Play Nice 2018 Ladder Predictions

[TheFourPillars]

The Hawks lost all six games when Mitchell had is six highest possession games for the year

Going to prove that one man no matter how good does not make a team. His team mates needed to help him out and learn his game just as he had to learn theirs

 

[matey]

The Hawks lost all six games when Mitchell had is six highest possession games for the year

8th in Swans 2016 B&F finishes up their playing in his first GF, at 22yo plays a great game in a losing side wasn't overwhelmed by the occasion ...... would have noticed which way the wind was blowing.

Following year plays at a new club, wins the B&F, averages 35.8 possessions a game, 34.3 in wins/draw and 37.3 in losses. I wonder which player the likes of Kennedy, Clarko and Jeans would choose to have in their team when the chips are down and the going gets tough, keep trying!

 

[Elton Johns Wig]

Geelong has played in more finals in the last 5 years than Richmond has in the last 20 years

And weirdly, since your last flag, they've won the same amount of finals too.....3 each.

That's not a shot, as I said to the Tiger in the earlier post, I'd love us to build a record over an era as good as Geelongs.

 

[Bazzar]

8th in Swans 2016 B&F finishes up their playing in his first GF, at 22yo plays a great game in a losing side wasn't overwhelmed by the occasion ...... would have noticed which way the wind was blowing.

Following year plays at a new club, wins the B&F, averages 35.8 possessions a game, 34.3 in wins/draw and 37.3 in losses. I wonder which player the likes of Kennedy, Clarko and Jeans would choose to have in their team when the chips are down and the going gets tough, keep trying!

Good on you, at least you now have one decent player to rebuild around.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Good on you, at least you now have one decent player to rebuild around.

You gotta admit it’s pretty awesome - we lose a declining superstar like Sam Mitchell and replaced with an AA rover.

Would be like rob Murphy and replacing with Jake lever. Or losing Pavlich and replacing with Ben brown. Masterful recruiting.

 

[Bazzar]

You gotta admit it’s pretty awesome - we lose a declining superstar like Sam Mitchell and replaced with an AA rover.

Would be like rob Murphy and replacing with Jake lever. Or losing Pavlich and replacing with Ben brown. Masterful recruiting.

Yes good recruiting, but the rest of your list is looking very, very average. Hard years ahead I reckon.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Yes good recruiting, but the rest of your list is looking very, very average. Hard years ahead I reckon.

Every list looks average until it starts winning. Thought you’d know that.

It’s all about the coaching and development staff.

 

[Lsta062]

In 2016 we fielded the youngest AND least experienced team more than any other club. We were still bottom 3-4 in this regard in 2017.

My point ? You're reading too much into this "mental fragility" theory that has become groupthink on fan forums. Young sides have results like the ones you're referring to. Especially if 4 of their top 6 miss large chunks of the season - often out at the same time to compound the issue.

Nine of our best 22 have yet to play 50 games; namely Oliver, Petracca, Brayshaw, Hunt, Salem, Oscar McDonald, Hannan, Harmes, and Neal-Bullen. Hogan has only played 51. But all bar one should reach this milestone this year. And it's around that 50-60 game mark where players regularly start impacting games.

Naturally, other sub 50 game players will get games in 2018, but by the end of the year this group as a whole will be far more experienced. And it makes sense that consistency of performance will be enhanced accordingly.

That is true. The issue is that I have experience about mental fragility with Richmond. It honestly crippled us, even this year when we lost those three games in a row by under a goal. But it was since then that the shackles were removed.

Melbourne play such an exciting brand of footy and have a good list. I hope they make finals and win at least one (not against us though obviously). And to be honest, it is time that they jump up and make their supporters happy just like Richmond did with theirs. It has been a while...

 

[telsor]

Every list looks average until it starts winning. Thought you’d know that.

It’s all about the coaching and development staff.

First line I agree with.

Second....Well, I think there is a bit more to it than that. If that was all it was about then I assume you have high hopes for Ty Vickery this year....

 

[Leather Poisoning]

First line I agree with.

Second....Well, I think there is a bit more to it than that. If that was all it was about then I assume you have high hopes for Ty Vickery this year....

I did have high hopes for Vickery. We’ve had our share of recruiting blunders. Thankfully we cut our losses quickly rather than hold onto mistakes.

But are we talking about individuals or lists?

You said our list looked average. We will have some duds in the bunch but we will also have some absolute guns that you wouldn’t know of.

It’s like the opposite of GC and GWS, where everyone says they have a great list but they can’t get the job done. It’s clealry not about talent; it’s becayse they’re missing what hawthorn has displayed in clarko’s 10 years of coaching.

 

[theflea]

Yeah, we are good at home, most good teams are. Richmond were a good team this year, how did they go at home? If it shows anything, it's that playing at home is a really big advantage for all teams. How many home games have Richmond got this year?

I get your point but it is only relevant if those home games are v teams that dont play the g much, otherwise there isnt an advantage.

 

[telsor]

I did have high hopes for Vickery. We’ve had our share of recruiting blunders. Thankfully we cut our losses quickly rather than hold onto mistakes.

But are we talking about individuals or lists?

You said our list looked average. We will have some duds in the bunch but we will also have some absolute guns that you wouldn’t know of.

It’s like the opposite of GC and GWS, where everyone says they have a great list but they can’t get the job done. It’s clealry not about talent; it’s becayse they’re missing what hawthorn has displayed in clarko’s 10 years of coaching.

