Draft Watcher Knightmare 2020 Draft Almanac

[Sin City]

Let's have ago my team of the decade

B. McGrath. H Andrews. Taylor

HB Whitfield. B King. Sicily

C Tim Kelly. Bontapelli. McCluggage

HF Lukocious. J Cameron. J Stevenson

F Rankine. A Naughton. Rayner

Fol Grundy Cripps. Cognilo

Int N Anderson, M Rowell. Walsh M.King

My first piece of 2020:
My team of the decade ahead prediction 2020-2029: https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/28492495/our-afl-team-2020-29

Feel free to post your best 22s below and see 10 years from now whether you can claim bragging rights.

How is Josh Kelly not making it into these teams?

 

[Virgin Dog]

No club would have survived the injuries GC went through, and done any better. All their midfield guns were struck down and lose key development time. Always behind the 8 ball.

Major injuries to Brodie, Collins, Holman, Thompson, Powell, Rankine, Wigg, plus the suspension for Crossley. Not to mention the random multiple weeks missed by a wide array of players. They've struggled to develop properly, but I feel they've improved in the last few years, yet this was all undone this season thanks to a horrific injury list. Give them an injury run like Brisbane had in 2019 and they would probably be pushing their way out of the bottom 4

 

[GWS Goose]

How is Josh Kelly not making it into these teams?

TBH he was in my team, and I had 5 Giants, thought I was being too bias thought he was the one I could easily find a suitable replacement. I had Kelly in McCluggage.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Major injuries to Brodie, Collins, Holman, Thompson, Powell, Rankine, Wigg, plus the suspension for Crossley. Not to mention the random multiple weeks missed by a wide array of players. They've struggled to develop properly, but I feel they've improved in the last few years, yet this was all undone this season thanks to a horrific injury list. Give them an injury run like Brisbane had in 2019 and they would probably be pushing their way out of the bottom 4

It’s not just that. Swallow, JOM, Bennell and others missed significant development time while young and came back, or left, physically impacted.

 

[Knightmare]

It also means the current regime can’t be held accountable for previous failures.

It's an equation with more than one variable. You have your fitness staff, health staff, coaches including development coaches, veteran leadership, facilities.

Reputations are earned. Until you're earned a positive reputation through performance, you don't have one.

How is Josh Kelly not making it into these teams?

In the piece I mention why I passed on Josh Kelly. I'm not convinced he is durable enough or likely to play enough games this next decade to be worth selecting.

 

[briztoon]

It's an equation with more than one variable. You have your fitness staff, health staff, coaches including development coaches, veteran leadership, facilities.

As I mentioned earlier, ALL those off field staff are new. GC has basically turned over ALL their off field staff since Mark Evens was put in place by the AFL.

 

[Jirik13]

are now allowed to spend 100% of their off field cap

That's a news to me. Where did you hear that? In 2019 Suns were still 1M under soft cap according to multiple sources.

 

[briztoon]

That's a news to me. Where did you hear that? In 2019 Suns were still 1M under soft cap according to multiple sources.

Really. Pretty sure I heard Twomey mention it when he was discussing the AFL assistance package.

I did mean for 2020.

 

[Jirik13]

t's an equation with more than one variable. You have your fitness staff, health staff, coaches including development coaches, veteran leadership, facilities.

Reputations are earned. Until you're earned a positive reputation through performance, you don't have one.

Nothing wrong with how Luko and King developed the last year in a new environment.

 

[Knightmare]

As I mentioned earlier, ALL those off field staff are new. GC has basically turned over ALL their off field staff since Mark Evens was put in place by the AFL.

That was the start of 2017. We're three years on now. Gold Coast haven't in that time proven anything yet. Their playing personal and leadership group is not new/improved either.

Nothing wrong with how Luko and King developed the last year in a new environment.

The thing to watch with Lukosius and King is their development in seasons 3/4/5.

If by season 5 they're stars of the competition, that's when we can look back and determine 'Gold Coast have turned things around and are developing talent effectively now.' If they're anything short of stars and we haven't seen to expectation development from Rankine, Rowell, Anderson, Flanders and Ballard, then we know Gold Coast still have a lot to work on.

 

[Peel67skin]

That was the start of 2017. We're three years on now. Gold Coast haven't in that time proven anything yet. Their playing personal and leadership group is not new/improved either.
.

