Predict the bottom four at the end of 2018

[Freomaniac]

Bret cheated. It was that simple.


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Technically the belt change shouldn't have happened as it was a house show. title changes back then usually happened on a Pay per view or a Pre-Raw tv show such as Superstars or Wrestling challenge or Saturday nights main event

 

[Richo83]

Yeah, chances are a team with a bad injury run will finish surprisingly low.

I reckon any of those teams could finish outside the bottom 4 if they have a good injury run.

North seem widely tipped for bottom 2, but a forwardline of Brown, Waite, Wood, Garner, Simpkin, Turner etc is potentially one of the better forwardlines going around, and they have 3 good ones in the midfield, in Cunnington, Higgins and Ziebell, and McDonald may join them this year, then you also add in LDU, and they could also have a solid backline, so for mine they could easily finish outside the bottom 4.

Brown played all of last year, Waite has played half seasons for most of his career, Wood missed games but was often poor in the games he did feature in, which leaves a young trio of Garner, Simpkin and Turner.

As for Cunnington, Higgins and Ziebell, collectively they missed a grand total of six games in 2017, and they were still poor.

 

[Lions Flag 2020]

That was really their only dominant games each for the year, that R3 game. We were missing all of Steven, Armitage and Koby Stevens in the midfield that day, so were very young and/or inexperienced in there (against Rockliff, Beams and Zorko, and Martin gave Hickey a bit of beating in the ruck during the middle part of that game, leading you guys to get right back into it), but Nick and Joey pretty much got us over the line in the end.

Nick got the 10 coaches votes (and 3 Brownlow votes) and Joey got a chunk of them as well (and the 2 Br votes) from memory, but then in our next/last 10 wins of the season, the two of them received just a paltry 5 of the 235 coaches votes those who played for us received in those games, so that game was really the last harrah for those two as far as winning a game for us (or being heavily responsible for a win) was concerned.

Do you think your team is on way up, plateaued or way down this year?

 

[Pykie]

Brown played all of last year, Waite has played half seasons for most of his career, Wood missed games but was often poor in the games he did feature in, which leaves a young trio of Garner, Simpkin and Turner.

As for Cunnington, Higgins and Ziebell, collectively they missed a grand total of six games in 2017, and they were still poor.

Whats you're point?

Our forward line wasn't and isn't poor....

Wood did miss over half the season and despite being poor in some games probably would of still kicked over 30 goals for the year, he's still an extremely talented player without any continuity.

North scored 9 less points than Richmond in the H&A season last year.

 

[Richo83]

Whats you're point?

Our forward line wasn't and isn't poor....

Wood did miss over half the season and despite being poor in some games probably would of still kicked over 30 goals for the year, he's still an extremely talented player without any continuity.

North scored 9 less points than Richmond in the H&A season last year.

My point is that your forwardline isn't the problem, your midfield and backline is. North's opposition 2264 points in the home and away season, that's 580 more than Richmond. What's the point of having a good forwardline if your backline and your midfield defence can't stop anyone?

And my other problem is that North haven't really recruited anyone to fix the problems it has in the backline and midfield, and even with a fit forwardline, I doubt North escapes the bottom four in 2017. With the young lions improving and Fremantle recruiting some midfield and forward help, I wouldn't be surprised if you're stuck with the likes of the blues and suns in the bottom four. I think North's rebuild, like many rebuilds, will be slow and take time.

 

[Mr.X]

Haven't even played a game yet, how can you say there's been any positive game plan tweaks?

There's no doubt the Bolton and his staff have worked on evolving the Blues gameplan, they'll be some surprises in store for other clubs this year

Rebuilding a team takes more than player turnover; development, training methods and maximising the talent at hand with a carefully structured game plan are also important parts of the puzzle

 

[aussierulesrules]

Do you think your team is on way up, plateaued or way down this year?

Good question and it's hard to answer with any great degree of confidence without being aware of what sort of injury run we'll have this year, as that will play a big part in how we go- as we have the 2nd-least experienced list in the comp this year, which means that some of those we'll be drawing on when we do get injuries will have very little experience.

If we have a good injury run I'm extremely confident that we'll improve again (as long as our game-plan doesn't fall apart, or anything dramatic like that), if we have a medium one we'll probably stay around the same level as the last two years, and if we have a bad one, we'll very likely go backwards!

