Opinion Best young group in 30 years

[danj]

This the best current young group we’ve ever had, stern

 

[danj]

These young guys combined with our senior guys, new coach and coaching group are creating something that is difficult to define, self belief, dedication, never say die? Whatever it’s called you can’t deny that there is a certain ‘vibe’ happening that has been missing since the ‘90’s. If we are able to maintain a consistent level of playing then there’s no doubt we can be a threat at the top end of the ladder for the next decade.

 

[Mordecai]

Definitely a lot of depth this time round. That was a very even contribution yesterday. No one really let themselves down.

Really need to nail the next couple of drafts.

 

[danj]

Definitely a lot of depth this time round. That was a very even contribution yesterday. No one really let themselves down.

Really need to nail the next couple of drafts.

would also love to some consistency in our games, under Scott’s we were a yo-yo if we could string together a few more wins it will really help establish a new standard at the club and set us up for the Shaw era.

 

[Mcarcherey]

I dunno tho....

If anything the Cunners/Ziebs/Bastinac/Greenwood/Harper/Wright/Atley/Macmillan days tells me is that nothing is certain.

These guys to me have shown that they have it, and by it I mean they will have AFL careers to varying levels of success:
Simpkin
Thomas
Zurhaar
Larkey

These guys have shown talent but the jury is still out:
LDU
Taylor
Scott
Walker
Ahern

Its too early to know with these guys:
Bonar
Perez
Mahoney
Comben

It is quite feasible that all the players in the bottom two groups don't make it, although I am pretty bullish about LDU, Taylor and Scott moving up a level.

Wright and Jmac never have nor planned to go through the midfield....

he made prelims with:
swallow
ziebs
cunners
harvey
wells
dal santo
higgins (occasionally)
gibson (mostly wing)
jacobs (as a tagger)

Now:
cunners
higgins
anderson
simpkin
ziebs
thomas
zurhaar
LDU
ahern (hopefully)
scott (mostly wing)
polec (mostly wing)
dumont (mostly wing but can go inside)
hall (mostly wing)
hayden (as a tagger)

 

[3051]

I'm really hoping so but with most things, only time will tell. King Corey's post highlighted that on at least two occasions over the past 30 years, we've had core groups of youth that had potential but for one reason or another couldn't get it together. It's bloody tough to get everything right.

I remember being hyped about Petrie taking the torch from Carey as our next great CHF, Wells with genuine potential as the best player in the league, Jesse Smith another jet. I remember us comparing young Ziebell as the next Voss, Atley as the next Judd, etc, that our list was like Geelong's of early 00s. Having pissing contests with Melbourne and Richmond fans on which group had the most potential. The other huge variable is having the right coach and management in place to let the players shine on field.

If anything, I underrate this group more than the others, just because I've been burnt by being overly optimistic before. There's certainly a lot here to like though aside from the forward line (which is absolutely loaded with potential IMO), the ruck and back end of the spine is pretty unknown. Our group of mids and non-key position players are strong and deep though. Time will tell, and we're in for a very interesting next few years to see whether this group can rise to the top.

 

[Tas]

I'm sure this only summarises what most on here think, but the club has got to move heaven and earth to keep the current U23 group together - TT, LDU, Bailey, Jy, Zurhaar, Larkey, WW, Curtis - that's a group you can build a flag side around. Make it happen, Eugene

The reality is some players we have and some we have yet to acquire will be the future versions of Black, Bastinac, Harper, etc who bomb out or Ziebell, Atley, Macmillan, etc who plateau at solid rather than reach the potential we once thought they would achieve.

I mean, seeing McDonald and Macmillan defend this year compared to their entire time under Scott just highlights what a shitful job we did with development under Scott and perhaps the same crop of players could have been different had we better coaches and development staff a decade ago.

At the end of the day Scott developed a lot of one-dimensional footballers who lacked consistency and were suspect under the pump, it seems Shaw has achieved a lot already in a relatively short period of time so I am more hopeful going forward.

 

[ferball]

Big call.

McKernan was a superstar at 25 games
Longmire should have kicked 100 goals at 19 years of age
Carey was, well Carey was Carey
Mick Martyn was the best full back in the comp
Glenn Archer skilled and hard as
Craig Scholl, Darryn Crocker, Brett Allison, Wayne Schwass, Anthony Stevens, Adam Simpson, John Blakey, Byron Pickett, David King, Anthony Rock, Mark Roberts, Dean Laidley, etc.

They were super talented across the board, but also tough as nails.

And whilst I am also bullish about our current crop I really don't think you can compare the level of talent with what we assembled in the 90s.

Longmire kicked those goals 30 years ago.

That team grew from the u19s team of the 1980s, over 30 years ago. I think the op means the best young group since that lot. Cos it's been that long since they were young.

Right now I think we have the best list we've had since peak 90s. 2015/16 was good but I think this side is significantly better.

