which teams will we pass on the ladder next year?

[supersaints]

Seems like we have the right formulae going forward. Also seems like the theory of high class midfield winning games isn't appearing to be working and you don't win games unless you have decent forwards and defenders. Collingwood and the Dickers for example have possibly some of the best midfield talent going but average to poor at the other ends.

Fast ball transaction and manic pressure at both ends brings average forwards and defenders undone
We are already in front of the Bombers, Carlton and Melbourne

I think we will quickly pass.
Collingwood
Dockers
Richmond
Port

The new breed are the Saints, Dogs, Melbourne , Suns and GWS,

[chook23]

Not so sure we are in front of Melbourne..........

Who knows what will happen in 2017

[bigred]

Not many.

Will still be a rather difficult development year. We will (probably) have gaping holes in the back line if Fisher and Dempster give it away.

Sure we have Goddard to come in, but if anything, we are still somewhat skinny for second and maybe third back man. Lee and who else....shudder.

Still in transition in my opinion.

We haven't done anything yet and really we probably should not be expecting it.

[borderbarry]

Never mind next year, we are going to pass a few this year. I think we will end up with pick 8 or 9.

[samoht]

Other teams have also improved around us - so, practically speaking, the best scenario is to finish bottom 4 with a percentage near 100% (i.e., be really competitive against all teams - and not capitulate as we did vs the Dogs) - and end up with pick 4 or better.
We have "aging" stars to replace (more so than other teams around us).

[Life Long Saint]

Practically speaking, the best scenario is to finish bottom 4 with a percentage near 100% (i.e., be really competitive against all teams - and not capitulate as we did vs the Dogs) - and end up with pick 4 or better.

Nope...Our best bet is to finish as high as we can and show that we are ready to compete...That will make us more attractive for free agents and we can get a player that way. We have the cap space and have been targeting this trade period as the one when we go hard for a free agent.
If we finish near the bottom again then players will look towards Melbourne or the Doggies.

[ROLS-LEE]

Practically speaking, the best scenario is to finish bottom 4 with a percentage near 100% (i.e., be really competitive against all teams - and not capitulate as we did vs the Dogs) - and end up with pick 4 or better.

Nope...Our best bet is to finish as high as we can and show that we are ready to compete...That will make us more attractive for free agents and we can get a player that way. We have the cap space and have been targeting this trade period as the one when we go hard for a free agent.
If we finish near the bottom again then players will look towards Melbourne or the Doggies.

Agreed. Plus we want our young players to get use to a winning culture and not a losing one. How many years has melb been a joke of a club.

[samoht]

Practically speaking, the best scenario is to finish bottom 4 with a percentage near 100% (i.e., be really competitive against all teams - and not capitulate as we did vs the Dogs) - and end up with pick 4 or better.

Nope...Our best bet is to finish as high as we can and show that we are ready to compete...That will make us more attractive for free agents and we can get a player that way. We have the cap space and have been targeting this trade period as the one when we go hard for a free agent.
If we finish near the bottom again then players will look towards Melbourne or the Doggies.

If you finish with a percentage close to 100% - it means you're ready to compete.
Put it this way - I'd rather we win 4 games and lose 18 really tight contests (and end up with a percentage of say 95%) than to capitulate again, like we did vs the Dogs and win 6 -8 games (with a percentage of 80%).

[ROLS-LEE]

Practically speaking, the best scenario is to finish bottom 4 with a percentage near 100% (i.e., be really competitive against all teams - and not capitulate as we did vs the Dogs) - and end up with pick 4 or better.

Nope...Our best bet is to finish as high as we can and show that we are ready to compete...That will make us more attractive for free agents and we can get a player that way. We have the cap space and have been targeting this trade period as the one when we go hard for a free agent.
If we finish near the bottom again then players will look towards Melbourne or the Doggies.

If you finish with a percentage close to 100% - it means you're ready to compete.
I'd rather we win 4 games and lose 18 really tight contests (and end up with a percentage of say 95%) than to capitulate like we did vs the Dogs and win 6 games (with a percentage of 80%).

My heart, blood pressure and tv (away games) and the other members we sit with couldn't handle me loosing 18 close ones like the hawks game. My TV almost had the remote sticking out of the screen against the hawks.

[Life Long Saint]

Practically speaking, the best scenario is to finish bottom 4 with a percentage near 100% (i.e., be really competitive against all teams - and not capitulate as we did vs the Dogs) - and end up with pick 4 or better.

