Pass mark for 2024

[shanegrambeau]

Fun question

Our list has been exposed by dint of ‘the coming of the messiah’…before it was Ratts’s fault

As our father walked on water, the team seemed to float above the earth with him, only to fall back to earth and sink.

And then, by some heavenly intervention..i.e. other results, we miraculously managed to stay in the 8

Now we get a tougher fixture and that weak midfield is a year older again.

So what is a pass?

Good question.

[saintsRrising]

Fun question



Now we get a tougher fixture and that weak midfield is a year older again.

""The AFL uses a ‘weighted rule’ to determine who plays each other twice, breaking the 18 teams into three groups: the top six teams from the previous year’s ladder (based on finals results), the middle six and bottom six.

Teams then play teams that finished in their bracket on the ladder more often"

So 2022 we were middle 6. In 2023 we are middle 6. So fixture will not necessarily be tougher, at least based on ladder position anyway.

[saintsRrising]

Ratts gave Nas, Owens and Windhager multiple games in 2022 and he also gave Sharman opportunities as soon as he was drafted.

Ross only gave Pou an opportunity this year and all the other first year draftees were essentially ignored.

Ignored is not really the right word. Most simply were available and/ or not ready to play seniors in 2023.

No mid year draftees this year. Also no new Rookie selections in 2022.

Hottons of the 2023 draftees was the most likely to have played this year, BUT was out injured for most it.

The talls in Keeler and Van Ess are both very raw, and also had injury concerns during the season.

Heath from the previous mid-season draft while promising looked raw still, and reportedly still needs to build his tank.


Pou this year was played in games even when his form had dipped. So Lyon and the other coaches clearly favoured getting games into him.


Hottons I think we will certainly see given a crack in the seniors next year. With Keeler and Van Ess I suspect it will depend what they are looking like at the end of pre-season.

Part of the reason I think Nas thrived so much more in 2023 over 2022 was that his body was much stronger. I think we will see an improved Poo in 2024 for the same reason, though the Poo being so young might need two more preseasons to get more of an AFL body.

[shanegrambeau]

Fun question



Now we get a tougher fixture and that weak midfield is a year older again.

""The AFL uses a ‘weighted rule’ to determine who plays each other twice, breaking the 18 teams into three groups: the top six teams from the previous year’s ladder (based on finals results), the middle six and bottom six.

Teams then play teams that finished in their bracket on the ladder more often"

So 2022 we were middle 6. In 2023 we are middle 6. So fixture will not necessarily be tougher, at least based on ladder position anyway.

Yep, I get that.
I meant our fixture in the sense of how it goes week-to-week in a live sense. i.e.we got to play teams who were a tad down in the dumps or struggling before they picked up (Carlton, GWS) as well as the usual suspects like North, West Coast and Hawthorn. Ya know we didn’t beat a single top 8 team when they were in the 8 except Essendon on that great 150th anniversary game.

But how do I know it will be tougher in that sense..

Just that…

I also thought it was relatively kind at the outset, even being in the second tier. But yes, appreciate that we have a second tier fixture again…and count my blessings. Although some of them aren’t too bad. Adelaide, Bulldogs etc.

[saintsRrising]

Yep, I get that.
I meant our fixture in the sense of how it goes week-to-week in a live sense. i.e.we got to play teams who were a tad down in the dumps or struggling before they picked up (Carlton, GWS) as well as the usual suspects like North, West Coast and Hawthorn. Ya know we didn’t beat a single top 8 team when they were in the 8 except Essendon on that great 150th anniversary game.

But how do I know it will be tougher in that sense..

Just that…

I also thought it was relatively kind at the outset, even being in the second tier. But yes, appreciate that we have a second tier fixture again…and count my blessings. Although some of them aren’t too bad. Adelaide, Bulldogs etc.

Yes I agree that our fixture was kind to us in 2023. We would be fortunate if 2024 is as kind.

Though one thing about 2023 is we were unlucky in when we played some teams. eg Cotchin's 300th where it seemed the whole Tiger's Team fired up to win it for him.

[Vortex]

What makes Lyon a ‘super coach’


I’ll back the list anyday- players win games not coaches

You don't pick sarcasm that easily do you

[freely]

Paradoxically, injuries served us this year. Coming at the start of the season (prob through overtraining to satisfy the demands of the new coach - same coach, recall, who was happy to play his star freo player on a broken leg). Meant our younger players not only 'got a taste' they were forced to take responsibility. That made us unpredictable early regardless of gameplay. It means as second and third year players those that got the call up will go into next season with a much greater sense of ownership and belonging in the team. That must be good.

I've always been a fan of the revolving captaincy in a young squad and injuries forced a bit of that flavour. Even Wilkie - already a champ - improved by strides imo this year and partly for that reason.

Impossible to assess the impact of the membrey situation. That we brought in caminiti unexpectedly suggests our game plan was very rigidly dependent on having someone play that role. Hopefully our coaches will have learnt something from that and we'll see a plan B or even C emerge when things aren't working next season.

My opinion of rtb is unchanged (starts p, ends k) but I'm full of hope. Including the hope that we hang on to Clark and Coffield.