Preview 2022 Spoon (poll)

[HairyO]

How many of the players above 28 will be best 22?

At the start of the year it would be around the 8 mark, but could drop to 6 or 7 (we have a couple who will turn 28 during the year).

Depends how serious Sam is about playing the kids but I can see a few of the kids coming through and playing regular games.

BTW 30 isnt old for some players these days. Breust looks like he has easily a few more years.

Big Boy and Shiels are getting slower. Gunston is the unknown. He plays the bulk of the year and our young forwards will do well.

 

[Blackhawk42]

They are in a weird spot cos they actually have a fair few players in that 27-30 age bracket that should see them still do ok but as a list are in limbo

Not quite limbo. Box Hill finished 3rd last season with a core of under 22 players leading the charge.

If Mitchell insists on the T.Mitchell/O'Meara/Shiels/Worpel engine room for another 12 months and Maginness, Newcombe, Ward, Nash and Macdonald aren't heavily filtered through then there will be more merit in questioning where this current list is at.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Not quite limbo. Box Hill finished 3rd last season with a core of under 22 players leading the charge.

If Mitchell insists on the T.Mitchell/O'Meara/Shiels/Worpel engine room for another 12 months and Maginness, Newcombe, Ward, Nash and Macdonald aren't heavily filtered through then there will be more merit in questioning where this current list is at.

Reading through the Round 1 team predictions on our board, the consensus on the side has us with upwards of 10 players running out with under 50 games, and between 6-8 players who have 25 games or less.
They’re healthy rebuilding numbers.

 

[HairyO]

Reading through the Round 1 team predictions on our board, the consensus on the side has us with upwards of 10 players running out with under 50 games, and between 6-8 players who have 25 games or less.
They’re healthy rebuilding numbers.

Big Boy
Shiels
Breust
Gunston
Wingard
Frost
Mitchell
OMeara

These are the 28+ who I assume get regular games.

Then there is Sicily, Worpel Scrimshaw, Hardwick and Impey.

That leaves 9 spots for kids assuming Phillips and Howe dont get games. If Shiels is moved on thats really only 10 spots for kids.

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Suns at the crossroads in terms of psychology.
Couldn't be a huge morale killer if BK doesn't sign and they have a bad start...

And of course the pressure on Dew with the likes of Clarko and Buckley waiting in the wings.

Everyone at Gold Coast is under the pump, not just the players.

I hope I am wrong (as I do firmly wish the Suns to succeed), but I fear it can all go pear shaped

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Big Boy
Shiels
Breust
Gunston
Wingard
Frost
Mitchell
OMeara

These are the 28+ who I assume get regular games.

Then there is Sicily, Worpel Scrimshaw, Hardwick and Impey.

That leaves 9 spots for kids assuming Phillips and Howe dont get games. If Shiels is moved on thats really only 10 spots for kids.

Can’t imagine Sam will be as reluctant to make a call on senior players who are down on form as Clarko was, when there’s talent behind them that need games.

 

[EconomicDecline]

St Kilda have shown nothing to make people think any different and they aren't getting any younger, Carlton seems to be going in the right direction though. IDK what u smokin.

Gees. Haven’t heard this quote every year for the past two decades. I’m sure this year will be Carlton’s year. /s

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Gees. Haven’t heard this quote every year for the past two decades. I’m sure this year will be Carlton’s year. /s

I think the biggest issue with Saints list is that you have 18 players 26 and above and not many of them look like being A graders. This is why I think Saints are in a teetering on the edge of a cliff because teams that are on the way up generally have more older heads that are top line players dragging them up.

Of the 10 players on your list that a 28 years old and up only Ryder, Hill and Hanneberry could have claims of being A grade, and it looks well behind at least two of them. Crouch more likely a B grader than an A.

In the 26 to 27 age group you’ve got eight players with only Steele as an A grader, while players like Membrey, Marshall, Howard and Billings may get there if they have their best years yet.