I think you're confusing me with a previous commentor....

The point about Vickery was that if, as you said, it was "ALL about the coaching and development staff", then surely they would have turned him around....So clearly it is, at least in part, about the cattle too.

I'd also add that "coaching and development staff" is more than just the head coach and there has no doubt been a fair bit of turnover of them over the years as well.

 

[Trav 20]

That is true. The issue is that I have experience about mental fragility with Richmond. It honestly crippled us, even this year when we lost those three games in a row by under a goal. But it was since then that the shackles were removed.

Melbourne play such an exciting brand of footy and have a good list. I hope they make finals and win at least one (not against us though obviously). And to be honest, it is time that they jump up and make their supporters happy just like Richmond did with theirs. It has been a while...

What teams need are a handful of players who step up when they have to. You're not going to get 22 mentally fragile players, but you might have a few. And you won't get 22 kill or be killed either.

Our problem has been a chronic lack of onfield leaders for years. And when heads drop it can rifle through a team.

This year Cotchin morphed into Selwood, Rance is always manic, Martin stood up in big moments, and Riewoldt has lost his petulance as he's matured.

Jack Viney is arguably our most important player. He's not our best player, although he's very good, but he's the culture changer at the Dees. Hopefully there's a few to go with him. I genuinely think this short guy makes others stand taller when he's fit and firing.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

I think you're confusing me with a previous commentor....

The point about Vickery was that if, as you said, it was "ALL about the coaching and development staff", then surely they would have turned him around....So clearly it is, at least in part, about the cattle too.

I'd also add that "coaching and development staff" is more than just the head coach and there has no doubt been a fair bit of turnover of them over the years as well.

Ahh yes, I was confusing you with that other guy.

But in fairness to my argument, Vickery was a product of the Richmond development program. We had a crack, failed, and moved him on.

 

[Gavin Excell]

How do people see Swans in the flag equation?

I note they are equal $6 favourites (with the Crows) to win it

 

[yoodooright]

1: Geelong
2: Western Bulldogs
3: Adelaide
4: Melbourne
5: Sydney
6: Port
7: Essendon
8: Hawthorn

9: Richmond
10: GWS
11: St Kilda
12: WCE
13: Collingwood
14: Freo
15: Carlton
16: Brisbane
17: Gold Coast
18: North Melbourne

 

[SterlingArcher]

The same program that won us the 2017 flag

The same program that had to come up with game changing style forward lines because you couldn't develop key forwards like Vickery? The flag is a great achievement with some fantastic initiative but let's not pretend all of a sudden the entire last 10 years of player development has been 100% hits.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

The same program that won us the 2017 flag

No, a very different program. Your club changed a lot of coaching staff between 2016 and 2017 didn’t you?

 

[Bazzar]

No, a very different program. Your club changed a lot of coaching staff between 2016 and 2017 didn’t you?

Any team can tweak coaching staff, but the players have to be able to carry out the new style/game plan. This comes down to the players having proper development in the past.
It's so simple I would have thought someone like you could even see that.

 

[Alfar]

My 2018 ladder (apologies if I do not rate your team):
1. Geelong (R)
2. Adelaide (P)
3. Sydney
4. Richmond
5. GWS
6. Essendon
7. Melbourne
8. Western Bulldogs
9. Collingwood
10. Port Adelaide
11. St Kilda
12. Hawthorn
13. Fremantle
14. West Coast
15. Carlton
16. Brisbane
17. North Melbourne
18. Gold Coast

Good prediction but no need to apologize. You can't please everyone with predictions and not everyone will be pleased with their season after 2018 is done and dusted. I say let them be tilted if you don't rate their team.

 

[kreglze]

My 2018 ladder (apologies if I do not rate your team):
1. Geelong (R)
2. Adelaide (P)
3. Sydney
4. Richmond
5. GWS
6. Essendon
7. Melbourne
8. Western Bulldogs
9. Collingwood
10. Port Adelaide
11. St Kilda
12. Hawthorn
13. Fremantle
14. West Coast
15. Carlton
16. Brisbane
17. North Melbourne
18. Gold Coast

How dare you!

 

[Obeanie1]

how do you win something that doesn’t exist?

It doesn't exist because thats how the Vic sentrict AFL comp has been manufactured. Thats what is being discussed, manufactured home ground advantage.

At some point another stadium in Australia will match the capacity of the MCG and the existing contract will be up for renewal.

Will the AFL GF one day be played outside of Victoria?

Maybe an option where a truely neutral playing field is in play?

I dont think the fat cats manipulating those in power would let that occur TBH.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Any team can tweak coaching staff, but the players have to be able to carry out the new style/game plan. This comes down to the players having proper development in the past.
It's so simple I would have thought someone like you could even see that.

Your players were perennial disappointments until you changed most of your coaching staff.

Pretty obvious that the new staff had something to do with the spike in performance I would have thought.

As for Vickery - well he was just coming from so far back.

There aren’t many established players that change clubs and become significantly better players (David hale, josh Gibson the only examples that spring to mind) so we stuffed one up. My point is that he was DOA, and no coaching team could turn it around.

I wish ty all the best in his future endeavours

 

[Nunez]

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

 

[the big lebowski]

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

Where do you think Gold coasts improvement will come from? North and Brisbane will finish above them.