Pass mark for Collingwood in 2012

[Macca_]

Coming off a Grand Final loss to the Cats and with the introduction of a new coach, a lot of people have written off the Pies in 2012. My opinion is that the Pies won't drop, and will make a grand final appearance for the third straight year. With a young list, a Brownlow medalist (Swan) and one of the best forward combinations in the league (Cloke and Dawes) in the side, the Pies are sure to remain serious contenders for the premiership.

For me, a pass mark for the Pies in 2012 is to finish top 2. What's a pass mark for the Pies this season in your eyes?

 

[jonesy86]

A bare pass mark is top 4 and a prelim.

 

[Ricky90]

Ummm, none of the above?

Seriously, we're good enough to win the Granny, therefore we should set that as the pass mark, no?

What's wrong with having expectations?

 

[JOELY]

pass is winning the premiership, fail is anything else. we're peaking now in premiership mode, i can't think of any situation other than being totally decimated by injuries where we'd be content with anything less.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Agree with others - the pass mark is a GF win. Anything less is failure.

 

[Ed D]

I voted top 4, but now I think about it I'd be upset if the Pies didn't win the GF. I think outsiders looking in a pass mark would be top 4, but internally they know the team is in premiership mode and one of, if not the strongest team in the competition.

It does however depend on what happens during the season.

 

[Paranoid]

Has to be a premiership win

 

[lozza63]

i wasnt aware that "people" were writing us off?

Obviously we failed to achieve our "pass mark" last year - i would suggest that we would be equally gutted with anything less than a flag this year.

Certainly that all depends on us having a healthy list coming off the bye and strong form going into finals (as inferred by Ed).

I would say we need to have at least 17 blokes play 21 games (of 25) or more this year. The top 25 need to be established by round 15/16 - with appropriate rotation. Looking at the Hawks first final vs Cats too many guys seemed a little under prepared - possibly due to Clarkson resting 8 guys vs Gold Coast.

There is so much to learn from last year - i'm sure Bucks went to school straight away post that GF loss.

 

[TradeDraft]

Make the Granny at Least

 

[Swooop]

I voted GF, but will be disappointing again not to win.

Given a fll list to choose from , we'd be hard to beat, esp with all the finals experience now, plus the added motivation of atoning for last year.

But injury and suspension can change everything, so there's always luck involved.

Plus we end the year with a number of road trips, so we may be tired by the finals, so good player management will be another consideration.

 

[HurleyTheFuture]

Sorry to intrude but If I was a Pie supporter anything less than a premiership win would be unacceptable

 

[Pera]

Premiership. I'd hate for us to be the Essendon of 1999-2001.

 

[mattys123]

The season objective has to be to get to preliminary final weekend, from then on a lot of luck with injuries and form comes into the equation.

So yeah, a top 4 berth and a prelim spot is the pass mark for 2012.

 

[Lockyer24]

Flag without doubt.

 

[Pera]

So yeah, a top 4 berth and a prelim spot is the pass mark for 2012.

So going backwards could be a pass?

We at least have to match and/or exceed last years performance in order for a pass this year IMO.

 

[Ed D]

So going backwards could be a pass?

We at least have to match and/or exceed last years performance in order for a pass this year IMO.

I see both sides. A new coach and performing poorly in the finals (even if it was due to poor luck or poor management, whatever) means lower expectations.

Internally the club would rate them just as likely to win the GF as they did at the start of 2011.

 

[drummoyne]

Premiership is a pass mark. Just like it was last year.

 

[mattys123]

So going backwards could be a pass?

We at least have to match and/or exceed last years performance in order for a pass this year IMO.

The OP asked for a "pass", and I firmly believe finishing top 4 and still being alive on prelim weekend is a pass.

I didn't go as far as the GF because if injuries were to hit hard late in the year, then how could a prelim loss be a "fail".

Yes, the ultimate goal has to be a premiership, but that wasn't the question as I interpreted it.

 

[danielnajdek]

Top 2 therefore two home finals and making the GF is a pass mark. And when we make the GF we wont be losing it this time We've got the hurt of losing one and we'll do everything for that not to happen again.

 

[Prestigerrycomo]

Premiership. I would hate for this group to only ever get 1, they (and we) deserve more.

 

[speedytiger]

Has to be a flag. Gotta cash in while we can. Only exception would be for injuries.

 

[Macca_]

Do you guys think that if we lose the grand final again this year, that the premiership window is shut?

 

[Shade]

Do you guys think that if we lose the grand final again this year, that the premiership window is shut?

hell no we got a good 3-4 year window imo we are still a very young team

 

[mattys123]

Do you guys think that if we lose the grand final again this year, that the premiership window is shut?

No where near it, in fact if you look at our list, and our most talented players, none of them are anywhere near retiring.

Worst case scenario, we lose Maxwell, Didak, Johnson, Tarrant and Jolly at the end of 2012, seriously, we could live without them, as great of servants as they have been to us.

Our superstars, e.g. Swan, Pendles, Cloke, Reid, Thomas, Shaw and Ball will be around for at least another 3-4 seasons (including 2012), so I can't see anyway our premiership window shuts anytime soon.

We have at least 2 genuine cracks left it at, of not more if the likes of Fasolo, Beams, Sidebottom, Witts etc can come through like we expect them to and take over as stars.

Then add free agency, where players will lineup to play for a premiership contending side, in some cases for less money then what they'd get elsewhere, and we are set for a long haul at the top IMO.

 

[Krueger]

I see both sides. A new coach and performing poorly in the finals (even if it was due to poor luck or poor management, whatever) means lower expectations.

Internally the club would rate them just as likely to win the GF as they did at the start of 2011.

I certainly hope that changing coach does not mean we will go f*****g backwards. We are at the beginning of a golden era. We let it slip last year (injuries, form, off field distractions etc). If we do indeed go backwards heads should roll starting from the very top.

Only a Grand Final win would be a pass.