Opinion Port, Essendon, Carlton - Who is the first to contend again

[Snuffaluphagus]

Ive watched way too much footy the first few rounds and am prepared to make myself look like a tool going early. I see these three all in a similar boat needing a full rebuild and having to do through Tassie draft so which one is contending again first?

Port I think actually have the least talent of the three on the list assuming Butters leaves. Their top few are great then it just falls into oblivion pretty quick.

Essendon have probably the most amount of exciting young players but missed a trick not trading out Merrett, dont have a top 3 F/S this year like the other two and dont have the players to trade out like the others. They honestly also just seem completely broken as a footy club and that can be hard to turn around.

Carlton are addicted to B and C grade imports but I think Dean and Smith look very very good. Not sure the club is patient enough to restart properly.

 

[PrancingPony]

Port Adelaide purely on the fact that Essendon and Carlton are forever stuck being run with pure incompetence.

 

[Handsuper47]

Port Adelaide are in the honeymoon period as this year is the first year with their new coach so I'll give them time to figure things out, as for Essendon and Carlton.. hahaha.. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Philhawk]

Ive watched way too much footy the first few rounds and am prepared to make myself look like a tool going early. I see these three all in a similar boat needing a full rebuild and having to do through Tassie draft so which one is contending again first?

Port I think actually have the least talent of the three on the list assuming Butters leaves. Their top few are great then it just falls into oblivion pretty quick.

Essendon have probably the most amount of exciting young players but missed a trick not trading out Merrett, dont have a top 3 F/S this year like the other two and dont have the players to trade out like the others. They honestly also just seem completely broken as a footy club and that can be hard to turn around.

Carlton are addicted to B and C grade imports but I think Dean and Smith look very very good. Not sure the club is patient enough to restart properly.

Port. Easily.

I've been thinking about the rebuilding conundrum as well, and I've eventually come to the conclusion that teams who have experienced very little to no success in their recent history have very little chance of rebuilding correctly. Port has experienced a little success in recent times, and that's part of the reason why they should rebound quickly. They have competent leaders, and although losing Butters would be a blow, others can take over.

The leadership at Essendon and Carlton is an absolute disgrace and is the entire reason why they have been so terrible for such a long period of time.

 

[My Tilly]

Horne-Francis, Rozee, Burgoyne, Whitlock, Georgiades, Visentini that is a decent amount of young talent to build upon.

Carlton on the other-hand, they have Smith & Walsh and that's about it for anyone of quality 25 years of age or under.

Essendon are in a similar boat to Carlton. All the guys they had big wraps on are turning out to be legitimate busts.
Only the likes of Caddy, Durham & Cox (concussion issues) have been playing to expectations.

 

[catters_28]

I mean, all three clubs are has beens that still look lovingly at past glories. In the case of one of the clubs, glories in a completely different and irrelevant league.

So, whoever stops doing that first I guess.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Port. Easily.

I've been thinking about the rebuilding conundrum as well, and I've eventually come to the conclusion that teams who have experienced very little to no success in their recent history have very little chance of rebuilding correctly. Port has experienced a little success in recent times, and that's part of the reason why they should rebound quickly. They have competent leaders, and although losing Butters would be a blow, others can take over.

The leadership at Essendon and Carlton is an absolute disgrace and is the entire reason why they have been so terrible for such a long period of time.

Its why its interesting to me. I think Ports talent under the age of Rozee and Butters is the worst of the three but the other two are well, the other two.

 

[Philhawk]

Its why its interesting to me. I think Ports talent under the age of Rozee and Butters is the worst of the three but the other two are well, the other two.

Agree about the young talent, but Butters, Rozee, Bergman and JHF I do think are a talented group of young leaders who can steer the next generation well.

They’re also better leaders than both other clubs combined.

 

[demondavey]

Carlton and Essendon are void of leadership. None of their leaders know how to win and none have any finals success. Both contain so many list clogging types and haven’t got enough output from their senior players. I’d say they need to go the Brisbane route and bring in ex premiership players like Hodge and Birchall. I could see a lot of value in Neale or Pendlebury spending 12 months at either club and instilling much higher standards.

Parish
Wright
Langford
McGrath
Gresham
McKay
Guelfi

Vs

Williams
McGovern
Cerra
Walsh
Hewett
Saad

Whatever is there to trade, do it. Top up the draft now. Especially Essendon. Carlton might step up under a new coach but Essendon are a long way off.

Port definitely the best of the three.

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

Carlton.

As soon as they get rid of Voss I think they can turn things around.

Nil all tie for Essendon and Port. Port have 5 or 6 A graders and the rest are vanilla Port Magpies players.

 

[Former Decathlete]

Ive watched way too much footy the first few rounds and am prepared to make myself look like a tool going early. I see these three all in a similar boat needing a full rebuild and having to do through Tassie draft so which one is contending again first?

Port I think actually have the least talent of the three on the list assuming Butters leaves. Their top few are great then it just falls into oblivion pretty quick.

Essendon have probably the most amount of exciting young players but missed a trick not trading out Merrett, dont have a top 3 F/S this year like the other two and dont have the players to trade out like the others. They honestly also just seem completely broken as a footy club and that can be hard to turn around.

