McCartney’s forward ambitions

[The Bulldogs Bite]

There are a lot of variables, but more than anything, we need to nail the next 2 drafts.

In 2-4 years our senior players will be gone. Boyd, Lake, Hargrave, and Gia will be very difficult to replace. Cooney might be gone by then too, so it is absolutely imperative we draft really well in these next two years.

If we don't, we'll be in a huge hole.

[ledge]

There are a lot of variables, but more than anything, we need to nail the next 2 drafts.

In 2-4 years our senior players will be gone. Boyd, Lake, Hargrave, and Gia will be very difficult to replace. Cooney might be gone by then too, so it is absolutely imperative we draft really well in these next two years.

If we don't, we'll be in a huge hole.

Boyd has already been replaced with blokes like Libber, Wallis Dahlhaus and Clay coming through, our mids are ok for the next ten years.

Gia is already replaced with Shermann,
Lake with Markovic, its only 2 or 3 players we have to find in the next 3 years and with draft and delistings its shouldnt be a problem.

[Mantis]

Boyd has already been replaced with blokes like Libber, Wallis Dahlhaus and Clay coming through, our mids are ok for the next ten years.

So who replaces Griffen and Cooney?

Lake with Markovic, its only 2 or 3 players we have to find in the next 3 years and with draft and delistings its shouldnt be a problem.

Lake is/ was a top 3 FB in the league for 5+ years. Markovic is an honest battler.

You're in dreamland if you think we only need 2 or 3 players.... We need about 15, and yes some of these might already be on our list, but they aren't proven performers yet.

[bornadog]

You're in dreamland if you think we only need 2 or 3 players.... We need about 15, and yes some of these might already be on our list, but they aren't proven performers yet.

You have hit the nail on the head, a long way to go yet for some of these younger players to prove they can play consistently every year.

[ledge]

So who replaces Griffen and Cooney?

I named more than one, also Cooneys out put the last 2 years has been equivalent to a normal AFL mid not the exceptionally talented one we did know.

Lake is/ was a top 3 FB in the league for 5+ years. Markovic is an honest battler.

Markovic has showed recently with his confidence up he will run off and is more than a battler in my eyes.
Full backs rely a lot on up the field pressure leading to bad delivery i dont care how good a fullback is if the delivery to the forward is good your done.

You're in dreamland if you think we only need 2 or 3 players.... We need about 15, and yes some of these might already be on our list, but they aren't proven performers yet.

Dreamland?
Just like Geelong and Westcoast recently??
2 years ago people wanted Worsfold sacked and the players were no good the next year its a prelim.
Geelong a few years ago were atrocious with people wanting Thompson sacked the next year was a flag if i remember correctly.

As macca points out about every second interview its not the individual its the team, whats the old saying about a team and individuals?

Alot of people think about oh how are we going to replace champion players, sorry but a lot become so called champs when the team develops and from players around them.

Collingwood is a great team, they have a couple of stars but the rest are workers every club has a couple of stars, its about the teams cohesion that makes the difference and how a coach moves certain deficient players into places they can play and of course the game plan and age.

[bornadog]

Dreamland?
Just like Geelong and Westcoast recently??
2 years ago people wanted Worsfold sacked and the players were no good the next year its a prelim..

How many first round picks did West Coast pick up?. They have had the opportunity to get early picks like Nic Nat and others because they bottomed out and traded for early picks as well.

They didn't play finals for 3 years, ie 2008, 9,10 so it didn't happen overnight.

Get ready for the long haul Ledge.

[ledge]

How many first round picks did West Coast pick up?. They have had the opportunity to get early picks like Nic Nat and others because they bottomed out and traded for early picks as well.

They didn't play finals for 3 years, ie 2008, 9,10 so it didn't happen overnight.

Get ready for the long haul Ledge.

I am not saying we will win a flag but i certainly believe this year will be our worst as we make the transition of coaching changes, even that could be a better finish on the ladder than last year.

[bornadog]

I am not saying we will win a flag but i certainly believe this year will be our worst as we make the transition of coaching changes, even that could be a better finish on the ladder than last year.

Believe me, next year will be worse than this year, with our ageing players retiring or not being up to the level we have experienced in the past.

I can't see us making the 8 till at least 2014.

[LostDoggy]

How many first round picks did West Coast pick up?. They have had the opportunity to get early picks like Nic Nat and others because they bottomed out and traded for early picks as well.

They didn't play finals for 3 years, ie 2008, 9,10 so it didn't happen overnight.

Get ready for the long haul Ledge.

West Coast, much as I hate them, are the best recruiters in the land, for mine.

[Ghost Dog]

West Coast, much as I hate them, are the best recruiters in the land, for mine.

Swans won a premiership the hard way. With players seldom celebrated throughout their career, like Leo Barry. And yet they got there.
You could build a premiership side with lots of players outside the top 20. Milburn, Wo-jo, Jpod. These were not first round draft picks.

[Mantis]

Dreamland?
Just like Geelong and Westcoast recently??
2 years ago people wanted Worsfold sacked and the players were no good the next year its a prelim.
Geelong a few years ago were atrocious with people wanting Thompson sacked the next year was a flag if i remember correctly.

As macca points out about every second interview its not the individual its the team, whats the old saying about a team and individuals?

Alot of people think about oh how are we going to replace champion players, sorry but a lot become so called champs when the team develops and from players around them.

Collingwood is a great team, they have a couple of stars but the rest are workers every club has a couple of stars, its about the teams cohesion that makes the difference and how a coach moves certain deficient players into places they can play and of course the game plan and age.

You still need quality individuals within the team and we are along way from that.

Collingwood have more than a couple of stars, as do Geelong..... We only have 1 or 2 at present.

Sydney are probably the most evenly balanced team in the comp, but they haven't had the star factor to help them win finals games in recent years and it's yet to be known how they will go this year, but I can't see them seriously challenging when push comes to shove.

[Mofra]

Gia is already replaced with Shermann

I'd say they are extremely different types of players.

For mine, Higgins is the closet we have to Gia - inside mid/good ball user in congestion, not blessed with innate hardness or pace but gets by on smarts, generally a good finisher in the F50 and is often subject of outright abuse by Bulldogs fans.