How we gonna challenge Cats/Hawks?

[JeffDunne]

If we're entertaining the thought of Cousins then clearly we think we are in the hunt over the next 1-2 years (if you were in any doubt after we signed Gardiner).

Therefore I would assume the club believe there is enough improvement in the list to take us that next step our we'd be out of our minds to consider either.

I believe the club are correct.

[brown-coat]

can we?

We can't without Cousins.

And we also need some more help combined with our current list improving and opposition teams declining.

[Teflon]

Thats akin to saying Collingwood beat Geelong by 89 pts....they aint far off it...

They aren't far off it. Well no more than most other teams in the 8.

Collingwood are well drilled but have more holes (and worse now without Burns) than any side in the 8 for mine. They are definately well off the pace and no question a nice draw and regular games at G in 08 helped them along. Infact the biggest indicatoer of this was the games Collingwood lost to poorer sides and their slide toward end of the season when they started to come up against some decent opposition.

Simplistic at best.

Actually it's not.

Ah...to look at our win against Hawthorn in Rd 19 in isolation is simplistic any way you spin it. Keep spinning..

As others point out - look over a whole season and you see the difference between Hawks/Cats and us - heck even Dogs accounted for us easy (after giving us a 5 goal start) and had a much more consistent year..

I seem to remember someone getting all upset because somebody else thought we were lucky to finish 4th.

Thats good - I dont. I seem to remember someone wanting the coach sacked?

We had a horrible season for the most part. Very few of our players (especially our better players) played anywhere near their best consistently.

Did we have a horible year really or just play to where we really are? No doubt the fitness toward end of season meant we could run games out which was a huge plus.

But still we weren't far off it even if we were lucky to finish with the double chance.

There's more chance of us breaching that gap by getting improvement from what we already have than there is by what we can add between now and Christmas.

Agree thats why I think the players I named - especially those who have been round 3 or more years need to make a difference this year big time. But we need Armo et al to become genuine regular 22 options to compete against Cats/Hawks/Dogs etc for mine. A Jack Steven/McEvoy may just give us a glimmer for the future and that spark youth can bring at times.

Forward line does have to work this year and agree with others - a midfield that can jag a goal or three would be nice.....how long we really needed that?

[Teflon]

If we're entertaining the thought of Cousins then clearly we think we are in the hunt over the next 1-2 years (if you were in any doubt after we signed Gardiner).

Therefore I would assume the club believe there is enough improvement in the list to take us that next step our we'd be out of our minds to consider either.

I believe the club are correct.

I agree and dont think theres any doubt thats what the club think. So did Freo for some time.

Point is somewhere along the line that improvement has got to come from somewhere. To put it another way for me guys like Riewoldt, Hayes (at 28),Hudgton, Fisher are probably the only players I could truly say we'd be hard pressed to ask more from. They more often than not deliver weekly - Riewoldt bust his guts in the third against Hawks in the Prelim when all round him were shot.

The biggies for me in 08:

Goddard - to become elite
Dal - to return to it
Gram - shake the dud kicks
Montagna - less down games
Kosi - needs to dominate a few for his own sake
Sneider - less missing games
Milne - against good opposition - more pressure up fwd
Raph - HAS to take next step
Blake - needs another 08. Thats now his minimum
Armo - has to become an AFL midfielder
Ball - need some run
Gwilt - a regular 22 spot beckons
Allen - a fwd spot up for grabs can he step up?

[Moccha]

We needs lots of luck!

[Saints43]

As stated by many we need some kids to step up. Some pressure for senior spots from below. I also think some young kids starring invigorates the team. Look at our best periods in the last 30 years and it has coincided with a group of youngsters coming into the team and tearing it up.
I keep looking at Selwood (pick 7) and Armo (pick 9) and the impact they have had on their club. We haven't had a kid come in and shake it up for ages.

Having said that we have a heap of players who can be the metaphorical 'recruit of the year'.