Leader and group is not new?
2017? Eade, ablett, Saad, Hall, etc
2018 season leader Lynch and May
2019 season leader Witts and swallow
2020?
Not sure about onfield improvement but Witts and Swallow signed long term deal after Lynch and May departure.

 

[Jirik13]

That was the start of 2017. We're three years on now. Gold Coast haven't in that time proven anything yet. Their playing personal and leadership group is not new/improved either.

Not correct. Yes, Evans joined Suns just before 2017 season started but he took 7 month to assess. Some changes are a bit over 2 years now (Dew, Haines, Cameron, most coaches, ) or just year ( performace and personnel excellence team, admin, new stadium deal, increased funding).

If you think that Witts and Swallow as leaders are not improvement over Lynch and May you really don't follow Suns.

Yes, I understand that only results convince you that Suns are on the right track. By the way Luko and King look in great shape this off-season.

By the way, Dew, Haines and Cameron also took first year to assess the team and clean ups followed (including your favourite Hall). This year is getting closer to the team they want but still some clean up to go next off-season. Yes, they wanted to keep Lynch, May, Martin.

 

[Knightmare]

Leader and group is not new?
2017? Eade
2018 season leader Lynch and May
2019 season leader Witts and swallow
2020?

Witts and Swallow aren't new. It's not like a Hodge has just joined Gold Coast.

Gold Coast don't have a Hodge/Selwood/Hurn/Cotchin/Pendlebury who can drive the culture and youth development.

There are few great leaders in clubland, but those clubs that have them are the ones who have success developing talent and develop guys beyond the picks they're taken. Those other clubs ordinarily struggle and more often than those not players picked won't live up to the pick used to select them.

Gold Coast lacks any leaders who are stars of the game or who have played meaningful finals footy. Until that foundation is added, and it's a critical component to player development, rarely anything meaningful happens.

 

[briztoon]

That was the start of 2017. We're three years on now. Gold Coast haven't in that time proven anything yet. Their playing personal and leadership group is not new/improved either.



The thing to watch with Lukosius and King is their development in seasons 3/4/5.

If by season 5 they're stars of the competition, that's when we can look back and determine 'Gold Coast have turned things around and are developing talent effectively now.' If they're anything short of stars and we haven't seen to expectation development from Rankine, Rowell, Anderson, Flanders and Ballard, then we know Gold Coast still have a lot to work on.

Gees, you just don’t give up when someone points out some misinformation, but double down without actually following up on the information shared with you.

Yes Evens was installed in 2017.

But a lot of the new assistant coaches, Physio, performance staff only joined at the end of 2018, just in time for the 2019 season.

They’ve been in the job for 1 year, with what was widely recognised as the worst list in the league.

Do you believe a turn around was a reasonable expectation last season?

They’ve only just been allowed to use all their soft cap with the assistance package, and beefed up there welfare department this offseason.

You mention constantly that you don’t read football media. Maybe you should occasionally before discussing a topic your not fully across.

In your eyes they don’t have any outstanding leaders. Probably because they haven’t had a chance to shine yet.

Was Hodge or Pendlebury a leader from year 1, year 2, year 5?

If you actually pay attention to the Suns, you’d possibly realise that Ainsworth is looking like one of those types. And if just the short draft night videos from 2019 are anything to go by, it’s that Anderson looks to be the type as well.

Give Gold Coast time, and I’m sure their new leaders will emerge.

 

[Knightmare]

Gees, you just don’t give up when someone points out some misinformation, but double down without actually following up on the information shared with you.

Yes Evens was installed in 2017.

But a lot of the new assistant coaches, Physio, performance staff only joined at the end of 2018, just in time for the 2019 season.

They’ve been in the job for 1 year, with what was widely recognised as the worst list in the league.

Do you believe a turn around was a reasonable expectation last season?

They’ve only just been allowed to use all their soft cap with the assistance package, and beefed up there welfare department this offseason.

You mention constantly that you don’t read football media. Maybe you should occasionally before discussing a topic your not fully across.

In your eyes they don’t have any outstanding leaders. Probably because they haven’t had a chance to shine yet.

Was Hodge or Pendlebury a leader from year 1, year 2, year 5?

