Common Misconception - our window is closing

[anti.]

its only really partially open. its not like you guys are seasoned finals campaigners or anything.

 

[Warrior 89]

When you break the list into age brackets as rgauci has the team is well balanced, and a lot of the people who criticize Freo don't put in the research and end up copying some crap they heard from someone else.

My concern about our list is the lack of A grade players who can step up and take control of a game. Pavlich and Bell are certainly A grade players, but I think our big problem during the Connolly years that they were the only 2. In the PF against the Swans in 06 Bell and Pav were terrific but they needed help. You really need 4-5 elite players and good depth to be a champion team.

The good news is that Geelong is the only champion team at the moment and if they have some problems Freo along with a few other teams could step up and win it.

Long-Term Palmer and Warnock have the potential to be star players but we need to add a few more. We must keep our 1st round picks, and with good list management you don't need to completely fall apart like Carlton or us in 2001.

 

[estibador]

Yeah, but we could also have picked up 2 Striblings, a Stribling and a Stribling by then.

Yeah we might, but we might not.

Saying we're doomed in 5 years without knowing who we are going to draft is like saying we're going to win 3 straight 2012-14 because of some young superstars we haven't drafted yet.

 

[Stronzo]

I mentioned this last pre season and got hammered for it! But I still think that it is almost his only option with the list we have.

Also I agree on mundy, has failed to go to the next step or almost any step other than third man up or loose man or shirks contest man!

Yeah I thought I must've read that somewhere before. I think he has some attributes - size, aggression, pace - which I think could make him quite a reasonable player down back, plus he could always pinch hit up forward if the backline was solid.

 

[dominguez]

Campbell doesn't have the pace off the mark to play full back or C.H.B.

It annoys me that we select players with ability in a certain role then try to turn them into something else. Hopefully that rationale went out with the old regime.

 

[Shadow Man]

Campbell doesn't have the pace off the mark to play full back or C.H.B.

It annoys me that we select players with ability in a certain role then try to turn them into something else. Hopefully that rationale went out with the old regime.

Its all about versatility. In this day and age you need to be able to play anywhere at any given time.

 

[kp junior]

My concern about our list is the lack of A grade players who can step up and take control of a game. Pavlich and Bell are certainly A grade players, but I think our big problem during the Connolly years that they were the only 2. In the PF against the Swans in 06 Bell and Pav were terrific but they needed help. You really need 4-5 elite players and good depth to be a champion team.

Long-Term Palmer and Warnock have the potential to be star players but we need to add a few more. We must keep our 1st round picks, and with good list management you don't need to completely fall apart like Carlton or us in 2001.

I reckon Farmer is A grade. Haselby and Sandilands would be if fully fit. (big if). Tarrant, McPharlin, Johnson not far off. As always, midfield is where we need to step up.

 

[sabre_ac]

Sorry, but how can you back up saying that about Mundy exactly? I disagree completely. The kid is a champ.

The kid show's glimpse's but remains one of the softer players in the competition, consistently has his tackle's broken and kicks allot of clangers.

I still believe Mundy will prove to be a good player, but right now he reminds me allot of Houlihan from Carlton. (Yes I realise he is still young)

 

[sabre_ac]

Yeah we might, but we might not.

Saying we're doomed in 5 years without knowing who we are going to draft is like saying we're going to win 3 straight 2012-14 because of some young superstars we haven't drafted yet.

Hold up.

This entire thread was based on the age of our better players...How can you turn around and say you can't predict future success's based on the age and ability of our kid's?? (Despite who we are going to draft in the future, as we all know that the chances of getting a star in their first year are slim)

 

[estibador]

Hold up.

This entire thread was based on the age of our better players...How can you turn around and say you can't predict future success's based on the age and ability of our kid's??

But it's like people assume our older will be replaced by crabs when they retire and Warnock, Schammer and MJ will be left to carry the team by themselves.

I'm just saying that with 5 drafts there's every chance we can surround the quality youngsters we've got with some more quality. Especially considering we have such a great strike rate with the rookie list.

 

[sabre_ac]

But it's like people assume our older will be replaced by crabs when they retire and Warnock, Schammer and MJ will be left to carry the team by themselves.

I'm just saying that with 5 drafts there's every chance we can surround the quality youngsters we've got with some more quality. Especially considering we have such a great strike rate with the rookie list.

Agree...Doing an aging analysis on list's doesn't tell a hell of allot.

I was just using the logic of this thread..5 years our stars are in the twilight...The Warnocks etc are in their prime and another group has replaced Schammer etc (Potentially gun's but not in their prime).

