Things looking up...

[Furphy]

Ok we didn't make the finals, but we finished the year in better style than North & Geelong who were eliminated quickly & there was little optimism for either club by their supporters or the media for next year. Also there were at least five games this year where an umpiring decision at a crucial moment cost us the game. What sticks most in my craw was the outrageous "deliberate out of bounds" against Adelaide that resulted in a goal to them (we lost by 4 points) & Milney getting his legs kicked out from under him against Richmond as he was running into goal with the resulting turnover being a goal to the opposition! We are also developing young talent, something that did not exist under RL.

[Sainternist]

I agree. There's a lot to look forward to. A shame a lot more on here don't share your optimism.

[Little Dozer]

We'll be fine. The Pelican will work his magic during the trade period and draft.

[kosifantutti]

I am always positive about the upcoming season but I can't see how we finished better than North or Geelong. Geelong won 6 out of 7 before the finals only losing to the Eagles by less than a goal at Subi and blowing us away at the 'G.

I can't see how we lost five games due to bad umpiring either.

[thefatdork]

I would agree with both camps. A few wins in the close games and it would have been a different story. However, I always find that blaming the umpire doesn't really give much comfort - we should win with our own efforts and not have to rely on umpiring decisions to go our way to win.
I think we have a lot of "upside" as a club - and am really pleased with what I've seen.
I reckon we'll be better - a lot better - in the next year or two.
I'm feeling a LOT better this end-of-season than last year with Rossy's departure.
Go Saints!
TFD

[hungry for a premiership]

I feel optimistic that the team is going to improve next year, but when i look at the other teamns we'll be competing with to make the finals, it becomes difficult to see how we can do it.


Having finished ninth, we will need to overtake a current top 8 side next year to get in - HAwthorn, Adelaide, Collingwood, Sydney, West Coast, Geelong, Fremantle, North Melbourne. Perhaps we have a show at leap frogging North, but you'd think it'll be tough to get past any of the rest, all of whom, with the exception of maybe Geelong, look to have improvement in them next year.

The next problem is that we're going to have great difficulty holding off the group just below us who will also being vying to break into the top eight - Carlton, Essendon, Richmond and Brisbane are all set to have big years next year.


Yes, we are looking in good shape.... but so is everyone else....

[8856brother]

The next problem is that we're going to have great difficulty holding off the group just below us who will also being vying to break into the top eight - Carlton, Essendon, Richmond and Brisbane are all set to have big years next year.

Have a look at all the clubs we are now jockeying with. They all have young lists. We are old in comparison, even with most sides above us as well. Managing our list over the next few years will decide when our next tilt will be. Hope we get it right. I'm not getting any younger.

[Dave McNamara]

I... Having finished ninth, we will need to overtake a current top 8 side next year to get in - HAwthorn, Adelaide, Collingwood, Sydney, West Coast, Geelong, Fremantle, North Melbourne. Perhaps we have a show at leap frogging North, but you'd think it'll be tough to get past any of the rest, all of whom, with the exception of maybe Geelong, look to have improvement in them next year.

... we're going to have great difficulty holding off the group just below us who will also being vying to break into the top eight - Carlton, Essendon, Richmond and Brisbane...

Very interesting topic you've raised Hungry. I'm not for an instant saying that we don't have our looming list challenges, but not too many others are looking as rosy as we might think...

I have some thoughts to maybe start things off. These assessments are not exhaustive...

Skid Marks: Their game will be srutinised and hopefully worked out like our's, Skunk's and Hillbilly's recently. Very Buddy reliant, undersized defence, Podge, Burgoyne, Hale, Guerra and others getting on. Plenty of receivers... I don't rate receivers. Improvement from where?

Morons: Probably losing Tippet, Thompson getting on, did they catch the competition by surprise this year and over perform?

Tuggers: Great on ballers (Cotchin is Harvey-esque, any way of getting him Pelch?), Jack Headspace and not enough else... 9th.

C'scum: Salary cap full of Judd who is past his best, lack key forwards/backs. Got rid of Alfred E Neuman (plus) only to replace him with Micky Meltdown. Jeany Pratt still seems to chair the selection committee. This team has peaked, and despite all their cheating, that peak wasn't anywhere near good enough.

Collingwood: Jolly on last legs - will Witt be ready in time?, will Tragic Joke return to form?, Dawes probably won't, are the likes of Swan slowing, cap probably full keeping Cloke will limit trading ability, Tarrant gone and several other defenders getting on, improvemen from where?

E-Girls: Lots ofkey players near the end of it.

Swines: Should still be there.

Girlong: Starting their rebuild. May not drop far, but have problems at least near term.

Purple Daze: Pav and Sandi nearing the end. The whole club is mentally soft and still have anchors around their necks. Would love them to tie up their salary cap with our Brendan.

Nuff Nuff Melbourne: High risk game plan that people are now aware of. Sooky la la coach. Only key forward is old.

Effndumb: Should be better than they have been. Held back by The Weapon, the coaching??? Weapon is gone, so if they don't improve, that leaves the problem as being the coaching... Also, have a few too many who appear mentally soft and don't like getting their hands dirty.

Teddy Bears: Will probably take a bit longer to recover from the effects of the master recruiter Voss.

[gringo]

Geelong look vulnerable and Adelaide won't get the same fixture next year. If we can get a genuine big defender and another year out of kosi or Wilkes as a key forward we might go ok.

I'm looking forward to getting the next level of performance from Siposs, Dunell, Simpkin, Milera and Saad- if all of those guys lifted a further 20% we could leap frog quite a few teams.

We need ruck depth and some future KPPs but otherwise we are looking pretty good.