2021 Wooden Spoon

[Gavin Excell]

Had a look betting. North are a pronounced $2.10 fave for the spoon

That seems dreadfully short

 

[Bjchan13]

Hawthorn now $10. $18 a week ago

 

[Lit_Dorito]

Well, if I've got your vehement disagreement I must have done something right.

Trolling is definitely underrated

 

[sydney_gws]

Hawthorn now $10. $18 a week ago

I think they won't finish last, but a very good bet for bottom 4. A worse list than any clubs in recent memory. Having won 3 flags in a row probably causes this ( a lack of picks and too much input in list management given to clarko)

 

[BJK#5]

I think they won't finish last, but a very good bet for bottom 4. A worse list than any clubs in recent memory. Having one 3 flags in a row probably causes this ( a lack of picks and too much input in list management given to clarko)

You may need to improve that memory if that is the case.

 

[Bjchan13]

I think they won't finish last, but a very good bet for bottom 4. A worse list than any clubs in recent memory. Having one 3 flags in a row probably causes this ( a lack of picks and too much input in list management given to clarko)

I wouldn't think dead last either but $18 was silly. $10 is about right. If they lose to Essendon round 1 they'll go shorter again.

 

[Bradkli]

I wouldn't think dead last either but $18 was silly. $10 is about right. If they lose to Essendon round 1 they'll go shorter again.

We lose to Essendon round 1 and we are a lock to be 0-5 to start the season...after the bombers:

Tigers
Cats
Dockers in Perth
Demons

There’s at least 3 x 40+ point losses there.

Still think we win 6 games. North and crows will win 5 max

 

[GreyCrow]

We lose to Essendon round 1 and we are a lock to be 0-5 to start the season...after the bombers:

Tigers
Cats
Dockers in Perth
Demons

There’s at least 3 x 40+ point losses there.

Still think we win 6 games. North and crows will win 5 max

I am hopeful of 6 - but like Hawks we need to win early

 

[Gavin Excell]

We lose to Essendon round 1 and we are a lock to be 0-5 to start the season...after the bombers:

Tigers
Cats
Dockers in Perth
Demons

There’s at least 3 x 40+ point losses there.

Still think we win 6 games. North and crows will win 5 max

Hawks can trouble Geelong and certainly can beat Melb

 

[Bradkli]

Hawks can trouble Geelong and certainly can beat Melb

Even if we had Sicily, Gunston & a fit Tom Mitchell , I would still back Geelong by 30 points.. neither Sicily or Gunston will be playing and Tom Mitchell will only be playing his first or second match after a limited pre-season..you will win by 40+. bookmark this.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Had a look betting. North are a pronounced $2.10 fave for the spoon

That seems dreadfully short

There's going to be a lot of happy bookies collect when we don't finish last.

 

[benji2]

What odds the Demons having another horror even-numbered year? Hore out for the season, Brown and Weideman with injury issues already

 

[Johnny Karate]

What odds the Demons having another horror even-numbered year? Hore out for the season, Brown and Weideman with injury issues already

No team is ‘better’ at hitting rock bottom. However, I suspect there are at least 3-4 teams as sh*t/worse that will save our blushes.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Reckon Essendon would be firming, with news that Stringer and Hurley would need to "make dramatic recoveries" from their respective issues (which are both somewhat indefinite) in order to be ready for R1.

 

[Yoda_]

Reckon Essendon would be firming, with news that Stringer and Hurley would need to "make dramatic recoveries" from their respective issues (which are both somewhat indefinite) in order to be ready for R1.

Stringer possibly but Hurley hasn’t been a main guy for a while now.

Stringer could only miss a month which obviously sets us back but heading into Anzac Day (rd5) we could feasibly be 2 & 2 with games against Sydney and Hawthorn very plausible winning chances whilst Port and Saints should see us easily accounted for.


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[Yoda_]

No team is ‘better’ at hitting rock bottom. However, I suspect there are at least 3-4 teams as sh*t/worse that will save our blushes.

It’s issues like the Brown & Weidemann one to Melbourne and the one we have to Stringer who both sides will struggle to replace (depth) that holds key for how high they can finish.


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[HairyO]

I think they won't finish last, but a very good bet for bottom 4. A worse list than any clubs in recent memory. Having won 3 flags in a row probably causes this ( a lack of picks and too much input in list management given to clarko)

Sounds like we wont miss Graham Wright at all then !

