Ordinary signs

[Old Mate]

As much as this season has been a disappointment there's enough evidence to suggest we have some promising young players to help build a decent team. I don't see any real star power coming through, aside from Steven, however I see quite a few best 22 AFL quality players who can be above GOP level. Hopefully over the next 3-5 years we acquire some real talent, we get lucky with a few of our current crop who prove me wrong and become stars and top off the list with a few star recruits through free agency and trade period.

The Bulldogs are a good model to look at. They are around 2-3 years ahead of us because of some good early selections and taking full advantage of some father-son pickups. I reckon they can win 8-10 games next year, 10-12 the year after and finals by 2016, if a few things go their way.

[plugger66]

As much as this season has been a disappointment there's enough evidence to suggest we have some promising young players to help build a decent team. I don't see any real star power coming through, aside from Steven, however I see quite a few best 22 AFL quality players who can be above GOP level. Hopefully over the next 3-5 years we acquire some real talent, we get lucky with a few of our current crop who prove me wrong and become stars and top off the list with a few star recruits through free agency and trade period.

The Bulldogs are a good model to look at. They are around 2-3 years ahead of us because of some good early selections and taking full advantage of some father-son pickups. I reckon they can win 8-10 games next year, 10-12 the year after and finals by 2016, if a few things go their way.

Im sure I read that somewhere else. As im being negative I may as well continue. I see us winning between 2 and 5 games for the next 2 years. Hope you are right and I am wrong old mate but I just cant see how we can improve with our best players retiring over the next 2 years. It would need something special from our very inexperienced players.

[Jacks Back]

For some reason most other side's first year players tear it up except ours. Do we actually have that youth training academy or whatever it was called? And while we're on it, do we own any weights at all?

[Old Mate]

P66 I originally posted on the wrong topic. I agree there'll be more pain over the next two years but by year three we'll be stronger than this season and on the improve. I'd hope and even expect we are winning around 8 games by then and not 3 like this season. With good recruiting and using FA to put advantage we could be playing finals by 2018 IMO.

[plugger66]

P66 I originally posted on the wrong topic. I agree there'll be more pain over the next two years but by year three we'll be stronger than this season and on the improve. I'd hope and even expect we are winning around 8 games by then and not 3 like this season. With good recruiting and using FA to put advantage we could be playing finals by 2018 IMO.

Id bloody hope we are close. That would be 6 years out of the finals and 5 years into the rebuild.

[Cairnsman]

I reckon someone needs a hug.

[Ghost Like]

I seem to remember Jack Steven copping the same criticism two years ago, not good enough, not our future, not making the best players and being the target of a few posters wondering about his value. two years on, over 50+ games and he's very much our future.

Agree, there will be a number of young players on our list that won't make it, every club has those players. We can only pick what's available at the time and hope their attitude, nurtured in the right environment, turns them into AFL players, preferably best 22 players. I believe the likes of Curren, Newnes, Wright, Saunders, Murdoch are showing encouraging signs. We can only pray that Hickey, Stanley, White develop alond with our future (at least 3 or 4 years worth) of Top 10 draft picks plus whoever we snare via trades and free agency. Without a crystal ball, I do think we are heading in the right direction, perhaps just not ladder wise for a while.

[matrix]

Our best players were clearly best tonight and we got killed.

go back to bed

[plugger66]

Our best players were clearly best tonight and we got killed.

go back to bed

Makes sense to me. Reckon there is plenty more crap i have written than that if you are keen to find it.

[Old Mate]

P66 I originally posted on the wrong topic. I agree there'll be more pain over the next two years but by year three we'll be stronger than this season and on the improve. I'd hope and even expect we are winning around 8 games by then and not 3 like this season. With good recruiting and using FA to put advantage we could be playing finals by 2018 IMO.

Id bloody hope we are close. That would be 6 years out of the finals and 5 years into the rebuild.

Not bad considering the Tigers haven't played finals for a dozen seasons.

[ShanghaiSaint]

personally think, if we can draft well this year and next I hope we will be pushing the 8 by 2016

[matrix]

theres nothing wrong with were we are
we all knew it was going to happen
we could all see it after toss the boss walked
cmon take the blinkers off

but

we have good kids coming thru
all thye need is the pre seasons
thats what determines fitness and running it out

theres plenty to like
saunders, lee, curren, murdoch, newnes, ross, stanley, wright, plus markworth and spence to come in
add on top the draft picks and the next wave will be ok i reckon
schneides will go again if he can stay on the park till the end of the year
joey will stay about
dal, well dal might go you know, but if he stays then so be it and if he goes we'll get something decent in return pick wise
roo will play on
lenny, ahhhhh lendog, my fav player, look lenny looks to be slowing down, reckon he might go next year if the pace of the game passes him by, are they changing the number of rotations you can do next year?..i hope not, could spell trouble
milney?..gone i reckon
kozi, well we all know the big fella is going back to his roots of blue collar work next year, get him to 200 and keep him around the club, would be good for him and the youth
blakey, will prob go huh, everyone bags out the blake, but he had the most 1%ers last night with 9, do not underestimate his efforts

throw in ray and gears and gwilty and chips when fit gilbert to come back plus we will get a full back this draft period
we have to, its the last piece in the puzzle

the future looks ok to me
look back to 2000, we were shot then and we had drafted roo
FF a few years and we were right in the mix
dont worry, we'll be back up there soon enough

[joffaboy]

P66 what part of my thread - some signs did you not understand.

