Collingwood
W Bulldogs
Geelong
St. Kilda
Fremantle
Hawthorn
Melbourne
Carlton
---------------
Adelaide
Sydney
Richmond
Port Adelaide
Essendon
Nth. Melbourne
Gold Coast
Brisbane
West Coast
Collingwood
W Bulldogs
Geelong
St. Kilda
Fremantle
Hawthorn
Melbourne
Carlton
---------------
Adelaide
Sydney
Richmond
Port Adelaide
Essendon
Nth. Melbourne
Gold Coast
Brisbane
West Coast
WOOF Member 422
Nice read Ozza. Good to see a bit of commentary as well. Like to expand a little on balance in our list ?- interested to know your view, not taking a pot shot. If some youngsters step up this season, I feel the balance will be ok. alot of things have to go right though. Challenging burden above their years falls to Jones and Grant. Youth may prevail. What's your view?
You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. ― Epicurus
As Mantis pointed out - I think you may have just read my post incorrectly - as I was saying I believe we WILL be better balanced this year.
It's been a relatively common theme and fairly accepted that we lacked pace in the forward line last year - and we seem to have injected some with not only our recruits - but also the foreseeable improvements from both younger guys - and guys who will hopefully be injury free.
With Hahn, Johnno, Aker (for periods) and a half-rat-power-Higgins last year - we were a bit clunky down forward (for lack of a better term). I'm excited that we appear to have looked to directly address that.
I also think Williams looks to have improved enough since mid-last year to be seen as a genuine key back - not just the match up for the 3rd tall or similar - which may enable us to use Morris on some other dangerous forwards.
A fit Cooney in the midfield, and possibly having Higgins, Sherman and perhaps Wallis/Libba gives us some more midfield depth and takes some pressure off Boyd and Griffen who carried much of the load late in the year.
You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. ― Epicurus
Ok. Going to cheat a little and have a crack at this round 5:
Collingwood
Western Bulldogs (still think we'll get it together - assumes we beat hawthorn!)
Geelong
Hawthorn
Carlton
Sydney
Essendon
Fremantle
Adelaide (due to the draw only)
St Kilda
West Coast
North Melbourne
Richmond
Melbourne
Port Adelaide
Brisbane
Gold Coast
First time I have looked at this thread and am amazed so many have us 2nd on the ladder. I know it was before the season started but I just don't know what some posters have seen that I haven't. I didn't see anything in the pre season that would suggest any improvement in ladder position for this year.
We need to take our rose coloured glasses off and take a reality pill. We are behind Collingwood, Hawthorn, Geelong, Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle & maybe Sydney. I would say we are definately better than Brisbane, Gold Coast, Port Adelaide, Richmond, North Melbourne, West Coast & thats it.
The top 7 spots are sewn up....
Collingwood
Hawthorn
Fremantle
Essendon
Geelong
Carlton
Sydney Swans
with only the order to be sorted out.
That leaves us in a dog fight with Adelaide, St Kilda, West Coast, Melbourne, and Richmond for 8th.
North, Brisbane, Port and Gold Coast can start planning for 2012.
My ladder predictor today has us sneaking into 8th with 10 wins, with the draw costing St Kilda, Melbourne and Richmond, all finishing 2 points behind us (9 1/2 wins).
Footscray member since 1980.
You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. ― Epicurus
We win the next four games and we will sneak into the 8.
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.