Opinion Who wins the Premiership? (Updated poll - Updated for Prelims))

[VicBased]

I'm not saying Richmond was the best team in 2018 man cmon, I'm saying Richmond are the best team over the last 3 years 2017 to 19 , I mean 2 flags and a 1st home and away finish makes it easy for it to pick

Is that easier to understand now ?

Errrrrrr.....No? Clutch at straws all you like but WC were the best team in 2018. How about trying...."Richmond were the best team in 2017 and 2019"? Stop trying to steal a year.

 

[_Mike_]

Still hard to say, however I dont believe the Bulldogs are in the mix - the gap between their best & worst is too far and we're seeing a deal of inconsistency in players.

 

[Tiger Battler]

West Coast for 2020. Collingwood in 2021 if they can get a good clear run in terms of injury they need to be blessed ala richmond 2017 and 2019. In 2021 richmond will be over the hill.

Richmond were not blessed with injuries in 2019. Had a good run in 2017 with only Prestia and Houli missing extending time that year but were hit with key injuries throughout 2019. Managed the injuries well to get the players back (except rance) by the finals.

 

[juss]

we haven't even got to the part of the season where some clubs play 4 games in 14 days. We have no idea what that looks like. Injuries will play a massive part. As will attitude. Things will change week to week. Sure there will be trends and the cream generally rises to the top, but this year, more than any other it is wide open. It will all be about when you catch a team.

This is bang on.

Especially the relevance of the luck of the draw this year as teams fluctuate between their best and worst so quickly. Richmond got towelled by the Hawks in round 3, but Id love to play that game next week, what do you think would happen?
Same as us catching Carlton in round 1, fast-forward a few months and they are playing much better footy winning 4 of their last 6, that would be a much harder task now.

I keep calling this the lottery season, if ever there was a year were the term "stole a premiership" has merit then this is it. In a shorter season, its far more open. Longer seasons generally favour the better teams, teams that may not have been top contenders in a normal 22 game year are now suddenly in the game because there is less time for regression to their norm, and teams only need to hit a purple patch of a few games. With shorter seasons, teams aren't that far from finals no matter where they sit. Even the 15th placed Hawks are only 2 games outside the 8, and only 2 wins separate 4th - 15th.

Its really hard to predict finals with the ladder so close, a bit of luck or bad luck will see a few teams sneak in or unexpectedly fall out. Then who knows where finals will be played and who gets the luck of the match ups there?

 

[Dazzler9]

There will continue to be ups and downs in form each week. Most folk are like a kid in a candy store, they have a new fave every second.

Port look very good, committed, consistent.

Eagles best is the best in the comp.

My mob play like strumpets. Out of the powder room very quickly showing lots of leg and cleve, smelling like daffodils, but very disappointing after that.

Tiges look alright, they have a kid factory down there and keep finding new talent. With injuries expect inconsistency.

GWS and Lions, as a punter, are of high interest to me, stacked and near prime form respectively.

I find the strumpets metaphor utterly intriguing. I don't understand it, but tell me more.

 

[tigs2010]

I find the strumpets metaphor utterly intriguing. I don't understand it, but tell me more.

tag me when you get a reply. Cheers

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Moreso than any season - the team that gets to the last couple of rounds healthy is going to be best placed.

It's better to be 5-8 and healthy than 1-4 and decimated.

Honestly think clubs should be thinking about effectively writing a game off in the upcoming bloc. The risk of longish injuries are not worth it.

 

[queensberryrules]

I find the strumpets metaphor utterly intriguing. I don't understand it, but tell me more.

Does the Daily Planet ring a bell?

 

[Dazzler9]

Does the Daily Planet ring a bell?

Errrrr, nope.

 

[timokane]

As long as its not richmond had enough of them

 

[KissKiss]

Moreso than any season - the team that gets to the last couple of rounds healthy is going to be best placed.

It's better to be 5-8 and healthy than 1-4 and decimated.

Honestly think clubs should be thinking about effectively writing a game off in the upcoming bloc. The risk of longish injuries are not worth it.

Lot of talk on the lions board about whether we should just rest half the team against Richmond. It might be our best chance to break our streak against the Tigers but with Ess - 4 days Richmond (they have 6 day break)- 4 days Dogs- it is potentially better to just go for the wins in the other two games.

As much as everyone is talking down Melbourne last night they showed what a 4 day break can do to a team. Do that twice in a row could break a lot of players

 

[KissKiss]

Change of topic?

Does anyone actually think Port are gonna win it this year? I think we’re too easily beaten. If a side comes in with adequate preparation and a solid plan, we get beat. Brisbane did it, Saints did it, GWS did it for 3 quarters.

