I suppose back then our only leaders were Jones and Bern, given we'd just traded Dunn and delisted Cross. These days, Viney and Gawn should have theoretically become better on-field leaders and we shouldn't need a cooked Lewis to tell our players where to run.
Interesting though, games played;
Gawn - 104
Viney - 103
Oliver - 65
Brayshaw - 63
Harmes - 74
Petracca - 68
Salem - 75
Fritsch - 28
ANB - 62
Hunt - 52
Hannan - 35
Weidemann - 25
Frost - 74
Lever - 67
May - 124
Hore - 3
Spargo - 21
That’s 17 of close to our starting 22 that have played less than 100 games or a bit over. Of the 6 others;
McDonald - 151
Lewis - 308 (done)
Jones - 269 (done)
Hibberd - 128 (potentially done)
Jetta - 145 (potentially done)
Melksham - 161
So essentially right now, irrespective of what you think of Hibberd & Jetta, we have a core group where 5 players that have played over 100 games (Gawn, Viney, McDonald, Melksham, May)
I expect another 50-60 games into that core group before they are ready for a crack at the flag, that’s 2-3 seasons away. Jones, Lewis, Hibberd, Jetta wont be there, but hopefully Melksham & McDonald will be. Richmond played 3 finals series in a row before dropping away then winning in 17. Hawthorn went through some changes after 08 (5 year gap) before the next flag, WC played a PF in 2011 before floating around a bit and playing a GF in 15 then the flag year last year. Geelong built their list from the 99 and 01 draft before playing finals in 04, 05 then missing in 06 and playing 4 GF in 5 years winning 3.
What have we played? One finals series? Man, we are WAY off a shot at it. I am tipping 2021 could be the year IF;
1. We recover something of 2019
2. Play finals in 2020
3. Address some list management issues: retire who we need to, trade and delist etc
4. Keep the core group together
5. Address the assistant coaching issues and game plan issues and target a really gun assistant coach
I am happy to concede 2019 is a write off if we can salvage part of it and be ready next year with a shot at it in 2021. That will be Goodwin’s 5th year - not unreasonable given how it worked out for Hardwick.