 

[Jetau]

I'm finding myself in agreement with GJ here. I think that the premiership window, if such a thing exists, is only open for another 2-3 years. Why do I think that? It's not because of this 'average age' rubbish. Let's take a look at the age of some of our better players:


Born before 1980 -

Bell - nearly 32 - presumably his last year
Farmer - 31 this year - maybe 2 more years
Black - will be 29 this year - 2/3 years

Class of 1980 - will turn 28 this year (we've got a lot of these) -

J. Carr - maybe 3/4 more years
Solomon - 2/3 years
Grover - - 2/3 years
Hayden - hopefully 3/4 more years

Class of 1981 (these guys are at their peak right now) -

Pavlich - 27 on 31/12/08 - hopefully 4/5 more years
Hasleby - I doubt he will last more than 3 more years
McPharlin - 3/4 more years
Headland - 3/4 more years

I'm sure most of you would agree that these 11 are in our best 22. I wouldn't leave any of these guys out of my team. And most of them will be gone, or in the twilight of their careers, by 2011.

Now of course every team is going to turn over a lot of their list in 3 years, but I would have thought that we might struggle for a while after that, especially if we finish in the top half for the next 3 years or so.

And I think Pavlich is signed up to the end of 2010 - so that's three years. If Freo don't win a flag in that time, then I don't think anyone will be able to begrudge him going back to Adelaide for his last 1/2 years of his career.

Also, Harvey probably has around 3 full seasons to deliver the goods before the jackals are out for him too.

So, in summary, I think that the 'premiership window' is open until the end of 2010 season.

 

[Belnakor]

Your being generous to Harvs - i reckon he has 18 months and if we aren't producing he'll be out on his arse.

 

[newlander77]

It just takes 3 games, win, loss or draw and the knives will come out from the WA press calling for his head.

I'd suggest to make the top 4 at least once in the next 3 years would be needed for Harvey to keep the job.

 

[poshman]

Campbell doesn't have the pace off the mark to play full back or C.H.B.

It annoys me that we select players with ability in a certain role then try to turn them into something else. Hopefully that rationale went out with the old regime.

I agree about the rationale, however when will he get a go in the forward line? (sustained) It is not looking like this year, Murphy would be in front I think and even he on last years form would struggle.

So if that is the case, why is he still around?

 

[FootyEater]

Your being generous to Harvs - i reckon he has 18 months and if we aren't producing he'll be out on his arse.

this comment is BS

 

[dominguez]

So if that is the case, why is he still around?

Because Campbell has talent and very little trade value. He may currently be our 4th or even 5th best key forward at this stage, but he offers more than a 4th round pick in the short and long term.

 

[Belnakor]

this comment is BS

if we lost every game for the first 12 weeks he would be out on his arse, that simple.

 

[dominguez]

Its all about versatility. In this day and age you need to be able to play anywhere at any given time.

Nonsense, you build a balanced list. Instead of trying to turn Murphy/Campbell/Dodd into key defenders and Johnson/Mundy/Drum into midfielders how about drafting some key defenders and midfielders?

 

[Belnakor]

Smart wants to draft athletes you can play anywhere who are 6'3.

 

[Shadow Man]

Nonsense, you build a balanced list. Instead of trying to turn Murphy/Campbell/Dodd into key defenders and Johnson/Mundy/Drum into midfielders how about drafting some key defenders and midfielders?

Righty'o Sheeds, whatever you say!

 

[poshman]

Because Campbell has talent and very little trade value. He may currently be our 4th or even 5th best key forward at this stage, but he offers more than a 4th round pick in the short and long term.

Fair enough. I spose it is easy in our wanting to find a big key back to just throw anyone in there.

We do need to develop someone there though. Drum is not big enough, and the same can be said for most others on the list.

With all that said, I think if our midfield breaks even our defense automatically looks better.

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

Smart wants to draft athletes you can play anywhere who are 6'3.

Yes, that's correct. Given both Sydney and West Coast have done this from different angles with West Coast drafting and Sydney trading for a team of clones it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

Nonsense, you build a balanced list. Instead of trying to turn Murphy/Campbell/Dodd into key defenders and Johnson/Mundy/Drum into midfielders how about drafting some key defenders and midfielders?

No one would have drafted Johnson Jnr as anything other than a defender and slow barge-arsed one at that. Who would have thought than when he lost the puppy fat and gained some muscle he would become a 195 cm one-touch player who can take a great mark, read the play, incredible evasive skills and can deliver lace out over 50-60m. As a key defender he is a yard too slow which is why he looks unaccountable.

Similarly both Mundy and Murphy were seen as potential key forwards/key defenders and both had played these positions at TAC level. Murphy tended to play forward because he is such an accurate kick. Both haven' t really developed the size for key defenders but it wouldn't surprise me to see Mundy take on more important roles this season. He has 3 years under his belt and needs to start holding down some really good forwards to take the next step. He needs to step up to Grover's class.

You can't predict how drafting is going to turn out and is why all clubs tend to draft the best player and trade for what they want.

 

[Jetau]

Fair go on Mundy. I can agree that he's not the best at being a close checking defender, clearly nothing like Dodd or Grover in that regard. But the boy has excellent skills and a cool head. He's also a good finisher, which is why I would like to see him playing closer to goal sometimes. He may turn into a good wingman in time. The kid's played 64 games now, so he's got some experience. I think we are about to see the best of him.