Nope...Our best bet is to finish as high as we can and show that we are ready to compete...That will make us more attractive for free agents and we can get a player that way. We have the cap space and have been targeting this trade period as the one when we go hard for a free agent.
If we finish near the bottom again then players will look towards Melbourne or the Doggies.

If you finish with a percentage close to 100% - it means you're ready to compete.
Put it this way - I'd rather we win 4 games and lose 18 really tight contests (and end up with a percentage of say 95%) than to capitulate again, like we did vs the Dogs and win 6 -8 games (with a percentage of 80%).

The damage that could have on the playing group can't be underestimated.
Remember that series of horror losses in Watson's first year as coach...We gave up half time leads in many games and then forgot how to win at all.

I'd rather instill a culture of winning and belief that we can beat anyone on any day rather than 18 honorable losses.

We'd make players want to play for us instead of another team. We attracted three players this season that wanted to play for us on the back of our 2015 form...We need to build from that, not go backwards.

[samoht]

My heart, blood pressure and tv (away games) and the other members we sit with couldn't handle me loosing 18 close ones like the hawks game. My TV almost had the remote sticking out of the screen against the hawks.

The remedy to that is to watch the games after they've been played and once you know the result - i.e., remove all the twists and turns of the close games.

[samoht]

I'd rather instill a culture of winning and belief that we can beat anyone on any day rather than 18 honorable losses.

The exchange rate:
3 honourable losses = 1 win and 2 capitulations

So 18 honourable losses = 6 wins and 12 capitulations

So 4 wins and 18 honourable losses over the season = 10 wins and 12 capitulations ... q.e.d.

[Harvey To Hayes]

Not many.

Will still be a rather difficult development year. We will (probably) have gaping holes in the back line if Fisher and Dempster give it away.

Sure we have Goddard to come in, but if anything, we are still somewhat skinny for second and maybe third back man. Lee and who else....shudder.

Still in transition in my opinion.

We haven't done anything yet and really we probably should not be expecting it.

Think you forgot Carlisle. Not too big an ask to access one more decent defender, we should be okay in that regard

[Life Long Saint]

I'd rather instill a culture of winning and belief that we can beat anyone on any day rather than 18 honorable losses.

The exchange rate:
3 honourable losses = 1 win and 2 capitulations

So 18 honourable losses = 6 wins and 12 capitulations

So 4 wins and 18 honourable losses over the season = 10 wins and 12 capitulations ... q.e.d.

Your maths is sound but your initial evaluation is clearly wrong...two capitulations is not redeemed by one win and doesn't equate to three honourable losses.
An honourable loss to Essendon this season is far worse than one to Hawthorn...so, clearly, the opponent matters.

I'd rather see 10 wins and 12 honourable losses. If we go at close to 40% for the season then I'd be happy with that.


We knew coming into the season that the first five weeks would be tough.
We have GWS this week and they're in hot form.
Then we have Melbourne, North Melbourne and West Coast.
They are all tough games...These next two are a winnable...Not sure about the following two.

We need to win games that we are a real chance to win and then maybe pinch one or two others...We almost did that on Saturday.

But we need to smash both Carlton and Essendon twice and Brisbane once at Etihad...We should also be looking to win both games against Melbourne at Etihad.
That would give us eight wins.
What we can't afford to do is repeat the performance against the Dogs. We simply can't be that insipid any more.

[White Winmar]

Not many.

Will still be a rather difficult development year. We will (probably) have gaping holes in the back line if Fisher and Dempster give it away.

Sure we have Goddard to come in, but if anything, we are still somewhat skinny for second and maybe third back man. Lee and who else....shudder.

Still in transition in my opinion.

We haven't done anything yet and really we probably should not be expecting it.

a man called Carlisle, perhaps?

[RODOS]

guys are off your rocker thinking we'll only win four games. Have you watched any of our matches? We're a whole lot better than last year

[bigred]

Carlisle may amount to very little.

Will be interesting what condition he returns in.

[Linton Lodger]

We'll go past most of them.

[saintsRrising]

Not many.

Will still be a rather difficult development year. We will (probably) have gaping holes in the back line if Fisher and Dempster give it away.

Sure we have Goddard to come in, but if anything, we are still somewhat skinny for second and maybe third back man. Lee and who else....shudder.

.

Talls: Carlisle Goddard Roberton Lee
Med: White
Smalls: Webster Newnes (though he may become a mid) McKenzie Rice

Plus other possibles like Coughlan Wiight etc
Plus Gilbert may play on for many years yet

Defense? Nah, I am a lot more keen on another absolute gun mid.

[kosifantutti]

None.

We'll go past them all this year.