2018 Discussion Thread

[Jukes]

Might as well get us started for season 2018. Huge season, plenty of potential just have to realise it. Obviously a decent list with plenty of young talent, and bringing in 1-3 (or maybe more unexpected ones) gun players.

Best 22 I see being:

FB: Gleeson Hartley Ambrose
HB: Saad Hurley McKenna
C: Zaharakis Heppell McGrath
HF: Stringer Daniher Smith
FF: Fantasia Hooker McDonald-Tipungwuti
R: Bellchambers Parish Merrett
Int: Goddard Stewart Myers Langford

Emg: Mutch Baguley Laverde

With Stringer and Smith playing a lot on-ball. Hopefully can get plenty of games in to Begley, Mutch, Clarke, and Ridley.

Just about a make or break season for: Colyer, Langford, Laverde, Leuenberger, Baguley, Green, Bird


This is assuming we make the moves:
Stringer in
Saad in
Francis out

[kilbluff1985]

so Mitch Brown not best 22?

[Jukes]

so Mitch Brown not best 22?

Not even close imo. Would need a few injuries to have him play. He's just not that great.

[shaker]

I'll take your pick of best 22 looks pretty good as for ladder position I stuck my neck out and picked them to finish in the 8 this year so think they should achieve that again but it's looking to be a log jam again to get in next year so position wise would only be a fluke guess maybe 6-8th

[kilbluff1985]

pretty excited for next year now we have secured both Smith/Saad

[Jukes]

I'll take your pick of best 22 looks pretty good as for ladder position I stuck my neck out and picked them to finish in the 8 this year so think they should achieve that again but it's looking to be a log jam again to get in next year so position wise would only be a fluke guess maybe 6-8th

Yeah the logjam and equalisation will throw a lot of predictions out the window come the start of the season. Before round 1 this year most people wouldn't have had Richmond and Port being in the top 5, Freo falling so low, Hawthorn and Dogs missing finals, etc. It's a really close competition atm between the top ~8 teams or so. I'd probably rule out us finishing 1st or 2nd but I'd give us just about an equal (i.e. 25% chance each) chance of coming in the 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10 brackets on the ladder. Lots of opportunity for teams to rise but also lots of opportunity to fall.

We obviously saw how hard Adelaide got exposed on GF day, could that kill their confidence?
Swans are obviously hard to beat...unless they fall into a funk like when they started 0-6
Richmond could suffer the fate of the dogs - September roarers, get showerty draft position and a harder draw and fall down the ladder, and of course teams will gameplan to stop them better.
Geelong rely too much on Dangerfield, Selwood, and Kardinia Park home ground advantage
Port can't beat a top 8 team
GWS could lose a fair few best 22 players, and guys like Shaw and Mummy are getting on
Dees are chokers and have a few injury-prone guys (Hogan, Gawn)

Those seven and the dons are my top 8 prediction, but we obviously have our deficiencies as well - namely a mediocre midfield and I can't see Smith and Stringer lifting it beyond that, while Woosha is pretty poor tactically and it lost us a couple games this season.

I'm thinking 1. Sydney 2. Adelaide 3. Geelong 4. Port 5. GWS 6. Dons 7. Richmond 8. Melbourne
Feel free to quote this when it's completely wrong

[Jukes]

Here's Matthew Lloyd's best 22

FB: McKenna, Hooker, Gleeson
HB: Saad, Hurley, Goddard
C: Zaharakis, Heppell, McGrath
HF: Stringer, Stewart, McDonald-Tipungwuti
FF: Fantasia, Daniher, Smith
R: Bellchambers, Parish, Merrett

Int: Langford, Laverde, Colyer, Baguley

He's obviously in the camp that wants to play Hooker down back and go with a two tall/four small forward line rather than a 3/3 as we ran in 2017. Only differenes between our 22s are I have Hartley and Myers, he has Baguley and Colyer.

[crowls]

Here's Matthew Lloyd's best 22

FB: McKenna, Hooker, Gleeson
HB: Saad, Hurley, Goddard
C: Zaharakis, Heppell, McGrath
HF: Stringer, Stewart, McDonald-Tipungwuti
FF: Fantasia, Daniher, Smith
R: Bellchambers, Parish, Merrett

Int: Langford, Laverde, Colyer, Baguley

He's obviously in the camp that wants to play Hooker down back and go with a two tall/four small forward line rather than a 3/3 as we ran in 2017. Only differenes between our 22s are I have Hartley and Myers, he has Baguley and Colyer.

Like this structure. Expect McGrath to improve midfield.   Heppell/Zaha need to step up.  Would prefer smith and Tipi swap positions as well.   See us as 5-8 next year with small chance of top 4 and 15-20% chance of missing top 8.


SC relevant would be:
Merrett, Danhier especially if F/R, McGrath if D/M, Hurley,      Do not see anyone else except rookies,

[Trindacut]

Easily one of the best trading periods for the Dons as far as I can remember. Should have a proper finals tilt next year.

[Jukes]

Howlett and Bird delisted

They've both always had potential to be good but never quite reached that, ranging from below average to mediocre. They would've been good depth players but I guess their contracts/demands were too high for that role so it was better off cutting them, saving some cap space and having youngsters like Mutch, Clarke, and draftees be our immediate depth midfielders.

[Jukes]

[Jukes]

My very-early predictions:
Adelaide (L), Freo (W), Bulldogs (W), Port (W), Pies (W), Dees (L), Hawks (W), Blues (W), Cats (L), GWS (L), Richmond (W), Brisbane (W), West Coast (W), North (W), Pies (W), Suns (W), Freo (W), Swans (L), Hawks (W), Saints (W), Richmond (L), Port (L)

So 15-7 is my overall prediction, which should be enough for, what, 5th maybe with some luck?
Looking pessimistically, I'd change a Port and Richmond W to an L and throw in one loss to Hawthorn and one in WA, which becomes an 11-11 record which might just be enough to sneak into finals.
On the other hand, looking optimistically I can see us beating Geelong, Sydney, and Richmond (again) at home, which would become an ungodly 18-4 record. Possible yes but extremely unlikely.

[Gigantor]

Is it just me or do the Bombers come to Perth more than any other Vic team?

[GoLions]

If you can't beat us at Etihad, then you won't be beating us at the Gabba ;)

Not a bad draw though, would expect a 5-8 finish.

[nas]

If you can't beat us at Etihad, then you won't be beating us at the Gabba ;)

Not a bad draw though, would expect a 5-8 finish.

Agree as well as the recruitment of Saad, Stringer & Smith should help with the 5-8 chance.