Carlton are addicted to B and C grade imports but I think Dean and Smith look very very good. Not sure the club is patient enough to restart properly.

Reported for baiting!

Surely we don't need any new Carlton or Essendon threads started?

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Agree about the young talent, but Butters, Rozee, Bergman and JHF I do think are a talented group of young leaders who can steer the next generation well.

They’re also better leaders than both other clubs combined.

I think JHF is far too inconsistent and definitely not a leader and Butters wont be there. Bergman and Rozee are good to help though.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Reported for baiting!

Surely we don't need any new Carlton or Essendon threads started?

Probably fair but I do think it will be interesting test case between the three

 

[tiger_tough]

Port. They will get 3 first rounders for Butters. Its a good start

 

[Yoda_]

Horne-Francis, Rozee, Burgoyne, Whitlock, Georgiades, Visentini that is a decent amount of young talent to build upon.

Carlton on the other-hand, they have Smith & Walsh and that's about it for anyone of quality 25 years of age or under.

Essendon are in a similar boat to Carlton. All the guys they had big wraps on are turning out to be legitimate busts.
Only the likes of Caddy, Durham & Cox (concussion issues) have been playing to expectations.

this is the second or third post today ive read of yours that shows you probably need to update your knowledge on Essendon mate

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

Ports father sons/academy picks in the future years are gunna be good.

Top 2 draft pick this year in Cochrane
Top 5 draft pick next year in Pilot,

Plus salopek and Rodans sons, among numerous other potential father sons.

 

[Mr Meow]

If you merged all 3 into the Port Essendon Blues and gave them a competent coach....2030.

 

[My Tilly]

this is the second or third post today ive read of yours that shows you probably need to update your knowledge on Essendon mate

Yoda, have been a big believer in your playing list ever since John Worsfold took the helm. They looked like a team that could reach the finals (never a premiership threat) and then have their lean years so basically, remain in contention for finals every now and again.

This is the first time in many years since I have felt your playing list is in as dire shape as the Matthew Knights era.

Even the players who are 'leaders' McGrath, Redman, Langford . . . they are the complete opposite of what you want as leaders of a footy club. McGrath in particular, how on Earth did that bloke go no.1 in the AFL draft. Front runner of the highest magnitude.

 

[My Tilly]

Essendon are about to hit rock bottom for a very long time as we have seen with North Melbourne.
Could not have picked a worse time to do so.

 

[Matrix10]

Horne-Francis, Rozee, Burgoyne, Whitlock, Georgiades, Visentini that is a decent amount of young talent to build upon.

Carlton on the other-hand, they have Smith & Walsh and that's about it for anyone of quality 25 years of age or under.

Essendon are in a similar boat to Carlton. All the guys they had big wraps on are turning out to be legitimate busts.
Only the likes of Caddy, Durham & Cox (concussion issues) have been playing to expectations.

Would add Caldwell to that list ..

 

[SpecialBruce]

Port easily. Carlton and Essendon need to merge

 

[daniel_4tw]

Essendon for me. They did very well at the draft last year with 3 first round picks. They should get another good haul for Merrett before Tasmania comes in. Once they get a competent coach things could turn around.

Port haven’t even started their rebuild and we’re loading up on Lukoscious just 12 months ago for a top 10 pick. They were the first ever club in history not to draft a player in the draft and have neglected the draft for the last 5 years. They’re really banking on getting a Petracca haul for Butters but might be disappointed especially if Bulldogs finish near the top, and their academy players (which are no longer freebies) come on.

Carlton is an interesting one. They have one of the most exciting young players going around with Jagga Smith and have 6 first round picks from 2025-2027 due to biting the bullet and trading Curnow. Like Essendon, need a new coach, but if they nail those picks they could be looking ok.

 

[kid_a]

I mean, all three clubs are has beens that still look lovingly at past glories. In the case of one of the clubs, glories in a completely different and irrelevant league.

So, whoever stops doing that first I guess.

Truth missiles being launched (although Port have been pretty good for a lot of the 2020s just haven't been able to perform in finals)

It's impossible to say which of them is closer to a flag rn.....you can rank them in terms of current ability & talent in the squad but all three need a major overhaul and recruitment and bringing in the right amount of players, coaches and game plan is like asking how long is a piece of string?

Is it better to be at rock bottom and start collecting high end draftees?....is it better have the better list and try and recruit other ready made players to go up to the next level?....truth is nobody knows

Plus with so many other teams in the comp clearly better than all three it's truly impossible to say who is actually "closest" a flag because I can't any of them winning it any time soon, I suspect the next time any of them will be challenging their lists will look very different and clubs like the Lions, Cats, Sun etc will also have very different looking lists. Could be five years....could be 15 years

I'd it was a three team league between them right now Id probably take a fully fit Port, then Carlton and Essendon comfortably behind both.

 

[NetworkNerd]

Port have 11 games with a genuine home ground advantage. Carlton have 4 this year, Essendon 6.
So Port should get to a position of mid table faster. Whether that translates to contending for a flag remains to be seen.

 

[Gone Critical]

Given that all signs say Carlton and Essendon will never contend again has to be Port