How is everyone feeling now?

[The Nostradamus]

Very excited, especially with pick 2 and 11 to come

keen to see the youth take their game to another level next year

 

[Pykie]

Youth feeds optimism.

A lot easier to swallow some dodgy on field performances if you know it’s a stepping stone to get better.

A lot harder to swallow when they are 27 year olds putting out these performances.

 

[AnEmptyChair]

Youth feeds optimism.

A lot easier to swallow some dodgy on field performances if you know it’s a stepping stone to get better.

A lot harder to swallow when they are 27 year olds putting out these performances.

Yeah, it's this that makes me hope that the new coach will have little sympathy if Atley and Ziebell in particular keep making the same mistakes under pressure that they have been for a long time. These guys need to be setting the example and honestly, even though I get the argument that we'll need experience to help the kids next year, if they're not performing they shouldn't be in the team.

 

[Supreme_Chancellor]

Ask me in December, after the draft.

 

[Zondor]

What's Done is Done. Personally I thought we cut a little too deep and too early. We may even cut some more. Rawling did not rate the list before he came to Hardon On Street. A poor season and it allowed Bradys to go Hassan Chop. Shaw moving on could be a blessing in disguise. His coaching in the season gone by wasn't overly impressive. We do have a core group of exciting youngsters but we need to ace the draft. Actually this years and next's. We do that and we will be climbing back up the ladder quicker than expected. I still feel we need a few more polished 2 way runners in the midfield. After all you win games primarily by causing turnover and retaining possession to score. Quality Midfielders will help us do that. :stern look

 

[hcd199]

A few solid acquisitions in the trade/FA period means things look better than they did beforehand, but still, "exciting youth" is a poor rhetorical substitute for actual on-field performance, and plenty of teams before have "excited" without even coming close to getting the ultimate result.

We still don't know who'll be senior coach, and what impact they'll have on our gameplan, player morale, etc., so that's a major uncertainty. Assuming the eventual coach turns out to be a good pick, and assuming most/all of our young and developing players reach something close to their full potential, we could be in a pretty good place in a couple of years' time - but those are both highly optimistic assumptions, and coming off an unacceptably dreadful 2020 (regardless of the known mitigating factors), there aren't yet good reasons for thinking everything is nearly as positive as so many here want to make it out to be. Youthful potential notwithstanding, we're in a bad spot - 17th, coachless, and voluntarily moving on experienced players - and, however competent the current administration may appear, it will take a lot going right for us to get out of this rut. Here's hoping it does.

 

[Psicosis]

We're well advanced in the rebuild - McKay, Simpkin, Zurhaar, Larkey, Stephenson, Bonar, Xerri, W.Walker, Young, Hayden, Davies-Uniacke, Thomas, Taylor, Scott, Bosenavulagi, Perez, Mahony and this year's draft crop makes a pretty handy bunch of <23s. Like Snake though, I find it it too hard to get too excited until we know who the coach is and how he wants us to play.

I'm anticipating a more enjoyable and competitive 2021, but don't think we'll move up the ladder much, if at all. And frankly, we did a 1-year rebuild in 2017, and it threw is further into the pit in the long run. Wouldn't hurt to shed more dead-weight next October and hit the draft hard again, so another bottom-4 finish wouldn't be the end of the world.

We might not finish 17th but I think a bottom 4 finish is pretty expected.

I mean even Amarfio called out in the Q&A that we need to be patient for a couple years.

There is no comparison of this to 2017 IMO, but I do understand your concern. I was the same until this offseason when we started making big calls, it was almost too good to be true.

I would put money that we will delist another potentially 6 next offseason. The 11 this year isn’t the end.

 

[Psicosis]

A few solid acquisitions in the trade/FA period means things look better than they did beforehand, but still, "exciting youth" is a poor rhetorical substitute for actual on-field performance, and plenty of teams before have "excited" without even coming close to getting the ultimate result.

We still don't know who'll be senior coach, and what impact they'll have on our gameplan, player morale, etc., so that's a major uncertainty. Assuming the eventual coach turns out to be a good pick, and assuming most/all of our young and developing players reach something close to their full potential, we could be in a pretty good place in a couple of years' time - but those are both highly optimistic assumptions, and coming off an unacceptably dreadful 2020 (regardless of the known mitigating factors), there aren't yet good reasons for thinking everything is nearly as positive as so many here want to make it out to be. Youthful potential notwithstanding, we're in a bad spot - 17th, coachless, and voluntarily moving on experienced players - and, however competent the current administration may appear, it will take a lot going right for us to get out of this rut. Here's hoping it does.

Just on the “exciting youth” commentary - I see this translate to genuine talent, rather then just potential and fluff. Luff was big on it I’m the Q&A - “we need talent”.

