Premiership positivity

[ralu]

So we are five rounds into the season, and I am growing more and more upbeat about our premiership credentials. It has obviously been an unusual and difficult start to the season, but surely it cannot get worse than the Carlton week. We are keeping our heads above water, and that is all we need to do for the time being. Flags aren’t won now.
After last year’s August/September fadeout, I am sure the club will not allow that to transpire again. Man management has become a critical aspect of the game, as proven by Geelong last year. I’ve no doubt that Bucks, Walsh and Buttifant will have a plan in place to have us peaking at the right time. Fingers crossed that we get all our injuries out of the way early.
Here are our main issues as I see it.
Depth:
Yes this may seem an issue, but I don’t think it’s the be all and end all. By the pointy end, you would hope that Shaw, Reid, Thomas, Tarrant and Didak will all be fully fit and firing. Suddenly our younger guys will be pressing from the VFL. Getting games into Seedsman, Paine, Ugle, Sinclair, Buckley, Yagmoor, Young etc is critical now so they are not thrown into the deep water later if needed. We will need them at some stage, get them prepared.
Ruck:
I have a feeling that Bucks may stick with the Jolly/Dawes combo. I am starting to warm to this idea. If Wood is to provide us little, there is no point playing him. Let Jolly go at it himself and it seems he can. But rest him throughout the season. Dawes can be his chop out. More and more clubs are doing this like Geelong and Hawthorn.
Draw:
Yep granted this is difficult. We just need to strike while the iron is hot and win games when we can. ANZAC day is the perfect example. Sure we will drop some along the way, but we just need to win enough to make the top 4. I would back us in against anybody on the G in a final.

Are you guys as bullish as me? What is shaping as our biggest obstacles?

 

[entourage]

Depth I think is our biggest strength now, funnily enough. Rucks are a massive concern. Wood/Jolly doesn't work at all. Jolly/Dawes is OK, he competes but I hate him not being forward as much.

How about when Reid and Tarrant are back we use Keefe as the Leigh Brown role? Surely he'd be decent in the ruck at 204cm? I dunno.

I'm pretty content where we are at, but if we don't put a bad side away soon I will start to worry. We are getting starters back every week and our side gets fitter every week and soon enough we should see where are headed for the rest of the season, however-agreed that we won't peak until much later on, but still would be nice to see a dominant 4 quarter performance being rewarded with percentage.

The delivery at times into the forward line has been suspect, I think that's been our biggest weakness this year so far-but hopefully as we inject class back into the side the delivery improves.

I am no more positive than I was when we got spanked by Carlton, I didn't see at as a changing of the guard at all, unfortunately the way footy is played these days and the strategy behind a long season simply doesn't accommodate to do what we tried to do last year. Never has the term "marathon not a sprint" been more appropriate.

We just don't know what the comp will look like and how strong sides truly are until round 15, until then-I remain positive that we will be a strong contender come finals.

 

[Pie eyed]

I fully expected, by way of our poor finish to last season and the changing of the guard regarding Mick and Bucks, to see a stuttering start to the season.
I expected to get belted by Hawthorn, but thought we may get up for the filth, so we are one game down on my pre-season expectation at this point.
Depth:
We have plenty of depth.
We have yet to get a full best 22 side on the paddock.
Ruck:
The experiment with Dawes is, so far, a fail for mine. Dawes just is not a ruckman. I'm not overly critical as he is simply doing as asked. He needs to go back to his former role and work on that. Wood needs to step up and I think Keefe should get a tryout in the Leigh Brown role once he is more established.
Draw:
Don't care. We have no control over it we simply have to win enough to be in the 4 come finals. There is no if, there is only do.

 

[Bloben]

My biggest concerns are the second ruck position and our Luke Ball replacement.

Dawes is getting better in the second ruck role however he is still not adequate. He is also in absolute shocking form as a forward. Honestly wouldn't mind seeing him dropped, give Keeffe a shot in second ruck and play Reid or Tarrant forward.

When Luke Ball went down I had bad thoughts that the season was a write off as he has been so important to our structure. In 2010 he was the difference however to be honest in 2012 there may be other options. Ball being out is now the opportunity for Beams, Sidebottom, Wellingham and Blair to play a much more important role in the middle and I think that we have the ability to cover him.

 

[Pie eyed]

When Bally hobbled off I immediately thought "bugger", but when I saw the word "season" next to his name on the injury list my heart sank a little.
The Boot, Blair, Sidey and Beames need to pick up the slack and so far appear to be capable.

 

[Wooljay]

Biggest thing standing in the way of a premiership push this year is the loss of Ball I reckon. He just gets his hands dirty every week with getting at the bottom of the packs and tackling his guts out. He is harder to replace than anyone, although I sincerely hope Blair stands tall (pun definitely intended).

We need to ****ing SPANK someone, hopefully the Doggies tomorrow, but it has to happen soon otherwise we're just 'getting by'.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Anyone who wrote off our year after the Carlton game is an idiot.

I also don't see our depth as the issue most people think it is.

I don't think too many sides have as many quality players out at once as we've had already at various stages, including right now (West Coast would be the other).

The fact that Bucks has been patient in pulling the trigger onplayers like Brown, Didak, Shaw, Thomas etc shows what his long term plan is. He, like most of us, realise that early wins when you're a genuine Top 4 side mean jack shit.

Mind you, straighter kicking would have had us at 4-1 right now and better percentage lets' not forget.

He's doing the smart thing and creating more depth by getting games into kids like we did back in 2010. Depth only exists when you create it. Like Hawthorn were forced to in 2009 and 2010. Difference is, Hawthorno didn't make the finals in 09, where I believe we still make Top 4 despite our injuries.