What was observed in 2021 was that Saints could play some decent football but could also implode within a game and get belted, so it’ll be very interesting to see what the psyche of the group is early in the year because saints are probably one of the biggest candidates to completely drop their bundle if 2022 doesn’t get off to a good start, and Ratten will know the sharks are circling.

 

[aussierulesrules]

I think the biggest issue with Saints list is that you have 18 players 26 and above and not many of them look like being A graders. This is why I think Saints are in a teetering on the edge of a cliff because teams that are on the way up generally have more older heads that are top line players dragging them up.

Of the 10 players on your list that a 28 years old and up only Ryder, Hill and Hanneberry could have claims of being A grade, and it looks well behind at least two of them. Crouch more likely a B grader than an A.

In the 26 to 27 age group you’ve got eight players with only Steele as an A grader, while players like Membrey, Marshall, Howard and Billings may get there if they have their best years yet.

What was observed in 2021 was that Saints could play some decent football but could also implode within a game and get belted, so it’ll be very interesting to see what the psyche of the group is early in the year because saints are probably one of the biggest candidates to completely drop their bundle if 2022 doesn’t get off to a good start, and Ratten will know the sharks are circling.

What also happened in 2021 was that we were the team worst hit by injury (including 9 of the guys who played for us in the finals the year prior missing at least 9 games, with 4 of them missing at least 19!) and also having the hardest draw (every team we had double-ups against was in the 8 both times we played them, plus we played interstate/Geelong at Geelong 9 times!)- which is a brutal double-whammy- while also clearly not being fit enough- which puts you behind the 8-ball before you even start a game- plus other well documented issues, yet we were still good enough to finish higher than 8 other teams.

So last year was our “year from hell”, and we finished nowhere near the spoon, so unless something pretty catastrophic happens this year, we’re far more likely to be back to being the sort of team we were the year before, than to come last.

Especially since there’s no one in our team who is particularly likely to contribute less than they did last season due to age-related decline, whereas there are a big bunch of guys who are young and/or are now in that 60-80 game range, who are a very good chance of being better, or having a fully fledged breakout year (games played in brackets):

King (38)
Gresham (95)
Marshall (65)
Clark (60)
Higgins (62)
Sharman (4)
Wilkie (63)
Highmore (13)
Byrnes (17)
Paton (35)
Battle (56)
McKenzie (61)
Long (60)
Bytel (16)
Connolly (7)

So we have a long list of guys who are either in our best team or on the fringe, or who are young and have had a taste of senior footy and will be pushing to play, who are a very good chance of being better this year, while the list of guys who are likely to contribute less than they did last year due to age-related decline is pretty much non-existent.

The previous year we finished 5th, despite fielding on average the 3rd-youngest teams each week, and all of the top 7 in our B&F were 25yo or younger.

All of which suggests that we are much more likely to be a team on the “up” than a team on the “down”. As you would expect or hope, given we’ve been “rebuilding” for a number of years.

Of course that isn’t a guarantee, but simple logic suggests that likelihood, and you would of course not be suggesting a sharp drop-off if your club was in this same list situation.

 

[Dogga6]

What also happened in 2021 was that we were the team worst hit by injury (including 9 of the guys who played for us in the finals the year prior missing at least 9 games, with 4 of them missing at least 19!) and also having the hardest draw (every team we had double-ups against was in the 8 both times we played them, plus we played interstate/Geelong at Geelong 9 times!)- which is a brutal double-whammy- while also clearly not being fit enough- which puts you behind the 8-ball before you even start a game- plus other well documented issues, yet we were still good enough to finish higher than 8 other teams.

So last year was our “year from hell”, and we finished nowhere near the spoon, so unless something pretty catastrophic happens this year, we’re far more likely to be back to being the sort of team we were the year before, than to come last.

Especially since there’s no one in our team who is particularly likely to contribute less than they did last season due to age-related decline, whereas there are a big bunch of guys who are young and/or are now in that 60-80 game range, who are a very good chance of being better, or having a fully fledged breakout year (games played in brackets):

King (38)
Gresham (95)
Marshall (65)
Clark (60)
Higgins (62)
Sharman (4)
Wilkie (63)
Highmore (13)
Byrnes (17)
Paton (35)
Battle (56)
McKenzie (61)
Long (60)
Bytel (16)
Connolly (7)

So we have a long list of guys who are either in our best team or on the fringe, or who are young and have had a taste of senior footy and will be pushing to play, who are a very good chance of being better this year, while the list of guys who are likely to contribute less than they did last year due to age-related decline is pretty much non-existent.

