Finishing Season 2025

[Devil Fish]

With 6 games to go, it seems we have 1 winnable game remaining - Tigers in Tassie. You’d think we “should” win.
At our best, I’d say we can match Stk, but us playing at our best for the remainder of the season seems very unlikely. The excuses are already being wheeled out as to why we are in trouble for the rest of the season.
The other 4 games - I’d be surprised if the opposition didn’t at least double our score. It’s incredible to think that in a professional competition where we’ve had 5 years of top end draft picks, that in two-thirds of our remaining games, we are probably a 1% chance of winning.

So most likely it’s a bottom 3 finish with 5.5 wins and no 1st round pick.

I dare say that’s not where the club thought we’d be 3 years into Clarko’s reign…….but again, we’ll find excuses as to why that’s happened - Xerri’s suspension. Larkeys knee, Archer & Curtis suspension, Wardlaw & Choms injuries....

 

[kanga kanga kanga]

i thought we would be pushing for top 8

this club always lets you down.

 

[Quivorir]

Lol what about last season gave you the impression we'd be pushing for top 8 this season?

We exactly where I thought we'd be. Going nowhere fast.

 

[Marstermind]

I had some key markers for this season - ladder position wasn't one of them as that all depended on how other teams went. I thought if we could tick off all of these, all I thought were doable, we'd be well placed to look at 10-11 wins in 2026.

- 7 or 8 wins. Very unlikely. Even giving us Richmond (should) & St.Kilda (maybe but probably not) it means we have to beat either Geelong, Sydney, Adelaide or GWS to get to 7. I ain't happening.
- Beat a contender. Very unlikely. Geelong and Adelaide smash crap teams and GWS would have to tank.
- Avoid the thrashings. . Most teams have at least one a year, but the Carlton, Sydney and Hawthorn games were too much, and I suspect there's at least one more to come - all of GWS, Adelaide and Geelong would fancy a % booster against us.
- Have a dominant win. Ten goal win v Melbourne. That it happened in Round 2 and hasn't been replicated yet is disappointing though. That last quarter against Carlton was so dumb.
- Maintain a % at least in the mid 80s. Very unlikely. Percentage is an indicator of general competitiveness. It's a big improvement from last year but we can't go four quarters without putting in a stinker somewhere. Won't win enough or by enough from here to get 76.6% up by 8%. More likely to land in the low 70s.

So, whilst improvement is there, it's not enough and the season has been another fail. All of these targets for me will be the same for 2026, so aiming for 10-11 wins gets pushed back again to 2027.

The problem I have is wondering where the significant improvement will come from to get to these targets. We have no first round pick, no likelihood of attracting A-grade talent from a trade or free agency, no proven capacity to trade for hidden gems and no proven capacity to fast track development of players. We're still a few years away from achieving just a moderate 10-11 win season.

 

[travelli]

So I suppose this is the half empty thread?

I'm not going to write us off for consecutive losses yet.

 

[scottywiper]

We haven't beaten a side that went on to play finals since 2022.

 

[Chip Scab1]

i thought we would be pushing for top 8

this club always lets you down.

Your absurd expectations are at fault, not the Club.

We won't even make finals in 2026.

Whoever thought we could or even would make finals this year is totally demented.

 

[nicko74]

The end can't come quick enough for me

 

[scottywiper]

Your absurd expectations are at fault, not the Club.

We won't even make finals in 2026.

Whoever thought we could or even would make finals this year is totally demented.

Go have a look at predictions thread then
..lol

 

[archereleven]

The trouble is, even if we went into the season with the bar set to its lowest -

Intensity at the ball and man and sustain it in game for as long as possible.

Its a complete failure.

Not turning up to start games, letting sides kick runs of unanswered scores and dropping heads/giving up is what we've done all season.

I actually had hopes of winning 8-10 games this season, but because of how its turned out, I don't even think we'll get that next season.

2026 - 7 - 8 wins
2027 - 9 - 10 wins
2028 - 10 - 12 wins
2029 - maybe finals

 

[Chip Scab1]

The trouble is, even if we went into the season with the bar set to its lowest -

Intensity at the ball and man and sustain it in game for as long as possible.

Its a complete failure.

Not turning up to start games, letting sides kick runs of unanswered scores and dropping heads/giving up is what we've done all season.

I actually had hopes of winning 8-10 games this season, but because of how its turned out, I don't even think we'll get that next season.