I do think our best football matches anyone else’s though.

As good a chance as anyone at the moment.

My only question is probably around the defence. While they have all been playing well they came across a bit short when we played you. If a team gets on a bit of a charge in the middle and gives good service can they shut down multiple good tall forwards? I could see that being a problem against a team like WC (JK and Darling) or Richmond (Lynch and Riewoldt). Both have the midfield to give service to dangerous talls

 

[Yojimbo]

Melbourne, yes i know they are not on your poll, but Melbourne are flying with their game in hand. I can smell what they are cooking.

Now Yojimbo i have great respect for you and your football brain, but you got this one wrong. You overestimated Simon Goodwin
and did not foresee him playing Harmes and Jones off half back with their exquisite ball use.

I certainly did not expect such quality coaching, but i was wrong. I thought they had turned the corner, but i failed to notice the out
of control bus that is Simon Goodwin driving straight at me.

 

[demondavey]

Whoever can manage workload best, recovery, and get a healthy list at finals time. Given these circumstances, probably anyone in the top 8 realistically at the end of the year.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Richmond are over the hill now IMO ,Eagles as well. One may have a last gasp and snag one this year a l a Hawks 91. 2021 and on will belong to the teams on the up -Port Lions Saints Suns Blues and Freo

Ahh what? Unlike Hawks we never stopped drafting and playing kids. The next gen already coming through with the likes of Bolton and Balta.

Also most our top players are still at their peak.

 

[Soberian Tiger]

If we don't win the reason will not be because we're "over the hill". Nine players in the win against the Dogs last night with under 30 games. I wouldn't be surprised if our line up next week is actually younger than yours.

Agreed, with the only point I could make against the statistic you quoted (and only partially so) being that Richmond doesn't just blood teenagers. Marlion, for example, is closer to 30 years of age than he is to 30 games.

The recruitment and player development at the club is first class. The Egg is another example. Not highly rated as a junior (well not enough to be picked by the Pioneers U18) and perpetually injured when he got to Punt Road, he would have been an easy target for delisting. Instead, they let proven players go and kept the young, but no longer teenage, nobody.

There's no chance of him not finding interest from another club now. Had he been delisted, nobody would have known what was being missed.

 

[timokane]

The over the hill tigers

 

[timokane]

had enough of the tigers had it to easy for far toooo long

 

[Farang83150]

Brissy I recon, sounds like all finals there.

 

[_Wang_]

West Coast

 

[BBC1967]

had enough of the tigers had it to easy for far toooo long

Keep them coming gold..

 

[BBC1967]

The over the hill tigers

Your team is officially the OLDEST team in the league. Too bad you don’t have anything bar a lost GF to show for it. Oh forgot the the PF treated as a flag against Tigers.

 

[Farang83150]

Change of topic?

Does anyone actually think Port are gonna win it this year? I think we’re too easily beaten. If a side comes in with adequate preparation and a solid plan, we get beat. Brisbane did it, Saints did it, GWS did it for 3 quarters.

I do think our best football matches anyone else’s though.

Brissy v Port GF at the GABBA.

 

[Royce Hafey]

Agreed, with the only point I could make against the statistic you quoted (and only partially so) being that Richmond doesn't just blood teenagers. Marlion, for example, is closer to 30 years of age than he is to 30 games.

The recruitment and player development at the club is first class. The Egg is another example. Not highly rated as a junior (well not enough to be picked by the Pioneers U18) and perpetually injured when he got to Punt Road, he would have been an easy target for delisting. Instead, they let proven players go and kept the young, but no longer teenage, nobody.

There's no chance of him not finding interest from another club now. Had he been delisted, nobody would have known what was being missed.

Oh, I agree with that. There's a related phenomenon regarding the likes of Balta, and Ross, actual draft picks albeit necessarily lower ones given we haven't had any high ones recently. If they'd been drafted by a lesser club, they'd have been played earlier and more often and have had more than 30 senior games under their belt by now. Instead they've been developing their craft in the VFL. Think of all the teams that are struggling for key position players if they had someone with Balta's athletic attributed on their list. Would they not have picked him for their senior team and persisted with him despite his rawness? Two Mum's is another example (though only Richmond fans will know what I'm talking about).

 

[demondavey]

Richmond are over the hill now IMO ,Eagles as well. One may have a last gasp and snag one this year a l a Hawks 91. 2021 and on will belong to the teams on the up -Port Lions Saints Suns Blues and Freo

Eagles and Tigers done?

Snowballs chance in hell