We'll have Didak, Thomas, Shaw, Reid and Tarrant all back by Round 8, and possibly even Krakouer before finals start. As long as we don't get any fresh long term injuries for the rest of the year, I dont' see why players can't be rested throughout, and we make an absolute psychotic run into finals regardless of ladder position.

I feel we could win it even outside Top 4 to be honest.

I agree that the ruck is probably our biggest issue because even Jolly isn't setting the world on fire, but in the end, a top midfield will win centre clearances regardless of the ruckman.

In general play our problem is the forward line. It's just not functioning right now.

Dawes is in horrible form, Sinclair can't finish to save his life, and Cloke is playing lone hand, and Cloke can't kick enough goals on his own to win every game. He needs help. This is where losing Krakouer and Macaffer hurts, a LOT.

Hopefully Didak can have a strong influence down there, and I think Ugle could be another who really ads something.

 

[Gone Critical]

The big thing I think is that not too much has changed from the start of the year despite external assessments and the media writing to the contrary

Luke Ball changes things as he is hard to replace. We would love Krak and Caff to be up also but they are not vital

We are a big flag chance this year and I would be surprised to see us miss top 4. The tough draw is a double edged sword. When you are the top team playing your rivals more often and beating them pushes them further below you.

Of our rivals

Geelong is hard to gauge, Hawkins if he continues this form is a huge plus. The loss of Ling and Ottens is still big. I think they will be a bit off the level they were in 2011 but hard to say

Hawks the hype still persists. they have started poorly and if wee kicked better early they may be 1-4. Still 2-3 is a fair reflection. Can't see where their improvement from 2011 is coming from and not a top 4 lock for mine

CarltonI hate saying it but they are a worry. Pretty complete team now and may make the leap to real contender this year. I expect them to be top 4

WCEDon't buy the hype on them. Being talked up on the back of an easy start to the season. Losing LeCras/Kennedy/Nicoski/Embely severely threatens their forward line and I expect them to struggle the next 3 months. I know a lot will dsagree but they are going to struggle to make top 4

SydneyLike the Cats but for different reasons they are hard to judge. Reid Richards etc standing up give them power they have missed recently but I am yet to be convinced they have top 4 potential. Remain a work in progress and I suspect will falter through the season

EssendonDont see top 4 for them

My top 4 is (not in order)
Collingwood
Carlton
Geelong
Sydney or WCE

 

[DThomas]

Watch us dominate in the coming weeks. We got off to a slow start, as can be expected when you have a new coach, but we are on the way back up.

There was never a doubt in my mind that we can still win the flag. Flags are won in September, not April. We can do it guys, just have faith!

 

[SumRandom]

Cant wait to play the pies later on in the year, Natanui & Cox are going to dominate your rucks.

 

[SnakePlisskin]

Cant wait to play the pies later on in the year, Natanui & Cox are going to dominate your rucks.

Awesome man.

 

[jonbe54]

Cant wait to play the pies later on in the year, Natanui & Cox are going to dominate your rucks.

Nice

Shame about the rest of your team

 

[biggiemediums]

Cant wait to play the pies later on in the year, Natanui & Cox are going to dominate your rucks.

Yeah but then your other 20 is going to get dominated.

 

[SumRandom]

you wish we are heading back to the top where we belong.

I forgot to say Kerr, Priddis, Shuey, Glass, Darling and co will dominate too.

 

[jonbe54]

you wish we are heading back to the top where we belong.

I forgot to say Kerr, Priddis, Shuey, Glass, Darling and co will dominate too.

Errmm that must be some nice shit you have hold of there

care to share it around???

 

[Tbone McGraw]

you wish we are heading back to the top where we belong.

I forgot to say Kerr, Priddis, Shuey, Glass, Darling and co will dominate too.

Run along little boy. Did someone just finish school for the day?

 

[SumRandom]

shame you guys are going to lose Cloke.

 

[SuperSub17]

Cant wait to play the pies later on in the year, Natanui & Cox are going to dominate your rucks.

Just a thought...you haven't beaten us since rd 2 2007, and you haven't beaten us in Melbourne since rd 8 2003. We have won the last 7 games in Melbourne by an average of 45 or so points, and that includes your grand final years. In 2005 you couldn't even beat us when you were on top and we were last FFS.

So how is it suddenly going to happen now?

 

[Pera]

Cant wait to play the pies later on in the year, Natanui & Cox are going to dominate your rucks.

Unless they go down injured....

DUM DUM DUMMMMMM!

 

[SwanBet]

Without Kennedy, Lecras and Nicoski their forward line is woeful. Don't see where there goals will come from.

Ball&Krak have really tested our inside mid and crumbing forward depth, but it has given some other boys the opportunity.

Sidebottom and Beams, look like they are starting to hit that next level, and Blair is improving week by week.

 

[Temploar]

Cant wait to play the pies later on in the year, Natanui & Cox are going to dominate your rucks.

Shame, we're going to scare the Witts out of them.

Who gets the pun?

 

[DThomas]

Cant wait to play the pies later on in the year, Natanui & Cox are going to dominate your rucks.

Cool story, bro.

 

[pauly_moss]

Natanui and Cox 60 hitouts, Dane Swan and Pendlebury 40 clearances

Kerr will surely do his hammy again soon

 

[Pie eyed]

shame you guys are going to lose Cloke.

You already lost coke.
and Judd and Cousins and...............

 

[rhys_22]

Shame, we're going to scare the Witts out of them.

Who gets the pun?

Hahaha i get the pun.This bloke is going to be a gun. Watched him in the vfl and he kicks goals as well as rucking. I like what i see.