what happens if we start winning too fast?

[hungry for a premiership]

highly improbable i know but just for a hypothetical let's say we come out and win our first 5 games and get into a rampage and finish 5th on the ladder.

Does this throw a spanner into works with regard to the "road to 2018 / Premiership by 2020" the club has now put all its planning into? With the high draft picks being so valuable, does a top 8 finish this year leave us with another hole in our list come 2018-2020, the window of opportunity we're throwing all our eggs into?

I'd hate to think that there'd come a point this year where the board or Pelican specifically approached Richardson and told him or even inferred to him to stop winning so much because we really need the top 3 draft pick for our fantasy 2020 team, you know what I mean???

It seems pretty obvious that this was a source of friction with watters (though this may be a misconception), which troubles me slightly I must say, because it looked like watters was the type of guy who wanted to win all the time, and that's what we want out of our head coach, isn't it?

Has this eventuality been planned for, as unlikely as it may be?

[Griggsy]

I think players and coach should always go out to win, damn the consequences. Players wont get improve if they are not getting the right experience. Let those running the club find a solution, it's not as daunting now with Free Agency an easy solution.

As to the question what would happen. We could become a middle of the road club for 10years never really failing or succeeding if the situation wasn't handled correctly.

[saintspremiers]

Wet simply aren't good enough for that to happen.

Also, player retirements next year and the following year will control our explosive growth.

[plugger66]

I dont think there is any danger of winning to quickly. We still have 4 of our best 5 players to retire by the end of next year. Im worried that we could be bottom 2 for the next 3 years. I actually cant see how we wont.

[Megamaguire]

It will probably result in a few cult heroes helping to attract bigger crowds at the Dome and beyond.
For AR it would be really confidence boosting i'd reckon and evidence that he has been able to bottle what he experienced at Port last year.
This current group of Saints players is extremely fluid i believe and that makes them somewhat unpredictable. Heard AR state today that he is trying to get the players to be more affective playing one on one when the opportunity is there. Also these young guys learning the coache's game-plan will have a huge bearing on performance and results.
It does feel like early days yet but positivity can be infectious.

GO SAINTS!

[Con Gorozidis]

If we win games with this 22 then we can win a flag in 3 years - not 6!

Sadly I cant see us winning a game this year.

[SainterK]

Lol con.

Not even one?

[Stephen Theodore]

I dont think thats going to be a problem.

Bit more optimistic than you Con, I reckon 2-3 wins this season, probably next season to.

[Cairnsman]

If we come out and win our first 5 games it means the planet has been knocked off it's axis and our players have turned into cockroaches.

[Con Gorozidis]

Lol con.

Not even one?

Well I think we will win a few - but i wont take any for granted and Ill celebrate each one with a view that it might be a while until the next one - put it that way.

[Wayne42]

highly improbable i know but just for a hypothetical let's say we come out and win our first 5 games and get into a rampage and finish 5th on the ladder.

Does this throw a spanner into works with regard to the "road to 2018 / Premiership by 2020" the club has now put all its planning into? With the high draft picks being so valuable, does a top 8 finish this year leave us with another hole in our list come 2018-2020, the window of opportunity we're throwing all our eggs into?

I'd hate to think that there'd come a point this year where the board or Pelican specifically approached Richardson and told him or even inferred to him to stop winning so much because we really need the top 3 draft pick for our fantasy 2020 team, you know what I mean???

It seems pretty obvious that this was a source of friction with watters (though this may be a misconception), which troubles me slightly I must say, because it looked like watters was the type of guy who wanted to win all the time, and that's what we want out of our head coach, isn't it?

Has this eventuality been planned for, as unlikely as it may be?

Dreamer

[maverick]

I dont think there is any danger of winning to quickly. We still have 4 of our best 5 players to retire by the end of next year. Im worried that we could be bottom 2 for the next 3 years. I actually cant see how we wont.

Be surprised if Roo retired next year, Joey certainly won't, Fish may as well have already, Lenny will be sorely missed.
By the end of next year Roo definitely and Joey just will be in our best 5 players, don't sweat it….

[SaintPav]

Being a contrarian isn't necessarily taking the opposite position.