Understand it might be disputed on this board, but common belief across the competition is that we have had one of if not the least “talented” list competition wise for some time.

We have had some sides with pockets of talent but for the most part over the last 10+ years, we have had sides that are very tough, work hard, but lack the polish and talent that the regular top 4 sides have.

Until we build a talented group of youngsters that come up together, we cannot just expect the onfield stuff to happen overnight.

 

[Snake_Baker]

We're well advanced in the rebuild

A few people seem to be in disagreement with us though mate.

I reckon we only need one more intensive draft at the most before we can begin to prioritize filling any holes with mature players.

Youth feeds optimism.

Pykie list management 101.

Wins feed optimism mate, nothing else.

 

[Psicosis]

A few people seem to be in disagreement with us though mate.

I reckon we only need one more intensive draft at bthe most before we can begin to prioritize filling any holes with mature players.



Pykie list management 101.

Wins feed optimism mate, nothing else.

My understanding is that most on here think the 2020 and 2021 draft will put us in a really good position, which is only 1 more draft then you believe.

I don’t really recall any poster saying that it’s going to take many more heavy draft hands then 2.

 

[Billy Not Really]

Look at our list right now and you'd think we're already a bit deeper into this rebuild than what the media leads you to believe, we haven't even hit the draft yet and we're teeming with some quality U23 talent, North has done exceptionally well in the player trades, losing Brown and Higgo is a big hit on paper but these guys are on the latter end of their careers and the moves while unpopular, do make sense in the big picture and what North got back in return I think more than made up for it.

This year for almost every player and club, and issue was clearly an outlier and only the clubs going the strongest come out of this looking rosy, its exactly why Richmond won the flag, they've been a well run club for a while now and they can easily take the punches dished out this year.

The only worry I have is our coach, who's it gonna be and is this going to be the man to take these kids all the way to a flag? Remains to be seen.

 

[ChoppyGun]

ChoppyGun how you feeling?

s**t.

Lost on the races.

 

[Mav]

I’ll feel a whole lot better if the real Cam Smith can get up Monday morning.

 

[Whisper in the Wind]

Excited at the prospect of winning the premiership in our 100th season (2024) and 100th anniversary (2025).

 

[ChoppyGun]

sh*t.

Lost on the races.

But in all seriousness yes better than at the start of the week Psicosis for sure.

Managed to turn around poor returns imho on Brown and Higgins with the Pies deal.

I'll wait and see how we play before getting too excited however as I've heard all this before.

 

[Psicosis]

But in all seriousness yes better than at the start of the week Psicosis for sure.

Managed to turn around poor returns imho on Brown and Higgins with the Pies deal.

I'll wait and see how we play before getting too excited however as I've heard all this before.

Welcome aboard!

 

[ChoppyGun]

Welcome aboard!

Was never not on board.

I was hanging just on the edge.....

 

[Gasometer]

 

[hilly]

Good. Luffy and co did some nifty work last year with picks in the 30s, imagine what they'll do with 2 and 11

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[chairo]

That really was the worst season I can remember. It was all the more sucky because the previous season ended with us playing such beautiful footy.

I am feeling a bit better after the trades but if Stephenson hadn't signed on, our trade period would have been poor - we really needed to bring in some experienced players on the back of all the delistings.

I am optimistic for the draft as I thought our drafting last year was thoughtful and good. Luff and Clayton seem really bullish with our draft prospects. While 2 & 11 are likely to be good, let's see what is done with the two picks in the thirties.

As has been mentioned, a lot rests on the coach and the structure around him. I am optimistic enough to think by the end of draft next year, we should have enough cattle to be competitive. Hopefully the coaching team pull it all together.

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

From now on I’m treating North just like my last girlfriend I snapped up at a ripe age of 18 while flexing my guns at Watermark on a hot summers night in 2004.

Didnt expect much from her initially but in the end she married me and gave me three kids in three years and we are living the happily ever after bit right now.

 

[kool kangas]

Get Noble as coach and find another Careyesque type player in the draft and l will be very happy....

 

[ChoppyGun]

Coach appointment critical.

Of course time will tell but excitement levels may fluctuate on who we pick.

 

[ChoppyGun]

find another Careyesque type player in the draft and l will be very happy....

Like that happens often.........Boyd, Patton, McCartin etc all hopeless.

We need midfielders.

 

[The acurate one]

Coach appointment critical.

Of course time will tell but excitement levels may fluctuate on who we pick.

Choppy, you can get excited, I watched the Q&A and the word that resonated the most was "methodical'. We're no longer scatter gunning our approach and have a plan and it makes sense.

Also they've backed in the housewife favourite which is youth and it = hope.