If you actually pay attention to the Suns, you’d possibly realise that Ainsworth is looking like one of those types. And if just the short draft night videos from 2019 are anything to go by, it’s that Anderson looks to be the type as well.

Give Gold Coast time, and I’m sure their new leaders will emerge.

I didn't expect Gold Coast to win a game last year. Though after those first four games their play reverted back to the mean as expected.

I did expect greater development from their group last year though and particularly those I viewed as their key long term pieces. Jack Martin I expected a lot more from and I've gone into every year thinking 'this year he is surely going to break out'. Jack Bowes, Will Brodie and Ben Ainsworth still aren't performing anywhere close to expectation and didn't impact nearly as much as I had hoped they would last year. Touk Miller feels like he has plateaued and is who he is. Peter Wright I expected to break out and he hasn't even been able to rediscover his form from his third season. I can't help but think as with Jack Scrimshaw those guys will need to move to maximise their talents. Those guys before the additions of Lukosius/Rankine/King last year were in my mind the core pieces Gold Coast needed to develop over the past couple of years and they're still not great with only Bowes and Miller of those serviceable at this point.

With Bowes/Brodie/Ainsworth/Miller looking only serviceable and Martin walking, we're having to look another generation down the line for Gold Coast's next hope of developing a competitive list with Lukosius/Rankine/King/Rowell/Anderson/Flanders/Ballard. Based on projections pre-draft, Bowes/Brodie/Ainsworth/Wright should along with the 'big 7' create a 'big 11' but the way they're tracking, it looks like if Gold Coast do absolutely everything right from here, it's a big 7 with any new ones added from here able to add to that.

On leadership, having other good leaders around enables others to emerge. Just as leaders have emerged for Brisbane with Hodge, same has happened in other situations. Pendlebury had Buckley/Clement/Rocca/Maxwell/Burns/Ball to learn from, and joined the leadership group in that third season. Selwood had Harley/Ling/Scarlett/Milburn/Enright/Mooney/Corey and joined Geelong's leadership group in his third season. Hodge was another case of plenty of leadership around him. Crawford/Vandenberg/Dew/Mitchell/Sewell. Then others emerging later in Roughead/Lewis. Leadership helps grow more leadership and sees the fast-tracking of youth development.

If you don't have quality leadership around, you have a Melbourne situation from when they had Trengove and Grimes as co-captains and they get exposed both as leaders and footballers because they don't have that support around them they needed. Had they not been rushed into this situation, they may not have been out of the league as fast as they were.

 

[Jirik13]

I didn't expect Gold Coast to win a game last year. Though after those first four games their play reverted back to the mean as expected.

I did expect greater development from their group last year though and particularly those I viewed as their key long term pieces. Jack Martin I expected a lot more from and I've gone into every year thinking 'this year he is surely going to break out'. Jack Bowes, Will Brodie and Ben Ainsworth still aren't performing anywhere close to expectation and didn't impact nearly as much as I had hoped they would last year. Touk Miller feels like he has plateaued and is who he is. Peter Wright I expected to break out and he hasn't even been able to rediscover his form from his third season. I can't help but think as with Jack Scrimshaw those guys will need to move to maximise their talents. Those guys before the additions of Lukosius/Rankine/King last year were in my mind the core pieces Gold Coast needed to develop over the past couple of years and they're still not great with only Bowes and Miller of those serviceable at this point.

With Bowes/Brodie/Ainsworth/Miller looking only serviceable and Martin walking, we're having to look another generation down the line for Gold Coast's next hope of developing a competitive list with Lukosius/Rankine/King/Rowell/Anderson/Flanders/Ballard. Based on projections pre-draft, Bowes/Brodie/Ainsworth/Wright should along with the 'big 7' create a 'big 11' but the way they're tracking, it looks like if Gold Coast do absolutely everything right from here, it's a big 7 with any new ones added from here able to add to that.

On leadership, having other good leaders around enables others to emerge. Just as leaders have emerged for Brisbane with Hodge, same has happened in other situations. Pendlebury had Buckley/Clement/Rocca/Maxwell/Burns/Ball to learn from, and joined the leadership group in that third season. Selwood had Harley/Ling/Scarlett/Milburn/Enright/Mooney/Corey and joined Geelong's leadership group in his third season. Hodge was another case of plenty of leadership around him. Crawford/Vandenberg/Dew/Mitchell/Sewell. Then others emerging later in Roughead/Lewis. Leadership helps grow more leadership and sees the fast-tracking of youth development.