2026 - 7 - 8 wins
2027 - 9 - 10 wins
2028 - 10 - 12 wins
2029 - maybe finals

I'm becoming more positive (probably the first time this millennium), reckon next year it could be 7-12 wins and the following year look out, not favourites obviously, but you don't want to play us in dark alley.

 

[archereleven]

I'm becoming more positive (probably the first time this millennium), reckon next year it could be 7-12 wins and the following year look out, not favourites obviously, but you don't want to play us in dark alley.

Absolutely zero chance of 12 wins IMHO...

This team would fall into a bucket full of nipples and come out sucking their thumbs...

 

[TheNorthFan]

Agree this year has had its highs (vs. Melb - Rd. 2), (vs. Carlton - Win) and (vs. Bris - a draw (counting this as they're sitting 2nd on the ladder and likely will be at the big dance) and lows (Hawks and Swans).

Looking to 2026, from the current crop who will likely make an impact. Realistic hopes.

• Brayden George (Has yet to play a game but is back playing as a FWD in the VFL regularly - expecting a strong pre-season and 2026 from him)
• George Wardlaw (An avg. season in 2025, but coming into his 3rd AFL season in 2026,final year of his contract as well)
• Will Dawson (Has shown some glimpses since coming into the AFL side in 2025 - upward trajectory in 2026)
• Jackson Archer (Have missed him this season for sure... his role in keeping the oppo dangerous small fwd quiet cannot be understated)
• Paul Curtis (Expecting further growth from him)
• Charlie Comben (Further growth and cementing his place alongside Will Dawson to form a solid defensive pairing)
• Riley Hardeman (Further growth next year - would trust him with kick in duties - take it off CD)

So 7 players from the list, Expect this young core start to emerge more in 2026.

Final bound in 2026? No, but I'm having an expectation that there will be signs of light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Cyber_punk]

I always found it weird how people thought we could contend for finals. Especially losing the last 2 games of last year by 220 points combined. People just wrote those games off as dead rubber games but it showed you just how much this group cared about going into the pre season with decent form - ie not at all.

 

[Devil Fish]

I had some key markers for this season - ladder position wasn't one of them as that all depended on how other teams went. I thought if we could tick off all of these, all I thought were doable, we'd be well placed to look at 10-11 wins in 2026.

- 7 or 8 wins. Very unlikely. Even giving us Richmond (should) & St.Kilda (maybe but probably not) it means we have to beat either Geelong, Sydney, Adelaide or GWS to get to 7. I ain't happening.
- Beat a contender. Very unlikely. Geelong and Adelaide smash crap teams and GWS would have to tank.
- Avoid the thrashings. . Most teams have at least one a year, but the Carlton, Sydney and Hawthorn games were too much, and I suspect there's at least one more to come - all of GWS, Adelaide and Geelong would fancy a % booster against us.
- Have a dominant win. Ten goal win v Melbourne. That it happened in Round 2 and hasn't been replicated yet is disappointing though. That last quarter against Carlton was so dumb.
- Maintain a % at least in the mid 80s. Very unlikely. Percentage is an indicator of general competitiveness. It's a big improvement from last year but we can't go four quarters without putting in a stinker somewhere. Won't win enough or by enough from here to get 76.6% up by 8%. More likely to land in the low 70s.

So, whilst improvement is there, it's not enough and the season has been another fail. All of these targets for me will be the same for 2026, so aiming for 10-11 wins gets pushed back again to 2027.

The problem I have is wondering where the significant improvement will come from to get to these targets. We have no first round pick, no likelihood of attracting A-grade talent from a trade or free agency, no proven capacity to trade for hidden gems and no proven capacity to fast track development of players. We're still a few years away from achieving just a moderate 10-11 win season.

Really can’t argue with any of that.

Agree this year has had its highs (vs. Melb - Rd. 2), (vs. Carlton - Win) and (vs. Bris - a draw (counting this as they're sitting 2nd on the ladder and likely will be at the big dance) and lows (Hawks and Swans).

Looking to 2026, from the current crop who will likely make an impact. Realistic hopes.

