Which team is in most trouble age wise - 2018 edition

[Benny78]

So many wishful dreamers. Selwood/Hawkins/Danger/Duncan = another 5 seasons+. Scary isn't it?
Geelong aren't going away anytime soon.


I voted for Hawthorn. In all seriousness without Burgoyne they're toast.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Hawkins turns 30yo in 6 months, he ain't carrying around that massive frame of his at 34yo+ at AFL level I wouldn't have thought.

 

[WCE_phil]

Le Cras is still on the list?

Wow

And still kicked 32 goals and had 11 goal assists from 19 games. Not too bad for a guy barely hanging onto a spot in a teams best 22.

 

[Jeremias]

So many wishful dreamers. Selwood/Hawkins/Danger/Duncan = another 5 seasons+. Scary isn't it?
Geelong aren't going away anytime soon.

Scary? Please.

It hasn't been scary the past two years with them all playing together. Why would it be now?

 

[SHill Shall]

Who is the next ruck in line after Darcy? Appness?

Tough position to play without support especially younger rucks

No - behind Darcy on paper it’s Lloyd Meek (same age as Darcy and similar experience except for the year in an AFL environment) and then Scott Jones who you’re presumably familiar with. Both these are untried/unproven at AFL level, but we hope to get through this year with Sandi and Darcy, while the other two develop and provide back up only.

 

[TwentyNine]

Pies IMO. Nearly the oldest list in the comp and yet are nowhere near finals and have no laurels to rest on.

 

[footyfan1978]

Pies IMO. Nearly the oldest list in the comp and yet are nowhere near finals and have no laurels to rest on.

Darcy Moore. Treloar, Grundy, Taylor Adams, Tom Langdon and De Goey is the nucleus of their future.
Elliott too if can get over serious injuries. Getting to be a worry there.

Pendlebury is theifr only real crucial player that needs replacing in next two years.

No worse off that your own North mob IMO.

Both have a lot of work to do in coming drafts to bring some elite young talent in for long term future or middle of ladder is about best they can hope to see in next 3 to 4 years.

 

[Joao]

Who is the next ruck in line after Darcy? Appness?

Tough position to play without support especially younger rucks

In order I'd say Jones, Meek, Strnadica

No - behind Darcy on paper it’s Lloyd Meek (same age as Darcy and similar experience except for the year in an AFL environment) and then Scott Jones who you’re presumably familiar with. Both these are untried/unproven at AFL level, but we hope to get through this year with Sandi and Darcy, while the other two develop and provide back up only.

Don't forget Nads!

Re Freo:
D.Pearce was never a world beater.
Ballas and Spurr's output is so far down on their old selves that we have already "lost" them.
Sandi is a big loss no doubt but has only played I think 15 games in the last two seasons.
Johnson is still ok but far from what he used to be. I am sure he is mostly playing so we have some experience in the backline.
Mundy is still good, but not in the 2015 Mundy league anymore.

So out of those 6 we really only have Mundy and half each of Johnson and Sandi left to lose.

I am honestly not even a little concerned (I was before Sean Darcy) about our impending retirements. I will miss Mundy's kicking because he is awesome but feel we are as prepared as you can be to replace players of their stature.

 

[RUNVS]

I am honestly not even a little concerned (I was before Sean Darcy) about our impending retirements. I will miss Mundy's kicking because he is awesome but feel we are as prepared as you can be to replace players of their stature.

Also you guys have been without Sandilands for a while now as he has not played that many games and when he has he has not been the dominant player he once was. To be honest I am even surprised he is on your list going into 2018 as he probably should have retired in 2017 as clearly his body is failing him.

 

[Joao]

Also you guys have been without Sandilands for a while now as he has not played that many games and when he has he has not been the dominant player he once was. To be honest I am even surprised he is on your list going into 2018 as he probably should have retired in 2017 as clearly his body is failing him.

He doesn't seem to get on the park that much these days although to be fair, 2016 was because Nic Nat kneed him in the back. I think 2018 will be his last, even if he doesn't want it to be. We have to pass the baton to Darcy/Meek/Jones sooner or later. Happy for him to help those boys out this year though.

 

[Damon_3388]

Pies IMO. Nearly the oldest list in the comp and yet are nowhere near finals and have no laurels to rest on.

Lolwut?

 

[SHill Shall]

Also you guys have been without Sandilands for a while now as he has not played that many games and when he has he has not been the dominant player he once was. To be honest I am even surprised he is on your list going into 2018 as he probably should have retired in 2017 as clearly his body is failing him.

My take on Sandi is that he still dominates when he plays. While that remains the case, he can stay on the list to play and help develop the youngies; knowing that we have more than adequate cover any time he is out with injury. I could actually see him going for another two or three years on that basis (although one or two is more likely).

 

[TEDDY24INC]

Geelong

They’ve been topping up to win a flag for years now. Hasn’t and won’t work

They have a very poor list outside of their 2 stars. I reckon they should have started to rebuild from the ground up like we did in 2010 a couple of years ago instead of topping up every year.

Their fall won’t be pretty and it’s quite obvious that it’s coming. They might have one more top 4 and bomb out finish left in em though.

Ridiculous comment with the top end talent on our list

 

[TwentyNine]

Darcy Moore. Treloar, Grundy, Taylor Adams, Tom Langdon and De Goey is the nucleus of their future.
Elliott too if can get over serious injuries. Getting to be a worry there.

Pendlebury is theifr only real crucial player that needs replacing in next two years.