If you don't have quality leadership around, you have a Melbourne situation from when they had Trengove and Grimes as co-captains and they get exposed both as leaders and footballers because they don't have that support around them they needed. Had they not been rushed into this situation, they may not have been out of the league as fast as they were.

And on and on you go with your stereotypes.

First you claim that Suns changes happened 3 years ago. When people correct you - nothing.

Then you claim that Suns have no new leaders in leadership group. When corrected - you switch to no quality leaders. Just for the interest how many quality leaders Richmond had in 2017 which they did not have in 2016? I still remember when Swans beat them up from post to pillar in round 23, 2016 (164 - 51). It must be quality leaders Prestia, Nankervis and Caddy who joined them in the off-season 2016 to turn the club around.

Bowes, Ainsworth are servicable - is another gem. Did not you say that it takes 4-5 years to assess players? Maybe you also did not notice they both missed 40% games in their first 3 years due to injuries. Early in 2019 before injuries they show more than enough to have Suns fans excited about their future. Brodie was always a long term project.

To summarize it for you. Yes, Suns were crap in the first 8 years due to AFL set up - no facilities, terrible personnel, underfunded to the extreme. Real changes started with Evans. Total revamp of everything. Are Suns on the track? I think so. Is success guaranteed? Not at all. The club was far too long at the bottom. Some players may still move on if Suns will not improve soon.

I wish you could see positives like e.g.:
20+ players re-signed up despite the club loosing 18 games in a row. It also looks like Rowell, Anderson, Fiorini extensions are imminent. That does look like club culture is not bad at all. In fact, it looks like all players Suns wanted have extended or are about.

Ballard developed nicely. Powell too for that matter until his injury.

Witts and Swallow are actually perfect leaders. Suns are lucky to have them.

You predicted no wins for Suns in 2019. So they actually exceeded your expectations. With a bit of luck Suns could have had 5-6 wins despited arguably the worst injury list and playing youngest list most of the games. Suns started season missing 4 best 22. It went up after round 5 to 7 and was followed quickly by missing 7-10 for the rest of the season. Combine that with getting games into kids and total loss of confidence after bye.

This season Suns have much better depth and average age improved. Best 22 including Rowell, Rankine, King, Luko, Ballard, Powell - 24yr 4mth. Best 35 still the same average. Try to make best 22 and you will see how many good players are missing. I personally, don't have Wright, Miller in the best 22. Another pre-season under new performance team should also help.

Personally, I expect one more year to go to see significant improvement. It is a tough competition, most teams improve but I do believe with a decent injury run Sun can win 5+ games in 2020.

Looking forward to see you comments once Suns start improving.

 

[andleanback]

I didn't expect Gold Coast to win a game last year. Though after those first four games their play reverted back to the mean as expected.

I did expect greater development from their group last year though and particularly those I viewed as their key long term pieces. Jack Martin I expected a lot more from and I've gone into every year thinking 'this year he is surely going to break out'. Jack Bowes, Will Brodie and Ben Ainsworth still aren't performing anywhere close to expectation and didn't impact nearly as much as I had hoped they would last year. Touk Miller feels like he has plateaued and is who he is. Peter Wright I expected to break out and he hasn't even been able to rediscover his form from his third season. I can't help but think as with Jack Scrimshaw those guys will need to move to maximise their talents. Those guys before the additions of Lukosius/Rankine/King last year were in my mind the core pieces Gold Coast needed to develop over the past couple of years and they're still not great with only Bowes and Miller of those serviceable at this point.

With Bowes/Brodie/Ainsworth/Miller looking only serviceable and Martin walking, we're having to look another generation down the line for Gold Coast's next hope of developing a competitive list with Lukosius/Rankine/King/Rowell/Anderson/Flanders/Ballard. Based on projections pre-draft, Bowes/Brodie/Ainsworth/Wright should along with the 'big 7' create a 'big 11' but the way they're tracking, it looks like if Gold Coast do absolutely everything right from here, it's a big 7 with any new ones added from here able to add to that.

