Bolters and Sliders in 2014?

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Sydney the big sliders for me, their once lauded culture may come into serious question with a couple getting paid the massive bucks while the workhorses are left by the wayside. 2 inaccurate tall forwards also may bite them. Goodes coming to the end, Pike & ??? in the ruck.. Their backline was exposed in 2013, Teddy was soooo heavily overrated and Heath Grundy looked slow and even a bit disinterested at the back end of the season. LRT back may provide them with some back up down back / ruck but really you can't expect him to star despite the fact that he played some good footy (predom as a forward) in 2012.
 
Adelaide - bolter. Tex comes back, Betts fills a need, and the Crouches and Lairds of the world are a year older. Should make the Top 8. Remember they also lost quite a lot of close matches, though not as much as North Melbourne, and a similar list made the Top 4 in 2012.
Brisbane - likely slider. On paper should rise, but the direction of the club concerns me if 5 players quit the club.
Carlton - likely slider. Have some significant holes in their list, and were given a slice of luck by Essendon being kicked out of the finals. Could do well if their current players improve though.
Collingwood - slider. Don't really rate Buckley as a coach, and the direction of the club will probably hurt their on-field prospects in the short-term.
Essendon - wildcard. Depending on the ASADA investigation could do anything. Top 4 list, particularly if Daniher emerges, but how many of them will play? And if so, will the investigation still be ongoing?
Fremantle - stagnant. Will probably be about as good next season as they are now. It's hard to improve on this season, a title won't be bolting IMO.
Geelong - slider. They've kicked out too many experienced players, and their younger players aren't of the same class yet. Will be a vague rebuilding year, though should finish Top 8.
Gold Coast - bolter. They have a real shot at the Top 8, given they have a pretty even list and their youngsters will start to peak.
GWS - bolter. Hard to see them doing any worse, and most of their players are still very raw and are improving experience. Probably won't be as good as Gold Coast were this season, but will be much more competitive.
Hawthorn - slider. Hard to improve any further, they've lost Franklin and much of their list is aging. Will likely remain in the Top 4 though.
North Melbourne - bolter. In all but two of their matches they were competitive. If Dal Santo signs and one of Ziebell, Cunnington or Bastinac improves they'll have a good shot at the Top 4 IMO.
Melbourne - bolter. Hard to see them doing any worse, and Roos should instill some form of professionalism. Still will probably finish bottom 4.
Port Adelaide - likely slider. Probably will get a tougher draw, and they over-achieved somewhat this season IMO. But they do have a young and promising list, so maybe they're only just getting started.
Richmond - likely bolter. Good shot of making the Top 4. Their list will further develop, and with other clubs starting to deteriorate, they'll start to improve.
St Kilda - likely slider. Likely spooners IMO, their list looks completely ****ed, and it'll take a while to turn it into a strong one.
Sydney - likely bolter. Franklin helps, and they did suffer a lot of injuries last season. It's hard to see them bolt in a traditional way, but I think they'll return to their 2012-level.
West Coast - bolter. Surely a side which did so well in 2011 and 2012 will improve? They suffered a lot of injuries last season, and they will get an easy draw too, though I do have some concerns about the list.
Western Bulldogs - bolter. Showed a lot of heart and improvement in the back end of 2013. Sign another forward (or two) and they may push towards the Top 8. The only worry is that they still rely on quite a few of the older players.
 

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I'm not so sure about every 2nd poster jumping on the Adelaide to be a bolter bandwagon, they were smashed in the rucks all year and their defence is still reliant on Rutten. Betts is a good get but people are expecting miracles if they think T Walker will be anywhere near his best, ACLs for big blokes usually take 2 years to overcome.
 
BLUES crusade said:
I'm not so sure about every 2nd poster jumping on the Adelaide to be a bolter bandwagon, they were smashed in the rucks all year and their defence is still reliant on Rutten. Betts is a good get but people are expecting miracles if they think T Walker will be anywhere near his best, ACLs for big blokes usually take 2 years to overcome.
Click to expand...

I think the scope is there after they finished 3rd in 2012. Average age:

2009 25.04 5th
2010 24.93 11th
2011 23.98 14th
2012 25.01 3rd
2013 24.43 11th

Crouch looks the goods, is Cotchin-like in the way he hunts the ball, and Grigg did OK in a handful of games. With Dangerfield, Sloane, Douglas, Vince, it's the nucleus of a competitive midfield. Jenkins was forced to play as the linchpin and the Crows struck a few rain-affected games which didn't suit; he'll be better next year with Walker commanding a good opponent even if underdone. Johnston showed a bit, as did Lynch - add Betts and the forward line begins to look threatening again. Laird, Brown, Kerridge, Hartigan all looked OK, Talia has an extra year under his belt. Granted, they will need someone to step up in the ruck.

