Two things we need: Patience & Luck

[WaDsY]

I, like most of you have mixed emotions about the season. I am disappointed about how our season finished, but on the otherhand are greatful for the great wins, mainly agaisnt Brisbane and Collingwood.

The main question is "What do we need next year to have a genuine crack?"

I along like everyone else think we need at least another key postion player in the forward line and defense. We have a two options and that is trade our fringe midfielders for ready made KPP, like Hay and others. The second is be patient and wait for our large number of young KPP to develop.

The problem I fear with this however is that ultimate success may be 3 years away minimum as Quinten Lynch, Andrew McDougall, Ashley Hansen, Mark Seaby, Travis Gaspar and Paul Johnson need more time develop, not just into good players, but great players.

I was in the club rooms with the boys after the lost to the Crows, and I asked Gardiner what do we need in this side to win a premiership, any players specific. His responses was hearting at the least.

"Mate, all we need is some bloody luck. We need to stop getting unlucky injuries, they killed us this year!

Too true. All our major injuries were unlucky. Gards knee resulted from contact in a ruck contest. Embers Color bone, Fletch's back.

Anyway what do you guys think we need from my post above?

 

[Sera]

Hello and welcome. I don't think we need a ready-made forward but an experienced KP backman would come in handy. In saying that, I feel we have some good young players on our list that just need some time and experience to become good players. We would all love Jon Hay but even if he was available, Hawthorn would make sure we would pay through the nose to get him.

 

[llosis]

No doubt, if Gardy, Fletch and Embers don't get injured our season would undoubtedly have been different. But it happened and eighth is where we end it. Unfortunately you take our 3 of or top 8 and there is a sizeable gap to the rest. But that's footy. Here's hoping 2004 smiles more favourably on us.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Gaspar needs time to develop his health, not his game. He would go straight into the first 22 if his body would stay together.

 

[Jabber]

Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet.

Unfortunately we can't count on luck, injuries are a fact of AFL life. Where luck does come into play is in the timing of our KPP development. It won't take 3 years though IMO.

McDougall should be able to hold down a spot next year with a few more pounds on him.
Gaspar just needs to stay fit.
Lynch has been ready to play for a while IMO, but there must be other issues preventing him being selected.
Staker will probably need another year of development before he's a regular.
Johnson is physically ready, probably needs another year of WAFL to improve his play.
I doubt Hansen is going to improve much more in the WAFL, so he should get at least a game or 2 next season.
Seaby isn't far off, should debut next season.
Beeck probably needs another year in the WAFL.

A key defender to help Glass is probably the only trade being seriously looked at by the heirarchy. It doesn't have to be Hay, just someone solid and better than Carroll. Hunter is adequate as our 3rd tall backman.

Next season may be a little too soon, but we will probably have a solid core of young KPP for a tilt at the flag in 2005 ( Judd will still be here then )

 

[Mead]

It all depends. Our game plan and best 22 matched it with best this year. If we had of gone into the finals with our midseason team and form, does anyone want to argue that we wouldn't have given it a huge shake?

Quality KPPs would be nice, because they'd give us a plan B if Gardiner went down again- when our midfield isn't dominating and hammering it into the forward line quickly, the lack of anyone able to take a contested mark at either end of the ground leaves us vulnerable.

As for how they'll develop next year, who can say? Glass and McDougall were solid and occasionally brilliant over the last month or so, and there's a fair chance they'll start to play their best footy next year. The other two positions (most likely CHB/CHF) are anybody's guess.

 

[jod23]

I think a lot of people are fooled into thinking that we need a superstar forward and an AA backmen. All we need is for McDougall, Staker, Gaspar, Lynch etc to make a contribution. None of them need to be the next Lloyd or Tredrea or Scarlett.

Our superstars are in the middle of the ground and thank god they are because midfields win premierships. So now all we need is a solid contribution from the young tall players to be extremely competitive. We dont need to wait two or three years for these kids to develop and we dont need to go trade crazy for superstars at either end of the ground.

A small contribution each game from some of our young talls will be good enough to see us give it a shake next year because god knwos, Cuz and Co in the middle are only going to get better. Just my opinion though.