On leadership, having other good leaders around enables others to emerge. Just as leaders have emerged for Brisbane with Hodge, same has happened in other situations. Pendlebury had Buckley/Clement/Rocca/Maxwell/Burns/Ball to learn from, and joined the leadership group in that third season. Selwood had Harley/Ling/Scarlett/Milburn/Enright/Mooney/Corey and joined Geelong's leadership group in his third season. Hodge was another case of plenty of leadership around him. Crawford/Vandenberg/Dew/Mitchell/Sewell. Then others emerging later in Roughead/Lewis. Leadership helps grow more leadership and sees the fast-tracking of youth development.

If you don't have quality leadership around, you have a Melbourne situation from when they had Trengove and Grimes as co-captains and they get exposed both as leaders and footballers because they don't have that support around them they needed. Had they not been rushed into this situation, they may not have been out of the league as fast as they were.

Pretty harsh on Bowes and anisworth, both we’re looking good until they missed large chunks of the season. Give them a full season and then judge them.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

From my team of the last decade Sam Mitchell playing 8/10 seasons in the decade (missing 2018/2019) is about as much as can be reasonably missed. Everyone else from my team of the last decade played 9+ seasons and almost all played the full 10. And I find Mitchell justifyable because he was not only so great but durability when he was playing, playing more games than some good players who played the full 10 years.

Every season and game missed is lost potential value, so there really needs to be a strong priority on those who played the most games as depth players on teams shouldn't be relied on.

If Grundy/Whitfield/Kelly etc don't play minimum 8 seasons of the decade, there will be players at their positions who will provide greater value. Same goes with Cameron/Coniglio. And same applies with younger guys if they get hurt and miss seasons or retire prematurely. So it's every bit as much about picking guys who are available to play each week as much as superiority of quality at their respective positions.

My team of the past decade for those interested:

One change I would consider having thought further since making that team from last decade is bringing in Michael Hurley for Shaun Burgoyne to add a fraction more height to the squad and ensure that defence doesn't get exposed for height. But I do like having Burgoyne in there with his versatility and how valuable he is in the critical moments.

Just on your team of last decade. Feel that it’s not too far off.

Question though, in hindsight who would have been guesses to be on that list on 2010, who didn’t make it?

 

[Knightmare]

And on and on you go with your stereotypes.

First you claim that Suns changes happened 3 years ago. When people correct you - nothing.

Then you claim that Suns have no new leaders in leadership group. When corrected - you switch to no quality leaders. Just for the interest how many quality leaders Richmond had in 2017 which they did not have in 2016? I still remember when Swans beat them up from post to pillar in round 23, 2016 (164 - 51). It must be quality leaders Prestia, Nankervis and Caddy who joined them in the off-season 2016 to turn the club around.

Bowes, Ainsworth are servicable - is another gem. Did not you say that it takes 4-5 years to assess players? Maybe you also did not notice they both missed 40% games in their first 3 years due to injuries. Early in 2019 before injuries they show more than enough to have Suns fans excited about their future. Brodie was always a long term project.

To summarize it for you. Yes, Suns were crap in the first 8 years due to AFL set up - no facilities, terrible personnel, underfunded to the extreme. Real changes started with Evans. Total revamp of everything. Are Suns on the track? I think so. Is success guaranteed? Not at all. The club was far too long at the bottom. Some players may still move on if Suns will not improve soon.

I wish you could see positives like e.g.:
20+ players re-signed up despite the club loosing 18 games in a row. It also looks like Rowell, Anderson, Fiorini extensions are imminent. That does look like club culture is not bad at all. In fact, it looks like all players Suns wanted have extended or are about.

Ballard developed nicely. Powell too for that matter until his injury.

Witts and Swallow are actually perfect leaders. Suns are lucky to have them.

You predicted no wins for Suns in 2019. So they actually exceeded your expectations. With a bit of luck Suns could have had 5-6 wins despited arguably the worst injury list and playing youngest list most of the games. Suns started season missing 4 best 22. It went up after round 5 to 7 and was followed quickly by missing 7-10 for the rest of the season. Combine that with getting games into kids and total loss of confidence after bye.