We stunk it up for a lot of the game the other night (especially early, when we seemed like we were still in holiday-mode- our group had 4 days off over the weekend and some even went overseas apparently, and it showed, while Carlton came out firing and really caught us on the back-foot), but ignoring the overall result, there were some very significant positives to take out of it, as David Armitage looked like 2015-Armo again (after playing just 2 games last year and being significantly affected by a back issue in 2016), Jack Steven looked much fitter and like he had his speed back again (which he was robbed of with hamstring tendonitis last year), Paddy McCartin was extremely promising for his first game in 7 months, Jade Gresham looked like he's ready to play a much more prominent role in the midfield this year and the young ones Clark and Coffield both played so well that you'd have to play them in R1, if going just off that game.

There were some who had stinkers, but that just makes it easier to know who won't make it if they don't improve ASAP, if we need to find spots for C&C in R1.

So as long as we put all the pieces together quickly enough (we have a very difficult draw from rounds 3 to 7 in particular, so we need to be properly firing on all cylinders by then in particular, with no disrespect meant to you guys and Nth, who we have in rounds 1 and 2, who won't be easy) I feel like we can definitely take the next step this year, and it's pretty clear the club expects nothing less.

 

[the big lebowski]

My point is that your forwardline isn't the problem, your midfield and backline is. North's opposition 2264 points in the home and away season, that's 580 more than Richmond. What's the point of having a good forwardline if your backline and your midfield defence can't stop anyone?

And my other problem is that North haven't really recruited anyone to fix the problems it has in the backline and midfield, and even with a fit forwardline, I doubt North escapes the bottom four in 2017. With the young lions improving and Fremantle recruiting some midfield and forward help, I wouldn't be surprised if you're stuck with the likes of the blues and suns in the bottom four. I think North's rebuild, like many rebuilds, will be slow and take time.

The midfield is the major problem with too many of the same types which aren't great runners/covering the ground which puts or backline under pressure. Coupled with a midfield that gets low possession numbers we are chasing take a lot. Which makes you think we were getting some areas of our game going if we were able to win 6 games and only lose 5 by under a kick.

It will be interesting to see how our midfield looks in another 2 years and whether McDonald,Simpkin, and LDU come on. Coupled with some high draft picks between now and then we will be able to recruit some mature mids with our cap space.

 

[tigernsw]

Bottom 3 didn't take long to pick but that 4th last spot could any any of 5 teams IMO. Freo or Brisbane most likely but if injuries hit one of the other teams hard then they'll give it a shake.

15 - Freo/Brisbane/Collingwood/Hawthorn/West Coast
16 - North
17- Carlton
18- Gold Coast

 

[Freomaniac]

An all Non Victorian bottom 4 I reckon. Mid depth the killer this year.

West Coast.
Brisbane.
Gold Coast.
Freeo.

I dislike west coast with a passion. But there I no way in hell they will get bottom 4

 

[Andrewy]

I dislike west coast with a passion. But there I no way in hell they will get bottom 4

Have you had a good look at their list though? Mids are as skinny as any team. Depth is awful...IMO

 

[Obeanie1]

Have you had a good look at their list though? Mids are as skinny as any team. Depth is awful...IMO

Jetta Barrass Sheppard
Hurn McGovern Yeo
Duggan Redden Gaff
Le cras Darling Cripps
Ryan Kennedy Rioli

Lycett Sheed Shuey

Int: NN / Vardy, Venables, Partington, Nelson

Emg: Ah chee, Cole, Hutchings, Waterman, Watson

Depth: Schofield, MacKenzie, Masten, Petrucelle (who will take Le cras spot by year end), Ainsworth (who could be selected rnd 1), Karpany, Mutimer, M Allen (who should debut this year).

Our top picks kps O Allen and Brander will spend the year developing and Brayshaw needs to build his endurance.

 

[Andrewy]

Jetta Barrass Sheppard
Hurn McGovern Yeo
Duggan Redden Gaff
Le cras Darling Cripps
Ryan Kennedy Rioli

Lycett Sheed Shuey

Int: NN / Vardy, Venables, Partington, Nelson

Emg: Ah chee, Cole, Hutchings, Waterman, Watson

Depth: Schofield, MacKenzie, Masten, Petrucelle (who will take Le cras spot by year end), Ainsworth (who could be selected rnd 1), Karpany, Mutimer, M Allen (who should debut this year).

