Prediction Where will AFC finish on the ladder in the 2019 season?

[Carmo]

There's so many diverse predictions about the club around the place at the moment and no one is ever around to do the prediction threads in the offseason, so I thought with the season nearly over and us all having a good indication where we'll finish the season this year and the draft currency we'll hold, its time to ask the question - where do you think we'll finish next year.

PS thought about doing a poll, but couldn't be stuff doing 18 options, so just post the position, range etc, and comment here and we'll go from that.

To answer my own question:
Top 6 with no zones.

Top 2 (and most likely top) with zones.

 

[Morning_Fog]

Too early to make that call yet.

Will Brett Burton be involved with the club? Does Matt Hass run fitness, strengths and conditioning or anything like that?

Who is healthy, who has a good pre season and who has a bad one? Does Tex and Brad Crych get their fitness back and does Tex get his mantra back as an elite captain and key forward or does he fall off the cliff and retire.

Who do we draft. Delist and pick in the best 22.

Too early but right now, IMO we are top 6

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Looking at the top 8, there are some seriously talented lists there, and young ones too. A lot needs to go right for top 4 but all else equal probably around 5th-7th.

 

[alexmc]

Too early to make that call yet.

Will Brett Burton be involved with the club? Does Matt Hass run fitness, strengths and conditioning or anything like that?

Who is healthy, who has a good pre season and who has a bad one? Does Tex and Brad Crych get their fitness back and does Tex get his mantra back as an elite captain and key forward or does he fall off the cliff and retire.

Who do we draft. Delist and pick in the best 22.

Too early but right now, IMO we are top 6

They should give the captaincy to Sloane. No one better to lead by example, he already lifts the team, may as well be official. Let Tex focus on getting back to playing good footy.

 

[Elite Crow]

They should give the captaincy to Sloane. No one better to lead by example, he already lifts the team, may as well be official. Let Tex focus on getting back to playing good footy.

What about when he is tagged and shut out of the game?

 

[radiojake]

what are the zones the OP is referring too?

 

[Morning_Fog]

They should give the captaincy to Sloane. No one better to lead by example, he already lifts the team, may as well be official. Let Tex focus on getting back to playing good footy.

You mean until he’s tagged out of a game?

I love Rory but come on. The same criticism will occur by the keyboard warriors who are just looking to attack him, them or the club.

 

[benji2]

A bit early to say. We had an injury-riddled season in 1999, and I expected us to bounce back in 2000, especially with a new coach, but we didn't, we only managed 11th. The same might happen again if we don't make some coaching changes.

However, if you believe in omens, the other seasons we've finished 12th were 1996 and 2004, and both times we did alright the following season But there was also a fair bit of coaching and player turnover both times.

To answer the question, either Top 4 or missing the finals again, can't see much inbetween.

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[alexmc]

Fair calls about Rory being tagged out but that tagging he got in 2017 was insane. The umps gave the odd token free and then just laughed as he was fully scragged out if every contest. If he played for a Vic team that treatment wouldn't be allowed and he would probably have multiple brownlows.

 

[Mike Smyth]

If Burton and Haas are still running the show - 12th. If not and we have a good run with injury, 7th. We had our chance and blew it.

 

[Mike Smyth]

What about when he is tagged and shut out of the game?

Ahh yeah, he must have over looked that minor detail.

Welcome to the AFC board Kane.

 

[relapse]

If we're given a favourable draw next year and a good run with injuries then I definitely think we still have the ability now that Sloane has re-signed to have another tilt.

Obviously that is all going to depend on getting quality staff in our fitness department and getting some better assistant coaches.

 

[El Doederino]

Depends on the draw. If we’re gifted an easy ride like Collingwood we’ll be minor premiers.

 

[GreyCrow]

We'll never stop, stop, stop
Til we're top, top, top

 

[1990crow]

We will see post draft for me. Coaching changes, list changes and a couple of elite 18 year olds and who knows top 4 be achievable.

Brown Talia Doedee. Very good FB line
Laird Keath Smith. Very good HB line

Sloane Gibbs Seedsman
Preuss Crouch Crouch.
Potentially top 6 midfield.

Lynch Walker ? Great names. Form after a good preseason who knows.
Betts Jenkins ? Same goes for Betts.

Greenwood, Milera, Galluci should all be better after another preseason.
Knight - hopefully focus is skills this offseason
Kelly - trade for Francis?
Atkins - trade that helps get higher up in the draft?
CEY - seems Lions bound
Douglas/Mackay? Probably shouldn’t be best 22. Good depth though
Hartigan - trade whilst he has value? Or depth.
Wilson - trade to GC?
Fogarty - not ready to play even next year but maybe worth looking as a defender late next season to give him a few games.
Himmelburg - does he go past anyone? Probably not.
Davis - needs a big preseason.
Edwards - good year. Hit the gym and who knows might play some games.
Signorello - who knows if he’s staying on the list

No obvious young players who should push into the 22 next year compared to this year (Milera, Galluci and Doedee).
Draftees if they are Rankine and Lukosius might jump the que.
McGovern gone?
Francis coming?
Preuss coming?

Too much to play out before we could be confident of even making the 8.

 

[hey shorty]

Many many variables, as has been mentioned.

If we keep what we have but have a better run with injury, top 8 is probable with a soft draw.

Same level of injury as this year, then probably a slightly lower finish is on the cards.

Get draft and trade week right, change some coaching and off field personnel, tweak the gameplan and have a good run with injury then top 4 is achievable again.

The reason I'm optimistic is the level of the competition has dropped in the last few years. The quality of top 4 teams isn't what it used to be, I mean even Richmond aren't a super team, they just play their home ground very well.

Hawthorn aren't a super team, Port aren't a super team, Melbourne are fragile and Sydney are teetering on the edge. West Coast are good, but losing Gaff will hurt and Kennedy isnt getting any younger.

Reality is 'the window' doesn't really exist these days. Live trading, free agency and future pick trading have seen to that

 

[rocket18]

Coaching changes - nope.
Fitness department changes - nope.
Drop underperforming senior players - nope.
Rest injured senior players - nope.

So we may just scrape into the 8th spot and then more players will leave and you can't blame them with our pathetic club philosophy.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

We'll never stop, stop, stop
Til we're top, top, top

Wash your mouth out with soap

 

[Scorpus]

I was fairly optimistic about 2019 until I heard Burton and Hass won't be fired

 

[Apsaalooke]

Hate to be negative but to improve to top 4 we need coaching innovation and promising young talent, and I think we're short on both.
To make top 8 we need less injuries and that should be possible with better physical and mental player management, plus some dumb luck.

Will we win a flag next year? Realistically I can't see it.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

I was fairly optimistic about 2019 until I heard Burton and Hass won't be fired

Where have you heard this?

 

[Scorpus]

Where have you heard this?

Check the other threads. Apparently was said on TV and in an article

 

[mattymac]

Given that the "review" is internal and nothing substantial will change, 6-12th.

 

[PCORF]

I'm not sure if we'll be a flag threat next year. Depends on many things. We'll finish somewhere on the ladder.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

Assuming injuries are controlled and we don’t have any many trade ins at year end I think we are in the 5-8 bracket. I have GWS , Richmond Melbourne and Collingwood clearly being better than us next year. There’s a bunch of clubs I think will be at similar level to us next year including west coast, bombers, hawks and maybe Brisbane will be in that bunch (there’s always one bolter and they are my pick). Genuinely can’t decide where port or cats fit. Could be in the bunch but could also slide a bit.