The Teams Transformation

[Bugga1962]

Coming into this Saturdays game i thought it would be interesting to reflect how the team has transformed this year. Theres 9 changes to our Semi Final team that faced Freo last year.

OUT - Walker, Wright, Doughty, L.Thompson, Henderson, johncock, callinan, shaw

IN - Brown, Otten, Talia, Kerridge, Jenkins, Lynch, Lyons, Mckernan, Laird

Its great to see so many young players getting actual games together and giving them a chance to gel. The list has come on so much this year we are not as clean as last year but with the age of the list its understandable.

Walkers injury could be a blessing in disguise it gives Jenkins and Lynch time to find themselves as footballers and when Walker slots back in suddenly Jenkins get the second defender and finds it much easier.

What does everyone think about the changes in the team ?

 

[Moonwatcher]

Tippett is gone too. The impressive thing about Sando sides is they give everything. Have to be impressed even with the slow start to the year.

 

[Freddy Bassett]

Exciting times, especially when our highest rated kid is still to come in.

I just feel everything we do this year selection should be an investment for the future. Nothing over the top but we must reward kids if they are playing good SANFL footy

 

[Elite Crow]

Exciting times, especially when our highest rated kid is still to come in.

I just feel everything we do this year selection should be an investment for the future. Nothing over the top but we must reward kids if they are playing good SANFL footy

The kids have shown we can invest for the future whilst not sacrificing today.

 

[Kerleys Ghost]

its great, lets get crouch in asap, id be happy to see reilly moved on right now (replacement sugestions?), I hope rutten has a couple of surprise golden years and imparts all of his knowledge to the young defense.

future looks good.

 

[weirdtim]

I don't think this year will be our year at all. But I think that when Walker comes back in next year, our squad will be much more rounded and better in the forward line because of all the work we've had to do in his absence. We will be a better team in 2014 than we were in 2012. Especially if we use some of our money to bring in a big forward. I'm not saying Buddy. We probably won't get him. But another big target up forward would be good, preferably someone that can backup ruck. We won't make it into the big game this year, but look out in 14.

 

[mattymac]

Towards finals time next year a bunch of those kids will have around 50 games under their belt. Plus Tex will be back and hopefully some kind of FA gem will be wearing the hoops. At any rate, don't be surprised if our first year at the oval is a flag year. Finally.

 

[Mattrox]

Towards finals time next year a bunch of those kids will have around 50 games under their belt. Plus Tex will be back and hopefully some kind of FA gem will be wearing the hoops. At any rate, don't be surprised if our first year at the oval is a flag year. Finally.

Don't write shit like this and jinx it!

 

[pjcrows]

We clearly won't win a premiership this year without Walker.

Put time in to this group and build for it. The midfield is capable.

 

[Damp Squarie]

We clearly won't win a premiership this year without Walker.

Im a bit more optimistic than that.
If we can make the eight never say never...

The unpredictability of whose going forward is difficult to combat; so if we can keep chipping away you just never know. Hopefully the young guns dont run out of legs come finals.
Whilst Walker has a huge X factor that we miss, Shane Ellen didnt have one

 

[Mattrox]

We clearly won't win a premiership this year without Walker.

Put time in to this group and build for it. The midfield is capable.

That's what they said about Mods.

 

[Lawrst]

Walker, Wright, Henderson, Shaw

I have little doubt that these blokes will find their way back into the side sometime this year or next.

At whos expense I don't know, but it will happen they are either too good or have such potential.

 

[weekend at bernies]

We clearly won't win a premiership this year without Walker.

Put time in to this group and build for it. The midfield is capable.

anyone can beat anyone on the day!!!

I certainly have not written this year off yet..

If our defence can stay strong, our midfield can start to dominate, does not matter who is up forward.. I like our forward line at the moment, we are not dependant on anyone and every week someone bobs up and kicks a bag... I am still waiting for JJ to take a game apart though

 

[Kerleys Ghost]

I am still waiting for JJ to take a game apart though

that's just around the corner

if we can claim an unlikely top 4, then were obviously a great chance.