This season Suns have much better depth and average age improved. Best 22 including Rowell, Rankine, King, Luko, Ballard, Powell - 24yr 4mth. Best 35 still the same average. Try to make best 22 and you will see how many good players are missing. I personally, don't have Wright, Miller in the best 22. Another pre-season under new performance team should also help.

Personally, I expect one more year to go to see significant improvement. It is a tough competition, most teams improve but I do believe with a decent injury run Sun can win 5+ games in 2020.

Looking forward to see you comments once Suns start improving.

It takes four years with KPPs to know who they are. With small/medium sizers unless late bloomers generally you want them to be good within 2 years.

Bowes/Brodie/Ainsworth were all stars as juniors and projected as future A-graders, so they haven't been effectively developed in their time to date. At this stage, if they come anything close to fulfilling that projected potential, that's a win but it's looking highly unlikely and like a lost opportunity.

I'm not sure where the notion Richmond didn't have leaders comes from. They had a lot of veteran leadership. Cotchin is a great leader, Riewoldt is very capable and experienced and likewise Rance in defence. And they were well supported with Martin, Houli and Edwards. They absolutely had those established guys and had a coaching group that lifted and added some capable players with other younger players starting to develop to compliment their star elder statesmen.

The next 3 years will be critical years for Gold Coast. Anything short of Lukosius/King/Rowell/Anderson/Rankine/Ballard/Flanders all being genuine A-graders will be a disappointment. Having those guys is the positive and a group Gold Coast can start to build a list around. They just need to be surrounded by veteran leaders to maximise their development (assuming coaching and all the fitness/health staff are improved which still there is no evidence to suggest with the lack of improvement of key youth and continued injuries last year).

As someone not inside the club, all I'm in a position to judge is results - both wins/losses and whether guys are developing to the levels I expected following their play as juniors and that's what I'll continue doing.

Pretty harsh on Bowes and anisworth, both we’re looking good until they missed large chunks of the season. Give them a full season and then judge them.

Ultimately you can only judge players on their performance when available and playing. Having had a certain level of expectations of all these guys coming out of juniors, just as I do of everyone on every list, that's the standard of expectation I place on players.

Gold Coast to their credit have for the most part been pretty decent in identifying junior talent, but have since their inception yet to prove themselves as developers of talent or that they can keep their players healthy.

 

[PMBangers]

Every clubs leadership/youth development is questioned when they're down. It happened to Richmond and Collingwood only 3-4 years ago and now we look at Pendlebury and Cotchin as two of the better leaders in the comp.

To expect every player to develop at the same rate (i.e. Smalls/Mediums have 2 years, KPP's 4) is ridiculous and we've seen with the likes of Tim Kelly, Tom Stewart and even Marlion Pickett it's a dumb way to look at player development, jeez even Ainsworth/Bowes/Brodie are only 22 this year, they've got 10 years of footy left in them and we're questioning whether they'll make it as good players. Think you're jumping the gun on these guys and Gold Coasts future, they're still a project and as has been pointed out essentially started from scratch recently

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

And on and on you go with your stereotypes.

First you claim that Suns changes happened 3 years ago. When people correct you - nothing.

Then you claim that Suns have no new leaders in leadership group. When corrected - you switch to no quality leaders. Just for the interest how many quality leaders Richmond had in 2017 which they did not have in 2016? I still remember when Swans beat them up from post to pillar in round 23, 2016 (164 - 51). It must be quality leaders Prestia, Nankervis and Caddy who joined them in the off-season 2016 to turn the club around.

Bowes, Ainsworth are servicable - is another gem. Did not you say that it takes 4-5 years to assess players? Maybe you also did not notice they both missed 40% games in their first 3 years due to injuries. Early in 2019 before injuries they show more than enough to have Suns fans excited about their future. Brodie was always a long term project.

To summarize it for you. Yes, Suns were crap in the first 8 years due to AFL set up - no facilities, terrible personnel, underfunded to the extreme. Real changes started with Evans. Total revamp of everything. Are Suns on the track? I think so. Is success guaranteed? Not at all. The club was far too long at the bottom. Some players may still move on if Suns will not improve soon.

I wish you could see positives like e.g.:
20+ players re-signed up despite the club loosing 18 games in a row. It also looks like Rowell, Anderson, Fiorini extensions are imminent. That does look like club culture is not bad at all. In fact, it looks like all players Suns wanted have extended or are about.

