Hard task catching GWS over the next few seasons.

[saintsRrising]

Quality list on display today against us. Plus good players not picked.

Blues and Pies both look set for lowly finishes which will only strengthen the GWS as they already have picks in 2016 of round-one pick (Carlton), 2016 round-one pick (Collingwood) and 2016 second-round pick (Adelaide) on top of whatever picks GWS gain by where they finish (Top 8 one would assume).
So 2 more guns and 3 more players in the top 30.

We gain Carlisle, but have traded our 2016 second pick to the Pies.

[Wayne42]

Quality list on display today against us. Plus good players not picked.

Blues and Pies both look set for lowly finishes which will only strengthen the GWS as they already have picks in 2016 of round-one pick (Carlton), 2016 round-one pick (Collingwood) and 2016 second-round pick (Adelaide) on top of whatever picks GWS gain by where they finish (Top 8 one would assume).
So 2 more guns and 3 more players in the top 30.

We gain Carlisle, but have traded our 2016 second pick to the Pies.

No doubt what ever picks we have Elshaugh will reserve for some spuds.

[WellardSaint]

AFL wants GC or GWS to play finals soon, it will get more members for them and justify all the money thrown at them.
But when Brisvegas won 3, and had some lean years, oh didn't their members jump ship super quick.
Fickle. New clubs can't invent loyalty, it has to be earned over many, many decades.

[sendmehomehappy]

It will be virtually impossible to overhaul them with the quality they have.

With all the top picks they already have, whenever they trade someone out who is surplus, they continually refill on guns from the first round.

And these are naturally young guns, waiting their chance to come through.

Vlad Frankenstein has created a monster which will eventually make the AFK as boring and predictable as the EPL was for ages.

It's looking like I'll need a cryopreservation miracle to see our second flag.

[Con Gorozidis]

Quality list on display today against us. Plus good players not picked.

Blues and Pies both look set for lowly finishes which will only strengthen the GWS as they already have picks in 2016 of round-one pick (Carlton), 2016 round-one pick (Collingwood) and 2016 second-round pick (Adelaide) on top of whatever picks GWS gain by where they finish (Top 8 one would assume).
So 2 more guns and 3 more players in the top 30.

We gain Carlisle, but have traded our 2016 second pick to the Pies.

Yep. And don't forget that in the 2015 draft they got Hopper (7), Kennedy (13) and Himmelberg (16) before our pick at 18 (Gresh).
Those three are all yet to debut. Hopper and Kennedy look like potential stars. I think Cameron signing for five years sent a signal and they are going to be a powerhouse.

[BigMart]

Only the Salary Cap can stop them from absolute domination

2017-22

6 years in the top 4

Should win 2 or 3 flags

[Waltzing St Kilda]

The new $5 note is better looking that the Giants' guernsey. The away strip is even uglier if that's possible.

Thank God we've got a decent away strip now. Pity we didn't have it in the 2010 GF.

[Myron Gaines]

The AFL have created an unstoppable beast. If you think they will be good in the next 2-5 years....then wait until 2020 when they'll be unstoppable. Their age spread of kids born between 93-98 is quality like we've never seen. They won't even hit their straps until 2020 & beyond however will likely sneak a flag or two before then. Scary to think by 2025 they could have anywhere between 3-6 flags whilst clubs like the Dogs & us sit on one flag over 100 odd years!

[BigMart]

Is let StK wear pyjamas to play (which the candy stripe looked like) if it meant any flags

[saintbob]

They've got quality on every line and will as everyone says be playing goals for the next 5 years and will possibly win a flag or two!!!

Salary cap will hurt them during this period and with any sort of luck we can poach one of their quality mids, maybe someone like Kelly, Steele or Whitfield.

[fugazi]

I think the have 3 first round picks this year also..........pretty hard to compete when you're hoping to maybe, somehow get something out of your Rookie list while GWS slot another first rounder into their rotations

[Bluthy]

Our job will be to build a champion team to beat a team of champions. Remember our team of incredible players couldn't win a flag probably because of our game plan (lack of defence with Thomas, too little attack with Lyon) . Game plans and coaches play a huge role in flags. I'm not convinced about Leon Cameron.

Even yesterday I thought our game plan held up pretty well. GWS had ridiculous skilled talent out there that is starting to gel. A lot of our talent with exciting skills and x-factor was watching on yesterday (Carslisle, Goddard, Acres, Freeman, Gresham, White, Rice, Dmac). Based on our sloppiness and s*** kicking they should have won that by 3 qtr time and put the cue in the rack. We dragged ourselves back in it through sheer obstinence. We are capable of hitting the scoreboard quickly to turn the momentum of a match. It forced them to go to a higher gear, which they did and we couldn't follow as we are hitting limits at the moment.

[saintsRrising]

Gameplan held up pretty weel...but we left No 4 by himself way to long at every centre ball up.

Howrver quality of ball use brought us down. You cannot be the better team when you continually gift the ball back to your opponents.

GWS have so much talent that they will continue to trade away some talent every year now to gain a early pick or two so that they are continually adding fiture fream to thir best 22. They can probably keep this up for another 4/5 seasons yet. Without the topping up they already have a scarey amount of talent but to be able to keeping injecting the best of the best over such a sustained period is just going to be ridiculous.

[saintsRrising]

Gameplan held up pretty weel...but we left No 4 by himself way to long at every centre ball up.

Howrver quality of ball use brought us down. You cannot be the better team when you continually gift the ball back to your opponents.

GWS have so much talent that they will continue to trade away some talent every year now to gain a early pick or two so that they are continually adding fiture fream to thir best 22. They can probably keep this up for another 4/5 seasons yet. Without the topping up they already have a scarey amount of talent but to be able to keeping injecting the best of the best over such a sustained period is just going to be ridiculous.

[Linton Lodger]

I think we are their equal. I know many are wondering how will we keep up with GWS, but remember we were ordinary yesterday. GWS were hungrier and let's not talk about our delivery into the forward line.

GWS are better than the team everyone is envying at the moment, The Bulldogs. It is an amusing irony that Rory Lobb is far better than Tom Boyd, but not as good as our Paddy, who despite a quiet game showed more signs to wet the appetite.

You cannot ignore the fact that the bulk of GWS' list is more experienced than the bulk of ours, in terms of preseasons and games played. GWS will be a great rival in the next few years and I mean a rival not a superior team to us.

Our kids are starting to emerge this year and there are a few up & comers that still haven't cemented their spot who are exciting: Acres, Gresham, Goddard, Templeton, Murdoch, Freeman and then there's Jake Carlisle. Then of course there's the small matter of a free $1.4 million in our salary cap.

Remember we're still on a learning curve and we will be inconsistent over the season & within games.

For those of you dreaming of finals this year, whether its possible or not, who cares. Are we a genuine Premiership contender? No. So there's no point. I don't see a point in a team reaching the finals as the 7th or 8th best team. It has done no good for Richmond, Carlton & Essendon in recent years. In fact it probably served as a false indication of where they were at.

I'm still very comfortable & excited about the way we are tracking.