• Brayden George (Has yet to play a game but is back playing as a FWD in the VFL regularly - expecting a strong pre-season and 2026 from him)
• George Wardlaw (An avg. season in 2025, but coming into his 3rd AFL season in 2026,final year of his contract as well)
• Will Dawson (Has shown some glimpses since coming into the AFL side in 2025 - upward trajectory in 2026)
• Jackson Archer (Have missed him this season for sure... his role in keeping the oppo dangerous small fwd quiet cannot be understated)
• Paul Curtis (Expecting further growth from him)
• Charlie Comben (Further growth and cementing his place alongside Will Dawson to form a solid defensive pairing)
• Riley Hardeman (Further growth next year - would trust him with kick in duties - take it off CD)

So 7 players from the list, Expect this young core start to emerge more in 2026.

Final bound in 2026? No, but I'm having an expectation that there will be signs of light at the end of the tunnel.

In that list of 7 players, you've listed 3 significantly injury-riddled players - Comben, Wardlaw & George. I mean, how many games do you actually expect those 3 to play???? And not to mention Archer who has been injured all year. Come on man.

 

[Forever North]

It's about this time of the year where we tire out, fall away completely and simply put the cue in the rack and start to plan end of season trips etc. Would love to win 2-3 games, cause a bit of damage so we go into the off season with some posivity and optimism but realistically a tedious 8 point win against the Tigers will probably be it. We're just plain crap on and off the field unfortunately. No inroads this season just a couple of fools gold wins.

 

[archereleven]

It's about this time of the year where we tire out, fall away completely and simply put the cue in the rack and start to plan end of season trips etc. Would love to win 2-3 games, cause a bit of damage so we go into the off season with some posivity and optimism but realistically a tedious 8 point win against the Tigers will probably be it. We're just plain crap on and off the field unfortunately. No inroads this season just a couple of fools gold wins.

Anyone phoning it in over the last 2 months should end up on the trade table.
Anyone.

 

[Flagroos24]

Anyone phoning it in over the last 2 months should end up on the trade table.
Anyone.

Seems like there'll be plenty to choose from..

 

[Devil Fish]

The other 4 games - I’d be surprised if the opposition didn’t at least double our score.

Syd + Geel = 234 pnts
NM = 102 pnts

Ahead of schedule.

With the games against Adel & Giants to come, you can bet your house the combined opposition total of the 4 games vs Syd, Geel, GWS & Adel will at least double our combined total.

 

[Devil Fish]

It's about this time of the year where we tire out, fall away completely and simply put the cue in the rack and start to plan end of season trips etc. Would love to win 2-3 games, cause a bit of damage so we go into the off season with some posivity and optimism but realistically a tedious 8 point win against the Tigers will probably be it. We're just plain crap on and off the field unfortunately. No inroads this season just a couple of fools gold wins.

So why in the actual **** did we beat GC in Round 24, 2023???? Why? Wy? Why? That will go down as the dumbest thing ever done by a struggling AFL club.

 

[Devil Fish]

With 6 games to go, it seems we have 1 winnable game remaining - Tigers in Tassie. You’d think we “should” win.
At our best, I’d say we can match Stk, but us playing at our best for the remainder of the season seems very unlikely. The excuses are already being wheeled out as to why we are in trouble for the rest of the season.
The other 4 games - I’d be surprised if the opposition didn’t at least double our score. It’s incredible to think that in a professional competition where we’ve had 5 years of top end draft picks, that in two-thirds of our remaining games, we are probably a 1% chance of winning.

So most likely it’s a bottom 3 finish with 5.5 wins and no 1st round pick.

I dare say that’s not where the club thought we’d be 3 years into Clarko’s reign…….but again, we’ll find excuses as to why that’s happened - Xerri’s suspension. Larkeys knee, Archer & Curtis suspension, Wardlaw & Choms injuries....

Geel + Syd + GWS = 387 points
NM (vs Geel, Syd + GWS) = 181 points.

With one more game (vs Adel), we are well on target to have our total number of points doubled by the 4 decent teams to finish off another magical season at Arden St.

 

[amaz199]

I read the thread title as 'Fishing Season 2025' lol and got excited.

I want this year to end so badly.

 

[scottywiper]

I read the thread title as 'Fishing Season 2025' lol and got excited.

I want this year to end so badly.

It's always fishing season at my place! I did that yesterday instead of watching us.

 

[Devil Fish]

A 6th consecutive bottom 2 finish will see us being the first team to do so since Fitzroy 57 years ago.......

 

[archereleven]

A 6th consecutive bottom 2 finish will see us being the first team to do so since Fitzroy 57 years ago.......

AI seems to think 7 in a row has never happened, so we could be record breaking next season...