I said to my mate earlier that if we can win tonight the season is officially saved.

 

[weekend at bernies]

that's just around the corner

if we can claim an unlikely top 4, then were obviously a great chance.

I said to my mate earlier that if we can win tonight the season is officially saved.

and hopefully it is at footy park and i am there to watch!!!

 

[Kerleys Ghost]

and hopefully it is at footy park and i am there to watch!!!

jeez hes handy, isn't he, really has been great this year. He made a number of great efforts at the death of the game against north, none better than the handball obviously.

how many games did tippett ever help win with such efforts? Jenkins is better already.

 

[weekend at bernies]

jeez hes handy, isn't he, really has been great this year. He made a number of great efforts at the death of the game against north, none better than the handball obviously.

how many games did tippett ever help win with such efforts? Jenkins is better already.

big call.. definetly shows alot more hunger/detmination than Tippett.
nothing better than watch JJ take on an opponent or 2 and back his speed, doesnt alway pay off, but great to watch...

 

[Skippy231]

I have a feeling last week could be the catalyst we needed, if we can get into the 8 and we take the mentality of no fear anything is possible. We have a good group of core midfielders (that kick goals) who haven't been playing to their maximum potential, a very unpredictable forward line and a reasonably solid defense. If we can steadily build towards September we may find that the slow start to the year could be Sando's biggest masterstroke and we could be playing as well as last year at the perfect time of the year. We have genuine x factors that could rip a game apart and regardless who we play we could get a win if we are switched on. Also with a win like last week with so many youngsters in the team the self belief must be huge, anything is possible

 

[Elder van Berlo]

Im a bit more optimistic than that.
If we can make the eight never say never...

I hate to spoil the fun but the current finals system has been in place for 13 years. In that time...

- No team that has finished lower than 3rd has won the flag.
- No team that has finished lower than 4th has made the Grand Final.
- Out of 52 teams to finish 5th-8th in that time, a grand total of 2 have even made it as far as the prelim.

History says it's top 4 or bust.

 

[Damp Squarie]

No one said we'd come back against Norf either...includin' me

 

[SugarShane]

That's what they said about Mods.

Good point. Andy Otten to pull a Shane Ellen, and Danger to pull a Jarman on the last Saturday in September.

 

[FR0GGY]

Good point. Andy Otten to pull a Shane Ellen, and Danger to pull a Jarman on the last Saturday in September.

Pets - norm smith?

 

[Skippy231]

I hate to spoil the fun but the current finals system has been in place for 13 years. In that time...

- No team that has finished lower than 3rd has won the flag.
- No team that has finished lower than 4th has made the Grand Final.
- Out of 52 teams to finish 5th-8th in that time, a grand total of 2 have even made it as far as the prelim.

History says it's top 4 or bust.

records are made to be broken

 

[weekend at bernies]

Pets - norm smith?

nah, surely Reilly gets norm smith... 1st game where he actually kicks to a teammate

 

[Elder van Berlo]

records are made to be broken

Optimism is great, but then optimism becomes expectation and people crack the shits because we didn't win the premiership from 5th place, like in 2009. Or convince ourselves that we have 1 foot in the Grand Final after finishing 8th, like in 2007.

Every year, there is a team that looks impressive and looms as a dangerous sleeper in the bottom half of the 8. The threads start "Will [team x] be the team to finally win the flag from the bottom 4?" The coaches and players give interviews "we're playing good footy and we believe we can beat anyone on our day, so why not?"

Every year, they are on a beach somewhere sipping cocktails and/or snorting coke when the Grand Final is on.

History says that if you finish 5th-8th, you are making up the numbers. If the time comes and that's where we finish, and you want to believe that we are somehow different to every other 5-8 team ever, that's your prerogative I suppose.