The previous year we finished 5th, despite fielding on average the 3rd-youngest teams each week, and all of the top 7 in our B&F were 25yo or younger.

All of which suggests that we are much more likely to be a team on the “up” than a team on the “down”.

Of course that isn’t a guarantee, but simple logic suggests that likelihood and you would of course not be suggesting a sharp drop-off if your club was in this same list situation.

You had the hardest draw because you finished 5th the previous year.

What did expect?

 

[aussierulesrules]

You had the hardest draw because you finished 5th the previous year.

What did expect?

Well I wouldn’t expect it to be the hardest (Port were minor premiers and made the prelim, yet theirs was rated the easiest the following season, while we were drawn to play 3 of the teams that made the prelim twice!), but you’re missing the point.

The point is that we had the hardest draw and according to Champion Data the worst injury run, which is a brutal combo, yet still didn’t finish anywhere near the spoon, and that we finished 10th last season, so our draw this year is likely to not be as hard as last year’s was.

Making it likely to be easier for us to win games this year, without even necessarily needing to improve. Thus making it less likely to get the spoon.

 

[Wazzy36]

Well I wouldn’t expect it to be the hardest (Port were minor premiers and made the prelim, yet theirs was rated the easiest the following season, while we were drawn to play 3 of the teams that made the prelim twice!), but you’re missing the point.

The point is that we had the hardest draw and according to Champion Data the worst injury run, which is a brutal combo, yet still didn’t finish anywhere near the spoon, and that we finished 10th last season, so our draw this year is likely to not be as hard as last year’s was.

Making it likely to be easier for us to win games this year, without even necessarily needing to improve. Thus making it less likely to get the spoon.

There's no way Saints get the spoon, no idea how they're even on this list.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Adelaide or St Kilda

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

There's no way Saints get the spoon, no idea how they're even on this list.

They’re on the 7th line of betting for the Spoon at Sportsbet, so not favorites, but not completely out of it.

 

[Wazzy36]

They’re on the 7th line of betting for the Spoon at Sportsbet, so not favorites, but not completely out of it.

According to sportsbet Carlton are more likely but they're not even on the poll.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

According to sportsbet Carlton are more likely but they're not even on the poll.

Yeah they are.

 

[Wazzy36]

Yeah they are.

they were added later weren't they? Either way, I still think the Saints don't even deserve to be part of this convo.

 

[Dogga6]

they were added later weren't they? Either way, I still think the Saints don't even deserve to be part of this convo.

Me either. They won't finish last, but they won't be making finals imo.

 

[hawkman]

Suns odds might come in

'Fingers crossed': ACL fears for star Sun after training incident

Gold Coast rising star Ben King has been sent for scans after injuring his knee in a marking contest

www.afl.com.au

 

[The Nostradamus]

Suns odds might come in

'Fingers crossed': ACL fears for star Sun after training incident

Gold Coast rising star Ben King has been sent for scans after injuring his knee in a marking contest

www.afl.com.au

Yep I had them as spooners before this, should be favourites if king misses the year

 

[GrommoT]

Yep I had them as spooners before this, should be favourites if king misses the year

Yeah, they could do with pick 1 ... along with the million r1/r2 picks they already have

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Gold Coast would have to be in the mix now without Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

23

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

up forward.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Gold Coast would have to be in the mix now without Ben King up forward.

Favourites with the bookies now.

 

[kranky al]

I think it will be Pies . The list is just absolutely horrendous. Really awful. Worst list by a country mile.

I think Eagles are a dark horse and could have a real shocker if they start losing home games and a rot sets in.

Its impossible for us to ever lose a home game.

Didnt you know?

 

[Brickwall]

collingwood will make the finals 100%