 

[Virgin Dog]

Stringer possibly but Hurley hasn’t been a main guy for a while now.

Stringer could only miss a month which obviously sets us back but heading into Anzac Day (rd5) we could feasibly be 2 & 2 with games against Sydney and Hawthorn very plausible winning chances whilst Port and Saints should see us easily accounted for.


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I'm not picking Essendon for the spoon anyway, but genuine question - who replaces Hurley? I know he's a shell of his former self, but I was under the impression he's still a pretty vital component of your spine. I can't see who on your list steps in outside of a draftee/fringe player

 

[eth-dog]

I'm not picking Essendon for the spoon anyway, but genuine question - who replaces Hurley? I know he's a shell of his former self, but I was under the impression he's still a pretty vital component of your spine. I can't see who on your list steps in outside of a draftee/fringe player

He was supposedly going to be playing forward, where he's no good anyway

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Hawks list is the worst and its not close.

North have a reasonable midfield and defense, forward line is major issue in the short term.

Essendon's worst is literally the worst in the league but they generally have some good patches in seasons.

 

[owen87]

I'm not picking Essendon for the spoon anyway, but genuine question - who replaces Hurley? I know he's a shell of his former self, but I was under the impression he's still a pretty vital component of your spine. I can't see who on your list steps in outside of a draftee/fringe player

Hooker, he's apparently had his best preseason for years and is a few kg's lighter. I'm not sure Hurley & Hooker can play in the same backline anymore, so if there's only one of the two available that probably works out.

 

[Milanista28]

Hawks list is the worst and its not close.

North have a reasonable midfield and defense, forward line is major issue in the short term.

Essendon's worst is literally the worst in the league but they generally have some good patches in seasons.

We gave up in games under Worsfold all the time and he always made excuses for the players and then let them all play the next week to respond, he would never drop players. Hopefully that changes going forward.

 

[AnEmptyChair]

North have a reasonable midfield and defense, forward line is major issue in the short term.

Completely agree with you on this, mate. Our defence is our most experienced line, led by Tarrant and McDonald, with Corr, Atley, Ben McKay and now Ziebell. We lack a classy speedy half-back -- hopefully it ends up being Flynn Perez -- but otherwise it's quite solid.

I love the midfield that we're building with Simpkin and LDU in particular, but Cunnington, Anderson, Polec, Dumont, Scott, then youth in Phillips and Powell, and a few others means there's actually a bit of depth there too.

But you're right, the forward line is a real worry and I'm concerned about where the goals are coming from. With Ziebell earmarked for a defensive role, it's led by Larkey (22, 29 games, 40 goals), Zurhaar (22, 44 games, 48 goals) and Tarryn Thomas (20, 26 games, 19 goals), with other positions probably taken by the likes of Curtis Taylor (20, 11 games, 5 goals), Jack Mahony (19, 10 games) as well as solid pressure players but not noted goalkickers in Taylor Garner and Kayne Turner, while there might be the odd midfielder that plays there. EDIT: LOL completely forgot Stephenson here. He makes it look better, but is being talked about as a mid/forward for 2021.

The other factor that will determine if we are certs for the spoon will be the fitness of the experienced players, especially Cunnington, Tarrant, and Goldstein. Any combination of those three go down for a significant period of time and it will be tough to see us finish anywhere other than last simply because of how important they are and how little depth there is to replace them (maybe not so much Cunnington in that respect, but we really struggled without his presence in the midfield last year).

 

[the Ziebull]

Hawks list is the worst and its not close.

North have a reasonable midfield and defense, forward line is major issue in the short term.

Essendon's worst is literally the worst in the league but they generally have some good patches in seasons.

I’ll back Zurhaar Larkey and stevo up front in the short term with Curtis Taylor and Tarryn buzzing around too to get a winning score (hopefully a fit garner also)

 

[Engimal v3]

I’ll back Zurhaar Larkey and stevo up front in the short term with Curtis Taylor and Tarryn buzzing around too to get a winning score (hopefully a fit garner also)

Can Larkey perform as a #1 target though? Definitely a lot of unknowns regarding our forwardline. If everything somehow clicks up forward, I could see us finishing 9th-14th.