

Top 6: Adelaide (Rate them. Gibbs a quality inclusion), Essendon (Will waver between this and the group below all year haha), Geelong (still an underrated side. Crameri to have a good season), GWS (Just have quality everywhere), Melbourne (In the minority here. It's up to Goodwin, his recruiting team have done their job, he needs to execute), Richmond (Strong side and reckon they'll be up again. Praying they don't get Tom Lynch)

Middle 6: Port Adelaide (controversial but don't really get their inclusions. They took them because they were there), Sydney (Probably end up top 6 at ours or Melbourne's expense honestly), St. Kilda (Good list, but can they take the next step?), Western Bulldogs (It isn't peachy down there but have enough quality to challenge for finals), West Coast (Will be okay but not great. Midfield needs to step up quickly), Fremantle (drawing lots here, just think that their speed will worry other sides)

Bottom 6: Brisbane (improved again but aren't mature enough yet), Carlton (good coach, strong KPP's. Hate to say it but Carlton are doing things right), Collingwood (overrated list. Atrocious quality forward and back with a one way midfield that have too many poor kicks), Gold Coast (Will be poor. Big chance for the spoon and possibly multiple top 5 picks this year and next if Lynch goes), Hawthorn (Still have a lot of older guys. Arrogance seems to think they'll get Lynch but won't happen IMO), North Melbourne (Poor list, really. Spoon favourites IMO, closely followed by Gold Coast).

In ladder form:

1. Adelaide
2. GWS
3. Geelong
4. Richmond
5. Melbourne
6. Essendon
7. Sydney
8. Port Adelaide
-----------------------
9. St. Kilda
10. Western Bulldogs
11. West Coast
12. Fremantle
13. Carlton
14. Hawthorn
15. Brisbane
16. Collingwood
17. Gold Coast
18. North Melbourne

 

[Lore]

 

[Beerfish]

Ah that explains it. I only saw the Walla gif in my feed today and missed the context.