2014 Predictions

[Scrads]

Why don't you guys post your own rankings rather than laying shower on Zips? It's all pretty subjective at this stage. I'm waiting for the full team write up on mine before I complain anyway :P

[Nige]

Why don't you guys post your own rankings rather than laying shower on Zips? It's all pretty subjective at this stage. I'm waiting for the full team write up on mine before I complain anyway :P

[Ziplock]

yeah exactly :P

there is a possibility that I've accidentally dropped a digit off a player's score that I didn't notice, and probs won't until I do the write up... I know at one point I hit an extra 0 on a player that averages 70 in the dinos team, and didnt even notice until I looked at the total score and was like- 1800... wait...

although, if you got an average score, it might be because I don't rate your player's immediate scoring potential very high.

[Ziplock]

Macedonian Wolves: Scrads
Predicted ranking: 7th

Team:

Backs: Mullett (78), A. Walker (90), D. Swallow (80), Duryea (65)
[Broughton, Marley Williams, Christian Howard, Lewis Stevenson, Ryan Schoenmakers, Josh Gibson, Ben Reid(F), Cameron Sutcliffe]

Mids: Stanton (105), Ebert (100), Watson (C, 220), Masten (90)
[Sam Gibson, Bernie Vince, Nathan Hrovat, Lloyd Perris, Zac Williams]

Rucks: Leuenberger (90)
[Trent West, Stefan Martin(F)]

Forwards: Gunston (85), Breust (80), Walters (85), Schulz (80)
[Matt McDonough, Jed Lamb, Jackson Paine, Jarryd Lyons, Sam Dwyer, Paul Puopolo, Jackson Merrett, Mason Shaw, Aaron Young]


Utility: Crouch (90), Shiel (90)

Analysis:

Backs: There's a reasonable mix here of young and older players- You have Walker starting in an older age bracket, along with Mullett, Swallow who are both young guns. Duryea is another youngster, not one that I would necessarily be starting yet, but has potential. Then there's older players to provide cover in Broughton, Gibson and Reird, and more young developing players in WIlliams, Stevenson and Sutcliffe... then there's Howard, however you want to rate him. It's a relatively solid line, without many current stars, but with enough youth that it should be quite viable. Honestly, could be a lot stronger than estimated though, Swallow and Mullett both have the potential to go huge this year, and Williams isn't far behind... and we know Broughton can score well if given the opportunity. There's also Zac Williams when he gets dpp.

Mids: Stanton, Ebert and Watson are all guns, while Masten is a hundy play and Shiel + Crouch will probably be two of the best DTers in a couple of years. Gun starting 6 basically. Gibson and Vince are solid cover, while Hrovat and Perris developing makes this one of the more rounded midfields in the competition- if it had one more proven gun in there I'd probably call it the best balanced one.

Rucks: If West and Martin were paired with anyone other than Leuen, it'd be an extremely shallow ruckline. But as it is, holding all of the Brisbane rucks is a pretty good job by Scrads, it means he'll never have to play an OOP there.

Forwards: Lacking an out and out gun unfortunately, Gunston and Breust are still a year off in my opinion, Walters is a bit touch and go and Schulz can be a little average. A fair few developing youngsters on the bench, but no really solid cover- that being said, Reid and Martin's dpp can always be utilised, so it isn't *too* shallow.

Overall summary: It's a pretty well balanced team, which is why I havei t making the 8. Outside of the midfield, there's nobody really spectacular... getting Watson for Parker though was a huge trade for Macedonia. Next season I'd probably aim for another back- the rucks and mids are set, and  by 2015 gunston, breust and walters should all be posting 85-90 averages... if swallow retains dpp for another year and Macedonia can pick up another 80-90 back in a trade period/ through development, while I'd say the premiership is out of reach this year with a couple of powerhouses, they could be vying for it in 2015/6.

[CrowsFan]

Nice to see that the top 4 is what I thought it'd be without even doing any real research. I'm surprised how close 5th and 6th are in your predictions though, I was more thinking that the top 4 had a bit of a gap on the rest (and kinda that the top 2 had a gap on 3 and 4).

I think we're every chance to win but, using a topical analogy, I'd say we're like the Andy Murray trying to get through Djokovic and Nadal. We can definitely win the title, but those two are dead set favourites and deserve to be so.

Hmmm, can we be Federer then?

I guess so. Except I'm not sure how I feel about you beating us in the Australian Open...

Why can't we be Federer? Murray is lame :(

I was thinking because Murray is perennially underrated too. Fed is always given hype.

Fair enough then. Hopefully we're not Baghdatis, surprise everyone and make the final one year, then do nothing since...

[Scrads]

Thanks for the rating Zip, that isn'tactually too far off what I predict, the only real differences I have is Masten to average 100 (he went at 98.4 in 2013), Mullett to average 85 (he actually averaged a fraction under 100 for the first half of 2013), Swallow to average 90 (but fair enough rating him as 80) and Duryea to average 80 (bias due to Hawks man, but spot could also be filled by Broughton or Williams if they average 80 or over).

That would take my average up to 1470 - 5th and level with Svalbard. Obviously probably won't happen like that (injuries, suspension, turn of form etc) but still, will be competitive with the top teams on our day.

I am glad you noticed that most of my guns are still very young, hopefully meaning I come into peak from next year onwards ;)

Also, you missed Liam Shiels in my midfield depth. He probably doesn't classify as the 'proven gun' you said I need to have the best balanced midfield in the comp, but it gives me another good option for cover at least.

[Ziplock]

Yeah I thought you had shiels, no idea why I didnt have him on the list :S

that does boost your mids a bit more :P

[Vinny]

Haha super keen for mine, this are looking awesome Zip.

[Justin Bieber]

I still want a response on rating Gawn, Longer and Redden as the best young prospects in the game.

[Ziplock]

I still want a response on rating Gawn, Longer and Redden as the best young prospects in the game.

They've all shown a fair amount... grundy and nicholls would be above them, but for young developing rucks that's about it.

[JBs-Hawks]

More then leuy, clarke, kreuzer, lobbe, mcevoy, nic nat?

[ossie85]

Pfft, my boys (Pumas/Suns/Armadillos/Spetsnaz) will make light work of the lot of you :P

[Ziplock]

More then leuy, clarke, kreuzer, lobbe, mcevoy, nic nat?

none of those are really in the same stage of development, and they're all a bit older as well :P

Gawn- 1991
Redden- 1990 (tbh, I thought he was younger than that, sorry)
Longer- 1993
Nicholls- 1992
Grundy- 1994

nic nat- 1990
leuenberger 1988
kreuzer-  1989
lobbe- 1989
clarke- 1990
Mcevoy- 1989
Goldstein (you didn't mention him, but in that age bracket you should have- 1988

with the exception of redden (who I thought was younger than he was, so my slip up, sorry), there's a relatively distinct gap in the age bracket.

[Justin Bieber]

I still want a response on rating Gawn, Longer and Redden as the best young prospects in the game.

They've all shown a fair amount... grundy and nicholls would be above them, but for young developing rucks that's about it.

I was wondering where my Grundy would rate. What about Witts?

[Ziplock]

Witts is sitting with guys like Daw, in that they might be good back have played too limited games and scored too averagely to be sure, so they don't really fit in the same league.

In hindsight, I probs should have put hickey up there as well, but smeh.