My understanding is that it is an agreement or ruling that prevents AFL being played in Queensland whilst the Commonwealth Games are on. There is no AFL in Queensland for rounds 3 and 4
Nah. Lukosius will be worth it!
Don't want the spoon though.
That’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. I reckon the spooner will still win 6 or 7 games next year. The comp will be even more evener. If we win 6 and finish with 85% I’ld call that a win. Grab Lukosius and storm into finals in 2019.
That’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. I reckon the spooner will still win 6 or 7 games next year. The comp will be even more evener. If we win 6 and finish with 85% I’ld call that a win. Grab Lukosius and storm into finals in 2019.
2018 is a development year. The oldies will play many games in the first 10 rounds as we face 6 of last years top 8. We’ll fail (2-8) and then they’ll be transitioned out of the team (Sandi, MJ, Ballas, Mundy, Spurr). Picks 2&5, Bennell, Alex Pearce and Apeness will get regular games in the second half of season. The back 6 will begin to settle, McCarthy, Cox and Matera will start working together up forward. Walters will be an AA midfielder. Stephen Hill will have yet another frustratingly disappointing year with injuries, whilst Tucker, Langdon and Blakely lay claim to bonafide midfield starters. Taberner will show a bit but still be massively inconsistent, and he and Kersten will yo-yo in and out of the team. Luke Ryan will delay contract talks and then sign with Collingwood. He’ll be replaced by Carter in 2019. Lukosius will play 13 games in 2019 as our Tabs replacement and we’ll scrape into the 8, largely on the strength of our back six and Nat Fyfe leading a new look midfield with LDU and Brayshaw adding some class. 2018 will be a terrible year, but it’ll set us up for sustained success.
If we keep the Port rnd 1 game to within 4 goals, I’ll be willing to readjust my expectations for 2018
If making finals in 2019 makes me a pessimist - that’s a tag I’ll happily wear
I don't want the spoon
You sound like blues or North Fan that addicted to high draft pick and never ending rebuilding.
I wouldn’t be shocked. But in saying that, I wouldn’t be shocked if we scrape into the eight.
We are definitely in the hunt for the bottom part of the 8 IF we stay REALLY not injured. If we lose any tangible amount of players we are no chance. We simply have no depth (and I'd even argue we carry 1-4 players each game at full strength between olders guys and the youngsters) and 1/4 of our list for next year isn't even on our list yet.
Nailed it. That and every other team is going to improve too, except maybe the Roos and Suns (unless Dew is as good as the media say). We have massive scope for improvement but will hopefully be playing one of the youngest teams each week. “Winning” a spoon with the youngest B22 each week wouldn’t be a shock to me. Seems like people want us to play the youngest B22 every week AND make finals. If pick 2&5 play most weeks, we’ll definitely have close to the youngest side every week. Another year in bottom 5 will be fine with me so long as the kids are improving (similar to this year).
I worked it out before. If all of our draftees are on average 18.5 years this year, then our squad average is about 23.7 years at the start of the season. So if our good players aren't playing, then our average age is going to be low and with that comes inconsistency (at best).
2&5 and 25 (Alex Pearce’s number) should all be coming good by then! Bring on round 10!
Not sure anyone is talking about tanking. But ultimately we’ll transition our oldies out and bring in even more youth. If we finish 9th - you beauty! If we struggle to win a game but the kids develop in a healthy environment - a top draft pick is just a bonus - the prize being the development of the kids next year.
Just because you don't do well doesn't mean you are tanking. Somebody comes last every year and I am sure that most (probably not all) aren't happy with it. Also makes no sense anyway because history shows that pick 1-5 is no guarantee of anything. If pick 1 was N Riewoldt standard every year it might be different.
This.