Ballard developed nicely. Powell too for that matter until his injury.

Witts and Swallow are actually perfect leaders. Suns are lucky to have them.

You predicted no wins for Suns in 2019. So they actually exceeded your expectations. With a bit of luck Suns could have had 5-6 wins despited arguably the worst injury list and playing youngest list most of the games. Suns started season missing 4 best 22. It went up after round 5 to 7 and was followed quickly by missing 7-10 for the rest of the season. Combine that with getting games into kids and total loss of confidence after bye.

This season Suns have much better depth and average age improved. Best 22 including Rowell, Rankine, King, Luko, Ballard, Powell - 24yr 4mth. Best 35 still the same average. Try to make best 22 and you will see how many good players are missing. I personally, don't have Wright, Miller in the best 22. Another pre-season under new performance team should also help.

Personally, I expect one more year to go to see significant improvement. It is a tough competition, most teams improve but I do believe with a decent injury run Sun can win 5+ games in 2020.

Looking forward to see you comments once Suns start improving.

To be fair, Ainsworth I feel hasn't been as good to date as I was hoping.
Major injury interruptions acknowledged and some clear development last year. In fact, year on year. Just thought he would be more impactful from day one.

In saying that, Ainsworth, Bowes, Brodie all building and I think there is a clear view to the players they could be within the next 12-24 months - strong positives for their team.

Miller has limitations and will never be a world beater, but is a good solid player for the last man in the midfield rotation.

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

It takes four years with KPPs to know who they are. With small/medium sizers unless late bloomers generally you want them to be good within 2 years.

Bowes/Brodie/Ainsworth were all stars as juniors and projected as future A-graders, so they haven't been effectively developed in their time to date. At this stage, if they come anything close to fulfilling that projected potential, that's a win but it's looking highly unlikely and like a lost opportunity.

I'm not sure where the notion Richmond didn't have leaders comes from. They had a lot of veteran leadership. Cotchin is a great leader, Riewoldt is very capable and experienced and likewise Rance in defence. And they were well supported with Martin, Houli and Edwards. They absolutely had those established guys and had a coaching group that lifted and added some capable players with other younger players starting to develop to compliment their star elder statesmen.

The next 3 years will be critical years for Gold Coast. Anything short of Lukosius/King/Rowell/Anderson/Rankine/Ballard/Flanders all being genuine A-graders will be a disappointment. Having those guys is the positive and a group Gold Coast can start to build a list around. They just need to be surrounded by veteran leaders to maximise their development (assuming coaching and all the fitness/health staff are improved which still there is no evidence to suggest with the lack of improvement of key youth and continued injuries last year).

As someone not inside the club, all I'm in a position to judge is results - both wins/losses and whether guys are developing to the levels I expected following their play as juniors and that's what I'll continue doing.



Ultimately you can only judge players on their performance when available and playing. Having had a certain level of expectations of all these guys coming out of juniors, just as I do of everyone on every list, that's the standard of expectation I place on players.

Gold Coast to their credit have for the most part been pretty decent in identifying junior talent, but have since their inception yet to prove themselves as developers of talent or that they can keep their players healthy.

I didn't watch Bowes as a junior, perhaps you can enlighten. Coming from Cairns, he would have never played against high level competition. Playing in the NEAFL as part of the academy I imagine, but can't remember. He might have had some skills to show, but players who haven't had that high level exposure are always going to take a bit longer.

He is building really nicely and I think will have a 'break out' year this year.

 

[Jirik13]

I'm not sure where the notion Richmond didn't have leaders comes from. They had a lot of veteran leadership. Cotchin is a great leader, Riewoldt is very capable and experienced and likewise Rance in defence. And they were well supported with Martin, Houli and Edwards.

Are you trying to say that these players were established quality leaders in 2015-2016?

 

[PMBangers]

Are you trying to say that these players were established quality leaders in 2015-2016?

Riewoldt often labelled a hot head, Cotchin I believe was called soft and not leadership material

 

[Jirik13]

Riewoldt often labelled a hot head, Cotchin I believe was called soft and not leadership material

Yep, I still remember in 2015-16 people labelling Cotchin not a captain material, soft, never to be A player.