The risk is all downside and results could be a lot worse than we might think.

Pity we picked the wrong time to bottom out with GC and GWC coming into the AFL.

We had a good go at it from 2000-2002 though.

Also, every other team faces it's own uncertainty.

[BigMart]

Fisher is not done.... Injury, it happens... He's a star, who playes behind the ball... So less bash and crash...

Gets his body right... Many more games

Joey, the poor mans boomer.... Has 3 years min in him

Roo about 30 games

Lenny 15-20

But the other fact is.... All are in decline, so there output will gradually lessen

So we will be worse in 15 than 14, and maybe worse again in 16 than 15?.... Because we will trade further prime players of picks as stated

Then 3 years of climbing.... Whilst that's happening GC, GWS, RICH will be at peak....

[Con Gorozidis]

Fisher is not done.... Injury, it happens... He's a star, who playes behind the ball... So less bash and crash...

Gets his body right... Many more games

..

Easier said to 'get your body right' than done.
Many players finish their careers - not due to form per se - but because they cant get their bodies right.
Fisher has been battling his body for years now - there is no guarantee at all he will get it right.
Can't be relied on to play any more than 10-20 games.

[maverick]

Fisher is done as a top 5 player at our club, been injured/not fit enough for too long now…can't see him coming back elite, still top 18 but not top 5, even with our thin list...

[skeptic]

We have to be careful with Fisher in the sense that for the sake of his own body, he needs to play looser man and definetly not KPP

no bash and crash

[skeptic]

The flaw in the OPs scenario is that if we reach those levels, it will be unlikely that it will be on the back of Hayes, Roo, Schneider etc

Those middle of the road players that we're all unsure of would have to have improved markedly and steered the way.

If guys like Stanley, Siposs, Curren, Lee, Hickey, Bruce etc were on the verge of establishing themselves as A-Grade players... well we wouldn't have a depth problem

[bigcarl]

I think players and coach should always go out to win, damn the consequences.

Full agree. That is what the game is all about.

[gringo]

Being a contrarian isn't necessarily taking the opposite position.

The risk is all downside and results could be a lot worse than we might think.

Pity we picked the wrong time to bottom out with GC and GWC coming into the AFL.

We had a good go at it from 2000-2002 though.

Also, every other team faces it's own uncertainty.

We did that last time and hit a Brisbane team that dominated.

[Stephen Theodore]

The flaw in the OPs scenario is that if we reach those levels, it will be unlikely that it will be on the back of Hayes, Roo, Schneider etc

Those middle of the road players that we're all unsure of would have to have improved markedly and steered the way.

If guys like Stanley, Siposs, Curren, Lee, Hickey, Bruce etc were on the verge of establishing themselves as A-Grade players... well we wouldn't have a depth problem

I agree

[saintbob]

When we get Gilbert, Hayes, Montagna and Schnieder back in the team and we'll easily win 5 games!!!

It's not as gloomy as some may think, but as others have said I reckon the real gloomy year will be next year with 3-5 retirements.

[SaintPav]

Being a contrarian isn't necessarily taking the opposite position.

The risk is all downside and results could be a lot worse than we might think.

Pity we picked the wrong time to bottom out with GC and GWC coming into the AFL.

We had a good go at it from 2000-2002 though.

Also, every other team faces it's own uncertainty.

We did that last time and hit a Brisbane team that dominated.

and then the Cats and Filth.

It wasn't like we lost to poor teams like Melbourne (2000) or Port (2007).

If only.

[plugger66]

Fisher is done as a top 5 player at our club, been injured/not fit enough for too long now…can't see him coming back elite, still top 18 but not top 5, even with our thin list...

I reckon there is not to many ahead of him if he gets his body right. Thats the sad thing. Still say our top 5 players contains 4 30 year olds.

[maverick]

Fisher is done as a top 5 player at our club, been injured/not fit enough for too long now…can't see him coming back elite, still top 18 but not top 5, even with our thin list...

I reckon there is not to many ahead of him if he gets his body right. Thats the sad thing. Still say our top 5 players contains 4 30 year olds.

Now maybe, but by the end of next year as you quote?