Our top picks kps O Allen and Brander will spend the year developing and Brayshaw needs to build his endurance.

Yep...that's what I mean. Wouldn't want a mid injury here..

 

[ep2018]

Over 100 people are idiots. No way we finish bottom 4 with our spine.

 

[Andrewy]

Over 100 people are idiots. No way we finish bottom 4 with our spine.

haha..chiropractors always say that

 

[Obeanie1]

Yep...that's what I mean. Wouldn't want a mid injury here..

Go list Collingwoods spine for us before you talk about injuries exposing lack of depth.

Howe
Moore
Grundy
Ried
Cox

Is that about it?

Yeo and Jetta can play midfield.

So can Cole, Venables, Ah chee, Hutchings, Partington, Mutimer, Ainsworth and Bradshaw. Masten I dont rate but he can accumulate. Reports are Petrucelle has impressed the match committee and IMO will push Le cras out of the side by the end of 2018 if he gets a decent run injury free.

The Eagles strength is its backline, especially half back and its spine. It is looking to inject real pace and defensive pressure up forward to help the mids.

Collingwood has some decent mids but their efficiency is poor and they lack depth everywhere else.

 

[Infamy]

18. North
17. Gold Coast
16. Carlton
15. Collingwood

 

[4tone]

15th Geelong

List wafer thin, a lengthy injury to 2 or so too key players, and stick a fork in them, multiple years of success have left them in this impending hole.

16th North Melbourne

Only temporary hiatus, list rejuvenation is currently in motion, Kids is the future.

17th Carlton

Same as North, will eventually get their act together.

18th Gold Coast Suns.

Horrible, will be lucky to win 3 games.

 

[Freomaniac]

Over 100 people are idiots. No way we finish bottom 4 with our spine.

Last time A team finished bottom 4 and had a player the Coleman medal in that same season was in 2006 When carlton finished bottom but They had Brendan Fevola win the Coleman medal with 84 goals.

Saying that, worse case scenario with west coast is 14th with 7 wins but that is only if you ha a heavy injury list.

 

[Infamy]

Last time A team finished bottom 4 and had a player the Coleman medal in that same season was in 2006 When carlton finished bottom but They had Brendan Fevola win the Coleman medal with 84 goals.

Nope, 2010 when Richmond finished 2nd last and Jack Riewoldt won the Coleman with 78 goals

 

[Macca18]

15. Essendon
16. Fremantle
17. Gold Coast
18. North Melbourne

 

[Freomaniac]

Nope, 2010 when Richmond finished 2nd last and Jack Riewoldt won the Coleman with 78 goals

I remember that and your second best goalkicker kicked 14 goals that season. Was the tan Still the coach back then?

 

[Andrewy]

Go list Collingwoods spine for us before you talk about injuries exposing lack of depth.

Howe
Moore
Grundy
Ried
Cox

Is that about it?

Yeo and Jetta can play midfield.

So can Cole, Venables, Ah chee, Hutchings, Partington, Mutimer, Ainsworth and Bradshaw. Masten I dont rate but he can accumulate. Reports are Petrucelle has impressed the match committee and IMO will push Le cras out of the side by the end of 2018 if he gets a decent run injury free.

The Eagles strength is its backline, especially half back and its spine. It is looking to inject real pace and defensive pressure up forward to help the mids.

Collingwood has some decent mids but their efficiency is poor and they lack depth everywhere else.

Boohahaha ..you almost had me going there.."spines" ..perhaps 5 years ago they were a thing...the game has moved on, game plans not based on spines anymore...nice work

 

[Bazzar]

15. Essendon
16. Fremantle
17. Gold Coast
18. North Melbourne

Bombers wont finish 15th. 12-14 more like it

 

[DudleyDocker]

An all Non Victorian bottom 4 I reckon. Mid depth the killer this year.

West Coast.
Brisbane.
Gold Coast.
Freeo.

If you'd said KPF depth that would apply more to us. Our midfield is getting back to being quite deep with around 10 - 12 who can run through, headlined by Fyfe, Mundy, Lachie Neale, Connor Blakely and the Hill brothers. We also recruited mids with pick 2 and 5 this year, but doubt they will impact immediately.

Still think we are a sneaky chance for bottom four, but not because of mids.