 

[Snake_Baker]

............and to think that around 12 months ago their were reports that the former coach believed the list required a significant rebuild.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

............and to think that around 12 months ago their were reports that the former coach believed the list required a significant rebuild.

Well, when you’re playing a style that compliments no one at your disposal, I guess you’d think that....

 

[The acurate one]

Well on the wireless yesterday Westerns
very own Bob Murray said this was the most skilled side he’d ever seen North field .

And Bob was given a premiership medal without even playing , that’s how good he was.

 

[Pykie]

Well on the wireless yesterday Westerns
very own Bob Murray said this was the most skilled side he’d ever seen North field .

And Bob was given a premiership medal without even playing , that’s how good he was.

I heard him, he actually said it was "the most talented North side I've seen in over a decade", then went on to say most of our sides have been honest and you know what you get with them, but this one seemed to be chock full of personalities.

 

[koshari]

Well on the wireless yesterday Westerns
very own Bob Murray said this was the most skilled side he’d ever seen North field .

And Bob was given a premiership medal without even playing , that’s how good he was.

even more remarkable was the fact it was posthumous. :sternlook

 

[Passmore]

I heard him, he actually said it was "the most talented North side I've seen in over a decade", then went on to say most of our sides have been honest and you know what you get with them, but this one seemed to be chock full of personalities.

Interesting he says a decade. I reckon players were having their personalities stifled for 10 years. Shaw and players have spoken about defending with brutality and attacking with your God given talent.

You won't win flags without personalities. We were stacked on the 70's and 90's. We've got some again.

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[Passmore]

Well on the wireless yesterday Westerns
very own Bob Murray said this was the most skilled side he’d ever seen North field .

And Bob was given a premiership medal without even playing , that’s how good he was.

You do realise that every time someone pokes fun at Hipster Bob, baby Jesus cries?

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[Snake_Baker]

............and to think that around 12 months ago their were reports that the former coach believed the list required a significant rebuild.

.........and to think that 12 months ago there were a few around here who agreed with him.

 

[Merlin007]

Well, whats the alternative since them?

Blake Grima, David Trotter and Callum Urch?

don't forget Dylan Smith

 

[Rooboys Rool]

Agree with quite a few of you that we are not there yet. Also remember thinking we had such a great young group before - about 10 years ago I thought that between Cunners or Ziebell we had our next Brownlow medalist...

We are well on our way, but we still need to nail another half a dozen players over the next 3 drafts if we are to have a high level of sustained success. However we have 4 first round draft picks over those 3 drafts, so are well placed to do that. If we can push into the finals this year and be seen as a team on the rise, that will also help us to improve via trades / free agents rather than the draft alone, so there is a lot to be optimistic about.

I also think that the quality of the top 4 / premiers of the last 5 years is not as strong as it was prior to that, so just because our group doesn't have as much talent as we had in the 90s, it doesn't mean there isn't enough quality there to win a flag.

 

[Merlin007]

Definitely a lot of depth this time round. That was a very even contribution yesterday. No one really let themselves down.

Really need to nail the next couple of drafts.

And this year's in particular; if it's a bust with two first rounders and a second rounder, muchos sadness follows...in the alternative, if Brady brains this draft, the next five years should be a blast

 

[Merlin007]

I guess why I posted in the first place is the prospect that there's something in the air beside the atmosphere.

Of course there's different ways to win a flag, but one is to get a core group come through together, and then trade selectively to fill structural gaps (Richmond with Nankervis being the case in point).

With the current U23 group, plus this year's draft, it seems to me there's a genuine chance. Of course the realists (pessimists) can point to dashed hopes in the past, and injuries can always knock the thing sideways (JWS, Kieran Harper etc) but at least we're in the hunt

 

[Twinkletoes]

I heard him, he actually said it was "the most talented North side I've seen in over a decade", then went on to say most of our sides have been honest and you know what you get with them, but this one seemed to be chock full of personalities.

“.......with a bit of swagger!”

 

[Passmore]

And this year's in particular; if it's a bust with two first rounders and a second rounder, muchos sadness follows...in the alternative, if Brady brains this draft, the next five years should be a blast

If Mark Finnigan can orchestrate getting Curtis Taylor with pick 46 (and Flynn Perez with 30 odd....just wait), I'm looking forward to seeing what he brings us with this draft hand.

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[The acurate one]

I heard him, he actually said it was "the most talented North side I've seen in over a decade", then went on to say most of our sides have been honest and you know what you get with them, but this one seemed to be chock full of personalities.

Yeah I wasn't really listen tbh. As I fight an inner battle as I dont like SEN, chock full of w***ers. But on reflection you are correct.

 

[The acurate one]

You do realise that every time someone pokes fun at Hipster Bob, baby Jesus cries?

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And the devil rubs his hands.

 

[ferball]

Yes well...