Really it was quite simple. Some of our kids showed some good signs.

My thread was not titled - Kids in best as anyone who watched the game would know they weren't.

I am looking for improvement from the kids. And a bit of go.

I saw a good sized coupled of kids in Webster and Murdoch, saw some dash and skill from Murdoch, saw some good work by Curren, and some nice touches from Michington.

Thats what it was about. I, and everyone here are under no illusions of where we are at.

Also that is why I think we need to keep out senioer players and not trade them to enable transition.

[ShanghaiSaint]

P66 what part of my thread - some signs did you not understand.

Really it was quite simple. Some of our kids showed some good signs.

My thread was not titled - Kids in best as anyone who watched the game would know they weren't.

I am looking for improvement from the kids. And a bit of go.

I saw a good sized coupled of kids in Webster and Murdoch, saw some dash and skill from Murdoch, saw some good work by Curren, and some nice touches from Michington.

Thats what it was about. I, and everyone here are under no illusions of where we are at.

Also that is why I think we need to keep out senioer players and not trade them to enable transition.

don't forget Saunders those dashes made my night... Bulls goal was also in there..

[spert]

Unfortunately, our senior players are not having enough impact in games, and it makes it hard for a young player to come in and be inspired. I thought Schneider's effort in the last quarter was the type of thing young guys need as guidance, but there's not enough of it going around.

[3rd generation saint]

I remember seeing a young kid called Lenny Hayes look good early in his career, yet it took him a while to be in our best players.
How many seasons have we watched Armitage and Jack work their way to be consistenly in our best players.
There are very few kids who become stars from game 1.
I saw plenty last night to give me reason to look forward to.
Personally think Saunders will be gun, he competes, he gets the ball and he takes the game on, another preseason or two in him and he will be breaking packs open with pace and strength, plus finishing off his possession with accuracy as experience and confidence increases.
Lee, still looked alright last night, competed well, and again another pre season to become bigger and stronger will make him a better player.
Just remember, in 2000 we were a crap team, with a lot of experienced players, this year we have a few champions and a whole bunch of kids.

[Bluthy]

We are in the "fog of rebuild" where its hard for supporters to really appreciate what is going on in the depths of the club - we only see the surface on game days. Like a lighthouse in the darkness, I have faith in Watters shining light (that was more poetic than I meant )

[stinger]

Our young kids are showing bugger all otherwise they would get in the best. They may eventually but they havent.. Our best players were clearly best tonight and we got killed. The only time we were in the game is when Steve and Hayes killed them in the first quarter.

Not only have you missed the point but you have got the shovel out. [/quote]


I got your point but what you said is just hope. Other sides actually have young guys in the best. We hope ours will be in the best. Mitchington showed something tonight as others have all year. I doubt many if any have been in our best 6.[/quote]

You keep repeating the same point Plugger.
Could you or anybody else tell us how many times Joey, BJ and Lenny were in the best in their first 2 years?[/quote]

.....there are some on here that reckoned that Lenny, joey and bj would never make it......

[stinger]

This site borders on idiotic purely because 90% of the posters hang on pluggers every word.
The choice is yours, but, it does reflect on your knowledge of AFL football, undermanned style

...I don't read him at all..have him on my foe list...so I'm in your other 10per cent.....and all the better for it....

[ShanghaiSaint]

enjoy the P66 he does make some very good points... i don't hang off him but find myself agreeing.

[plugger66]

This site borders on idiotic purely because 90% of the posters hang on pluggers every word.
The choice is yours, but, it does reflect on your knowledge of AFL football, undermanned style

...I don't read him at all..have him on my foe list...so I'm in your other 10per cent.....and all the better for it....

Can I honestly say if you agreed with my opinion I would suggest my opinion is no good at all. The good thing with you Stinger is you havent got the ability to have an opinion and thats why I laugh at you suggesting you are involved in the law. Hilarious. Now go away with the other 10% of people who just dont get it.

By the way JB I wasnt having a go at your post. It was actually a bit of fun from a guy who had a few. And if anyone hangs onto anything I have to say then they need to seek medical attention immediately.

[Scollop]

enjoy the P66 he does make some very good points... i don't hang off him but find myself agreeing.

p66; "It was actually a bit of fun from a guy who had a few."

Is this like the blind leading the blind

[gringo]

Bulldogs are the perfect model or Port, get 50 games into the talented kids and some consistently good performances start. Even Jack and Armo needed to get that up before they showed that they might make the grade. Be patient.

[plugger66]

Bulldogs are the perfect model or Port, get 50 games into the talented kids and some consistently good performances start. Even Jack and Armo needed to get that up before they showed that they might make the grade. Be patient.

Both those sides have had better picks than us for a couple of years. Lower picks dont guarentee success but it bloody well helps.

[BigMart]

Disagree

Lot to like about that effort

Newnes, Mudoch, Webster, Minchingtin, Saunders and others all showed something

Hapt about that with Ross, Siposs, Wright to come in..

Good core developing