No worse off that your own North mob IMO.

Both have a lot of work to do in coming drafts to bring some elite young talent in for long term future or middle of ladder is about best they can hope to see in next 3 to 4 years.

If you're listing the nucleus of a club's future and you can't get through five players before you mention Tom Langdon they're in serious *en trouble.

They're old and they've spent the majority of their draft picks on overpaying to trade in players or on injured draftees who have been injured all career long.

At least North have an excuse for being awful, which is that we're the second youngest team in the league. We know we need to draft and develop and build for the longterm. Collingwood are playing the game like they're good, except they aren't. Radical change is inevitable and should have happenes a while ago.

 

[TwentyNine]

Lolwut?

Third oldest list in the league - http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-11-30/adelaides-2018-list-is-one-for-the-ages

Only team in the top eight oldest lists to have not made finals in the last two years.

 

[owen87]

My take on Sandi is that he still dominates when he plays. While that remains the case, he can stay on the list to play and help develop the youngies; knowing that we have more than adequate cover any time he is out with injury. I could actually see him going for another two or three years on that basis (although one or two is more likely).

This covers it well; when he plays there's very few ruckmen who will be able to stop him winning the hitouts and giving first use to the mids. He's not amazing around the ground (and even less mobile than he once was, which was never great) but he provides protection from Darcy getting bashed about in the ruck every week to hopefully have a nice handover come 2019. I'd say they'll limit his travel games and we'll see more of Darcy at AFL level.

If they're playing finals they'd still opt for Sandilands as the first choice ruckmen if all players were fit and available.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

Hawkins turns 30yo in 6 months, he ain't carrying around that massive frame of his at 34yo+ at AFL level I wouldn't have thought.

You only need to look at his last 5 finals appearances (averaging 1 goal per game) to know that Geelong need to move Hawkins on if they are going to be a legitimate contender again.

Over reliance on a bloke who is not athletic enough to keep up with the best modern defenders.

 

[footyfan1978]

If you're listing the nucleus of a club's future and you can't get through five players before you mention Tom Langdon they're in serious ****en trouble.

Tom Langdon is to them what Luke McDonald is to you guys.
Think you being a bit harsh on Langdon there.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Tom Langdon is to them what Luke McDonald is to you guys.
Think you being a bit harsh on Langdon there.

Think you're underestimating L-Mac. He didn't go top 8 in one of the best drafts of all time for no reason, and I think he started to show why more and more this past season, including moving more into the midfield.

Might captain the club one day, too.

 

[footyfan1978]

Think you're underestimating L-Mac

Wrong perception sonny jim. I rate him and also think one day he likely to be North captain.

 

[Rimmer]

What is your measure for success? The 2018 premiership or 3 of the next 5 premierships?

The Cats and Hawks won premierships later in their period of dominance often with a handful of players near to or over 30.

A younger team is likely to be working on a longer term plan where they win multiple premierships like Geelong and Hawthorn. As every team does this it can only work out for a few.

Premierships are not often won by young teams, they are won by mature teams with the right game plan at the right time.

The Cats are not likely to be one of the youngest teams in 2018 but with Ablett, Dangerfield and Selwood in the same mid field they are likely to be extremely potent, at least in 2018.

 

[mike123]

Darcy Moore. Treloar, Grundy, Taylor Adams, Tom Langdon and De Goey is the nucleus of their future.
Elliott too if can get over serious injuries. Getting to be a worry there.

Pendlebury is theifr only real crucial player that needs replacing in next two years.

No worse off that your own North mob IMO.

Both have a lot of work to do in coming drafts to bring some elite young talent in for long term future or middle of ladder is about best they can hope to see in next 3 to 4 years.

I don't see Langdon as a part of that group going forward I don't think he has enough strings to his bow and I don't think Adams can improve that much. I would replace them with Maynard and Hoskin-Elliott as the group taking us forward.

 

[TwentyNine]

Tom Langdon is to them what Luke McDonald is to you guys.
Think you being a bit harsh on Langdon there.

You'd battle to be more wrong than you are here mate. Langdon played half of a bog average season last year while Luke played a full season and was quite good, underrated, while still of course being some ways off elite. Langdon plays in the backline whereas Luke is now a wing/half-forward type. They are not really comparable players at all in terms of role, quality, or importance to the team.

 

[mike123]

If you're listing the nucleus of a club's future and you can't get through five players before you mention Tom Langdon they're in serious ****en trouble.

Moot point anyways as we have allot more talented defenders than Langdon.

 

[The Joker]

Freo could go into 2019 with not a single player above 28, that doesn't mean it won't be a factor, but, I think it will be the best thing moving into 2020 and beyond.

Sandilands has cover in Darcy and the 2017 draft has brought in further options!
Johnson will move over for Logue this season!
Mundy has a lot of cover, whether they have his quality remains to be seen!

Ballantyne isnt a best 22 certainty anymore and plays a position where there are plenty of options.
DPearce is, from what I've been told, a fantastic on field coach at Peel and is worth his paycheque because of that reason!
Spurr is a concern for me, I just think Ross will actually play him, one game is to many!!!

The first 3 will hurt Freo in the short term but 2018 will be a transitioning phase for them and their understuddies will be much better for it. The other three, well they will offer leadership at Peel and on the training track, but have already been superseded!

Now with that I mind, I still think Freo are in the worst position at this point because all the players listed 'should' be gone at seasons end where as the other teams either have a few more years left or less quality in the age bracket!