To me it's a well-handled list, catering for the decline of Thompson, Reilly, Porplyzia etc, with plenty of players who could make a significant jump next year. They're no good thing for the eight, but the potential is there.
 
Can Melbourne do a Port?

Let's be honest, if you said Port would make a semi final 12 months ago you'd have been laughed at. There's always a team that makes a massive jump. Of course it all depends on if Melbourne can get some decent midfielders into their list, with Roos coaching who knows what'll happen.

Of course I don't think they'll make the 8 but it's not ridiculous to think they could win 7-8 games next year if they get their s**t together.
 
Brown n Gold said:
Sydney the big sliders for me, their once lauded culture may come into serious question with a couple getting paid the massive bucks while the workhorses are left by the wayside. 2 inaccurate tall forwards also may bite them. Goodes coming to the end, Pike & ??? in the ruck.. Their backline was exposed in 2013, Teddy was soooo heavily overrated and Heath Grundy looked slow and even a bit disinterested at the back end of the season. LRT back may provide them with some back up down back / ruck but really you can't expect him to star despite the fact that he played some good footy (predom as a forward) in 2012.
Click to expand...

A bit jealous are we?
 

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treefingers said:
Can Melbourne do a Port?

Let's be honest, if you said Port would make a semi final 12 months ago you'd have been laughed at. There's always a team that makes a massive jump. Of course it all depends on if Melbourne can get some decent midfielders into their list, with Roos coaching who knows what'll happen.

Of course I don't think they'll make the 8 but it's not ridiculous to think they could win 7-8 games next year if they get their s**t together.
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Port have a decent midfield with Ebert, Boak, Wingard, Hartlett, Broadbent, Wines, Cornes, and most of them are in their prime or really young. And they have a mature age captain. I don't see where the talent is coming from in Melbourne. I wouldn't be surprised if they won a few more games but I don't see where the talent and leadership is coming from.
 
WWSD said:
Most Improved team: Brisbane Lions, Port Adelaide
Sliders: Collingwood, Sydney

1. Fremantle
2. Geelong
3. Hawthorn
4. Richmond
5. Sydney
6. Port Adelaide
7. North Melbourne
8. Brisbane
-----------------
9. Essendon
10. Carlton
11. Collingwood
12. Western Bulldogs
13. Adelaide
14. Gold Coast
15. West Coast
16. St Kilda
17. Melbourne
18. GWS
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You have Sydney going from 4th to 5th and they are a slider. Hawthorn from top to third and they are not a slider ? Do you have a clue ?
 
Call Me Cake said:
The ground is set for Essendon to hit back hard. Players will regard 2014 as poetic justice.

All this talk of an "exodus" from the outside, yet players continually keep signing on and exerting joy as a result.

2013 only made them stronger.

Hungrier.
Click to expand...

More to do with other clubs not wanting them. 2014 will be a very ordinary year for Essendon. They will be the biggest slider and then Carlton.

Bolters, Dogs and Port.
 
treefingers said:
Can Melbourne do a Port?

Let's be honest, if you said Port would make a semi final 12 months ago you'd have been laughed at. There's always a team that makes a massive jump. Of course it all depends on if Melbourne can get some decent midfielders into their list, with Roos coaching who knows what'll happen.

Of course I don't think they'll make the 8 but it's not ridiculous to think they could win 7-8 games next year if they get their s**t together.
Click to expand...

Not a snowflakes chance in hell.

Port's players possess a commodity in thin supply at Melbourne.

Heart.

Paul Roos and one off season/draft isn't going to rectify that.
 
Bazzar said:
More to do with other clubs not wanting them. 2014 will be a very ordinary year for Essendon. They will be the biggest slider and then Carlton.

Bolters, Dogs and Port.
Click to expand...

Gotta love almost every Tigers fan in this thread:

"Slider - the team that beat us in the only game that really mattered all year. "

:thumbsu:
 
cammo78 said:
Not a snowflakes chance in hell.

Port's players possess a commodity in thin supply at Melbourne.

Heart.

Paul Roos and one off season/draft isn't going to rectify that.
Click to expand...
Port didn't have much heart in 2012 when they were beaten by GWS or when Hawthorn beat them by 160 points. Footy changes quickly
 
Brown n Gold said:
Sydney the big sliders for me, their once lauded culture may come into serious question with a couple getting paid the massive bucks while the workhorses are left by the wayside. 2 inaccurate tall forwards also may bite them. Goodes coming to the end, Pike & ??? in the ruck.. Their backline was exposed in 2013, Teddy was soooo heavily overrated and Heath Grundy looked slow and even a bit disinterested at the back end of the season. LRT back may provide them with some back up down back / ruck but really you can't expect him to star despite the fact that he played some good footy (predom as a forward) in 2012.
Click to expand...


Yeah the last decade everyone was paid equally its a big change for us to have highly paid stars :rolleyes:
 
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